Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hi @LMW and @Silver6  Sorry I have not caught up on your messages in a while.  Lmw I think you had 5 days max dose like me right? I wonder if that is the reason we were affected so much. Just to reassure you though that once I had my bad week I havent had any issue since then.  I actually feel the best I have been since my diagnosis. So hopefully that gives you some peace of mind.   Wishing you all a positive week and hope you are all well xx ... View more

Hello @Silver6  Hope you are doing well. So I am pre meno but suffer with horrendous heavy periods caused by a ton of fibroids. My gynecologist wanted to do a hysterectomy which I declined so have been on tablets to control the periods. The tablets unfortunately don't mix with tamoxifen so I have to have zoladex. Zoladex basically switches off my ovaries so no more periods and it shrinks fibroids. Win win!  Its been a week and not noticed anything yet.... Its the side effects I am really scared of. Oh bless you at least you can laugh about it. I was against having it because I would rather have 10 yrs of good quality life than be given a drug that makes me feel so bad. I guess they know what they are doing. Am very excited today as I have my weekend at the lakes next weekend and just booked a spa treatment. They can't give me a massage as I won't be able to lie flat for too long. So am getting a facial with a neck massage. Can't wait!   Take care x ... View more

You're welcome. Sounds like you are doing the right thing and taking it easy. Hopefully the 3 weeks will fly by. Gosh sounds like you are innundated with appointments with your other issue in the mix. I thought I was pretty much done with the hospital now but my next 5 yrs are hormone therapy and I have to go for a monthly injection of zoladex... I think that's the name! They are trying to shift it to my gp which will be easier. I just want my life to go back to normal. I am feeling so much better now so just know that if you do feel anything it will pass.  Good luck with your next sessions hun x ... View more

Hi @Silver6    Just checking in to see how you are going? Sending healing vibes x ... View more

Hello @Silver6  You are not a bore at all hun... I just didn't go into the detail so not to panic you but I am totally happy to explain. At least you are then prepared. The bad week was pain in my treated area. I have been able to work most of the time but I felt I was unable to sit up so spent a lot of time lying on the sofa that week and watching films or reading. I did feel tired but not to the point of fatigue. I took nurofen which did not seem to help so tried codeine tablets. They were a lot better so get stocked up on those. In terms of skin I have been relatively ok. It did go red and then dark but maybe that depends on normal skin colour..  I am Mediterranean so tan easily and don't generally burn. It felt hot to touch.  After those 5 days I felt a lot better and have been fine since. I noticed a skin change the other day around where they removed my lymph nodes and thought it was bruising. Turns out the skin went really dark and has since peeled.. like a sun tan. Please carry on messaging me if you feel it helps. Sometimes just talking about it gets it off your chest.. excuse the pun!  Good luck with the treatment. Sounds like you have a lot on your plate too with your back. Just rest up and don't stress about anything.  I know that's easier said than done sometimes.  Xx ... View more

@Silver6 I am obviously not an expert but I would assume that we are all different and maybe you won't get many side effects... I could just be a light weight ha. Mine being over 5 days was because they give max dosage so squeeze 15 into 5. I guess that's why I had side effects quicker. I had another bad week about 3 or 4 weeks after and just took the opportunity to rest. Since then I have been totally fine.  I think the key is to just listen to your body. Don't panic.. it will pass. You have come so far and this is hopefully the last big treatment I assume.  Just make sure your holiday is a nice relaxing one. I have a weekend away in the Lakes next month and I bloody can't wait.   sending lots of love and healing thoughts. Do let us know how you get on x I ... View more

@LMW  Hello there... I am now 4 weeks since my radiotherapy ended. I also had it over 5 days so will tell you what happened to me so you can prepare yourself mentally for what may be.  The treatment itself was fine. I did find the 1st night was bad but that was the only one. I was then fine in terms of pain... my skin started going red and feeling a bit hot but I could cope. I didnt wear a bra at all unless I felt a bit heavy and felt the need. I did get fatigue for a couple of weeks ... my brain was foggy too.  My worst week so far was this one ... week 3. I did have to take some time off work as I had more pain. I treated this with nurofen. Mine was more swelling rather than any skin problems. I dont know if this was the last of my symptoms but am hoping so! You probably know this but everyone keeps telling me this so I shall pay it forward... listen to your body.. rest up when you need to. Take each day as it comes.. and do nice things. I have watched tons of TV and read loads. Wishing you well in your treatment .. Good luck! ... View more

Hello @Wisco11  Yes the pain didn't last too long. I still get shooting pains but I always did so I don't know if that is old pain or new pain! I think ibuprofen  is definitely the best to take to reduce swelling. I am now 2 weeks post finishing and I am beginning to feel back to normal. You will be told to take things easy and if you feel tired to take a break. This really is the best advice. Listen to your body.    Good luck with the rest of your treatment x ... View more

