Breast Cancer Now Forum

Oh no - hope the prescribed moisturiser helps you. I just kept putting lots on 3 or 4 times a day to help with the heat / tender skin. Drink lots too - try to keep hydrated as much as possible, I know it's not easy.  Are you having radiotherapy to the armpit area?  Did you have all your lymph nodes removed or only some? Not sure if that would make a difference. I had a full node clearance, and no rads to that area only to the breast and collarbone area.  It can take a long time to improve. I had a follow up call with the radiotherapy consultant 2 months after finishing, and told her about the swelling and breast tissue feeling hard, she told me it could be 6 months before it starts to improve. Mine hasn't gone away yet - but is no worse. Your body is still healing from your surgery too.  I know that radiotherapy can cause skin colour changes.  I'm sorry to hear that the radiotherapy team haven't been too helpful - hope you can get someone to check you over.  Sending you big hugs x  ... View more

@Dimpled - hello lovely. How are you doing? Hope rads treatment is going ok - you are hopefully nearing the end now. How is your skin holding up? Keep slapping that moisturiser on.  Totally understand why you felt worried about the swelling around your lymph node area, has that got any worse?  My breast got swollen during rads and is still swollen now, and it has been 4 months since I finished.  Are the team looking after you?   Glad your oncologist has halted the HER2 treatment whilst you undergo rads - fingers crossed that helps a little with the side effects you are having.  Your body has been through so much from pregnancy to treatment.  It is going to take a while before all of the side effects start to improve. Take each step at a time.  Sending you a gentle hug 💕 x @GreenBird @angela1234 @Pollyannasglad  - hope you are all doing well x     ... View more

@angela1234  - good to hear you have finished your rads now, and it didn't affect you too badly.  Hopefully your hormone tablets aren't too bad otherwise.  Yes, I also feel like a 90 year old and shuffle round first thing in the morning 😁   I have also been affected by neuropathy, still have it in my fingers every day but my feet have improved a lot and isn't as bad as it used to be. I had it from having chemo though, not coming on later like you have, fingers crossed that it improves for you and eventually goes away.   Well done for continuing to work too - have your company been supportive then? It's nice to hear that some organisations are helpful. My company have been good and I have worked a couple of days a week through most of it, but didn't with rads - I'd had enough by then! Hope everyone else is doing ok @GreenBird @Pollyannasglad @Dimpled - how are you doing? Hope the effects of the HER2 treatment is wearing off for you now. It's a nice sunny day here today, so I have been out for a nice walk with the dog and enjoyed the warmth, it felt warmer than being sat inside 😂   sending hugs to all x  ... View more

@Dimpled - bless you 💕 !  I'm so glad your MIL is still there and helping, and your DH of course 😁.  My own DH has been great but we have also had my Mum to help - and my kids aren't little like yours 😁  so I get how tough it can feel.  I think you are probably being very hard on yourself - we are usually our own worst critic.  Having to go straight to treatment 5 days after giving birth must have been so hard, like you say both emotionally and physically.   I really hope that you are through the hardest parts of your treatment and what you have left is gentler for you.  How often do you have the Kadcyla treatment?   I have tried to remove the word 'should' from how I speak to myself,  ie. I should be doing this or I should be feeling like that .... I try to be a bit kinder to myself, as I am still recovering from all the treatment and effects.   I am on hormone treatment now, and will be for 5 to 10 years .....  So getting used to hot flushes and stiff joints but other than that it hasn't been too terrible 😉  But i do still have tough days ...... I think for most of us it takes a long time to deal with everything we've gone through.  Take care of yourself  ❤️ ... View more

Hi @Dimpled - so sorry that you have been feeling so low, and had such horrible side effects.  It's totally understandable that you have felt demotivated, it must feel never ending having had the 2nd lot of chemo after surgery.  I can't comment on the HER2 treatment as I was HER2 -  I hope that went well for you.  Are the side effects as intense as the other chemo you have had??  I also hope you're still getting support at home.  You have had 8 months of very intense emotions, alongside treatment which feels relentless.  I think it took me about a month after my last chemo infusion to start feeling a bit more energy coming back.  For me radiotherapy was not as intense as chemo and although I did feel tired from about 10 days after starting, it wasn't the same energy-sapping feeling as chemo.   I am now 2 months on since rads finished, and am starting to feel more 'normal' but still have to pace myself and take time out to rest.  It takes a long time to get over these treatments.  You should be so proud of yourself for what you have dealt with, and handled over these last few months.  I hope that the next few weeks will be better for you, and you can start to see a bit of light at the end of the tunnel.  I hope your babies are both doing well.  Sending you much love xx @Pollyannasglad  @angela1234  @GreenBird - hope you are all doing well x  ... View more

