› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Issues with body temp control.
- This topic has 18 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 11 months ago by
MoiraM.
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- July 10, 2016 at 4:19 pm
I am post op neck dissection 3 weeks tomorrow. I've always had a little bit of some body temp weirdness. I'm naturally warm blooded. I pretty much radiate heat. But since surgery, it has been terrible. I'm either sweating or I'm frozen. I wake up drenched in a cold sweat multiple times a night. It's disgusting. I feel like I always smell. In the morning it feels like I have the chills, but I don't have a fever. I feel like maybe some of this is normal since my system is probably in a bit of shock with all of those lymph nodes removed. But of course my mind goes directly to adrenal metistasis or something. It's been 6 weeks since my pet scan. Which was clear. So this is just post op things. But how do I get the fear out?! I don't even know when my next scan is. I meet with my medical oncologist on Thursday for the first time. I will mention it to her I suppose.
I just had to get my irrational fear out there. Melanoma and anxiety with catastrophic thoughts don't mix. More Benzos please!
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- July 10, 2016 at 5:11 pm
The anxiety after a diagnosis like this can get pretty awful. Every new feeling and weird thing that comes up your mind goes to a place it never went before. It gets better over time. As for your body temp stuff, give your surgeon a call and let them know, could be infection, but hopefully not.
If you plan on doing Yervoy (Ipi) then you won't have a scan for a while. If you start on a treatment then you get a scan a few weeks after your last infusion and then every 3 months after that for a while.. at least that's been my experience.
Finding new ways to distract yourself or relax will really help. I have learned how to crochet, play the ukulele, and just recently started sewing to get my mind on other things. Plus, I keep a journal which I never really did much before. I write down all of my crazy thoughts and any new symptoms or feelings I get to make sure I have it all recorded and also to have a place to get it all out without freaking out my significant other or friends. Should be interesting to read many years down the line.
Hang in there,
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- July 10, 2016 at 8:05 pm
It's really easy to learn and there are only happy sounds when it comes to the uke, so it always helps put me in a good mood! Getting back to work and more of your regular routine will definitely help.
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- July 10, 2016 at 8:05 pm
It's really easy to learn and there are only happy sounds when it comes to the uke, so it always helps put me in a good mood! Getting back to work and more of your regular routine will definitely help.
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- July 10, 2016 at 8:05 pm
It's really easy to learn and there are only happy sounds when it comes to the uke, so it always helps put me in a good mood! Getting back to work and more of your regular routine will definitely help.
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- July 10, 2016 at 5:11 pm
The anxiety after a diagnosis like this can get pretty awful. Every new feeling and weird thing that comes up your mind goes to a place it never went before. It gets better over time. As for your body temp stuff, give your surgeon a call and let them know, could be infection, but hopefully not.
If you plan on doing Yervoy (Ipi) then you won't have a scan for a while. If you start on a treatment then you get a scan a few weeks after your last infusion and then every 3 months after that for a while.. at least that's been my experience.
Finding new ways to distract yourself or relax will really help. I have learned how to crochet, play the ukulele, and just recently started sewing to get my mind on other things. Plus, I keep a journal which I never really did much before. I write down all of my crazy thoughts and any new symptoms or feelings I get to make sure I have it all recorded and also to have a place to get it all out without freaking out my significant other or friends. Should be interesting to read many years down the line.
Hang in there,
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- July 10, 2016 at 5:11 pm
The anxiety after a diagnosis like this can get pretty awful. Every new feeling and weird thing that comes up your mind goes to a place it never went before. It gets better over time. As for your body temp stuff, give your surgeon a call and let them know, could be infection, but hopefully not.
If you plan on doing Yervoy (Ipi) then you won't have a scan for a while. If you start on a treatment then you get a scan a few weeks after your last infusion and then every 3 months after that for a while.. at least that's been my experience.
Finding new ways to distract yourself or relax will really help. I have learned how to crochet, play the ukulele, and just recently started sewing to get my mind on other things. Plus, I keep a journal which I never really did much before. I write down all of my crazy thoughts and any new symptoms or feelings I get to make sure I have it all recorded and also to have a place to get it all out without freaking out my significant other or friends. Should be interesting to read many years down the line.
Hang in there,
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- July 10, 2016 at 7:52 pm
Firstly, three weeks isn't that long. You are still recovering from the surgery. The physical symptoms are either post-operative ones or linked to your anxiety.
Talk to your oncologist about the physical symptoms and the possibilities for adjuvant treatment. Adjuvant treatment may (or may not) alter the probabilities that the melanoma will come back. However, any further treatment is unlikely to impact on your anxiety.
Given what you posted before, I would suggest that you need to think about that separately.
I have a huge mental health problem, my morbid phobia of doctors and hospitals. Over the last 18 months I have 'treated' that in parallel to my treatment for melanoma. I have seen a clinical psychologist and then a psychiatrist. I have worked through CAT and EMDR. It was hard work, much harder work than my treatment for melanoma. Now that we have gine as far as I can dealing with the phobia, I find myself uncomfortable with the way I am dealing with stress, so I am back to seeking out a psychologist specialising in talking therapies.
Have you tried any of the talking therapies?
