Jilly thinking of you and your family at this terrible time may 2015 bring comfort peace and happiness
Cath xx
Hi ladies,
Just dropping in to let you know that I’ve had the all clear on my Mammogram- thank goodness !! Its good to hear that quite a few have booked well deserved Holidays, hope you managed to book that Canaries Holiday Sue xx Today I had my i itial consultation before the Acupuncture starts on Jan 30th, six weekly treatments each lasting 20 mins. It will be interesting to see if it helps with the hot flushes. I will keep you posted.
Love to all
Cx
Hi ladies, just popping in to see how you all are. How did your appt. go Alice ? Hope any fears were put to rest ! Im starting my Acupuncture 30th Jan for the hot flushes. I will keep you posted. Just wondering if any one knows how the face book group are ? Hope everyone is doing well xxx oh by the way , I’ve ditched the wig. My hairdresser came around and she is a genius. She made a style out the mess on my head, As she was colouring and trimming my hair , I was happily explaining that I would still be wearing the wig until at least her next visit, but honestly when I saw my hair, I knew there was no going back, thank goodness, it feels so liberating styling my own albeit much shorter hair again.
Love to all C x
Hi everyone,
Alice I hope your bone scan goes ok. It’s good that you’re still being looked after and hoping you’re not worrying too much. I’ve got some swelling and lumpiness too but hoping it’s just scar tissue. Got my follow up with my surgeon on Monday and hopefully he can put my mind at rest.
Sue congrats on ditching the wig. My hair is really thick and curly which I hate! Like you though I get lots of compliments weirdly! Nobody ever complimented my hair before! Third haircut planned for the weekend so maybe I’ll like it better when it’s tidier. Sorry work is just ok. I’m back full time and finding it quite tiring. I used to love my job but finding it hard to get back into it. Hopefully my enthusiasm will return in time.
Good luck with your acupuncture Cath. You’re a braver woman than me. I’ve had my fill of needles in the last year!
Does anyone else find it strange to see a Feb 2015 chemo thread? I can’t believe it’s been a year since our thread was started. Where did the time go?
Love to you all and keep well.
Hazel x
I thought about cutting my hours too Kess but since no one would do the work, I would have ended up cramming 5 days work into 4 days for less money. Instead I’m doing compressed hours and having every Friday afternoon off. It’s only been two weeks so far but I love it! Out for lunch last Friday and today, a haircut and some shopping. It’s doing wonders for my mental wellbeing.
I hope this weekend passes without too much stress. My year anniversary was a couple of weeks ago and although I had some unwelcome thoughts about what the future may bring, it only lasted a day and then back to normal. I hope you have a lovely relaxing and stress free weekend. Hxx
Hey dudes, sorry not been on for a while, our little baby girl came home new years eve so been concentrating on her and the other 4, hope you all doing ok dudes
Love and hugs
Hayley, andy, freya, meg, noah, ellis and fiannah xxx
Hi everyone,
I can’t believe we drop off the first page either. Hopefully that means we are all getting on as well as possible. Jilly sorry you’re still in so much pain ? that can’t be good and fingers crossed your new medication works. I’ve had various aches and pains and am getting follow up CT and bone scans to check things out but the surgeon and oncologist reckon it’s just the Tamoxifen. I’ll be glad to get the scans though to rule everything out.
I’m currently on my holiday in Australia one year later than planned! I’m having a great time but finding the heat and humidity hard this time because of the flushes. I think wine increases my flushes but I’m not giving it up until I’m home ?. It’s been a real milestone getting here and it hasn’t disappointed.
Alice I have a bit of a cake addiction too so I’ll need to be on my best behavious when I get home!
It’s lovely to hear from you all and we really should keep this thread going. We came through (and are still going through) a lot together and it would be a shame to let that go.
Lots of love from sunny Oz
Hazel xx
Hi all
Glad you’re check up went well Kess. My first mammo is in 2 weeks. Had a CT on Monday and bone scan next week to check aches and pains are just Tamoxifen related. My hand is black and blue from attempts to put in the canula on Monday. I’ve very few good veins left after chemo!
