I was diagnosed with Hormone receptive Breast Cancer in June 2021. I had the lumpectomy in July 2021. I started 12 sessions of Chemotherapy over the months from September until the End of December 2021. This one took longer as I have Relapsing Remitting MS. The drugs had to go in over a longer time each session. In February 2022 I had 2 weeks of Radiotherapy each day. After that I found that my Breast and arm were hard and sore. I told my Oncologist in March and was told yes that happens. In August 22 I went to have my routine Mammogram. It was after that I met another Consultant. She said what are you doing about your Lymphoedema in your breast and arm? I told her I didn't know that I had it and explained what the Oncologist had said. She told me to get in touch with my breast care nurse. I did and she referred me to Lymphoedema Nurse who I then saw monthly for Lymphatic Drainage Massage. This helped me a lot as I learned how to massage myself. After seeing her for eight months she had to discharge me. I was devastated, however, I learned that a hospice in my nearest town had trained Lymphoedema Nurses that I could see. So since July 2023 I have been getting my ldm sessions. They started off weekly, now they are bi monthly. During this time I went to see an NHS lymphoedema nurse. She measured me for a compression sleeve. It arrived but it was the wrong size. The following month at an appointment she ordered another one. When it arrived it took didn't fit properly. I emailed pictures of me wearing the sleeves to her so that she could see where it wasn't fitting properly. She phoned me in December and said that she would arrange an appointment to see me in January..... I'm still waiting for that appointment. I was prescribed Letrozole in September 2021. I did have Ostioarthritis in my knees before all this but I am in a lot of pain with that too. I'm not sure if it's worse because of the Letrozole or whether it would be going to get worse anyway. Sorry for the lengthy story. I am a 59 year old woman. xx
