Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hi I was 29 and told I would have to pay myself as the youngest they would fund is 30. Personally I'm glad I didn't fork out the money as my cancer was strongly hormonal positive and the thought of all the extra hormones scares me. I was not allowed zoladex through chemo as it can reduce the effectiveness of it. I have however had zoladex as a preventative thing for the last 2 years and now I'm waiting to see if my periods return and when I finish tamoxifen in 3 years time I will see if my fertility remains. I know I am lucky to have age on my side but I've made the choice to apply for adoption instead of trying naturally as I'm too scared of the effective hormones. Em x ... View more

Hi Maud, it's Wednesday 21st for our Christmas meal at the Longford, 7:30pm I think. Look forwards to catching up with you. xxx ... View more

Hi I don't think there is any difference between the 3.6mg and 10.8mg apart from it being a bit bigger as it has to release for longer. As far as I know there is nothing else. To be fair I'm the only one at my surgery having it for breast cancer so fingers crossed it's ok to have it 12 weekly. Other ladies on here have it 3 monthly. x ... View more

Hi If you have it 4 weekly then it's the 3.6mg but if you have it 12 weekly it's 10.8mg. I started on the 4 weekly one as I liked that constant contact with my doctor having gone form almost weekly contact with a health care professional all through treatment to virtually nothing when treatment finished. When I got more confidence I went onto the 12 weekly one. The needle is a bit bigger for the 10.8mg but it doesn't hurt anymore. It's not like a normal injection, in the syringe is a waxey pellet, they put the needle in then click it and it deposits the little waxey pellet in your tummy. My doctor alternates left and right each time. It doesn't take long and no pain afterwards, I had it yesterday morning at 7:30 before work and forgot about it until I went home and took the plaster off. Good luck Em x ... View more

Hi I have both of these and although there are side effects, I've learnt to manage them. All except the weight gain that is. I do on average 4 full on hours of proper exercise a week, I teach PE 4 hours a week ( maths the rest) and eat a very balanced healthy diet but I've still managed to gain about a stone. I'm now at the point where I am worried about coming off the Zoladex as I only have 1 more 10.8mg one to go. I know everyone has a different tolerance to pain etc but I've not found the zoladex a prob at all. Just take a deep breath and exhale through your mouth when they stick it in, can truthfully say it does not hurt ( or maybe I just don't feel pain through the layer if blubber I have gained!!) With the hot flushes ( I call it my own micro climate) when I feel it starting I take my jumper/scarf and socks off and drink water. They have reduced a lot as time has gone on. Go for it, the more we can do to reduce it coming back the better. Em x ... View more

Hi We all respond to different things. I think Coppafeel is fantastic and I will be there on Sunday to join the campaign and look forward to becoming a Boobette. Being diagnosed at 28/29 I fall into the younger woman group and I don't think more mature women have exactly the same issues as us younguns, just as we don't have some of the issues older women have. Obviously a charity like this does have a target group of younger ladies. Last year at school I did a talk to year 10 students about breastcancer and I used the Coppafeel website resources which went down very well. I had children/parents thank me and lots of students are now more comfortable talking about their boobs. It's catchy, funky and does raise awareness. Kris and her family have done a fab job. If you don't like it, then don't open a post about it. Regardless of if you agree or disagree with Pink/Coppafeel etc etc, it's all raising awareness. I believe the point of the post was to get younger people to meet on Sunday to raise more awareness. Hope to see people there. Em x ... View more

Hi Reminder that we're meeting next wednesday 7:30pm at the Longford, Gloucester. All welcome new and old. PM me if you want to meet outside first. Em x ... View more

Hi Peeps, Next meet is at the Longford on Wednesday 19th October 7:30. If any new ladies wish to join us then drop me a message and I'll send you my number. Hope all is well, busy busy busy here, hoping to chill a bit after this weekend. Em x ... View more

Hello Everyone. Chris we missed you and whatsmore none of us had any pudding!! Next date is September 21st, usual time, usual place. Hope everyone is well, I'm stupidly busy planning this blessing, setting up Jonathons Locksmith business and getting ready for school, it's crazy. Em x ... View more

Hi all Just a reminder to all new and old about tomorrow evening, 7:30pm at The Longford inn, Gloucester. If anyone wants to meet outside please just drop me a pm and I'll send you my number. Hope all is well Em x ... View more

Hi ladies I can only say positive things about my surgery at Gloucester. I've had both Mrs F and Miss V and another locum who was under the supervision of Mrs F for my reconstruction. I was on day surgery just the other week and it was fine. I've had 3 day surgery and then stayed in twice and thankfully I had my own room both times on ward 9 but I think they might have changed this recently. I currently have all my check ups in Chelt and I'm not sure if it has all moved over there or not but I think they transferred me because I live in Cheltenham. It was that Mrs F did a clinic at Glos on a tuesday and Chelt on a Friday. Hope you all enjoyed meeting up last Wednesday, I was in Edinburgh having a lovely time, now to sort through the 843 pictures I took! Em x ... View more

Hi everyone Just a reminder, Wednesday 7:30pm Longford in Gloucester, all welcome. PM me if you want to come and meet outside first. Em x ... View more

Hi I don't know what the deal is during chemo as I lost all my hair. Just before it fell out I used a less chemically dye, then when it grew back I had to wait 6 months until I had any dye and my hair dresser made me wait a year for highlights. If I were you I'd leave your hair well alone until after treatment, you don't want to do anything to it that could encourage it to fall out. How long have you got left on chemo? As for eyebrow tatoos, logically it makes not sense not to have tatooing done during chemo as your immune system is compromised so you could easily get infections etc. Mine grew back pretty quickly afterwards though. Get a decent eyebrow pencil instead. Em x ... View more

Hi I spoke to my consultant about this the other day as we want to know what to do about having children. I'm 30 and my husband is 28, we were about to apply for adoption but decided to wait. We have decided to stay on tamoxifen for 3 years (done 1yr so far) then come off it and try for babies and if after a year (which I know isn't very long, expecially as I also have PCOS) we have had no sucess to go back on tamoxifen and apply for adoption. If we are successful then I will resume tamoxifen as soon as poss after the birth(not sure what the score is with breast feeding and tamoxifen but only having 1 boob could reduce my luck in this anyway). My consultant said that no one really knew whether pregnancy could encourange a reccurance or not and that after a minimum of 2 years she wouldn't stop me coming off it, however also she wouldn't tell me to def do so. Very tricky one but my whole philosophy is- if we're meant to have kids we will and if it doesn't happen naturally then we are meant to adopt. Then if we can't adopt, well, we just get to go on nice holidays, go out whenever we like and wear designer shoes whilst our friends are spending all their time and pennies on babies. Em x ... View more