Hi was diagnosed last week with follicular lymphoma and im on watch and wait. Ive been really stressed and anxiety, any help please .
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Hi @Pcox and welcome to the forum. I was diagnosed with follicular lymphoma 6 years ago and the initial shock and anxiety is something I can’t explain - it just took my breath away, so how you are feeling is completely natural.
I’m so glad you found the forum early on in your journey as it will be such a great support and provides valuable information which stopped me searching through google which isn’t always a helpful thing!
I am also on watch and wait and I understand the anxiety. It’s a hard concept to get your head around but I’ve learnt that it’s a form of treatment in itself and as time has gone on, with the support from the forum and counselling when I needed it, I have learnt to get my head around it a little more.
You must be experiencing a multitude of emotions. Remember, the support line is there if or when you want to talk things through.
Have you got a good support system around you?
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Hi @Pcox A great big welcome and I am so glad that you have found us.
I am not surprised that you feel really stressed and anxious and probably a lot of other thoughts and emotions as well.
I was in shock for ages after my diagnosis.
I did not take in anything the consultant said.
I am now very happy to be on watch and wait or I prefer to call it active monitoring.
I expect you will have loads of questions for the next time that you see a medical person and I find it helpful to write them down first so I do not forget anything.
Give yourself time and really look after yourself.
You are not alone, you are part of our forum family now and the Blood Cancer UK support line is there for you on 0808 2080 888.
Please keep posting as I would like to hear more about you.
Hi ladies thank you for getting back to me, im really suffering with anxiety and worried about work has im not in a fit state at the moment for doing my job. Im on watch and wait and has you know Cound be months or years this way . I need help and advice on how to help myself deal with this and get back to a normalised routine.
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Forme, counselling was a godsend and I wish I’d accessed it earlier. I had it on and off throughout my journey. Is this something you’d consider?
MacMillan offer six free sessions and I accessed these quite quickly. I’ve put in the link below
Talking it though really helped me. You will need time to process everything. It’s a really big thing and like @Erica said, we all understand that anxiety. Watch and wait is more a mental struggle for me more than a physical.
Have your work been supportive?
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I work at a hospital trust and they are really good, im speaking to my line manager later to let her know im still going to be off for a few weeks yet to hopefully get this anxiety under control. I have an appointment on monday morning with the bupa free consultation.
Im even dreading going back to work. So thats maki g my anxiety go worse. My Haematology specialist has reassured me that if and when treatment is needed it will be ok and has really good results. Im just over thinking all the time and crying.
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I keep thinking what if treatment wont work for me , even though i have been told otherwise . Is that a normal reaction. I just want happy days back for me and family. 
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I think it’s completely normal. I went to the worst case scenarios in the early stage of diagnosis. What would happen if I got sick? How I was going to tell the children? How would I manage having this having over me? so yes, it’s normal. But even if I hadn’t felt the same - it doesn’t matter because it’s how you feel and that’s ok. You have to ride the emotions - and off course then will be ups and down. Give yourself a bit of a break - to often lots of us on here are really hard on ourselves and we just need somebody to remind us to be kind to ourselves x
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Thank you it really helps to talk to people who have experience the same. Just want the feelings to ease off , i know it take time , but just need reassurance that it will come. And can carry on back to a norm.
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It does take time - some longer than others but it does become easier to manage x
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Hi @Pcox,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share how you’ve been feeling. It’s so normal to feel this way- this diagnosis is still so new for you and understandably a lot to process. It sounds as though you’ve been really proactive in reaching out for support. Everyone here has given you great advice. Please do remember that if you wish to talk anything over, or need some support, you’re also very welcome to call our Support Team on 0808 2080 888, and we’d be happy to support you however we can.
Keep reaching out, we are here for you.
Best wishes,
Tanya.
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Hi @Pcox welcome to the forum none of us really want to be part of . I was diagnosed with FL five years ago. Initially we thought I may have been placed in watch and wait but I did end up having treatment. I can imagine it’s very hard to be in watch and wait from the outset I know I was oddly happy to have treatment.
I am now back in watch and wait and I understand your anxiety.
Here is some helpful information around watch and wait.
Lymphoma Action have some information around watch and wait also.
Lymphoma Action | Active monitoring (watch and wait).
Do keep in touch.
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Hi Nichola, im ok
Didnt sleep very well last night , been having really bad anxiety and panic attacks since waiting for the biopsie results and then being confirmed. Just wish i could feel a bit normal. 
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Bless you - it’s so hard isn’t it and fatigue will not help either. May be worth contacting your GP as well to see if they can help?
Have you got anything happening this weekend with friends or family. Maybe you need a bit of looking after?
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Oh @Pcox I really feel for you that waiting is horrible and feels never ending.
I am so impressed that you are aware of your feelings, yes, oh, to feel normal, whatever that is.
Can you do anything to divert yourself at all this weekend, I find people are a good distraction, music or a light film helps me, as @Nichola75 says and a GP’s appointment to tell them how your are feelings and naturally struggling at the moment.
I did find that I needed some counselling to help me.
Be ever so kind to yourself and don’t forget your forum family are here and so is the Blood Cancer UK support line.
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I have got some medication from the dr already , and im booked in with bupa free councillors on monday morning. Which i will be glad to start .x
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So glad you are accessing support. Just take it day by day and keep us updated on how you are doing x
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