HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - clinical depression in cancer patients adds

MJo · 04-22-2007, 06:47 AM

This is a good thing. I go to a Cancer Center that has its own psychologist, but I think my oncologist is not as sensitive as he could be to the psychological effects of a cancer diagnosis. He is teachable, though. I have a family history of depression but, until I was diagnosed, tried to cope with it through occasional one on one therapy. The BC diagnosis almost sent me "off the ledge." I am grateful that I started taking daily Lexapro, with occasional Xanax for anxiety.

For me the depression risk was already there when I got the diagnosis. I wonder how many of the 40% who became clinically depressed had no history of depression.

04-22-2007, 06:47 AM	#2
MJo Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Wilmington, Del. Posts: 1,126	This is a good thing. I go to a Cancer Center that has its own psychologist, but I think my oncologist is not as sensitive as he could be to the psychological effects of a cancer diagnosis. He is teachable, though. I have a family history of depression but, until I was diagnosed, tried to cope with it through occasional one on one therapy. The BC diagnosis almost sent me "off the ledge." I am grateful that I started taking daily Lexapro, with occasional Xanax for anxiety. For me the depression risk was already there when I got the diagnosis. I wonder how many of the 40% who became clinically depressed had no history of depression. __________________ MJO IDC, Stage I, Grade 2 Oncotype DX Score 32 Her2++ E+P+, Node Neg. Lumpectomy 11/04/05 Clear Margins 3 Dose dense AC (Couldn't tolerate 4) 4 Dose dense Taxol & Herc. (Tolerated well) 36 weeks Herceptin (Could not complete one year due to decrease in MUGA score) 2 years of Arimidex, then three years of Femara Finished Femara May 2011