Breast Cancer Now Forum

  Hello everyone,   Last one today 😊  done.   Apart from feeling very tired,red and sore under my armpit all done just have to start the dreaded tamoxifen (I'm thinking Monday )   Hope everyone else is managing ok and the side effects subside.   Going for a little nap now ( I know how to celebrate ) 💤 😘   Big hugs Jo x ... View more

  Hi Swampy,   🏁 🎉 💐 Well done on completing your treatment 🍾 🍾 🍾 🎉 Sooo pleased for you, how are you feeling as I know you still have the next few weeks to get through but hope that not having to attended hospital every day must be a relief 😀   Big hugs Jo x     ... View more

Good luck today Mary not that your need it    big hug Jo x ... View more

  Just popped on to say good luck today mrsorangecat, hope the machines don't play up today  x 😘 Jo ... View more

  Hi mrsorangecat and everyone,   Well number 4 done and dusted only an hour behind  today, I think the machines are a bit temperamental.   How was your holiday ? ☀️ Your braver than me I've put off starting my tamoxifen until after the rads, you'll have to let me know how you get on (fingers crossed all will go smoothly) 😀   Any how got to get on with making dinner,  Hope everyone's well  Big hugs Jo x  ... View more

  Hi everyone,   Just abit of an update had my first session on Wednesday, I didn't post as I was delayed by 2 hours and by the time I got home and had dinner I was too exhausted.  The Thursday appointment was behind also as the machine broke down but finally on Friday I arrived and went in straight away (which was nice) 😀   I have have also bought E45 intense lotion ( which hasn't got any coconut in must of got mixed up before when I was looking at Soooo many creams to try and find one due to my allergies ) and may start using this instead as the Nivea lotion that I'm using at the mo and keep the the Aloe Vera gel that I've got chilling in the fridge for the hotter days.   Hows everyone else doing?  Big hugs Jo x ... View more

  Thanks Helena I will take my cream with me tomorrow and put the Aloe Vera in the fridge (wish it was champagne ) chilling for later 😊   Jo x ... View more

Hi Swampy,   sorry to to hear about the scar playing up, are they they going to do anything ? 😱 Half way through, how have you found it ?   Jo x   ... View more

  Hi Helena,     Thanks for the advice, I'm having 15 sessions  did you moisturise straight away as it will take me over an hour to get home ?   jo x ... View more

  Hi everyone,     Hi OldDawn63 nice to hear your doing well, I start my rads tomorrow and feel alittle nervous, I'm also delaying starting my hormone treatment (tamoxifen ) until after I've finished my rads the oncologist said it would be fine. Hope you have a lovely holiday (any where nice ?)  I'll be thinking of you while I'm on the rads sunbed trying to convince myself that I'm somewhere nice and sunny ☀️ 🍦 🕶 .   Hope everyone else is well and it's nice that you Kimjane have joined us big hugs Jo  ... View more

Hi everyone,   Glad to hear everyone's doing well, can I ask a question do you put the cream on straight away at hospital after rads or when you get home???   big hugs jo ... View more

Hi everyone,   Hi mrsorangecat, Tenerife lucky you, hope you have a lovely time 🕶 ☀️ 🍾 .   Still feeling a bit wiped out from the chemo so will have to put my holiday plans on hold for now. 💤 Hi maryminder congratulations 🏁 for getting through chemo hopefully rads won't be as bad 😀   Big hugs Jo x ... View more

Hi mrsorangecat,   Thanks for starting the March thread off. I joined the Feb one when I got my planning app through but won't be starting rads until the 1 of March, so I think this thread will suit me better. Ive also had my tattoos 😳 They didn't hurt more of a scratch . 😀   Have you got your dates through yet? Im having 15 in total  Hope you are well and look forward to comparing notes (and possibly a few laughs, hope this turns out to be an easier ride than chemo )   Big hugs Jo x ... View more

Hi Lisad,   Hope that the rads go well for you, are you using the Aloe gel on its own ? No other cream ? as I'm allergic to other creams that have been suggested this might be an alternative. 😊   Big hugs Jo x ... View more

Hi Truey,   I had my planning meeting last week but it didn't go as smoothly as yours seemed to.     I thought that they would explain about the RT ect as all that was said prior to the appointment was that you will go a bit pink maybe feel tired and might have to do a special breathing technique as my mx was on my left side.  Apparently I should have been informed about all the SEs and signed the consent form ,none of this happened and they weren't very happy and didn't want to go ahead with the CT scan and the tattoos, they showed me the se on the pink form but couldn't talk to me about them as that's the oncologist job and he wasn't in today. So they could make another appointment for the next week but I had already built myself up for the tattoos and didn't want it put back yet another week.  So went ahead   (I still haven't signed the form ) even though I have rang the oncologist and left two messages, I did get my list of dates before I left that day and I start on the 1of March when do you start yours?    And did they give you any advice on creams and when to apply them ? as I was told to use e-45 cream which I can't as I'm allergic to coconut ect It turns out I don't need to do the DIBH although I managed to keep the bar in the correct place.(I'm having 15 session too) sorry it turned into a it of a rant   big hugs Jo xx   ... View more

