Hi. It looks like this discussion thread has been going a long time and i hope i will be able to join the community here. I was diagnosed with breast cancer just after xmas and have had a mastectomy last week. I have a secondary tumor in my hip and possibly in my head so will have to face chemo and radiotherapy although I dont know the details as yet. I would love to make friends on here who i can both support and find support from on this journey. I have 2 grown up children and they have surprised me recently as to how supportive they can be. It certainly is a case of role reversal in my house. Chassis x x

Hi Chassis

Welcome to the place no-one wants to be.Hope you are coping with the mastectomy and glad to see you have support at home.I had mastectomy 4 years ago and have recurrance in the lymph glands in my neck and chest .I have been on chemo for 2 years to contain it and like you have 2 grown up children and 3 grandchildren ,so plenty of reasons to fight on.Hope you have a good medical team looking after you.What part of the world do you live in?We are a well scattered lot on here.

Stay strong.

Rose xxx

Hi Linda99

I'm currently 1/2 way through my chemo treament (had no choice), already had mastec' in Jan, got radiotherapy in June - I had the choice of whether or not to have radio', with the help/advice of my husband and family we decided yes, now i've just got to decide whether to do 3 weeks or 5, (juries still out on that one!!).  I've then got a reconstruction hopefully early next year and 5 years of tamoxifen!

Before you start treatment, the word chemo sounds as bad as the word cancer! I know it can be horrendious but it can also be copeable.  I am bold - but I still have eyebrows, eyelashes and arm hair, I have my chemo (TAC) on a tuesday, on wed i'm ok just a little spaced out, thurs, fri can't do a thing except lay in bed, go to the loo, grab something to eat - normally bread, cheese and plain crisps (don't feel like eating as have a constant morning sickness feeling but this fades and has gone by the next tues). Sat, Sun still don't feel great but I start picking back up then by the next tuesday I start feeling pretty normal. Then it's life as normal until my next dose.  Basically, if it ups your percentage and stops this vile thing coming back - then why not go for it, it's not great, but for me it's 1 week out of my life every 3 weeks, 6 times and like I said i'm 1/2 way there already!!!!  Have a chat with your family see what they think.

Sorry to bore you with my 'c' life story.  Good luck.

R x

Hi Rach, I totally agree with you, chemo is not quite as bad as people think, i too was completely bald, lost all my eye lashes and body hair, I had FEC, that def makes all the hair fall out, I too only felt bad a few of the days. Not be lonf now till your treatment is over, stay positive, I had lumpectomy May last year, chemo june-oct then 6 weeks of radio which finished Jan, all the best Colly x

Hi all, missed your sunny comments so glad to see you are all in good spirits -can't wait to hear from caz when she is back with new boobs! for those of you with bad flushes, especially if you have had hormone tabs, ask about clonidine - it helps and was in a breast cancer magazine called  amoena which i picked up from my hospital. If you can find www.amoena.co.uk go take a look. It is a magazine that is so positve! anyway i have been given the tabs to try - so after nights of changing sheets etc., anything is worth a try. i'll come back and let you know the outcome.

i am having a few issues with my hands, so damn clumsy and have been so very busy with the kids, but i am around and feeling ok. radio is 18 sessions (3 a boost) but with breaks for all these bank holidays i am still three weeks to go and only 8 in! but two thirds of the way through treatment and almost half way on radio can't be bad. shame about the sunbathing and swimming ban thou - espeically with the great weather!

love to you all

sara

Hi sara, hope youre well, just read your post and I would be willing to try anything to take thse night sweats away, I just read up on clonidine and its more of a sedative, is used for treating tourettes, psyciatric disorders and has something in it that causes sedation, so I'll let you try them out first lol and see if they work. I used to take my tamoxifen at night, but Ive changed it to first thing in morning and I must admit my night sweats are def not as bad x

Hello all you luvverly ladies.

I haven't been in touch for a while as been locked away in my bedroom in a lot of pain....since I have discovered Zomorph, Oramorph and Amitryptaline I am a lot better and ventured into the world of the living for the first time in 3 weeks.

I will try and keep in touch more and hoping that you are all okay.

Much Love

T xxxx

Hi Tony, glad to hear that you're feeling a bit better, take it easy tho, think when we feel better we tend to over do things. Happy Easter to you and your family x

hi Tony - glad to hear you are feeling better, it's half the battle as we all know !

