r/Cancersurvivors

A backstory for my situation. I (22) am a firefighter paramedic who has gone through Chemotherapy from June 2024 - Jan 2025. It was rough, and had a close call due to an allergy to a drug at the start of chemo. During the end, my symptoms after each round struck me harder and harder each time. By the time I rang the bell, I had the following symptoms:
- severe Nausea
- severe Fatigue
- mild Mouth Sores
- Vomiting
- mild Dizziness
- moderate Tunnel Vision
- severe Dysgeusia (foul taste in mouth)
- bloated feeling

These symptoms often wouldn’t leave for 5 days post-round.

After being in remission for a year and a half now, I’ve been working on my PTSD with a therapist, and mentally I’m pretty fit once more. I no longer suffer from flash backs, nor general malaise when looking on the mirror thinking I’ll see the lump on my neck again.

Unfortunately, my body and my mind don’t share the same similarities in recovery. Whenever I see the symbol for Cytotoxicity, or see a bright red liquid in a syringe, and even when I’m given or giving IVs, the symptoms mentioned above return. Almost as if my body is preparing for another round of chemo.

My co-workers and I have been trying to fix this by usage of exposure therapy. I must say, it worked for a bit. But only with giving IVs, and receiving.

For the past week as I work more with Chemo, Palliative, and cancer patients in general, my symptoms once again have returned. I’ve had to step out on patients because of this, and it’s now getting dangerous. I’ve tried for a year finding a new therapist (mine left) and trying new techniques, but I’m left to dry.

I need help, and if anyone would like to show me a path I would be more than ears! I wouldn’t mind if someone reached out privately, or publicly, so long as I can find things to help these feelings and these symptoms.

If this isn’t allowed , take it down.

A year ago my wife was diagnosed with triple positive breast cancer at 37 years old (turns out it was in a few more places but we didn’t find that out till much later ) . She started chemo treatment right before we were supposed to travel down to Orlando for the live show. She felt like riding down to hang out with her brother , but not going to the show. Which she was sad because she got to go to the infamous Nashville and absolutely loved getting meet people from the community and seeing the guys. This last year has been the hardest of my 37 years . But she’s cancer free and is finishing up treatment now . I’m going to link her YouTube and let her tell you guys her story . But she is a true unsub enjoyer and enjoys watching the show with me weekly !

Over the last few years I’ve seen this community tell great stories, rally around those in need , and support each other. So I just ask that if you guys would give her a watch and subscribe on YouTube if you guys have 8 mins . It would make her day and today is her birthday!

Thanks in advance all you plops and pepperbacks !

My question is mainly for people who beat cancer years or decades ago. For context: I'm 36 years old and was diagnosed with a kidney tumor as 4 year old back in the 90s. The whole kidney was removed, I went through chemo, radiotherapy and the whole shebang. I've had some other health issues throughout my life, some as a result of cancer treatment. As an adult, I'm now mostly doing fine. I enjoy my life for the most part and I'm very greatful for it. However, I'm just so tired. All. The. Time. I follow a healthy diet, don't smoke, don't drink, exercise regularly, and yet I can't walk up the stairs or do an easy uphill hike without getting out of breath. Most nights I get a 7-8 hour sleep but for most of my day I feel groggy and ready to go straight back into bed. Does anyone else have a similar experience or know if this is in any way related to chemo/radiotherapy, even if those happened decades ago? Any advice on how to feel better? Thanks for reading!

I don't really know how to start this, so I'll just say it plainly.

My mother is 49. A few weeks ago she went for a routine medical check for a visa application, and the doctor noticed her stomach felt hard and that she'd lost a lot of weight. One test led to another, and now we're here — stage 4 small cell carcinoma. They couldn't confirm where it started. There are masses in the lungs so that's the likely source, but it's already spread to several places.

She's begun chemo. But honestly, the whole thing has moved so fast that I'm not confident we've landed with the right team. I want a second opinion from someone who actually sees this type of cancer regularly, not someone treating it as one more case in a long OPD list.

So I'm asking here, because I'd rather hear from people who've actually been through it than keep reading Google results at 2am:

Is there a medical oncologist in Hyderabad you'd trust with this? A name and hospital would mean a lot.

Basavatarakam, Apollo Jubilee Hills, Yashoda, AOI Nallagandla — which one actually works in practice? Everyone says Basavatarakam is the best for cancer, but I keep hearing the queues for scans and tests are brutal, and she doesn't have the energy for that.

She's still in the middle of her life. I just want to make sure we're not wasting the time she has by being at the wrong place.

Any pointers would genuinely help. Thank you.

Where can cancer victims go to get help from philanthropy? I have cancer, and I’m literally can’t support my three children and my wife. I’ve lived in the same house, I have the same phone number and email for the last 27 years… And though I did start a “GoFundMe“… People are reluctant to“help“ because they don’t want to pay a company a fee in order to help someone in need.

Some people have sent us money through online payment services… But the amount we need to stay home until I can get back on my feet is something that most people can’t afford. Is there anybody, somebody, somebody with means who would be interested in helping a dad with cancer?

I don’t want help, but I know I need it in order to support my family, and to try to live.

I’m a real person, I’m a real person with a real heart and a real love for my family in my community. And I’d like to stay with everyone as long as I can. If you’re willing to reach out to me, I would really appreciate it. I’ll never be able to repay anybody, but I sure will try.

Hey guys!

I hope you are all doing well and healing.

I (31 F) gained a lot of weight during my AML treatment when I was 24.

