Good luck Pam…next stage done soon xxxxx
Good luck Pam, don’t worry so much, it will be fine, I had exactly the same as you are having, you’ll be home and resting before you know it, and ok in a week or so xxx
Hi Rachael, lovely to hear from you, I finished rads last Friday, all ok, bit sore after the last 5 boosters, my poor nipple!! It’s hard as a rock constantly, hope it doesn’t stay that way or people are going to think I’m very cold or very pleased to see them!! ?
I’m not on here as much cos it’s nice not thinking about the big C and getting back tiz Normal, but I’d still really love to meet up, it’s got to happen this summer, we need it I feel, logistics not a problem for me, have car, can travel xxx
Hubby back last week and we are decorating house, lounge done, hall and landing start today, I say ‘we’ loosely as I only do an hour and I’m on the bed flaked out!
Lots of love to you all, Anna when’s your reconstruction, and anyone else still to have any ops?? Lou well done on your op and recovery, nipples are so overrated!! ??xxx Sam
Hi Beamies,
Well done Pam - you’ve done it! And home so soon … well done! Hope you can keep on top of the pain, like PaulS I alternated ibruprofen and paracetamol for quite a few days.
Poor boob Sam, hope the nipple heals up soon ouch… I find rads a bit spooky now, my ‘stumpy’ looks quite brown and cooked but the lovely radiographers say it’s all quite normal and to be expected. Just keep slathering on the aqueous…The plastic surgeons want to wait 6 months to assess me for reconstruction, and to be honest I’m not sure I can face doing much, other than having the temp tissue expander taken out. Maybe a teardrop implant? I’ve got small boobs, and finding the right small hape in that size is a bit tricky, and might need work on the other one to match it up. I’d like it off too, but that’s another story. Who knows? I will cross that bridge later on. Gals who’ve had the autologous tissue type recons for mastectomy - how was it for you?? Would love to hear the pros and cons and what you think about the work. God isn’t BC so fecking boring? Am so utterly sick of it now.
Lovely sunny day here, PaulS may be having snow, but Brighton is decidedly Spring-like. Have planted broad bean seeds. Let’s work on that Sunbeam meeting in the summer.
Love to you all, Anna
Well done Pam! Shame about the meds rest up and eat well.
I’m having delayed reconstruction Anna I’ll be refered in 6 months too been looking at diep flap.
How’s everyone getting on with their meds? I’m on letrozole been taking them for two weeks now a little stiff but going okay.
Hope you are all managing okay have a good day beams xx
Char - interesting to hear that you are on the delayed recon route too … we shall have to compare notes! Me too, joints stiff on Tamoxifen, but flushes almost completely gone. Weird huh? Anna
Hooray Pam, well done!!! Keep taking those painkillers and doing your exercises and you’ll start feeling better soon :-) xx
I’ve started my tamoxifen now, only 2 days in so nothing to report yet, watch this space! Am off to the clinic AGAIN today, as I’ve got a couple of bits of fluidy swelling each end of the scar which they’re going to drain off for me. I completely agree with you, Anna, I’m so desperately bored of the whole thing now, and am champing at the bit to get radio started so that I can get finished!! Hair is good though, eyelashes are on their way back and I’ve dyed my head hair again…it won’t fall out if you use a vegetable based dye, in fact it can be quite good for it, mine’s sprouting like anything, although I’ll be glad when it decides to lie downwards rather that straight up in the air!!
Enjoy the lovely spring weather everyone, and just think, we are all so much closer to being finished, wooo hooo!!!
Ness xxx
Hi all
Came home tuesday 
all my drains out. I know things must be a little swollen, but my new pair look much perkier 
I also had a real mummy tummy, so is strange after 15 years to see it flat again! Every cloud and all that…
My mums here for a few weeks to look after me, my son and t dog, so I’m very lucky and enjoying taking it easy.
I’d love to meet up with you all!
Xx
Glad all went well Lou I’m really interested to hear how you’re getting on. Which hospital did you have the surgery in? My consultant is referring me to a hospital in East Grinstead for my reconstruction , enjoy your new boobs. Rest up and eat well. Char x
I’ve been using this hair dye:
naturtint.co.uk/naturtint-reflex
You can buy it in pretty much any health food shop.
It’s a semi permanent one, and although they do a permanent as well I thought it might be clever to hold off on that one for a bit longer. Easy to use, you just massage it into your wet hair and leave on for half an hour. But yes, home dying can make a hell of a mess, and you have to feel up to cleaning the bathroom afterwards!!! I use the mahogany…it’s worth it, my hair looks so much better now :-) Let us know if you decide to go for it!!
oooh me too Char - I’ve******** ;seen at East Grinsted, he is a recon specialist. The hospital (Royal Victoria or suchlike) has produced a really useful DVD on breast reconstruction which really goes through all the options. Maybe they could send you one??
Lovely day Beams! Am off for RT number 11, and the review when they check it’s all going to plan.
