The post chemo transition is hard.. you were in a battle where every treatment was slaying the enemy and your focus was on that. Once you're done you'd expect to be YAY, but many of us are like..now what. Its unsettling to then start wondering what's next. What's the plan . Will it come back. Your treatment team will be following you closely and you may be on maintenance medication.. I'm just done with maintenance after 3 years and feeling the same as post chemo again.. what now.. no safety net.. Will it come back now.. this is all totally normal for cancer survivors and therapists who work with cancer patients are very familiar with these feelings. I'm probably one of the least superstitious people on the planet, but when it came time to ring rhe bell I didn't want to..like I was going to jinx myself.. I knew my treatment wasnt over..just the chemo part of it! You'll be a cancer survivor for the rest of your life. You will always see things differently now..but in time you'll start to be a bit less sad and much more grateful for every day you're given. There will always be anxiety around scans and blood draws..but cherish every moment of life and soak up time with loved ones and freinds!.. oh and talk to a therapist if you think it will help!
Kate x
Hi Tshepi, I felt the same
Way after chemo. I really think it was the actual chemo that made me feel sad and down. You know like a side effect. I took Lynparza for two years after chemo and when I was
Done with the Lynparza I again felt sad and depressed. I find I’m having a hard time planning for the future. I keep wondering if it’s going to come back. Hang in there. Take it one day at a time.
First, congratulations on being cancer free! It's completely normal to experience mixed emotions during this time. The journey through cancer treatment is intense both physically and emotionally, and processing those experiences takes time.
Many people find themselves dealing with a range of feelings after treatment ends - Show Full Answer
TshepiM, it’s both wonderful and challenging being NED. I’m able to spend more time with my grandchildren because I feel better and I have less clinical appointments. My gyn surgeon said they’re treating ovarian cancer more like a chronic disease. I like to think when we are NED there’s always a chance the cancer will stay away for a long time or not return.
Depends what cancer stage you are in. If it is stage 4 then it probably will return. Enjoy the time and don’t worry. Just pray.