Hi Auntyjulie,     Yes, paraben,sls free and I didn't even know about mineral oil ?  Im finding it really hard as I have allergies to coconut (which seems to be in most skin care products even E-45 cream) and wheat and barley oats ect so tive found that quite hard I  have been using Nivea almond lotion but have a feeling that this won't be moisturising enough for rads 😬 ... View more

Qui everyone,   Well done Sue 12 🏁 🏁 🍾 🎉 on your last chemo, and sorry to hear that you've been in hospital and having such a rough time of it Angie I hope things will improve for you soon, sending you a big hug 😘 .   I had my planning for RT on Wednesday, where I had my CT scan and tattoos (which by the way don't hurt it just felt like a little scratch).   They also showed me a breathing technique (as my mx is on the left side) but after the scan they said I wouldn't need to to do it as my heart was out of the way. I will be starting on the 1 of March for three weeks.   Hi Gracie I also feel the same about what to eat and what products to use on your skin ect a little anxiety provoking, I wish there was some well researched information on this as all I have come across so far is conflicting opinions and with more food scares coming out all the time what's left to eat.  Your not alone, I to have struggled after chemo with emotions and still are.   sending you a big hug 💕   Love Jo x ... View more

Hello everyone,   First of all Well Done 🍾 🎉 Optimissy64 it's soooo nice to hear that you completed your rads and didn't have too many SE. It gives me some hope and confidence that maybe things won't be that bad after all.   I would like to thank Patriciamay,Ann-m,Ladybowler and Kimjane also for there kind response the other day when I was feeling quite down and anxious, I think it was just a bit of a shock as the oncologist suggested it would be a walk in the park ( I don't know what park he goes to ) any how Thank You 😘 Jo x ... View more

Hi Everyone,   I have just had the first planning meeting about my forthcoming Radiotherapy and I am now feeling quite depressed.   At the consultation with my Oncologist last week, he said that because it was too risky to carry on with the Chemotherapy (due to Peripheral Neuropathy), he would set the ball rolling for the Radiotherapy. He said that it would be like a walk in the park compared to the Chemotherapy and briefly mentioned that I may have some burning feeling in the area as well as feeling tired for a while but nothing else.   When I saw the Radiologist today, she explained a bit about the procedure and then said that it was on my notes that it had been explained to me about the side effects - both the short term and permanent ones! None of the permanent stuff had been talked about before and I was quite shocked to know that there may be permanent ones!   The radiologist was not in a position to tell me about them and said that it should be explained by the Oncologist. She did let me see the pink 'Consent' form that she wanted me to sign though and that listed them - Lymphadema, Radiotherapy Induced Cancer, Scarred Lungs and Heart Trouble were some of them.   As the Oncologist wasn't in until next Monday, the Radiologist offered to defer the meeting until next week so that I could have a consultation with him but I have been so anxious about today and to have it deferred another week would have been too much as I had been building up for today - what else would the Oncologist say anyway apart from what I saw on the pink consent form!   I need to have the Radiotherapy and therefore have to sign the form in the end but it worries me about the permanent side effects and if they are really anything to be concerned about in the first place or whether they are just listed as a matter of principle.   It has been left at the moment that I have now had the CT scan and the three Tattos and I have been given a set of dates for the 15 days of Radiotherapy starting on 1st March, but I still haven't actually signed the consent form - whether they forgot to follow it up and ask me after the scan, or that they want me to sign it at a pre-radiotherapy meeting in a couple of weeks.   I am feeling (yet again) that I had been rushed by the Oncologist without everything being explained properly. My last consultation was more about why he thought it best to stop the Chemo and the Radiotherapy part was just a little informal chat at the end.   Can someone give me a bit of consoling support about the permanent side effects and whether they are something to be worried about?   Jo xx ... View more

Hi everyone,   Hi swampy I'm from October chemo starters too.  I've got my planning appointment tomorrow and was wondering what was going to happen, so I take it I'll be tattooed also ( how do they know where to put the dots ??) .  Ive also been told that I will have to learn some sort of breathing technique as mx was on my left side.     Only had my picc line out yesterday they don't give you much time to rest before the next challenged ( feel like I've been booked on some sort of Bear Grylls six months intense indruance S.A.S training Scheme instead of a week on the Norfolk Broads with hubby and Labrador 🚣) well just hope that this part is a smoother ride for us all.   Big hugs Jo x ... View more