Breast Cancer Now Forum

Alex Jones was diagnosed 2 years ago with breast cancer when she was 23. In March 2015 she was diagnosed with SBC.     If you put The Diary of a Lost Boob into google it will take you to her blog.    Belinda, I'd say that you can be certain that Alex will read your message at sometime in the not too distant future. x ... View more

Hello Lisac1   I was just passing by and I saw your post and just couldn't head off without posting something to you.   Everything gets thrown into the melting pot - steroids, lack of sleep, the treatment itself, frustration...the list goes on - and there are days when it's just too much. I've had those ' Beam me up, Scotty' moments, just like you're having today. I've cried, and it's good to cry because it releases all that emotion rather than let it build up.   If I were you, I'd phone the helpline and tell them exactly how you are feeling right now.    Take Care. x ... View more

Hi Riversidedawn   Hope you don't mind me dropping in on your post to hopefulholly. I agree with you, oncologists have their ideal scenario but sometimes that doesn't happen for whatever reason. As you say, you are taking tamoxifen and that's what is important to the oncologist. x ... View more

Hi hopefulholly   Hope all continues to go well with your treatment and I think you did the right thing talking to your oncologist, stating your point of view about your treatment.   I asked my oncologist about when chemo treatment should begin when I saw her awhile ago and she said that they wanted to begin treatment within 60 days from surgery. Therefore, if you've had 2 surgeries it would be 60 days from the last surgery. Of course, Kilimanjaro being Kilimanjaro, I googled this and found various research papers concerning surgery and chemo just to make sure!    Have a good weekend. x     ... View more

Hi fuffs123   That's excellent news about the genes test. Enjoy Harrogate - lovely place- and I hope you come away with a lovely red golf, which will make getting around easier and give you your own space to do what you want, when you want. x ... View more

Hello maisiecake   I can't answer your question about the tethered scar but by using google you can find out where your surgeon trained and how long he/she has been practising and where, along with any research papers they have written.  Of course, that won't  tell you how good they are but at least it's a start. x ... View more

Fuffs123   I'm glad that it was just a short visit to Kettering Hospital this time.   It looks like you'll know the results of everything at around about the same time. x ... View more

I definitely agree that you have to maintain a sense of humour.   There have been times, particularly during hospital visits, when I think that  I have been dropped into a Monty Python sketch. x ... View more

Hi Newey47   I've just read your post. Getting past the receptionist is a nightmare! Yes, you should be able to just give your name and say you are a chemo patient and you should be seen without question.   As I'm typing this, you have 30 minutes before 1pm - I guess they have shut for lunch and will be opening this afternoon. If I were you I'd phone your chemo ward and tell them that the surgery is messing you about and you need to see someone at the surgery today and ask the chemo ward to phone your doctor's surgery. Hopefully, by the time you manage to phone the doctor's after 1pm the chemo ward will have already phoned them and you'll get an appointment today.    As to indigestion, I've read that ground fennel seeds are good for indigestion, which probably isn't much help now as you are unlikely to have fennel seeds in the cupboard but maybe worth trying in the future. Although maybe it's not a good idea to make the fennel drink now because fennel is also used for constipation; I think senna pods contain fennel.   Hope you manage to get the appointment without any more hassle. x ... View more

Hello hopefulholly   As you say, you have made the decision that is right for you and that is all that matters.   Assuming that all is well with my blood results it will be a case of "Thunderbirds Are Go" for my 3rd session of chemo  next Thursday. x     ... View more

Egret - I salute you! I can think of nothing better than time away in Spain in between chemo sessions. It has to be better than being stuck in dear Old Blighty and rejoicing because the sun has come out for 30 seconds.   As to your nails - I've also been told to put dark nail polish on the nails because the chemo drugs are sensitive to light. I don't know how true that is but that is what I have been told.   I've just had my 2nd round of chemo - I started in May - and I'm ticking the cycles off and waiting for the day that I can see Kilimanjaro again. I remember you replied to one of my postings and said that it was on your list of things to do - in between trips to Spain, no doubt.     ... View more

Hi   If you are in London then it might be a good idea to check out oncologists at The Royal Marsden. I can't remember who it is but I've read various posts by someone about The Royal Marsden and that person is very pleased with the treatment she has received there. It might be a good idea to start a thread called The Royal Marsden and no doubt she will see it. I can't say that she will be able to recommend an oncologist but at least it is a starting point. Try putting it in the Going Through Treatment section. Most of the time I read the chemo and rads sections so the poster is on one of those sections. x ... View more

