Went to the ER because I had 3 positive HCG tests and a relentless cough l've been battling for 3 months now... they did a chest xray and the results say "There are scattered nodular opacities in both lungs. These could reflect granulomata or vessels on end, however, clinical correlation is advised." In addition, no baby was found after an ultrasound. Just ovarian cysts on my right ovary ranging up to 1.3cm. l've also had bright red anal bleeding so the DR felt for internal and external hemorrhoids. Nothing. So they sent me home. My most recent Pap smear said "Your recent Pap smear came back showing ASCUS (Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance). This IS NOT cancer or even pre-cancer, but can be seen from time to time as a slight abnormality on pap smears." Then I get an email with all these red and orange blood tests... just concerned bc I have other symptoms but l have no insurance and because l'm so young, when I did have insurance no one listened to my worries. My grandma just died from cancer. Opinions? Am I just worked up?

Hi Reddit. I’ve (33F) been experiencing swelling in my cervical lymph nodes for seven months now. Doctors initially thought it was infection. I’ve been on heavy doses of general and specific antibiotics for weeks. Blood work comes back positive and nothing is diagnosed yet. In the process of figuring out what’s wrong, I requested for ultrasound of my neck, chest and groin, the places where lymph nodes feel swollen with sporadic bursts of pain. Radiology picked up what seemed like a tumor on my left lobe of thyroid and FNAC confirmed papillary thyroid carcinoma. After a couple more biopsies, on thyroid and one of the swollen lymph nodes (L2) in the neck and a PET scan, surgery was performed to remove the left lobe of thyroid and two lymph nodes. One next to the thyroid and one L2 on the left. Frozen section came back negative for tumors in the lymph nodes extracted so the doctors kept the remaining thyroid and lymph nodes in tact.

It’s been 3.5 months since surgery. Lymph node swelling continues. I have severe fatigue, joints hurt, arms hurt, legs hurt, I’m anxious, scared, I get tired by just basic physical activity like cooking for myself and cleaning up after myself. I’ve been taking a break from work. I’ve been eating well. And I’ve been consuming ABC juice since my HB was low to help with that.

Despite my efforts I’m extremely worried for my loved ones and my health. I’m scared. How do I cope and overcome fear.

Please don’t make fun of me if I seem too self centered. Appreciate your time.

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https://preview.redd.it/jw5dcpquwdge1.jpg?width=1545&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e02f48f6b8c711b1bdbb7a5073783dfed7b8ced7

Had stage 4 lymphoma when I was 5-7.5 - got everything AND the kitchen sink as treatment I'm sure you know that chemo and radiation will save your life and it'll do some serious damage. I'm 33(F) and my chickens are coming home to roost.

I have finally gotten my heart failure under control (EF off meds =24, on meds =43)

I have been doing mammograms since I was 25, last year I had a biopsy. This escalation means I get to see a surgeon for hopefully a prophylactic mastectomy.

I thought I had memory issues, no one believed me, finally saw a neurologist and did the mini version of the test and while its low on the scale (like I thought it was) it's definitely there (or not-there?). Whatever, my memory has a definitive lacking/glitch. She had me do an MRI.

Now I get to see a neurosurgeon for "Scattered foci of susceptibility in the brain" which may be cerebral microbleeds.

I have had 2 osteomas and a cyst in my finger, which adding my breast tissue phenomena, makes for plenty of weird cellular activity which has increased over time.

When I told my fam about my heart failure, my mom said that I said it was her fault because she had me stop seeing the cardiologist (sick from 5-7.5, still seeing docs, unable to comprehend of I'm better now then why still Drs - she did what she thought was best and I've never ever said she was wrong or held it against her). Because she did that, in a time when I should have had support, I had my entire f*ing family mad at me. So now I don't tell them anything. I have a very loving and supportive husband, so it's kind of okay.

