17 replies to this topic

[sunshineC]

I know everyone says to reduce your stress, that will help.  But I'm wondering if you can't, how much real damage can it do?  I'm going to ask my oncologist when I see him at the end of the month, but wondered what the 'real guys in the trenches' experience and/or believe.  My husband is convinced that yes, I may have always had CML, but all the stress my son caused was what triggered it to come out.  My son was diagnosed with ADHD, BiPolar Disorder, PTSD, ODD, and whatever other initials I have forgotten.  I was raising him alone when his dad and I divorced and did the best I could - counselors, psychologists, phychiatrists, medication, etc.   At 12 or 13 he started with drugs and alcohol, ran away, stole, sold drugs, and eventually got caught.  I had my 'episode' practically overnight about the time they were sending him across state.  He's back, been in minor trouble, and is currently on house arrest.  He is now working part time but there are always problems.  Especially between my husband and him, with me caught in the middle - constantly.  I have gone back to seeing a counselor myself, but just wonder what others think about living with constant stress.  That is the biggest complaint of my husband's is how he sees what my son is doing to my health.  I think a lot of it is him complaining about my son all the time.  It's a real mess.  So that, along with financial problems, and just recently problems at work, I have a hard time finding peace.  My numbers have been 'bouncing' as the onc puts it - one time they're down, then up, then back down again.  He's waiting to see what my numbers are Oct 26 to decide if he needs to put me on another TKI.  Could it just be my life, and not the TKI's fault it's bouncing all around?

[mikefromillinois]

I believe stress can do harm to many of the systems in our bodies including our immune systems.  Stress kills.

[Frogiegirl]

Agreed. The year prior to being diagnosed was the most stressful time of my life! I do Beleive stress plays a big roll in our health. I'm working on lowering mine and finding ways to self soothe when I begin destructive thinking. .....lots of the blame game going on with this cml crap. I hate putting my family through this. ...uuhhggg if we had free health care that would definitely diminish allot of stress for many of us. ...

[rcase13]

Yeah figuring out how to pay for all this is stress enough.

[alc999]

For me also, the year or two prior to my diagnosis were the most stressful in my life. Father dying of lung cancer and my separation and ultimate divorce. I too wonder if letting myself get so stressed and run down gave CML a chance to flourish.

[Floa7]

Stress.... I just had my 65 birthday... That's Medicare, what a joke. I enrolled in AARP in Sept, to start Oct 1st. I canceled my work insurance. Well work enrolled me for Medicare D, Medicare cancelled my AARP , Got the letter on Oct 3rd. I have NO insurance for the month of October. I don't have $10,000 for Tasigna, I will go without pills till November.

Stress I have lost 4 #s this week Stress and more stress. I have not been down to this weight in 30 years. Its not Leukemia it is all stress.

[Melanie]

Yes, I agree that stress plays a huge roll in our health, even without the CML. Besides from personal experience, I know of a man ( son of a friend) that has CML and had responded nicely on Tasigna. He was MMR at one year and almost undetectable. Took really good care of himself once dx with diet and exercise which he believes was a big reason he had such a good response. ....Then his world came crashing down. He lost his job and insurance; then his wife was laid off. His mother had a stroke and had some guy living with her taking advantage of her situation and spending all her money. At one time the family was convinced he was poisoning her. Drama! Of course during the middle of all this his PCR test came back and he had lost remission. Was it the stress? His onc thought it was.. Once his world balanced out, he regained remission.

My husband tries to filter everything for me so I don't get over stressed, but when it comes to your kids and grandchildren, you can't filter out being a "Mom". If I didn't have my faith, I'm sure the CML would have gotten the best of me a long time ago! I pray everyone has something that brings them peace, whether it's faith, exercise, music, yoga, or a nice glass of wine and a good movie. Be nice to yourself and let the stress go, even if it's only for the moment.

[IGotCML]

When I was diagnosed with CML almost 3 years ago, I had no other medical issues, hadn't missed a day of work in over 6 years and was in very good physical condition from diet and vigorous exercise. I was financially secure and had a very positive life. Not a single drop of stress anywhere.

