Hi, I would like to hear from anybody who had breast cancer last year, I finished all my treatment in November but still get a lot of pain in my breast, is there anybody with the same.

Hi Azalea

I had breast cancer last year - lumpectomy first then mastectomy in May - Chemo then Radiotherpy finishing just before Xmas. I think it probably depends on the Op. I had Lymph nodes removed and still get pain going from under my arm across the mastectomy scar (right side). I think what we must remember is quite a lot has happened to our bodies and it takes time to settle down. It really must depend on the type of treatment we have. I asked my GP how long it will take for me to be back to 'normal' and he said 6 months to 2 years. I know any ache or pain makes you think but I try to remember all the aches and pains I had before all this happened. Then I just took a couple of painkillers and forgot about it - now I stop and think - natural I think after what we have been through. Were you given the name of a 'breast nurse' whilst you were receiving treatment -  some-one you could contact with any queries about your treatment? Mine was good and told me that even after all treatment was finished I could still call her if I was concerned about anything. I think most breast cancer clinics are the same so perhaps you could try them - just to put your mind at rest. Others on this site have had worse or better times of it but all without doubt will help you if they can. Please try not to worry - easier said than done - check it out if you can - don't think that you might be seeing medical staff unnecessarily - they all have much experience of this - you are not the first and won't be the last to contact them with worries - they were probably heartily fed up with me calling them all the time earlier this year but they never showed it.

All the best

Jan x

Hi everyone

How are you maki? Hope you are not suffering too much. I'm ok thanks sis, no change really. I think I have a bit more energy than last week. My body just aches n I can feel my energy draining. Ladycuddles I have the same sort of thing n I finished all treatment end of January. My legs burn, but I'm sure it's muscle. It's like it's burning til I sit down then it slowly gets better but turns into an ache. If that males any sense! I haven't heard from the hospital so I take it bloods are ok.

This is my 3rd day with charly n tomorrow we go to Brighton for jons brothers wedding. I'm so excited about the journey with my aches n pains! Don't know how I will manage 3days up there but I will. I hope you are all doing ok at the mo. Post when I get back.

Love leonie xxxxx

Hi all

I hope everyone is ok. I had my first chemo and due for the second one on the 2nd of September...grrrrr. Hair is gone, dont know how I feel at the moment , I haven't posted for a while so I just wanted to say Hi!

Love to u all xx

Hi maki

Well done for getting through your first chemo. Nearly two down now. You will get through it love n be free of the C. I know it's not nice to lose your hair n you feel poorly but it is a fight. N it's worth it! Keep strong, we will be here for you.

Much love to you. Leonie xxxxxxxx

Hi Leonie

Thank you for your post. Done with the first chemo This Friday is the second one. I was feeling ok untill the wound started leaking again and it is putting me down big time. At the moment feeling crap with pain in my back. I just keep thinking how much more can one take realising it is only the start of the fight. I hope you are feeling better with more energy. Take care

Love to you and to all fighters

Mxx

Caz,

I am so sorry about your loss, my prayers and thoughts are with you dear friend.

Much Love

Tony xxxx

Hey Linda,

Thanks for asking...all okay with me at the moment...chemo taking its toll as on No 14 of Irinotecan and No 11 Avastin so surprised I have stood it for this long....finally lost my hair after all this time...my way of coping is staying in bed most of the time and sleeping.

Much Love to all..

T xxxxx

Hi ladies/Tony

Hope you are all ok n managing to get on with things. Maki I hope it went alright on Friday. Hope you don't get many side affects love. Sis how are you getting on now? Are you on meds for it now? Hope you are feeling better now. Well I thought id post n let you know what I think I know. I have every symptom of a thyroid problem. Luckily I have blood tests on Wednesday n hope so much they come back with this. Can't believe something so easy to treat n yet I've suffered so much with it! Thinking maybe I have more cancer or problems with my muscles n back. I also can't believe how ill it makes you! I haven't said this to anyone, but after race for life, I often thought to myself 'am I dying'. No matter how much I rested, I just couldn't move. I am pretty sure it is this so feel so lucky that one day soon I will feel better n be able to get on with living. Been such a painful year n it could of been prevented. Learnt a lesson. Wanted to tell you all so you don't worry. Will let you know how it goes. Hope to hear from you all soon.

