Im new here

Hi everyone, my name is Barbara. Never posted anything here before so hope Im doing it right. Had my op for breast cancer on 4 Feb, got the all clear today. Just waiting to hear when I start radiotherapy. Have to have 15 sesions, then 5 years of Femara. Im one of the lucky ones.

Hello Barbara.c

Welcome to the forums, you’ve come to the right place for support as the users of this site have a wealth of knowledge between them.

In the meantime you may find it useful to contact our free helpline on 0808 800 6000, opening hours are Monday to Friday 9.00 – 5.00 and Saturday 9.00 – 2.00.

Best Wishes
June, moderator

Hi Barbara c - welcome, sorry you’ve had to join us here, a kind of exclusive club, we all don’t want to be in. Good that the operation has gone well. I didn’t have radiotherapy so can’t advise on that score but i’m sure lots of ladies will be along soon to chat about that. Good luck with it when it starts.

Lynn
x

Hi Barbara,

Fab news on the op results - I had to have a 2nd one cos my margins weren’t clear after the 1st. Until my results I’d only really been ‘warned’ for surgery & radio, but unfortunately I went and had a Grad 3 Invasive little bugger + HER2+, so it’s chemo as well for me.

I’m sure your BCN or ONC would have mentioned that your wounds would have to heal before they start radio but hopefully that won’t be too long for you to have to wait.

My chemo should take me till July so I’ll probably be starting Radio in August … so I’ll be coming to you & others for advice.

Hope all goes well for you & keep in touch

xx Chris xx

Hi Barbara, well done on getting the all clear. The worst is behind you. I will also need radiotherapy but haven’t begun yet as I need a re-excision to get clear margins first. I can’t say I’m looking forward to it. I remember my mother having rads and it made her very tired not just during but for a few weeks afterwards too. I still see it very much as the home straight though. There are some threads here where people are talking about their experiences of rads and what types of creams and things they did helped them during treatment. I will find them and bump them up for you x

Hi Barbara

I’m in almost identical position to minimunchkins, with initial diagnosis of surgery + rads + hormones but then upgraded to re-excision, chemo, rads, Herceptin and Tamoxifen, so we’ll be coming to you for your experiences once we start rads.

And even though you’ve managed to escape some of the treatments (brilliant news!) don’t feel you have to hold back “because there are others worse off than me”. The whole thing’s a total atom bomb in the brain so when something gets to you, go right ahead and vent all you like on here. No-one’s going to say “what’s she moaning about, she’s only got…”

Good luck with the next steps,

CM
x

Hi everyone, just want to say thank you for the support. Its nice to know there is someone out there to listen, as you know, its just as hard on the family as it is on me.
Barbara.c

Hi Barbara, As Chris said, I was told six weeks minimum between surgery and rads to allow time for the wound to heal x