My EFT Tapping Journey with HER2+ Breast Cancer (Part 1)

When I was diagnosed with HER2 positive breast cancer nine months ago, I wasn’t prepared for the long, arduous journey ahead. Yet, with EFT and my creative interests, I’ve navigated chemotherapy, targeted therapy, surgery, and radiation.

The Diagnostic Journey with Tapping

Last May, I went to the hospital for a checkup that changed my life. That day, when I went alone to the hospital, all I cared about was finding out why the lump in my breast was growing. I had a checkup done a year earlier, and everything was normal. The doctor looked very concerned after examining me and immediately sent me to a surgeon. They insisted that I get an FNAC as soon as possible and I did.FNAC without anesthesia is a painful procedure. I tapped on my fingertips to endure the pain. I used EFT statements such as: "Even though it’s going to be painful, I trust my body to handle it." And, "Even though all of this is very scary, I still accept myself, and I will get through this."

The FNAC report came a week later and said “suspicious of malignancy.” I braced myself for the journey ahead, and continued to use EFT for help every step of the way, tapping on:

"Even though I never thought this could happen to me, a part of me knew something was wrong."
"Even though it’s going to be an ordeal and I don’t know how I’ll handle it, I love and accept myself."
"Even though my mind keeps asking 'Why did I get this?' I choose, for now, to stay with “How do I get through this?”

The next step was to undergo a host of tests including biopsy. I tapped on my fingertips before every test, especially during the PET scan and MRI. During the MRI, I kept telling myself, “You can do this. Just hold your position. Just a few more minutes,” and imagined tapping on my face points.

The biopsy results came back, and the diagnosis was invasive breast carcinoma, HER2 positive. It’s an aggressive form of cancer that can spread rapidly, but the good news was that it responds well to treatment.

Tapping during Treatment for Breast Cancer

My first chemotherapy session came right after the chemo-port surgery, and it was intense. Not only was the pain debilitating, but I was also put on four drugs (chemotherapy and targeted therapy) the very next day. I tapped on my fingertips throughout the first chemo session and repeated the following statements incorporating some positive language in the second half of the setup statements.

"Even though I am going through chemotherapy, my body accepts this treatment to help eliminate cancer cells. I wholeheartedly embrace this treatment to allow my body to heal."
"Even though this feels scary, I trust my medical team to help me heal."

The months that followed, during each chemotherapy cycle, felt nearly impossible to cope with. The severity of the side effects was strongest in the first ten days after each cycle. After that, some symptoms reduced while others lingered. From not being able to eat due to mucositis to chest heaviness, I had a host of symptoms to deal with. Not a single day after chemotherapy was symptom-free. Tapping allowed me to stay with the symptoms without trying to dissolve them. Just noticing and acknowledging the symptoms with tapping helped me tide over the challenging months.

"Even though this is intense, I am noticing it." "Even though I have tightness and my chest feels like it will explode, I love and accept myself."

Tapping also reduced the fear that the symptoms would never go away.

"Even though this feels like it will last forever, I deeply and completely accept myself." "Even though it’s taking a long time for these symptoms to leave and I’m frustrated, I accept how I feel."
"Even though I’m frustrated that these symptoms don’t seem to be leaving, I choose to remind myself that this will not last forever." "Even though it’s very frustrating and overwhelming to experience these symptoms - pain, and discomfort, I remind myself that they will eventually lessen."

Support for presence, compassion and gentleness

With the help of tapping, I was able to stay more present and not give in to fear and anxiety during the four months of chemotherapy. There were days when tapping meant acknowledging fear of tests and scans and there were days when it meant acknowledging anger - at the unfairness of the illness, at the loss of autonomy. EFT allowed me to meet pain and unpredictability with compassion and gentleness. Often, I told myself during tapping that "This is where I am today, and that is enough."

When follow-up tests were done, my tumour was barely visible on the scans. The remaining margins were removed during surgery. I used tapping to help with the next phase of treatment as well.

Puja Kanth is an accredited certified EFT Master Trainer of Trainers