Lots of love leonie xxxxxx

Hi all. Thought I'd let you know I had my blood results back n they were normal. I couldn't believe it! Dr thinks I have ME/chronic fatigue syndrome n some muscle thing that I can't remember. I've been really down about it cos I know it can last for years. At least now I know what it is n why I've been getting worse n not better. I'm so fed up of being ill though. So fed up of not being able to do things n so bored! Really thought it was thyroid n I'd get better soon with meds. Now I know there's nothing that's gonna give me some energy n make me feel better. Very sad. Hope to hear from you all soon.

Love leonie xxxxx

Hi Lonie,.

I have been following your posts and I can really understand how you feel regarding tiredness. I always considered myself very fit for my age 63 but since finishing treatment have felt continually tired out. I went to see my GP who thinks I must be depressed - I'm not. I know what real depression is like because my son suffered from it a few years ago now. I was hoping through your posts I might find something else it could be. Are they absolutely sure you have ME? again I think that is a difficult problem to diagnose. When you think about it our bodies have been through the mill a bit and perhaps we all take different times to recover. Some people for instance cope with Chemo very well and others have a very difficult time - maybe the drugs take longer to get out of some peoples bodies. I really hope you will feel better soon. I am staying in our holiday home in Turkey at the moment and I must admit the sunshine has lifted me somewhat - I am very lucky to have somewhere like this to come to. I am also taking extra vitamin  D and Calcium and codliver oil every day. Has your GP recommended any additional vitamins? Let us know how you get on

Jan xx

Hi leonie

I just throught i would say hello because I was convinced for years that my throyid was not working and told it was a virus/ME/in my head.

I had necular medicine in my late 20s for hyperthroidism and was warned that it would go underactive at some point .It is very multinodular and i have the symptoms of underactive throyid but my blood tests are fine.In my opinion they are wrong.The only things i found that helped with the chronic fatigue was L-Tyrosine and bladderack.Both of these can be got from health food shops.I used to take a lot more than was suggested on the bottle.I am not suggestinng that this was necessaryly a good idea but for me it was the alternative to spending half my time asleep.

I just throught that you might like to hear because if you try a few it should work quickly if it is going to be of any use to you.If you dont feel any different after a week then i am giving rubbish suggestions.

good luck

Hi leonie

I just throught i would say hello because I was convinced for years that my throyid was not working and told it was a virus/ME/in my head.

I had necular medicine in my late 20s for hyperthroidism and was warned that it would go underactive at some point .It is very multinodular and i have the symptoms of underactive throyid but my blood tests are fine.In my opinion they are wrong.The only things i found that helped with the chronic fatigue was L-Tyrosine and bladderack.Both of these can be got from health food shops.I used to take a lot more than was suggested on the bottle.I am not suggestinng that this was necessaryly a good idea but for me it was the alternative to spending half my time asleep.

I just throught that you might like to hear because if you try a few it should work quickly if it is going to be of any use to you.If you dont feel any different after a week then i am giving rubbish suggestions.

good luck

Hi Grumpy,

Some complementary therapies may interact with other medicines you are on, making the conventional treatment less effective.

Please do check them out with your doctor before taking any.  Sometimes their interactions and side effects may not be known.

Also, some alternative therapies can be dangerous.

We have a section on our website about complementary and alternative medicines which it may be good to look at.

There is also information on our website about the difference between complementary and alternative therapies.

Best wishes

Renata

Cancer Chat Moderator

Hi Renata

Thank you for the advise.I do check things with the doctor and dont take anything she says no to eg Q10 enzyme and she said the same as you ,that with other things she does not know for certain if they interact..I had the throyid problems long before they found the cancer and i would have happyly taken medication for it but no one gave me any.The suplements i take do not fix things but they do take the edge off .I do realise this most  sensiable course of action its just the best one i have found so far.