TTFN, Love Anna
and on hair dye, I use Herbatint (health food shop) in the lightest blonde shade. It lasts v well, smells nice and no ammonia etc… my hair is very dry and knackered (have been using straighteners naughty me), but after much internet trawling I gave it a deep condition yesterday - egg yolk and olive oil. Disgusting to put on but wow it is as soft as a baby’s, albeit fluffy and curly! Good luck. A
Feeling will come back! Normal to be numb for a while. Anaesthetic and painkillers can affect mood so try not to worry - it will improve! You have done so well and are nearly there. Let everyone pamper you and look after yourself. P x
Morning Beamies,
Slow and steady Pam. No need to rush anything. Do things that make you happy - gardens, walkies, nice food, outings. You need to raise the spirits and above all, give yourself a HUGE pat on the back for getting through all this and hangingh in there. You’ll see the arm improving, and the exercises will keep it supple. Good news about eyelashes PaulS! I am delighted to see my hair returning and shaving legs was never so welcome! Only 2 more RT to go, actually dozed off on the treatment table yesterday … am so knackered. Skin holding so far, cooked but not broken. My crazy internal thermostat still disrupting my sleep. Have ordered a 1 tog duvet, can’t wait to meet it! Other than that, Tamoxifen seems to be going just fine. Spring is here today, beautiful golden sunshine. Am off to work, hope I won’t be too scrambled. How’s all the other Beams getting on?
Lots of love, Anna.
Hello all,
It’s good to hear from those of you who’ve coped well with radio. I’ve got my consultation appt today…have been lucky to get a cancellation or I’d have been waiting til the end of March (!!!). I really just want to push ahead and get it done, so true about waiting being the worst bit.
Tamoxifen seems OK so far, though perhaps a week in is a bit early to tell.
Keep stretching that arm, Pam, it’ll ease up with time. I was able to notice a daily improvement in mine. I’m now 4 weeks post surgery and unless I have something stretchy to do I don’t really think about it. It’s still swollen and numb, but that’s not bothering me nearly as much as the infernal itching where it’s healing up!
Great news about all the hair and stuff…aren’t little eyelashes great?!
xx
Appointment went well, going to have 15 sessions of rads (including collarbone). Am pleased, as if I’d had the lumpectomy instead of mastectomy it would have been 20 sessions bacause of getting a bonus week for being young!! Should get my prepping appointment through in next few days. Feel so relieved that treatment is forging ahead again, the sooner it starts the sooner it’s finished.
Have spent quite a few hours on the allotment this week, achy arm stood up to it very well, hooray!!!
Hi beamers
Sounds like we are all finally getting there! Be all back to normality soon, I can’t wait!!
I had the tram flap recon. Its 2 weeks after the op now, been home a week. I’m just taking paracetamol now and walked to the park and then t pub yesterday so feeling good. I go back to meet surgeon tomorrow for results of lymph node biopsy and see if need any radiotherapy.
My arm hurts to where they have taken lymph node when move, but I’ve been rubbish at remembering to exercise it regularly, so making an effort from today to keep it moving.
Hope you’ve all been enjoying the blue skies we’ve had lately, has put a real spring in my step
Lots of love
Xx
P.S. my hair is growing. Is very fluffy, like baby hair. Not thickened out yet and it looks like a receding mans on top!! Hope it will cover over! Looks very odd at the minute. Lashes and brows starting to come through to but very fine.
People have said to shave head to get it to thicken out? Anyone tried this? Xx
Hi all
Good to see everyone moving along. Day two of radiotherapy slight problem with my mx scare it’s started to open where my bra sits saw my consultant today we are going to plough on for now see how it holds up. Another hurdle to get over.
Pam I’m using E45 and washing the area with aqueous cream. Lou thinking of shaving my fluff haha! before it gets too long.
Another lovely day ladies take care xx
Hi bloody brilliant Beams!! So amazing and lovely how far and how well everyone has done, and I feel so happy to have shared it all with you gals, and Den glad you’re feeling ok, I’m basically feeling back to normal, apart from 4 nails that are loose, I’m waiting for them to fall off, and the night sweats from Tamoxifen, which are worse if you are pre menopausal, but on the whole I’m good, Pam I recommend pure Aloe Vera Gel during and after rads, had no skin breakage or itches and still haven’t, nurses were very impressed and said they would start sharing how good it is!
Lou my hair was exactly the same, it’s only in the last week that it’s filled in, thickened up and no longer looks like a sparse cross between an Afro and Pubes!! Shave it if you think it may help, but I’d give it a couple of weeks, and you can colour anytime as long as it’s not a permanent dye, the roots are ok, it’s a bit of an old wives tail that you have to wait, from when it was peroxide or nothing!
We’ve nearly finished decorating whole house, well hubby’s done most, I’ve been chief coffee maker and cook!!
Lots of love to you all xxx Sam
Hi Pam, I’ve been using it in the morning, then when I get back from rads then before bed, from day 1, good luck!! Xxx