Breast Cancer Care Forum

Hi Joemic   I also had 15 sessions with 2 reviews, one with a nurse and one with an oncologist. I don't want to alarm you but the worst bit for me regarding skin care was when the treatment was actually over. I used E45 cream 3 times a day during the treatment and all was fine until about my 12th session when the skin around the fold of my breast began to redden. I was recommended Hydrocortisone 1% cream when it became sore, but the radiographer warned it would probably get worse and said I could get special cream from the GP if the skin broke. In the days after my last session the skin blistered and became moist. I have fairly large breasts and apparently things are made worse by the friction. It did heal up OK but for a few days it was difficult to find a comfortable bra which did not rub the skin. I tried putting cotton wool over the area, but it stuck to the skin. So I resorted to wedging a folded up piece of kitchen towel under my breast, which seemed to work and soaked up the moisture. Apart from that the radiotherapy was fine. I never had the fatigue I had been warned about. I made a point of keeping myself active. Best of luck with your treatment. ... View more

I had my surgery on 20 May, and started radiotherapy on 1 August. I gathered this was a normal sort of timetable and was actually glad to have a break from treatment to enable me to get away on holiday etc. ... View more

Hello Astra Is there a pharmacy anywhere near you open today? A pharmacist would give you advice on what painkillers you could use along with the Fluctoxacillin. ... View more

Hi Astra Glad to hear you are doing OK. The wound issue is a bit difficult to decide on, but if you are at all worried it may be better to go to the Walk In centre. They can either reassure you that it is nothing to cause concern or recommend a course of action. I did not have a separate wound under the arm, as my lump was at the top of my breast and they were able to remove the lymph nodes from the same incision. Good news that cancer had not spread to lymph nodes. You now just have to wait for your pathology report to see how clear the margins are. Best wishes. ... View more

Hello again Astra I removed my dressing on the 6th day. I was told to keep it dry until then so had to be careful bathing. I was dreading looking at the wound site, but it was a lot less inflamed than I expected - just red, very slightly puffy and not much bruising. I then had my check up at the breast clinic 5 days after that and the wound was healing well. Now all that is visible is a red line. I was given paracetamol to bring home but only took them for the first day. I don't know if I am tough or just lucky, but I never had any pain to speak of. Don't worry about your blood glucose levels. They will monitor everything during the op. My husband (Type 2) had a kidney transplant just over two years ago. This was a longer operation and he was fine. The anaesthetist makes sure everything is under control. From my own experience, you should be fine on your own. I didn't need any help with anything after my op. I was able to just get on with my usual routine. ... View more

Your diagnosis sounds very similar to mine, and we are the same age. I had my surgery in May, and my only problem was feeling sick after the general anaesthetic. You are bound to be anxious in advance, but once you get there the hospital routine takes over and I’m sure you’ll be well looked after. I was told before I was discharged that my lymph nodes were clear. I recovered really quickly with very little bruising. At the follow up appointment the surgeon was pleased with the outcome and was fairly confident all the cancerous cells had been removed. My pathology report was good with clear margins. However, he still recommended a course of 15 sessions of radiotherapy as a precaution. This seems to be automatic after breast surgery in Sheffield, but may differ at other hospitals. It does seem a wise course of action, so please don’t worry about facing this. It is better to be safe. Do make sure that the hospital staff looking after you while you wait for your op know that you have diabetes. From past experience with my husband, who has Type 2, people with diabetes get priority if there is any delay. Don’t forget to take any medication you may need with you. I presume you’ve checked with the medical people that it’s OK to take arnica. Even herbal remedies can interact with other medication. As for the radiotherapy, it is by no means unpleasant. I’ve only 3 more sessions to go and the only side effect is a reddening of the skin in the fold below my breast. I’m lucky in that the hospital is only a 20 minute bus ride for me, but I’ve been taking crossword puzzles to do on the bus and in the waiting area. Best wishes for Wednesday. ... View more

I've now had 12 out of my 15 sessions of radiotherapy, and no sign of any tiredness. I have always been an active person and have been going on walks every day throughout the treatment, including a 5 hour walk yesterday. ... View more

I quite like the radiotherapy being "business like", rather than being fussed over and treated like some sort of delicate creature. It is a straightforward procedure so there's no need for any undue fuss. And I don't mind who does it, or if it's different people each day as long as they are good at their job. I've had 11 sessions so far, with 4 more to go and have suffered no problems at all apart from a slight reddening of my skin. The tattoos are practically invisible. ... View more

The bell ringing is a practice imported from America, where everyone has to be flashy. There was a good debate about it on the Jeremy Vine show on Radio 2 a couple of weeks ago with quite a few people saying they found it upsetting as they knew they would never be "cured".  In my own case my last session of radiotherapy next Wednesday will be the end of my treatment, apart from taking tablets for the next 5 years. The radiotherapy has been mainly precautionary as the surgeon was pretty sure that all of the cancer had been successfully removed. However I won't be ringing the bell. ... View more

My tip is to keep as active as you can, both prior to the op and as soon as you feel able afterwards. The fitter you are the more able your body is to recover quickly. I did lots of walking in the week before my surgery, but do whatever suits you according to your own level of health and general fitness. I was more or less back to normal the day after surgery (which was in May) and did not have any problems with arm movement. I am now going through radiotherapy and again trying to keep really active. It seems to be working as I have not suffered from fatigue or any other side effects. (Just for background, I am 66 with no other medical problems) ... View more

Hello I have mentioned this in another post, but I think it's the word "cancer" that makes you so panic stricken. If they could describe it in a different way it would not seem anywhere near as terrifying. I am not usually the worrying type, but I did panic when I had a similar diagnosis of a 2 cm. lump. In the end, everything was so straightforward  - routine day surgery to remove the lump, now waiting for 15 sessions of radiotherapy and that should be the end of it. Perhaps I have been extra lucky as there was no sign of any further spread. ... View more

I think it's the word "cancer" that strikes fear. I am usually optimistic and do not panic easily, but when I was given my diagnosis I imagined the worst. Two years ago I donated a kidney to my husband and then the prospect of surgery was not at all daunting, but I felt nervous prior to my lumpectomy. However, all went well, with clear margins and now it's just a matter of 15 sessions of radiotherapy and taking tablets. Looking back I don't know why I was so affected by the diagnosis. It sounds an odd thing to say, but I think I was a bit too overwhelmed with support. At every stage I was contacted by a breast care nurse asking how I felt and checking what concerns I had. It was all wonderful service, but it made me think that there must be cause to worry. We always hear in the news about people dying after "a battle with cancer", so it's not surprising that being diagnosed causes shock and panic. Whilst not denying that it can result in devastating consequences for some people, there must be a way to lessen the worry for those who can be treated successfully.   ... View more

Just to add to the reassurance. I am 66 and had my lumpectomy 3 weeks ago. It was all very straightforward. I felt a bit sick after the anaesthetic but soon got over it. I was back to normal the next day, and able to walk the dog, get the bus to go shopping etc. I was driving again after a few days. ... View more