What can I do to lessen my anxiety?

Talk! Chat online! And take anti-anxiety medication if it helps! Find support, perhaps through a formal support group, or counseling, or through your church.

Waiting is one of the worst ordeals you will go through on this journey. Talk with friends, especially other women with Breast Cancer. Your friends from "before" love you, but they don't really understand. Talking with other survivors can help ward off the worry monster when you're waiting for critical test results. Remember, chat rooms and message boards throughout the Internet never close. The web works 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and so does the telephone.

Sometimes, talk isn't enough. You shouldn't feel surprised if you feel anxious or depressed; you have good cause. And you shouldn't hesitate to take medication to help you cope. Talk to your doctor first, of course. Some women take an anti-anxiety pill only on the days they go in for test results or a CAT scan. Some take an antidepressant every day. Other women get the "medicine" they need just talking online. Whatever works for you, do it. But don't let anxiety or depression drag you down.