Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hi ladies, now there should be no time limit on opening the champers!. I am nearly two years and feel lucky to be here and I often treat myself these days!. I was originally told I would have to stay on Anastrozole for five years then my GP said he wants me to stay on it for longer if possible.. So I don't have the five year target just take each year as it comes!. It is upto the individual though if you have survived five years then why not party ?. A lady who lives in my road got to five years and threw a 'pink party' for all her girl friends. They all wore pink then eventually went out on 'the town'. Seems a good idea and highlights breast cancer so it makes other ladies check themselves. So Flower 75 get yours on ice and celebrate !. ... View more

Hi Rozita, just seen this and tried to make sense of it. L stands for Lumbar area so the fifth vertebra is L5. T2 is the second thoracic vertebra I would think?. The problem is you need a medical person to translate this properly. Not sure if the helpline on this site is open on a Sunday but if it is call the nurse . If not try the Macmillan one. I am sure your GP would talk you through it even over the phone . Obviously you are anxious but guessing is not a good thing and whilst we can try and guess what it means it is best to talk to someone who knows. I have not read your other thread to get full story of you situation and what has been going on but try not get too worried . Take care of yourself, Katy. ... View more

Nice to see your post a Poems. How are you doing? Katy. ... View more

Hi amtw, sorry to hear you are having the dreaded hot flushes. I think a lot of the ladies on here suffer them quite badly. I have been on Anastrozole for over a year and get really bad hot flushes. Feels like hot water pouring over you. Some tips I have learnt that really help are firstly the Chillowpillow. Google it and various suppliers come up. I bought mine through Amazon at about £24 and best thing I have ever bought! It helps cool you at night time especially and to get some sleep. I am buying another to take on holiday as they do a mini version. Another tip is mini handbag battery fans, another Godsend!. I have them all over the place. We also have ceiling electric fans with lights in our two main rooms and of course portable ones . I have a smaller version to also put by bed in night during winter as the ceiling really cools everything down even my poor hubby!. I have to attend a lot of meetings and used to get embarrassed but I just tell everyone" sorry folks I am having a hot moment " and everyone just understands . Some things like alcohol and spicy food make me worse so it is also about avoiding these in public if it helps. I know it is hard taking these tablets but I would prefer to stick with it if it helps keep my cancer at bay. You do get used to them but that is because you will learn to manage the flushes as time hoes on. Be strong and keep cool!. Take care, Katy. ... View more

Hi Angie, I have been on Arimidex ( Anastrozole is it's other name you might see ladies on her refer to) for a year now. At first I had headaches but they only lasted a few weeks. The hot flushes got worse than I remember before I took this but I found certain things trigger them like alcohol, after a hot drink or food and they are worse at night time. I invested in a Chillow pillow to use at night and it really helps. They cost about £25 on Amazon. I have fibromyalgia and also osteo arthritis and my surgeon did warn me that this drug would make my aches and pains worse and it has but it is manageable . In December I developed problems with my hands and had two 'trigger' fingers and a thumb. Reading the information sheet that comes with the tablets it was listed as a less common side effect. I have had treatment from my GP which has helped. Keep the information sheet handy and check it every so often if you think something about you is different. The Oncologist did say if I could not tolerate Anastrozole then she could put me on something else but that it was the best drug for my type of cancer and asked me to try and stay on it. My GP has reinforced this saying he wants me to stay on it for as long as possible. So whilst there are side effects they can be tolerated in my case anyway , as I don't want my cancer to come back!. So stick with it and see your GP if you get any problems as most can be sorted out. Take care, Katy. ... View more

Hi Arfur, there are a lot of ladies on here this has happened to. Each person' s cancer is different in its make up so treatments vary. I had a rare cancer , had two wide excisions to get the tumour out plus one lymph node. As the lymph node was clear I did not need chemotherapy but had 15 radiotherapy sessions. The type of tumour I had tends to stay more localised so radiotherapy was the best treatment. I am also on Anastrozole as it was a oestrogen hungry cancer and this drug stops oestrogen production in my body. Did you ask for your pathology report?. I suggest you call your Consultant's secretary and ask for it. Again this is quite acceptable and I got mine and other ladies on this site have also. At least you will be clear what exactly was your type of cancer. I think also a call to your breast care nurse might help or the nurses on this site who cn talk you through your concerns. I felt odd when I was technically discharged from the Oncology clinic but since have had support from my GP and this web site sharing with others who have or who are recovering from cancer surgery and treatment. I had my first mammogram in January and until then I was worried there still could be some cancer left but the good news it has gone . I know I shall be closely watched as I shall have mammogram for next six years . The trauma of it all takes awhile to settle. I was diagnosed December 2012 and I am only just getting to the stage where I have days I dont think about it or what I have been through. Everyone of us is different and we all have different ways of coping and your feelings at the moment sound normal to me. Take care, hopefully some of the other ladies on this site will respond with their experiences and feelings to. Katy. ... View more

Hi Pat, pleased to hear your news. It is lovely to know the year of treatment seems to be working. Keep positive and treat yourself. I bought some news clothes and bras fed up wearing the ' old lady ' ones!. Mind you I still get pains in my breast so I expect I shall have to gently get myself back into wearing what I call normal bras. All progress though, take care, Katy. ... View more

