Breast Cancer Now Forum

Ok - to all the medics who talk of "cures" and "curable" - why can't we ever donate blood again? Surely, if we're cured ours should be as good as anyones! Just to be pedantic, how can you possibly be cured of a disease that has the potential to come back? ... View more

Sorry to barge in but I wondered if anyone has had a bone scan at Crosshouse and how long it took to get the result? Mine is 9am tomorrow, but the waiting game is awful.... ... View more

Hi. Chronic back pain with Arimidex. (diagnosed 26/9/2006) Started Arimidex after oopherctomy(spelling?) in January 2008, so still a while to go!. Recent physiotherapy visit concluded that joints nos 3,4 and 5 were very stiff indeed and that back muscles were all to hell (technical term) too as result of LD recon. ... View more

Here goes: Road tax would be paid by all cyclists (and horse-riders too). If you want full rights of the road, pay for it like car owners do. Pensioners should not be allowed to drive, or make GP appointments, before 10:00. I'm often stuck behind some old dodderer at 08:50, running late for work, to see them then turn into the supermarket.... Like the sound of the German scheme but how about moving it somewhere sunny, beside a beach? Hogwarts would invent a potion compulsory for all non-cancer adults which would make them loose all hair, including lashes and brows, for 1 week every year. Politicians would have to drink another Hogwart's potion which made their heads spin round and round every time they lied. I'd better stop now. As to the one-stop clinic, had mammo, needle, and core-biopsy. Pathologist there on the night to look at live sample. Told by a complete tube that as that was negative, coming back for the full Path result was "a mere formality". Have refused to see him ever since. ... View more

Thanks a lot for that Annie! I should have said in the original post that I wanted to hear good and bad reults so if anyone out there has a different experience, please post! ... View more

There are many issues here to comment upon. Firstly, I agree with the watershed point - if this ad were played later then many of the objections from parents of young children would be addressed. Secondly, although it's about Cancer, it's still an ad and the purpose of an effective ad is to prompt a reaction - to raise awareness, to raise money or to make us buy chocolate. If it didn't have that emotional grab it wouldn't be an effective ad. Sadly, just leaving buckets around for donations just doesn't do it. Thirdly, I am a primary (so far) and was really pleased that Secondaries were addressed. That fulfilled a few objectives. It brought home to the non-affected that there's still a long way to go and that too many still suffer extended unpleasant, painful treatments and yet still die. Further, it is still necessary to educate the numpties who assume we're all "cured", should "get over it" and "get back to normal". I agree that the icy grab at your heart is not pleasant but it's necessary to reach the non-affected and I beleive they are the target market for the ad, not us. ... View more

Celia, Take your own CD. It'll help to have something you like or find relaxing. I'm Lobular too and my first breast MRI had their compilation CD which featured Cyndi Lauper - Girls just wanna have fun. No comment! ... View more

My friend's comment on Mammos and how to compare them to real life: Go into kitchen - strip to the waist, open the fridge door, insert boobs and then slam the door as hard as you can! Thankfully, it's over v quickly and discomfort doesn't last. ... View more

I had rads to chest, neck and armpit. I had 2/5 nodes but 7cm spread (Lobular) and the Onc seemed concerned at the low number of nodes removed although the Surgeon swore he raked around for ages looking to see if there were any more. Weird, isn't it, that we all have such differing number of nodes? ... View more

Hi Weeannie, I'm in Ayr but a few years down the line having had a Mastectomy with immediate recon, Chemo, Radiotherapy, Herceptin, Tamoxifen, ovaries out and now Arimidex. Seeing the Onc on Tuesday? I take it you're going to Crosshouse? Best of luck and although I won't be going through it with you, I'm always here for a chat! Alloway ... View more

Hi Monica, Thank you very much for replying. I'm insatiable for information, even when it's something others would prefer not to know! Slowly going crazy with the waiting for the MRI- 'phoned the Breast nurse yesterday and she said she didn't know if the Surgeon had marked it urgent or not in which case it could be 2 or 3 weeks. It's ironic that I'm impatient for the horrible breast MRI anyway. I've learned to take my own music unlike the first time which had a mixed track including Cyndi Lauper, "Girls just wanna have fun"!!! ... View more

Thanks for that Monica! I've been invigilating this morning and the b....r is getting sorer and sorer. I only hope I get this drained soon. Do you mind me asking what your symptoms were at recurrence? ... View more

Hello Saffronseed, You are having a horrble time and it's perfectly understandable that you should feel sad, scared and weep. You are entitled to feel sorry for yourself; you would feel sorry for someone else in your position. Please, please don't beat yourself up or put additional pressure on yourself by tying the "positive upbeat" burden on your back. All these people may appear to be coping so well but they're probably putting on an act and at home... You're probably still in shock, given that you only had your results yesterday. Be kind to yourself and don't assume that you have to be any other way than yourself. Hugs and best wishes for your treatment, Alloway ... View more

Good luck. I was very "cysty" and had multiple ones at a time, so let's hope you're the same and they're both cysts. ... View more

Hello Worried Friend, My eyelashes and eyebrows stayed through FEC and went on Taxotere. As I had a great wig, I felt worse about going out in public when they went. False eyelashes are tricky unless you're very adept and I wasn't!I bought some and took them to a local beauty salon where they taught me how to put them on,and then watched me doing it and commented all the way.They only charged me £5.00 for almost an hour of their time and were exceptionally kind.( I had to buy my own strip lashes as all the salons I phoned use the individual ones that attach onto an existing lash.) Brows hung on just enough to pencil them in but many girls have mentioned Browzings(?) as very successful. Also I did find an American website that sold stick-on real hair brows. Good luck for your friend with all of it - I found it better if I had read up on the possibles and was prepared but my family call me a control freak. Lastly, you are a truly wonderful friend and just what your pal needs. Really, you could run seminars on how to be a great friend to someone with cancer! Very best wishes, Alloway. PS If you ever feel you need another friend, can it be me?!? ... View more