Breast Cancer Now Forum

If I’m put back on the Tamoxifen I will try and take it in the evening. ... View more

Hello @Moggy and Fish Mum  I found my lump by sheer chance. I thank my lucky stars every day about that. It had almost made it to my chest wall, so I just got lucky there. Any later and I might not be here now.  ... View more

It is quite difficult to find a good company with acceptable prices for health insurance. Unfortunately, some insurance companies work illegally and cheat people. Such activities should be stopped, and their owners should be punished. Medical facilities are subject to scrutiny. Each auditing company operates according to individual principles. Quite often, PBM audits lead to litigation. This often happens when pharmacies are audited. If you own a pharmacy, I recommend reading the information at https://www.natlawreview.com/article/how-pharmacies-can-defend-against-pbm-audits. ... View more

Hi all   I've been reading through this thread on life insurance. It looks like a bit of a nigthmare! I'm just moving house and looking for life insurance to cover the mortgage.  I have spoken to 2 providers, one said no cover until 2 years post end of treatment (Polly) and the other (Reassured) said 1 year after treatment ends.  I'm just 1 year post diagnosis so I don't qualify.  I wondered if anyone has found a life insurance provider that will cover you without the post treatment timescale?   Thank you lovely peolple 😊 x ... View more

Hi how are you, my name is jacki, I had mastectomy year 2000 first stage. To me it sounds like your struggling with answersxx ... View more

I can see that this thread has been going for quite a while but I’ve only just found it. I had dreadful trigger finger before I switched to Tamoxifen and over time it gradually disappeared. All good I thought - but now I’m getting ganglions on my middle fingers. One has grown so large and painful I ended up having it drained by the Dr this morning, which was really painful. He tells me there’s every chance it’ll just grow back. I never had anything like this before taking the BC medication and wondered whether anyone else is experiencing the same kind of issues? If so I’m obviously hoping that when I stop taking the meds the ganglions will stop too. thank you all ... View more

You just described me... I have stopped taking for a month. Tried sex again...still hurts? There has got to be answers out there???? ... View more

Wren thank you for all the info. I’m 47Yo and finished treatment with Paclitaxel 2 months ago and was so happy because I thought I’ve made it without bigger consequences as to side effects but about 2 weeks ago started feeling joint pain on my whole body and it’s getting worse and worse. Have an appointment with my oncologist on the 9th of November and didn’t even know what to expect until seeing all these comments here. Just when you think the nightmare is over huh?  ... View more

Hi SAA, Do you have a follow up appointment with your oncologist? I had one about a month after I finished my radio. In her summary letter following that appointment, she mentioned we had discussed removal of the tattoos - so I was able to use that. I can understand why clinics ask for the letter - they dont know the treatment plan so have to cover themselves.  Don't worry about your scar yet - you'll be surprised how much it gradually improves over the first year. ... View more

Hello! I wanted to check in and see how you are feeling now. Has the pain subsided?   I'm in the exact same boat--stage 1 in 2013 with bilateral mastectomy. stage 1 recurrence in 2018 at the 5-year celebration mark. stage 1 recurrence in 2019 with redo of the mastectomy. I've chosen strength over length to be fully present emotionally to my family. Now the new oncologist has made a logical case for tamoxifen based on his concern for distant recurrence. But I am strong and love life. And...EVERYONE I know on the drug has significant pain but the studies still only mention 10% of women struggling with joint pain. Maybe I know all of them? 🙂   So when I read your post, it felt familiar. I hope your journey has taken a turn toward pain-free living.  ... View more

I do sympathise but have to say that there's more to a sexual relationship than vaginal intercourse. Perhaps time to broaden your horizens? ... View more

I'm so sorry you have been going through this too, unless you have been there no one can fully understand the frustration it causes.  I can totally relate to the absence of any intimacy, this can certainly put things on a sticky wicket in terms of relationships not to mention the impact it can do mentally.  I believe that increased SI is recommended (hmmmm by whom? a male gynaecologist???) but just the thought of any physical contact down there was enough to make me head for the hills!   Sadly no one warned me of this side effect of Tamoxifen, in fact no one warned me of any side effect apart from hot flushes!!!!  I now have deranged liver function, type 2 diabetes and problematic skin rashes courtesy of this medication, as well as being 2 stone heavier which in addition to severe radiation fibrosis in my dodgy breast hardly makes me feel sexy!     I did try a very small dose of Oestrogen cream in the end, after much persuasion from my clinicians and me being at the end of my tether with it all.  I used it intermittently and briefly over around a 10 week period and I have to say it did do the trick.  Minimal discomfort and hopefully without giving too much information things were looking much plumper in that area, almost as if it had increased the blood flow again.  I stopped using it when the tube of cream had finished and went back to the Premeno.  That was in June, and I have been so pleased with the way that Premeno has maintained the improvement I have just bought three more packs.  I use half a capsule twice a week.  Now all I have to do is to remind my brain that I used to have a libido - but that is another story!   I would resort to the Oestrogen cream again if need be, again only short term, but it does still feel very "wrong", as if I am poisoning my body by using it which is a hurdle I don't think I will ever get over.  My advice would be to try the topical oestrogen on the smallest dose possible for a month or so, then replace it with something like Premeno for longer term use when you see some improvement.     I have said this many times...... if men suffered from this problem we would be much better informed about this type of thing.  Speak out ladies to your medical professionals please, this is the only way to raise the profile of this issue, which obviously is not exclusive to just BC patients but around half of all menopausal women too.  It is not the Victorian era, we are allowed to enjoy sex as much as men!      ... View more

Thanks for your email and I’m so sorry about your mum. 😞 It turns out the line in the policy that they keep going back to is “no follow up surgery on anything relating to the reconstruction”. Which I assume is written in there to protect themselves against women who might want second and third surgeries to correct the look of their reconstructed breast. And in some ways I get that they could be caught up in multiple pay outs as we all know boobs don’t usually match after. So I see their point that they don’t want to revisit. But I had had a brief conversation with someone there two months ago and that person said the hernia would be covered. So today I asked them to listen back to that conversation to prove my point that I was mislead. They did and they have concluded that I was mislead. So it’s back on and they will cover it now. Phew. They still stick by the line that this is a revisit of the reconstruction but I’m now beyond caring. I’m just glad it’s still going ahead next week and I can close this chapter! Thanks for your input and good luck with all things in the future. 🙂 ... View more

Foxey I so sympathize.I seem to spend much of my time thinking and worrying about money, brought more home to me now I know I cant get insurance or money coming in should this reoccur.As I'm worn out at work practically every day, I'm reminded of the possibility of not being able to work muvh longer.Hang in there, gal, youre not alone.xx ... View more