Cath, if you’re still around on the forum I’d be really grateful to hear how your acupuncture is going. My flushes and night sweats have gotten much worse so hoping to find something to help.
Alice thank you for keeping us on the front page. I had a fabulous holiday except for the humidity making the flushes worse. I was just happy to be there though. Great food and drink and great friends to share it with. It was just magic. Hopefully Scotland will get some sunshine this year so I’m lucky enough to enjoy two summers!
Lots of love to you all and hope everyone is keeping well.
Hxx
Hi everyone, its been lovely catching up on all your posts.
Glad you got that little one home safe and sound Hayley xx
Its a big thumbs up for the Acupuncture Hazel. I never thought I would say this but it has been a great success ! I had 6 weekly sessions each lasting 20 mins. My hot flashes have almost disappeared and when I do get them, they go as fast as they come. All done on the NHS, so glad I gave it a go xxx
Glad to hear all is well with you Alice, I have an Oncology Apt this Wednesday and Im suddenly really nervous. I have some aches and pains I would like clarified, I feel a bit silly sometimes but I think its better to get worries out into the open xxx
Hope you are a little less stressed Sue , glad to hear you are back in work , hope that things settle down for you xxx
Love to all and anyone I may have missed. It feels good to keep in touch
Cath
Thanks for that Kess,
I saw the Oncologist today and it seems those fears were more in my mind than reality. Bloods were a trifle uncomfortable, my veins are totally wrecked after the Chemo, but Im glad the Oncologist is keeping her eye on me. She’s referring me for a Dexa scan to see if the Tamoxifen is having an impact on the strength of my bones , no rush on that though and the wait could be up to 9 months .
Still glad I ditched the wig, had my hair cut and coloured again a few weeks ago. Its growing nicely but now have straight and some curly hair, looks a bit of a mess sometimes but its mine lol xx
We have a holiday to Menorca booked for May and Lapland in November. We’ve just found out that my husband has a cyst on his lung and may not be able to fly, everything is up in the air at the moment, but if there’s one thing my experience has taught me is that health and wellbeing of family is paramount, Im still crossing my fingers that we dont have to cancel but what will be will be !
Thinking of you all xx love to all xx
Cath x
Sorry to hear about your husband Cath and fingers crossed he gets the all clear to fly. You all most certainly deserve the holiday!
Thanks for letting me know about the acupuncture. I’ll definitely look into it because the flushes and night sweats in particular are getting worse. I’ve changed to a 4 tog duvet and hubby is freezing at night whilst I on the other hand am still melting! Got a gp appointment on 31st to see if he can offer any advice.
Got good news yesterday. Both ct and bone scan were clear so very happy. Got my mammo on Tuesday but thinking that too will be clear if nothing showed up on the ct. Going to try and start putting this all behind me now.
Take care everyone.
Hazel xx
Hello again everyone x
Double check about the Tamoxifen/Dexa scan Kess, knowing me Im having the scan for a different reason . We talked about the effects the menopause is having in my body, the bloods I was having taken and then my niggling worries. To be honest I was so relieved that she quashed my fears, I may well have muddled the reason for the scan but I do recall saying that since taking the Tamoxifen, I do tend to get achy legs, particually after exercise . She then suggested a Dexa Scan saying she would rather know if I need Calcium supplements now as apposed to five years time. I would be interested to hear what your Oncologist’s opinion.
Thank you for all your well wishes for my hubby girls. His op is scheduled for April 15th, he definately cannot fly out with us due to insurance purposes but should be fine to fly home. His plan is to travel via Eurostar to Barcelona, then a ferry crossing to Mahon. His consultant seems to think he will be ok to travel by the end of May, so again, fingers crossed.
Good to hear lots of positive results, keep us posted and good luck to anyone with forthcoming appointments.
