Breast Cancer Now Forum

I had a double mx 14 months ago (and DEFINITELY NO RECONSTRUCTION) and for the first few months only wore stretchy crop tops because of truncal lymphodema. My physio recommended that I should go and get fitted for a bra and chicken fillets, as she felt it would help with the swelling, and I really didn't want to go. I used to have very large boobs which became flaps after breast feeding 3 children, and I actually thought that I wouldn't mind being breast free. However, I followed the physio's advice and tried them, and after persisting with wearing them on a regular basis, I now feel very comfortable with my new boobs and often forget they are not part of me. They are quite light (so no back ache), quite small and shapely (which I have never had) and they make my clothes look better - I got quite depressed when breast free trying to shop for clothes which I could wear. I even jog with my new boobs and they are actually more comfortable than my old ones! However, if I hadn't found good bras (got a very good fitting in our local department store) and the right prostheses, I'm sure I wouldn't be wearing them now. Just do what feels right for you. ... View more

Wow! So many comments already - thank you. Please keep adding. I've got my first meeting with the research team next week. ... View more

This time last year I had just finished 7 months of chemo, surgery and rads and could barely put one foot in front of the other. I forced myself to walk around the small paddock at the back of our house once a day, just to prove that I could, but not much more. I was lucky as my parents moved up to help out with the children and my husband changed jobs so he wouldn't be living away during the week anymore. I couldn't do a thing during treatment and for a couple of months afterwards, not even driving, cooking, cleaning, gardening - just generally everything. I went back to teaching for 1 1/2 days a week in Septermber (still on Herceptin) and now do 2 days. I can still do no more than that and I find that when I overdo, it takes a loooong time to bounce back. I have learnt to take more of a back seat (not natural!) but when I do feel exhausted, I look back at this time last year and see that this is still an improvement on what was then. Of course, there is always the worry that being increasingly exhausted means ....... but so far, I have managed to improve energy levels again after sinking. ... View more

I finished Herceptin 6 months ago and having had terrible palpitations all through treatment they are now easing. Most oncs said that there are no SEs and made me feel that I was fussing about nothing but one simply said that it was my body's way of reacting to the treatment and that it would improve once treatment had stopped. This seems to be true. I do still have a drippy nose and my fingernails are continuing to split down the middle but, hopefully, these will go too. I also get glorious hot flushes and night sweats from Tamoxifen but have found that accupuncture and visualisation (not something I have ever taken to before) have really helped. I'm also still very tired but not as bad as this time last year when I'd just finished seven months of chemo, bilateral mx and rads. Onwards and upwards! ... View more

I've said this on another thread, but I've been having acupuncture to counteract hot flushes/night sweats and it really does help - and no SEs! Some places offer it on the NHS or if you're near a Haven you can get 10 free sessions with them. You'll need 5 or 6 sessions usually but I saw a definite improvement after 2. ... View more

I started having hot flushes/night sweats after starting chemo but they have got much worse since starting tamoxifen. I have been having acupuncture which has been very succesful in often eliminating or reducing them. I'm 47 and pre-menopausal. I've also found that now my arms sweat - weird! ... View more

I'm also a primary (class music) and secondary (1 to 1) teacher. I finished rads yesterday so no more 3 hour round trips to look forward to (ha!), but before I went for my last session I went to the parent's assembly at the primary school (my youngest daughter's school). I have been off work since October when treatment started and was amazed how much the children had changed in 7 months, but the worst bit was how exhausted I felt just being there. I was just sitting with the other parents, so not involved. I had said I intended to return after half-term (in 3 weeks), but with the prospect of getting even more tired over the next 2 weeks am now not so sure. As I only do 1 day a week at the primary it's hard to do a phased return, but not doing playground duties, etc will be things that I ask to forego for now. Good luck to all of you just starting or in the middle of rads. I've been using aqueous and 99.9% aloe vera and things look OK at the moment but I am definitely stiffening up again, despite 20 mins of arm exercises twice a day. Have had a couple of accupuncture sessions which are supposed to help counteract fatigue (not sure if working) and hot flushes/night sweats (definite improvement). ... View more

