**tamoxifen** number 15 ****

[MaryAnnSingleton]

can you believe it ??!!

We're all different Drift, but I went home without painkillers because it would have been an hours' wait and I wanted to get home.

First two days I took no painkillers at all! I thought "this is a walk in the park" hahaha.

Then it got sore but it was managable on ibuprofen and paracetamol - full daily allowance of both. But today the nerve pain has got the better of me and GP has given me Amitriptyline. Had a small seroma which was a bit uncomfortable.

Altogether, for me it's been okay. Lots of things are uncomfortable/painful - smears, injections, even blood pressure taking. I honestly don't think you should be worried about it - the docs can prescribe ever increasing pain relief if you need it.

Yeay for Dee !! Fantastic news and thank goodness they start screening at 47 where you are. I've been taking Tamoxifen for a year. It's pushed me into menopause early (I'm 45). I have hot flushes and very achey hands and feet. Impossible to know if the aches are due to Tamoxifen, residue from chemo, or down to menopause, but none are particularly pleasant. My cancer was aggressive though and Tamoxifen gives me a hugely increased chance of no recurrence, as my tumour was very strongly hormone positive. Means I feel lucky to be able to take it iyswim, so I don't mind side effects.

So much going on for you all on here, I can't keep up.

Amber, v. sorry to hear about your husband's ops.

Stars do stick with us and let us try and distract you if we can> wish you weren't facing such a haul.

Sparkle, sorry you"re having such a worrying time over DH's work.

Drift, sorry I can't help as I had mastectomy. Others will have wisdom I'm sure. You'll feel so much better once you're through though am sure.

Kurri, v.good to hear your dad's a bit more his old self. Hope he continues to build back.

Topsy, just spotted you're having 25 rads. Me too and I was fine until the very end when my skin broke down, but they were blitzing near the surface with me, so they told me to expect it.

Sorry I can't post to all. Hope l4k and oneineight have some good news too. Got a v.tired boy to feed, and still masses of work to wade through. Waving to all though.

x-posted with OneinEight. Sorry it wasn't better news. I've had two mastectomies, so ask anything you want to. Sending you a huge hug. xx

oneineight, gosh, how are you doing? Some of the other ladies have had mx so can comment properly.

Just hang on to the fact that treatment these days has really progressed and they are going to sort this out for you. Hopefully the treatment plan will give you a focus to get through it step by step.

Thinking of you.

1in8 massive hugs to you . Once it has all sunk in ask all the questions you want . I had a mastectomy and node clearance , so anything I can help you with , just ask .

Smee, thanks for sharing your experience of Tamoxifen. Doesn't sound great.

But I have the luxury of giving it up if I have bad SEs, so may give it a go. I suppose if the cancer came back I might regret not trying to stick with it. Presumably the SEs are worth it in the end?

I've got thick booklet about it to read, but not tonight as I've had enough for one day.

Off to cook pizza with caesar salad.

dee scrEeeeeeeeeeeeeam !!!!
Fan-feckintastic news !!!

Thanks topsy

Thanks everyone on this thread for your company and encouragement.

Dee, talk it through with us if it helps. I'd say you might as well give it a go though. A fair few women seem to have v.few or no side effects, so you might be one of those.

1in8, should have said, but I know it's huge for you atm. Don't think I'll ever forget when I heard similar. But it was only last year for me, and I'm very much living life to the full and have been pretty much all this year. If I can do that, well so will you. Be a sod and a bit of a haul to get through, but we're here for you.

Thanks everyone for the messages. Still sinking in - but I am sure there will be question later.

dee - fabulous !!! that is very good news !!!! doughnuts definitely in order and hooray for early screening. Tamoxifen is tolerable, worth a go and if you really find it too much then that is good that you can stop taking it.
1in8 sorry to hear that yours isn't such good news - did you mean yours was grade 2 ?
After my SNB and WLE I think I was given ibuprofen but I honestly didn't need any more painkillers (it was sore and hurty and i'm not a martyr or anything -I just think I prob. have a high tolerance to pain (except for smears but that's because I get so anxious)
figgy well done for getting smear done -yay !

hi all, sorry so late
I was in and out with not much more info other than still benign.so still just go back in 6 months.

kids need me so back later
fantastic news for dee
so sorry to hears 1in8's news not better major hugs to you

14k still benign sounds good

Dee - wonderful news, I'm so pleased for you, - hope you enjoyed your doughnut, - diets can start tomorrow...or the next day....

