Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hi Hopeful friends and a loving partner are my life line, while I’m waiting for my oncology appointment I’m taking every opportunity to get out for social bike rides with my friends, over the past 2 weeks I have cycled 200 miles n I’m feeling great and a bit guilty that I’m out cycling while signed on the sick,I have been very lucky to recover well after both operations, lumpectomy  axillary then a bit more breast tissue removed,  but I am building up my spirit and health ready for the next stage, I hope you making the most of this lovely weather today, I’ve relaxed in the garden and we’re having the first BBQ of the year, ... View more

Hi All it looks like I may be a fellow traveller, I took this train in 2008, diagnosed in July and mastectomy on 6th August, node clearance 2 weeks later then followed by Chemo and Radiotherapy, not nice at the time but doable and I’ve had 13 years cancer free since then, I had signed up for a trial so I was monitored for 10 years. it was a journey I wouldn’t book a repeat ticket for, but hey here I am again, I had a new unrelated cancer found on my routine mammogram in March, so lumpectomy on 29th March with axillary clearance, then a second op on 9th April as the margins still shown cancer cells, got my results on 21st April to be told all margins are now clear and I’m getting passed to Oncology with a recommendation for chemo because the cancer had spread to my nodes, I am waiting for my Phone Consult with the Oncologist on 8th June and hopefully I will find out when my next stage starts, for the moment I feel really good I have good movement but have developed some cording, but I’m getting out Cycling as much as I can and I’ve signed up for a 100 mile total challenge for June, but if my treatment isn’t starting till later in the month I might increase it to 250 or 300, I hope we all have a good journey and can support each other on good and not so good days, I hope you all have a good support group and friends as good as the ones I have, xx ... View more

Yes it makes sense for the wait with the dental issue, I’m just eager to know what treatment I will be having next and more importantly when it will be starting, we need to plan hubby working away n make sure he is at home when I have my treatment, he insists on this, but then he remembers what it was like last time, first week rough n the next two are easier, I’m booked on a first aid refresher course on 22 June for British Cycling so I’m hoping I’ll be ok to attend, or then again then can administer first aid to me if I need it, I will join the June group and if for some strange reason I don’t end up having chemo I can gracefully leave, but the surgeon said I would need it and he recommended it because it had spread to the nodes, but you know how our minds torment us, what is it, what will it be like, will it be this or that, but once we know we can plan and overcome, my treatment will be at glan Clwyd I’m assuming as that’s what I asked for as Bangor is too far,  ... View more

Hi, such a relief that you got the tooth sorted and even better no extraction, my hubby is away working this week and next so I decided to stick with the 8th June so that he will be here, I was given a very large bottle of cordosyl mouthwash from oncology, but luckily I didn’t suffer with mouth ulcers, but I did use the wash everyday, and yes RT can change things, I was given three very tiny dot tattoos so they could line me up in the machine and target the correct place, they look like little blackheads, lol. Luckily the cording isn’t too painful and I have full movement as for RT you need to be able to put the arms behind your head, my second Covid jag is due on BH Monday, so that’s another thing ticked off, hope your ok after yours on Saturday, it’s good you’ve been given your meds already, and great that your blood test have been arranged already, so did you see onc on the 1st June and your treatment starts 2 weeks later, I’m just trying to guess when mine might start, I have a first aid course booked for the 22nd and that could be the day I start, and hubby is due to go back to Salisbury on the 22nd too, he does 2 weeks away and 2 weeks at home, but once I get my dates he can easily re plan his work schedule, from what I remember from the last time I was quite rough the first few days after chemo, then just tired for a few days then had a good week to 10 days before the next one starts, so all very doable, but things have advanced in 13 years so it might even be better, try to do some nice things for yourself before the 15th have a nice spa day, I’m thinking of booking one for me n my sister, well the sun is shining my bike is cleaned n ready to go, take care, xx ... View more

