Breast Cancer Now Forum

Karen All I can offer is read, read ,if you take a look at some of the threads on this site listed under ,'undergoing treatment, surgery' there are some ladies on there who are just about to or have just gone through surgery and maybe if you post a comment you will get some other perspectives, and someone to share this journey with. I didn't get to look on this site until i was mid way through chemo and looking back it would have been really helpful if i had know or been aware of so many things, knowledge is power :). You are part of that special club everyone speaks about, you didn't ask to be a member, subscriptions are free, and you meet and talk to some of the most amazing people ( yes thats YOU to all those reading this :0)....go girls) Rhian xx ... View more

Hi Karen My biopsy showed cancer in my right breast but the following mRI showed two lumps in my left breast. I had these removed and they werent shown to be cancerous after the pathology was done that was back in Oct 08 , last week when i had my left breast reduction the tissue removed was sent to the path lab and i found out today that it was all clear. So a lump doesn't always mean cancer but you have to make the decision. i have a friend who as soon as she found one lump chose to have a masectomy because that was how she wanted to deal with it. Me i woulds rather have the lump removed and then deal with anything else that is thrown at me. Have you been introduced to a breast care nurse yet Karen, you really could do with sitiing down with someone and discussing all this. Rhian x ... View more

Hi Jill glad to hear your skin better, i still plaster moisturiser on everyday. Sorry to hear about the lymphoedema and hope you get help at the clinic, there are a couple of other threads on this site about lymphoedemia of the breast, might be worth serching out. Changed my dressing yesterday so it was the first time i got to take a good old look at the surgery on the reduction, its looking great scar seems to be healing, and surprisingly there is not much pain, but hey i think we have all been through so damn much are pain theresholds are pretty high now and simply surgery not a problem compared with some of the other stuff we face. hugs Rhi xxxx ... View more

Wenjack, sorry i only this morning noticed your question in this thread. Radiotherapy doesn't make you sick or nauseous in the same way as chemo. You do get tired after a few sessions but don't forget your body has gone through surgery and your general well being is a bit low. I had 30 sessions over 6 weeks Mon - Fri and towards the i was finding it pretty tiring, you need to listen to your body and try and rest if you feel tired. I didn't wear a bra through my radiotherapy i bought a few cotton vest tops this was hard going on the non affected boob but bra straps and edges would have rubbed and caused me more problems. Drink lots of water and look after your skin. I didn't use any soaps or shower gels on the area E45 do a non soap wash and i used that but not everyday. Use the cream they give you . Once your scars have healed ask your breast care nurse if you can start using moisturiser on the area to be treated. Prepare your skin as you would if you were going to go on holiday in strong sun. rhian xx ... View more

Hello Great thread ...so informative thanks guys, my lymph node clearance was on my right side and i am right handed but am starting to re educated myself. On another thread i read one of those stress balls can be good to squeeze too. Swimming and aqua aerobics ( used to be scornful of aqua in my hard core excersise days LOL i now eat my words)really do help thanks everyone Rhian ... View more

Hi Lymphodema is not fully understood even by the proffesionals, but yes having a full node clearance does increase the risk because that area of your body simply doesn't have the same mechanism in place to deal with lymphatic fluid. Take a look at the topic 'lymphodemia' on this very site it really is so informative. Lymphodemia is something that happens when your body reacts and many, many things can contribute to that. I didn't have drains so i can't answer that one. The lymph glands are all over our bodies they filter out lots of things, the fact that cancer has been caught there means the system is doing it's job, but cancer being cancer means it taken it toll on that area. I didn't find a lump in my breast, the first signs i had were when my lymph gland began to swell just under my arm pit. Please keep thinking ' I will be here next year' Karen, and it's you that will be typing like me now, to someone else who has the very same fears. There are lots and lot of positive stories out there, truly there are BE STRONG hugs rhian xx ... View more

Hi Susanne, stress ball a great idea , i never thought of that. I also did a few aqua aerobics classes and must admit felt a positive difference after them. Thing with all that hits us through this Joyce is that,at times the silliest little things seems enormous, so folk worry and moaning sometimes helps , when i think back at some of my moans before this i think LOL you stupid bag what did you have to moan about ha ha keep smiling gang.......if for no other reason, than it confuses people :0)xx ... View more

Hi Karen HANG ON IN THERE I had a lumpectomy and total lymph node clearance back in Oct 08 (27th) i lost 2/3 of my right breast and i have a scare from my nipple to my armpit, my prognosis, to quote my consultant was 'poor' here i am in July having had 8 sessions ( fortnightly) of chemo and 30 sessions of radiotherapy, i lost my hair, have lost weight then gained weight , felt so ill i just wanted to die, I have cried at it all and laughed at it all pinched myself blue hoping it was a bad dream and been on an 9 month roller coaster which included christmas and easter and lots of other special dates.BUT I am still here to tell the tale. At first after all i read about the total lymph node clearance i was terrified but i am getting better and i am learning to take care and be careful. This is a girly who was a bit of a DIY er and loved to garden and move furniture carry heavy shopping etc etc but you learn to adjust, i have had a few scares with my arm swelling but as i learn how to notice the warning signs and look after my arm. On monday i went and had the reduction surgery on my Left (non cancer) breast, ( i was a 36 F before cancer, even my surgoen and breast care nurse said i was pushing the boundaries , but i needed to get it done and out of the way, even before i have found out the outcome of the last 9 months of treatment. today i had my dressings removed and all is healing well, again there was a bit of a worry re the lymphodema kicking in after surgery but touch wood all is well. You are on a journey that is so unpradictable but there are lots and lots of us at various stages willing you on and here to help if we can , if only to read and respond to your concerns. Non of us could ever have imagined what was around the corner but when its there and looks you in the eye, look it straight back and think, BOG OFF you B***** Hug Rhian xxxxx ... View more

