Breast Cancer Now Forum

Debbie-You''re welcome.   Helena-Many thanks. All this sounds very reassuring. It's marvellous having someone who's been through this process already on board! Part of the 'anxiety' is caused by not knowing what to expect all in all. Gen have noticed small areas here and there feel mildly 'sore' every so often,  but it all appears to be only temporary, thankfully.   Fiona-Sorry to hear you're having this setback. Seroma plus infection? Can't have been nice having that fluid drained off. When was your surgery? I had mine on Sept 7th. Had a med size seroma around excision site area, which 'gradually 'dissipated' over time. At my follow-up appointment the surgeon advised massaging the area a few times a day, to enable the remaining fluid to be absorped. (I rem smirking at the time, when the thought of being seen by someone who was unaware of my surgery etc, crossed my mind Haha) It was one of the first things the rads onco checked at my pre-planning scan. Anyway, hope things are on the up for you and your rads go ahead as planned.   Take care,   Helzie x  ... View more

Debbie-my (yearly mammograms are on the anniversary of my diagnosis.   How you all doing, ladies? Just completed Day 9 today and although I found last week (first full one) very tiring, I've found I'm more in the swing of things this week and so far, not as tired. I might change my mind about that on Friday though, as last one I was well and truly whacked!! So rested a lot this weekend. I've little doubt the daily commute much further away adds to this. Most session more or less on time but yesterday and today were 40 minutes late, as needed to deal with some hospital patients. Don't mind too much for myself but thinking about the friends who've driven me there.   Breast a bit tender today (internal) but fingers crossed so far skin appears to be holding up well. Noticed occasional redness around areola but nothing else apart from that. Was wondering what to expect frtom not on as have a daily session this week and 3 more next week? Anything I should be mindful of or plan ahead for? Like everyone else can't wait for this treatment to be well and truly over!!   Best of luck to all of you,   Helzie x ... View more

Oddly enough, I met an older lady at the clinic today who told me she had her first WLE two years ago for DCIS, no lymph node involvement and no further treatment then. Recently she had to have surgery again for a recurrence in the same breast in a differnt location-again no lymph node involvement- but on this occasion rads (whole breast) were offered.    Given one of the reasons for rads is to mop up any stray cells that MAY have been left behind after surgery, I found myself wondering if the second DCIS could perhaps have been prevented, had she received rads on the first occaion.. Impossible to know for sure, but a distince possiblity nonetheless!     ... View more

Hi Ladies,   I. too, will be joining you all having started treatment yesterday-so two sessions already over! Had further (successful) surgery 3 weeks ago for re-excision of margins-originalWLE in Feb, followed a month later by chemo, which I completed in July. So not much breathing space between treatments! Rads are at a different hospital and unlike that for all other treatments, is 40 mins  away. Luckily I've got friends and family to help out with transport there and back as otherwise would be much more difficult.   Not much to comment on rads so far apart from feeling quite tired after first session yesterday, though I'd imagine a lot of that is due to the stress of new treatment experience etc Breast also felt 'warmer' last night! Apart from a bit of redness around the areola, not a lot else really. Surgeon did an excellent (cosmetic) job, so I hope rads don't alter shape, size etc.   I certainly hope the days fly by for us all and best of luck everyohe with your treatments!   Helzie x ... View more

Sue,   I can't comment on the brand of BFs as I have only had a Zoledronic acid infusion with my first chemo. The plan is to have one every 6 months for the next 3 years. I'm also on calcium/Vit D supplements since then. So far no SEs at all.   That level of pain you describe sounds horrific. I realise you'll be talking to the onco but  looking at the dosing regime, I"m wondering if a smaller daily dose might be better. 800mg sounds like an awful lot to me! Is there any particular reason it's prescribed like this?   Anyway, I hope you find a solution to this soon!   Helzie x ... View more

