Hi Beth,

Welcome to the forum that nobody really wants to join. I am sorry to hear about your recent tribulations. A cancer diagnosis is a tough thing to accept, as is the surgery and treatment that follow it.

I have had two bouts of primary breast cancer. The first was 7 years ago when I had a lumpectomy, followed by Tamoxifen. A year later I found another lump in the same breast and had a double mastectomy followed by a further 5 years of Letrozole. I am sure that you will be glad to finish radiotherapy on Monday and to discover that life returns to a more even keel after that.

Please keep in touch and let us know how you get on. There is always someone here to talk to whenever you feel the need.

kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Thanks jolamine, nice to talk to you. Question re letrozole can I ask did you find your limbs became very stiff and painful as treatment kicked in?

The thing that has bothered me the most is how it's affected my ability to keep up with my much loved walking, down from managing about 10 miles to less than 4 miles on a good day. 

So far suggestions have been the Herseptin. And /or the Chemo drugs !!

Hi Beth,

Yes, all of my limbs have been affected. I have developed Lymphoedema in both arms post-mastectomies and this has made my arms even sorer. I am a type 2 Diabetic and have had peripheral Neuropathy for a number of years in both legs and again this has further aggravated the pain in my legs. My hands have become very stiff and swollen too.

My lower back gets so sore that there are times when I find it difficult to walk and have to use a walker, so that I can sit on it when the pain is too severe. I took medication to ease the pain for 5 years, but had to stop using this when the side-effects became too severe.

However, I have managed to see it through and finished my 5 year course of Letrozole this year. I only stopped taking it 3 months ago, but am still waiting for the joints to settle again. I am now beginning to wonder if I will ever see any improvement.

I suffered from extreme fatigue for the first 5 years, so did not have the energy to go for walks or even to go shopping. I still get tired very easily, but I can now go to exercise classes twice a week. This is helping me to get my weight down and to feel a bit better in myself.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx