Breast Cancer Now Forum

Good luck all, as we start a new week xx    Yesterday I layed off any creams and potions and let my sore bit have some breathing space. It really helped and is a lot less sore today. I also slept with a cold wet face cloth over my boob and it was lovely!!!!    Im drinking heaps and haven't felt too tired over the weekend.    Lets see see what this week brings xxx ... View more

So just reporting in as its now a week since my last session. 15 normal rounds and 3 boosters done. I smothered myself in moisturiser from the start and my skin has been fine. Slight pinkness in the treatment area but overall no major worries. But my life my nipple is painful!!! Went to Boots today to buy pads and also a tube of lanolin cream to help soothe the area. If it doesn't improve by early next week I'll book a visit to my GP just so I can be sure that everything is as it should be. Today I felt so tired but dragged mysrlf out to do some food shopping. Got home and then slept for 2 hours!! I think with me its just general tiredness and not fatigue. I'll report back with any other s/e's that might appear just to help anyone who wonders what can happen as rad treatment progresses. Have a lovely weekend all xx ... View more

I ended up being rely fanatical about how long my sessions lasted. My normal zap was 25 seconds from the left and 28 seconds from the right (to my right breast) and the booster was 58 seconds in one hit. Gawd knows why I did it but at least i knew when I was cooked!!! 5 days since rads finished and just a little sore but nothing that Im worried about. Hows everyone doing?? ... View more

Hi, finished on Friday and now enjoying some time away from it all in Cornwall. Bit of a nightmare with the hot weather and keeping covered up but needs must! Im applying the factor 50 sun cream and making sure and have brought myself a fab wide brimmed sunhat. Keeps the sun off my feet!!!!! I was told by the Rads team that the s/e's are can continue to develope after treatment stops and can settle after 2 weeks. Hence I continue to drink loads (and need to in this heat as well) and apply Aloe Vera cooling gel or moisturiser in the evening after washing off the suncream. I haven't felt over tired or fatigued but then i haven't been working and my boyfriend did the hospital run with me. Also, I only have my kitty to run around after so I can be totally selfish which may have helped!!! So for you lovely ones now starting, the advice follows from what everyone else says, heaps of moisturiser right from the start and keep it in the fridge, don't lift anything more then 5kg on the side that your procedure was, drink heaps, apply moisturiser as soon as you can after your session and keep up the arm exercises. I do yoga and I think endless rounds of Sun Salutations and Down Dogs have secretly built up my arm muscles over the years so thankfully no shoulder pain. That really is it. Thank you Helena for ringing the bells for me, you really are fab xxxxxx ... View more

Lots of love to you all who have now finished xxxx my last one tomorrow and first thing Saturday we are packing the car and headed off to Cornwall to just have time to ourselves. Apart from the slight pinkness and a very itchy nip, nothing really to moan about. Gawd bless the NHS. 12 weeks to get me sorted. Good luck all xxx you are all amazing and beautiful. ... View more

Thank you so much for all the advice. Its just the guilty feeling that we get I guess!!!! But Im bleeding well making sure I don't get stressed out as my mum maintaines it was stress that caused all of this rubbish in the first place. Im currently not due back till 23rd so I'll see how i feel week after next. Thankfully part of my job can be done at home and there is not heaps of travel, so I just need to stick to my guns and say if its getting me stressed. You are all wonderful xxxx ... View more

And the way the dye comes out your body!!!!! I was actually pretty amazed 🤣 💩 🙈 🙈 🙈 🙈 ... View more

I can so relate to all your comments!!! I think that the one that makes me smile is when you're told "You look so well"! I know its a complement and Im glad I do look well, but of course everything is going on inside my chest and my head and all's not well in there. If there is one thing I'm taking away from this experience, its to stop asking people "How are you?". The reason I say this is because its such a throw away comment. The responce is always "Fine thanks" but who knows what lays behind that responce. My brain can't come up with a simple answer to the question so I just smile and say Im getting there. I hope you get what I mean!!! ... View more