hi, glad you now have your plan but gutted you need some dental work, can you not get it done at the hospital if it’s an extraction, really hope it won’t delay your treatment, I spoke to BCN about the cording and she said there’s no extra exercises I should be doing and as I have good movement just to try and massage the area with a deap heat cream, but I’m out with a friend who is a physiotherapist on Friday so I might ask her if she can suggest anything, hope you can get sorted with a decent prosthesis it really makes all the difference in how you feel about yourself, I had a swimming one too, then a year later I had recon surgery and they used the muscle from my back, but then I needed a deduction on my other breast as it was 2 cup sizes bigger, but they sorted it and it’s great, I do stress now and again about what the oncologist will say I need, the surgeon has recommended chemo because of the spread to the nodes, I just want to know what’s coming next, only 13 more days, did you have a face to face appointment, mine is a phone consult, just getting out as much as I can while I can, fingers crossed for a quick fix with the dentist, xx ... View more

We had an amazing time, great journey down with a lovely MnS Thai meal for 6 on our first night, 18 miles cycled on Tuesday in lovely sunshine, then horrendous thunder storm while we were in the cafe, but a nice dry ride back followed by a evening meal in The Village limits, an amazing pub that does smaller portions for only £7 this allowed me to have 2 courses, 36 miles ridden on Wed a fab route taking in The river Witham, Tattershall Castle, RAF Coningsby Boston and New York, with lunch in the sunshine at a Pub on our return journey, then finally 39 miles on Thursday from Woodhall to Lincoln along the Water Trail, mostly dry ride but horrendous gale force winds coming back, so glad Me n my sister took our E Bikes, I finally went in the hot tub after the ride to Lincoln after resisting it all week, no ride today as the rain was awful so we just left early and came home, but what a week, so glad we managed to go, but the cording in my lower arm is getting sore, I had a pushing with me on holiday so she was keeping an eye on me and doing exercises with me, but I’m going to phone BCN to see if I need a follow up appointment or if I should just go to my doc for some pyshio appointments, hope your managing with your treatments and moving on the best you can x ... View more

My appointment is a phone consult on 8th June, I phoned BCN and she at first thought it seemed to far away, but she phoned me back and said it’s fine, it’s 9 weeks after my 2nd surgery and if they do chemo they like it to be between 8 n 12 weeks after your op, so I’ll make the best of the time I have before I start any other treatments, my sister has been put on hormone treatment to try and stop the cancer growing, she will have another CT scan in three month to check how things are going, the doc has said she can come away on holiday, a side effect of her pills are water retention increased appetite and fatigue, so far her pain has gone and the bleeding has stopped and she’s only been on the meds for 1 week, she came out with me today for a ride, and she’s going to take it day by day on holiday n she how she feels for joining us on rides, but she says she feels so much better we just hope she stays like this, she has an appointment at Clatterbridge on 23rd May I think that will be to talk over other options, as in chemo or radiation, so we’re just looking forward to our break away, because we all know you can’t take tomorrow for granted, hope your appointment goes well, let me know how you get on,  ... View more

hi I’ve also sent a pm to you, hopefully your radiotherapy will all be done by December and although you might be tired you may be able to attend the wedding and hopefully you will get given the go ahead to travel to see your daughter or it might be easier for her to come to see you, as your immune system will be very low to non existent with chemo, hopefully I will get my appointment soon as the guideline target dates are 8 weeks from when you’ve been referred to oncology, so I think that takes me up to the 9th June,  ... View more

Hi Yvonne, glad you will be able to have your treatment in Wrexham, i’m Still waiting and it’s been 2 weeks n 2 days so I’m going to phone my BC Nurse, ideally I would like the appointment for next week as I’m going away on the 17th till the 21st, and my sis has just found out she has stage 4 womb cancer with some small markers in her lungs but it’s hormone receptive, so she is going on hormones then referring her to Clatterbridge for chemo to try and shrink the tumour, but he has said she can come on holiday with me, so I really want us to have this holiday with the girls because we don’t know what the next year will bring, wish me luck trying to get hold of the nurse n getting an answer,  ... View more

I asked for my path results after the first op but the BC Nurse said to wait until after the second op, but when I had the next meeting it seemed very rushed and I didn’t get to ask many questions, I’m hoping oncology will be able to give me the information, sorry yours has come as a bit of a shock, but take some time to absorb the news and plan for your next step on this awful journey,  ... View more