 

So something occurred that caused me to get CML, but it definitely wasn't stress.

[soundoff]

Floa7 I can help you out send me a private message

[Gail's]

Sunshine, I'm sorry to hear of your troubles with your struggling son. I agree that stress makes everything worse, but if it caused cml then most of the people I know should have cml. Stress doesn't help any illness, but cant see how it would cause genes to mutate

[tiredblood]

I went through nursing school-- probably the second most stressful time in my life and managed to attain a complete molecular response from the TKI.  Immediately after graduation, I got a cold and UTI.  At the time, it occurred to me that once the stress level subsided, I got sick.  I was, however, experiencing some stress at work at the time my WBCs were creeping up, before I knew I had CML.  Of course, the most stressful time in my life, I suspect, caused or exacerbated an undiagnosed sleep disorder.  May just be coincidence.

 

I'm no help, am I? :-P  One thing for sure, life is stressful!

[sunshineC]

Thanks to all who responded.  I don't believe my stress 'caused' my CML, I thought it was something I was born with.  I just wondered if it may have played the part to bringing it out in the forefront.  In 2010 my father died, subsequent law suits from their son and his daughter who never accepted that I was legally adopted, and some major depression.  My son started in with the problems just before it all got settled and that lasted until he got picked up in Jan 2014.  Court with him Feb 12, diagnosed Feb 26 (officially Mar 5).  Just seems like it all just 'fits'.  But who knows.  Like I said, I will ask my onc next appt.  And again, I really appreciate all who responded.  At least I know I'm not alone in my thinking.  Wishing well to all. 

[chriskuo]

We are not born with CML, it is a gene mutation.  A lot more people are subject to stress than get CML.  That is true of most "possible"

causes.  So few people get CML, no common link has been found yet.   One execption is the atomic bombing of Japan, where the rate of leukemia and CML jumped substantially.

[scuba]

Stress does not cause you to have a higher or lower chance of cancer. There are two types of cancer causes. You are either born with genes that will lead to cancer (inherited genetic link) or are exposed to something that triggers a mutation for which your body is not equipped to handle for other reasons (environmental/nutritional).

 

We do know that ionizing radiation can lead to a much higher incidence of Leukemia - especially CML. X-ray machines, CT-scanning equipment are all sources of ionizing radiation. For example - ONE ct-scan is equivalent in radiation to 400 chest x-rays. ONE ct-scan is equivalent to 3 years of background radiation. There is little doubt in my mind what triggered my CML - I had six CT-scans of my major blood forming bone areas 8 years before diagnosis. One ct-scan was warranted - I wish I had known then what I know now. And that is assuming the ct-scanner is calibrated. Many of them pump out more radiation than allowed.

 

Also - my brother is a veternarian - he mentioned to me that dogs get cancer at the same rate as humans. Humans have stress. Dogs have fun. (http://www.wearethec...cer_facts.htm#2). One of my Dobies died of lymphoma a number of years ago. 

 

p.s.

I will never have another CT-scan done ever. No matter what the justification is for one. An MRI is fine with me.

[Antilogical]

I've never had a CT-scan and I thrive on stress, yet here I am.

[scuba]

I've never had a CT-scan and I thrive on stress, yet here I am.

 

Bad luck ... that's the other cause.

[Noodle]

Scuba,

I agree that heridity and environment are cause but per the recent johns Hopkins study most cancer are simply bad random luck.

http://m.hopkinsmedi...cer_study_shows

[scuba]

Scuba,

I agree that heridity and environment are cause but per the recent johns Hopkins study most cancer are simply bad random luck.

http://m.hopkinsmedi...cer_study_shows

 

I agree - that's why I listed it above. Who knows what trigger some are randomly exposed to that leads to cancer - but it does seem to be related to the number of stem cell divisions and which cancer is more likely than others.

 

(http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2015/01/bad-luck-and-cancer...)

Edited by scuba, 15 October 2015 - 08:51 AM.