So here I am heading in to my last week. 5 rounds left, 2 normal and 3 boosters. Lots of love and luck to everyone starting this month. So much advice has been given already and it was the same advice i followed when i started on the 13th June. Pembertonrose, I too had a DCIS in the right breast and had my surgery in early May. I went back to work for 3 weeks but emotionally I couldn't cope so got myself signed off. Im taking the time out to just get my head straight, go for walks, do yoga and spend time with friends and family. Work can wait!!! ... View more

Hi Jamsey, Like Gill says its your poor boob wondering whats going on. I had no side effects till well over a week from started treatment. I get nerve pain which feels like a hot pin prick and a few itchy bits but on the whole nothing that im panicking about. The best thing im doing is literally smothering the whole area with Aloe Vera Cooling Gel, straight after my session. Mentally im thinking that its a little bit of love for what my poor boob just went through. Talk to your technicians on Monday just to put your mind at rest xx ... View more

Cheers Gill x Thats what I'd kind of read but still better hearing it from the coal face so to speak!!! Just thinking that this time next week I'll be done. Crazy to think whats happened in less then 4 months. From first going to the doctors to finishing radiotherapy. Can't fault the system 😊 ... View more

Gill, is the booster any different to the normal round? Im starting my boosters next Wednesday. So far i've counted my rounds as being on average 28 seconds each side. 12/18 and headed into the final week. Have a lovely weekend one and all xxx ... View more

Found out yesterday that my review meeting is actually on my last day! Oh well, can't do anything about it but its nice to think i see someone officially on my last day. As ever it was hit and miss again today. Not only a machine change but a time change as well. Thankfully we were early so didn't miss the new slot. Still no major side effects and literally just a case of mild sunburn. Im cracking through the aloe vera gel/moisturiser at a good rate!! 7 sessions to go 😊 ... View more

Im now halfway through and getting there. 😂 Normally fun and games with rad machine roulette so every appointment is a guessing game of which machine and at what time. The one I'm booked on to is the busy evening machine so half the time Im bumped on to another one as appointments can run up to an hour late!!! But me and he are never in a rush so we just go with it. Slight pinkness on the boob but apart from that nothing of any real note. Just drinking loads and slapping the moisturiser on in gallons. Good luck everyone for this week xxxx ... View more

Good luck to you Chris xxx And Happy Birthday ... View more

Oh man, you've got so much to deal with xxxx From the BC side of things, I'm pretty much the same as you. I only have to deal with the rads and Tamoxifen and that all seems ok at the mo. I have no words of advice I'm afraid, but hopefully someone will see your post and offer an insight for you. T.C x    ... View more

Hi there, I started taking my Tamoxifen 3 weeks before my rads started, decided to just get on with it and see what happened. I don't know if I've had any significant side effects from it as yet (been on it a month now) but maybe it's taking a while to kick in. I've got another 10 years to figure out how it’s going to affect me!!! There is so much going on in my brain and I get very emotional but I don't know if that's just a result of the situation as a whole, not specifically the drug, plus there’s my rad treatment as well, so I'm not sure what’s' happening!! I've had 7 rounds so far and apart from being a bit red under my boob (I've stopped wearing bras for now) i haven't noticed anything. My rad team are lovely and always ask how i am plus I think at some point next week I meet with one for them to have a proper chat and go through everything so far. I'm just getting on with it and doing as I'm told!! The alternative does not bear thinking about. ... View more

5/18 done 😊 Bit of hopping around on various beds today as the normal machine i have was on the blink. Got there in the end and that was the main thing. I was dreading they were going to say they were shutting up shop and sending me home without my treatment!!! Im using Aloe Pura Aloe Vera Gel straight after my treatment and then the actual moisturiser during the day. I got them in a local health food shop but I know Holland and Barrett sell the range as well. No major s/e of note aside from just ferling tired all the time. But i think thats just my body coming to terms with everything plus maybe s/e from Tamoxifen?? Trying to drink loads and never go anywhere without a bottle of water. Motown was back on tonight. ... View more

David Bowies Space Oddity played today. Session was a little under the length of the song!! Can't believe how quick it takes. 16 to go....... ... View more