Hi Ladies
Happy New Year to you all.
I did manage to keep most of my hair and covered teh bald patch on top by sweeping my fringe back, however it did sstart looking a mess when it started growing back and so I have taken the plunge and had it all cut off short. The hair growing back through looks the same as before but have one grey patch. I did put a semi permanent colour on it 2 weeks ago and it looks fine and I wish that I had my hair cut short earlier!
I too have had less hot flushes on the tamoxifen then I did during chemo and don’t appear to have any other symptons. My nails do not seem to haev suffered formt eh chemo apart from 3 whilte lines across each one which I suppoe is the 3 T sessions leaving their mark.
Wishing all of you still going through treatment all the best. It is a great feeling going out the other side and leaving it all behind so keep strong and look after yourselves.
I am off ot the younger womens forum in Bristol in a couple of weeks and am looking forward to talking about the expereince. I do feel that I have tried to just battle on and not talk about it in front of my daughters/family. This forum has been great for getting some of it off the chest!
Darling Buds of May - all my Breast friends…
Doing Rads via hospital transport gave me a great opportunity to meet some rather special ‘young’ men undergoing radiotherapy for prostate cancer (amongst others). There were some very special ladies being treated for breast cancer too. Whilst I was undergoing the chemo, I met with dozens of older and younger women being treated for breast cancer, and many other ladies and gentlemen with primary & secondary cancers. I went on a LGFB course and met yet more ladies, being treated for various primary and secondary cancers. I thought my diagnosis was scary until I read/heard about so many others !
I have my grandson all to myself this weekend - his mum is away in Manchester, so Eoin & I get to cuddle up with Thomas the Tank Engine amongst other simple pleasures.
I appreciate everything so much more these days - I guess I have to thank the cancer for that…?
Merc
xxxx
Hi all
I saw my surgeon (again!) on Thursday, as my wound is still not healing. I have an op date for 16th Jan, it’s a bit of a pain workwise as it means another 2 or 3 weeks off work, but to be honest I think I’ll be quite glad to be rid of the implant and stop worrying about it. The surgeon said he could try and put a smaller implant in, but because of the previous problems with infection etc it would only have a 50/50 chance of success. So I’ve decided to ‘go flat’, and worry about reconstruction in the future if I find it hard to cope without a breast.
I’m also waiting for an MRI to check on some benign changes they found in my ‘good’ side, but surgeon wants to get on with removing the implant rather than waiting for MRI.
On a more positive note, I’ve had my first haircut in many months! There wasn’t a lot of hair on the floor when she’d finished, but it looked better for having a trim and felt good too.
Merc - have a lovely weekend with Eoin and Thomas the Tank Engine! Sounds fab.
Langdon - look forward to hearing about the Younger Women’s Forum - I’m booked onto the Edinburgh one at the beginning of March.
Alix xx
Hello buddies, aren’t we a quiet lot nowadays? I take this Ian’s a good sign. Who thought we would be talking of hair growths and cuts. I don’t know about you but May seems such a long time ago? My hair is getting a bit sticky outy, going to be curly (was before) and I have to use ds wax to tame it. I get really bad hat hair, but forget and must look such a mess most of the time. And honestly I couldn’t give a toss!
i went upto the breast clinic Thursday to have my lump checked out. The. Surgeon was confident that it is scar tissue, statistics blah blah blah. So went for an ultra sound to make sure. The ultrascanologist (yeah made that up!) took biopsies awasn’t couldn’t be sure. Brough back memories of that crappy day back in march.
Doggirl, big deep breaths and plenty of distractions while you wait for the results on the lump - can you remember when all we had to worry about was finding time to clean the house or money to pay a bill??!! Oh well, at least we can say we know what it’s like to live on the edge these days. I’m holding your hand tightly while you wait. Big hug (((((())))xxxx
Morning buddies,
well done doggirl for getting checked out-its so easy to want to ignore it. Loved the ‘ultrascanologist’-maybe we could add ‘ologist’ to everyone we see! The waiting is awful and agree with Em, that tretaing yourself is the way to go! Ive had a few scares and biopsies but not exactly the voice of reassurance in light o my own experience. Anyway, what I wanted to say is that we will all have at least one scare, and this is part of the new reality. I think when you start treatment you expect to come out the other side as you were before- just like when you take antibiotics after that nasty post-flu thing, and you get better. I would so much love to think that one day we will be able to hear the word ‘cure.’