Well Helloooo ladies, i haven't been on here for some time, i am glad to see you are all doing pretty well and there is so much positive stuff from you all. I changed my profile photo as my hair has started to grow and yes its curly, i too haven't had curly since a bad 70's perm oh boy what were we thinkinh back then ha ha . i went and had the reduction surgery on my left boob on Monday, even my surgoen saif i was 'pushing the boundaries' but feel i needed to get it out of the way to move on. I am due to have my 'checks' at teh end of August, i am surprised that there are some who don't get offered them seem only fair to offer everyone a scan and mamogram or ultrasound at least. So i am sitting here all trussed up in badages but at least this time they are for a more positive reason. I must admit the surgery knocked me for six but feel ok today and can't wait to ge teh next couple of weeks out of the way as i get a new car. Because i am now havign to claim incapacity benefit i today decided to go ahead with an interview at teh job centre plus, got there and the girl due to interview me was off sick LOL i couldn't believe it there was me just had surgery and dragged myself there thanks to a friend giving me a lift. Sandra i was up in North wales last week,Llandudndo and Mold 🙂 love rhi xx ... View more

Hi i can believe a week after i finshed my rads i am so sore, not skin sore but aching, but determind to buck myself up for the weekend. Pat, have heard calendar girls is good mught try and get in to see it. the dressing i got were called 'Mepilex Transfer' the are soft silicone sheets about A5 in size and made of a very thin foam, it is slightly sticky on one side and just incredible, you don't need any plasters etc the whole things sticks to your skin, but is so gentle and stops just under the boob getting more sore . off to Hampshire tomorrow so not on here until early next week have a fab weekend rhian x ... View more

boy that sounds sore and uncomfortable, my broken skin has healed thankfully i was told the first day it cracked not to use the aqueous cream as while it moisturises it can also encourage infection. its very strange not having to rush about keeping appointments. though i can't believe how much i am aching, today has been truly awful wasn't sure if its because the temp outside dropped a bit today and it was a bit chilly this morning even when having a flush. Lynn hope infection clears up quickly xx ... View more

oh jill poor you lying there topless as if on some strange bondage machine, i know the feeling, everyone rushing around you,telling you to relax. I found the only way i coped with my sessions was to see the funny side of it all. which is the golden rule through everything we are going through. xxxx ... View more

heelllloo warm nights, aqueous cream and stingy, ichy skin in the end had to sleep with no top on, redness is starting to calm down and yes the firmness and swollen feeling seems the norm from what the rads girls told me and calms down as the skin settles. i was down in Hampshire (boyfriend lives there) start of the weekend but then came back up to London weather was so fab and it makes such a difference doesn't it. lit the bbq two nights on the trot and drank a little too much grape juice. this week its been wonderful not having to travel to radiotherapy and i feel like i am a naughty girl , not working and not attending some sort of treatment. I took an antihistamin (spelling) to help with the itching and it did seem to work. hugs rhi xxx ... View more

Hello everyone its great to see lots of positive stuff same here re none sweating on affected armpit. i used a little bit of baby talc on the other side worried about chemical in deodarant. I am still pretty tired and aching but nothing to unbearable. my skin got really sore and am putting a dressing on each day but it is healing really well and today put cream on the very dry skin that was broken so can try and get it soft again. I was in the garden pottering at the weekend and plastered on sun cream on my arms but my right arm started to swell a bit yesterday and have a rash so think will need to keep out of sun completely. Fancy trying an aqua areobics glass even if i only stand and float about. love rhi xx ... View more

hi only just got on here. Had to go back into London and that ended up dragging out, so late home and of course all the usual things still need doing. Lucky i am not working at the moment so need to now try and do some resting ha ha but just got to cram a few things into this weekend first. Sandra, yes i am zonked and i too have the square redness, boob very sore today so having to wear a dressing on it, and its all crusy and horrible so annoying i was so good slapping on the aqu cream, but the clinic have given me a supply to DIY over the next few days as they say i will continue to 'cook' for a day or two. have a great weekend ladies love rhi xx ... View more

hello Pat, oh dear on the 3rd ( and last) glass it was just too good 🙂 LOL let us know if you enjoy calendar girls have seen the posters on my daily journey into london and fancied going to see it. Hot flushes my gyno recommendend a herbal remedy, he says one of his patients recommended it bcoz it worked and since then he has passed it on and has good feed back happy to pass this on, i haven't tried it myself as even though my flushes were full on during chemo and at the start of rads they are getting better. rhian xx ... View more

Hello Andie I spoke to a lady the other day who was saying the very same thing, but said she would most prob still get fitted but not use at least you then have the choice. rhian xx ... View more

Lizzy thank you, way back last oct when i was waiting to have my biopsy another lady said to me 'it's like being a member of a very exclusive club, you can't pay to join, but it's members are some of the most wonderful people you could meet' truer words she couldn't have said. rhian x ... View more

Hellooo Been following you ladies and only just posted earlier on the other thread. i finshed rads today after 31, just having a glass of bubbly, was going to meet a couple of friends from work but just exhausted and still have one more trip into london tomorrow to see consultant. thanks for starting new thread and look forward to keeping up to date with how everyone is getting on Rhian xx ... View more

Hellooo been following your posts but not posted before and just wanted to say thank you, reading everything made me feel i was part of a gang 🙂 i too finished rads today after 31 only got a tiny bit sore yesterday and skin broke slightly but is so much better today. Girls in rads yesterday told me not to use aqu. crean when skin breaks so just used the aloe vera last night and let air get to it in the night. Bit like when babies have nappie rash. just about to have a glass of bubbly so toasting to all you ladies, will check out the new thread love rhi x ... View more