Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hello @Denise2022  I agree  with  @adoptedmanc  when she wrote about her BC nurse had explained at her 12 month follow up that fatigue following radiotherapy can still be experienced even months later. I had a mastectomy in August 2021 followed by 15 sessions of radiotherapy which ended in November 2021.  I have recovered very well over the last year, returning to my usual activities, taking regular exercise, taking flights to visit family overseas.  I am happy and confident again.  However, sometimes I feel really tired and exhausted after apparently minimal activity.  For example, husband and I have returned today from spending three days visiting friends; dining out, dining in, meeting other friends, sightseeing, shopping, four hour return drive, and right now I feel unusually overcome with tiredness. Perhaps an early night…but it’s only 5.30pm!! I post this not to moan, not to worry or concern you but to reassure you that tiredness following radiotherapy is perfectly normal and to be expected.  I understand now that sometimes I need to “pace myself” and listen to my body.  When I expressed to my radiotherapy support worker that “I just want to get back to normal”, she responded that “Yes, but it will be a new normal”.   I now understand what she meant. Take care and work with your new normal. ... View more

Hi Mistyeyes Have  you tried Nicola Jane - online and a few shops.  I have bought all my post surgery (single mastectomy) bras there and a couple of swimsuits too.  I usually call them and discuss.  Returns are no problem, and they often offer discounts.   https://www.nicolajane.com/mastectomy/bras/view-all/?gclid=CjwKCAjwtKmaBhBMEiwAyINuwM0ulBw57wZn27pUu6b6JIFe0ak-YL2l6PxCCNxupUmt4SW-wkliExoCSxkQAvD_BwE Take care      ... View more

Just joining in with this discussion about various brands of Letrozole, because of what happend to me this morning.  My story is that  I was prescribed letrozole at diagnosis about a year ago.  I took the hospital prescription request to my own health centre pharmacy and asked to speak to the pharmacist for some detailed explanation of the impact of this medication.  She was happy to discuss this with me and said that should there be any problems with side effects, etc, then to contact her as there were always alternative medications to achieve efficacy without any unpleasant impact on me.   After some initial aches and stiffness, and some other menopausal symptoms, I tolerated the Accord brand and, as I said, I have been taking this for over a year.   However, this morning, I collected a prescription and found that the brand had changed from Accord to Cipra.  I questioned this with the dispenser, who was a bit shirty, saying that "letrozole is letrozole" and "we have to take what we're given"!  I have no way of knowing whether the new brand would be tolerated by me or not, but I do know that the current one is.  I returned home and phoned to speak to the Pharmacist.  She remembered me from our previous discussions and understood completely why I would not wish my brand of letrozole to be changed.  She said they did not have my prefered brand in stock but phoned another nearby pharmacy, generated another prescription, sent someone to collect it, and arranged that I should call in to the health centre this afternoon to collect it. Such wonderful caring service. I am telling this story so that others will feel able to contact their pharmacist to discuss their concerns about medications.  They are very caring and useful members of your medical team.    ... View more

Just some feedback to @trudy2010 and @Charys who helped so much with my earlier "wobble".  I got on that plane and visited my son and family; got on another plane and visited my daughter and her family; had a wonderful time; met many of their friends; got to know my grandchildren all over again; and revived our already close relationships.  My "wobble" was really just that - a temporary feeling of being unsure, daunted, but I put on my big girl's pants and it was so worth it.  Back now to the fundamentals of daily life: emptying suitcases, laundry, food shopping, checking out the jobs to do in the garden, etc, etc.  But what an adventure, what a boost!  Thank you so much to @trudy2010 and @Charys for the support and encouragement.   😎 ... View more

Ooh, thank you so much @trudy2010 and @Charys  You both said exactly what I needed to hear. I was “having a wobble” 🤪 but wobbles are okay.  I have done as you said: packed my suitcase (several times - stuff in and out!), played my music, danced around, FaceTimed the family, and gave myself permission to “wobble” AND to giggle.  I’ve packed my sun hat, my medications, my new swimsuit (with breast shaper thingy), several masks, chocolate for the journey, and downloaded a couple of movies, and audio books.   I CAN DO THIS.  I have an image in my mind of the joyful reunions in the airport, the chaos around the breakfast table, and crazy antics in the pool.  I think I needed to realise that things have changed since my BC diagnosis and treatment, and that I do not have to be a “brave soldier” all the time.  As you say, seven months since diagnosis is early days in the journey.  I will make adjustments for that and will probably need to make more as I move along this road.  I really appreciate your detailed responses and the metaphorical “pat on the back” and “poke in the ribs”.  I wish you both well on the rest of your journey.  ….now what’s the weather going to like there….will I need jumpers or tee-shirts?   🤔 ... View more