The steroids and medications had a negative impact on my metabolism.

The stress also led me to eating more and having an increased appetite.

Over the past few years, I became obese and weighed over 190 pounds.

I did not think I could lose the weight.

I got used to feeling bloated all the time and my lower abdomen felt fat and rock hard.

I felt very unattractive as I went from a size 5/145 pounds to a size 10/nearly 200 pounds at the height of 5'3.

But, over the past two years, I've started steadily losing weight.

I started tracking my calories and walking more.

I'm now weighing in at 154 pounds and my pants size depends on the clothing brand, but I can fit a size 4/6 depending on where I shop.

I just wanted to make this post to show that if I can do it, then so can you. Anything is possible!

I've been wondering a lot of things... going back to reality and starting my new life... it feels so weird unusual I just dont know what to do anymore, I feel lost and like a newborn baby having to learn everything from scratch makes sense because I literally had to learn how to walk from 0% now im better treatment done. I sometimes feel sad remembering everything, i have memories and even if I was at my worst even find myself to miss it, being taken care of, interacting and talking with the nurses when I was at my worst, they were the ones who saved me took tare of me and spent a lot of time in my life with them, is weird now to not be inside an hospital, reality is like being hit by a truck, i genuinely dont know what to do, how to study if I been out of it for so long, I cant even focus properly, I tend to forget about a lot of things, cry a lot and just suffer...

Any tips on what to do and how to actually accept it? I dont wanna go back to seeing people that well, judged me, criticized me when I wasnt even there in person and didnt fight with anyone... so weird I wish that type of people were gone, maybe I think of not interacting with people at all because of trauma, is really complicated and confusing.

YES, I go to the psychiatrist and I despise him, he dismisses my emotions and tells me the same thing

- "You have been through a lot of trauma, and struggles now is time to forget about them and your situation and pass page, your life doesn't depend on it"

Hello? I know but like... it has been like a year since it happened... how tf am I supposed to forget everything that happend in two or three years even of pain and suffering in a year? Are you insane? I hate him and want to change him im sick of him and people suppressing my emotions and feelings like is nothing.

Im 22F in remission 4 years but I feel so behind in life I feel like I never recovered my confidence. all my peers have relationships and traveled etc Im wondering if anyone feels similar where their confidence just stumped and never recovered 😕

Got scanned last week and blood tests for genetic marker came in this morning at 6:45 am and both indicate that I’m cancer free. I went back to work full time in July. If it wasn’t for the neuropathy, I think I would forget what just happened. Even all the butt stuff has gotten better (no body warns you about the butt stuff)!

I have been blissing out since diagnosis but have started to grow protective bark to get through the day. When the bark is thick, I almost feel normal and forget what happened. I don’t want to forget. I have to do things to remember and shed the bark daily. I don’t journal but jotted stuff here in Reddit and in apple notes and texts to my sisters, my ex, good friends and my men’s therapy group. I read these to shed bark and remember.

I went into the hospital on Nov 1 2025, got diagnosed with pancreatic cancer on Nov 3., I shared news with close family, friends and colleagues. One colleague shared a children’s book that her friend wrote (Leslie O’Brien Sanders) about navigating stage four pancreatic cancer through the perspective of her granddaughter. I ordered it on Nov 5 and then got a robotic whipple on Nov 15 and then started FOLFIRINOX on December 31. I finished treatment/final unplug on June 28 and my port out on July 28. NED today but won’t see my Oncologist until September.

I picked up the book again this morning to remember. My bark was thick from the week, it’s getting thicker and thicker. I haven’t realized how absolutely spot on the book is in its advice and how well it helped me use the tools I already had to make it through this journey. The author was a survivor but then she died in April 2026 from reoccurrence. I’m so happy that my colleague was able to share how much her children’s book helped, a 56 year old prof 😂😭, with the author.

Key messages the book are: eat well, drink water, find peace, stay active, stay connected and be kind, get good sleep, find joy, have a positive mindset, love everything in life (including yourself) and do hard things. DO THIS IF YOU ARE STARTING YOUR BEAUTIFULLY HORRIFIC JOURNEY!

The book is called “Shutting Doors” by Leslie O’Brien Sanders. It’s available on Amazon and all proceeds go to a childhood cancer organization.

Rest in Peace Leslie O’Brien Sanders!!!! AND THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to everything and everyone that helped me yo get to today (including you Reddit gods and goddesses). Surviving isn’t outcome dependent. Resilience is chosing who you are while you go through hard times. When it rains, it pours and you can still dance in it!

My dad was constipated for around 2 months and finally had his colonoscopy yesterday.

The doctors said they found a mass “highly concerning for cancer.” We’ll hear more next week.

He had a totally fine colonoscopy in 2020 so my hope is that with only 6 years it’s most likely, if it is cancer that it hasn’t progressed to later stages.

Anyway, has anyone been in his position here and come through? I’m very worried and a few hopeful stories of survival would be very welcome. Thank you.

I (27F) was diagnosed with thymoma aug-sept 2025 and I've had to go through 4 rounds of chemo, resection, and 25 rounds of radiation. Throughout the last 8-9 months I've lost 25-30 pounds mostly from chemo. I used to be 145-150 and now I'm 116-120 lbs. I've been trying to gain weight with protien drinks after speaking with the nutritionist at the center. But I feel like I'm not gaining anything, my weight either stays the same or I go down a pound. I've never been a big eater before this, but I look at eating has a chore now. Any advice on how to gain weight, I atleast want to go back into the 130s.