Can meditation and breathwork help manage MBC anxiety at 33?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a 33-year-old female living with metastatic breast cancer (MBC), and honestly, the anxiety is sometimes harder than the physical side of treatment.

My scans have been stable recently, which should make me feel better, but instead, I find myself waiting for the other shoe to drop every time I have a follow-up appointment coming up.

A friend suggested trying meditation and breathwork. While part of me is open to it, another part wonders if it is too small a tool for such a big fear.

For those living with metastatic breast cancer, did mindfulness, meditation, or breathing exercises actually help with day-to-day anxiety, or did you find other approaches worked better?

Please help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I have read your question and understood your concern.

Firstly, there are various meditation and breathing techniques which may be useful for anxiety because of psychological reasons, but in your case, you might need more than this.

Healthy nutrition rich in vitamins such as vitamin B complex and folic acid, minerals, and essential fatty acids like fish oil and flaxseed oil will be helpful for your brain in synthesizing neurotransmitters like dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin.

Sometimes cancer treatments may cause some nutritional deficiencies, such as vitamin B complex and folic acid deficiency. Hence, it is vital to keep a healthy diet and talk about proper supplementation with your doctor.

Secondly, medications can be very helpful for anxiety as well. You can try Lorazepam under the close supervision of a psychiatrist in order to reduce anxiety.

It would be good to consult your oncologist and psychiatrist before taking any medicines or supplements.

I hope I have been able to answer your question.

Let me know if I can be of assistance.

Thank you.