Hello Beamies, hope you’re feeling better Pam … it is hard waiting for radiotherapy. I waited ages, and I felt totally in limbo. Once you get started though it is pretty full-on as you go every day. I also miss the lovely cheery staff at the hospital, and feel a bit odd on my own. Moving on is a curious thing - we will all do it, but it can’t be rushed. You are still in treatment Pam, and that is a vulnerable time, no wonder you feel shi**y. Being back at work is great, but as you say PaulS it is knackering! I flop on the sofa and fall asleep there every evening. So how to get our old lives back? Concentrate on doing the things that make us happy, eating right, and healing. We’ll all get there, it’s not a race. Love and warm wishes to you all, Anna X
Hi peeps
Day off radiotherapy today which is lovely just Monday and Tuesday next week and I’m done!
Skins holding up just a small area above my bra under my arm has broken down The whole area is numb so can’t feel anything anyway been given a gel from the rad team to apply 3x a day. So all’s good. Back at work now totally knackered though so haven’t been posting as much but do read up on how you are all getting on.
Pam try having a chat with your BC nurse a lot of the hospitals has a voluntary driver service or put you in contact with someone who can help. Before having my rad I used bio oil twice a day around the whole breast area for about a month so apart from the bit I mentioned earlier I have no soreness or discolouration yet I am aware that it will peak 10 days after the treatment finishes.
Wishing you all a good weekend. Char x
No not during rad stopped about a week before. Using aqueous and E45 cream only now and for a good month after rad.
Hi Girls, Pam , sorry to hear your having a wobbly time at the moment - I think we all have times like this. I try and put my worries in a little box at the back of my mind - allow myself a little time to worry and then decide that’s it - and try and get on as normal. We have all be through so much these last few months - be kind to yourself.
I dyed my hair the other day - I’d had enough and did a semi permanent (after reading a few tips on here ). I feel so much better - got rid of the grey ?. My hair is all different lengths and a little bit mad - but I’m much more me now. Just ŵant it to grow a bit faster.
Holiday sounds fab Ness - where are you off to? Have a good weekend everyone xx
Hello Beamies,
Pam - I have been suffering from awful cording on the chemo arm; one vein really was giving up the ghost from my first chemo, before they reduced the dose of FEC. But I am pleased to say that it is at last improving, not so dark and deep, and nowhere near as restricted. So keep massaging it and pinching it gently if you can, and it will improve. I agree though, it is a horrid thing, and gives you a nasty remider whenever you try to reach for anything! Hope you are feeling more chirpy. It is quite usual to feel pants when treatment changes/ends. It’s our bodies/brains adjusting to what is being thrown at us next. Hope you can talk it through with the counsellor and have a jolly good cry. I felt so much better when she ‘gave me permission’ to feel exhausted and depleted 2 weeks ago. I have been resting much more and doing less. Don’t run before you can walk! We’ve been through such hard times, things are going to get better. Wishing everyone well. Isn’t Angelina Jolie amazing - ovaries removed too. She’s a poster-girl for preventative surgery…I love that woman. Listen up doctors!
Love to you all - how’s everyone getting on?? Anna.
Thanks Anna I’m working on cording. It’s a bugger to get rid of but I will persist. Just very down at mo.
Px
Hi Sunbeams, just dropping in to say I’m thinking of you all even if I’m not on here much nowadays, I’ve caught up on posts and Den you’re spot on when you said it’s not positive for some of us to be on here as much, for me it sort of puts me back in the C zone, and that’s quite negative, I’m ok apart from the savage hot flushes every hour lol!! I read that if you are getting side effects from the Tamixifen then it means it’s working, so that’s something I focus on when laying in bed drenched and on fire!! ?
I’ve lost most of the weight and am back running and weight training, veins were sore at first as was the node scar but definately better now!
My hair is about 1inch all over, still look like a green peace protester but small steps eh ?, I wish you all health and happiness, and can’t wait to meet when everyone is up for it!! I drop in now and then to catch up, but it’s getting less, which is better for me, but you all have a very special place in my heart and always will, it’s been amazing to be part of this team!! Take care lovelies and see you all sooooon!!! Sam xxx
Good morning Sunbeams!
Haven’t been here for a while, the chemo journey is fading into the background now… but I wanted to know how everyone’s getting on though, and whether we might be able to meet at some stage? What do you think?
Am so pleased that we were able to support each other during those awful winter months. I’m finding Tamoxifen a bit of a struggle still, but am assured that the side effects ease with time. Hurry up I say! Awful water retention.
So, hoping we might be able to meet up, love Anna.
Hi ladies,
Pleased to see you are all moving ahead with treatment. We are nearly all there. I am on Laprazole and think the only side effects so far are occasional flushes at night. But they pass. Still knackered and in bed early every night. But coping at work all day. Had my hair cut yesterday. The hair that survived chemo is straggly and the new hair is coming in so I thought I’d get it all cut but he said it was too early to do that as so uneven and just took a bit off and tidied it up. Told me to gather it in a clasp and wear it up. Looks ok. Desperate to colour it! Nails a complete mess. Trying to be philosophical. Not easy.