1in8 - again hugs from me, it'll take you a little while to process so be gentle with yourself, - I've also had a mastectomy + node clearance - so happy to help with anything I can

14k - sounds like a watching brief for you, - but that's good, you know they are keeping an eye on things, so if any problems do arise, they'll be picked up early.

well done all of you for getting through what I know will have been a difficult day.

I've been asleep for about 3 hours - I was very sick at about 4 O'clock - I feel OK now though, wonder if its connected with my injection? - probably just coincidence and something I ate.

love to all

Ooh Kurri, you take care. Being sick's horrid.

l4k, benign's fantastic. They wouldn't tell you six months if they were even vaguely worried.

Figgy, forgot to say congrats for getting through your smear. And hooray for heating tomorrow.

Been a busy afternoon with a bit of shopping with my cousin before rads. Only bought a screen protector for viewpad but had tea and cake.

Rads themselves were ok. Busy waiting room but my machine was on time today.

Sorry to hear your news 1in8. hugs.

Still emo I'm afraid. Despite eating loads of chocolate. Mum is not doing very well and it is hard on my brother to travel next weekend as well as last.

One of my best friends at work has fallen downstairs and broken her arm, ouch.

dee...thats brilliant news.

1in8..im really sorry if it helps sounds very similar to me ,my lump was also big but my nodes were clear.they opted for chemo first was told that was the best way forward to try to shrink the lump first.i did go on to have a mx and the surgeon still thought it best as precaution to do nodes clearance but it yet again came back clear.

kurri...poor you for some unknown reason im sick every now and then not sure if its chemo still in my system or what,but i still get the blasted leg,hip and joint aches.

jane..i hope tomorrow is a better day for you,poor friend indeed ouch.

Wanted to send hugs to sparkle too . My DH got made redundant nearly 2 years ago . It puts such a strain on you doesn't it ? Positive thoughts for good news for him .

14k still benign is fantastic . I know it probably doesn't feel that way to you right now . I bet you feel like you are just waiting for the axe to fall , you poor thing

Been to view the car , I was bored
Looks like we will be going ahead with it . Just waiting for the sales man to call us tomorrow with final figures and the all important Choice Of Colour ...

Just finished watching Frozen Planet , it just gets better all the time .

Does anyone know how to care for orchid plants ? I have one on my mantle that arrived yesterday , and I really don't want to kill the poor thing .

thanks for the support.I am relieved,not completely confident,but feel better than I did.kids have been like cling-ons tonight and now I'm so tired.

Will have to get my arse in gear with making arrangements for kids and things while im in hospital for my gyne op.It's less than 3 weeks and I have hardly dared hope I could go ahead but looks like I can.

hope you all have sweet dreams-goodnight.x

Good luck with the gynae op 14k - I expect you will feel a bit more relaxed once you have that out of the way.

jane - your poor friend. Hope you are feeling a bit better tomorrow, - it is hard coping with elderly and infirm parents - that's emotional turmoil enough in itself, add radiotherapy into the mix and its not surprising it gets a bit overwhelming sometimes. Nice relaxing bath, cup of hot chocolate and cuddle up with a good book might help you get a good night's sleep, then things can often look abit brighter in the morning

topsy - I've got a couple of orchids, and I've found they are happiest in the bathroom. They've lasted a few years, and always flower - very pretty. You have to water them with rian water or distilled water (I think), but my seem happy to be ignored and neglected - I rarely water them.

Not feeling sick now - I get it sometimes out of the blue too pink, - v.odd (although I'm sure your's is down to chemo in the system, - but I finished my chemo two years ago! - but my digestive system's always been a bit dodgy - doesn't take much to make me throw up )

that would be rain water - I have no idea what 'Rian Water' is - he sounds like a new pop star

arf at rian water - I managed to keep an orchid alive for a while- I tend to be over zealous with watering and they don't like it - but this surprised me with it's tenacity to life.
So sorry that you were sick kk - not nice.
Lots of luck too 14k for gynae op - remind us again nearer the time so we can think of you.

< topsy pops out to Tesco to see if she can find any of That There Rian Water >

G'night ...