Ok, ladies, these tablets, i have been taking a low dose of 25mg one each morn and one each night before bed. I have had no night sweats - or not any that have woken me up - and even in this intense heat - no flushes! I do feel like a flush might take place but nothing more. I do not feel tired, or have any  side effects. I was told it could take two weeks to see any results - in my case it was almost instant. I have gone from between 20 and 40 flushes and 5 -15 sweats (in a 24 hr period) to two mildly sweaty flushes. I do know everyone is different but the flushes and sweats for me were dreadful and unpredicitable - i  often felt quite ill with them. i was told to take two tabs in the morn and two at night to give me 50mg but i worried about side effects and so started on a half dose so to speak. the tablets work by basically regualting the way the veins/ blood reacts during a flush. It made sense when it was explained to me! Anyway , i have learnt and got through so much hearing about things you all tried so i couldn't not share this one! For me, it is a miracle drug!

much love to you all and a very happy easter !

sara 

why are you taking it morning and night? Are you still enjoying taking the drug?

Hi everyone

,

The moderators asked me to have a look at the thread as they felt we might be able to suggest some information that would be helpful.  One or two members have mentioned methods of controlling sweats and hot flushes with drugs.  Don¿t forget to check with your doctor before changing the dose you take.  Drugs like clonidine can sometimes be helpful at managing flushes and sweats.  Clonidine is usually used to treat migraine or blood pressure problems.  We have a section on our website which mentions it and other methods for  coping with sweating   which you all might find helpful.  And soon we will be adding a new section on managing symptoms related to hormonal problems.

I hope that's of some help.  Take care everyone

Martin

Hi Colly, Tony and Ladies

Hoe this finds you all well, Tony it's so good to hear from you and glad to hear you are feeling a bit better.

Colly I thought I would let you know we lost our niece last Monday (18th April) that is why I have not been on as had to fly over to Spain and got back early hours Sunday Morning. It was 2 months from being diagnoised to her passing away. On her second lot of chemo she just started bleeding from everywhere, they finally got that under control and then she had a bleed on the brain, it was caught to late so they announced her brain dead and the life support got turned of once her daughter arrived to say her goodbyes. It is so wrong someone so young and so much to live for, unfortunatley we could not get over in time which i will always regret although I spoke to her on the telephone befor she had her complications, something to be greatful for.

I will speak to you all soon and Caroline hope you op went well was thinking of you, Lonie when is yours as I am sorry to say I cannot remember what with everything else going on

Take Care all

Littlesis (Linda)

Hi Colly, Tony and Ladies

Hoe this finds you all well, Tony it's so good to hear from you and glad to hear you are feeling a bit better.

Colly I thought I would let you know we lost our niece last Monday (18th April) that is why I have not been on as had to fly over to Spain and got back early hours Sunday Morning. It was 2 months from being diagnoised to her passing away. On her second lot of chemo she just started bleeding from everywhere, they finally got that under control and then she had a bleed on the brain, it was caught to late so they announced her brain dead and the life support got turned of once her daughter arrived to say her goodbyes. It is so wrong someone so young and so much to live for, unfortunatley we could not get over in time which i will always regret although I spoke to her on the telephone befor she had her complications, something to be greatful for.

I will speak to you all soon and Caroline hope you op went well was thinking of you, Lonie when is yours as I am sorry to say I cannot remember what with everything else going on

Take Care all

Littlesis (Linda)

hi linda

aw im so sorry to hear about your neice. how awful this disease is! words just arent enough when life can be so cruel.

our troubles are insignificant when faced with what some people have to go through. im sure caz will be fine. tony has been suffering, though quietly. n im fine, no date as of yet. i hope your fingers are feeling a little better n hope they can help to make them feel more normal.

be thinking of you n your family n sending lots of love your way.

love leonie xxxx

Hi Linda, Im so sorry to hear about the loss of your niece, life is so cruel, what age was she and was it breast cancer she had,? Theres a lot to say for catching it early, but unfortunately its not always possible. Hope you're feeling well in yourself. Take care chat soon x

I am so very sorry to hear about your neice.The only good thing to hang on to is that she did not suffer for long.Hope you find a way of coping with this devastating news.

Best wishes,

Rose xxx

Hi Lonie,

Hope your aches and pains are easier in this lovely weather.I had a blood transfusion today and feel much better..We are going away for a week so dont panic if you dont hear from me,we are going to a cottage on a farm with the children and grandchildren and they have lambs and animals for the children and quad bikes for the big children !!

Hope all you ladies have a good weekend,

Rose xxx

Hi everyone sorry its been so long again, just came out of hospital yesterday after having my reduction on the right side, still a little sore and swollen but very hopeful for the future, Welcome Linda and I too am so sorry to hear of your bad news, my thoughts are with you.

