Breast Cancer Now Forum

Oh dear. There seems to be lots of new treatments happening all the time. My oncologist recently said that cancer is becoming a long term condition rather than a life shortening one. Hope they find something that works for you and doesn’t have too many side effects. xx ... View more

Hugs. Is it secondary or a new one? ... View more

Hi Jo-Jo   I've had so many people now tell me that my short hair suits me that I'm going to stick with it. It's much easier to manage anyway. I get told I look well too - which I do compared to when I was on chemo - that I just say 'oh it's that make up' which is true. I can't be bothered with it most of the time but that's like I was before. I've just decided to be positive and look to the future.   best wishes and hugs cathy ... View more

Not sure about Letrozole. I had anastrozole which gave me 10 x diarrhoea daily instead of the usual 5 (had a right hemicolectomy for my Crohns years ago). The oncologist who has been doing the job for yonks said he didn't think it was a side effect of the drug but it settled down when I stopped taking it. I started on a different drug in the same class beginning eme.... and still need the biophosphonates. For anyone having to have these injections I told the consultant I felt like I had the flu for 2 days after this. He suggested the maximum dose of paracetamol the day before, day of, and day after the injection. I'm going to try this for my injection at the end of June. Will let you know how I get on.   good luck with hopefully diminishing side effects and feeling crummy 😀   Cathy  ... View more

Hi ladies,   I've found that the internal scarring  abused by radiotherapy has made me feel more pain than I did before and the physio really is necessary. I have a good range of movement but it's not without discomfort. So I reckon the physio is really important. I've also had physio appointments to work on the cording in my other arm as a result of the chemo and that's improving nicely. I thought I'd lost as many nails as I was going to and then another big toe nail came off just as I wanted to start wearing sandals. My hair is a bit like yours Dawn but I'm not sure it will be curly 👎🏻 . I was looking forward to that as a bonus. Now I'm back at work full time I am getting more tired and you can often find me in bed by 9pm. It used to be 11 or 12. Anyway, off to Pilates for those who've had breast surgery soon so will sign off for now. Best wishes to you all xx Cathy ... View more

I would have postponed the mammogram ... View more

Hi Lisad, Yes I had reconstruction. I was told that radiotherapy was likely to 'shrink' it a bit. I too have a bit of space in the bra but got a post surgery one from M&S which is a little padded and hides the gap. I may have some more plastic surgery at the end of the year to 'even up'. It is a bit painful still when doing physio but I don't notice it much otherwise.   hugs   cathy ... View more

Thanks for the prompt Aine.   Yesterday I finished the HOPE course run by MacMillan (Help Overcome Problems Effectively). It was a 6 week programme with all attendees having pretty much completed their treatment. One was still on Herceptin. It was BRILLIANT. We got to know so much about each other in those two and a half hour sessions and learned so much. We had to be grateful for something each week and had homework which has involved me completing an assignment that was due a couple of weeks after diagnosis and getting back to aqua classes.     I'm well into my phased return to work. Next week will be 7 hours a day (I started at 3 hours) and they have been good with me and not overwhelmed me with work. I found a free Pilates class for people who have had breast surgery and I'm really enjoying it. There is so much out there for people who have been in our situation.   My hair is still really short. However with the exception of my husband everyone thinks it really suits me and one manager even told me to think hard before growing it again. Given that my greatest trauma was worrying about it falling out, enduring the cold cap for three sessions before it was falling out in clumps and leaving bald patches, I'm  amazed that I quite like it too! My eye lashes and back and when I had a make over for my birthday last week the girl said they were really long and she was jealous. Of course leg hair is back too :(.    The anastrolzole is is giving me worse diarrhoea than usual  given my Crohn's disease and I'm still on daily Clexane injections cos of a blood clot caused by my first  PICC line. My follow up appt with the breast care nurse is next week. I've also got an appointment for physio to treat the cording on the first PICC line arm. The physio for radiotherapy continues to be a bit painful and seems sometimes to be getting worse rather than better. But it's all better than being on chemo. Anything is better than being on chemo.  The plastic surgeon want to 'tidy me up' and give me a nipple at the end of the year but I'm not sure I want to undergo surgery that will only be cosmetic. We'll see.    Overall life is is better after cancer. I appreciate the small things now and don't get distracted by the rubbish . Don't get me started on the election though.   sorry to go on so long. Best wishes to you all. Xxxxxxxx ... View more

Hi Vintage, I had an assessment with the Occupational Health advisor used by my employer and my manager went with what they suggested. It's been 10 months for me, so yes it's a bit scary going  back. Not sure I'll be able to fit it in!!  Take care Cathy x ... View more

Hi Dawn,   I've just been in for my return to work interview and will be starting on a phased return on 13th April. I will do 3 hours a day in the first week; 4 hours on the second week and so on. They've agreed that any side effects of ongoing treatment requiring time off won't be treated as sick leave (e.g. my zoledronate injections). It's rather daunting but I have to do it sometime. I do get really tired occasionally without warning, and upset (the same). I went in without my wig despite my hair regrow the bring minimal because for the last few days it's just been too hot!!! Several people said it suited me. I'm beginning to think so too despite the fact that losing my hair was my biggest concern when it happened.      Good luck to everyone still having treatment. ... View more

Hi. Ladies, I completed my radiotherapy today so that's my hospital based treatment pretty much done. YIPPEE 😀 🎉 . My nails are still falling off; my fingers and feet are numb and I have little head hair, (though I do have some lower eyelash 😀 and leg hair 😏 again); my breast is red and sore and my right arm is swollen from a blood clot ..... but apart from that ..... and being tired ..... I'm beginning to feel well / human again. I was diagnosed on 3rd May; had a mastectomy and reconstruction for a 115mm lobular, oestrogen receptive tumour on 30th June followed by aspiration and then further surgery to remedy infections; chemo from 25th August to 4th January and radiotherapy from 25th January till today. I just have 5 zoledronate injections left at 6 monthly intervals and hormone therapy (anastrozole) for 5 years. Oh and daily clexane injections till my PICC line induced blood clot dissolves. The plastic surgeon also has designs on my body for further minor surgery at the end of the year to 'even me up,' give me a nipple and tidy up my abdominal scar, but I think I'll just have a tattoo 😧 . They say my prognosis is over 80% that the cancer won't come back 😀 . I really can't fault any of the fantastic treatment I have received, nor the positive and caring attitude of the staff. I'm planning to return to work on 3rd April on a half time basis for the first few weeks till my concentration and stamina have built up. Thank you ever so much for your support. I certainly wouldn't have got through chemo without your support. Hope others are doing as well xx ... View more