Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hi all This is a really interesting thread, and I agree more information about c.b. would be good. I had mx, Anc, chemo, rads in 2011', been on tamoxifen for 18 months. Went back to work on phased return sept 2011 (between chemo and rads) and found chemo brain and fatigue a real issue, especially as my job involves lots of multi-tasking, dealing with different teams across the county etc. It is a lot better now, but has a tendency to creep back when I get tired. I also find concentration ok first thing in the day but can be rubbish by evening, so have to plan more round that (used to be a real night- owl but no more!) Used to read a lot, now can do work stuff but have much less patience reading fiction unless i think its really good. I just wanted to say hopefully it will improve, be kind to yourself and accept its a gradual process (easier said than done I know). I also recommend the odd mental puzzle workout (sudoku, scrabble, solitaire etc) as well as exercise - have found them all good de-stressers. One interesting thing is that friends and colleagues don't seem to notice it as much as I do - haven't worked out if they are being polite or we should put some of it down to age? Ju ... View more

Dear all, huge relief all round today as had an ultrasound at the hospital and nothing suspicious found - phew! They have been brilliant, been seen 3 times over the last few days but decided everything ok. Mammogram fine,possibly some lymphoedema but very mild so no treatment at the moment - even said could just be cos skin looser as I have lost weight(!!) Don't think you could ask for much more .... Thank you for the encouraging messages, they really helped last week when I was imagining all sorts. I hope everyone has a great Easter with time to do some of their favourite things, and good results on all those 2-year tests. Sorry to hear about the ongoing pain Wandy, sounds like it would be worth talking to your new team about. Love to all, Jude ... View more

Dear all Hope everyone is doing ok. Glad to hear your treatment (without op) going well Jane. i am having a bit of a panic today so would welcome anyone telling me to get a grip! To cut a long story short, I noticed some swelling on chest wall and armpit, rang BCN who thought it might be lymphoedema but said new system now is to go to GP to get referred to new commissioned lymph service (not hospital). I saw GP this morning (not met hime before). He was very thorough, but seemed concerned and said he was faxing my consultant to get my check-up (in May) brought forward asap. Also said twice to contact surgery to chase up if I don't hear from hospital by next week. Am trying to keep busy to stop imagining all sorts - my kitchen hasn't looked this tidy for weeks!!! Love to all, Jude ... View more

Fantastic news Mandy and Cherry, really pleased for you! And Ninja great you can have the surgery now, all really positive. I have a gynae appt coming up, similar probs, so don't know if I can/should evade an op .... Good luck everyone with mammos etc coming up soon, mine is week after next. love to ally, Jude ... View more

Hi Askey i'm sure you'll get a few responses re tips for Tamoxifen, and there's a good BCC booklet. I just wanted to say a few things yet have helped me over the past 18 months are the vitamin E, cutting out coffee and alcohol almost completely (sorry!), and wearing thin layers. I haven't found different brands make a lot of difference but I know other people do. I hope your symptoms settle down - mine haven't gone away but feel a lot more manageable now that the night sweats are less frequent and I can get an ok night's sleep. Some ladies on here have found a low dose anti- depressant is a real help. With very best wishes Jude ... View more

Hello all Great to hear from you Wandy, must have been such a relief with good news from the bone scan, but I'm sorry to hear you're having a lot of pain with the Letrozole. I know what you mean about the safety blanket feeling though. The fell walks etc sound fantastic. Jane - glad to hear about your mojo!!! (even if we can't always remember what it is!). Trish, I'm so impressed by the coaching, and you sound so upbeat. Mandy, meant to say before your pic looks very glam, I had serious hair envy. ( And don't get me started on the lashes ...) Rachel, hope you're still on the mend. i'm doing ok, seem to have a lot more energy the last few weeks so work feeling manageable and can enjoy our little grand-daughters - am completely smitten and so glad to be here with them. My youngest daughter has got us tickets to see the Spice Girls musical next week. She was mad about them when she was little so it should be a real laugh. Now just have to decide whether to go as Posh or Sporty ..... good luck to everyone with mammos and check-ups, here's to quick and clear results. Love to Cherry, Ninja and anyone I haven't mentioned, Jude x ... View more

Glad to hear you're feeling better Rachel - and that you are having time off to recover. Lovely weather here in Norfolk too today, spring does seem round the corner (probably means the ground elder will start taking over my garden again!) All celebrations here as my daughter had her second baby last week - a beautiful little girl, Charlotte Lucy, 9lb 2oz and doing fine. Have been having lots of cuddles! Hope everyone is keeping well and enjoying life, lots of love, Jude. ... View more

Lovely to hear from you all. Wandy, happy to hear you made it over safely (despite offing nearly cut off). Rachel, hope you're still on the mend and talking it easy. Cherry, sorry to hear you're having such a hard time with family and money stuff, in my experience it can be a horrible combination, but hope things are nearly sorted. Mandy - you're looking great and sounds like you're enjoying being back at work. Jane and Ninja, looks like you might have to budge up on the problems down below bench, I've just been referred by my GP after a string of UTIs. Not really looking forward to that, but v interested to hear how you are getting on. Am definitely coming back as a bloke next time! But generally doing fine, lots going on as we are moving house and - more importantly - second grandchild due this week. Am so glad to be here to see it. love to all you lovely May girls and sorry to thois I haven't mentioned. Have a great weekend everyone, am looking forward to watching lots of brawny men wrestling each other up and down the rugby pitch. Jude x l ... View more