Caz how the devil are you and those lovely pert boobs of yours lol, Colly sorry to hear about your night sweats I have to admit that I haven't had anything like that but hey ho there is always time....We have all come through this journey together and I feel so privaleged to have made this journey with all you ladies, for those who have just joined us you are in good hands and an abundance of wisdom and experience.

Take care all you lovely ladies and of course you too Tony never a day goes by when I dont think of you all.

Lee xxxxxxx

Hi Lee, nice to see you back and that youve got nice pert boobs, lucky you, aprt from your op, hope youre feeling good in yourself? The night sweats are starting to dwindle now that my body is getting used to the Tamoxifen. Rose glas youre feeling better after your transfusion, Leonie, I know what youre up to through face book lol, hi to you all and hope you enjoyed watching the Royal Wedding, Kate looked gorgeous. xx

hi everyone. I havent been on for a while as radio is making me so tired, 3 more and 3 boosters and im done - so to speak. The left boob has risen by an inch and so now i am lopsided. i spoke briefly to my breast nurse and she just said 'most people aren't symmetrical' i burst into tears after putting the phone down. i too am fed up with hearing 'it;s better than the alternative'. i am going to see a pycologist tommorrw at the hospital, and after losing my tooth and being told the hospital won't fix it, a lop sided boob is just the icing on the cake.. i look in the mirror and have aged 10 years, put on weight and i could go on and on. i remind myself of all the support and issues each of you have had, the tears and triumphs and it kicks my butt back into gear ready to face the world. So, i did an hours callanetics today whilst mister was out and felt so much better physically and emotionally afterwards. The issues i have are so insignificant compared to some of the threads on here, but as we all know, the issues we have are multiplied as they are all a consequence of this dreadful disease. It makes them bigger than they would be if we were in 'full health',  I am doing ok, but find it hard to deal with so many issues - hence going for help - which is another reason for not being here, but i wanted so much to hear fro, caz and hear all about her new boobs!  special love to nina colly and rose xxxxx

Hi Sara and all

Sara u know by now that u can always come here and sound off !1we have all had those days so we know how it feels !! think about how far youve come your on the homeward stretch and soon u will have more of your life back. In the mean time exercising is great to lift spirts and make u feel healthier. so good on you !!

I saw occupational health today to talk about going back to work "phased return" I cant believe how freaked I feel about goin back scared I wont be able to do my job, am gonna go back in couple weeks bite the bullet . Unfortunateyl my knee op isnt overly successful but I cant face any more drs at present so i will just see how goes .I too am trying to lose weight but the bank hols celebrations have not helped coupled with i have no discipline when it comes to food and wine !!!!!!!!!

hope u feeling better but dnot be so hard on yourself for getting frustrated !!

love to all have been keeping eye on you espec those on facebook xxxxxxx

big love and hugs xxxxy

Hi Sara, Nina and girls and Tony

Hope you are all well, Sara what you're going through is normal, believe me lol, I used to look in mirror and cry because I had no hair, no eye brows or lashes, these were the worst for me as I had lovely long hair and really long lashes, the boob being a bit deformed really doesn't worry me, its slightly different, more pert than the other lol and the colour has changed because of the radio, like a nice tan on one boob, but im back at work, and going to gym now and then and starting to feel better, the weight gain is only because of the steroids, you'll soon loose that.

Nina, you'll be fine back at work, I feel as tho Ive never been away lol and I was off 11 months.

Hope everyone else is doing ok, Ive got a wee intimate question, hope my friends on here dont mind answering for me lol- since my chemo, the physical side of my relationship has dwindled away and I really dont know how to get it back, I think John feels like he became my carer instead of my lover, things are quite strained between us and Im hoping and praying that everything will be fine, but Ive got a horrible feeling it may not. I was only with john just under 2 years when diagnosed and he has been there for me morning noon and night for 1 year now, before diagnosed we had a great social life lotsa fun etc, but he's kinda done all the socialising on his own for past while as i just didnt feel up to it, didnt want to be seen out with no hair or with a wig, sorry to go on and on but I really dont know where to turn to, and Ive read so many stories on here where partners/husbands have walked out, I honestly couldve said a few months ago john would never leave me, but now im not so sure. Sorry for sounding off but need some advice please xx

hey col, i know where u are coming from, and think i can help but dont want to explain or go into detail here - we all lke to keep certain things personal. please mail me at simplysara1 @ hotmail.com

there is light at the end of the tunnel babe and it can be both fun, sexy and romantic again xxx