Hi all, not sure if I’ll be with the you the ‘Darling Buds of May’ or going with the June group. Have my rad planning meeting next week at Barts in Central London and hope to start the week after.
Had a lumpectomy end of March, clear margins and lymth nodes clear. Started Tamoxifin 2 weeks ago.
Getting quiet anxious regarding radio. After reading various accounts it has bought home that actually you don’t know what the effect it will have on you, so another ‘lets wait and see time!’
Went back to work this week and must admit finding it pretty exhausting and havent even started the radio.
If I jump ship to the June group I wish you all the best of luck throughout your treatment.
I’m the same as you Shell and had WLE in April, for v small lump, luckily with clear margins and clear lymph nodes. My planning meeting is tomorrow at Guy’s. I’m feeling uncertain about the necessity of radiotherapy and tamoxifen as I was told that I needed both but with no evidence of what risks are if you don’t have treatment. My biggest concern is the tamoxifen as less targeted and more side effects I think I’m in a new relationship and very sporty. I’ve no dependants and feel I’m being ‘processed’. I’ve had different people attend all my appts so far as diagnosis, pre-op and op were all with different health professionals. Does anyone else feel like they can’t challenge their treatment? I feel like I sound terribly ungrateful but not sure I need this belt and braces approach.
First session over not too bad was worried about holding my breath buy that all went ok. The team were really nice and it went quite quickly although 19 more views of the ceiling will be fun. My appointment times I had on my schedule have changed from the original list. Will wait to see how the skin and being tired holds up. Will work as much as I can to keep busy. Bring on the 9 June when it ends lol.
Glad it went ok Blossom. You will find that the next 4 weeks goes really quick. Have just completed 11/15 and just starting to go slightly pink. Haven’t felt tired but that might be because the hospital is only a 10 minute drive away.
I and others have also had doubts about the rads and hormone treatment if there is no lymph involvement. I had a WLE and SNB in Feb, no nodes affected but not quite a clear margin. Had another WLE in April to take a bit more and tomorrow will be seeing the surgeon for these results. Mine was Grade 3 invasive with DCIS AND ER +. I don’t know how old you are (I’m 62 so post menopausal). If you are younger than me, then they will be wanting to offer the most effective treatment to prevent a recurrence. You can use the PREDICT tool to give you some idea of just how much percentage benefit you would get from rads and Tamoxifen but it’s only an indicator. Find it on Google. The reason they like to zap you with rads is because even with a clear margin and clear nodes, there is always the slight possibility that some stray cancer cells have moved within the breast. Don’t want to frighten you by the way. If your cancer is ER + which I assume it is because they want to give you Tamoxifen, all the evidence is that it is the best therapy to prevent a recurrence. I will be on Anastrazole as I’m post menopausal. Don’t know if this all helps you at all it’s a very difficult time I know and I’m feeling nervous about my results tomorrow. I also have to have genetic testing, due to family history and am worried about my daughter. Sending you a virtual hug. X Francine
I’m like you Pam and although my cancer is low grade and I’ve a 95% chance of no reaccurance I’m still happy to be taking Tamoxifen and had Rads as an extra precaution xx
Hello ladies.
Starting rads in June. Can we continue the name to Darling Rads of June? Like most of you i had wle with no nodes involved clear margins. Declined chemo as only 3% difference of recurrence. Rads and Tamoxifen really up ur chances of avoiding a recurrence. I am a younger lady who was told i only have 10% chance of it coming back in 10 years. I faced BC alone as i live alone and it is hard to start with but does get better. Has anyone had any SE’s with rads? Got 15 sessions with 5 booster ones xx
Hi, I was diagnosed with Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma associated triple negative and had my lum removed with margins and lynphs clear. I am waiting to meet with my oncologist to discuss my radiotherapy course, which I hope will begin by the end of May or early June - anyone else have/had the same as me ?
Hi Corfuchick, sorry I can’t help as I am HER2+, but hopefully some other ladies will be along who have the same diagnosis as you.
Dizzydee I have just had 13/15 rads and so far the only side effect is a slight pinky colour to the skin. I did meet with radiographer today for a review meeting and she did say I would carry on ‘cooking’ once rads had finished. She said the 10th day after rads finish is the worst point and then things should start to improve. She advised on dressings to get if I get any burning which did worry me slightly, but hopefully it will be ok. Good luck to you and Corfuchick with starting treatment xx
I hope everyone is enjoying the weekend and 2 days off from the radio commute.
I’ve 3 more to go and things are starting to look like treatment is really doing something (I was beginning to wonder if they forget to turn the machine on !! )
I’ve a large pinkish square from my under arm, down my side, across to mid chest and back up. But my small boob itself is normal white with a hint of blue still in the centre.
Thank you ladies. I was told aloe vera gel was good too from my rad doctor. Thanks re 10 days after is worst point advice. We will get through this. Thank you darling rads of may hope u all recover quickly. And heres to all us darling rads of June just about to start. This forum really helps u keep sane xxxx
Hi, corfuchick, im same as you triple neg- lumpectomy, told all clear now 7/15 & all seems ok. No se’s as yet :). Positive attitude is needed & we’ll be thru this in no time at all. Cant wait to get back to work- not julsx
Hello everyone. Have been following you all on here. I’m now 8 treatments into my Rads and the skin is very pink but otherwise everything is fine. Have met some lovely ladies and gents in the waiting room, and the young ladies carrying out the treatment on me are all fab. We usually manage to have a laugh. The centre is funded by donations and they are having an open day soon so people can see the rads machines as well as helping to raise funds by having stalls, a tombola and refreshments. Have persuaded my husband and others to come with me. The centre needs to raise £750,000 towards a new scanner and I hope to be able to volunteer to help with efforts once I am through this. Hope you are all doing well, now off to get ready for todays treatment.
Yippee, finished my rads today, mind you it didn’t go smoothly, typical. They had to try 4 times to get me in the right position, took 2 x Rays to check and still wasn’t right. In the end they had to get another radiographer to come and help, so I had 3 of them pulling me about! By the end of it my arms were really aching and starting to hurt and my left hand had gone numb, but at least it’s all over now. Skin is just slightly pink and no burns as yet although told that radiation will continue working for up to 10 days. It will be lovely tomorrow not having to go to the hospital, although it’s only a 10 minute drive away.
To everyone else having rads, keep going ladies the finishing line is in sight. Xx
I’m not having rads myself at the moment ss I’m heading for a mx or possibly double mx after two failed WLEs. No nodes involved thank goodness. However, I wonderrd if any of you had trad the article in the Daily Mail re breath holding duting rads and the long terrm benefits. Apparently doing this whilst being zapped moves the heart away from the chest wall and helps prevent and stray rads from going there. Beneficial for right and left side rads apparently. Some of you may already be aware of it of course but it eas a very interesting article. Hugs to all of you going thro treatment. Xx Francine
Been told again to expect side effects to increase for up to 10 days yet but as I’m not having any problems with anything I’m not going to panic about the possibility.
I’m telling myself to rest up a bit but have already signed up for a 15 mile trail run on Sunday morning. There is plenty of time to complete it in so I’ll have some long walk sections if need be I’ll rest again Monday if I’ve overdone it.
I am at day 8 and doing ok just getting tired with travelling and working although lucky work close to hospital in London it’s just getting uses to travelling in rush hour again with some appointment times! I do the breathing excercises - ‘take a deep breath and hold’ then ‘breath away normally’ is something that will stay with me a while! It’s actually not too bad maximum of 30 seconds at a time. X the team at St Thomas ’ s in London are great. X
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