Hi Kalisunshine - sorry I have not been on the website for over a week now.  I hope you had a great holidaay and all went well with you.  This is interesting re: radiotherapy and the tattoos. I had no idea this all happens.  When do you start?  Have you started the tablets and how do you feel?  Please let me know.  You are a few steps ahead of me so any info so appreciated.  Went to surgeon last Friday - margins are clear - no more reincisions - I was so pleased, and she did stress that the statistics show there is relatively little difference in cases like mine having a mastectomy or a lumpectomy, with the cancer returning etc.  All that she found was LCIS which means I have an increased risk of developing breast cancer - it is abnormal cells but as I will be having regular check-ups, they can keep an eye and also radiotherapy will zap these cells.  I am relieved and so fortunate that things are looking positive.  I keep trying to remember we are survivors.  I just worry of the risk of it returning, but surgeon said you must think about the amount of women that do survive and percentage that don't, is low.  Just would prefer not to be in this situation like so many people.  Really hope things are going well for you.  Seeing Oncologist on Monday so I will let you know how things go.  Take care and sorry I have not posted.  xxxx

P.s have had 3 doses of Tamoxifen and only thing I can report is wierd dreams! Have noted that others have said similar. However have decided not to read the leaflet in the tablet packet or any more on line stuff in relation to Tamoxifen and just be as positive as possible, I am working on trying to imagine it as a very special, very precious pill that is giving me the gift of life. X

How are you doing?  How is the treatment going and how are you finding it?  I started taking the tablets (Tamoxifin, yesterday - feeling a bit strange today and like you did not read any literature or leaflet inside the packet.  Trying to ignore any feelings I may get and if I don't know too much I maybe will not attribute feelings towards the tablets.  Five years is a long time!  I went for Radiotherapy planning last week and will start first session in just over 2 weeks.  It was okay and I was not there for long.  How are you finding it - are you tired or is it just tiring going to the hospital everyday?  Went to see the Oncologist three weeks ago - he was positive and upbeat and very informative about the treatment and how it works.  He described that tablets as a net that catches the hormones before they could travel to an area where they are likely to be used to increase a cell to grow in a cancerous state - I probably have not explained that very well, but it made sense at the time and now I cannot remember his exact words.  How do you feel overall?  I really hope you feel well.  I haven't had much time to dwell on things, its just notification of appointments and you go and that's it.  There is no time to pause and think about what's really happening. It does feel like a bit of a dream. And I feel like you - it's good to talk to other people who are experiencing situations like ours.  I am meeting a lady next week that I only know through my other half's work and she had breast cancer.  I find I am really keen to know how they got on, what stage they were, treatment given etc.  But the other side of it is that you maybe would rather not know.  Do you know what I mean?  Confusing feelings..   Take care...xxx

Hi , nice to hear from you. I have had 11 sessions! 4 more to go and counting. Where to start..... Well I have been covering myself every morning with double base gel- slightly odd stuff but was told it could help! I also reapply it when I get home after radio. And then at night I apply Aveeno which someone else recommended and occasionally Simple moisturiser- I am throwing everything at it! So far my skin is pretty good- a very faint pink tinge but hardly noticeable, I seem to have what look like little pink spots in places but no causing any harm. Only bit noticeably irritated is my nipple which is very pink and has become quite tender and weirdly hard at times. The hospital have given me hydrogel dressings which are like strange little jelly squares to put on nipple under my bra and they do help.

The daily process is taking a bit of an emotional toll on me,  I sat and cried in my car on Friday after the treatment. Most of the Radiographers are lovely. They generally bother to introduce themselves, ask how you are etc but occasionally I have come across someone who is having an off day who doesn't seem very bothered and that's what happened Friday plus it was the end of my first 5 in a row.. I think the emotional impact is underestimated. I think just waiting with all the other people is emotional so many in headscarves etc, some looking very ill. Makes me think I am lucky really but I can't always hold onto that! 

There is quite a lot of heaving and pulling you about to make sure that you are in exactly the right place. I was asked if I was happy to have male Radiographers but said no and for me this was the right choice, I feel more comfortable being pulled about at very close range by women! There is no pain, nothing much going on part from machines moving about and whirring. It can be a bit nippy at times but they always put 2 squares of paper towel over my boobs before they leave the room and funnily enough it does make a difference to how vulnerable and exposed you feel. Some days the process is slightly longer than others as they have to do photos as well, so between 5 and 10 minutes once it starts but about half an hour all told with the lining up first. Everyday there has been a waiting time on my appointment, it has varied between 30 minutes and 2 hours so don't make plans ! Mine are all at lunch time, they were originally around 5 but I said no I couldn't do this time, glad I did as the wait seems to build during the course of the day. I usually come back and just read, watch T.v etc. I don't think i am too tired but my emotional frailty is probably a sign that I am. I am still working every morning. I have booked a week off after my treatment, they say the effect is cumulative and can make you fatigued for several weeks after treatment has finished. 

Plodding on with Tamoxifen, no more dreams and I suppose night flushes are slightly fewer-4-5 times a night?  Some in day too but not too many. 

I hope that your treatments go ok, just something else to deal with and get through then maybe we can get back to normal a bit! My mum has had surgery today to investigate a mass in her pelvis we are all just praying it is not ovarian cancer. 

So overall I am doing ok with just one or two wobbles! Please let me know how you get on too. Xx

Hi - thank you for the info above - it is really helpful, but first of all, how is your mum?  I hope she is okay and her results were all clear.  I went today for the group meeting where you are shown around the department and they talk through what will happen, so a lot of what they said I remembered from your post which was really helpful.  I start next Thursday and the appointment times all differ as they are so busy, but it will be manageable.  I like you felt very fortunate only to be having radiotherapy.  I would rather not be in the position I am in but I know that it could have been a lot lengthier process and more treatment etc.  So I do thank God very much.  I hope the treatment is nearly over and you are feeling well.  Yes, emotions are high.  Even going in there today I felt a bit teary and I don't know why.  I hope I can keep up the mask over the next couple of weeks.  Tablets okay but forgot to take one night.  I am wondering if my cycle will be affected and things change but I will keep a note of it all and try and monitor etc.  I haven't had any funny dreams yet, but last few nights woken up and found it hard to get back to sleep. Maybe I have taken the tablet too late.  Thanks so much for writing what you have - I am sure it benefits so many people who are about to embark on the treatment and it's helped so much writing to you too and hearing about your experience.  I will write after next weeks session and let you know how it goes.  Keep going now - you are nearly there.  Take care xxxx

Thanks for this...having mine next week. 

Best of luck Carol612 - hope everything goes well for you and stay in touch.  Have found it really helpful reading posts on this website and also emailing about experiences.  I had my first radiotherapy today and it was really helpful to know what was ahead of me through Kalisunshine's posts as she is ahead of me in a near identical position.  I am also on my third week of Tamoxifen which has not caused too much upset, but I definitely feel different and am not sure whether my P will arrive this week.  How are you doing though? x

Hi Kalisunshine - how are you?  how is everything going? Is your radiotherapy finished now?  I had first session today.  It was fine apart from a bit of a wait, but all okay.  The tablets are okay, but I was saying above that I do feel different and had a bad headache yesterday so not sure whether this is side-effect etc, but hoping it doesn't happen again. But it's fine.  I will email again in a couple of days and let you know how the next bit of treatment is going.  I really hope things are okay.  Take care..x

Hi Carol, hope all went well. Good luck with the rest of your treatment.