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- July 11, 2016 at 1:56 am
Oh you betcha. Actually , to be fully upfront with my mental illness, it is a huge part of my life. Three weeks before my diagnosis, I was having a really rough time. I've dealt with Bipolar disorder for about 5 years. 5 years ago I attempted suicide by swallowing a bottle of Xanax and chasing it with booze. Inpatient stays, intense therapies, long haul with finding the right medications. Three weeks before my diagnosis I felt my self back in that place. The suicidal ideations were Intence. And the moment I started shutting the garage door while the car was still running I knew i immediately needed help. So I had another inpatient stay. This time followed by partial hospitalization. My anxiety is all mixed in with this since it is part of my mental illness. I got the news about the melanoma the day after I was done with partial hosptilazation. Talk about bad timing. So yes. I've been in therapy and in close contact with my psychiatrist this entire time.
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- July 11, 2016 at 6:56 am
One of my closest friends from my teens was diagnosed as bipolar at about the same age you were. She showed similar symptoms to you before she was diagnosed. Three decades later, she is still going strong.
Great that you have your psychiatrist on your team too.
Back to the temperature control issue, I have a supply of tea tree oil wipes and nice-smelling body lotions and hand creams. I have a liking for the French blends of lavender, like the ones offered by L'Occitane.
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- July 11, 2016 at 6:56 am
One of my closest friends from my teens was diagnosed as bipolar at about the same age you were. She showed similar symptoms to you before she was diagnosed. Three decades later, she is still going strong.
Great that you have your psychiatrist on your team too.
Back to the temperature control issue, I have a supply of tea tree oil wipes and nice-smelling body lotions and hand creams. I have a liking for the French blends of lavender, like the ones offered by L'Occitane.
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- July 11, 2016 at 6:56 am
One of my closest friends from my teens was diagnosed as bipolar at about the same age you were. She showed similar symptoms to you before she was diagnosed. Three decades later, she is still going strong.
Great that you have your psychiatrist on your team too.
Back to the temperature control issue, I have a supply of tea tree oil wipes and nice-smelling body lotions and hand creams. I have a liking for the French blends of lavender, like the ones offered by L'Occitane.
-
- July 11, 2016 at 1:56 am
Oh you betcha. Actually , to be fully upfront with my mental illness, it is a huge part of my life. Three weeks before my diagnosis, I was having a really rough time. I've dealt with Bipolar disorder for about 5 years. 5 years ago I attempted suicide by swallowing a bottle of Xanax and chasing it with booze. Inpatient stays, intense therapies, long haul with finding the right medications. Three weeks before my diagnosis I felt my self back in that place. The suicidal ideations were Intence. And the moment I started shutting the garage door while the car was still running I knew i immediately needed help. So I had another inpatient stay. This time followed by partial hospitalization. My anxiety is all mixed in with this since it is part of my mental illness. I got the news about the melanoma the day after I was done with partial hosptilazation. Talk about bad timing. So yes. I've been in therapy and in close contact with my psychiatrist this entire time.
-
- July 11, 2016 at 1:56 am
Oh you betcha. Actually , to be fully upfront with my mental illness, it is a huge part of my life. Three weeks before my diagnosis, I was having a really rough time. I've dealt with Bipolar disorder for about 5 years. 5 years ago I attempted suicide by swallowing a bottle of Xanax and chasing it with booze. Inpatient stays, intense therapies, long haul with finding the right medications. Three weeks before my diagnosis I felt my self back in that place. The suicidal ideations were Intence. And the moment I started shutting the garage door while the car was still running I knew i immediately needed help. So I had another inpatient stay. This time followed by partial hospitalization. My anxiety is all mixed in with this since it is part of my mental illness. I got the news about the melanoma the day after I was done with partial hosptilazation. Talk about bad timing. So yes. I've been in therapy and in close contact with my psychiatrist this entire time.
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- July 10, 2016 at 7:52 pm
Firstly, three weeks isn't that long. You are still recovering from the surgery. The physical symptoms are either post-operative ones or linked to your anxiety.
Talk to your oncologist about the physical symptoms and the possibilities for adjuvant treatment. Adjuvant treatment may (or may not) alter the probabilities that the melanoma will come back. However, any further treatment is unlikely to impact on your anxiety.
Given what you posted before, I would suggest that you need to think about that separately.
I have a huge mental health problem, my morbid phobia of doctors and hospitals. Over the last 18 months I have 'treated' that in parallel to my treatment for melanoma. I have seen a clinical psychologist and then a psychiatrist. I have worked through CAT and EMDR. It was hard work, much harder work than my treatment for melanoma. Now that we have gine as far as I can dealing with the phobia, I find myself uncomfortable with the way I am dealing with stress, so I am back to seeking out a psychologist specialising in talking therapies.
Have you tried any of the talking therapies?
-
- July 10, 2016 at 7:52 pm
Firstly, three weeks isn't that long. You are still recovering from the surgery. The physical symptoms are either post-operative ones or linked to your anxiety.
Talk to your oncologist about the physical symptoms and the possibilities for adjuvant treatment. Adjuvant treatment may (or may not) alter the probabilities that the melanoma will come back. However, any further treatment is unlikely to impact on your anxiety.
Given what you posted before, I would suggest that you need to think about that separately.
I have a huge mental health problem, my morbid phobia of doctors and hospitals. Over the last 18 months I have 'treated' that in parallel to my treatment for melanoma. I have seen a clinical psychologist and then a psychiatrist. I have worked through CAT and EMDR. It was hard work, much harder work than my treatment for melanoma. Now that we have gine as far as I can dealing with the phobia, I find myself uncomfortable with the way I am dealing with stress, so I am back to seeking out a psychologist specialising in talking therapies.
Have you tried any of the talking therapies?
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