Breast Cancer Now Forum

HI Jane,   Im in my 60s too and i didnt have chemo, my lump was stage 2 but as oestregon related fast growing, upgraded to 3 for that reason only i was on HRT for a long time  due to like you a high r isk of osteoporosis.My oncologist said he felt as my general health so good for "a women of my age" lol and all my nodes apart from !1st one were clear and margins clear,it would do me more harm than good and i just didnt need it, radio therapy and hormone treatment would be enough,  I was put on tamoxifen as others affect bones too, Had a few teething problems with it, some flushes, but had bloating too, quite badly but now take 2 10mg tablets at different times of day and seems fine.  I had intended not to have chemo as was originally borderline anyway, but when he said i didnt need it was overjoyed.  But i too felt happier having the radio therapy, which i thought was a doddle, and tamoxifen. does reassure me feeling i have thrown as much as needed at it, It was nearly 2 years ago when i discovered lump so had my first follow up mammogram in March and all well, I feel very well but as i said i was pretty fit to begin with so guess that helps.  My oncologist was very insistent that HRT i had early menopause and had been on it for 25 years, caused my BC, so guess the test results they get must tell them.  I dont regret taking HRT for so long as my mum had osteoporois very badly, she basically crumbled away with it,it was awful to see, and i though i have thin bones as im very petite, i dont actually have it.  and the cancer was caught early so feel very fortunate. .  Hearing what ones hears re chemo, sometimes i do feel incredibly lucky not have to have had it,   June   ... View more

Hi   ive been on tamoxien for over a year had night sweats from start  probably made worse by my having to come off HRT due to the BC.I didnt have to have chemo just radio therapy, and had a bit of IBS but in past few weeks has got worse, In fact last week my stomach was so bloated i looked pregnant, and im in my 60s, single and a size 8 so that was not possiblelol ,  So i stopped the tamoxifen last thurs,friday morning my stomach was back to its normal size and i felt so much better and my toilet habits were normal..Today for instance i wore a tucked in T shirt if id have done that last week id have looked awful, in fact as i found getting jeggings on very difficult. Ive made an appointment to see my doctor later in week, and yes i dont want cancer back of course and i want to do all i can to prevent it, can live with the night sweats and flushes, but not this bloating and needing to be near a loo.all time.  I didnt actually have diarrhoea just went to loo about 6 times a day.I ve heard taking 10mg tablets eather than 20mg  can  help and as im very petite and slim i think i might be overdosing so i will talk to my doctor about that, Anyone had any experience of this.June ... View more

Update i do have fan on before i get into bed but its too noisy to leave on all night. Bought water sprays today,.keeping small one in my bag, and one by my bed. Decided to take tamoxifen after evening meal maybe helped slightly. Its better now its not so humid but seems that humidity might return at weekend, Looked at sage to take but then read it could push up your oestrogen . so decided not to take it.  O well i guess i will have to live with 2 menopauses,.  My poor friend who is 50 is suffering from her first one.  she was considering HRT but was with me when the Oncologist told me that my BC was caused by HRT and definitely not to take it. He was so emphatic she wont consider it now,.he told her she would be mad if she did. I usedto feel great on it  now sem to have more aches and pains.  Cant help wondering as i took it so long,. as i had an ear;ly menopause, and im petite, weigh 7 stone and 4ft 11. did i overdose on it.  Amazing something that made you feel youttful and lively could be bad for you.. ... View more

Hi Sharnie, O so you were under Norfolk and Norwich, was impessed with the treatment recieved there, read today Norolk and Suffolk has one of highest rates for quick diagnois and treatment of breast cancer.,    Ive been quitelucky with tamoxifen, camn live with flushes and feel ok do feel a bit like cant be bohtered, but ive never been really a very positive peraon, so not sure if tht the tamoxifen, if you say it can have effects on your mood,  I know i should start going out abd trying to meet new people as all my friends have partners but i dont seem to be able to get my head around it,  Hope not the tamoxifen as ir seems ok in other ways.   Yes im lucky am a quick healer, not looking forward ro dark nights though that will affect all our moods.   June ... View more

Hi Sharnie,   Glad you enjoyed it do you live not far from Norwich,its a ;lovely city, im originally fromSuffolk coast but i worked here and when my dad died i moved here permanently,would never move back.   Havent talked to friend who invited me yet, shes oftf on a completely different scene this weekend, 40th birthday in Marbellla.! But saw other people i knew on facebook who went  seemed to have all said had great time,I love 80s music but as said not into chemicl loos, fast food or standing about all day, Also being barely 5 foot i cant see a damm thinglol.    Are you still having rads, i do think having cancer is very emotional, i found just after i finished my rads one day when i had been feeling fine, i just spent all day sobbing,but luckily not too many problems on tamoxifen and oncologist says im healing well and all ok.    Good you had good time,  weather seems much worse now at least wasnt too cold at weekend,    Junex ... View more

