Ladies
I have started the new monthly thread for those of you continuing into August and ladies who are starting this month. Ask away there will be plenty of help and support forthcoming.
Sending you all hugs and best wishes xx
Hello!
Having completed 5 out of 6 chemos following two operations I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, and have my planning appointment for radiotheraphy on Monday.
I’m a left breaster, so will be doing the breath holding technique.
Originally it was going to be 15 sessions, but I have had an extra week of boosters added on to the end, so 20 sessions altogether.
Sarah x
Had my first session yesterday and it was fine. Radiographer was lovely and talked to me through out the process. Booked in for an exercise class before tomorrow’s session and have a review with senior radiographer on Thursday to see how things are going. All my sessions are at the end of the day so I am making sure I have prepared dinner before I go so that I don’t have to do a lot when I get back. Think slow cooker will be making a come back from back of cupboard for the next couple of weeks. Good luck to everyone having treatment in August we can get through this xx
Starting mid August for 15 sessions. Has anyone else been told not to wear perfume?
JaneBelinda. Started my treatment on Monday. Was told no perfume no deodorant and only use simple soap whilst being treated. Going to be a couple of hot sweaty weeks I think!! Good luck with your treatment xx
Started my 20 sessions on Monday too! Day 1 was fine but day 2 a bit more of an ordeal as the machine was playing up! My sessions are also at the end of the day so have planned dinners before I leave for the appt. Has been a strange experience so far but the staff are all helpful and explain what they are doing. Good luck to everyone starting their treatment this month. Sending hugs to you all xxx
Hello all, had session 2 of 15 today and so far all is going smoothly. I can’t remember if they said no perfume but I’d probably not bother at the moment, however they did say it was ok to use roll on deodorant (not spray) and to moisturize a lot! From what I can gather from reading other forums is that each unit is different as to what they advise - helpful?! All the best everyone, Amy xx
Hello all
Starting Radiotherapy in 6th August - 15 sessions (I hope!) - interesting that I am a left-breaster but have not been told about breath-holding technique when I went for my planning meeting on 23rd July …?
- but they will probably talk me through that on 6th, - the radiographers were very nice and understanding of the fact that I’m very deaf (since birth) and I was worried that they’d be shouting instructions from across the room and I’d not be able to see faces to read lips ??, but in the end they ‘loomed’ over me and I got it all - thank goodness ! Very impressed and grateful to them for that day…they made it feel it wasn’t going to be such an ordeal when it all starts…
And I also mentioned swelling has started in hand,wrist and fingers, it looks like the onset of lymphoedema in the affected arm, they’ve referred me to the lympho unit on the 14th…Has anyone experience of lymphoedema worsening because of rads please ? Would appreciate any advice, so far I’ve not been given much info regarding that…I had to have full ANC clearance btw because of 2 nodes affected.
Also, any recommendations as to the best cream to slap on afterwards? People have mentioned E45 not being that good ?
Thank you to all for being there !!
And the best of luck to everyone on their rads this month.
Thistle xx
Hi Thistle, I’m using Cetraben and Aveeno. You can get them both on prescription from gp xx
Hi all x
It wasn’t mentioned to me about purfume and deodorant but to be honest i took time off work during my rads so always had a shower before i went so felt pretty fresh!
I never use E45 as it contains paraffin and I just have a mad mental block from thinking about the paraffin heater we had growing up!!
Stuck to Aloe Vera cream and gel and had no problems at all. I put the cooling gel on straight after my treatment. My skin never felt sore or dry but i still moisturised 3 times a day.
The only issue I ever has was at the end when my nipple got really sore and swollen as it was in the direct line of the booster zap. I resorted to nip cteam and breast pads from Boots and everthing was sorted in a week.
Im amazed at how well everything has healed, surgery scars as well! Its now a month since I finished and although I still have the outline of where the booster was, alls fine. Im still applying moisturiser during the day and bio oil at night. Until i see my oncologist next Friday I’ll carry on slapping it all on. I just want the nod to say everything has healed as it should.
Hugs and good luck xxxxxx
Hi all
Thanks for the tips re cream, I do have Aveeno already as I’ve been using that to moisturise arm, but thought aqueous cream was needed for rads somehow. I recall when my mum in law and her sister were having rads at our hospital, they were given big tubs of cream at their first appointments, remember them saying you could tell the newbie rads as they were all trooping down the corridor clutching cream !! Obviously not standard up here now… the Aloe Vera sounds nice, (recall using the gel from a leaf years ago on hol, it was lovely and cooling on sun burned skin)…sticking cream in fridge sounds sensible too…
I’ve found that Vit E oil is helping with the scarring a lot, and camellia oil for the arm as a night time treatment too.Like that as it’s not greasy !!
Thanks all and continued good luck in getting through these zaps.