@Pollyannasglad   Well done for getting out and walking, must have felt nice to be outside and when the sun is shining too 😊  I'm sure you will get back to those 10 mile walks    Sending love to everyone x ... View more

@angela1234 - I hope you don't get too many adverse side effects from exemestane, or the zoladex injection.  How often do you have to have the injection done?      The reason for the delay was because I had to have a 2nd op, as the margins weren't clear from my 1st op, and then I had a 6 week delay for the results of the 2nd op  ........ the waiting for results caused the worst anxiety ☹️ ... View more

@Pollyannasglad  - wow fabulous news! I'm absolutely thrilled for you. Glad to hear that you're starting to do some more normal things. It feels nice to get out a bit more doesn't it.  How are you recovering from surgery otherwise?    @angela1234 - good luck for your appointment on Monday to discuss radiotherapy.  Hope your recovery from surgery is going well.  Thank you - I finished my radiotherapy on 21st December, so just managed to get it all in before Christmas 🎉 Personally I found radiotherapy so much easier to handle than chemo. I had 20 sessions, 15 sessions were to the whole breast area which included towards the collar bone and the last 5 were a 'booster' directed at the tumour bed.   The two tips i was given was to drink lots of water / squash and to moisturise lots.  My skin went very pink (bit like sunburn) I had a rash and then a couple of sore spots and a few days where I had pain in my breast.  All very normal side effects according to my radiotherapy team.  Moisturising helped to cool the skin down and clear up the sore areas and I took paracetamol on the days where it was painful.    The actual treatment itself only lasts a few minutes, I spent longer finding a parking space most days 😁   the staff were lovely and really reassuring, and I saw the same staff each day, so it helped as I got to know them a bit and they were checking the area on a daily basis for any signs of problems.   I did feel tired, but it hasn't been anywhere near as bad as the chemo tired.  That is all starting to ease off now and although I still need to pace myself I can do much more than before and if I have a rest day, I feel much better the day after.   However my surgery was in February last year so my scar has had a chance to heal much more than yours will have done, so your skin may be more sensitive than mine.     I have now started on Tamoxifen - and am scheduled to have my first annual mammogram on Wednesday. Almost a year to the day that I was given my diagnosis 😔   will be strange to be back at the hospital where I had my surgery as I haven't been back there since, all other treatment has been done at a different hospital. @Dimpled - how are you getting on with EC chemo? When is your next one due?  Fingers crossed that you are doing ok x @GreenBird - hope you are doing well too x  ... View more

@Dimpled @Pollyannasglad @angela1234 @GreenBird @Shi  Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year and hope that 2023 is a much better year for all of us, and you continue to recover and heal from everything that we have all faced (and still have to face) Sending you all hugs x  @Pollyannasglad  hope your surgery went well and you are being looked after x  ... View more

@Dimpled  - the only time I had bruising around my picc line was when it was first fitted. I would really check with your team if you haven't already.  Good to hear that the nausea is now improving after your first EC.  Hopefully the new anti-sickness meds will be more helpful.  I was always told to take them before it gets a grip, as it was easier to stay on top of, rather than waiting until it became too bad.   @Pollyannasglad - great news about your calcification results. I'm so pleased for you  @angela1234 @GreenBird @Shi  Wishing everyone a very Happy Christmas and sending you all love and very gentle hugs 🎄💕 xx ... View more

@angela1234  - sending you hugs and positive thoughts for your surgery. Hope all goes well, and you are back home quickly to begin your recovery x  @GreenBird  - hope everything goes well for you this week with starting radiotherapy x  @Pollyannasglad - How are you, are you starting to improve now from your last chemo? Fingers crossed that you are starting to feel more normal now x  @Dimpled - Hi, really hoping that your recovery from surgery is going well x Sending you all gentle hugs for what we are all facing this week x  ... View more