Hello likeslilac I had a bilateral mastectomy without reconstruction between chemo and rads (finished yesterday - hooray!). Only one breast was affected but like you, I didn't want to be lopsided. I made my decision because I couldn't face any further surgery but if that didn't bother me I would probably have gone for reconstruction after rads instead. However, I don't regret being flat chested and breast free - it is liberating, and I'm very glad that I don't have to worry about further surgery; like you, my choices of reconstruction types were limited. The surgeon supported my decision but insisted I saw the onco-psych first to confirm that I was really doing the right thing for the right reasons. It is a very tough decision to make and I only had about a week to think about it once the idea was in my head - that was too short, really - but for me it's better than either being lopsided for the rest of my life or having reconstructive surgery. I was worried about how I would look but there are many clothes out there cut to flatter and I think I look OK. I'm certain I made the right choice but if in the future I feel the need to have breasts again, then I can have a double reconstruction. Unlikely, I feel, but possible. ... View more

I had BC just on the left side and I chose to have the right (healthy) breast removed too, at the same time. My surgeon wanted a face to face chat with me himself and to see the psychologist to confirm I was really ready to do this. This sounds more daunting than it really was - they just wanted to be sure as the hospital does not want to get a reputation for removing healthy tissue. They both agreed with me as I wanted to do it for my own future comfort; I definitely didn't want reconstruction on the left breast and didn't want to have to always wear a prosthesis to look right. They suggested waiting to see how I felt after the initial mx but the thought of any further surgery after all that we have to go through was not something I relished, so I wanted a bilateral mx in one go. They may not have agreed if I said I wanted it to prevent future cancer in the other side - they told me the chance of it recurring in the other side is not at all high for me. I'm very happy with it so far- I had the op 8 weeks ago. It is definitely the right thing for me. I don't need to wear a bra if I don't want to or can have equally sized prostheses if I want to be shapely, though I haven't sorted this out yet. I still have my softies. I'm half way through rads at the moment and am very glad to be breast free as the thought of wearing a bra would not be great, with the swelling and tenderness. It will be your choice but I'm very happy with it. I do find myself looking at other women's chests a lot now to see if anyone else is as flat chested as me! ... View more

Seems like most people on this thread are at Jimmy's but not surprising as it is the largest oncology dept in Europe. And what lovely staff. 2nd zap today and not half as bad. Went to see Ruth, the meditator again. Very relaxing and calming - I recommend her to any of you. Shame to then have to sit in the car for an hour to get home. Glad so many of you are having no SEs. Going to the Haven on Monday after zap 3 for ear acupuncture. My BCN says it can be effective against hot flushes and night sweats - oh for a dry night! ... View more

I'm now underway, having had 1st session at St James' in Leeds today. Had a bit of a meltdown on the bed but then all was fine. I'm feeling sore, tired and tight chested already but I think this is probably due to stress. Went afterwards to see a spiritual healer who is employed by the hospital - wonderful experience just doing a bit of meditation and it definitely felt that she had healing hands. There should be someone like her in every hospital. Asked the student radiographer about aloe vera - she said they advised against it but the nurse said she would check out the one I use with the pharmacy dept. Always so many mixed messages. Mujum - did your feet peel after Tax? I stopped mine at the beginning of Feb, but in the last week or so I have had mega peeling on my feet. ... View more

Teresa (and anyone else) - I've also had cording and have seen a specialist physio at the breast clinic as it was really restricting my movement. She said that the cords are self-limiting and will disappear without treatment after about 10 weeks. She encouraged really pushing the stretching exercises once well healed (5-6 weeks); I managed to get rid of one cord doing exercises from The Haven's 'Reducing the risk of lymphodema' dvd - I recommend it; the physio got rid of the other - not at all painful. I also had a 'pad' at the front of my armpit - this went with massage as it turned out my skin had become stiff and didn't move freely over the surgery area, so now I have to make slow circles with flat fingers above and below the surgery line - has also helped with movement and tightness. Saskia ... View more

How confusing. My BCN advised Bio-oil for the scarring - and she knows I'm ER+. I hadn't heard about potential probs with it - someone mentioned it was the lavender - is that correct? What about dairy? My onc said no problem with dairy when I asked him after reading the scary Jane Plant book. I did give it up for a bit but decided that without firm evidence (in which case I would definitely give it up) life was not so enjoyable without it - and we go through enough already. ... View more

I have herceptin at home too and found the second nurse so in tune with my needs/fears/etc that I rang and asked if I could have her every time, which they said was fine (bar holidays, etc). Fantastic. She adminsters the dose over 2 hours which seems to lessen the palpitations and other SEs but I still get bad palps at various times over the 3 weeks. I've also now got sciatica (bone scan next week to check for nasties - more stress with the waiting game) and have been lent a TENS machine for the pain. However, it also gives me palpitations. Anyone else had this? Big shame as it was quite effective. My onc told me this week that "We always say that H has no SEs as they are so rare." Are we that unusual? ... View more

