Post surgery anxiety.

Hi john.. 'wow' you have been through a horrid ordeal & YES you have every right to ask for some reassurance to your questions..    In your case, anxiety would  be present & no doubt you will be thinking about remission from cancer.. Expressing your fears, questions etc., is a good way to avoid anxiety build up where it eventually consumes your thoughts for most of the day..  Its encouraging to read that you are trying 'self help' methods such as deep breathing & doing your best to distract your thoughts.. Do you have support groups with other people who are over-comers of cancer?..  On-line groups can also provide you with supportive/positive input from people, as well as your self..   Persue your options for counselling may also be a benefit to you..     Stay well champ xx

i will do my best to help. You will probably be getting more responses this evening. Everyone that posts here either has or has had extreme anxiety. Your mind can really mess with you. Terrible thoughts and fears, body distresses, etc. I am not an advocate of any drugs except when really needed. I have found out from recent experience with anxiety to a degree I never thought possible. I got so bad I went to the clinic and signed in as an emergency. My doctor pinpointed what had brought this on (another doctor's mistake) and immediately changed my blood pressure meds to include an anti anxiety med. Got some relief right away, but still in the high panic/fear mode. Upped the dose until I could think through the panic. The I started researching and applying things I knew from my counseling practice before retiring. I have also gotten a lot of info. and support here. Consider asking your doctor for an anti anxiety med that you can check your progress each month. Tell your doctor you don't intend to stay on the meds, only take them until you are calm enough to take over without them. Try a week or so with the food and thought change before going for meds. In your case, you may not even need them, but if you do, go get what you need.

First, check your diet. There are foods that ease anxiety and foods that blow it through the roof. Do yourself a huge favor and Google foods that make anxiety worse, then, do foods that ease anxiety. I saw some improvement within 24 hours and it gets a bit better every day. Drink plenty of water!!!

Realize that the thoughts are just that, thoughts. Look at them as they come up, say, "that's just a thought", and let it go while doing a few deep breaths and blowing them out. See the thought being blown away with the out breath.

Start with these things and make a committment that you are going to follow these ideas, and 'change" your mind (change what you let your mind do to you) It helps to shift thoughts to something you are grateful for after blowing a nasty thought. The  mind is very powerful, but you are more powerful. You can change your mind. Go with this for now.

That will be a great start and you will see some relief. consider yoga or tai chi to take care of the physical stress the mind sets up. You will be okay. You are getting better right now. Trust the process, trust yourself. You are really alright, but your mind is telling you that you are not. Now you are going to take your mind back. Let us know how you are doing, and post when you need a boost.

Thank you Deb and Cia for your replies. I shall definitely look into some diet advice and see if there are support groups which have similar people. I do have some Lorazapam (sp?) which were prescribed for visits to the dentist. I tend to retch from nerves even before he touches me! They do help, in fact it's quite relaxing until I get the bill....