Alix- hope you are doing okay. I am really sorry that your implant has to come out, but its no way to live. For what its worth, I did not find the op too bad- its quite quick, and the pain was minimal. I also felt physically so much better afterwards and had not realised how much the infection was dragging me down.
Meerkat- thnking of you and hoping that you managed to enjoy christmas before the next stage of treatment.
I too need a bit of a trim at the back and sides. I am still quite grey and think that I might try an negotiate a special deal with hairdresser to colour it as otherwise might need grecian 2000 (is that the right name?).
Love to Em, Langdon, Merc.
Rattles x
Hi all. Been reading your posts with interest. Got major hair jealousy! Mine is growing but really thin on top. Definitely not into cutting or dying territory yet. Got half an eyebrow!
I’ve been bored and lazy this week still although doing a bit more. My sister left which was the end of 4.5 weeks of having family in my home helping out since my op. It is a relief to have my house back and I seesaw between seeing a glimmer of hope for life ahead and weepiness. Seems a long road to being normal. Worst thing is that it is still all so painful nearly 5 weeks on. My 2 little boys are the best though… They are so hilarious that I cant help but smile. They were doing Gangnam Style dancing last night… The 4 year old has really nailed it! Really miss cuddles with them.
Not looking forward to school run next week with everyone off afterwards to get fit at the gym. But maybe normal routine will help get my mood back on track.
Good luck doggirl and Alix J. I think about you.
Dogggirl - will be thinking of you while you wait for the results, at least they did the right thing and did ultrasound and biopsies rather than just tell you it was scar tissue.
Also thinking of Meerkat and Alix - hope your ops go OK.
I have been on citalopram since late November and it has worked with the hot flushes! It takes a few days / weeks to start working but I was getting hot flushes about every hour 24/7 but now haven’t had one for several days. Its an antidepressant which also helps control menopause symptoms. So if anyone else is struggling with hot flushes do go and talk to your doctor, don’t just try and put up with it especially if its disturbing your sleep.
I am still very tired after finishing 20 rads on 12 Dec, thought I would be 100% again by now but looking at other people’s posts it seems this is normal. I am back at work full time (37 hours / week) but have told the management I want to give up my team leader role as even before treatment I could not fit this in the 37 hours and was having to work longer hours to do it, and the doctors have told me I should definately not be working excessive hours at the moment.
I now have a good covering of hair, and might take the plunge and dye it blonde again. I thought it was coming back grey but it seems this was just the very first growth and the grey is now just on the ends - the proper growth is my natural mid brown. I will check the various bits of advice on the internet first though - don’t want it to fall out again!
Squeakymouse xx
I’m sooo bored. Have had a day doing nothing which I thought would be nice, but now have reached that restless stage. Probably should for a walk… But cannot be bothered! Thou shalt not google! Have been good. My ds has a friend over and they are sitting next to one another playing on their itouch. Youth of today eh? School tomorrow is going to be a huge shock for all of us. I’ll be glad to get back to work. Both my OH and I are self employed and have had no wages for almost 3 weeks. Not great. Actually disaster pretty much covers it. ho hum. Need a well paid part time job with no pressure! Any ideas?
Meerkat what is going on with you? You’ve been in my thoughts almost constantly since your cr@ppy news. Have you had your mx? Do you have to do chemo again?
Rattles, will you be going to a hairologist for advice I do t understand why hair dye is not allowed Must be something to do with our special new chemo hair. II do think that if it goes wrong I can always shave it off! Been there done that now!
