My score oncoscore was 19 and I’m about 4 months post radiotherapy . I feel very weird at the moment , lots of twinges and paranoid reactions I’m keeping them all to myself because I don’t really think anyone is that interested . My family don’t talk about it they think I’ve just done amazing and from their point of view it’s all sorted . Hope it lessens . Feels so strange because I’ve had complete reconstruction so look and feels so different . I guess it’s only going to be a few months until I get my check mammogram . I’m not sure what will help anyone further along ? What helps ?
Hello @evmel
Congratulations on completing your treatment
It can feel very strange when all the treatment finishes and you are left alone, it can feel very lonely and for people who haven’t experienced a cancer diagnosis I think it’s quite easy to think “so everything is OK now what’s her problem?” But we know different!
A cancer diagnosis changes your life forever: things will never be exactly the same again, but arguably you can say that about lots of life events.
My best advice would be to talk to other ladies who’ve been through the same thing, breast cancer support groups exist for everyone whose ever had a diagnosis (it’s very easy to downplay your illness and think I’m not ill enough to need support) but trust me when I say you are and were. My local Maggie’s group was my saviour along with the support of this forum so please feel free to keep posting: lots of ladies find sharing their experiences helps the process.
If you feel like you need some more practical specific help and support you might like to look into a moving forward course run by BCN and Maggie’s also run similar courses
Lots of love
AM xxx
Hi evme
You’re almost there! It’s a weird time once treatment finishes. Relief, more relief, doubt… Your family is right - you have done very well and you didn’t need chemo. Two oncologists told me during my treatment that radiotherapy was the most effective of the adjuvant therapies (not well timed as I was just completing chemo lol) but maybe this article will help you. It’s much loved, much read, regularly shared - by now it may even have its own home here if you know what to search for. I found it tremendously helpful personally:
workingwithcancer.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/After-the-treatment-finishes-then-what.pdf
I hope there will be some reassurance in there to appreciate that how you are feeling is perfectly normal and there are ways to move on. You should also find that your hospital, or Macmillan within your hospital, maybe Maggie’s, will provide support services which may mean a bit of pampering, some complementary therapy, even counselling if you’re stuck. Some services moved online for the latter but it’s still very helpful to get it all out. our best bet is to ring your breast care nurses’ service - they are there for you for the rest of your life! If you find you need something in the meantime, I can’t recommend the nurses’ helpline at the number top right highly enough. They are so reassuring and helpful and nothing is a waste of their time.
All the best for your cancer-free future
Jan x