Surgery delayed

[Seabreeze]

Hi Billybell,

That is good news. 

Keep doing the daily walks and practice the visualisation at home taking you to your favourite place. 

As Evie says the medical teams are good and know what they are doing. Do post again if you have any wobbles while waiting - or for any other reason : )

X Seabreeze

[Evie-S]

Hi billybell - that’s really great news that you have a date for surgery. Of course you will be scared but you will be in good hands. Do tell the nurses of your fears and they will take extra special care with you. Do ask if any of us can help with any questions about surgery or recovery.

I wish you all the best for your surgery and a quick recovery. Big hugs Evie xx

[billybell]

Thank you seabreeze 

I am still getting out when I can 

I had great new yesterday my operation is happening on the 27/1 so happy but terrified 

roll on next week 

sending you a hug xxx

[Seabreeze]

Hi Billybell,

I hope you are continuing your walks and managing to distract yourself as much as possible. 

I spotted that BCN want to hear women's experiences of delays to surgery. Just in case you are inclined to discuss your experience with them the link is:

https://forum.breastcancernow.org/t5/Surgery/Have-you-recently-had-cancellations-to-your-surgery-or-...

x Seabreeze

[Evie-S]

Billybell - I really hope the nausea settles. As Seabreeze says, people usually come on these forums if they have problems, rather than to say that they don’t - so do remember that when you read other threads. If you have a wobble while you are waiting for your surgery date, just come back on here and chat - everyone understands without you having to explain. Evie xx❤️

[billybell]

Hi seebreeze 

yes you are right 

because I do see some positive things 

and I do tell myself that

i Will continue with my walks  and take one day at a time 

thank you so much ❤️

[Seabreeze]

Hi Billybell,

Remember that women experiencing issues or worries are more likely to post on a subject like side effects of hormone therapy, than those who don't have such issues (or to a more manageable level).

At the moment the key thing is to take your oncologists advice, take the Letrozole and see how you get on. One day at a time, the key thing being to stop the oestrogen from feeding the bc lump until you have your lump removed and any other follow up treatment. Yes hormone therapy is often prescribed for 5 (or sometimes 10) years, since it helps reduce the chance of recurrence (for oestrogen positive bc), but that's further along the line. Every time you take your Letrozole think that you are helping to starve that lump of its favourite food. 

Seabreeze  

[billybell]

Yes my friend is so supportive I probably drive her mad🤣spoke to consultant ands she said I have to give the tab ago as side effects often settle 

I have looked on here at other people saying about there effects and some are horrendous some people after a while said that after a while there joint hurt so much they can’t walk 

I just have to ride with it at the moment as it’s only day 2 

❤️

[billybell]

Thank for all you advice 

yes there is a place in the park I sit in the summer and will start visualising mysef there 

also I am visualising my deft in Italy were mysef and husband have been to so beautiful 

like a post card also my dogs help me two 

I am so happy to hear that all is ok with you 

I take mine tab at 12pm 

maybe I should take it at night ❤️

[Evie-S]

Billybell - thank you for your hug, that’s kind of you and much appreciated. I am so sorry, I didn’t read your last message properly and missed that you said you already felt nauseous on your drugs.

Seabreeze has sent many lovely and wise messages, there’s nothing I can add to those - except to say I agree with what she has said. Do give your BCN a call to talk through the delay to your surgery, how it’s affecting you and see if you can speak to your consultant about Letrozole.

Have you tried searching on this forum for advice from other people taking Letrozole? When do you take it? I take my Tamoxifen just before I go to bed in the hope that I sleep through as many side effects as possible.

I’m glad your best friend is supporting you, but sorry she too had this vile disease. I hope she’s doing well now. Lean on your husband and sons for support too, they will want to help as much as they can, but may not know how best to help.

I love Seabreeze’s description of her special place. I too discovered mindfulness after diagnosis - took me a while to really get it, and even now my mind easily wanders, but it may be worth antler try. As a start, try focussing on taking one day at a time, or even one hour at a time when things get tough.

Having said that I didn’t have much to add, I seem to have just waffled on!! Evie xx

[Seabreeze]

Hi Billybell,

Good to hear you have people around you and are getting out. I hope your friend is getting along ok. 

Just a thought but do you have a favourite place on one of the routes you walk your dogs? If so you might be able to use your overactive mind to (after closing your eyes) imagine you are there, remembering and seeing in your mind all the things around that make that place special to you, the sounds, including of your dogs paws scampering round on dried crisp leaves etc and the feeling of sun and breeze on your face - Just in case visualisation works! Do try, I could never get in the zone (when doing group yoga) but when diagnosed tried and tried again, and bingo, reached the point where I nearly sent myself to sleep while waiting for my op!  

I'm fine - I'm 6 years on - no evidence of disease (despite a scare along the route) and still taking the Tamoxifen to optimise chances of it being and/or staying that way. 