Hi Dee,   Glad back at work, sure must help, wish i was still at work, do miss working, well meaning friends want ,me to volunteer" one of my friends latest ideas was the Sally Army cafe not far from her office and my old one, run my volunteers , Me and Sally Army are not if you excuse the pun, a ,match made in heaven.lol  Goodness im an athiest and i drink alcohol, not really for me i think. cant see me meeting many like minded people "working" and thats what it is unpaid working there But ageism still rains in the workplace in Norfolk im afraid, and getting a job is pretty impossible.    Enjoy New York and youve met someone, lovely for you, have fun, love to myself but like a job think that easier said than done. Keep us posted,   Went to see oncologist couple weeks ago, he said was healing well, prodded and poked and said all fine.  tamoxifen not too many side effects, few sweats but not much else. Hope you same.     Junex ... View more

Hi Mael,   Ive been finding it hard to find you living alone girls on here and here you are,   I do think stress has something to do with getting cancer, I know my being on HRT for so long, was a big reason for me probably getting it, but when you read all this stuff as i did today about how not to get breast caner, apart from that, i did everything right, slways been slim, had the mediterrean diet long before it became fashionable when i was a teenager way back in 60s, and even earlier i hated stodgy British food, never smoked, walked for England, as dont drive,  But i got it and i do think stress had lots to do with mine too,. In the past 12 years, First i had to have an hysterectomy made worse by fact i ignored symptoms  for too long  i had to move jobs and start to commute which i did for 6 years, then my dad went into care,then i had to "retire" when i didnt want to, just after moving to where i worked,then my dad died,and since then cause im an only child with little family i have felt more alone, and moving here hasnt worked out quite as i planned, have friends but they have busy lives and partners, and dont see as much of them as i like. So now i am trying to chill out more,im alone,ive accepted that, i hate retirement, that wont change, and am resisting friends well meaning suggestions of voluntary work, i need to earn some money to top up my pensions,so can have a few trips etc,.not work for nothing.and im a bit fed up with people telling me "it would give me purpose" no ive have had cancer i need to live a bit, But im trying to not let it get me down as i know stress wont help keep it from returning. Fortunately the tamoxifen is not giving too many side effects and my skin  is pretty ok after rads,   Hope your rads going ok, and not having to many side effects.,    Junex ... View more

Hi Sharnie,   You must have been to the Reload festival in my city Norwich, all the acts you mentioned were there, Some friends of mine went on the Saturday, they did ask me if i wanted to go,but im not really a festival sort of person, not keen on burgers or chemical loos, bit of a luxury lover me. Heard music was good, yes think x all ages go, my old manager from work went and shes 60 next year,but i didnt like them when 20 so  i dont think would now. Glad you had a good time and it took your mind off C,  Junex ... View more

Hi Lorna,   Thank you for replying.   Yes i spose its true.  One of my friends actually had ovarian same time as i had breast, she lives 30 miles away but always used to come over once a month and we would have meal out, Shes ok too now, luckily they think was caught in time, for a good prognosis, but she hasnt been over since July always going on hols etc., or having people to stay,shes better off than me, husband quite well off so she can afford it.  I however cant,living on my own with my state pension and a small company one so just must accept she more in her life than me, cant blame her for having holidays if she can afford them, wish i could.  But i dont think people always realise you need them when you are going through the trauma of treatment but you also need them when it stops, Another friend was always popping round, taking me for walks with her and her dog, which i sit for her when shes at work, But now she hasnt been round mine since he took me for rads treatment apart from dropping me off from another friends BBQ.I spose what it is as all my friends do have families and or partners etc. some work they will put themselves out to see you when you are going through traumas and treatments but when you seem to have recovered, they dont have the time,  Guess i must just be grateful they were there when needed,but i would like to see people now im well. Being on own so much you think too much sometimes, spose thats why im hounded to do vol work, but i just dont want to,if anything i need to do  something that pays me.My neighbour who is on her own, did vol work at the hospital for about 2 years, she got fed up because she was doing same work as paid people  and in winter she said getting up at crack of dawn for no money and a journey by public transport, got to her in end,  She left she has to have an operation soon so left , but noone she met there has bothered to contact her, so much for the meeting "new people and making friends" that my friends seem to think would happen, always thought that a bit optomistic personally.   i dont dwell on it coming back, no point is there, i didnt have to have chemo, my nodes were clear apart from first one but they took them all, margains clear too, and rads went fine, Im on tamoxifen with not too many side effects and i feel fine.  Ive even put on half a stone, not a problem for me, i was a bit too thin. So you just feel not much can do but just get on with life, and live in hopes.  Junex ... View more

