Like everyone else I have a breast care nurse, know her name and have her card but I’m never in touch with her. When I was in touch with her due to sore throat after first FEC (six weeks ago) she just said drink plenty (which I do). Here I got the advise to go to GP for Difflam and at Maggies a cancer support specilaist had a look into my throat and told me about GelClare. When I have any questions regards my treatment and scan results I phone the helpline and find them very very good and knowledgable. Is she supposed to phone me to see how I get on with the treatment at all, or is it just a case me phoning her if I have a problem? How often do you keep in touch with yor BCN and why?
Hi Christine-Not heard from mine since mastectomy not healing issues 1 month ago, and then I contacted her. Not heard from any one since started chemo, only contact is if I contact them. Not heard from my Gp either unless again I contact them. This is why I like these forums.
I have been very lucky with my breast care nurse and would like to sing her praises! Even now I’ve finished chemo and rads she keeps in touch regularly to see how I’m doing and she’s my first point of call for any questions, worries or niggles. She came and saw me at every appointment I had with my surgeon or oncologist and came and saw me everytime I was in for a scan or chemo and Herceptin and even came to see me in the operating theatre bit where you get the anaesthetic to make sure I was OK as it was my first op. I also had a problem with my portacath and ended up having an emergency op late one night as the tube had migrated into my neck and heart and she stayed until about 22.00 until I went into theatre. I have her mobile number and she called 2 days ago to say she was leaving the hospital but I could continue to contact her on her mobile number anytime I had any questions or worries. How nice is that?!
She has been SUCH a support and I would have been lost without her. To be honest I think at the first I took her for granted as I just assumed that’s the service that you got from your breast care nurse (I didn’t know any differently!) but having read a few experiences on here I now realise how lucky I was and bought her a nice big Christmas present to say thank you!!!
Sandytoes, your one sounds as she would suffer from burn out soon if she carries on like that LOL! Well impressed with her, I hope she doesn’t over do it for her own sakes, or maybe she hasn’t that many women to look after. She sounds a great support though and yes I would love to have that too. Imagine she is with you as soon as you turn up in hospital and gives you her mobile number … wonder if she is quite new to the job and full of enthusiasm LOL?
LOL, made me chuckle (sp?), enjoy her while it lasts!
Like you I have met my BCN at a couple of appointments but have not been contacted by her since then. I do feel that without these Forums, I wouldnt be getting that much support. The only support out there really is if you go and look for it.
No - she’s been a breast care nurse for 12 years or something (and a chemo nurse before then), but is leaving as she’s been offered a position as matron in another hospital. Big loss for my hospital! I’m in touch with another woman from my hospital - and she’s been just as amazing with her.
She never seems particularly stressed. Always really calming and relaxing and lovely. Always really lovely and mumsy and cuddly.
My bcn is very good - there when I need her to be there and I know that I can ring her if I have a problem or question. She’s very approachable and friendly.
there 2 main bcn’s at my hospital. i didnt take to the first on, just didnt click with her. so i asked to see other one which i am glad i did. i felt a bid bad but it was the right thing. i had several sessions with her in the first few weeks of dx to talk things through as i was really struggling. she is really nice.
when i have a hospital appointment with consultant she always attends it, then after the appointment she always takes me in another room just with her so i can have a chat with her about things if i want to.
she has given me her card to contact her whenever i want to and can arrange to see her whenever i want if i want a session with her.
I have a BCN, and she was amazing at the beginning of this journey, she came to my home 2 or 3 times to talk me through treatment and SEs , she also came with my results and explained everything. through chemo she took a backseat as the dedicated chemo nurses dealt with any problems there.Before I had surgery she went through all that would happen , discussed bras I would need, showed me photo s of Mx s and generally reassured me . When I had my surgery she rang me to see if I was ok and she also helped with my prosthesis fitting. Then I get a call from the BCN office to say I am now discharged BUT if I have any worries or concerns I can always get in touch. So all in all I am pleased with the service I received.
I’m at the chemo stage just now, mastectomy in April, so maybe she’s more in touch than. I’m not bothred really, just wondering. When I saw the consultant at point of diganosis she wasn’t in the room, but she took me to another room to speak to me afterwards and see if I’m alright and if I have any questions, which I didn’t have as I just felt like a truck was hitting me.
Her last words six weeks ago was drink pleanty and she sang into the phone “phone any time” LOL
Hi
My BCN has been fantastic. There are 4 at my hospital in the main clinic and I have had dealings with 3 of them( although I am asigned to 1)They have all been lovely. My Bcn has attended all my appiontments, has been to see me on the ward when I was in hospital and always takes time to talk with me after appointments are over incase I have any other questions. They are always at the end of the phone and will get back to you if you have to leave a message. As I am moving onto chemo now my BCn said I wouldnt see her, but I was welcome to pop down and see her if I needed too.Im sorry that some of you have had negative experiences x
I was diagnosed 8 yrs ago. At my first app with surgeon a BC nurse spoke to me and said that she would visit me in my room when I came in to have my op, she didn’t and I think that I have spoken to her only once since.
I was in a private hospital as I had PMI so I don’t know how other ladies who had their treatment privately got on but I felt a little isolated and that perhaps I might have had more contact with a BC
nurse on the NHS.
I was dx on 6th dec saw bcn the week after and then the week after since had op not heard from her again. She seemed really nice and gave me her card but haven’t rung her or seen her. I’ve got two hops appts next week results and onc… So maybe she will pop in, I’ve no idea…
I wouldn’t wait for them to pop in! My BCNs have been absolutely fantastic. I asked so many questions of the nurse in the room for my ultrasound (cause i suspected) thath she went and got the BCN… honest, helpful, rushed results through, got me an appointment. Fab. Ditto when I got diagnosis (explaining everything) and sorting CT and bone scans before surgery. I changed hospitals for chemo… new BCN, who’s been even better… I’d ring with a silly question (no such thing!) and she’d say “describe that to me…” “tell me again how that feels”… and diagnose over phone often. We got it down to a fine art… I’d ring BCN, she’d advise me what the GP needed to do… I’d ring the practice nurse and tell her what BCN said, and she always said “great” and prescribed as instructed!!
Phone them… that’s what they’re there for… I am so sorry some of you have had rotten expriences…
I rang them whenever I felt concerned, so they got to know me! I seriously wouldn’t wait for them to contact you - I think if you’re quiet they assume all is OK… Jane
I asked who my named BCN is and was told that they work as a team and I can talk to any of them. Not quite what was envisaged in the Trust policy. I have seen one BCN on 3 occasions: initial diagnosis, when I went in concerned about breathlessness and at post-Mx diagnosis. Other than that it seems pretty random. If I want to speak to someone I have to leave a message on an answer phone then someone rings back. They seem like lovely people but I don’t feel anyone knows me and I could do with more support.
Ive seen mine once and rang her once .I asked for advice as i was concerned about a lump in my other breast and onc told me to get in touch with bc nurse. I got in touch and was told she would try to get me to see someone but i had to be careful as i might come across as paranoid!!!
Also at initial diagnosis i asked if my mum and sister were at risk and my mum got told she wouldn’t need checking as she had mamos and if she was ever diagnosed she wouldn’t have to do chemo as she was too old to get it offered !!!She is 63!!
Not been in touch with her since .Did talk to another BC nurse at another app and she was lovely thats the difference between doing a job and going that bit furtherMet some lovely nurses act at the hospital and many friends it was just that one nurse so not all bad xx