Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hi Maxr, I hear you on the carpal tunnel! I waited four months for ooph op after referral. It went well, keyhole surgery, home same day. Recovery good, took about a week, but I can't exactly remember as it was Feb 2014. I feel fine now despite instant menopause! Best of luck my friend 🙂 x x ... View more

Hugs Pink74:) I had to see a psychologist before they would agree to remove my remaining breast. I am happy now. Hope it goes well for you x x ... View more

Thanks Pisces12! You made me so happy when I saw your post:) Much health and happiness for the New Year! x x x x ... View more

Hi Caterpillar girl. I would be scared too. Try and think that there are so many different things that are benign that could be at the bottom of the weight loss. Have you done anything different like more exercise, or changed diet? I'm sending you a big hug and hope everything's ok 🙂 x x x ... View more

Archery! How cool is that:) Hope you get back to hitting that target soon x x ... View more

Hi JP I just had to respond too, but hard to know what to say to you.   Phoning your BCN. I think is a positive thing - no waiting room or appointment triggering the anxiety. Less pressure. What about phoning the helpline here first? There's no pressure on you in any way from them, nothing at all. You don't have to tell them your name or anything. I phoned them and spoke to a lady who was 12 years cancer free after surgeries and treatment, she was just so lovely and it helped me so much just to be listened to.     Be well and big hugs x x         ... View more

Thanks Cherry, that is interesting. Has anyone mentioned this drug to their GP? x ... View more

Hi I had prophy mx of remaining breast. It took six months with a psychologist and then a wait for the surgery. I feel great now:) I just kept saying I couldn't move on if this wasn't done and that it was what I wanted right from the start. Also that I couldn't face mammos ever again. I never changed my mind in anything I said. For me, it was reducing risk of a new contralateral cancer and facing all these treatments again. My point was that if this first cancer has not/will not metastasize, then what about the chances of a new primary being more aggressive? etc. Hope you get what you need, thinking of you x ... View more

Hi this is my experience: I am a younger woman who had early stage bc two years ago. I've been trying to get bisphosphonates for 6 months now. I'm on aromasin after ooph. GP helpful and contacted onc. Onc said no for reasons lucyBCC gave. However, onc did suggest prolia, which is in trials now for same as bisphosphonates, and GP can prescribe that(they can't prescribe zometa infusion). Prolia works differently to a bisph, but results are showing similar benefits:)(fingers crossed!). GP has contacted my dentist to make sure that my dental is ok, I will have a blood test in a couple of weeks and then on to the injection every six months for about two years. The se's are a concern for me, but I am more concerned about cancer spread and bone loss! I had a normal DEXA just before starting aromasin last year. Maggie, zometa costs about £270 per infusion. I also told doc that I would pay privately for it, but he said it would be very difficult to do this and he did not know how to go about it. He says he feels optimistic about the prolia, so I am fine about it. I hope this helps anyone else x x ... View more

Awesome Lexilou! yes you have summed up well what I was trying to say with dx and tx being "half the picture", and also what a brilliant resource this forum is:) Fatigue, ugh. Recovering sufficiently quickly? Do you think we are rushed into being "all better now"? I hear docs used to prescribe 6 months recuperation in the south of France for less:) I think we may have the same bcn... Thanks for the advice and support, take care x x ... View more

Hi after reading all your posts, that I can totally relate to, I find the biggest question that popped out for me was "why?" Why do we beat ourselves up over not being all bouncy and happy now that we've had treatment and there's no evidence of cancer? Why are we supposed to be back to normal? Well I'm sorry, but I am not back to normal, by a noncancer persons definition. I am not the person I was before cancer, and I never will be again. I am not particularly grumpy about it, just realistic. I think in answering why, we should look to the care we have received. I say there is a complete lack of compassion for our emotional states by our surgeons and bcns etc, moving forward after treatment. They do not know how to treat us when there is nothing to cut or inject. We should all be opted in automatically to Maggies centres and moving forward courses, as opposed to feeling self-doubt. Okay, some people may cope really well and just get on with life and won't need the service, but from the people I know with bc, and from reading these forums, a lot of us don't. All I'm saying is that we should have more emotional support as part of treatment, and that having to ask for it is part of the problem, because it adds to the feeling that there is something wrong with us when we do need it. I have never heard of a Maggies centre, or a moving forward course, my bcn's have never mentioned it. How did you hear about this? I was referred to the mental health team by my GP! wth? ... View more

i had bmx 2 years ago. Never had any checks other than surgeon having a prod around every six months. i guess they do wait for symptoms, like jenji said. Can't say I'm happy about it, but there we are. ... View more

tezz I am on exemestane and the carpal tunnel happened after I'd been on it for about 2 months. I am very very happy to say that I swapped to taking pill in morning and the carpal tunnel se went. Maybe that will work for you too? Now been on it for ten months and not too many probs. Didn't have rads though. Hope you get this sorted soon, it's so painful! x xx ... View more

Hi Holl, I've just seen your post and I hope you are ok. We can't help but feel guilt when someone we know dies of cancer but we are surviving, I have similar feelings too. I think your husband will recover and come back home because he obviously loves you 🙂 Sending big hugs and love to you x x ... View more

Hi candy, maybe the lump you feel is swelling from the cyst draining and duct removal? Your body will be recovering, and it can do some seriously weird things while it does it! As your surgeon said they can't see anything, If they say that, believe me it is a good thing! I expect they are just double checking. Also, they will need to see you to make sure you are recovering from the procedure and give you advice for the future. Hope all goes well for you 🙂 x ... View more

hi ratbag glad everything went ok and you are not in too much pain:) x x ... View more

Hi flowergirl, I'm coming in to add support as you are going through this. I hope this will help a little, so - my sister and friend were both dx 2012, with nodes, multiple surgeries, chemo. One has just come back (absolutely glowing) from a holiday in Greece, and the other has just opened a B&B! No recurrence. They rock! Me, I was dx 2013 multifocal grade 2 IDC. Still here:) I'm not the most positive of people, didn't think I'd still be here to send you this message. Anyway, have heart, we're all here for you x x ... View more

Hi ratbag, I'm sending you love and hugs and hope:)I'll be thinking of you tomorrow. As you say, the waitings the worst bit. (dx Aug 13 3xIDC + DCIS - still here!) x ... View more