Thanks guys Iām stil sat at home waiting for the call into go up ā¦ my appointment was at 9.30am but got a call to say stay at home till itās ready
@pat not for today ā¦ I never feel like eating when I get back ā¦ always get jammies on and into bed for a sleep. BUT I have ordered a huge slab of cake from a bakery called Get Baked and thatās arriving on Friday Iāll send you a pic when it comes ā¦ itās hiuuuggge!!
@alig1961 oh definitely Iāve got plans in place in for this time so I am left well alone so I can rest ā¦ itās only taken me to the end of my treatments to realise that I need it
@pat , Iāve finished chemo and still havenāt learnt it!!
But have learnt to treat myself a bitā¦im just back from a massage and reiki treatmentā¦i was a bit nervous but was amazing. The knots in my shoulders have been loosened a bit and dare i say it, my hips feel less acheyā¦! Long may that continue.
@charlie22 , hope youre soon tucked up in your bed and chemo is behind you xxx
So lovely to read all your updates.
5 more paclitaxels for me before surgery in Late Dec (type TBC following next scan)
Some questions;
Chemo induced menopause - Iāve had no periods since Jul/Aug - oncologist said due to chemo. Iāve started to read Dr Mindy Pelzās work on eating and exercising differently based on monthly menstrual cycle but now canāt work out when my cycle is! Any ideas? So strange not feeling my hormones anymore!
Moving house! We are relocating area in spring 25 due to work. Has anyone navigated moving oncology and surgical teams to a new NHS trust during their journeys so far?? Eeek
@charlie22 hope you got your call up and treatment got done - nothing more frustrating than everything being put on hold!
Thanks all about letrozole - oncologist told me yoga or Pilates may help so @nicd i think sounds like your friend has got good ideas. I went to yoga last night and felt good to go back after 6 months. Apparently I will get vitamin D and Magnesium next month automatically because of bone density loss. @pat you made me laugh - my to do pile just gets bigger and bigger
Baby steps ā¦. Off for a walk to the coffee shop which meansā¦ā¦ cake
@sarahw6 sorry i dont have much advice, i was already menopausal and hadnt reallt had a period for a while, but not fully through it either so hard for my oncologist or me to know where i was at. I suspect your breast care nurse would be a good resource as well as others here.
I havent moved house (weveput that off til later next yearā¦) but i did have to move between a private treatment regime to NHS as my work finished and with it private medical cover. I was worried but it went very smoothly without any delay. Talk it through with your current team, i suspect they will be very supportive and talk through how it will work and timescale for them to refer you on. Like all things, its probably down to how good the individuals are, but in my experience any oncology people have been so supportive and caring. I hope the same for you, and everyone else.
@collywobbles good on you back to yoga! Im trained as a yoga teacher so ive been lucky to understand my own body and limits to practice at home throughoutā¦ doesnt stop me being frustrated at how much strength and flexibility i have lost! (And i wasnt amazing beforeā¦!! )
Woken up in an emotional state today, tears already before 8! For no particular reason and everything all at the same timeā¦ off for a walk in the sun and a couple of hours volunteering, hopefully lift me upā¦
@charlie22 Ive heard of Get Baked - have you ordered a āBruceā? Hope you got sorted with your treatment.
@sarahw6 I donāt really have any answers to your questions but Iāve not had a period either since April time when I had my lumpectomy. I have an appointment with my Oncologist in a couple of weeks to discuss Tamoxifen Iām going onto. So going to ask him for any advice re supplements etc to help with the menopause. (I was perimenopause before all this).
Thanks all ā¦ I am DONE!!! Felt really emotional ringing that bell and still feel that today!! Just got to ride this week out ā¦ currently still in bed with absolutely zero plans to move until the kids get home from school!
@wjs ā¦ itās the updated version ā¦ the Bertha which is extremely adapt way of describing me right now! @jojoh i know I canāt wait ā¦ I got given the book last year and although made a couple of things that beast I couldnāt even attemptā¦ one last treat ā¦
Sorry @sarahw6 not much advise either ā¦ I also started the menopause back in June when starting treatment, only advise I have been offered is to take evening primrose oil ā¦ but itās definitely something I need to explore more!
