Barbwill I am having 15 Rads, don’t know about you but I was lying on the treatment table for 40 mins for about three minutes of treatment, such a lot of measuring up and lining up the tattoos !! Then they put a gel pack on me that had to be moved a couple of times to cover the scar. My appointments are supposed to be for 15 minutes so hopefully they will be quicker with subsequent visits. Still I have read an artical which says Rads are second only to surgery for killing/curing cancer cells so it’s all worthwhile .
I’m down 4 rads out of 23 and finding it distressingly painful. My axilla feels as though it’s just had the nodes removed, when it was in fact in August. It throbs and last session the radiographer moved it into postition and I thought I was going to cry. Exercising isn’t helping, nor stretching. What a pain in the asendo!!
Tillybob, I was told that rads prevent 25% of reoccurrances, so definitely worthwhile. I normally was in and out for the treatment in about 10 min, and I had the rads to three areas (axilla, chest wall and collar bone). I think my planning appt took about 20 minutes. Tha radiologists were so nice that I found it hard to adjust to the normal level of niceness of other health professionals after 5 weeks of being treated really really really wonderfully.
Elttks, I am so sorry to hear that it’s so painful. Perhaps you need to see a physio if it is that bad? In my case it did feel tight but not really painful.
Not even started the radiotherapy yet. Planning moved back three times already - grr. Now destined for Wednesday next week.
On the herceptin, and having nosebleeds (one of which was bad enough that I spent most of the day in A&E), and my consultant doesn’t seems to realise it’s a side effect of herceptin (which it is - I’ve checked).
Only another year to go…
<slumps into=“” state=“” of=“” slight=“” dejectedness=“”><br>
Ann x</slumps>
Hi Ann,
Hope you can crack on with your rads soon. It must be really frustrating for you.
I often think of you and the great result you had from your chemo.
You’re bound to feel a bit of a slump after the high of that result.
Hoping your nosebleeds keep away,
Kate xxx
I’m not getting rads which I am slightly concerned about especially when I read stats and figures like those above. I’m really struggling with the way I look and feel after my surgery. I hate all the numbness and scarring.
Ann I’ve been having nosebleeds and a very sore nose too, hadn’t realised it is a Herceptin SE though I was blaming it on the tax still.
I seem to have hit the post treatment down and am not quite sure how to get myself out of it.
Jo, so much seems to depend on the type and position and aggressiveness of the original cancer. Some people just don’t get any extra benefit from rads, I guess. Worth checking again?
Yup re numbness and scarring.
Me too re the post treatment down. Not sure how to get out of it but have a virtual cuppa.
Ann x
Hi girls
Amber, how frustrating to have to wait longer for commencing rads. Have you started now ? How are you finding it?
Jo, so sorry the post-treatment blues hit you … are you able to get some counselling or support over the phone from here or McMillan ? Concerning rads, I was told that because I have chemo before surgery, rads always follow. And I was told that it prevents 25% of recurrences even though there are increased long term risks. If I heard correctly the doctor told me that long term it increases the chance of cancer by 5%, which is not small. So I guess they always have to balance the pros with the cons for every case.
I am doing fine, I had another MRI scan of spine and head last week because of a stiff neck and it came back fine. They said, however, that there some pictures that they don’t understand in some of the pictures lower down along my spine. They said that it doesn’t look like cancer and they are not there in all the pictures and said it might be an artifact of the machine. So I don’t to do anything for now but probably they will give me another scan in two months time, just to make sure. So I feel I can never put an end to this story, and I guess that the nature of this illness. It will never be behind me. I am trying to accept this as part of the baggage that I will have to carry with me for the rest of my life as the price to pay for living much longer than I would have lived without the treatment. I am only 42 and have bad hot flushes, insomnia, pain in my joints from the tamoxifen, physical disfigurement, no more ovaries, and I generally feel 20 years older than I am. And I have some permanent anxiety about the future of me and my family. I am trying to digest all this a little at a time - not easy.