@angela1234  - 😂 if you get worried just think of me with a cheese sandwich 😂😂    I hope you continue to stay focused and like you say getting it done and being able to move on for the next step.  Do you have any other treatment after rads?   My recovery from surgery was certainly easier than chemo as at least it felt like every few days I was able to do more.   Yes I had all my lymph nodes removed - I had a lump in my armpit as well as my breast when I went to the breast clinic, so both areas were biopsied at the same time, and confirmed that the cancer had spread to my lymph nodes when my diagnosis was confirmed.  But at least that way everything was removed in one operation.  I did have a drain fitted - and that was probably the worst part after surgery. It becomes a nuisance when you're starting to move about a bit more.  However, it didn't stop me from being able to go outside for a walk.  Once that was removed though things felt a bit easier x  ... View more

@angela1234 - thank you.  Still going ok so far - I am having 20 sessions, number 7 done today.   Before my surgery I was a bit worried as I had only been in hospital to give birth before all of this ....... I think if you've never had any surgery before the whole process can seem really daunting.  I rationalised it that every day lots of people have surgery for lots of reasons.  I tried not to think about the surgery itself and deliberately never found out how long they expected my op to be, or how they were going to remove all my lymph nodes - for some reason the thought of that freaked me out.  I spent the few days before trying to keep busy with making sure I had everything ready for when I came out, and had some comfortable / easy to put on things to wear.  And also some nice blankets to snuggle under 😊 (my op was in February).  I made a list of things to watch while I was recovering, and I downloaded a playlist of songs that I took in to the hospital with me.   I was told I was going to be done as a day-case and should be home the same day, which helped. By the day of my surgery I felt really calm, and just glad that it was going ahead. I was dropped off at the hospital at 7.30 in the morning, and went in alone as no-one else was allowed at the time due to covid.  The staff were all lovely though and kept chatting and distracted me during the morning.  I also had a cyst next to my tumour and had to go and have that drained before-hand, so I think that helped with keeping me distracted.  After that I just listened to my music, and did some writing and puzzles to stop my mind from overthinking.  Simple distractions really but they did help.     If you're feeling really anxious on the day let the staff know, they will really try to put you at ease and help you feel better.   Once I had the anaesthetic it really felt like I'd closed my eyes for a couple of minutes and then they were waking me up again. I had no pain after, as they numb the area so it was all fine.     My main recommendation is when they offer you something to eat afterwards have toast!!  😁  I had a cheese sandwich and the nurse left my drink of water well out of reach.  The sandwich was soooo dry I couldn't chew it or swallow it, and had it in my mouth for about 5 minutes - I swear it glued my tongue to the roof of my mouth 🤣🤣  and I couldn't reach the buzzer or the table to pull the drink towards me .... Sorry for rambling on, but I think the main thing to remember is that the surgery is just another part of this whole process. It will be another step done, and you've already faced and dealt with chemo. I hope you will be okay this week and please try not to overthink it during the next few days.  Easier said than done I know. Sending you hugs and lots of positive thoughts for next week xx      ... View more

@Pollyannasglad - hopefully you'll start to feel a bit more energy returning over the next couple of weeks.  Like Greenbird I am just over a month since finishing chemo and I still get tired but not as much as before,  and I am able to do more now,  and other things are returning to normal, like my tastebuds, which has been nice to actually taste food properly again  😁.    I also had surgery first before chemo etc, have you spoken to your surgeon about both options or are they only talking about lumpectomy?  It is a very personal decision to make, and can be influenced by other things such as length of time for recovery, family circumstances etc. In my case it was a LICAP operation  (which is a reconstruction using my own tissue) or mastectomy - but with mastectomy she would not recommend reconstruction at a later date, so meant going and staying flat.  That didn't feel right for me at the time, but under different circumstances it may have felt like the right choice. You can only go with what feels right for you at the time.   I hope your appointment with oncology goes well today.    @GreenBird  - I started radiotherapy last week.  So far so good.  I am on day 5 of treatment today.  I have been moisturising twice a day and drinking plenty, as that is what they have recommended.  The treatment itself is straightforward and takes less than 5 minutes. So far I haven't felt tired or had any soreness but that may come after another few days.  I don't believe the tiredness is as bad as chemo, from what others have told me anyway.  I hope yours goes smoothly when you start next week. Hope everyone else is doing well x  ... View more