Ah, Tinkerbelle, I hope to see you writing again on this forum.   "Peter Pan" is one of my favourite books. I seem to remember that fairies can enable others to fly by sprinkling them with fairy dust.  I think this forum needs some of your fairy dust...............x ... View more

Hi fuffs123   Yep, totally agree that it's o.k. to have a good snivel when you feel like it.   Anyway, I'm off to Rutland Water right now so I'm getting the shades and bandana out.   I've decided that the only thing I can say about the word normal is that it is lamron backwards. x ... View more

Hi Julie 286 and everyone on the June 2015 thread   I thought your post was really informative, Julie 286. I'm doing chemo at the moment - started in May- and I definitely agree that drinking lots of water is the answer. I'm not saying that you have to drink Lake Victoria but start drinking the moment you have had the chemo and carry on doing so. It's probably also a good idea to make sure your are hydrated before they give you the drugs although the drug is diluted by the saline drip, or at least I think that's the purpose of the saline drip.   I'd also say: 1. Make sure you G.P. knows when you are going to start chemo so you then only have to give your name to the receptionist if you want to see the doctor that day. This avoids having to tell the receptionist your business. I've written about that somewhere.   2. I take ice lollies with me. One of the FEC drugs is the one that gives you the metallic taste in your mouth. When I'm about to have that one, I take a lolly from my cool bag and suck it. I haven't ended up with any metallic taste in my mouth.   3. I gargle with salted water about 5 times a day. So far this has worked and my mouth and throat is fine. I understand that manuka honey is very good for sore mouths. The cheapest place, by far, to buy manuka honey is Aldi.   4. Make sure you get a prescription before hand for senna pods and laxido. No point in hanging around on that one!   5. I pre-cook all meals for post chemo days and put them in the freezer because I know I won't feel like doing any cooking.   6. Definitely agree about taking any help that's offered. I made a list of things which would be of help and then friends/relatives took their pick from the list.   7. Try to maintain a sense of humour, although I know that's easier said that done.   8. Read Dr Peter Harvey's article - After The Treatment what happens next?" Aimed at people post treatment it is defintely worth reading now. There is also another article by Dr Peter Harvey called The Pitfalls of Positive Thinking, which is well worth reading. Both articles helped me.   Once you get to the chemo ward it isn't anywhere near as scary as you think it's going to be. The place is orderly and everyone is just getting on with it. I have to admit that the first time I walked into the place I did feel like turning around and walking out but my friend, who went with me, told me that the sooner I sat down and got on with it, the sooner I would be out of there. I obeyed, just like a well-behaved child, and I was out of there within 90 minutes.     ... View more

Lemon Drizzle and all you other lovely SBC ladies out there,   I don't think you are unimportant, although I fully understand why you may feel that way.   Since joining this site, which isn't so long ago, I've spent time reading through various sections and threads. I'm interested in what you have to say and I can learn from what you have to share.   I just want to thank you all for the posts you have made. x ... View more

Hi Mrs Goggins    I've read what you've written on this thread and the other thread and I just want to say that I think that what you've written makes a great deal of sense.   About an hour ago I watched this video and it touched me, so much so that I watched it again.   Your oncologist is spot on when he wrote " for a chance of a cure from cancer" on your consent form. My oncologist wrote, " a chance to prevent recurrence" on my chemo consent form. The significant word in both is "chance."  As far as I can see, those in the medical world are loathe to use the word "cure" because they can't. All they can ever say is No Evidence of Disease, or in remission, in my opinion.   Right now, I am at the start of my treatment for primary breast cancer. I'm a realistic kind of a person and I know that it's a long journey ahead and that I will probably be making that journey for the rest of my life rather than reaching a destination. By destination, I mean that the medical team can actually put their hand on their heart and say we have a cure for all breast cancer and we can guarrantee it won't return somewhere else in your body.   Millions of pounds and dollars have been poured into primary breast cancer research, which is good. Today, we are at the stage where the same amount of money needs to be thrown into the secondary breast cancer pot.   Anyway, that's my opinion and I just thought I'd share it with you and the other lovely ladies, who have posted on this thread. x   ... View more