Hi, @Uni000  this is a good question.  I was offered 15 sessions of radiotherapy over three weeks.  For me, 5 days over one week was not offered.  It was, however, discussed with the senior radiographer prior to starting treatment.  She told me about amount of greys per session, and all about what they were trying to achieve with the treatment.   I agree that 15 daily visits to the cancer unit is onerous, but I did it with the help of a charity offering free transport. I have now completed the radiotherapy treatment two weeks ago.  I was fastidious about keeping my skin moisturised and initially used the RT cream given to me at the unit.  The sessions were comfortable and reassuring.  After treatment, I was told that the treatment is cumulative and I have had increased sensitivity in the area, breast and axilla.  I have now moved on to daily showers with a moisturising shower cream, aloe Vera gel, and cornstarch to keep my skin dry and not sweaty under my arm.  I am often to be seen walking around with my hand on my hip, or draped seductively over a nearby cushion!   Fatigue has also been a feature.  Any household jobs are done in the morning, as by afternoon, I feel tired and achey.   I just wanted to say that for me, the period after  the treatment has been the most difficult for me.  However, it is getting gradually better.  I hope all goes well for you. Moisturise, moisturise! ... View more

HHi @adoptedmanc  I am intrigued that your anti-hormone treatment is still under consideration.  I started mine at diagnosis.  Just a few mild warm flushes, and slight wrist aching but nothing really to be worried about.  Hopefully, your oncologist will advise you on how they will proceed with any further treatment.  Keep well!   Regarding my radiotherapy, I am moisturising about three/four times a day using the gel provided - so cooling.  I have no skin problems so far.   ... View more

Hi @adoptedmanc  I have now completed three days of the 15 scheduled.  So far so good.  Like you, I am lathering on the RT gel that was given.  No discomfort so far.  I feel I am getting to know the individual radiographers and we can have a chat.   Also, amazing, today i was booked for a “review”.  I thought it would be a matter of checking the technical aspects of treatment (a bit like when they check your mammogram to see if it’s okay) but No, I met the Support and Information person.  She spent an hour with me and opened the conversation with - “Hi, well, you’ve had a lot of difficult decisions to make over the last few weeks”  I could have kissed her.  Yes, that’s exactly it.  Everyone has been saying - you have options.  It’s your choice.  Help, no more options/choices, please. I’ve made it this far.  Let’s get this done!  So we had laughs and giggles, and shared information, and stories.  I felt empowered again. No doubt there will be ‘down’ days, but I’m good right now. Sorry to ramble on, but after speaking to her,  I feel clearer now than I have since all this started just nine weeks ago.  I agree @adoptedmanc that opening a conversation with family or friends about yourself and your diagnosis or treatment inevitably leads away to some anecdotes about others you know nothing about.  I hope you will continue to do well and avoid and discomfort from skin irritations, etc.  Hugs! ... View more

Thank you to everyone who has responded to me.  Last night's feeling of anxiety has dissipated now.  I attended for my first radiotherapy session this morning.  Not completely plain sailing as I had a different appointment time on my schedule to the one on theirs…!  However, they fitted me in.  Then I had a few questions - skin care, etc, and was told that they had already explained this at my first appointment.  Duh, today was my first appointment!  Not an inspiring start.   Thank you to @Jaybro  for your useful tips about hospital staff focussing more on treating the cancer and not so much on the patient.  I agree.  My breast cancer nurses too are focussed on the next step of measuring for a personal prosthesis, and “moving on”.  They tell me their problems with case load - it seems I’m a good listener! I, too, dislike the “battle” analogy; fighting, surviving, being a brave soldier.  I just want to deal with change in my life as best I can. I don’t want to feel like I have somehow failed if sometimes I don’t feel so tough.   I want someone to talk to (not family, not friends, just now), someone to whom I can say what I am feeling rather then “putting on a brave face”.  I will contact the nurses here and talk to them. Thanks too @Jaybro @for the useful tips about creams and antiperspirants.  Tomorrow, I will attend for my session, and smile at everyone, and be in control of how I feel and who I am. There’s more to me than just a cancer patient.   My best wishes to you all and hugs for your own journey. ... View more

Hi @Sculptor1   I notice that you say you haven’t got answers to all you questions from your BCN. If you need more answers, then you could return to her or, as I did, approach the pharmacist to get a detailed explanation. 😊 Best  wishes to you.  ... View more

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in May of this year, followed by mastectomy and SNB two weeks later.  I was started on Letrozole at diagnosis. So, I can't comment on the effects of Letrozole longterm When I saw my oncologist and discussed the way forward. He (and I) agreed that radiotherapy was right for me.  I declined chemotherapy and he was fine with this.  So my adjuvant treatment is to have 15 sessions of radiotherapy (to start next week), continue with the Letrozole for five years, and have six monthly infusions of Zoladronic acid which is intended to  reduce the amount of calcium that is lost from the bones (which the Letrozole can cause) and help calcium levels in the blood return to normal.  Of this approach, he said that the Letrozole may be of most benefit to me. I've had a bone density scan, and I take calcium and Vitamin D each day.   I feel good and the effects of the Letrozole for me are a bit like having a second much much milder menopause.  So far, I do not have any additional aches and pains other than those I can get at my age (71) sometimes.  My story is a positive one and my oncologist was very happy to explain the benefits to me.  Please speak again to your oncologist and get him to explain the benefits and implications to you.  Age may be a factor in deciding on beneficial Letrozole treatment. Hope the radiotherapy goes goes well.   ... View more