Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hello everyone First of all @Teagold all the very best on Friday. Like @Kaz11 found surgery was a walk in the park compared to chemo and rads. I was in and out the same day for a MX and ANC! It was January! I will keep everything crossed for a brilliant outcome for you after all you've been through. Loving your eyebrow experience @Kaz11 I can't believe my 'not really existent before chemo' ones are coming back darkish and they can be seen with no make-up on them. I do use a bit of coloured mousse on my hair (found a way to tone down the white/grey without colouring my skin). Here's me on Saturday - I took 7 of my Angela's Angels out to thank them for being amazing support. Couldn't call it a thank you as they refused to be thanked. Excuse the big grin - photo cropped from a selfie with 2 others. I had/we all had a fab time. I even braved the local pub (I didn't drink - still off it til tomorrow) and saw friends' husbands for the first time since last summer. They were lovely - one was quite teary eyed claimong he couldn't believe how "amazing you look" and how lovely it was to see me and all that malarkey. They'd had a lot to drink while the girls were eating!  Even the local village idiots didn't say anything or look (obviously) twice. I had been dreading seeing acquaintances or friends who don't know. Love and hugs. 🤗 AnGELa x ... View more

Hello everyone, Touch wood, the sickness is gradually getting better. Please let it be rads.  🙏  The extreme tiredness is on the wane too.  I had my haircut on Monday - stop it at the back - to give some shape over my ears and into my nape. Today I let Mr Hermes do a collection when I was wigless and hatless - not a bat of an eyelid. A nosy neighbour went by at the same time - nothing.  So I got my big girl pants on and went to Aldi with nothing on my head. Not a tiny glance. Head was rather cold by the fridges!!! It was very liberating. I was grinning like mad behind my mask. Interesting to see all bar 1 customer had their masks on. The one that didn't? Younger woman with hair extensions, full face of make-up with 6" false eyelashes and the biggest trout pout I've seen outside of a magazine or TV. Why didn't that surprise me? Hope everyone is well and continues to recover from your treatment and side effects. Love and hugs  🤗 AnGELa x ... View more

Hey @Teagold  - totally understandable that everything is catching up with you. I suspect it does with all of us, if it hasn't already. So rant, rage, cry, dance do whatever you need to do. And as for getting fixated we do, it's things we can hold onto in the roller coaster of treatment and appointments. @CrazyCatLady  Hello to you and your new twins! Glad to hear that you are doing well. @Kaz11  Glad to hear you are on the Moving On Course so quickly. I've found out I won't be invited to mine for a while as the post treatment onc appointment triggers it where I am - that appointment will not be for 6-8 weeks. 😲 Not long back from my last rads. Was more emotional yesterday than today. All I can think about today is I blooming well did this. We all did! I am a tad scared as the comfort blanket of my amazing medical team is being packed away. I know they are still there for me - I just won’t see them or speak to them for a while instead of several times a week. I worked it out - I had 43 appointments since I called my GP! I'm feeling more nauseous than ever I did on chemo. TBH I've been sick a couple of times and could heave a lot of the time. So my BCN checked with my onc and I've stopped the biphosphonates for 4 weeks as it could be them. Though they think it's the rads. Least we'll find out one way or the other over the next few weeks. So now it's seeing whatever physically my post-treatment best will be and let my head get to grips with everything that’s happened – I’ve not really had time to digest it with the merry-go-round of appointments. Have a lovely weekend ladies. Enjoy the weather - remember your factor 50 if you've been told to use it! Love and hugs  🤗 AnGELa x   ... View more

Ah, my rather lengthy update has disappeared. In summary 5 rads left All rather impersonal Quite often there are (lengthy) delays - though one particularly radiographer does try to get me in on another machine if she can Skin holding up, though my scar's sore so I'm back to using my heart pillow in bed Not helped having to wear mastectomy/sport bras as underwired not recommended during treatment. I go without when I'm at home. Skin feels hot and tight I HAVE THE TEENIEST, TINIEST, COLOURLESS EYEBROWS that I pop some powder on for colour so I no longer look like an alien I have a 2 o'clock (as against 5 as it's barely visible) shadow of dark hair growing amongst the white/grey front part of my head I'm having a little trim on 19 July to even my hair up and coax it to grow more One of my tablets (probably bone ones) make me feel queasier than I ever did on chemo. I could 🤮 if I think about it No hormone sfx... yet 🤞 I've worked out I can afford to retire - decided Friday and aiming for October next year to get my head round it and max. my pot. This year has taught me it's not worth flogging myself no matter how much I love my job/team Sorry to hear your last Pax was rotten @Leftygurl and @Teagold I hope your daughter's back on both feet soon. Love and hugs to everyone. 🤗 AnGELa x ... View more