Hi Ladies/Tony

first of all let me thank you all for your good wishes over the loss of my mum.

I am finally getting my head round losing her, but its a bit of a wake up call...... we were fighting our cancers together.... and seeing mum lose her fight scares the hell out of me... because it means I could too.

Today is a massive milestone for me...... today on the 15th September 2011.... I have been one year cancer free..... yes, it was the 15th of september last year that I had all my cancer removed with a double mastectomy...... Where on earth has this last year gone? it doesn't seem 2 minutes since i was first posting on here, a pile of snot and tears with a new cancer diagnosis.

so today is a day for seeing the positives.... I am still here and still smiling

On monday I am back to the reconstruction clinic and will get a date for my next surgery..... I just want to feel normal again.

Love to all

Caz xxxxxxx

Hi Caroline,

So pleased you are feeling better. I know what you mean by milestones - I had been feeling very low recently - although compared to others I haven't had things too bad. Today is my birthday - last year on the 15th Sept. I was receiving my last but one chemo and in a very bad way as you say still very scared - today I am in our holiday home which we have been unable to visit for 18 months due to both our treatments - and have been swimming in the sunshine - what a difference a year makes. I still haven't made my mind up about reconstruction but sincerely hope yours goes like a dream this time!!!

Love

Jan

Caz,

There are so many cliches that spring to mind...

You have had an amazing and tough journey over the past year. A year when you have found out who are your true friends, the ones that stand by you come what may and do not run when they see trouble coming their way.

Caz, a lesser person would have crumbled and never recovered, yes you had your moments but you are back stronger than the Caz we met a year ago.....whilst you would rather not have been on the journey you have made the most of it and have come out the other side....Good luck with your appointment at the reconstruction clinic...I am sure you will be back to let us know the next steps.

Much Love and thanks for the contributions you have made over the past year and the help and hope you have given to so many others.

Tony xxxxx

Hi Caroline,

I just wanted to drop a line and say we are all sorry here on Cancer Chat to hear that you have recently lost your mum to cancer.  It must have been a very difficult time for you but we are glad to see you are staying strong and positive.

Best wishes,
Lucie

Congratulations caz n I really hope this time you get some nice perk boobs! I'm sorry about your mum as you know on facebook, can't imagine what it's like when I'm so close to mine. Good luck with your new relationship, hope this one is all what the other wasn't! Onwards n to a better life, cheers!!

Happy birthday to you jan, cheers! Hope the aches n pains have eased for you both whilst your are on your hols. Enjoy yourselves in the heat n relax.

Had to write but not in a great place to say much. Maki, I feel for you n will encourage you on the chemo road to recovery soon. Love you all.

Love leonie xxxxxx

Hi Leonie

Haven't the steriods helped at all? I am really thinking of you and hope you will be feeling a bit better soon - you are always so supportive of others you deserve a break. Keeping everything crossed steriods will help

Jan x

Hi ti all

I didn't log in for a while but I just wanted to say huge HI to you all and wish you a lovely Saturday and Sunday and every day ....... I had my third chemo and the last of FEC last Friday and just getting better now. I keep on thinking how will I get through another 3 of T and 17 of Herceptin grrrrrrr

How is everyone? I hope you are all loving the hot weather. I took my boys to play football at 9 this morning followed by mcdonalds for lunch. Tomorrow we are off to Brixworth Park with the bikes and for a day of fun. I got my little bbq ready so if anyone is near by feel free to join us

LOTS OF LOVE TO YOU ALL

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hi Maki,

youre nearly there babe, so keep on going, the Taxotere to me was a lot more difficult, it made my bones really sore, so take plenty of pain killers, dont wait for the pain to start, it made every bone in my body ache (this may not happen to you) but just wanted to give you a bit of warning, hopefully you wont have the same effects.

Glad youre getting out and about with your kids, hows the hair, is it starting to fall out yet? I had lodsa little scarves and hats, some really nice ones in Monsoon.

Look after yourself and hi to everyone, hope youre all well, Lee my darling we started this journey together, how are you? x