Pam and Anna - you seem to be having such a hard time. The waiting and uncertainty are the worst aren’t they. Fingers crossed that all ok for rads to begin. Stay strong. P x
Hey Beamies, Pam - that pain sounds horrible, maybe try scalinhg back the exercises until it settles, and it’s worth a phone call to the clinic I think. Thanks for the celery tip, I’m munching away and drinking nettle and dandelion teas and do you know I think it’s working! PaulS - glad the hair is coming in nicely. I’ve had a cut and highlights done. I phoned the Wella hair lab in London and they said as long as stylist does tests for elasticity and colour on a strand of hair, then it’s safe to colour now. Isn’t the weather beautiful? Does us all good and makes those walks a treat. Onward and upward! Love Anna.
Me too! 13 weeks today after last chemi and nails falling off! You don’t need a plaster if is not raw and not bleeding. P x
Hello there! Just dropping in to say hi. I had a great holiday in Cornwall, it was so brilliant to be away and feeling reasonably normal after all this time 
I’ve now had the first 2 of my 15 rads…it’s rather tedious isn’t it!? Waiting times seem really unpredictable, and they’ve bleep me off by changing half of my appointment times, not to mention the parking, but at least it will count down quickly and then it will all be finished. I can’t wait!!
Hope you’re all doing OK and enjoying the springtime, I know I am. Allotment calling!!!
Lots of love, Ness xxx
Hey ladies
Had to go back after double mast to have axillary clearance. Only one out 20 had piece of cancer, all others have come back clear. It sent me on such a downward spiral, but back to being positive n healing well, just bored to being prodded n poked now. .I’ve got to have 5 weeks rads in few weeks time and I’m hoping that be end of it!! Has been so useful this morn having a read through some of t posts, thanks
Lots of love
Lou xx
Hi lovely ladies! Glad your enjoying the celery Anna, lol, and your hair sounds lovely! I’ve coloured mine a twice now with semi permanents, going for highlights next week, still only an inch long but it’s hair and that’ll do for me!!
I’m with you Nutty, Den and PaulS on the nails! Toenails are fine, big one a bit sore if I run too much but not too bad, fingernails are yuck! 5 gone and halfway growing back, 4 are half dead but staying put and one thumbnail absolutely fine!!
Glad your nearly done now Pam, keep positive and all be over soon!!
Blimey Lou that’s a lot to go through on top of chemo, well done girl for getting back to positive and healing well, rads are a piece of cake after all that, soon be over!!
Glad you had a lovely time away Ness, me and hubby off to Portugal for a week at the end of May, or in 5 weeks and 5 days, not that I’m counting or anything ?,
I’m feeling fine, tire easily but that’s to be expected, and I don’t want to jinx it but I feel the night sweats may be starting to ease up slightly, that or I’m just so knackered I’m sleeping through them a bit more!!
Lots of love to you all, suns out, happy days!! ? xxx Sam
Your holiday will be amazing Sam! Keep ticking off those days 
exciting x
Pam, they did a sentinel lymph biopsy during DM and took 3 out. The one had cancer size of a lentil, she said was small, but when I listen to other people they have just cancer cells…she also said the Chemo hadn’t touched it, as there would have been scaring if had shrunk. Worried me, but felt so much better when the 17 they took few weeks later were all clear. Has been such a mental time of full on emotions since august, finding the last push hard, bit I know I can do it! Xxx
Hello ladies, good to read all the posts and hear everyone’s news. Pam - rads soon, bet you can’t wait to get on with it! Those of you who had T, hope those nails are healing up, fortunately FEC didn’t do that to me. Lou - so sorry to hear that you’ve had to have clearance, but great that only one node affected. Sounds like they are being super thorough with you thank goodness and as Sam says, the rads will be so simple and straightforward after everything you’ve been through. Am happy to say that my water and chugging the water. But I did have to go to A&E to get wedding and engagement rings cut off, rather a pants experience. Have informed husband that new ring will have bigger stone(s) this time! Sam - holiday in Portugal sounds just great. How are you in the sun? I’m more sun-sensitive that before, and have bough that Aussie brand Sunsense. We’ll be in Cornwall that week too, on the beach (oh God what to do about swimsuits…) and I can’t wait. Have turned into a total allotment freak - all I do is plant seeds, weed, clear and dig. It’s so therapeutic! Hopefully will shift some weight of my mahoosive arse too. Saw the oncologist this morning, routine follow-up. All going to plan, and nothing to be done until surgery in 12 months time. Am sure that I want the other one off too. So double recon it will have to be. He wants to see me again in 3 months time.
Hope that everyone is getting on just fine, take care, love Anna XX
Big thank you beamers my brother coming tomorrow with my little niece, she’s too cute! So Im going to blast some tunes, get a smile on and tidy up!
Xxx
Glad niece is coming over Lou - hard to feel down when there is a small niecelet about! Happy days everyone, A X
Pam I was also told not to use any cream during rads - but the aqueous cream was great afterwards. Don’t know about the cool cream. Hope all well ladies. P x
Pam lm using E45 the red top and wash the area in aqueous cream. At my hospital they have a nurse who specialises in skincare treatment whilst being treated he said E45 is the best cream to use. I wasn’t given any cooling creams either.