How do you cope with fear before cancer treatment?

One day at a time. With tx comes side effects. Without tx quantity of life is very little. Side effects can be managed. Work with your team let them help. Come here to express yourself. Rest when needed eat when you can do things you enjoy. Try not to be scared we're all in this together.

When I got my first package of Kisqali, I was afraid to take it not wanting to put poison into my body. Now, eight months later I will fight anybody who tries to take it away. Yes I’ve had some rash and minor side effects. However, I’m walking 7,000 steps daily, doing water aerobics, grocery shopping and driving locally. I thought with stage 4 MBC I would be deceased by now, but no, I’m doing amazingly well! Give it a chance. Update: October 2025, after ten months of treatment scans show me in remission! No traces of new growth of tumors anywhere in my spine, soft tissue or breast. I have to stay on the medication and live with some side effects, but I’m not just alive, I’m fully living my life again! Thank Heaven. 🙏

Same here Patricia. I am on a kisquali since. April 2024 and feel the same way! My body adjusted to it within a few cycles and I am on the highest dose! It reduced my tumor markers and shrink my breast tumor and some lymph nodes. Hang in there we got you! !

I was not successful with Kisqali. I couldn't get the side effects under control, but I'm glad I tried. My longest treatment was Ibrance with letrozole, then with fluvestraunt. It was almost 7 years. I pray Kisqali will work for you at least that long. 🙏

Prayer and one day at a time

This is the challenge of metastatic cancer. Cancer is a huge mind game! The question has become more and more with these great new treatments, how do you live with it? All these treatments have side effects. First I’ve changed my thinking and don’t call them poisons. They are powerful drugs that have side effects. I deal with the side effects very heads on. For example, I take anti constipation meds when needed. I exercise and work with a pt specialist, I drink lots of water, I work on my diet did each treatment, I do mindfulness, and lots of other things. I support myself so I can help these meds work for me. Every time I’ve switched treatment it’s taken me 2-3 months to get it down because each treatment can have wildly different side effects. This is all hard. I do see a cancer social worker and have a support group. The group has helped with sharing “tricks” to deal with stuff. But I try to stack the deck to help myself. It’s the only good choice that I can make. And I’ve been at this for a long time - I was diagnosed 14 1/2 years ago as metastatic. And the party isn’t over for me yet! I’m hanging in there for longer! You can too. Also, when I switched meds I was scared that each one would get harder and harder until I would just give up. Not exactly an uplifting view point! But that’s not been my experience. Some have been harder and then others have been clearly easier. It was more that the side effects were different each time. Sometimes they were opposite! So I have to adapt. But changes were not necessarily harder. Maybe reading this might make you feel calmer. Surrounding you with love and hope, Susan

Omg Susan you are so inspiring! Please continue to give us hope and insights. I feel better reading this post. I needed this today.

Treatment anxiety is completely understandable, and many in this community share those same feelings about upcoming sessions and potential side effects. Consider connecting with others here who have walked similar paths, as they often share practical coping strategies like relaxation techniques, preparing comfort items for treatment days, or writing down questions for the medical team beforehand.