Hi,   I did use aqueos cream during my rads, had no chemo, my oncologist said im so petite and slim he wouldnt risk giving it to me as it would make so little difference and to be honest it could because of my size do more harm than good.  Since rads finished ive used Aloe Vera, which i have found the hest, i use the organic lotion from Boots, I think i can remember the hospital telling me not to but i ran out of it this week and didnt use if for a day or so and my breast and under arm where nodes went started feeling sore, now backto using it feel fine again,so think that proves its good,.So my advice is use it.   I dont think i personally would fast, i only weight 7 stone anyway, i put on half a stone after my rads finished but it was a half stone i lost after my hysterectomy 7 years ago, and everyone says i look better for it, ok ive gone from an 6 to an 8 but for someone in 60s i dont think 8 is bad,lol So as i couldnt afford to lose any weight, fasting isnt something id do.Have read about the ,man you mention, he seemed genuine so maybe something in it.   June ... View more

Hi Jellie,   I was similar to you lumpdectomy, no chemo, and rads, but honestly i found them no real problem i am a pretty fit [person anyway, and althought over 60 have never felt it, I went on bus to my daytime ones but i do live in a city and there is a direct bus to hospital from very near my flat.,  I then went back to my friends and sat her dog as i always do,  She and other friends took me to evening appointments and they always seemed surprised i breezed in and out with no problems, Now nearly 3 moths after rads finished im fine, my arm still feels a little odd but i understand thats normal, I found the best cream to use was Aloe vera organic lotion from Boots. and i rub bio oil on my scar. On tamoxifen now do get hot flushes which can be a pain but just grateful didnt have to go through chemo,i can live with that.   Rads dont hurt, you are nornmally in and out in about 12 mins after the first one.Some peoples skin does blister, but mine was fine, and im very fair skinned i just made sure i creamed it lots.    Telling yiour parents, not sure what to suggest, Mine are both dead so didnt have that problem but when i had to have an emergency hysterectomy a few years ago my dad was still alive and in care, and i didnt tell him till all over, Hard to know what to do.   Any advice you need, everyone on here very helpful  and the helpline is great, they advised me very well,   June  ... View more

Hi girls,   This all seems a bit of trauma now to get onto the sight, you seem to have to trawl through loads of old stuff to get to up to date, Whyd do wsbites constantly have to keep being changed., If it aint broke don fix it.   Glad you had good break Dee, wondered where you were, You and i seem to be only ones finished our rads my oncology appointment is 4th Sept, i understand these are very brief, my hairdressers mum in law was in and out so quickly she wondered why they bothered and she had had chemo too. Everyone keeps saying my boobs look bigger, in fact i have bought some 32 d cup bras, Ive always for a petite slim woman had boobs, never been flat chested, but they definitely have increased,  Please no more, i do not want to be Dolly Partonlol.   Mael you seem to be sliding through those rads, I had over 20 so not as many as you but i found once half way through wemt much quicker.I had 2 bank hols in mine..   The tamoxifen isnt causing too many problems apart from the damm flushes, sometimes get them during day now. But on the bright side will save on heating bills this winterlol.   Night all sleep tight,not too much tossing and turning Mael,  i found like you during my treatment i tended to lay awake and go over things,  but once its over you tend to revert to normal, whatever normal is.   Junex ... View more

Hi Barry,   Can i just say my first node was suspicious so they took them all, same time as lumpdectomy and i thought yes take them,nowhere for the cancer to lurk. The surgeon mentioned chemo to me   But thankfully my others were all clear but didnt bother me they had gone, i just wanted any possibility of it lurking anywhere away. .  I was then borderline chemo, but as my margains were clear also, the oncologist said no chemo necessary, just rads and Tamoxifen, Finished the rads in June and been on tamoxifen for over 5 months, and feel fine.  Hope your wife is same.  June ... View more

Hi Mael ,   It was so funny, my friend came with me to my first appintment for rads i changed into little housecoat and trotted across the waiting room, thankfully the inner waiting room with only her, me and odd nurse or radioligist about as i heard her say "o nice knickers" i hadnt fastened it tightly enough and for some reason the nurse had told me to take my jeans off, i kept them on for all other appointmentslol. Junex ... View more

HI Sheena,   I took my own, i have a a little navy and white summer housecoast that could tie at back.,had that,  Im so tiny those bloody hospital gowns swamp me, they said could take own so i did,. June ... View more