Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hello  Julia, I don't have a jerking breast but I do have a twitchy eye! I have had botox injections around  my eye to relax the twitching muscles. It didn't  work but I wouldn't worry about the use of botox.  It's really common for people with other neurological issues such as cerebral palsy to have the injections. It's very low doses and there are very few side effects.  ... View more

1940 girl, I had straight implants because  I have had radiotherapy  on one side. The skin won't stretch any more so I can only have whatever the surgeon could fit in behind  the skin. It's still a C cup so gives me enough shape.  Many surgeons  won't  do implants after radiotherapy  but mine was prepared  to give it a go. I'm slim so don't  have  fat to take  from elsewhere. I was not prepared  to have more bits of my body messed with anyway.   Anyway,  so far so good. I'm soon getting  used to how different  they feel  and they look good in clothes. I would ask what advantage a LD flap has over straight  implant only. Good luck with your decision.  ... View more

Hi, I've had a direct silicone implant on both sides with no mesh as they are small implants. It was nipple sparing and was a very straight forward operation. I had polyurethane  coated implants to reduce the chance of capsular  contraction.This is is the most likely reason your will implants will fail eventually.   They stay where where the surgeon puts them so I didn't need to wear a bra at all. But they are pretty solid and 6 weeks after surgery I'm not really happy lying on my side.They just feel in the way, not that it hurts. I have got used to sleeping on my back, I had drains in both sides for 12 days so not much choice then about sleeping position and I think I got used to it then. But I'm  so pleased with the surgery being very simple, little pain, quick to get on with life again. And no need to wear a bra is a bonus. I can wear under wired because the scars are across the beast.   ... View more

Hi Tracey fizz,  I had auxiliary  clearance in September  and I still can't feel anything  in my armpit. I don't think  the cut nerves repair themselves. No idea if I'm putting  deodorant  in the right place! But you do get used to it, all the nerve pain goes and it's just different.  ... View more

That is a weird idea but I'll  try it. I agree not being able to use fingers properly is really  frustrating, but it didn't  seem too long before  I could  do ring pulls etc. Good luck with radiotherapy,  it's a walk in the park after. docetaxel.   ... View more

I wish I could give you a helpful tip but I think you've just got to wait it out. I finished docetaxel in Feb,  half of most of my finger nails peeled off in April  and I now have very short nails with white bits on. They're  growing  back very slowly.  I put vitamin E oil on daily and use hand cream and cuticle balm, but just got to wait for new nail to grow back. Toenails were fine though.  Would shellac improve  them? To be honest after losing hair, boobs and getting lymphedema and neuropathy  I was past caring  about  the  state  of my nails!     ... View more

You will need to be patient with your underarm. The nerves are damaged and you will probably find the skin will always be numb. Ask for a pain killer which works with nerve pain such as Amitryptaline. Normal pain killers won't work. I think it took 2 months before  mine wasn't too painful. It's a big deal to have full node clearance which I don't think hospitals make clear. Six months on I don't really notice  the strange feelings there anymore.  ... View more

Now Eurotunnel no longer do worldwide polices, although their terms and conditions on the website say that they do!, the thought of having to type all my medical details in to numerous websites or recounting it over the phone was putting me off finding a policy.   But I found medicaltravelcompared.co.uk which will search lots of suitable policies for you. I got a policy for 14 nights in the Caribbean declaring breast cancer and lymphedema for £152. I thought that was pretty reasonable. There were lots cheaper than that but I needed a large cancellation sum as its an expensive holiday.   Hope that helps you all find something to replace Eurotunnel. ... View more