I had my 6th Herceptin last week. I agree with previous comments that oncs don't seem to take SEs seriously. My main SE is palpitations, which are worst in the first week together with breathlessness. Have had 2 echos and a 24hour ecg but all show everything is fine - so I have to believe them, I suppose, even though it feels scary to me. Other SEs I get include: immediate fatigue, strange feeling inside nose, tight chest, soles of feet bright red, night sweats, hot flushes, runny nose, putting on weight. Anyway, the latest onc who I saw last week gave me food for thought. I told him that I was still concerned about palpitations and H, despite everyone telling me it was fine - he said that as long as I had had 9 weeks of treatment, there was evidence to show that this is effective. The reason we receive treatment for a year in the UK is because our trials were done for a year - and were effective. There is currently a 6 month being done in the UK, as I understand this is the normal length in Europe. So the ball is in my court - I can stop if I want - what a decision. ... View more

I was having H over 1 1/2 hours at home but getting palpitations so increased to 2 hours - this seems slightly better and the only noticeable SEs I get are extreme fatigue on the day (and quite tired for a couple of days after), a bit breathless and continuing palpitations. Does anyone else get palpitations? I've had the 3 monthly echo twice now, with no change in function and also a 24 hour ECG - both show that there appears to be nothing irregular but I still have very strong palps. They are different in the first week and make me feel weak, but I am constantly told that all is well .... Anyway, I saw a different clinical onc last week to discuss rads. I mentioned my palp fears, how I hate having it and also that I had heard that H is normally given for only 6 months in Europe. He said that it is given for 12 months in UK as that is what the trial was for but trials have also been done elsewhere that show success after only a 9 week treatment ie 3 cycles; so he is happy for me to stop treatment now if I wish as I have had 6. That is a hard decision for me to make as I am not an expert. Saskia ... View more

Everything has happened very quickly, having winged a few days ago about delay after delay, and I will start on 26th April, so not quite the last to begin. Lots of encouraging posts from those of you who have started, so I hope not to be too anxious. Still more worried about weak/numb leg, especially as the mdt has requested a scan and that I return to see an onc for a check. Oh, the waiting game again - just thought I was away from that for now. Anyway, have made myself go for a walk to prove that I still can - OH asked teenage son if he would go with me to help my recovery - teenage son accused him of 'playing that card again'; teenagers can be quite hurtful sometimes ..... There seems to be so much conflicting advice: do/don't use aloe vera, swim when having rads, take tamoxifen during rads. My latest offering is that my onc has said that I can stop having Herceptin if I wish - he feels that as long as I've had 9 weeks of treatment (3 cycles), that is sufficient and that a year is probably too much. But who am I to make that decision? I asked radiographer if I could take a day off rads on Herceptin day, as the whole process takes 3 hours (at home) and the round trip to Leeds is another 3 hours. He didn't think I should but onc has OKed it, so hooray! Mujum - I still have a seroma and they seemed fine with it - just hope it doesn't inflame it. Saskia ... View more

Hope you don't mind if I join this thread, having been on 'starting chemo in Oct'. I'm hoping to start rads in April but have been unavoidably delayed because of all suitable staff being on holiday when I'm supposed to see them. Had a bilateral mx and anc on Mar 9th after neo-adj chemo. Post-op I didn't see my surgeon for results (as he was on holiday) but another surgeon who said there was a good chance I wouldn't need rads as chemo and surgery had been so succesful; but I would have to wait to see a clinical oncologist to find out. However, no appointments available for a fortnight (because of staff holidays), so I had to wait again. When I finally went last week, I had a bit of a breakdown when I was told that of course I'd be having rads - never an option; but I left without having signed anything as my arm movement is very limited because of cording (despite doing all exercises) - and the one physio who can deal with it is on a 2 week holiday. Aaarghhh! So I may have to move to May thread. Also, just ready to return to driving and lots of walking and got sudden acute sciatica on Saturday, with very numb/weak leg. So no driving and can hardly walk. Hoping it's not anything to do with BC. Am also put on weight at a rapid rate. I eat quite frugally and have been the same weight for years - but 3/4 of a stone in 3 weeks? What's going on? I'm just on Herceptin at the moment. Anyone had this? Saskia ... View more