Simplyeve, so glad you have the caravan for away breaks, you went to one of my fav pubs too, we often cycle to the Ring o Bells in Christleton for our evening rides, I had 16 nodes removed and 4 were positive, but that means 12 were clear, hope your arm is feeling better, I’ve been waiting 2 weeks so far for my oncology appointment and heard nothing yet, I thought all chemotherapy was done at Glan Clwyd but I could be wrong,  Noodledoodle, thanks for the links I think I would like the make up class too, last time I lost my eyebrows so knowing how to draw them on back on will be a great help, hope the PICC fitting goes well, sorry I’ve forgotten if you’ve already told us the date you start your treatment but hoping it all goes to plan for you,  ... View more

hi Ladies how is everyone doing, this weather is really miserable and depressing, I got out on Sat n Sun n managed 50 miles total on the bike, it was so nice to be out with my lovely friends, had a fantastic takeaway from the Fat Boar in Mold on Saturday it was the best I’ve ever had as takeaways go, still not had my oncologist appointment so don’t have a date for starting chemo, have you ladies got any dates yet for moving forward with treatments, looks like it’s wet weather for the rest of the week, so that’s me confined to the house n off the bike, try n have more good days than bad, n keep smiling, xx ... View more

Oh dear ow annoying for you, I had a sermon develop n they drained 300ml but luckily my wounds were ok, it’s very frustrating when you don’t get the information when your expecting to get it, i’m Still waiting for the results of my CT scan and Radioisotope scan, just waiting on the oncologist appointment too and then it’s onto the next stage, I hope you find out soon what’s next in store for you, and hopefully you can start doing the exercises and get more movement, enjoy this enjoy this nice weather while we have it, x ... View more

Hi, how are you doing now has it got easier to do the exercises, I went out for a bike ride yesterday my first in a month, it was so nice to be out of shielding, I’ve now been passed onto oncology so just waiting for an appointment,  ... View more

so glad your happy with the wig, and you went out in it with confidence, I had my wig provided to me last time, they had a little shop at the hospital and you made an appointment the lady was very nice, I’m wondering if they still offer this service, you could maybe get a second one, it was all free of charge, glad you have your appointment, I’m hoping mine will come through before the 17th May as that’s the day I go on holiday, but the BC Nurse said they can work around my holiday, make the most of the time you have before your treatment starts, I’m looking forward to eateries opening next week, so I can go out with hubby for lunch or afternoon teas, I know so many nice cafes that I go to on the bike so I’m spoilt for choice, thanks for setting up the May Chemo thread I’m sure I will be on there with you, maybe we could even meet up somewhere for a coffee before we start on the journey, I’m happy to travel, belt n braces here we come,  ... View more

Hi, my day was a very long day, arrived at Glan Clwyd at 10:30 for my isotope injection, the nurse was fantastic I didn’t feel a thing, then told to go away n return at 2pm, so drove into Rhyl and parked up by the Hub, hubby went for coffee n snacks, n we sat in the car watching all the cyclists passing by n me ogling the bikes, back at 2 for my scan, I lay on the bed and he swaddled me like a baby in a sheet, then he stopped me down so that. Couldn’t move, at ,this point I did say, I wasn’t aware Glan Clwyd had a **bleep** room, luckily he had a sense of humour, it was the longest 21.5 minutes of my life, the bottom of the machine rose up and the top lowered to within an inch of my nose, I was ok for about 15 min then started to feel a bit sick, I’m not very good at lying on my back,I was told the doc would be able to view the results at Llandudno, So off we went to Llandudno for my results appointment, appointment was 3:40 I went in about 1 hr later they were very busy, BC nurse removed my dressing n said all was healing well, a doc came in but not my surgeon, he said the margins were clear and they have removed all the cancer from my breast, big sigh of relief from me n hubby, but they couldn’t view my scan results for either scan I’ve had, the BC said she will phone me when they get the report, he said I will see you in a Year back here for a check up, I’m now passing you to oncology, I should hear from them in 2 to 3 weeks if I haven’t heard I’m to phone the BC Nurse, I asked if this means I no longer need to shield and can I finally leave the house n go cycling, the answer was yes, so you can guess what I’ve done today but only about 13 miles, it was fantastic, no discomfort on the bike just a tingle when I went over a pothole n my boob jiggled, but my question to you ladies, is your boob itchy at all, I don’t know if I’m overdoing the exercises or if it’s just tissue healing or nerve damage, but omg I keep getting an itch, but it’s not on the scar it’s on the top of my breast just above the nipple, my sister also got her results yesterday, and she has womb cancer stage 3, she is getting referred to Liverpool Women’s Hospital for surgery, she had BC 20 years ago, and this cancer is also hormone receptive, we always do things together but doing chemo together was never in the plan or wig shopping, but she will be about 6 weeks behind my treatment, 2021 has not been good to our family so far,  ... View more