Oh @TG how very sorry I am to hear about your son. I can't imagine for one second how awful that must've been. And I'm so with you on not making others feel uncomfortable. I went with how my hubby and I got together. A few people pinged me to say they were surprised I didn't go with my BC story. It was part 3 of a 3 part (verbal) presentation course and we had 1 minute today to bring the story to life. Then we gave each other feedback. Wouldn't have been kind to my colleagues to have to give me feedback on any aspect of me telling my BC story. My rads story... no saying my machine was experiencing a delay. Or more rightly not working. A couple of them had 20-30 minute waiting times showing on the notice board - but not mine. 40 minutes past my time I went to reception to ask what was going on, a radiologist called me just as I was to ask. My machine was broken and it could be another 20 minutes at least. #Fuming. Why not tell me when I arrived - manage my expectations. On the dot of an hour late I was called. 11 minutes later I was out. Seems someone had tampered with the machine so even the 'turned off in neutral' calibrations were messed up. What the actual? 🤔 I vented in a talk polite and slow (just completed an impactful, verbal presentation course) type of way. ☺ This is just day 2. I heard patients saying over 50% of their treatments are late, it's like being on a factory line, so impersonal and it seems I should never had been told my appointment times would be the sameish time. This nugget of information is also in their rads info booklet, which I happily pointed out. The end of the day/start of the next day appointment time v patient welfare was also mentioned. I'd got more response telling the tank of fish in reception. Awful, awful experience after the wonderful experiences I've had so far. And it's not even Wednesday. Everything goes wrong on Wednesdays! I hope you have a good Wednesday.  Love and hugs 🤗 AnGELa x   ... View more

Thanks for sharing your chat with the radiographer @Kaz11  - good to know we're 'not going mad' with our reactions. Interesting re the leg aches. And believe me, I had no stamina when we were away - crawling into bed at silly o'clock. Rads #1 was boring - look a bit longer as they did more imaging. I'm not a happy bunny - sorry if this is selfish... got the rest of my 15 rads appointment times - so much for sameish time everyday. Some 6pm - one of them a Friday! Some of days after the late ones, I'm back in at 9am. They can't change the times. Shouldn't tell you expect sameish time if they can't deliver it. It's not as if it's late one week, afternoons another and mornings another. Oh no - a right mix every week. And it means I am going to have to cancel my virtual make up class scheduled for Wednesday. Not happy at all.  😠 I know that a few weeks after rads finish, I'll have a consultant's appointment and that (in my authority) triggers an invite to the Moving On workshop/s. I will be signing up for that/them. And because of the times I'll now be able to go to a training course our team is on. The lead trainer has a patronising, superior attitude - everyone has complained about him. We have to tell a story about something that changed your life for ever. He's getting both barrels - and I'm in a very safe (virtual) environment with my teamies! HA!!! 😈 I hope everyone's day has been better than mine. Love and hugs  🤗 AnGELa ... View more

Hello everyone, I'm meant to be on my way to my first rads now. Had a call just before 8am to tell me to go in later as final sign off of the plan was needed. Nice week away but as I took it as sick leave, I kind of felt like I was bunking off and felt a bit guilty! Lovely seeing my family and our besties. I didn't get emotional seeing people as I thought - my aunt did a bit. I got teary when my brother and mum asked about support from friends and ladies 'in similar positions'. Told them all about this wonderful thread and you! Shattered though - we ate out with people everyday and some days 2 sets of people so all I wanted to do was sleep when we got back to the digs. I did chill in the sun under a parasol with SPF30 on a couple of times. I even had the concentration to finish a book I started post-surgery. I was worried about how tired I am but... a decent night's kip at home and I wasn't nodding off yesterday and lasted til gone 8pm when I went upstairs to watch the last part of Time, and I'm wide awake this am. I'm going to call my GPs later - not convinced my Onc has my Ibandronic acid and calcium/Vit D tabs on repeat prescription. As it wasn't requested in the letter that was sent - the Anastrozole was. I start them on Friday.  😟 Came home to a lovely box of goodies from Little Lifts. I think that Udder cream will be useful over the next few weeks. The sweets will - I'm getting that queer 'not really nauseous' feeling if I don't eat little and often. That's a pain as I am gradually shifting weight from sensible eating as I up the potassium-rich food.  Have a great week everyone. Hope you feel OK after your last chemo @Teagold and your daughter gets back on her feet soon. Just what you need - not! Love and hugs  🤗 AnGELa x ... View more