Along with some exercise now (other than short walks) A lot of you mention Yoga so I was going to look into some local classes ā¦ that or Pilates, complete novice here not sure whatās best? I feel so weak so main focus for now is to build strength rather than loose loads of weight ā¦ although that needs addressing too! However with surgery looming I think I probable need to be realistic in my limitations and expectations
@nicd i hope your ok? Itās so strange how our emotions just present ā¦ roll with it and enjoy your walk
Well done @charlie22 YOU DID IT!! I am now extremely jealous of your cakeā¦ need to hunt out the equivalent down here on the south coast. Half term next week and I am sooo looking forward to a few days away with lots of cafes and restaurants and ALCOHOLā¦ YES, I am going to indulge in everything for the week!!!
Iām all up and down this week ā¦ like you @nicd I seem to have been crying more this weekā¦ not sure why! Maybe itās that classic ādownā after the euphoria of finishing chemo or maybe itās the fact that everyone, including hubby and kids seem to have forgotten what Iāve just been throughā¦ not sure. Iām going with it ā¦ but really want to move towards more contentment. Maybe that takes timeā¦ ahhhā¦
Iāve been doing some stretching as I played a friendly short game of netball this week and omg, I was stiff as anything. I feel like I need to throw wd40 all over myself. Even yoga seems too much at the moment as I donāt think Iād be able to get up and down that much!! Again, this will take timeā¦ arrghhhhhā¦
@sarahw6 I donāt really understand what happens after chemo with regards to periods/menopause. Some women go back to having periods again but depending on your age, it might be permanent menopause. I was right in the middle, happily taking HRT so this is all an adjustment. Maybe thatās affecting my mood tooā¦ no oestrogen = moodiness!!! Will talk to my onc in a few weeks when we discuss tax medication etcā¦
Anyone else had their flu/covid jabs? Do we have to have these forever now do you think or is it just this year? Not sure Iām up for always being in that āvulnerableā group!!!
@jojoh fab news on the shrinkage!!! @charlie22 fab pics and so glad youāre through and being kind to yourself. IMO, yoga is good for increasing flexibility, being mindful/meditative amd pilates for strength building and coreā¦both are great and low impact. A lot will depend on the teacher/class and what you enjoy.
I thoroughly recommend reformer pilates. Im not quite up to it yet, but cant wait to get back to it! @donna_51 def an emotional dayā¦and am trying to ride ot out and be gentler/kinder to myself. I keep getting so frustrated at my limitations/tiredness, but i know im only a month post chemo, logically i know all this and how to take care of myself emotionally and physically, but just cant help how you feel and when those tears want to fallā¦
My lovely neighbours told me crying is healing and good for usā¦ill take that right now!
OMG Get Baked looks amazing, thank you for bringing that to our attention @charlie22 and huge congrats on ringing that bell and completing your chemo.
I think Iāll be placing an order to celebrate being done in two weeks time.
I was asking my oncologist about my period having stopped and if that meant I was in menopause on Tuesday and he couldnāt really give me an answerā¦he said they may start again, weāll see! Helpful!
@donna_51 I also asked him if I should have the Covid and flu jabs, given Iām coming to the end of treatmentā¦.I said to him that I probably wouldnāt have had either if I wasnāt having chemo, and as Iām coming to an end asked if there any point in having them & asked what would he do if he was me. He didnāt want to tell me what to do, but in a very circular way he did say he didnāt disagree with my opinion-so Iām probably not going to have them. But each to their own!
@jojoh good news about the shrinkage.
Iām off for an MRI tomorrow to see how my tumour has reacted to the chemo, to help with the surgery planning, although i wonāt get my results until 5th November so will be having to wait patientlyā¦
I hate the thought of having to lie face down with my boobs in the holes for 45 minutes with all that clanging going on, so glad they only arranged it today so I donāt have to dwell on it for too long!