Yvonne I hope your feeling less tired, it’s funny how the anaesthetic can effect us, also I think all the tension n stress before the op takes it out of us and we don’t sleep well, so I think your body has just been catching up, Mum always told me sleep is the best medicine, glad your getting on with the exercises, my arm is still quite sensitive to touch at the back, but I expect the nerves take a while to heal, I’m hoping to be told I don’t need another shave of tissue removing and to be told I will be moving onto the next stage and I can at least come out of isolation n go for a bike ride, my cycling Group did a ride past my house on Saturday it was very emotional, the waiting is the hard part but hopefully seeing your family will give you a lovely lift of spirits, looks like we might all be following the same path, just wondering when we will all start the next stage, enjoy the sunshine and let your body heal, xx ... View more

Simplyeve, it’s good to hear how well your doing and it’s great to try and get the jobs that need doing done before the next leg of your treatment, I thought a CT scan would be a walk in the park today, but how wrong was I, I ended up sobbing on the table and screaming in pain, the young lad couldn’t find a vein I told him I’m not supposed to have a tourniquet on my left arm but he said he had to do it that way, so he put it on and it was hurting like hell, so I gritted my teeth and told him to get on with it, he tried my elbow joint, no joy, move the tourniquet lower down my arm n tried my forearm no joy, so he decided to try the back of my hand, this is where the agony started I was screaming and he kept saying are you ok, did I sound ok was the voice in my head, then he wiggled the needle and I couldn’t stand the pain anymore and shouted n cried, he said what’s the problem, I said it’s hurting like hell, so he took it out and said I’m sure I had it in then, one more try on my hand but he still couldn’t do it, he did keep saying sorry, he then said I’ll ask my colleague to try, another guy came in, I was trembling n sobbing, but I pulled myself together n told myself to man up, he put the tourniquet around my sleeve so it wouldn’t hurt as much, told me to put my arm down as low as I could, and first attempt he was in n I didn’t even feel it, why the hell if he’s that good why didn’t he come n try sooner, how I didn’t wet myself in there I don’t know, so I week off now, I’ve got my Radioisotope Scan next Wed at Glan Clwyd at 10:30 it says they will inject me with the isotope then I go away n come back in 3.5 hrs time  then the scan will take 45 minutes, I hope they run to time as I have to be at Llandudno Breast Clinic at 3:40 pm to see my surgeon for the results from last weeks op to see if the margins were clear, I just hope the person doing the isotope is good at finding collapsed veins, I’m starting to look like I’ve been in a fight my arm n hand are really bruised and sore,  ... View more

Thanks for the update, what date did you have your op, I don’t think I could try swimming yet, I had my first op on the  Mon 29th and I did drive hubby to the garage on Thursday 8th it’s only at the bottom of our Rd, but I felt ok to drive, he wasn’t so sure if I should, but the BC Nurse said so long as I can do an emergency stop I could drive, I think swimming would be a great exercise but are you allowed in a pool yet because of the risk of infection, I think personally we all know our own bodies and what we are capable of,  ... View more

Oh Sandra, what a roller coaster day you’ve had, but at least your margins were clear and you  don’t need more surgery, also good news that the nodes were clear, can I ask what is MDT, is it just where they discuss your case and do an action plan, what did they say about driving and have they given you any extra exercises to do, I just have the ones on the leaflet I was given, try and have a relaxing day tomorrow because I’m sure after the stress of today you will need it, looks like we will all be having Chemo, at least we will be bald in the warmer weather,  ... View more