A quick hello from the wilds of North Somerset to wish @Teagold and @Kaz11 lots of luck and sending buckets of best wishes for your final EC and Rads. Flag at the ready ladies. ⛰ 🎉 Had a radiographer call me today re the process, sfx etc of my rads that start Monday. She said I can use E45, Dr Organics vitamin E, unscented Aveeno cream on rads site. Just what I've been using post surgery. My (mattress induced) seroma has gone down, so if I've changed out of the tolerances they will have to recalibrate the treatment. It will only be delayed by a day or two as they will remeasure on Monday. Fingers crossed. Enjoying our time away. Will update you when we get home. Although I am not impressed that I'm going to have to start shaving my legs again. 😠 Love and hugs to everyone. 🤗 AnGELa x ... View more

@Teagold 100% agree with @Kaz11.  I too hope your appointment went well.  Silver fluff! 🤣 🤣 🤣 That's me - it's getting greyer and it's very slightly curling around where my ears join my head. 😲 Some days I could crawl up to bed at 19:00 - I force myself to last to 20:00. Away tomorrow. 🤩 👏 Love and hugs to you all. 🤗 AnGELa x ... View more

So glad you had a good outing @Kaz11. Philly on crackers sounds wonderful. Not long home from radiotherapy planning appointment. I'm going to have auxiliary rads too which increases the chances of lymphoedema but I need it for a better outcome. I'm having 15 sessions from Monday 28 June. First appointment is 9:45, I don't have the others yet - hoping they are all around the same time.  I felt a bit rushed - didn't really have the chance to ask Qs about looking after my skin but I found the leaflet Breast Cancer Now does which helps. Dumb Q - any suggestions of an emollient cream? And does anyone know a non-greasy one? Is E45 one? I know my local Home Bargains has buckets of that for next nothing. I know I can ask when I have my actual appointment but I want to be prepared. I have a seroma... thanks to that mattress humping. #NaughtyGel. The head measurer did ask if I'd had an inplant before they could see the seroma. She also said my scar is very tidy. I'm proud of that because I've worked hard on it as I get bad hypertrophic scarring. Ended up speaking to GP as temp went up last night and I felt rough with a bit of an earache and sore throat. I've not felt 100% since that 2nd jab. He was happy to give me a broad spectrum antibiotic - and they are working already - feel more like me in the past couple of hours. Least I'll be OK for our week away in Sunday. Hope everyone had a good start to the week. Love and hugs 🤗 AnGELa x ... View more

Just a quickie while I remember... I look like a gone off dog's dinner so cropped some photos of my hair. How much salt and pepper? Too much white on top looks like my hairline is at my ears! My hairdresser's ordered me some brunette coloured mousse so I can brave the bonce when we're away. Saw a woman yesterday who was obviously chemo hair very, very cropped, growing back (she practically had steroids stamped on her forehead) - she looked stunning. Like you @CrazyCatLady /Sam... I don't mean the steroids effect for you for 1 minute. Ive signed up for the LGFB online course as I need help with my non existent eyebrows. Not helped that the top of my eye sockets look like very strange ones! I've got that horrid everything tastes of diluted seawater back. What's that all about? 😢 @Rainbow70 yeah for tomorrow. Another of us flag planting on top the mountain. 👊 @Leftygurl I hope your port wound continues to heal. Anyway photos. Oh and radiotherapy planning tomorrow. Love and hugs to you all 🤗 AnGELa x       ... View more

@Kaz11 - the side effects you describe are mine - perhaps it's not all low potassium. My legs feel quite heavy. Left thumb nail has started peeling a bit. I think the neuropathy feels slightly better today - not been that bad as just tips of fingers affected. My laptops don't recognise my fingerprint at the moment. I've gone off tea as the milk in it takes off all the time. Ditto a nice cold glass of milk. Enjoy your shopping - might be worth going towards the end of opening which is what I tend to do on a Sunday. Though TBH first thing Monday is best time of the week. ... View more

