I finished treatment in May and since then I’ve had 1 telephone call from the (not very helpful) oncologist. Not one person has told me what will happen going forward, how often im going to be checked etc. I just feel like I’ve been left. Was anyone else given a plan going forward after treatment ?
Hello
I asked for clarification on my future checks - they will be every six months initially. I suggest you follow up and ask - I think it’s important for us to have some control in a situation where we don’t have much control. It is perfectly reasonable to know when your next check up will be and what it will entail.
All the best
Hi PJB
A breast cancer diagnosis turns our world upside down and removes our sense of safety. We spend months under the care of our oncology team (our GPs seem not to want to know, once they’ve referred us) and suddenly that’s it. You’re outside the hospital thinking Is that it? No, it’s not and it was poor practice to leave you uninformed. They used to say we need to find our ‘new normal’ but since our Prime Minister hijacked it for one of his trivial soundbites, I don’t go near the term. Shame because it is in fact spot on. But learning to live with what you’ve been through can’t be compared to Yippee, I can go to a pub now…
Ring your breast care nurse to find out what’s next. Probably there will be an annual mammogram (the one thing we don’t want) and there may be an appointment with your oncologist at some time. If you have any concerns, your breast care team will be available to you. There may be a time limit like 5 years, it all depends on how far developed your cancer was,
There’s a course on here run by Breast Cancer Now and there’s one currently online run by Maggie’s. They have titles like Moving On/Forward. Investigate the formats and the contents and choose. Do both. Do as many as you can find. It’s free. But don’t so it too early. I was offered a cancellation slot when I’d only just reached your stage, It was far too early to benefit properly.
I’m giving you a link to a brilliant article one of the nurses post way back. I read it regularly. He seems to know just what we feel at this very vulnerable stage. I hope you read it. Meantime, relish the fact that the hospital visits are over, you are free of cancer and statistically you’re unlikely to be back for more. Congratulations 
workingwithcancer.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/After-the-treatment-finishes-then-what.pdf
All the best xx
I was/am the same.
All my treatment finished in April this year - you go from sort of being on the treadmill and being looked after to zero and left to sort of get on with it (covid made it worse) whereas face-to-face follow-ups turned into telephone calls which are not the same.
I agree about the GPs not keen to help (never heard from mine once) outside a drug review last week (again telephone) and my GP being out of touch with my treatment (left me feeling very down).
I have read the posted link which does explain the feelings well - I was going to do the ‘moving on’ course but decided against it rightly or wrongly I am going to find my own way and make my own decisions.
I have had several setbacks (not cancer-related) - but you learn to get over them and get on with it. I take life one day at a time sometimes not even that cannot lie cancer has changed me not just mentally but also physically (the meds being responsible for most of the physical changes).
I work with what my body and mind allows, breast cancer does not mean the end of being ‘you’ just a new you sometimes I like the new me more (not always) but I am getting there
Lots of love and good wishes as you move forward and hope you find the help/support you need.
Poppy xx
Hi
I too finished my radiotherapy in May, but received an appointment in the post to have my check up with the consultant in September which was supposed to be a telephone appointment. I was having trouble with my letrazole and what looked like a band running down my boob so rang a McMillan nurse to discuss this and had my appointment brought forward about 3 weeks. I told her I wanted a face to face appointment, which I did have. The consultant examined me, changed my medication and sent me to have a bra fitted ( I have never been offered that before!). She also organised the date for next year for my 1 year mammogram and I also received an appointment with Anaesthetics? for August next year. I am having an ultrasound on the lump in my boob tomorrow.
As for my GP I did have 1 phone call from them when I was first diagnosed but then nothing since. I have kept my Gp up to date on occasions where I have rang up about my fibromyalgia and the letrazole.
I definitely would contact a McMillan nurse to find out when you will be having a check up with the hospital.
wishing you best of luck and sending hugs
Wendy x
I finished treatment middle of June and then had a (very brief) telephone consultation (although he did recommend this forum) mid July. I already had an appointment for November for ‘supportive therapy’ (zoledronic acid, I think) and he said to ask about annual mamogram at that time if I haven’t heard anything by then. I do feel a bit ‘left to get on with it’ as well. November seems a long way off and I am still suffering a bit with side effects from chemo.
I know what you mean. My breast cancer nurse warned me about this phenomenon. I think it’s just very unfortunate that, what with Covid, many of the face to face support groups that would normally be available aren’t operating. For people like me who live who live in rural areas that probably hasn’t affected us as much but it would be so much better if there was a group to attend on a regular basis. I am joining one of the ‘Moving Forward’ online courses next week. It seems to be tailor made for those of us who are at the end of our treatment and feeling very unsure of what happens next. I think when you finish treatment that’s when the reality of having had cancer hits you, you feel more vulnerable. You want to get back to normal life but you’re just not sure how. I’m hoping the course will help me navigate my way through all the complicated feelings that accompany the aftermath of a breast cancer diagnosis. I think though the main thing is to be patient with yourself and don’t expect to be back to normal just yet. Accept you will be anxious, but this will lessen as time goes on.