Got to go husband home. Must pretend to be busy…
Rattles/Doggirl, I dyed my hair last week and nothing terrible has happened thus far, other than going a bit ginger (!). It was meant to be chestnut brown but I think the amount of grey it had to cover was too much for it… Still rather be ginger than grey! I’m not sure I’m looking forward to the early starts next week either but it’ll be nice to get back into some ort of routine I suppose. Squeaky , thanks for the advice on the citalopram and hot flushes- I made my family eat Sunday lunch with the patio doors wide open because I was soooooon hot I thought I’d pass out - felt abit guilty when noticed thy were all shivering away though! Alix, sorry to hear you have to lose the implant but hopefully you’ll feel better once its gone and start to heal properly. My wound is slowly getting smaller. The bcn wants to see me onc week until its healed which is a bi of a drag …can’t go swimming until its all better…love to all the Buddies, Xxx
Sorry to hear that some of you are still suffering and having to go through more treatments. Was interesting to hear about those who have dyed their hair - bet none of you did a patch test
May do mine with semi-permanent next week - dont want to stain the scalp though. Yes back to the grindstone tomorrow, which will be a shock to the system. Routine is good for us though. I have an appt with my consultant tmrw morning, assume it just a follow up one since Rads finished. Not really got any questions to ask her, but will mention all my various aches and pains just for a bit of reassurance. Sore boob at scar area, and sore lower back, which is hopefully caused by all my recent coughing! Doggirl - was it not awfully sore getting a biopsy done at the scar area. Alix sorry to hear about your implant removal, at least you can make a decision later on when you are hopefully pain free.
Meerkat - hope you are doing ok. Squeaky mouse - still early days from Rads recovery, it took me about a month to be relatively normal. Tatters - your hair will sprout overnight - my eyebrows certainly did! Emylou - have you tried Red clover for the hot flushes.
Love to all
hi ladies, wishing you all a happier and healthier 2013. Sorry not been on for a while. I have my op this coming Tuesday 8 Jan. Which is the day after my daughters 12th birthday. so hopefully ill be too busy tomorrow to worry too much.
I’m going In as a day case so hopefully ill be more comfy recovering at home.
fingers crossed for your results Doggirl I know exactly where you will be right now!!M
Puppy is keeping us all entertained, she is very cute, but as to what she is… Well I’m not sure… Lol… I paid for a Westie poo, but the vet says she isn’t a westie poo!!! I saw her suckling on her mother who was a westie?? But she has straight hair and she looks more lake a lab?? I’ve also got certificates for the supposed parents, any advice Doggirl on what I do next? I’ve obviously been scammed!!
Anyway, must get to bed!
Meerkat - just want to wish you all the best for tmrw, recovering at home in your own bed will be so much nicer than hospital and hope you get waited on hand and foot.
Tatters - try rubbing some Olive Oil (BP variety) on the front of your hair - it really does make a difference and you are massaging the follicles at the same time. Good meeting with oncologist - but it was not my regular consultant. She was very nice and good at explaining things. Said the sore hard bits under the boob were just scar tissue and nothing to worry about. So that’s me until the one yearly check up. Felt strange going to the hospital today after such a break. Hope everyone else is well.
K M x
Hi Meerkat,
Not sure if you will see this, but wanted to wish you lots of best wishes for op. tomorrow.We will all be thnking of you!
Arm bandaged and exhausted typing skills with a rant on another thread, so love to everyone else too. Flippin’ OH not done my assessment re. keyboard skills and want to close their involvement with me! Grrrr!
Rattles x
Op all went to plan today, definitely better recovering at home.
Glad your got good news yesterday Kitten Mad.
hope you are feeling ok about having your implant out Alix,
My hair is also very grey. Though I keep getting compliments. The nurse looking after me today said I should keep it short as it looks lovely. Even my daughter said its cool! Including the grey.
I do t understand why hair dye is not allowed Must be something to do with our special new chemo hair. II do think that if it goes wrong I can always shave it off! Been there done that now!