Hi,

I had a clip put in too and then a mammogram straight after to see where it was. The pain was terrible. I was left battered and bruised for about 2 weeks. After that I didn't know it was in there.

I hope that you feel better soon. 

Thanks, that's reassuring. I had digital mammogram straight after too. It's been a week now. It's just tender if accidentally knock my boob. Also, the nurse applying my dressing straight after had to press down on it very firmly as it wouldn't stop bleeding and that pressure really hurt. 

Yeah, I had a technicolour bruise and it was very tender. They said that it would be less painful than the core biopsy, but they fibbed!

It will be sore unfortunately. You've done a week so it should start to feel better soon.

Hi Kajay,

I hope that all goes well with your oncologist tomorrow.

Please let us know how you get on. We are always here for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Jolamine, met with Oncologist yesterday. My treatment starts 19th Feb. My boob is feeling less painful today :) 

Im not going to lie, I'm worried about unpleasant side effects from chemo. At the moment I'm feeling normal, and feeling healthy, even though I have breast cancer. The thought that in just over a weeks time, I'm probably going to be feeling awful has hit me. It's like a countdown to dread. I've also been told that I'll likely to be on medication for next 10 years. I'm imagining having side effects for the rest of my life. Up until yesterday, I was feeling brave and positive. But after my meeting with Oncologist I feel that I'm in for a big shock. Im wondering if side effects are constant, or just for a few days after chemo sessions? I've been told I'll be in for long day for first chemo treatment, but as there's other drugs apart from Herceptin that I'll be having, they don't want to give them all to me on that day, and I'll have to go back the next day to finish further chemo treatment. I thought I'd only be in one day every three weeks for chemo. But I'm down for two :( 

Hi Kayjay,

I hope that the two days are not a permanent thing and, that this is just to get you sorted out for the begining of chemo. I can understant why you're feeling apprehensive as you start your treatment, but just look at it as a means to an end - something you've got to endure to get better.

I've not had chemo, so can't really help you much with this. I understand that there are different types and that some have more side effects than others. The effects will also vary from person to person. The one piece of advice that seems to be given is to drink plenty of water throughout treatment and, if the anti-nausea tablets you're given don't work, ask for another type, as there are a number of different types.

They used to give hormone medication for 5 years after surgery, but have recently increased it to 10. I have had 2 cancers. The first time I had a lumpectomy followed by Tamoxifen for 1 year and the second, a double mastectomy followed by Letrozole for 6 years. I stopped taking these in July 2017, but I am left with the legacy of joint stiffness and pain throughout my body. It is hard to say whether or not this was to due the natural ageing process or the medication. The one good thing to come out of it all is that I remain cancer free after 9 years.

Try not to let your visit to the Oncologist get you down. This is just a wee blip in your life that will soon be over and, then you can get back to living life to the full.

I hope that all goes well for you and, with the minimum amount of side-effects.

Please keep us posted when you can and remember that we are always here for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Thanks for your reassurance Jolamine. Glad to hear you got through it :) 

I know that this is a long time after your original post but this might help for anyone else reading this in the future.

I had mine put in yesterday. Some pain during and then in the car on the way home but not unbearable. It was feeling quite sore after whilst I was sitting on the sofa and I went to check it and I saw that the sticky plaster had been placed in such a way that it was pulling on my skin. I replaced it with my own plasters taking care not to pull on the skin and straight away it was much better - so my advice is to check how they put on your dressings becasue that really does make a difference.