Wowzers! Sam/@CrazyCatLady you look absolutely amazingly stunning. My hair was like yours around 2 weeks ago. I'll try to remember to take one of mine later. And what fab news about your surgery - not long now. Time to regain some strength in readiness. I'm so glad work are being supportive - makes a big difference as that's a weight off your mind. My final side effects were few and far between - I'm suffering more from the low potassium so feel a bit spacey and out of breath if I exert myself. If I see another bit of spinach or strawberry or banana... and I'm drinking orange juice and coconut water like there's no tomorrow. Really can't understand why I've not lost any weight as I've hardly had any 'carb' carbs. It was so lovely to have a 'normal' lazy, wind down for the weekend Friday afternoon and not waking up at 3am with no chance of going back to sleep nor buzzing from steroids today. Not having bruises on the back of my hand nor in the crease of my elbow is a novelty too! Have a wonderful weekend. We're packing for going away on 20th for 6 nights to see my family - mega blub time. Love and hugs. 🤗 AnGELa xx ... View more

Hi Alice My hair came back quite early on Pax - in fact I asked if the chemo was actually working. Though in normal times it grows like mad. It's now nearly 1cm in places. And the back's thickening nicely. I dropped in for a natter with my hairdresser very early this morning... thanks to steroids awake at 4, putting a double roller blind up at 6 (still at it at 2!) popping out at 7:30-9:30 having a shopping mooch after that natter. She's going to get me some coloured mousse  to hide the patchy white front when I'm ready to go out with a crop. She'll take the very ends off in 6 weeks or so to force it to grow more. She said it's not baby hair but real, good quality stuff that looks like its going to be straightish! Hurrah! 👊 I've always been a uneven curly, never nice beachy waves nor coils or ringlets. My eyelashes are coming back - you can actually see the long ones when coated with mascara. My team at work cheered on a call when I was rubbing my eye as I had an eyelash in it a few days before the holiday weekend. 🤣 Worried about my eye brows as I never really had any and they are not showing any signs of wanting to appear. When I felt 🤢 on EC sour jellies were a godsend - made a change from more ginger nuts. Hope you do feel better soon and your next cycles are easier. Perhaps as your wound is healing now it will. 🤞 Love AnGELa x ... View more

Good grief @Leftygurl /Alice that's nothing short of atrocious. When I was reading about how they were dressing the wound thought it needed saline douching and packing. See old school 2 years of nurse training for you (before I dropped out thanks to contracting Hep B). And so sorry you're suffering on Pax. It's meant to be so much easier. Has been for me - then I had an 'easy ride' with EC compared to others. Not too long a story at all. Needed telling and hope it's off your chest (no pun intended at all - sorry). Thank goodness for that great nurse of yours. A definite angel.  Let's hope it heals well and soon. And you find Pax easier of your team can adjust things for you. Love and hugs. 🤗 AnGELa x       ... View more

That sounds really good news @Teagold Let's hope the results dot the Is and cross the Ts on what the doctor could see. 🤗 Well at 5 to 5 on a Friday afternoon, 18 weeks after I started, I stuck a flag on the top of the toughest mountain I've ever had to climb. That's the hardest bit. We don't ring the bell in Leeds. TBH its never sat well with me from when I first heard about it years ago. Lots of little words in ears going on among the nurses so as I finished the final flush those that could came in and wished me well etc. I blubbed a bit til my nurse of the day found out I was driving home and got all concerned about my ability to do so. There are other mountains - just not as hard. So don't want to do that one again. And I so don't want to see another cannula, or hear another infusion 5 minute countdown alarm or have another blood test for a very, very long time. Now to ride it out for a few days. @Kaz11 @CrazyCatLady and anyone who recently had chemo are having an easy time of the side effects. Happy, happy weekend. Love and hugs 🤗 AnGELa x ... View more

