Hi tammytiger

Welcome to Cancer Chat.

It is hard to take in everything that is going on around you when you are having tests. Many people here will understand how you feel about wanting to find out more.

I wonder if you had a chance to call the nurses where you had your tests to find out more information?

Please do call our nurses on freephone: 0808 800 4040 from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, if you feel you would like further advice.

I hope you find our online community a friendly and supportive place to come and share your feelings.

Best wishes

Jane

hi Jane had my op 2 weeks ago this weds,I did ring the nurses but they said i would just have to wait until i get my results as they didnt have my notes. they were very supportive. getting my results on thurs to see if it has spread, but feeling very positive. i just feel so tired all the time even after a good nights sleep, dont have much pain just tender under my arm. i thought i would be feeling a lot better by now, iam able to do things but find i have to sit down after a while, and if i go out then have a sleep in the afternoon, was thinking about returning to work before my radiotherapy starts but dont think i will be able to feeling like this.although trying to stay positive as was a very small lump, still feel down some days and get tearful. im sure what im feeling is all normal, but it is the tiredness thta is getting me down all the time.

Marianne

Hi Marianne, I and all the other caring folk on here know how tough it is waiting for results and I will be keeping everything crossed for you. Once Thursday is over with you will know what your treatment plan will be and can then focus on things one step at a time. Having an operation of any kind is traumatic both physically & emotionally so I would say that it is perfectly normal to be very tired. Not just from the anaesthetic and the physical side of the op but also the stress of having had a diagnosis so give yourself time to recover. Great to hear you are not in too much pain though, that's good news. I know we are all different but I went back to work two weeks after my op which in hindsight was way too fast. I wasn't up to much to start with I have to admit but I felt I wanted to get back to a normal routine as soon as possible. I then took further time off for radiotherapy which started two months after my op. As I said though, we all cope in our own way so listen to your body and do what you feel is right for you.

Take care and do let us know how you get on.  Sue x

Hi sue,

Sorry it's taken me so long to reply, time ran away with me. Good news cancer has not spread. Still feeling very drained and tired. Wounds healing well, still tender under my arm but doing most things now. Do you suggest using any moisturizer on my scars to soften them up. I'm waiting for an appt to see when I start radiotherapy, waiting again, just can't plan anything. Wanted to go away for a few days,but thought best to wait until I know what's happening..I'm going to be taking anastrozole for next 5 years,not been prescribed it yet, not sure when. Have to have a bone scan first I think and someone said it's to check it haven't got bone cancer, I not worried about this as I thought it was just to check my bone density cos of the message.can you advise me on this please. Thankyou for your help and advice.

Marianne xx

Hi Marianne, good to hear from you and that your results came back free of any spread, that's great news!

So, now you are waiting for the next stage of the process. This whole thing is one very long wait with various actions in between! I am sorry it has scuppered your plans for going away though but you are probably wise to stay close to home until you have set dates for everything.

I was advised to use non-perfumed shower/bath stuff so bought the Simple range. I also bought some Diprobase cream from Boots, on good recommendation from a kind soul on this site, which I started using immediately, so well before the radiotherapy started, and I carried on using it all the way through and for quite some time afterwards. I know some radiotherapy centres provide creams but mine didn't and they merely suggested E45 but, again from the experience of others and a short go myself, I found it a bit too harsh for my skin. I also got some 100% Aloe Vera.

I too am on Anastrozle and was given my first perscription at my initial oncology meeting but was told not to start taking it until after the treament had finished. That first meeting was to confirm that I  would be having radiotherapy and that it would be given in the standard way of every week day for three weeks so 15 in total. I know of others though who had theirs over 25 days. It's the same total dose just over a longer time. I signed the consent form for the treatment and was asked what time of day I would prefer to have the daily sessions. They then talked about the bone density scan which is done before treatment starts and periodically throughout the time you are on Anastrozle (my next one is in 18 months). This is because the hormone treatment can thin your bones and so they test you initially and then monitor any changes. I was advised to take Calcium&VitaminD (Calcichew) alongside the Anastrole to try and counteract this. I would suggest that this is why you are being given the bone scan rather than because of any suspected bone cancer as it has already been confirmed that you had no spread.. The test is done on your lower spine and hips and I found it very quick and easy and nothing to worry about.

Apologies for rambling on but I hope this has helped and I am more than happy to chat about anything and everything as it crops up for you. I found it a great comfort to chat to others here who were further down the same route so am delighted to do the same and pass on any tips and hints I have gleaned along the way.  Take care and I hope your recovery continues well for you.  Sue xx

Hi Sue, just wondering if you can give me any insight into how tired you felt after your radiotherapy? I start my 3 weeks on the 8th October and have been advised it may be the week after it finishes that I feel most tired?  Thanks

Hi just to add to others suggestions! I have used Bio oil everyday since my wounds healed with the joint purpose of moisturising and also reducing scaring. I use it once a day everyday after showering. I start radiotherapy on 8th of Oct and have been advised to use a lot of moisturiser in the run up to my treatment so have just started using Simple moisturiser in the evening as well!  With regard to the tiredness I was very gung-ho and thought I would go back to work after a week! Makes me laugh to think about it, I was actually off for 6 weeks and just gave in to the feeling tired and allowed my body to take all the time it needed. Don't rush yourself ! Take care

Hi there, no problem at all but as you know we all react to the various treatments in different ways, some sail through radiotherpy and others have it a bit tougher. Because I had tumours on both sides, my sessions were doubled up and I was warned that the side effects would be stronger than those having treatment on just one side so please don't take my particular reactions as the norm. Once you get into the routine of it, it is very quick and easy and I found it no problem at all for the first two weeks. My skin started to redden at the beginning of the final week and I also began to feel pretty tired from then on and slept 2/3 hours once I got home, although I had no trouble driving the 70 mile round trip each day. I had originally thought the treatment was being done close to where I work and had planned my sessions for the end of a day but because they then swapped hospitals, it would have meant a 90 mile round trip with work evey morning first and that was just not feasible so in the end I took the time off and changed my sessions to early mornings and was very glad I did. I then took a further 3 weeks off after the treatment had finished to allow my skin to settle down a bit and also to rest, no matter how much I slept I was still exhausted. Like you, I have been very gung-ho about everything and wanted to get back to a normal routine asap but in hindsight did not give myself nearly enough time to recover properly and am still suffering as a result. My advice would be to carry on listening to your body as you did after your op and to take things easy until you feel absolutely ready. As I said earlier though, please don't take my experience as gospel, there are plenty on here who managed to carry on through and had minimal effects so I have my fingers crossed that you will be one of them. All the very best and keep slapping on the cream! Take care Sue x

Hi Sue, thanks for your reply I really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. I think I am slowly learning to be kinder to myself! Take care x

Hi Sue 

Thankyou for your reply and all the info and advice you are giving me, it really does help. Its over 4 weeks since my op and was initially told my radiotherapy would start 6 weeks after approx, then at my last appt was told could be 8 to 10 weeks. I have to be referred to a different hospital to where I had op. Im still waiting and wondered how long you had to wait to find out and how soon after did you have it. I know different hospitals and areas all work differently. I've not been prescribed any medication yet, I was told my gp would prescribe but not sure when, I spoke to him about 2 weeks ago and he had not had any information through yet. Its been 4 weeks now since my op and have not gone back to work yet, just dont feel able to at the moment as I dont think I could do my job properly.I will be having the radiotherapy over 18 days and will have a bone density scan as you said because of the meds I will have to take.

Thanks again any advice is very much appreciated.

Best wishes.

Marianne