Breast Cancer Care Forum

Hi Hannah, I’m assuming you mean tumour markers? Some oncs use them some don’t. My onc does, oncs look at the trend, they use them as a general guide along with CT results and how you are feeling in general, mine have also been slowly increasing but she’s not concerned because my CTs are stable. hope this helps, good luck with your pet scan. hugs Janette x ... View more

Hi Rosiet, just been reading your post and read that it’s been 20 years since you were diagnosed with bone mets!!! This is so good to hear, I’m 5 years in from dx of bone mets and reading this has really helped me look more to the future. I know that not everyone is the same and cancer is very individual and some people or not so lucky but being positive and not letting my dx rule me has helped me to stay strong!  Thank you again, hugs Janette xx ... View more

Really sad to read this, Bon was a valued member of the forum. Thank you FF for letting us know. RIP Bon. Janette xx ... View more

Hhhmmn that’s news to me too, thank you for that I will ask my onc about this at my next appointment. janette x ... View more

Sorry to read this Shelley, take care. hugs Janette xx ... View more

Good luck Paris. hugs Janette xx ... View more

Hi Linda, yes 3 monthly CT and she has now swapped the bone scans to MRIs now too, my markers have been slowly creeping up but she said she wasn’t worried as scans were stable. janette xx ... View more

Hi Linda, sorry to hear tamoxifen has stopped working for you, good luck with your new treatment.  It’s results day for me on Thursday, it never gets easier does it!! I’ve been stable on letrozole now for coming up to 4 years so I’m conscious of the fact that my time on it could soon be coming to an end!  Hello to all the other ladies on here, good luck with treatments and any results. hugs Janette x ... View more

Hi Paris, just want to join the others to wish you luck with scans and results. It is a very scary time but once a treatment plan is in place you will start to feel differently as some have already said. I’m now a good 5 years in from secondary dx age 46 and was devastated, hips, ribs and spine are diseased but still live pretty much to the full, I’ve got my daughters wedding in Oct, something I thought I might never see when diagnosed.  I hope you have a great time in Barcelona and a wonderful and proud day next week at your daughters graduation. hugs Janette xx ... View more

Good to hear you are feeling a bit better Kate, it all takes time and there are many up and down moments but we always get through them, I’m now 5 years in from secondary diagnosis and generally lead a “normal life” still working only partime now though plus our daughter is getting married in October and I’m really looking forward to seeing that! take care, hugs Janette x ... View more

Hi Kate, sorry you are feeling down, a trip away will be good for you both. Boots is good for insurance as Anne as already mentioned, I went with them last year when we went to New York, but I usually use Eurotunnel they only cover Europe (that’s why I had to use Boots for New York) Eurotunnel don’t ask lots of questions basically just want to know that you’re fit to travel and that your oncologist hasn’t said you are “terminal” it’s a quick 10 minute phone call and they are very reasonably priced. hope this helps. hugs Janette xx  ... View more

Hi Steph, good luck with your scans, they are doing the whole lot on you aren’t they, as you say your organs are clear so that’s good too,  I can’t pass on any info about chemo as fortunately so far I have never had any.  I use to have bone scans yearly but they have now been replaced with full body MRI as they have tended to ease off bone scans now, I also have 3 monthly CT scan. My mets are in my hips, ribs and spine and I’m now 5 years in, been on letrozole for almost 4 years now also denosumab and zoladex and have stayed stable 🤞🏻Really only tend to struggle with pain a little through the winter months. hugs Janette xx ... View more

Hi Linda, no my headaches haven’t improved if anything they’re getting worse, I’ve had a brain scan which thankfully came back clear, I’m just waiting for a mouth splint as I developed a really bad clicking/crunching jaw a few years ago which has got progressively worse and they are now thinking could be the cause??? I’m wondering if it has anything to do with the denosumab? hope you are keeping well  hugs Janette x ... View more

Hi Clarence, really sorry to hear of your bone mets dx and also coping with depression which in itself is a horrible illness to deal with. Have you ever had or thought about therapy/counselling for the depression? I only ask because last year I was really struggling with my my mood and my Macmillan nurse suggested counselling to me, I was very wary/sceptical about this but gave it a try and it’s the best thing I could have done, there was a lot of tears at the beginning but by the end of it 6 weeks later I felt a million times better! hope this helps and also hope you get a treatment plan in place soon for the mets dx. hugs Janette x  ... View more

Hi Catokitty, welcome to the forum, like Linda I can’t give you any info regarding your procedure/treatment but just wanted to welcome you.  I’ve been a member here for 5 years now, primary 2007 then bone mets 2014 and am currently “Stable Mabel”  Hi Linda, I didn’t realise you were dx so long ago, 10 years that’s brilliant!! hugs Janette xx ... View more

Oh Bon, I am so sad to hear this, and it’s irrelevant how old you are, whether you 20 or 72 it is still so unfair!! Sending you all my love, take care lovely lady. hugs Janette xx ... View more

Hi Riversidedawn, sorry to hear you’ve had such a rough time of it, fingers crossed that your new treatment will kick the backside of the little uggers now! hugs Janette xx ... View more

Hi ladies, just got the results from my head MRI, and all is normal!!  So relieved, just need to tackle the reason why I keep having these terrible headaches now. Bon, good luck with yours 🤞🏻 Hugs Janette xx ... View more

Morning ladies, been reading recent posts but don’t really have any info/input on these treatments but want to say that I hope you have good responses with it. Hi Nicky, I’m always drawn to your posts, you are always really informative on treatments and I sometimes feel I bury my head in the sand a little 😬 I’ve always seen you as someone who is really strong and positive but you get your scary moments just like the rest of us!! I have been stable on letrozole now for getting on for 4 years (bone mets) had a head MRI yesterday due to bad headaches so have now got “scanxiety” and am trying my best not to look on the internet about brain mets!!  Good luck with your future scans/treatments  hugs Janette xx ... View more

Hi Mishy, sorry to hear your secondary news, it’s a real kick in the teeth isn’t it!  I too thought I was one of “the luck ones” dx stage 1 low grade cancer and was 7 year clear when mine decided to raise it’s ugly head again.  I agree about the lack of knowledge of secondaries, I had no idea it could reappear else where! well I’m 5 years from secondary dx (hips ribs and spine) and plodding along okay. Good luck with your future treatments. hugs Janette x ... View more