@Dimpled - thinking of you today and sending you a very gentle hug.  @Pollyannasglad - Only 1 chemo left!  Does it feel like it's gone quickly?  Mine did when I looked back, although obviously there were days (and weeks) where it felt never-ending ....... Hopefully this last EC will be Ok for you and not too bad, but I definitely felt the fatigue getting worse with each cycle and the recovery taking longer.   My infection seems to have gone, just left with tiredness which is improving and I've been able to get out and walk a bit more, which is helping.   Saw the oncologist yesterday and they are happy for rads to go ahead on 22nd, so at least I should have finished that before Christmas.  I am going back in a month to see oncologist again to discuss hormone treatment.  Should have been sorted yesterday, but their records had the grade of my tumour incorrectly, so now they are re-assessing which drugs are the most suitable for me.   @angela1234 - enjoy your trip away! How lovely that you have done something nice to treat yourself  @GreenBird - Hope you're keeping well  Sending hugs to everyone 💕 ... View more

Hi all - been reading all the updates, I  hope you are all doing OK. @angela1234 have you been able to speak to anyone about your eye? Fingers crossed it is ok. @Pollyannasglad  - did you manage to leave a message with your BCN?  I hope your doing ok after your last EC.   @GreenBird I totally get what you mean about giving your body a break.  I am meeting my oncologist on Wednesday to discuss hormone therapy, and I have a start date of 22nd Nov for my radiotherapy to start.   I had my last chemo on 21st October, and then admitted to hospital on 23rd with an infection and stayed in for 5 days on IV antibiotics.   I have been absolutely exhausted and struggling with normal day to day stuff let alone having more treatment.    Starting to feel a bit more normal today for the first time, so hoping I will continue to improve over the next couple of weeks.   Sending everyone a big hug x  ... View more

@angela1234 it's a very difficult and personal decision to make.  You probably need to look at pros and cons of all options.  What are your personal circumstances, such as kids etc. as I understand the DIEP reconstruction is a longer recovery process, as you have two areas that are healing.  I have also heard that implant with radiotherapy to follow is not a great option due to the possibility of causing problems with the implant. Going flat is a big decision and you need to be totally comfortable with this.   For me personally I was offered the choice of going flat or having a LICAP reconstruction.   Due to the location of my tumour this was a good option for me, as it was on the outer edge of my breast.  Essentially they took a bit of my 'back fat' and flipped it over to reconstruct my breast.  I didn't feel quite ready to go flat - and I think that is such a big decision it really needs to be your choice.  Is it possible to speak to someone who has had either of these operations to see how they feel further down the line? What was recovery period like etc. ? Sending you love and hugs x  ... View more

@angela1234 - sorry to hear that you had to shave yesterday, it is an emotional decision.  I hope you're feeling a bit better today.  How are you feeling now after your latest EC? Was it last week?  Hope the side effects are not too bad for you x  @Pollyannasglad  - hope you're doing well.  Have you had your EC this week?  Sending you hugs and hope that the side effects are not too bad x  @flower77 - I think you have started RT today.  Hope it all went well for you - and the side effects of your chemo have passed enough for you to be feeling a bit more normal going in to RT.  Sending everyone else hugs for whatever your dealing with this week 💕 ... View more

@angela1234 - yes I have 1 more chemo left to go. Thankfully this time isn't as bad as the last one, but my dose was reduced and I have painkillers for the leg pain. However, they can also make you sleepy so I am having 2 naps a day 😉 .  How are you finding the EC?  I found each round very different with side effects.   I have an appointment on 17th October to discuss RT - but oncologist said it would be around 4 weeks from last chemo, so hoping to start mid-November maybe?  Then 5 weeks of RT ........  ... View more

@flower77 - well done for finishing chemo! Glad that you are starting to feel a bit more normal now. Fingers crossed that you get plenty of chance to recuperate before starting radiotherapy  @Dimpled - that must have been really scary to faint like that. Glad your MIL was there with you. I hope that the dietician helps and enables you to get some nourishment. It's very difficult to look after 2 small kids anyway - let alone with everything you have been going through.  @angela1234 - hope your side effects are starting to improve now from the EC. How many sessions of this one do you have to do?   @Pollyannasglad @GreenBird - hope you're coping well with whatever side effects you're dealing with Sending everyone hugs and strength 💕 ... View more