Breast Cancer Now Forum

Just popped on to see if anyone had been on, congratulations you look amazing ❤️ ... View more

I went on holiday to lanzarote after all my treatments.  I wore lots of hats and lose clothing.  A padded swimsuit and just went for the bald look in the pool, well very short chemo regrowth.  Holiday is just the thing we all need after our journeys.  Hope you have a lovely relaxing time.   Oh and don't forget the sunscreen. I used factor 50 on the radiotherapy area and 30 elsewhere.  Xx ... View more

Hi ladies, the caffeine shampoo I've been using is called Alpecin which I bought in Boots, expensive but you only need to use the tiniest amount so will last for ages.  I went swimming with a friend yesterday and she was convinced she could see my hair growing in the pool 😆 😆 .     Annie, I tie both my wigs back in a loose ponytail so that it doesn't pull the sides of the wig  Not sure why they came out sideways  xx ... View more

Oh Ladies, loving the hair photos, it's so nice to have things returning, though now need a bikini wax prior to my holiday, (that's just not fair).   I had my last chemo on the 22nd February and like you Sue, was completely bald.  I've been using caffeine shampoo so not sure if that has helped or whether this would have been normal growth.  It stated coming back very white but the colour has appeared in the last week or so.     Thank you for the lovely comments on my baby pics, he's my stepson's, OH is a bit older than me, haha, so my theory is that I'm not old enough to be a nanny.  We're obviously very young grandparents though as the girl in Mothercare asked if we want to join their membership, ha ha.  We left there feeling good.     Xx ... View more

Hi Kaspar,   I had my last rads on the 25th April so now 3 weeks (wow that's gone quick!) post rads, my skin stayed slightly hot and red but no breakdown.  I'm still moisturising every day, mostly with Doublebase gel or normal moisturiser.   I wasn't tired through the treatment, but it did hit me a week later, I think it's the not traveling to the hospital everyday, as this gave a focus to the day, and not sleeping at night due to hot flushes.  Starting to feel better now.  I started swimming again last week so I think this has helped to boost my energy levels.     Did you have chemo?  I spoke to my consultant about aches and pains and he said this is beaches the chemo is still going through and the radiotherapy slowed down the recovery from that.  Oh the joys of this treatment.     Hope your side effects are minimal.     Jo xx ... View more

Hi Meri, sorry to hear you are having problems.  Hope the antibiotics sort it out.  I had a lot of swelling post op and through my chemo, but thankfully settled down before radiotherapy.  I've now completed my treatments but still moisturising every day.  I've used Doublebase gel from my GP which helps to cool the skin.   Hugs Jo x ... View more

Humour has certainly helped me through this process and here's one I sent my friends to make them chuckle  ... View more

We were blessed with a grandson on Friday, now the race is on to see who can grow hair the fastest, I think he's winning so far.   ❤️ ... View more

Snail love the hair.   ... View more

Hi Ladies,   Well I'm now one week post last treatment.  Skin is still pink but holding up, the nipple is still sore especially around my scar which is still rather deep.  The rash has faded but still there, so treating with moisturiser and hydrocortisone when itchy.   I still have some swelling in the breast.   At the start of treatment the Radiotherapy Consultant referred me to the lymphodema nurses as I had swelling in the breast and cording in my arm.  I saw the lymphodema team yesterday, the nurse wants to tape my breast but we have to wait for the side effects of the radiotherapy to go first.  I mentioned that I'd booked a holiday in a couple of weeks, apparently that's very good for recovery, but not so good for lymphodema!  So now I have to wear a sleeve and glove for the flight and whilst away. 😳 But on a positive, swimming acts the same as a compression sleeve so I will need to spend most of my holiday in the pool.   If I carry on with my exercises everyday (I think forevermore) I should be able to control any further swelling with a glove and the massage.  Hoping the taping will smooth out the breast.   Has anyone else been left with a odd shape boob with their op?  I was warned that the radiotherapy would make it worse.   Hope everyone is doing ok, keep moisturising and keep those arms moving.   Nearly there now.     Dawn hope you have a lovely break and you get your occ health appointments sorted for when you are back.     Hugs to all xxx Jo  ... View more

Marie Else, I too had swollen ankles for weeks, I didn't know it was a side effect, thanks for that. I'm please to say though that over this last week or so I have ankles 😀 I can actually see the shape of them again. I had my last chemo at the end of February, but when I saw my consultant on Monday he said that the radiotherapy can prolong the effects of chemo, due to the body coping with the new treatments. The swelling will reduce, keep your feet elevated when resting but it is important to keep mobile too. I also found massaging my feet helped, which I had to do because of the dry skin. Hope you start to feel better soon. Xx ... View more