Eurotunnel still do annual policy for Europe and worldwide. ... View more

I thought I'd share my experiences with Docetaxel after having 3 rounds with 3 to go. I've also experienced 6 FEC so know it is a very different beast. Everyone will be different and a diary of your side effects and how you felt is the most useful thing. But the main thing for me is it has got easier with each cycle. The first round is pretty grim becasue you don't know what to expect, the oncologist's only piece of advice was "wear a thicker pair of socks if your feet hurt"! I think there is a general denial in oncology about the side effects, so you may not have an arsenal of drugs with you to combat the side effects of the first round. But get them and don't be fobbed off. I do my own GCSF injections and do them in the evening as this seems to make the bone pain far less. It doesn't last and the first one is the worst. Personally only found codeine touched the pain. I was sick throughout the first round but now take anti sickness med Ondansetron religiously for 10 days and feel fine. I take Lansoprazole every day for the heartburn which was just as bad as with FEC. I also take Clarityn for 6 days from day 1 - no idea if it helps but I read it somewhere on this forum! The most tiresome thing is the loss of taste and sore mouth. I improved this drastically this round by eating 6 icelollies whilist I was having the treatment. 6 lasted justed over the hour of the infusion. Food still tastes odd but somethings taste normal enough to carry on with a fairly normal diet. Totally transforming to still have a cup of tea every morning. Mouth is less sore but still using Cordysyl toothpaste and mouth wash. Oncologist prescribed Caphosol mouth wash which I think is expensive, but does help with oral thrush. First two rounds I dare not stray too far from a bathroom for about 2 weeks but my insides seem to have sorted themselves out. Don't be tempted to take a laxative becasue the steroids make you constipated. Just wait that extra day and have Immodium standing by. The tiredness is all consuming on days 7-10 for me so I look forward to a Netflix and sofa time. So the only side effect I haven't managed to tame is the aching, throbbing, tingling legs and feet and hands which  stops me being active and stops me sleeping. This is the peripheral neuropathy and no pain killers touch it because it is nerve pain. I've started Epsom salts baths which are very relaxing if nothing else. I'm taking vitamin B supplements also. I'm hoping the oncologist may reduce the dose and that will sort this out. Just don't want it to be permanent. The only other thing I have found is that I am very tearful. If anyone cries on the TV I'm sobbing. Can't watch a wildlife programme becasue I'm howling over the dying animals. Cute makes my cry also! So I am optimistic that I will survive the next 3 rounds. I was prepared to give it up after round 1. I hope everyone is doing OK and finding their way through. It has been brilliant to read everyone's tips so thank you to all those posters over the years making more sense of it all than the NHS! ... View more

Hi there, I'm wondering the same, so I don't have any answers for you I'm afraid. 15 days after my op (lumpectomy and full node clearance) and the pain gets worse. I can't bear clothes touching my skin, the pain has spread down my arm. My breast is rock hard and round the wound is bright red. I go back repeatedly to the nurses who drain some seroma off and give me an anti biotics. I have to assume this is normal as they don't seem worried, but I can't really do anything becasue the pain when I move my arm is so bad. Its very frustrating and quite  diffcult to cope as I live on my own. How are you doing? ... View more

Hi Jayne and Sharon and Suzanne, I'm really glad to hear from you but so sorry that you are not back to your old selves yet. We are so impatient and our bodies have been through so much. Its such a shame you can't get back to work Sharon, this was the turning point for me in getting back to my old life. My back is killing me (physio is useless), my corded arm still hurts and doesn't work properly, I'm knackered all the time but somehow I forget it all because work consumes my life. My short grey hair and various scars remind me sometimes but it does all seem like it happened to someone else now. Got another operation to remove a parathyroid this month and not sure how I'll feel being wheeled down to the operating theatre again but its a little thing - 2 weeks on the sofa which I'm almost looking forward too! I miss this thread and the friendship, it was brilliant and hope everyone finds such good support from the website. Love to you all, Erica xxx ... View more