1. it's just one thing after another and I'm only in my 30s
2. I hate not being able to tell my family out of fear of backlash, and I blame them for this feeling
3. I'm overwhelmed and it's hard right now, I can barely fall asleep because my thoughts are so active and loud, and I still have to adult (work, chores/errands, etc.)
4. multiple other feelings, frustrations, and on and on

Hey y’all so I’m having my biggest struggle since my cancer journey started and I don’t know how to climb out of it. I’m currently probably losing my job bc my doctors and the insurance company can’t seem to get things together and I’ve had no income for 3 months. I’m not one to be firm with people so I’m making no progress in getting them to work things out expeditiously and now next week I need to pay my copay for my chemo meds and I don’t have anywhere near the 360 I need so I guess I’m only doing 7 rounds instead of 8. Fingers crossed cancer doesn’t notice my weak spot. I also need advice on how to clean my bedroom. Between the chemo fatigue, depression I think I’m losing my grip on, the anxiety of cancer, chemo, money, mortality is paralyzing at times and becoming more frequent. Basically, I’ve had no energy to clean and my bedroom took the brunt of it. Today I have some energy and rage behind me and I’m ready to tackle it but I’m overwhelmed and don’t know where to start. This probably reads as disjointed ramblings but if any of you have ANY ideas to help make me feel a little better or more in control I welcome them. I feel like I’m spiraling and I can’t find any traction to stop it. Thanks for listening and I hope you’re all having better days. 💙

Hey, I am a two time cancer survivor with two major surgeries. One of the surgery left me with a limp and mobility issues. I was in a long-term relationship for more than half a decade that came to an end last year Jan.

I contemplated being all by myself, but it is getting really lonely at this point of time. My insecurities are so bad, and I feel like no one in my circle can relate to me. Having fought cancer bravely this heartbreak that I caused myself led to me to try offing myself. (Not so proud abt it though)

So, I am seriously looking for someone to talk to and make friends with that can relate to me and my childhood.

I am 25M! Fingers crossed hoping to make some connection that changes my view of life.

I was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer in 2021. I was fortunate and with extensive chemo, radiation and surgery I'm now cancer free.

I had to have a ileostomy for 6 months while I underwent IV chemo. I felt better during the treatment then I did after the ileostomy reversal. It was a terrible experience I was going to the bathroom 40+ times a day. My tumor was very low and as a result I had almost my whole rectum removed.

My life has gotten a lot better and most days are good but other days I'm stuck running to the bathroom all day or up all night getting up to go. It's been 3 years and I stil am dealing with side effects of the whole chemo, radiation, and surgery. My doctors gave me some hand line 6 years and you'll be like it was. I talked to other survivors and they were 15 years out and still had the symptoms I do.

Has anyone else had the same experience? I don't think it's terrible enough now for a colostomy bag. It just does leave me with like bathroom PTSD enough to not want to take my kids out in public alone in case I have an accident or am stuck in the bathroom. I'm not under the impression anymore that it's gonna get any better and have found what foods tend to set it off more. The more I write the less I really know what I'm asking.

I recently had Mohs surgery. My dermatologist did a biopsy on my head that came back as basal cell carcinoma. The skin cancer was right directly over my shunt on my head. I talked to my doctor who performed the Mohs surgery and he said they might have to move my shunt for the area to heal. Has anyone ever had their VP shunt moved to another location on their head?

I had oral cancer at 6yo. I had the mass removed which also entailed removing the hard pallet and 5 baby teeth and 5 adult teeth. I also had a ton of radiation to the face causing stunted growth in my mouth. all of this made it impossible to get implants. my baby teeth moving made it hard to get dentures. and as I got older I just accepted the fact I was going to be toothless.

well 2 years ago at the age of 25 I started with a new prosthodontist. it's been a very long time coming but I finally got my partial denture today! it's definitely different I have to learn to eat with it, talk with it, and even have to learn how to smile. I've been doing everything backwards for so long it will be an adjustment but I'm so happy!

I'm just wrapping my head around some news I got and just wanted to see what some people have experienced and won. I know everyone is different. I just want some hope.

What was your lightest weight during your time with cancer? How much did you lose?

What helped you gain weight?

Were you told you you should just try for palliative treatment?

Howd you stay hopeful?

after my cancer left me with a severe disability, and my life and physical appearance completely changed i was almost certain i would never find anyone who would love unless i got surgeries and fixed the disability. I met the most incredible man with whom ive been with for 6 years. I stood in my own way due to my insecurity regarding the disability but this man never let me go or for even one second made me feel like i was different. He talks about making changes to the car and building a home gym all so i can have access to these. Never in a million years would i have thought a man like this would find me . I truly believed for many years that cancer had taken away my opportunity at love because no one would be able to see past external beauty but boy was a wrong. I am just so incredibly happy and i want everyone to know that love is out there and there are wonderful people who will give us the world just as we deserve ;)

I 25F had neuroblastoma at the age of 2. All I’ve really ever known is being a cancer survivor, I remember treatment but nothing from before it. I knew childhood cancer survivors have lasting effects in all different kinds of ways but I always felt frustrated with my body for constantly getting sick and always having some new health issue pop up whether it’s nausea, migraines, chronic vomiting or persistent joint issues. I always knew it wasn’t just me who dealt with random long term side effect but I only recently found out it can all be tied to cellular senescence.

