Ive been on Zodalex since the end of June 2022 aswell as Tamoxifen (which found out 4 rounds into chemo I should have only taken it for the first week or so before chemo and then restarted it a week after chemo still unsure if that was DR error or my chemo brain either way Oncologist wasnt bothered) but recently changed to Anastrozole i think early January.
Basically since my last operation on November 29th I’ve not had any blood tests, blood pressure checks (etc) and I was never given any scans prior to chemo either. Only an MRI on my breasts before my mastectomy in May.
Im just really confused my Oncologist in my last review to consent radiotherapy at the end of December just said that any issues from here on out to deal with my breast nurses.
Im only 25 and i suffered with anxiety prior to my diagnosis in April 2022 so this has all been rather overwhelming and I always find it hard to ask for help.
Sorry for the long post and if anything seems a bit silly.
But my question is pretty much the same as the topic title, should i still be getting monitored? In any form scans? Routine blood tests? Bone scans ( which ive never had).
I really appreciate all your advice and insights. Hope you are all doing as well as can be and thank you in advance
What a shame you have been through so much, I really feel you need more reassurance from your breast cancer unit I think if this was me I would call the Breast Cancer team at the hospital were you have had your treatment today, try to explain how you are feeling, please don’t think you’re being a nuisance if you’re feeling you can’t talk to your team you could always called the nurses on this site you are very caring and understanding and will point in the right direction.
Since covid, appointments and follow ups have all changed, however I do think you should be seen and need a follow up appointment. Wishing you well going forward please come back and let us know how your getting on.
First of all I am very sorry to hear you have been diagnosed with breast cancer at only 25 years old. That is very rare and must be devastating for someone of your age. When I was diagnosed at 48 I thought that was young and not fair. I then went to a breast cancer support group and found someone there with no hair, injecting her tum with a drug herself for some reason I can’t remember now but connected with stopping infections due to chemo I think. She had found it very difficult to get anyone to examine the lump she’d found as her GP surgery didn’t think she could have breast cancer. So I am amazed you are so cool calm and collected. You have every right to be anxious and want to ask questions. There are national guidelines on breast cancer treatment issued by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) to follow best practice at all NHS hospital breast services. This is to ensure consistency and that everyone works in the same way. This should lead to better outcomes overall. It looks like the doctors are trying to stop your breast cancer growing by reducing the oestrogen in your body which helps cancer cells grow if you have the kind of breast cancer that what they call ER+ The US name for oestrogen is Estrogen so maybe that’s what it’s ER rather than OR+. I am not sure what R stands for unless it’s “receptor”.
After a while I felt I knew all about breast cancer, but I have been diagnosed with a new primary breast cancer which means it’s a different type from the one I had before. I am now very old indeed too, 67, and however old or young you are a breast cancer diagnosis is awful. So you need to put yourself first and take as much time as you need to talk about your illness, cry about it if you need to, laugh about the weird things you have to do to cope with it, and generally do nice things to help your spirit. I now go to a gym which I joined so I can swim and go in a jacuzzi. See if you can get a grant or some benefits to help pay for some extra activities which may help you feel stronger and take your mind off the treatments. Good luck my friend
