› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Interferon and Anxiety
- This topic has 6 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 12 years, 7 months ago by
tonirey.
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- August 29, 2010 at 3:04 pm
Hello Everyone,
Hello Everyone,
Its been a long time since I have posted on this website. To be honest it wasn't easy for me to come on this site and read all of the various stories. I'm still not sure it helps 100% of the time but I miss everyone I use to correspond with. I aplogise for not posting more often. I am now 4 months into my interferon treatment. Its been tough but tolerable. Nothing new has been discovered and I'm approaching a year from my diagnosis day! I couldn't have done this without my friends and family by my side.
The main reason I am writing is because I have recently been suffering from anxiety and I believe its because of the Interferon. Did anyone else experience this? If so I'd love to know how you treated it. I'm currently on Cipralex but that doesn't seem to be helping. It helps with the depression but not my anxiety. Is there something natural that could help? I'm not opposed to pharmaceuticals but I'd love to try a natural remedy first.
All my love
Mark
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- August 29, 2010 at 4:38 pm
I used meditation and guided imagery..listened to a great CD during my meditation time by Bellaruth Naprasak almost every day I was on interferon.
That helped a lot with my anxiety, and also helped me feel like I was doing something additional to boost my immune system.
For extreme anxiety, I used (and still do) ativan..1 mg.
Good luck to you and a big WELL DONE for doing so well on your interferon. It was the long haul that was tough for me, and I ended up quitting interferon at month ten, not due to anxiety or depression, but rather physical problems (my unending cough!)d
Goodluck with the rest of it!!
dian in spokane
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- August 29, 2010 at 8:58 pm
I would wake with my heart pounding in my chest which I attributed to stress/anxiety. I found walking helped me just to get out and move during the day. I also kept a journal. I also had ativan but only used once and awhile. My anxiety hit me more at night it seemed.
good for you for doing so well with it. I had to stop after 6 months because my liver couldnt tolerate it I had also developed trouble breathing and was glad to walk away from the interferon because of my breathing issues and I had lost 20 pounds. I am now off interferon for 8 months and feel like a "regular person" again – one thing about feeling awful is it sure feels good to feel good again! good luck! keep it up you are doing great!
laurie from maine
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- August 29, 2010 at 8:58 pm
I would wake with my heart pounding in my chest which I attributed to stress/anxiety. I found walking helped me just to get out and move during the day. I also kept a journal. I also had ativan but only used once and awhile. My anxiety hit me more at night it seemed.
good for you for doing so well with it. I had to stop after 6 months because my liver couldnt tolerate it I had also developed trouble breathing and was glad to walk away from the interferon because of my breathing issues and I had lost 20 pounds. I am now off interferon for 8 months and feel like a "regular person" again – one thing about feeling awful is it sure feels good to feel good again! good luck! keep it up you are doing great!
laurie from maine
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- August 29, 2010 at 4:38 pm
I used meditation and guided imagery..listened to a great CD during my meditation time by Bellaruth Naprasak almost every day I was on interferon.
That helped a lot with my anxiety, and also helped me feel like I was doing something additional to boost my immune system.
For extreme anxiety, I used (and still do) ativan..1 mg.
Good luck to you and a big WELL DONE for doing so well on your interferon. It was the long haul that was tough for me, and I ended up quitting interferon at month ten, not due to anxiety or depression, but rather physical problems (my unending cough!)d
Goodluck with the rest of it!!
dian in spokane
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- September 18, 2011 at 8:46 pm
Just finished week 7 into the year of Interferon for Stage IIIa, and anxiety is by far the biggest struggle for me right now. Melanoma is an anxiety-producing diagnosis no matter what, but I also see the benefit of having faith that it has been surgically removed, clean PETScan, and now the treatment to prevent a recurrence. There are many people who have gone through this treatment and lived long, healthy lives. Physical side effects of the Interferon are there, mainly fatigue. The oncologist said in a few years I will look back and this will be a blip in my life – that is a wonderful picture for the future, but for getting through the day to day ANXIETY it doesn't carry me! I started taking Clonopin for the anxiety a few days ago, but it is not really doing the trick. I also listen to Belleruth Naparstek, she has downloadable guided imagery and affirmations available free on kp.org/listen. I highly recommend trying them out.
Back to Mark's posting, I strongly believe that the anxiety I am currently overcome with is a side effect of the Interferon. If there is anyone who is coping with interferon treatments and would like to be email pals, please feel welcome to email me and hopefully we can support one another through this! [email protected]
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- September 18, 2011 at 8:46 pm
Just finished week 7 into the year of Interferon for Stage IIIa, and anxiety is by far the biggest struggle for me right now. Melanoma is an anxiety-producing diagnosis no matter what, but I also see the benefit of having faith that it has been surgically removed, clean PETScan, and now the treatment to prevent a recurrence. There are many people who have gone through this treatment and lived long, healthy lives. Physical side effects of the Interferon are there, mainly fatigue. The oncologist said in a few years I will look back and this will be a blip in my life – that is a wonderful picture for the future, but for getting through the day to day ANXIETY it doesn't carry me! I started taking Clonopin for the anxiety a few days ago, but it is not really doing the trick. I also listen to Belleruth Naparstek, she has downloadable guided imagery and affirmations available free on kp.org/listen. I highly recommend trying them out.
Back to Mark's posting, I strongly believe that the anxiety I am currently overcome with is a side effect of the Interferon. If there is anyone who is coping with interferon treatments and would like to be email pals, please feel welcome to email me and hopefully we can support one another through this! [email protected]
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