Hi Charlie, like the others who have posted I am shocked that you have been treated like this. I am a County Councillor and if I thought any staff working for us had been treated this way I would be wanting some action taken. Can I suggest you get in touch with the Occupational Health Department for your County Council( I persume it is a state school.?.) You need their support and they will then liaise and inform your Headteacher that you should be on sick leave and tell them to back off!. I also think you are being"bullied" here and you have a case to take further if you wish?. Do you belong to the teachers union?. Another source of help to let them know what is happening. One thing Cancer does it makes you prioritise what is important and your health and recovery should be top priority . Take care and put yourself first, Katy. ... View more

Hi Raders, yes I have as well. Started about three months after started on Anastrozole. I got eye drops and ointment from GP which helped . It is not so much of a problem now, so maybe yours will pass also?. Take care , Katy. ... View more

Hi Gingerlaces, thanks for this. The more ladies who come forward with similar problems helps as you do wonder sometimes where some of these aches and pains and symptoms come from or in fact if you are just developing new things and it's nothing to do with Anastrozole tabs. I am having Cortisone injection first in a couple of weeks then if it does not work then my GP says he will refer me to the hand clinic. Whilst this us not serious it does get me down a bit as I just want to get fitter and move on. Anyway at least it can be treated so thankful for that. Interesting also my GP had not seen it before as a reaction to Anastrozole. It is listed as less common side effect on the notes that come with it. I keep this handy now and every time a new symptom appears I check the list . I am taking it with me so my GP can read it himself. They can't know everything and at least it will help someone else who presents with it at the surgery. I take Glucosomine and Cod liver oil but have arthritis anyway and you are right if you try to go without it you definitely feel 90!. Take care of yourself, Katy. ... View more

Hi Ladies, just reading this thread and wanted to let you know that my Surgeon and Breast care nurse both asked me if I had had any blows or had hit my breast in the questions they asked me. I would think there must be a link if they asked this? . Take care everyone, Katy. ... View more

Hi Poems, glad to hear your news( I did a response just now and don't know where it has gone so doing it again!) Another positive story from someone on this thread. I hope you celebrate in some way. Also good to hear another lady with you looked well. I me two ladies when I had my second lot of surgery and we all turned up at the same mammogram session.All of us are OK and they looked well also. I just want life to return to some normality as spent last 15 months being in and out of hospital, seeing Doctors, nurses etc, etc. I have a bad sinuses infection so just been put on another three weeks of antibiotics. My GP said some people after cancer treatment get a lot of infections and I shall just have to keep taking the tablets!. Take care, Katy ... View more

Hi everyone just to let you know that after the letter came after my mammogram saying there was nothing to be concerned about last week, I had another letter yesterday, with an appointment to see the breast care nurse at the hospital where I had my surgery. Another lady who has been on same journey as myself fortunately called me to warn me a letter was coming. When she had hers it threw her and she thought they had got mammogram results wrong, so she rang them and said this was just a routine follow up. So those of you having your first mammogram check this will probably happen so don't worry. Take care, Katy. ... View more

Hi Kevin, thanks for letting us know how Marg got on. Well at least that milestone is over. Put you feet up and try and rest as I am sure you will need all your energy to do all the chores and look after Marg. Let's us know how she goes. Take care, Katy. ... View more

Hi Zeppa, thank for this Will have to get something done to thumb. See GP Tuesday so will se what he recommends. Seems though this is ' part of the course' being on Anastrozole! Take care, Katy. ... View more

Hi Kevin, you ramble as much as you want especially if it helps. Hopefully someone will come forward who has had similar. Let us know how your wife is once you can. This is a milestone that has to be gone through but afterwards hopefully your wife will make a speedy recovery. It is not easy but take each stage as it comes. Why don't you call the nurses on the helpline in the morning as they will listen and give information you will want. Take care, Katy. ... View more

Hi Helen, welcome to this site. Like you I have been through treatment phase and started to then deal with "stuff" that I had shelved as well. I have read a lot of similar posts so I am sure some of the other ladies ( and gents) who have been on the cancer journey will respond saying the same. I had two lots of surgery to get the little ' alien' out, radiotherapy and now on Anastrozole for another four years( done one year already). I think I am lucky compared to some others but each cancer journey is different and has its ups and downs . I just had my first mammogram and got the all clear so feel even more lucky now. What a journey ! Would not wish it on anyone. This website has been invaluable and kept me sane when I thought I was unable to cope anymore. Trouble is you can only talk about it so much to family and friends and as well meaning as most of them are they really have no idea what it is like to have the cancer diagnosis. It sounds like you have a very positive attitude which will help and use this site to share your feelings and get tips from the others. Remember we live in 21st century and treatment for the big C has never been so good and new treatments are coming out all the time. Be strong , keep focused and good luck to you, take care, Katy. ... View more

Hi Pat, yes not taking the Anastrozole I agree is not an option for me either. I have had both knees replaced because of arthritis and have it in other joints. As I said before ( somewhere on one of these threads forgive me folks if I am repeating myself ) the surgeon said it would all become worse. I feel worse beginning and end of the day,but generally once I get going I am OK. Paracetamol good for me also and sometimes a tramadol at bedtime. I am seeing GP on Tuesday regarding thumb and what X-ray shows , so will see what can be one. It's a b----r getting older and getting extra aches and pains. Trouble is in my mind I still feel as I did when I was in my late twenties , it's when I look in the mirror or try to move sometimes I remember I am not!. However as you say it's worth all this Pat if it nasty big C at bay !. Take care keep in touch, Katy. ... View more