Hi I have been refered to a breast clinic and have been waiting 1 week and have had no appointment yet. Has anyone else waited as I have heard people normally get the appointment letter quickly.
I agree the specialists/oncologist deal with cancer patients evert day,and will always do thier best for eCh patient. I'm.so gratefully the NHS and its staff. My son was diognosed with testicular cancer just before I found my breast tumour. He was only 34yrs old a few mothes off of being 35. He had lots of chemotherapy hooked up to chemoevery second weekend from the Friday right throughout the Monday eve. Ges doing so well now ,and that I'm so grateful for too. Hav a great week ahead .And yes do let me know how you get on .
So sorry to hear about your son's cancer but pleased he is doing so well now. The news must have come as a dreadful shock and all this on top of your discovery. It seems many families are being touched by this awful disease but let,s hope that in future there can be a quicker diagnosis before the illness gets really out of hand. Unfortunately there is not enough routine testing especially as one gets older. Mammograms should not have a cut off point in the early seventies because at least one in ten people in the older age group will get breast cancer.Although I was concerned about the increasing pain of my fibromyalgia, this was brushed aside and no suggestion was made that it should be investigated. My own cancer was only discovered in a round about way and I am certain it was present for a long time. Still, it is no use thinking about the past history and I just have to get on with life!
Just had an awful week after developing an extensive rash on the breast and area of the axillary lymph nodes removal.I was so worried as it was constantly creeping so dashed up to A&E. Saw a doctor there who did a swab and gave me a week's supply of antibiotic. This did not seem to be having any effect so two days later I let my GP have a look and he told me that I might have to go back to hospital and be put on a drip. I was prescribed even more penicillin and then saw his colleague two days later. By this time the rash had extended to the legs so she told me to go straight to the hospital. This was my birthday treat!.I spent 10 hours in A&E waiting for blood to be taken,then sitting for a further two hours waiting for the results before I could be seen by the surgical team. Everyone was mystified by this awful rash and could not give me a definite answer. The bloods were clear and showed no infection was present so had to finish taking so many antibiotics. I was given a prescription for some hydrocortisone cream and then referred on to another department, hopefully for a better result. So, I have yet another appointment and I presume a dermatologist will be involved. I have to go up again to the hospital tomorrow morning.Am hoping the rash which is almost everywhere on my body will disappear soon because I shall have to start radiotherapy treatment soon.I would not be a bit surprised if I had had an allergic reaction to all the antiseptics used during surgery and this stress has had a chain reaction. I just wonder if the advice to have my spring booster covid jab thirteen days after surgery was ill-advised and has prompted this worrying result.I shall be interested to know how this is going to pan out. It is a bit of a nightmare because I am due to see the oncologist on Wednesday. Nothing is straightforward is it.
I wonder if anyone else has experienced this after surgery because I cannot find anything similar on the website.
Please keep in touch. I shall mention the transport issue to the oncologist when I see him on Wednesday.The possible alternative is to book up at a hotel to save me all the travelling!
Hi Anne so sorry to read that you developed this spreading rash,I myself didn't experience anything like that ,but I did develop mild lymphedema and had to have fluids drained twice. This must of been very tiring for you trying to get to the bottom of what's caused it. Hope things improve very soon for you and yes do mention about getting hospital transport as a csncer patient you should be entitled to it . Good luck with evetything Anne xx
I saw the oncologist yesterday and he said I should just have my initial ct scan to mark the area for radiotherapy at the distant hospital but all other sessions will be at our local one. This is a relief but the sting in the tail is that fifteen sesssions will be increased to twenty! There has been no resolution to the rash but I was told finally to let it peter out, even if it took six weeks! So, trying antihistamine tablets alongside Letrozole and calcium tablets plus topical hydrocortisone cream and praying it will clear up soon as I am very uncomfortable.
How are you now? Has the lymphoedema been contained? I have an appointment with the lympho nurses next month but I won't be able to attend it during a month's worth of radiotherapy. Will have to change the date.
Good Morning Anne, so sorry to read that you didn't really get any answers about tge rash,the body is a strange vessel at times. Have you been very stressed out about things as I know stress in itself can cause lots of things just a thought.
Good news though about only one appointment being at the long distance hospital,and the rest local to you. Still should be able to get hospital transport if you need it to and thro for your appointments , did you ask about that ?. Have you tried Aloe Vera on the rash as well I know its good and kinda cools the skin and helps with irritation too. I am sorry your sessions have increased from 15 to 20,I had 15, and I was getting a bit sore and tired ,but the E45 cream really helped .
I see you may have to change dates for your lymphedema appointments,I has too sometimes,but what I did was ,go on line and you tube ,and I found some helpful videos with lots of exercises and information on how to manually do lymphatic drainage,it's stroking tge affected arm up and over the breasr bone to other side of breast, brushing the arm with a brush etc,hiw to sit with arm raised slightly on cushions /pillows whilst sitting down to watch TV etc. I found this very helpful,ecspecialy now my local hospital doesn't run a lymphedema clinic any more.
My lymphedema has been good,I obviously don't do half as much as I used to, I'm careful to.pace myself with house work ,ironing gardening etc.
I used to hoover evety day ,not now,unless it really needs it,only 3times a week. I used to iron absolutely everything, even towels/ tea towels ,quilt covers sheets pillow cases. I try to buy easy iron bedding now ,but I still do iron it all if I think it needs it can't stand lying on a creased sheet or pillowcases lol.
But to look.at my lymphedema arm,you really wouldn't know I had it it looks the same size as the other arm that doesn't have it, but if I over excert myself and do too much I notice it swelling slightly and I stop lol,but its no trouble really I seem to be controlling it really well. I just accept that it is what it is now was very frustrated at not, being able to.do as much as I could before Cancer,but getting all het up about it,doesn't do you ant good much easier to just accept it and do what you can.
Take care Anne and hopefully speak soon hope all goes well and that rash dissappear soon. X
Thank you so much for your helpful advice. I think my awful fibromyalgia and allergic reaction to pollen and moulds might be a factor and the local pharmacist backs up my suspicion of the effect of a covid Moderna Spikevax jab which I was advised would be ok only thirteen days after the op. She said it can cause bad skin problems. I had a less powerful reaction on the lower legs after the autumn booster and a smaller but significant rash on a previous Spikevax jab. In total I have had Moderna five times so next autumn I shall ask for a change of vaccine.
Pleased to hear that your arm is not being too troublesome. My left arm is all right at the moment but I am fed up with "helpful" passengers on the local bus grabbing it when I get to my feet with my walking stick in my right hand. On two occasions the squeezing has been painful and I have to tell them that I have just had an operation on it - a bit of a white lie but you cannot give them a detailed explanation!
By the way, were you given Letrozole?I had my first tablet yesterday and I had dreadful stomach cramps. The pains continued all morning but the second dose immediately before eating lunch seems less problematic. I suppose the body has to get used to it because,after all, it is a foreign invader!
The local hospital is only 8 miles away but I shall take daily taxis because parking is very difficult and the blue badge spaces are always full. There is no hospital transfer there. Otherwise it means a change of buses as there is no direct route from our house. Still hopefully this episode will be my last, fingers crossed.
Take care and thanks once again for your helpful advice.