Forgot to mention skin.  Mine is pinkish, well definitely darker than the other one.  The scar in my armpit is the worse and needs lots of cream, and the nipple is quite sore now too.  I've been using Doublebase gel prescribed by my GP, I used to use it for eczema.  Which has worked fine up until the last few days.  I now have a rash over my chest, just above my cleavage, which the radiographer said was not them as goes top of both breasts!  So now I'm trying aqueous cream to see if that helps.   Oddly my team never mentioned creams, just to use anything non-scented.   Xx Jo  ... View more

Morning Ladies,   Thank you for all you kind remarks on finishing treatments, yay 7 months and finally there, just going to take it easy for the next few weeks before returning to work.  Hence the holiday.  Insurance wasn't too bad, I got a few quotes through "AllClear" but then have going through the PostOffice which a friend whose husband is terminal used.  I was expecting it to be very expensive but it wasn't.  The holiday is both a celebration of finishing active treatment, and payback as we were going to go last October but I was diagnosed in September and has been on hold.     Corrina, sorry to hear how you are feeling.  I went to the support groups at my local hospital and found them very useful, it just nice to be with other women who know exactly how you feel.  Just like on here but with real hugs.  I've also been very lucky with my friends and colleagues who have been very supportive.  This is a very long journey we have had plunged upon us, where the world seems a very distance place.  I've always said that those Macmillan adverts sums this journey up, with the patient stood in their gown in an empty world.  Sending you 🤗 hugs. Xx    Jaynes, last one today 🔔 Hope you get out to celebrate xx   Lynda and Alieck,  hope the first one goes ok, it gets easier with each one xx   OldDawn,  have a lovely break in Cornwall.  If you fancy stopping off in Exeter give me a shout.  Xx   Pippa, enjoy your holiday. Xx   Snail, how's it going? Xx    lots of love to anyone I've forgotten xxx ... View more

Evening Ladies, hope everyone is ok.   Had my last treatment this afternoon, feels strange to be finished, handed my gown back in and said goodbye to the team 😢 Who have all been lovely.   In celebration I've just booked a holiday to Lanzarote in a 3 weeks!! A nice relaxing one in the warm, which seems fitting as it snowed whilst booking it.     Sending hugs to you all, th end is in sight.    Xx ... View more

Morning Ladies,   Just checking in to see how you are all doing.   Energy levels are picking up again now, and I seem to be waking up earlier each day, on chemo I didn't really sleep until OH went to work at 6am then I'd sleep through til about 10!! I even managed a baking session yesterday and sending out Easter cupcakes and some for a special birthday.     My thumbnail fell off yesterday 😳 , I thought a couple of the fingernails would have gone last week, as I had an infection under two of them and had to have antibiotics, but I've kept them very very short, so may have saved them.  (I hope).     My my hair is growing and thickening, however it's very white at the moment so it's not really visible from any distance.  My shadow looks like it has more hair than me 😆 .  No eyelashes or eyebrows yet though.     Chemo brain still keeps kicking in occasionally, like now as I've completely forgotten what I was going to say 😳 .     Hope you are all coping with your next step, operations, radiotherapy.     I've had 12 of my 20 sessions of rads and so far ok, skin a little pink and scars slightly sore.     Hugs to all of you 🤗 🤗   xxx Jo  ... View more

Morning Ladies,  Hope everyone is doing ok.   Dawn is it the last one today?   I popped into Sainsbury's on the way home yesterday and managed to buy some seamless bra tops (croptops) they had 25% off too so only cost £4.50 each.  Lovely n soft for after treatment and fit my slightly larger boobies (allbeit diffent sizes).  All other tops I've tried flatten me 😆 .  Just in case you were looking around for anything.   Xxx   ... View more

Hi Kezzar,   Don't worry about feeling teary, that's all part of this process.  Oddly I felt fine when i stated my chemotherapy, but like you the rads for some reason made me upset, I broke down and cried in the initial consultation with the Radiology Consultant.  I think that realisation hit me about what I had had, and how severe the cancer was.  I also had a cry during my second cycle of the radiotherapy, which just ran down my cheek as wasn't able to move during the treatment.  I blamed my watering eyes 😳 .   This is actually a lot easier compared to the operation.  I've now had 12 sessions and apart from a slight pinkness and a odd sensation in my scars, I'm not doing to bad.  I moisturise regularly and drink plenty.   Listen to your body and rest when you need to.   We are all her to support you through this.   Xx Jo  ... View more

Evening Ladies,  Just had my 10th session so halfway through now.  Skin is doing ok, I moisturise when I'm zapped, I've always had sensitive skin so apparently all my moisturisers are ok, at the moment it's doublebase gel.   Hope you all managed to get out and about this weekend and enjoy the weather.     Snail hope the first session goes ok, the firsts one takes much longer as they will take x-rays to make sure everything is set up in the right position.  One my first one the machine had a technical issue so was a little longer than planned.     Dawn, only 3 to go and it will be time for those bells 🔔 .     Hugs to all xxx ... View more