Hello ladies, What wonderful messages that I totally agree with. You are my only friends who understand yet we've never met. Thank you so much for always being there. I looked back over my 2010 calender today and read all the hospital appointments over the year. But I also read all the friends who came to see me, all the parties, weddings, little trips away etc and truly realised that 2010 has not been a bad year, it was a year full of emotion but thats better than not. Because with the down times there has been some really joyous times. I was going to throw the calender away but I decided to keep it so that if the cancer comes back I can look back at 2010 to remind me the journey was not so scary. I'm hoping to maximise those joyous times in 2011 and lessen the down times and I wish that for all you lovely ladies. Very best wishes for 2011, Erica xxxxx ... View more

Sorry to hear you're still feeling sad Jayne and bugger about the scan Karen. You will have done all the ologists by the time you're better. I've got op booked for March to remove tumour on my parathyroid which hopefully will bring me back to the land of the awake and less confused. Work takes my mind off most things now, but am totally knackered all the time. I know what you mean about liking being on your own Suzanne - I love walking the dogs at the end of the day - just me and my ipod. I've taken to singing Take That songs very loudly on the green by my house - seems to be quite theraputic! Love and hugs to all xxx ... View more

Hello everyone, So glad to catch up with you all, feels like long lost friends although I'm so sorry to hear lots of you are having such a crap time and still having treatment. In a terrible way I was heartened to hear that people are having a tough emotional time cause I was starting to think it was just me. I've had no treatment for 4 months now, am back to work 4 days a week and I feel like sh*t! I'm tired, weepy, angry, impatient, disinterested in work and all my body still aches. But I haven't been through half what you all have. Everyone thinks its all over and I just pick up my life where it left off except I can't. My partner thinks I should just get a grip and I'm really scared I won't be able to do my job properly and end up working part time amd losing my post. Its been a year since I was diagnosed, haven't seen anyone medical since July and its a very lonely place. Spoke to someone at a meeting today who said it took her 2 years to get over chemo - how do I cope with timescales like that? Sorry this is a major moan but I know you guys are the only people who will understand - how do I get my family and work colleagues to understand without sounding like a moaning minny or do myself out of a job? It feels like the cancer is an irrelevance, its the disabling effects of the treatment that screw you - not even worried about the cancer coming back because I'm so bothered about just getting though the day. Massive hugs to everyone and wishing you all cheerier, more positive times, Erica xxxx ... View more

Hi everyone, Caught up with you all reading posts and its a mixed time for everyone. I'm starting back to work next week which is a big milestone. Still don't think I can possibly stay awake to do anything useful all day. My sulking ovaries have decided to cheer up today after 7 months - think I'd rather have the hot flush than the period pain! My boob is sore, my knees still ache, I can't remember anything anyone's told me, still overweight but generally on the up and don't think about it too much now. Treatment etc all seems a long time ago now. Hope rads go well for you Louise and you have the best time in Aus Suzanne. Love to everyone muddling along but we've done well haven't we? I reckon so. Erica xxxx ... View more

Just thought I'd update this thread to say clonidine has been a miracle for me. Hot flushes have disappeared completely with no side effects except for a dry mouth which I can live with. Only took 3 days to work. Just hope they continue to work but absolute life saver so far. Just got to sort the aching joints and I may feel like I used to before all this started. ... View more

I have the solution to hot flushes - Catapres drugs. Only took them for 2 days and flushes have STOPPED. No fan, open windows, bed sheet, chillow required at night. I feel like I've got my life back, house has never been so clean and tidy. All my aches and pains don't seem to bad when I've had a decent nights sleep. They haven't made me tired, have no side effects - think the dose is so much lower than you would take if you were taken them for the proper purpose. Don't put up with the flushes any longer ladies, get to your GP. They're totally BC safe. Hope you get on OK with your chemo again Theresa and everyone has a good bank holiday. My greyhound has a bald bum and I was told to rub the skin to get the hair to grow back but it had no effect, still bald! Off to tackle the weeds in the garden with my new found energy! Erica xxxxxx ... View more

Thank you for your replies everyone. I'm feeling optomistic now that I may get my life back with these. ... View more