How do you cope with acute anxiety?

[gaylepc]

II have hd anxiety issues my whole adult life and have taken a .25 Xanax daily for 30 years. I used to have acute panic attacks in my thirties, and the possibility of lung cancer has brougt that back. It's affecting my blood pressure whih is sky high, even on BP meds.

Have you found that Dr.s are open to using stronger doses of tranquilizers during this time. I am a mess and the acute anxiety is intolerable.

How have you dealt with acute anxiety?

[Tom Galli]

Gaylep,

I also had anxiety during my treatment years and several years after. After my right lung resection and two subsequent thoracic surgeries, I experienced deep depression that continued throughout 3-years of chemotherapy after surgery. About midway into treatment, I found myself deeply depressed.

My GP prescribed antidepressants and also arranged counseling, and it was counseling that did the heavy lifting. This helped me establish a framework for living, accepting the mayhem of uncertainty dragging me down. Looking back, the counseling intervention was invaluable and taught me the importance of living and enjoying day-to-day life. The drugs got me to counseling but the counseling defeated depression.

Stay the course.

Tom

[edivebuddy]

I never suffered from anxiety until after my cancer diagnosis and I was responding to treatment.  Not even when I was sure I was dead.  When I knew I could beat it is when things took a turn. I couldn't sleep. Thoughts of death filled every quiet moment .  I would feel an overwhelming sense of dread just out of the blue.  Counseling was offered but I just took the Xanax and that helped me.  I still keep it on hand but haven't had to use it.  As a lung cancer patient there is all sorts of help from counseling to pharmacy tical intervention.  First step is talking with your care team.  They're used to dealing with it.

[Karen_L]

I am prescribed a benzodiazepine for brain MRIs. My therapist and I discuss the dosage and other details. I don’t take any other meds that have a potential for addiction. 

I see him weekly. I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be where I am mentally/emotionally without his help. Anxiety, grief, panic, whatever, I just take it there and work it out. The cancer center you’re working with should be able to connect you with someone, or at least give you a few leads. 

I also practice meditating. It’s been a very positive experience, and I recommend it. Here’s some information from the Harvard Medical School about the simple practice of working with your breath. Healthline also has a helpful piece which gives an overview and some ideas for getting started. 

But I think you might really find it useful to use Lungevity’s  Lung Cancer Helpline. From the website:

Quote

 

The Lung Cancer HELPLine offers toll-free, personalized support for patients and caregivers at any time along their lung cancer journey. Our oncology social workers are fluent in both English and Spanish and are available to help you manage your emotional, financial, and support challenges.

Dial 844-360-5864, Monday through Thursday, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, and Friday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm (Eastern time).

 

Hang in. This is a really unnerving and difficult process, but you can get through it. 

Keep us posted!
 

[Livin Life]

I strongly suggest meeting with a psychologist or therapist as others have mentioned.  It will give you a safe place to process your thoughts and feelings while learning how to better cope with all you're dealing with.  Validation is (or definitely) should be a part of all therapy which helps add to that safe space.  It should be a place where you don't have to be strong which might be difficult in other settings or with other people.  I don't usually share this on these sites though I'm a psychologist.  I've lost several family members (3 sibs and both parents) to cancer and three of them to lung cancer.  I'm now facing the possibility of having lung cancer myself.  As a result I am known in my area for working with people with various cancers - it is soooooo important people have a place to go - their family as well - wish my siblings would have sought out that additional support.  Medications help though are limited.  Anxiety meds mask symptoms (though can be helpful).  Therapy can help resolve or greatly lessen the anxiety itself....

[tgif i guess]

everyone is different - all the blah blah disclaimers before giving my opinion

'anxiety' is a rational response to the possibility that you might be facing death - and that is what we all think when we hear the word cancer or suspect we might have it

i did not look at it as something i had to cure (the 'anxiety') - when i was diagnosed i was not in a position to tell anyone i had cancer - and there are a few months where it is the only thing you think about - but there will come a day when that is not the case

in my pointy head, that process is normal - while going through it, you might not see an end to the feelings - but i promise you, there is still life after diagnosis and it won't be filled with the obsessive anxiety

there will still be bathrooms that need to be cleaned and other joys of life await

that is - IF the diagnosis is the cause of the anxiety

if its the treatments, i can only speak to the chemo - i have not had radiation or surgery 

i have been taking chemo probably 20 months - and amazed how well i have tolerated the treatments - some chemos are worse than others but they juice you up with drugs (in the iv bags with the chemo) that handle many of the side effects - my chemo was carboplatin and alimta - while on the carboplatin, i had a shot the next day to boost my white blood cells - never had any nausea or hair loss - my bloodwork was remarkably 'normal'

keytruda (immunotherapy) has been a cake walk - (but i do call my chemo nurse Nurse Constipation) 

if you have chemo, it might be different for you - but do NOT fear chemo - its put me in remission and my bathrooms are spotless because of it

at my oncology clinic, the chemo is administered with about a dozen of us in the same room - that is brilliant - there are things you can say and questions you can ask of other patients that the 'normies' would feel uncomfortable about

it helped me to focus on what i could do for someone else - take a pie to the doctors' office staff - i'd go pick up my Mom's blue haired friends and drive around and get ice cream

i am surprised that no one offered meditation or spirituality as a path to handling anxiety - but again, everyone is different

you are not so different that this will take you out - you can and will get through this phase - if you allow it, you will learn a lot too

 

[Livin Life]

You're soooo right normalizing the anxiety.....

[TJM]

Best of luck getting xanex. It's considered evil. Just like oxcoden.

Lorazapam is excellent for panic attacks. Acts faster and doesn't last as long.

GL

[LouT]

You may want to discuss Buspar with your doctor.  It iis also an anti-anxiety medication with a very good safety profile.

Lou