Hi @sparkle0103  I wasn't expecting it on the first night and so am glad to hear I wasn't the only one. I finished about 11 days ago and am beginning to feel normal. The exhaustion is very weird and I found I couldn't do complicated things at work.  I have a sore patch of skin under my breast.. right in the crease. I'm not sure what to put on it. I should call the nurses but I can't face a trip to the hospital again. Am done with that place!  ... View more

Hi @Kaman  When I used to get pain before my diagnosis I heard primrose oil was good. I used to use the actual oil. It seemed to work though not sure if that was a placebo effect!  I wonder if that will help now. I finished my treatment just over a week ago and have mainly suffered fatigue.. but like a foggy brain. I had a max dose over 5 days. Hopefully it will clear soon. Hope you are well x  ... View more

Hello @Kaman  Thanks for your reply. I have always had breast pain around my period. This pain is worst though eh? Oh gosh I hope I don't have to have this forever. Do you take anything for it?  ... View more

Thank you @Jaybro . I assumed that I wouldn't feel anything for a week or so. I asked at the hospital just now and they said its completely normal and to take ibuprofen.  Hopefully I will be so tired tonight I can sleep through! I only had a lumpectomy and no chemo. So I am grateful not to have gone through what you have. I hope you are ok and doing well x ... View more

Hi @Jaybro  Thank you for replying and you brought tears to my eyes as finally someone gets it! I'm sorry you have been through the fertility nightmare too followed by BC. Life is truly cruel. I think we have come to the point where we know it isn't going to happen and we were actually about to look at adoption  when this bombshell hit. It's almost like something is telling us we don't deserve children.. which I know is completely irrational.  I dont think I am looking for something to blame for my BC or the fibroids. I am using it to make me more wary rather than accept what doctors tell me. If my risk is low then why would I put myself through all the side effects.  I agree we don't read all tablet leaflets and stop taking paracetamol but then this isn't a simple headache pill  I am really scared of the impact to my uterus. I would rather get BC again than get it in another area. Sorry that really sounds awful. So... I am thinking about not taking it and make improvements to my food and lifestyle. I could do with losing a bit of weight anyway. And actually maybe my diet has been the cause. Who knows. My periods are awful... even with tablets I am fully on for 2 weeks and for the 1st week I am changing my sanitation every couple of hours. And that's 3 layers of max protection.. tampon .. pad .. and these great period pants that I have recently discovered. Thank goodness I am working from home as that was a nightmare in the office! So if I have to give up my tablets I really don't know how I can cope.  I have to say thank you again for sharing your experience. It really has helped put a different spin on it. And gives me more things to consider so thank you 😊 .    Xxx   ... View more

Hello @Kitkat23  Thank you for your reply. That makes total sense and does put another spin on it so thank you.  My consultant told me some stats... without the treatment I have 97% survival in next 10 yrs and with its 98. But that doesn't tell me the % risk of it coming back so maybe I should ask that. I think the fertility side is really a pipe dream.. I dont think it will happen. My main fear is the side effects. And if it is going to make things worse.  It's a hard decision I guess I need to think long and hard.   Xx ... View more

@barbs hello sweets I am so sorry to hear about what you are going through. I think my case is very similar so thought I would reach out to you. My diagnosis was slightly different..  I was referred due to a lump which was only a cyst but my mammogram showed a 17mm tumour. I had a biopsy on that day and it was confirmed 2 weeks later just before Xmas. My er and pr and her levels are exactly the same as yours. I had a lumpectomy 2 weeks ago and it was confirmed this week that the op was successful and there was not spread.  I am meeting with oncology later and they are also saying 3 weeks radiotherapy and then hormone treatment. I assume yours would be similar. I am OK with the thought of radio. Am more nervous about the hormone tablets... they will basically bring on menopause. But I am taking each day as it comes. You obviously have so much going on with a job change and it is a lot to take in. One positive I was told is that mine was the best BC I can hope for. Its not a nice thought but it could still be worse. I still can't say the C word at all. Hope this helps x ... View more

Hello @adoptedmanc  Thanks for your message. I have moisturised this morning and it feels sooo much better!  I also discovered that my bra was annoying me. I need to wear something as I need some support. I had bought some post op bras from m and s but the padding was driving me mad so I cut it all put yesterday and the seam was on the node scar... cut that off and I now feel amazing. Almost back to normal. Can I ask you about radiotherapy pls? I have my first oncology appointment later. I was just wondering about side affects. My surgeon told me there are none but from what I have read there are some. Does it just depend on the person ? Xx ... View more

am glad I read this. I had a lumpectomy last week and I noticed numb areas on my side under my armpit. I was going to ask at my appointment next week. Its weird as it comes and goes so I thought I was imagining it!  ... View more