HI barbwill nice to hear from you,
I finished my Rads yesterday, it was a breeze compared to chemo, my skin is a little red but not broken …yet, I am not feeling too tired and actually been working this week, I am expecting to feel the after effects in the coming 2 weeks. I am going away for 2 weeks next week so I can rest and recouperate.
Your feelings about how this disease has and will affect us in the coming years are just how I feel, I think I am more appriecative of life now (not a bad thing !)somehow the small trivialities don’t wind me up as much now ,but at the moment my life seems to revolve round BC.
I wonder if this will get easier now active treatment is finished(apart from 3 weekly Herceptin infusions )I really hope so !!!
Sorry to butt in to you conversations, you have all been a wonderful source of encoursgement here and this is where I diid most of my posting.
You may have read on bone mets-please join in that i have been given a short time span to live. till around christmas or mayb a month or so, feeling ok now but everydsy a new symtom to have and cope with. however I think I will have this chritmas but not much more, so gonna make a week of it.
Take care all lovely you copmassionate people, you have been and inspiration and a friends to me.
Love Clare xxx
Clare, see your PM.
Thanks xxx
Clare, I’ve sent you a PM x x x
Well ladies…
I am still here, having had a tiring but wonderful few weeks. Its been a very odd experience, being told you have perhaps a few weeks to live and actually have your oncologist draft my will, there and then, in case, and now having spent christmas with all the people I love and being able to see exactly who I wanted and to have a relaxed laugh with people who over the years have come to mean so much to me. Its like a mini miracle.
I have just had my blood results back and they are perhaps the best I have had for a very long time and I’m feeling well in myself.
I guess that proves that rest TLC and love(5 litres of water a day lol ) can make the world of difference.
I just thought that you may find this useful, i was on promigernate (biphos) which stopped working and was the cause for alarm when they couldn’t get my calcium levels to lower. I have had now 2 doses of zoledronic acid infusion, I have been drinking 5 litres of water a day and I as I said my results are good.
I’ll keep you informed, if I can.
Clare xxx
I would like to wish all you ladies a health & peaceful new year,may 2012 be soooo much better for us all. Claire I would like to send you a big hug & my prayers are with you, xxx
Clare, I am so so happy that you had a wonderful Christmas and that you are feeling good. Keep us posted, we’re all thinking of you.
Happy new year everyone
Hi everyone, just wanted to say a thank you to everyone whom has supported me this past year, its a year to the date that I had my first chemo, I had 3 FEc and 3 TAx and it started on Fri March 11th last year, I had a few text message today from some fab people that i met on this web site, its surreal, i wish we had not gone thru it yet I am so glad to know them if that makes sense., Its been quite a year and now I see new March thread but for 2012. I wish you all the love and tlc and hope ur se’s are little ones and to say to all the new people that you really will find love and comfort on this site. A year one, I am getting back to normal whatever normal is, my hair is a real proper style (tho I hate it short - it was very long - and apart from a few effects still from the tax truck i am doing good, so thank you to everyone, u know who you are and good luck and positive thoughts to everyone beginning their chemo xxxxxx
HI Silvershar,
It;s nearly a year(23rd March) since my 1st chemo. I had 6 tax and continue with herceptin, I too have found wonderful help and support from the forums, I too want to wish all the newbies good luck with your treatments and hope your Ses are minimal, It has been hard and sometimes I thought I would never get through but I or should I say WE did, take heart from us , positive stories do help.
One year on from Dx I am fairly well and back at work part time , I have a 1st grandchild due in 5 weeks time, I have so much to look forward to, I fully intend to enjoy every minute.
I hope all my fellow March 11 thread girls are well and would love to know how you all are.
Jean xx
Hi Jean, thank you for yor reply, has the grandchild arrived yet, bless you that is fab. it was great to read ur response, I just popped onto the March thread for 2012 and tried to give the words of wisdom that i so craved when i was new here. i hope all u 2011 girls are well and on the way to normality. i am working 4 days and study for 1 day and then with other life stuff im shattered but happy and positive and thankful for this forum xxx