Forgive me if I butcher this, I am no scientist but basically the different kinds of cancer treatments can cause the cells to not divide in the way they normally would. This can be tied to getting sicknesses more frequently, more chronic illnesses and the overall aging of the body. As we get older cellular senescence naturally happens more but the different treatments I had caused these things to start coming about at a younger age.

I always had issues with the unknown because I had intense issues after treatment that no doctor was ever actually able to tell me what it was. They just eventually found a random combination of drugs that actually helped. I say all this to say, if you’re a long term cancer survivor who feels constantly frustrated with your health it’s not only you.

There’s a couple of different organizations that are doing research on treating cellular senescence with senotherapy in coordination with the patients treatment plan. Doing a deep dive into this felt reassuring that there is a reason behind the dread I feel. But also vaguely hopeful that maybe one day someone can treat my long term issues in a broader sense.

Please let me know if I butchered anything, again I’m not a scientist.

I'm glad I found this sub bc it feels hard to share what my feelings are in r/cancer where people are objectively going through very hard situations.

I'm trying to figure out how to deal with this new normal of spiraling before and after appointments and/or every time I get a pain or get sick. I am 18mons out from treatment so still going through surveillance. I had 2 clear scans but lots of symptoms. I spent the past year convinced something was wrong. I had bleeding etc. when I went to the bathroom, but I did all the tests and it was a fissure. Okay, I decided mentally to MOVE ON. Get on with life, and I did. (This wasn't a minor feat it felt like a major mental shift.. it took a lot.)

Then I have a scan and up comes a lung nodule (4mm). Again, a total spiral. It's probably nothing, as I've seen and heard. But I have to have it checked in 3 months instead of 6. OKAY???? How do I just live until then?

I have since calmed down, but I spent about 3-4 weeks in complete hypervigilance and rumination. Thinking about my affairs, etc. I have 2 young kids so I just freak out. I always freak out.

I want to stop freaking out. Or at least find a way to reduce the time it takes for me to move into "acceptance." I have 3.5 more years of scans and it just feels like such a long road ahead of incidental findings that will send me into losing my mind.

How do you all deal? Any tips? Thank you for being here!

I have annual appointments at a survivorship care clinic so this isn’t my first time dealing with them but this time around in particular I’m feeling very anxious and paranoid. I have my appointment in about a week and at last year’s appointment I had to have follow up echosounds to ensure that my heart function is normal because of a slightly abnormal result the first time. I feel like I have to prepare myself every time for what they could potentially find and the fear ruins my entire week leading up to the appointment. How do you guys deal with the anxiety of appointments?

The last few days have been rough... It started with a sharp pain in my left shoulder/collarbone and swelling but I assumed it was just my old port scar reacting to the cold. It just got progressively worse over the last few days, my arms are weak and the pain is unbearable and not going away with painkillers. I went to the doctor and he told me to contact my oncology nurse so I did that today and it will be Thursday before I'm seen.

My mind automatically is going to recurrence in the form of lymphoma and I'm really depressed about it. I don't want to die...

#HappyNewYear #comics #2025newyear #graphicmedicine #sva

So I’ll make this as short as possible. I was diagnosed with stage IV Cancer 1/18/24.. I have beaten it. But went through absolute hell, throat and neck surgery, 14 teeth removed, 60% of my tongue chemo/radiation. It had spread into my lymph nodes. I don’t smoke or drink, I was training for a body building show. I was so healthy.

Beating cancer was hard but I fought through. But was on 120 mg oxy for 7 months and 75MG fentanyl patches for 5 months. Plus Xanax and Valium. I stopped all of that on my own. RSO oil and kratom pulled me through. But now that the PTSD is kicking in I tried cocaine and somehow now it turned into a habit where I actually feel addicted. Nothing has ever done that to me. I did get my medical card, so I picked up my first order of rick Simpson oil tincture and one for anxiety.