Thistle x
Thistledown. Big tubs of cream still given out here in Merseyside. It really does seem that each health authority has different guidelines. I had bought loads of aloe Vera gel before starting my treatment but was told on day one only to use cream given to me in clinic.
Has anyone else been told that they will need bisophospates as this bit of news was imparted to me during my review today with the lead radiologist first time that this has been mentioned. I do wonder sometimes if there is an unwritten rule about drip feeding information. I don’t need any more surprises xx
Not heard mention of bisophospates before.
Could it be an age or family history thing?
I just read about bishophosphates on an email from breast cancer- sounds ground breaking to me!
Anniapple do you have a link to this article at all?
I’ve cut and pasted some of the information- but I would recommend that you go on www.breastcancernow.org. And search for
’ bisphosphonates’
And see the write ups.
See below what I have cut and pasted from the monthly email from breast cancer now.
We’ve rounded up our latest research news and discoveries being made in our labs, all through the help of amazing supporters like you.
This month, we look at how we’re closer than ever to solving a puzzle that’s been baffling scientists for nearly 40 years and celebrate as Breast Cancer Now supporters’ actions ensure the results of breast cancer research are reaching patients.
Bisphosphonates get the green light
A significant step has been taken towards preventing one in ten breast cancer deaths in England
A significant step has been taken towards preventing one in ten breast cancer deaths in England
Thousands of Breast Cancer Now supporters who demanded action to improve access to a type of drug, which could prevent one in ten breast cancer deaths in England, have helped make a life-saving breakthrough.
Bisphosphonates reduce the chances of breast cancer spreading and becoming incurable. However, access to these drugs for patients has been patchy. Now, in a significant step forward, new guidelines have been published recommending these cheap drugs are offered to the women who need them most to help prevent deaths from breast cancer.
Read about bisphosphonates
How we’re solving a 39-year-old puzzle
How we’re solving a 39-year-old puzzle
We’ve been working at the forefront of research into a protein that’s been baffling scientists for nearly four decades
Now, from his lab in Dundee, Breast Cancer Now researcher Dr Jean-Christophe Bourdon has discovered what we hope might be one of the final pieces of the puzzle.
Known as the ‘Guardian of the Genome’, the p53 protein has the vital job of protecting our DNA from being damaged and our cells from becoming cancerous. But in an important breakthrough, Dr Bourdon has found that p53 might not always be protecting us from cancer and could explain why some treatments don’t work as well as we think they should.
Read about Dr Bourdon’s research
Hope this is helpful. I think the research is getting so exciting to prevent and cure. X
Hello
Mcnulcc - regarding bisphosphonates, I recall seeing that word on the NHS Predict website, (my oncologist put this site up on her computer to explain about the benefits of Letrozole, and I saw this 'Bisphosphonates’ mentioned.) I looked it up and saw that it was given out to prevent Osteoporosis, so was confused…
But checking out the info provided by Annieapple and the Breast Cancer Research website, they mention it being a probable preventative for recurrence, so that must be why it’s on the NHS Predict… !!
There seems to be research getting carried out on other things too, like Aspirin, I was asked if I’d partake in the Add-Aspirin trial, very interesting to read up on that !
Wonder if we will be offered bisphosphonates … my DEXA scan in a fortnight, that may say that I need it !
Best wishes, Thistle x
Anniapple and Thistle. Thank you for your response l will start to take a look at the articles. I stopped looking at certain websites just before surgery as I scared myself to death with some of the information. However obviously now much stronger mentally and reading targeted articles rather than everything anyone has ever written regarding breast cancer true or not!!. "Hope you have a good weekend. Chris x
hi folks I started on the July thread and need to move over to August! I have completed 3 weeks of Radio and start my Booster week today, so not sure what will be different - can anyone enlighten me?
I am still working, although finishing early before heading off for my afternoon appts. I have found that if I crash for an hour when I get home, with a book and cup of tea, it helps me get through the rest of the evening.
I am certainly feeling sore and itchy now. My last review lady was telling me I must stop wearing a bra, but with large boobs that’s just not comfortable (especially in this weather). I have compromised by digging out my post-surgery bras and investing in a bra extender to loosen them up a bit. I can’t tell if the itchy rashy patches are being caused by the treatment or the cream - Aveeno is quite thick and my skin’s not used to it!
Hi NikNak, hope the boosters have started ok??
Does the booster area cover your nipple?? The reason i ask is because it covered mine and the poor thing literally exploded!! ???
After being taken off and then reattached after surgery, it then got zapped. Of all the SE’ of rads this was by far the most gory. But lots of lanolin cream and moisturiser and it was a lot better after a week.
You can ask the technicians to show you a scan of the area the boosters going for.
I found it all very fascinating seeing my scans. Seemed weird to think it was me!!
Hipe this week flys for you xx