Thanks @Kaz11 - got tears streaming down my face as it is going to happen. After bloods, i dropped in on the ward to speak to the charge nurse who did my observations and were happy with them. Woke up this am and my temperature is ok... though I'm still not 100%, I'm not far off. @CrazyCatLady - was telling hubby about your amazing outcome yesterday and was blubbing as I told him. It's so lovely we're on that final assult together - I know some have a way to go yet but we're doing this. I'm going to be a mess today. I wonder if this is the reaction to the news I had cancer I never had? I I've felt so bad I haven't been able to get the thank you gift nor card I planned. I'll have to get and organise when I go for my rads planning. I'm off cry big style on hubby. Love to you all. A very soggy AnGELa xx ... View more

Sam, that is such brilliant news. I am chuffed to pieces for you. What an absolute relief. Top news on the Dox being reduced too - good decision if its just a tick box exercise. I feel a bit better today - in a might make the shower and lie on the sofa kind of way. I'll be going in for bloods later - they called at 20:45 to say I'm having the full set and depending on the results might need a chat with a doctor ahead of tomorrow's planned chemo. Seems I should've been followed up too not just left to it if I felt grottier... and they wonder why my pulse is racing which is causing concern. Hello, I'm quite laid back but didn't tell me what was going on, 5 hour wait for the results, 3 bourbon biscuits is all I ate on Monday, chemo since Feb and no exercise since 23 December (I don't walk and the weather's been so bad the bit I've done is not worth writing home about) is taking it's toll. I've put on 3-4 kg from eating beige as a reaction to steriods. TBH forgot to mention Monday's might not be my post-chemo whoozy day but I know it's my least well day if that makes sense.  @Guest user that's great news about the rads planning and appointments being so short - it's just all the travelling time involved. I'm lucky that I'm a 15-20 minute drive away from the hospital so it's not too bad. Hopefully an hour's round trip. What moisturisation regime did they recommend? Right, I'm off for a dippy egg - starving as I've hardly eaten since Sunday though I've got cravings for tomato sandwiches with salad cream.  ... View more

Good luck tomorrow @Kaz11 What a box to tick. You must be so excited and a tad nervous too. You've done it though. 🎉 👊 Mine on Friday hangs in the balance...   I woke up Monday morning feeling like I've been kicked by a donkey and with the most horrendous temperature - we're talking 38/39.  I was 99% sure that it was only a reaction to my covid jab but once paracetamol wouldn't reduce my temperature I called the emergency bleep team and they said to go in. I had a whole host of tests and an armful of blood taken within 30 minutes. 5 hours later 😲 the results came back and I don't have an infection, it is just a reaction.  I didn't get in until nearly midnight on Monday and I've only been out of bed for an hour since. I do feel a tiny bit better today but I'm going to stay lazy and watch the cricket from my pit. My onc nurse called yesterday  There is no reason I can't have chemo on Friday unless I still feel grotty or my bloods are all over this place.  Humping mattresses was a mistake! Boy can I feel my MX side chest muscles. Not helping trying to get comfy. And my nose is so blocked and clotty from wearing a mask in aircon for 5 hours. 🤞 for Friday.   ... View more

Hi @Linda1967  I had a MX in January but didn't have a recon at the time ‐ just as well with the way things turned out. I was told I was a good candidate for a tummy tuck to make a new boob. And I might yet. My colleague's mum did similar - no recon at the time. I'm not sure of the timescales (sounds like a couple of years after MX. chemo and rads)  but she had a tummy tuck and lippo on the NHS to make her new boob just about when I was having my MX. She is as happy as anything - got her 18 year old flat tummy back, has a good looking bust and was only stiff and achy for a few weeks after her op. I'm led to understand the tummy part of the op was not as painful as expected. I don't know exactly how long she was in hospital but this was the new year lockdown and it "wasn't a problem her being on her own for a few days". Second hand information but I hope it helps with your thinking. Good luck! I'm sure you'll come to the right decision for you. Talk, talk, talk to all the professionals to help with your decision. What about using the someone like me service Breast Cancer Now offers? Thanks for the radiotherapy advice. Sorry to hear your holiday's been cancelled - something to look forward to. I need to smother myself in cream tonight - an hour queuing for my 2nd jab in blazing sun earlier. Nice to have some colour but not when not planned, thank goodness I'm not predisposed to burning what with my ANC arm. Still being so long got me out of cooking the veg and Yorkshires for Sunday dinner... we had a pile of beef sarnies instead! Delish! And that's why I'm a tummy tuck candidate. 🐳 😉 Enjoy Sunday evening everyone. 🤗 Love AnGELa x ... View more