So now I’m withdrawing off of cocaine and morphine. How can I get through this? Any advice? I feel so miserable. And I’m going through a federal lawsuit so the stress is just insane right now. Fear of cancer coming back and all this year is just now hitting me that I almost died twice this year & I have a 50/50 chance of living past 5 years.

(The FED lawsuit im not in trouble another party is for violation of a lot of laws and the govt agrees and is on my side. But it’s just been such a terrible freaking year. I was so strong and positive this ENTIRE year. Then all of it hit me around November 24th. Went back to taking some of my oxys left over, and then started doing a lot of coke.

I’ve been told RSO/CBD/ really help. But any suggestions? I have a great support system and told them everything last week. So I’m not sneaking around I don’t want to be doing it. any suggestions, advice, support.. ANYTHING is greatly appreciated.

Hi everyone, my grandma is in remission by 2 years. However she always gets super anxious when having follow up appointments (always afraid it will be back). She went through bad depression during treatment and I worry. I was hoping to make her an affirmation or quote card to help steady her mind for her appointment tomorrow. Any suggestions or ones that helped you?

Hello. I have been NED from stage 4 Ewings sarcoma for about 2-3 years. My scans have come back and looked a little concerning however after reviewing and looking on google (I haven’t talked to my oncologist yet) I have came to the conclusion that my bone health is deteriorating. Wondering if anyone else has dealt with this and if it’s gotten worse or anything Thank you

NPR piece on the all too common disappearance of friends and family members after a cancer diagnosis. https://www.npr.org/2024/12/18/nx-s1-5179011/cancer-ghosting-survivorship-young-survivors?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us

Hi everyone, I wanted to ask if anyone was diagnosed with lupus after your cancer diagnosis. I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma back in Nov. 2019 and been in remission since 2020. Since I’ve been done with treatment I’ve been having one health issue after another. No one can figure out what is wrong with me. They keep saying its chemo side effect or chemo fatigue. The last two years I’ve been seeing a rheumatologist and he says I’m showing early signs of lupus and that it common to after lupus after cancer. Today I went to the ER because my finger kept turning blue cuz of Raynaud syndrome which is a symptom of lupus. Did some bloodwork but won’t get the result u til tomorrow. The doctor is sure that I do have lupus. I’m extremely scared and freaking myself. I wanted to know if anyone has lupus cuz of their cancer.

I’m so sick of this post-cancer life!! I had stage 3 anorectal cancer, with the tumor in my rectum invading my butt muscle. I was doing pretty well about 6 months after treatment. I had a temporary ileostomy that was reversed, I went on vacation with my husband and some friends, not on any meds, clean scans. My life wasn’t the same but I was happy and doing really well.

Everything changed last December. I started having pain and bleeding. January I had an emergency surgery which saved my life but left me in endless pain and difficulty walking, so back on pain meds. Then my scans showed the cavity my tumor created wasn’t healing. Then they found a fistula. Unfortunately all these things are inoperable (thankfully radiation got all of my tumor because they couldn’t surgically remove it) so they can’t fix anything. Maybe going back to an ostomy will help but I’m not sold on it.

A month or so ago we went to a wedding and it was a lot for a long weekend. I had a CT scan which showed inflammation around the cavity, so much the radiologist assumed I had an infection. Now I can barely do anything beyond lay on my couch or in bed!! We are supposed to leave Friday to visit family for Christmas but I have no idea how to manage this and we’re likely going to cancel the trip. I feel so sad and defeated.

recently i had my 4th brain tumor surgically removed, usually i end up cutting my hair off or it ends to fall out due to healing. my hair hasnt been that long since 2022 where i got my very first (and largest) lately ive been healing fast and well i havent been this happy and grateful for a long time. we live short and life can be crappy but the little things keep us going. enjoy the moments we have now.

22F here. Is anyone else terrified of the future? Or rather a lack thereof, I guess. I’ve been staying in an unhealthy relationship, because I’m scared that due to my complications, I won’t find anyone else anyways. I really want to go to college, I was accepted into school earlier this year and was unable to attend due to treatment. Now that I’m in remission, I still want to go back, but it feels kind of hopeless. I feel like something bad will happen to me before I’m even able to complete my degree and start my career. I don’t know how to live freely and not let this inhibit me.

Triple positive invasive ductal carcinoma grade 3, malignant neoplasm of the right breast with pagets disease of the nipple…. Will never get over seeing that written on my medical file…