Please help. Overwhelming anxiety since diagnosis

[redglobox]

Hello kind ladies of Mumsnet

I am desperate for advice. I was diagnosed with breast cancer a few days ago and since then have been really struggling with feelings of anxiety, panic and fear. I feel sick, my mouth is dry, I'm losing my voice, I am shaking. I can't focus or even give any thought to anything apart from this. It is worst as the night sets in and I am finding it very hard to get to sleep. I have told my extended family (not my young children) and my husband is being brilliant but there's only so much he can say to talk me down. My mind is just racing all the time. It was already bad but has escalated since I googled something the breast care nurse said yesterday and found something that suggested I have a poorer outlook. I feel in a real crisis about it. I'm not due back at work until the 6th but can't even function in any way right now.

What can I do to control how I am feeling so that I can still function and not be in this constant state of terror? I am worried about how much worse this could get as my prognosis becomes clearer. I'm still waiting for some of the pathology results, don't have a stage yet, haven't started treatment.

My GP surgery is closed until Monday. I am trying to find counseling or therapy but there are so many coming up and I don't know how to find one that can help me with this particular issue. I couldn't get through to the breast care nurses yesterday and have emailed but I don't know if they will respond over the weekend.

Hello @redglobox

i was diagnosed at 42 and have been living with it ever since.

first of all, I’d ask you to take a deep breath and be mindful of to yourself. The amount of information you’ll be having thrown at you right now is immense. Immense and intense. You don’t need to understand or remember it all just now, it’s a learning curve.

Once you have a plan in place, everything will seem a little better and you’ll feel more in control.

Ask as many questions as you need to, as many times as it takes to go in. Write stuff down, ask them to explain it like you’re a 5yr old if you need to - that’s what I do.

And please believe me when I say, the support is out there and you will find your people - the best group that nobody ever wants to be part of.

Be angry, be sad, be furious, be worried, be whatever you need to be, it’s YOUR journey and there is no right or wrong way.

Deep breaths, you’ve got this