Seabreeze 

[billybell]

Hi seabreeze 

yes I have my best friend who I talk to and the alful thing is she had b/c 3 years ago and is found well

never did I think I to would have it 3 years later

my husband and sons are great and help me so much 

I go out most days with the dogs for a walk

tried meditating just didn’t work for me as I am such a overthinker 

I hope you are also doing well ❤️

[billybell]

Thank you Evie 

I am just so down I had mentally prepared myself the bam not happing 

I am on day 2 of leprazole and feel nauseous 

I can’t deal with that 

I hope you are doing ok in this crisis that is effecting us 

sending back a hug ❤️

[Seabreeze]

Hi Billybell,

Evie's quite right that they have to list every side effect of the med's, even though chances are some women won't have any or just have a few of those listed. Plus we often get used to med's over time, so stick with it. I expect feeling so unsettled by the op situation could also contribute to your body feeling out of sorts. At the risk of sounding a bit hippy have you tried mindfulness, meditation or going for a walk and watching the birds to calm your mind a tad? Or anything else which helps soothe your mind and spirit?

Hopefully lockdown will bring the number of covid cases down enough for the hospital to carry out your operation in a few weeks time, even in the parts of the country with the highest number of covid patients in hospital (allowing for a slight delay re numbers of those who may have been infected when proceeding to travel/mix over the Christmas period - despite the change in guidance and rising figures).

I still think you might find it helpful to call the nurse at BCN to talk though your situation and diagnosis - appreciating we are all individuals who manage things in different ways. Really feel for you not being able to know the date for your op. Have you confided in a friend or partner, preferably someone who is of a calm disposition? 

Sending another gentle virtual hug.

Seabreeze x

[Evie-S]

Hi billybell - I just wanted to send you a hug too, I’m so sorry to read that your surgery has been delayed. So far as Letrozole is concerned, try not to worry too much about the side effects you have read about - you may not get any, or maybe just minor ones. They have to list every possible side effect for legal reasons - it doesn’t of course help us when we start on these drugs, but if you read the Paracetamol leaflet you would probably never want to take those either. See how you get on, give it a little time to settle down, but if any side effects are too bad then do call your medical team/BC nurse. They may be able to switch drugs or even sometimes different brands affect people differently.

We are all right here for you if or when you want to chat while you are waiting for your surgery date. Evie xx

[billybell]

It’s so disappointing to all of us that has had surgery cancelled so sorry yours has to 

I have had no date for when my op will 

be so that why I am on letrozole next best thing  mentally overwhelmed 

I hope you to will hear soon x

[billybell]

Hi seabreeze

i have been assigned a breast nurse and all she can tell me is that they are doing there best as the hospital is overloaded and cant tell me when my op will be 

consultant called me and told me pretty much the same thing and said letrozole was the best they can do for me right now 

reading the side effects are so scary as I have only been on them 2 days and already feel nauseous  but I need them to holt the cancer 

i have no follow up appointment as they were cancelled 

and breast nurse told me they would be in touch with a date when they no 

don’t help me mentally at all 

thank you for writing back to me 

[CeliaRose]

Hi billybell

I found out today my immediate implant reconstruction scheduled for 26th January has been cancelled due to Covid!   Hopefully still scheduled to have mastectomy but don't know for certain.  

I was all ready for the immediate reconstruction after weeks of researching/thinking about it.  It is very disappointing 🙁

Hope you get a new date for your surgery soon.

All the best.

[Seabreeze]

Hi Billybell,

Welcome to the forum. I'm not the moderator or from BCN, just someone who initially used the forum on my breast cancer journey (6 years ago) and now pop back primarily to give back. I'm sure the moderator will post soon, to welcome you.

Firstly you have come to the right place for support, advice and sharing the highs, sighs and the rest, of your breast cancer journey. I really feel for you having your op delayed due to the covid situation. As if dealing with a diagnosis of breast cancer isn't stressful enough. Has your hospital been able to give you any indication as to when they hope or anticipate rescheduling? And has the hospital introduced you to and assigned you to a breast care nurse, since they may be able to provide some advice and support re your specific diagnosis, letrozole and the delay to your surgery if you haven't already had such info from your oncologist? 

Regarding your question about whether this has happened to anyone else, you might be better posting in the 'going through treatment, surgery' section of the forum, since more women will be posting and reading in that location re surgery related matters. Or even better, ask the moderator to relocate this chain of messages to such a section?

You could also post in the 'ask the nurses' section since I'm sure the nurses at BCN will have a good awareness of how hospitals are currently managing operations given the high numbers of covid patients in some parts of the country. Alternatively you can also phone the nurses at BCN on the tel number at the top right hand side of the screen. Given you are understandably upset and worried the BCN nurse might be able to provide some support and/or reassurance and a bit of interpretation if you need it re your specific diagnosis, type and size of bc lump. 

I'm sure you have been informed that Letrozole is a form of hormone medication which helps block oestrogen from reaching the breast cells, since many of the more common forms of bc's are oestrogen positive meaning it feeds off (lay-persons lingo!) oestrogen. So I presume the oncologist thinks this should keep it in abeyance until you have your op. Have they scheduled any follow up appointments or checks while you are waiting for the delayed op? Sorry for all the questions, I'm just thinking what I'd be asking in the current covid situation.

Sending you a big gentle virtual hug.

Seabreeze x            

[billybell]

Hi I have just started on letrozole as my surgery had been delayed because of covid 

was ment to have op on the 4/1 

anyone else been delayed? 
so upsetting