After effects and medication

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After effects and medication

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After effects and medication I have started a new topic so it will be seen by more users for new user xangiex

Kind Regards

Forum Host

Breast Cancer Care

Hi,

I’m new to this site, hope someone can help me, had my last rads last Thurs, was told had to see oncologist straight after; went off with my notes and waited and waited and… some of the staff were watching the England match on TV, after waiting about 40 mins I asked if the Onc would be long they then went to find her, came back rather sheepishly and told me she’d gone home!!! Hence I now have to wait a further 6 weeks to see her. I had loads of questions, so could anyone help me, My boob feels and looks really sore, loads of weeping underneath, and it all feels very lumpy around the scar, hopefully this is all quite normal, but could someone please reassure me, have spoken to my BCN but she can’t really say anything without seeing it, but said it all sounds OK.

Also could someone tell me the difference betweenTamoxifen and Arimidex, I was put on Tamoxifen before I started my rads but came off it after speaking to my BCN how said that I shouldn’t have been perscribed it till after rads,

Love Angie

I

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Ask the Nurse/Helpline Hi Angie

I am sorry you are having a difficult time at the moment, the helpline service on :
0808 800 6000 Monday to Friday 9am-5pm and Saturday 9am-2pm
may be able to help with query or you could e-mail the Ask the Nurse on the link below
breastcancercare.org.uk/content.php?page_id=444

With Kind Regards

Forum Host

Breast Cancer Care

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I’ve finished treatment Hi Angie,

I finished my radiotherapy treatment 5 weeks ago and saw the oncologist yesterday. I had been fine, a bit tired at the end of the treatment and for a few weeks afterwards, and a bit of dry skin but nothing major.

Not sure about the medication, it all seems so different everwhere. I was prescribed Tamoxifen straight after surgery and have been taking it ever since, including during radiotherapy.

Sounds as if you could do with some help from the BCN for the skin problem - can you arrange to go and see her?

Hope all turns out OK.

Love
Mollie xx

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I don’t think there’s a hard and fast rule for when you take Tamoxifen. I haven’t taken it prior to rads but only because I spoke to my onc who agreed I could afford to wait until after.
Arimidex is more usually offered to post menopausal women - or so I believe.
Your other symptoms sound about right to me. Not everyone will have the same symptoms but those that you describe do seem to be among the ones rads creates.
There’s a cream - others will know the name - which my GP could have perscribed had I needed it. Maybe your GP can help?

Hope you get sorted soon,
xx

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Hi Angie,
I was prescribed Tamoxifen and started taking it as soon as i’d started Rads. I’ve never heard that you need to wait till after Rads. I’d check if i were you. I did a lot of research re Tamoxifen/Arimidex and discussed it with my oncologist. He said research showed that recurrence was reduced by switching to Arimidex after 2 years. He thinks it is better to get the benefit of both drugs by using them “sequentially”. He said that once you start Arimidex you can’t go onto Tamoxifen. I’m pleased now because i’ve had no side effects from Tamoxifen really.
He also said that the recent research showed a reduction in recurrance from using Arimidex but no reduction in mortality.
Kelley

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hi angie wot a shame you had to wait and then didnt get to see onc!
i had exactly the same, weaping underneath and then under my arm too, but it did clear up after about 2 weeks. i was told not to put cream on it but was given some dressings. although it was too difficult trying to keep them on. the best thing is to go braless if you can. my boob was also sore and hard and lumpy, i still get kind of stabbing pains now and then. all these symptons are quite normal, not very nice and can be quite depressing but you are not alone!!!
i finished rads nearly 4 weeks ago, still get tired. i started taking arimidex as soon as rads finished. arimidex is for post-menopausal women and tamoxifen for pre- menopausal.
do speak to your nurse again if you are worried and keep looking here.
hope it all calms dpwn soon, there is light at the end of the tunnell.
annie x

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after effects and medication Dear all,

Thank you so much for all your kind replies, I have been totally reassured by you all, it really helps to know that what you are going through is totally normal, and that you are not the only one, will phone BCN tomorrow regarding ‘weeping’ boob

Thanks also for info on Tamoxifen/Arimidex.

Take care all you and will def keep in touch, this site is really invaluable, it is somewhere you can really unload all your concerns.

Love Angie

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angie hope you get to read this in time before seeing your BCN. I am in France and have now finished chemo, radio and now on Herceptin. I had weeping sores and they prescribed me here something called Biafine and it was nothing short of miraculous. Sores practically cleared up overnight. Just thought I would mention it. Good Luck
Jane

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Biafine Dear Jane

Thanks for the advice, have appointment to see BCN next Tuesday, will let you know how I get on regarding Biafine.

Take care.

Angie

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rads and tamoxifen Hi, I finished my radiotheraphy in Dec.05 I was prescribed tamoxifen a month before I started radio. and a week after finishing chemo.
Tamoxifen is prescribed if you are pre-menopausal, (its the only one for pre- men.) and arimidex is prescribed for post-menopausal women.
As for your breast, mine is very lumpy and it is still tender, I didnt weep or have sores, but it was very pink and underneath was tanned. All the skin gradually flaked off. It looked like I had dandruff everytime I took my bra off for awhile. I found soaking in the bath with E45 bath oil very good but if you have an open wound I would check with your breast care nurse first.
Rads carry on working for 3 weeks after sometimes longer so it will probably be awhile before it settles down. But it is all normal. Hope this helps
Take care
Karenanne:-)

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Tamoxifen and Arimidex Karenanne

Just to clarify that Tamoxifen is currently used as first-line treatment for primary breast cancer in pre-and post menopausal women.
Arimidex is a drug used to treat breast cancer in post-menopausal women (women who have gone through the menopause/
change of life). It is a type of hormone treatment and is a member of a group of drugs called aromatase inhibitors. You can read more about hormone treatments in general in our Hormone therapy factsheet.

Kind regards

Information nurse

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Wondered about that Thanks for that moderator I am most definitely post menopausal and have been given Tamoxifen, after reading the postings was beginning to think I was on the wrong drug, although I did wonder why Tamoxifen as surely after menopause there is not much oestrogen left in the body?

Jan