Hi Ness, another one here who was diagnosed with multi-focal (2 lumps, 5 cm and 2cm plus areas of DCIS) and also told it wasn't worse than a single tumour. I had mastectomy, chemo and rads and am now on hormone therapy (Tamoxifen), back at work full time and doing ok - almost 2 years since diagnosis. It really does get a bit easier to get your head round w hen you have all your treatment plan, do come back and elect us know how you get on with the onc. If you do hchemo, lots of us have found it really helpful to join one of the threads for those starting the same time- feels like you can all pull each other through a bit. Very best wishes, Jude ... View more

Just about managing to squeeze in to wish all the May girls a very happy New Year! Rachel - as the others have said I hope all goes well on the 9th, be kind to yourself and give yourself time to recover before plunging back into work. It must be hard, you have had more than your fair share of surgery but hope that this will feel like drawing a line under so much of the last 2 years. You know we will all be thinking of you. Wandy - lots of luck with the packing - yikes indeed! Hope all goes smoothly. And Jane, have fun with the decorating! cherry, I hope you are feeling better and it sounds like you have been having a good time with the family. I have seen lots of my grand-daughter too over the holidays, great as she is changing so fast these days. hope everyone else is doing ok and that you had a great Christmas. Love, Jude ... View more

Merry Christmas all! have no Xmas dinner to cook tomorrow out my daughter and son-in-law are hosting 12 of us, so should be a great day. Will have all my 3 girls together next week for a few days, so am a very happy bunny. So tired after a hectic few weeks at work and a virus, looking forward to slowing down for a bit. I hope everyone has a great break (flood-free of course), love Jude ... View more

Hi Morwenna Hope your appt today to get your results today went ok and that you are starting to feel a bit better physically. As the others have said, I think most of us have found it is easier to cope when you know the next stage of treatment and can get on with it bit by bit. This might make you feel a little less anxious - I was dx with 2 tumours + DCIS so also a total area of over 8cm, and had a mastectomy and node clearance, margins were still very close. That was in Feb 2011, but since then have had chemo and rads and now on Tamoxifen, am back at work, swimming regularly and feeling pretty good, with check-ups all ok so far. I was so scared at the beginning, and I know there are no guarantees, but I have found you do adjust and the anxiety does go into the background - and also that there are lots of people round there for you to talk things through - including the fantastic support on this forum! Sending you a big hug Jude ... View more

Hi all Another one who started off with good intentions but struggling a bit with cutting out the preChristmas treats - ho hum, will have to be extra good in Jan as still nursing ambition to shift a good few pounds before my hospital check- up in April! thanks for starting this thread Mazzalou. Think I saw on another thread you have the same hospital as me - West Suffolk - and probably the same lovely onc who makes you copious notes. Have felt really well looked after there. good luck to everyone on the healthy eating journey. Jude ... View more

Hi Rachel Really glad to hear that it was good news from your consultant! Sorry that you have to go through more surgery, but as you say it sounds a sensible precaution. Just look after yourself, you have had so much to cope with this year and last. Hope you had a great celebration with your lovely girls (phrase always makes me smile, I have 3 girls and they are always lovely in my mind too!) Hope everyone is doing ok this week. Just gird ourselves for all this freeeeeezing weather we're predicted ... love, Jude ... View more

Hi all, I asked about the flu jab last month, was told to go to Tesco's and pay for it as I wasn't eligible (!) Don't think I'll be nominating them for GP practice of the year any time soon ..... Hope everyone is doing ok and not too troubled by the floods. Bought my first Xmas pressie at the weekend - yes, well behind schedule I know. Love, Jude Ps Trish hope everything is all right with you. ... View more

That's fantastic, hope you're having a great birthday evening! So, so pleased for you. Jude ... View more

Dear Rachel, just checking in too. Hope the GP was able to sort things out a bit and write that scrip, but not surprised your head is going full-pelt. Can understand why you would be feeling so angry. I think you are back at the hospital tomorrow (sorry if I've got that wrong) so will be thinking of you and your family, as I know the others will be. Lots of love, Jude ... View more

Dear Rachel, I'm so so sorry it wasn't better news. Can't even imagine how worrying it must all be and really wisH there was something useful I could say or do. But will come on here lots for virtual hugs and so you know How much we are all here for you. You have been so thoughtful and generous on here since you got this thread going and have helpedvso many of us. Much love, Jude ... View more

Dear Rachel, really sorry to hear your scan report means further worry. Hope you get your appt very soon and everything crossed it's reassuring news. Like the others have said, you know we are keeping you in our thoughts. Love Jude xxx ... View more

Hi all Haven't checked in for a while so it was great to hear from so many of you. Am another who doesn't come on the site so often now but I do think of you all often, and it would be great if we could get together when the weather is better. All ok here (says she crossing everything!) and though the Tam flushes still keep on going, I count myself lucky that Lyn Fedema hasn't come calling (as yet - am getting a bit careless about carrying heavy bags, moving lots of tables the other day etc ...) We were at a family do at the weekend - lovely but bittersweet as my brother in law has stage 4 oral cancer and they are trying to cram in lots of special times with their 8 year old, so yes I really hate this disease too. I felt exhausted last week, was seriously thinking about job change or asking to reduce my hours, but seem to have got second wind at the moment, so we shall see. Really looking forward to seeing my daughter next week for her 30th in Paris, so can't complain. Ninja - fantastic news re your check-up, am so so pleased for you, and hope the Snowdonia event goes really well. Bev - lovely to hear from you but sorry about the Mohican, must be so frustrating, but work stuff sounds good. Rach - am so impressed with the orchestra so hope the LF eases off and you can enjoy more music. And good luck with the scan results. Cherry - hope things are getting easier. Trish and Wandy - think you were both going for check-ups/tests? Hope all ok there too and Wandy that you have some luck with the house sale, though perhaps now you are getting ready for Christmas before you start on all that again. Jane - hope the conference went well and that you get a few more chances for some time off to recharge the batteries. Love and apologies to anyone I've forgotten, Jude ... View more