Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hi Sharon, I had phlebitis in my good arm stemming from my second to last chemo, I found that wrapping a cold pillowcase quite tightly round it helped.....for some reason the pressure made it ache less. I tried using one of those tubugrip bandages for when I was out of the house - just make sure it's not too tight...not as good as the pillowcase though! Antibiotics got rid of the phlebitis itself but the irritation and aching took longer to go away, -about two months - and even now, six months later, the site is still a bit numb.... Sprite ... View more

Just a little oddity.....I lost my hair on FEC but my eyelashes and eyebrows stayed put until I had taxotere - so I'll keep my fingers crossed that yours stay put too! Sprite x ... View more

Ooops I forgot to add....... Hello me again, I forgot to add that I was a 34E before surgery and was aged 43 at diagnosis and am 44 now. Just a add a bit of background! Sprite x ... View more

I'm a happy flatty too! Hi Pauline and Jane, Could I just add my two pennorth worth and add another voice to the non reconstruction route too?! I had my first mastectomy in March last year and my second in February this year. I had chemo and radiotherapy after the first op but luckily nothing after the second. I'm triple neg so the second op was my 'safety net' as well as having the added bonus of leveling me up. Like you Jane, I wasn't bothered about being mono breasted and am now actually quite happy about being flat chested, I wear prosthetic's when I feel like it and go without when I can't be bothered to, it's actually quite liberating! I can also be whatever size I choose to which is very handy when certain clothes don't fit. I know if I go out without boobs that all anyone is thinking (if they notice at all ) is that I'm flat chested not that I've had surgery. I'm more bothered by the non reappearance of my eyebrows! My heroine has become Debra Messing of 'Will and Grace' - who is a very stylish woman and is as flat chested as they come. After losing my hair and boobs in the past year I know that what makes me female is me and the way I am in my head, it's nothing to do with what others see on the outside. Another plus is that I never have to have another mammogram..ever! I agree that this is a very personal decision and there is no wrong or right road to choose - just what is right for you. All the best, Sprite x ... View more

Hi Geraldine, Yep, I know how you feel! I had a solid work record for 26 years but six months before diagnosis I moved jobs, didn't get on with the new role and started temping until I got a new, permanent job. However BC struck before that happened and consequently all my insurance safety nets either weren't there or didn't apply so I have have to live on my credit cards and on loans for the last year. I managed to go back to work (temping full-time as all benefits stopped as soon as I went back to work) for six weeks inbetween finishing treatment for my original breast cancer and going back in for a prophalactic mastectomy (I'm triple neg and felt it was my only safety net). I went back to work because I couldn't afford not to (mortgage had suspended payments for six months but added interest still and wouldn't suspent payments any longer) and have had to borrow money to enable me to have three weeks off to recover from this op. I should have been able to do a 'rapid reclaim' (what a title for DWP to call it!) so that I can claim IB for the time that I'm off until I start temping again. Sounds simple so far doesn't it - nothing much has changed in the interim, however I received a letter this morning saying that they need my ID again, as I was bald the last time when I took my passport in and am now short haired with no eyebrows and I still look nothing like my photo I really can't see the point!! Went to see CAB about my debts but I'm in the catch 22 position of being unable to do anything until I'm working again, which I can't do for another couple of weeks (I'm already taking half the time recommended by the doctor for my recovery, what more am I expected to do??!) ......and don't get me started on the Council Tax benefits system, I have a reams of letters and copies of the documents I've had to send to them! Ooops, looks like this has turned into a rant too - it solves nothing but I do feel better for venting!! Sprite xx ... View more

Be kind to yourself... Hi Geraldine, I had 4 x FEC and 4 x Taxotere - I found the last taxotere totally wiped me out for a good three weeks, however after another two or three weeks I felt much better - not back to normal but able to walk upstairs without puffing and my eyes finally stopped running too! Sprite x ... View more

I finished chemo in Oct 2006 (4 x FEC and 4 x Taxotere) - my hair started to grow back properly in December and my bottom row of eyelashes came back at about the same time My eyebrows however are still a work in progress! I have about ten little hairs each side but very little else...the top row of eyelashes are a bit stubby but definitely on their way and to my horror I now need to shave my legs (but as it's cold and I'm in trousers or jeans most of the time, I'm putting off doing the deed..and yes, I do live by myself!) Sue x ... View more

Can't find it!! Think I'm being thick.....where is the triple neg info exactly? Sue x ... View more

triple negative I was diagnosed in Feb 2006 with ILC - it seemed to come from out of nowhere but after my mastecomy I was told that 14 out of 20 nodes were affected. I'm ER-. PR- and HER- and was 43 at dx. Sue ... View more

Love Hurts Jim Capaldi Sue x ... View more

Horses for courses... Hi Sophie, Looks like everyone has a different need, doesn\'t it?! I\'ve just finished chemo and about to start radiotherapy so I\'m sure my needs will also change in the next few months. At the moment I wear some pocketed bra\'s and some without. I\'m not sure that I want to go for the stick on prosthesis as I still feel more comfortable not wearing any bra at all whilst at home (the other boob is sagging well though because of that!) It\'ll probably be different when I get back to work. At the mo I\'m still a bit numb/tender around the mastectomy area so the kind of bra which hold the prosthesis in place firmly would also be quite uncomfortable to wear all day. As I said I\'m happy waring pocketed or unpocketed but there are swings and roundabouts - in the hot weather, not having a pocket means your chest sweats quite a lot whereas the pocket absorbs the sweat a bit - but you have to wash your bra daily! The pocket keeps my prosthesis in place more (it\'s too big for my bra as I said earlier) but isn\'t so good when wearing scimpier tops as when you lean forward it moves too....although it has to be said I\'m probably not going to be wearing little tops ever again except in the back garden! Good luck with your designs - it\'s a big project! Sue x ... View more

At last..... I\'m 43 and had a mastectomy in March - and you\'re right the choice of bra\'s is awful - I\'m a 34 E on one side and total flat on the other and have so far only found one bra that holds my prosthesis comfortably - its a size 12 one from Trulife and I believe that size is normally worn by ladies with a bigger bust, and consequently more room in their bra but it is none the less the right size for me. However none of the rest of my bra\'s are ever comfortable or feel in any way feminine. I do need to have heftier straps on my bra because of the weight of the prosthesis but do they always have to look so thick and horrible?? And as you said some nice colours and materials wouldn\'t go amiss! I would love to write more but have numb fingertips from the taxotere so I\'ll have to come back to this topic later!!! Sue x ... View more