Hiya everyone! Hope you're all doing well. Here's an update of my situation, so we can conpare notes. I had my first session (EC+Zoladronic Acid infusion) on Monday, March 6th so a long session at the hospital since I also cold-capped throughtout.  Actually, I found this very tolerable despite my earlier concerns I wouldn't be able to manage it.  On the day the only thing I had a 'reaction' to was the steroid infusion which made me a bit dizzy and lose some focus in my eyes. Not surprising I guess given the immuno-suppressive doses we're given.  At any rate I was fine by hometime. I left with Dexamethasone, Domperidone, Emend and  Ondansetron for the next few days. I was definitely the youngest person there and sat beside an 83-year-old lady as we were sharing the Paxman.   Now I realise this is probably peculiar to me but I must have had a residual chest-infection (not surprising given all the bugs going around here this year) which became full-blown so on instruction fron the helpline had to go back into hospital on Tuesday night, where they kept me overnight for observation. ( I'd noticed I was wheezing more than normall on the Monday night which got worse on the Tue)   My neutrophils were up so I had IV ABs and was dischaitrged next day with yet more ABs, feeling exhausted at this point. Apart from feelng wired to a different planet from the steroids and the accompanying huge appeteite, i had no nausea whatsoever. Apart from feeling extremely tired so I slept an enormous amount during that first week and a bit of metal mouth now and again, that was it really ! Certainly no loss of taste, in my case everything actually tasted better for some reaason! Oh and Eliza I, too experienced that flushing on and off for the first two days so you're not alone there!  I figured it must have been a med reaction of some sort since our livers have been subjected to an avalanche of super strong drugs all of a sudden!  I'm certainly someone who has taken v little medicaion all my life! The only other thing i noticed is that the scar tissue in my breast (WLE) at first receded and then became more enlarged and tender-all settled down at this point.   This week I fele almost completely back to normal. i know I was battlng a chest-infection but last week was a bit of a write-off and all I wanted to do was sleep but I guess it paid off in terms of my recovery this week. I guess at this point we now know what to expect from the experience. I have to go back on Friday again for my assessment/bloods etc. I guess they'll be extra cautious in view of my first session etc.   Oh and although I don't wish to tempt fate I still have my hair!!! *Touches wood* I have to say I was v gentle with it all week.   I would be great to hear your updates ladies. Hope you're all doing well   Take care,   Helzie x     ... View more

Hi everyone and welcome all our new ladies!   Moonstruck, glad to hear your first session went better than expected as booked in for my first one tomorrow. I'm also having a Zoledronic Acid infusion as well, so anticipate a long day.Gosh, I feel tired already, thinking about it!! Although I had my pre-assessment with doctor on Wed had to go back on Fri for my echo (admin messed up app time) then a quick dash off to see the dentist. At least I had this weekend to relax a bit.   Rebecca-your regime is identical to mine (EC + Taxol)  Are you ER+ as well with lymph node involvement?   I'll pop back and let you know how I get on.   The very best of luck to everyone!   Take care,   Helzie     ... View more

I am being given my first Zoledronic acid infusion next Monday and thereafter will have one every 6 months for the next 3 years. I  fall within the six months limit.   I  read about the study  some time ago and as far as I remember, since the research was only carried out on women who had been diagnosed within this time frame,,  they can only report the findings in terms of what they learned about this exclusive sample group. So essentially   they don't know the potential benefit to women who had been given them at a later date since they fell outside tihis category. It follows  it doesn't necessarily mean they won't be of benefit to other women with BC , it's simply a case of not having any data  on them.   I came across another article on Bs recently where it stated they were only available to BC women in 1/4 of the hospital trusts, which in the light of the study is very alarming. ... View more

Hi Snail-I've no direct experience of this (not had chemo) and can only answer as a layperson.  Since I don't know how often  your chemo is, I'm not clear when exactly your CT was. It sounds as if it was OK, otherwise they'd have informed you. Did the onco give any indication at all what the lump might be?  Frankly, I would have grave doubts a surgeon would miss a lump in such close proximity to the original one-out of interest how were your margins?  Furthermore it would be extremely unlikely, if not impossible for a mass to grow while you were on chemo-an agent which is designed to destroy it!   My own hunch here is that it's scar tissue or an area of inflammation which may or may not have been caused/exascerbated by the chemo. If the US takes 3 weeks it doesn't sound as if they're too concerned about it, otherwise they'd have asked for an urgent one!  I'd speak to your team again and explain your concerns and how worried you are. Good luck with it all!   Helzie     ... View more

I had exactly the same experience as you Mooney-the sensation I had wet myself was quite realistic indeed! However, they had warned me about this in advance thankfully. Otherwise, I'd have been mortified! LOL ... View more

Glad to know it went well, Raitchr. Actually when you think of it the 'positioning' is hilarious. I didn''t bother with the music and can only say it sounded like I was in Aleppo or Afghanistan in the midst of artillery fire LOL. It really is quite loud but I knew what to expect anyway. Be prepared thought they might wish to call you back for another US because sometimes the MRI flags up something, they'd like to US as well. This happened to me but radiologist couldn't find the 'speck' she'd seen on MRI. ... View more