Breast Cancer Now Forum

Woohoo, I can come out of hiding now! I just read the thread below and realised i'm not alone.    Two months on Letrozole. Wish the hair on my head was growing as fast. At this rate I will soon be able to style my snow white beard and sideburns into a comb over to hide my bald spots.    Anne ... View more

Hi Hazel,   i finished my chemo in November and had my last rad on 22nd Dec. But no herceptin for me.   Looking forward to meeting you.   Anne ... View more

Hi V,    ah! I think I know who you are now. The advantage of making a grand entrance. Lol. And your wig is lovely.    What a shame we are not on the same course. It would have been good to have a friendly face there and to catch up.    Good luck with your rads. I was fine with these and hope you are too. I had just a few minor side effects but the staff are lovely and help me sort it out with some cream.    Wish I could say the same for my hormone treatment. I'm on Letrozole and I don't think we are getting along at all. I seem to be developing carpal tunnel syndrome in my wrists and hands. Not 100% convinced that it's because of the pills but it's only started recently so difficult not to make the jump and link them. I'm seeing the Oncologist next week so will ask then.   Good luck with your rads. The time will fly past. And let me know how your course goes. We will need to compare note!    Anne. X   ... View more

Hi Vintage,    ive not posted much recently as I finished rads before Christmas and have been trying to get back to a semblance of normality or whatever the new normal is for me. So I do get what Blueash is saying about putting it behind you as quickly as possible.   But I had heard good things about this course too and thought I would give it a try. I'm booked on a course early Feb at Stobhill hospital. Wonder if it's the same one as you? I think we may actually have been on the same LookGoodFeelBetter course in Maggie's at Monklands. I think saw in a post a while ago that you had been there in November. Unless of course my chemo brain is mixing user names up... again!    Anne       ... View more

Hi Nick,    im so sorry that you and your wife find yourself here and pondering this dilemma. My own experience was very similar to your wife except I had a WLE ( lumpectomy) rather than a mastectomy.  And despite everything looking positive before surgery, I too had cancer in my sentinel node. Even the surgeon said she was shocked at this. At my first meeting with the Oncologist I was left with a number of questions to ponder including the decision to have chemo or not as in my particular circumstances this only offered a four percent benefit and once the potential side effects were considered the net benefit was potentially less.   Anyway long story short, I did opt for chemo which then left me with the choice of entering the Posnoc trial. Initially I agreed to enter the trial. But the decision weighed very heavily in my mind. And in my experience my oncologist gave me relevant factors and benefits and risks but would not give me a steer in either direction. So I thought about this on a daily basis. And after much deliberation I decided to withdraw from the trial and have radiotherapy to my axilla. As I had a lumpectomy I was scheduled for radiotherapy anyway, so it simply meant that I would receive treatment to an additional area. And my reason for this choice? It was purely psychological. I just needed to know that I had thrown everything I could at this for my own peace of mind. That way if I get further reoccurrence or spread I will know that there was nothing further I could have done. But this is very personal choice and each individual will be different. My husband was very supportive and fully understood my decision and while he hadn't said so previously finally admitted that he wanted me to take a belt and braces approach and do everything possible.   im now finished my chemo and start radiotherapy on Monday. Chemo wasn't easy but it is doable. And your support to your wife will really help her get through this and make a decision that is right for you as a family.    Good luck with whatever decision your wife makes about her treatment. I am sure that this will be right for you both.    Im sure others will be along soon to offer you their perspective. Hopefully you will find this site am jnvaluable source if support. I'd have been lost without it!    Anne     ... View more

Hi all,    my chemo brain fog is hindering my ability to work out if this is the correct thread-fingers crossed.   ive had my radiotherapy planning meeting and I'm all tattooed up and ready to start.    I was due to start on 30/11 so the November group felt a bit too late,    But they have now phoned me to bring my first treatment forward to the 28/11. I'm getting 15 sessions plus four boosters. So the majority of my radiotherapy will be in December. So not sure if qualifies me as a winter warmer! Hope so!    Anne ... View more

Hi Skye,    Just popping over from September starters.  Im on the single injection to stimulate bone marrow, courtesy of the NHS, and I dont have any side effects from this until I hit day 6. And then I find that I suffer from terrible bone pain from Day 6 until Day 8. I was told this was a normal timeline for the side effects of this particular drug/dose.   ive been taking Clarityn but this didn't really help. Advised last time to take co-codamol which didn't touch the pain and this time I've been prescribed something stronger. My BCN has said that it's not unusual for people to need morphine to cope with this pain.   Fortunately I've just had my final dose of chemo so only have to get through one more round of side effects.   i really hope that you are spared this side effect but just wanted to give you a heads up that it may catch up with you yet and if it does don't suffer in silence.   Good luck.   Anne         ... View more