Lv to all Cath xx
Hi ladies. Looking for a bit of advice. I’ve been told by my bcn not to use my left arm for any heavy lifting, not even a bag of shopping,in case I develop lymphedema. However, I recently joined a gym (for the first time in my entire life!!) and the instructor is trying to develop a programme for me. He asked about what I can and can’t do with my left arm and I said not much but it got me thinking so I did a bit of googling. Some of the advice from the lymphedema support network suggest exercise can be good for moving lymph fluid around the body and can reduce the risk of developing lymphedema so I’m confused!
Can I ask what advice you ladies have been given and what you do when you’re exercising. I know a few of you go to the gym.
Thanks so much and hope you are all keeping well.
Hazel x
Thanks everyone. That’s really helpful. I will talk it through with the trainer and build up gradually. I had full clearance so I’m a bit paranoid! I’ll also post in the lymphoedema section too Kess. I hadn’t thought of that so maybe I’ve got some residual chemo brain ?
Thanks again and love to you all.
Hazel x
Full clearance on the left for me too Haze, the only advice I have been given against lymphoedema is to look after my arm against infection from scratches from gardening etc and I was given some Flucloxacillin to keep at home just incase . When carrying heavy shopping etc, I also try to evenly distribute the weight, swapping arms frequently. Im sure that anything in moderation is acceptable. I would love to get back into a good exercise regime, I try to power walk for a half hour every day, and have just bought a workout stick, I thought I would start off really gently and see what happens. Good luck at your sessions and let us know how you get on xxx
All the best
Cath x
Thanks everyone. I was at the gym again yesterday but just concentrating on lower half just now. My legs were like jelly when I finished ? I’m so unfit but at least it’s a start. I will speak to the trainer and pass on everything you’ve told me and try some light weights to begin with for my upper body and increase repetitions like you suggest Alice.
I had my mammo last Monday but haven’t had the results yet. They did say it would take two weeks because they get two radiologists to report on it because I’ve had bc. I had a CT and bone scan a couple of weeks ago too and both came back clear thankfully so hoping they would have shown up anything nasty meaning the mammo should be fine. Fingers crossed anyway.
Thanks again for all the advice. It’s so good that I can still come here and get advice and support. It’s also really nice that we are all looking to the future. 
Hazel xx
Mammo results letter arrived today and all clear. So relieved! ? Hxx
Hi all,
Sorry for the delay in replying Alice. I don’t stop by much anymore. Life’s getting more back to normal (if there is such a thing!). Still got some aches and pains but accept that’s just how it will be. Sorry to hear you’re still suffering aches and pains too but happy your check up went well. Same for you Kess. It’s a relief to get good news isn’t it! My exercise regime is still fairly slow. I don’t love exercise if I’m honest but I know it’s good for me and my future health so I will stick with it. I’ve come to enjoy Pilates more than I thought I would so that’s a bonus. Are you still going to the gym regularly?
For the past few weeks I have been attending the BCC moving forward course. Last session is next week. I’ve found it really worthwhile and useful and would recommend it if you haven’t been. They hold them all over the UK.
I’ll stop by again soon but in the meantime take care everyone and stay well.
Lots of love,
Hazel xxx
Happy belated birthday Alice! What a milestone. Hope you had a great day.
Thanks for the info about the shoes Sue (and lovely to hear from you!). I will keep my eye out for those because I still get a bit achey. Still hanging in there with the gym and Pilates though not loving it. Hopefully I will start to enjoy it more if I keep telling myself that it will reduce my risk of recurrence by 40%. It’s a big number so that keeps me going.
Take care everyone and keep well lovely ladies. Hxx
OMG finally I have managed to sign in to say hello to my old friends and to let you all know that I am thinking of you all and wishing you all the very best. I very much hope that you are all in good health and are enjoying life. I have had a recent Oncology appt which went very well, my next appt will be in January 2016 for a Mammogram. Love to everyone, I hope that you are all settling back into normal life! Love to you all, Catherine xxx