Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

**24TH** TAMOXIFEN thread !

999 replies

MaryAnnSingleton · 20/05/2012 12:48

here we go...

OP posts:
Caught11 · 25/05/2012 18:57

sorry to jump in but I know a lot of you ladies have lots of experience of waiting for test results etc. After my 3 yearly mammograme I was recalled,the breast unit had found a "feature" that they wanted to investigate they showed me it on the screen, that day had lots more tests, ultrasound etc and they tried to do a biopsie,but when I lay down in the machine the feature hid,they said it was because my breast is very dense.Went for a MRI last friday and still waiting for the results...just looking for some words of wisdom,as not sleeping very well etc, time seems to be dragging..

MaryAnnSingleton · 25/05/2012 19:02

hello caught - quite understand your anxiety - waiting for results is horrible. Stick with us and we'll hold your hand if you like x

OP posts:
Caught11 · 25/05/2012 19:04

Thanks,I was positive to start but as time gets on it's getting harder,plus my DH works abroad.

MaryAnnSingleton · 25/05/2012 19:22

That must be hard for you - did they give any indication of what the feature might be? it's possible that it might be an area of dense breast tissue (this happened to me on last year's mammogram) Even if it is anything bad then be reassured that treatment is really very effective and doable. I wish I could be more helpful,but I do understand how you must be feeling.

OP posts:
amberlight · 25/05/2012 19:31

Caught, welcome. If it's any help at all, 9 out of 10 lumpy bits are not cancer. And even if it's the 1 in 10 that is, 9 out of 10 of those are the well behaved sort that can be sent packing with the right treatments. So the odds of it being something really rudely behaved start out at only 1 in 100.

Not that this is much of a consolation if people turn out to be that 1 in 100, of course. But it's a start.

Yup, the waiting is 'orrible. But the people here are lovely.

Caught11 · 25/05/2012 20:27

MAS, I said could it be cysts as I had them in my other breast when I was 21,the consultant just shook her head.I know they have to be careful about what they say but a clue would have been good.
Thanks AL I know the odds, its the waiting that's so hard,if I only knew what I was dealing with...musnt grumble, thee are a lot of people worse of than me.

BubbleBobble · 25/05/2012 20:49

Someone once told me (or I read it or possibly made it up or saw it on the TV) that feeling bad/worried/upset is all relative. It doesn't matter if other people are going through worse, it doesn't make your feelings somehow less important.

I can't remember who asked about periods, but mine never stopped all through chemo and I may have only have been on tamoxifen for a month, but that doesn't seem to have affected them either. I kept careful track of my cycles throughout chemo and they did go a bit irregular and now they've got shorter and lighter than they used to be, but they've not gone. I don't know whether that's to do with my age or not (just turned 28).

Can I just say, I HATE this frigging heat. It makes fatigue feel about a thousand times worse, but on the plus side, I can have frozen yoghurt for tea. Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia for those that like details of delicious things. :o

graciesmall09 · 25/05/2012 21:04

Caught hope your results come back soon. I only had 2 mammograms and was called back on each occasion. I have dense breasts and the first recall they decided it was just a thickening. We will hold your hand while you wait.

bubble I'm with you on the heat. It is killing me. If I was about 4 stone lighter though I probably wouldn't notice.

Gave up on the wig this afternoon as it was giving me such a sore head so went to my onc appointment with a scarve. It was so comfortable so I think I will be purchasing some more.

Onc appointment was ok. He is definitely giving me a syringe driver for next chemo and he is also considering a drip for the day after to stop the dehydration. He went over the MRI results again and said when they re-ran them they could see the bone 'thing' which was the same as the most recent CT. He thinks it looks benign but is organising a bone scan to settle my mind. So I came away happy enough.

Stopped on the way home and bought the children a large paddling pool. Stupid dog jumped in and out and ripped the bottom of it - he was very funny but a total waste of money (pool not the dog Grin)

Ned glad this chemo has gone better than the last. Hope you hands aren't too painful.

KurriKurri · 25/05/2012 22:06

Quickly popping on to say welcome to Caught Smile - waiting for results is always a very anxious time, and especially so with your DH being abroad - it helps if there's someone around to give you a cuddle when you need it.
But stick with us, we can send virtual hugs and hopefully give you a bit of support. Have they given you any idea when your results will be available?

gracie - I never wore a wig, mainly because the hospital never told me anything about wigs being available, so I just went down the scarf and hat route. The important thing is that you feel comfortable .

Very hot evening here too, - I have been having the electric fan on for the last few nights.

Wishing everyone a good relaxing weekend.

amberlight · 26/05/2012 08:36

Gracie, drat re the wig. I wear wig caps under mine and mine are adjustable (Rene Amore brand) so they haven't been uncomfy for me. But it's a very individual thing and there's such beautiful scarves and other headwear available.

AutumnSummers · 26/05/2012 09:19

Going out today with Hubby to cheer myself up. I've been lady depression lately. Cinema and pub! I may be back later for drunk typing! Have a good day all x

graciesmall09 · 26/05/2012 11:11

Amber I have tried to adjust it but can't seem to. I maybe will take it back to the store and see if they can alter it as it seems such a waste of money now. I do feel a bit self conscious wearing scarves as I don't want to look like I have cancer but I am someone who doesn't even wear a hat on the coldest day so a wig is really not that comfortable for me.

autumn have a great day out today. Cinema and pub sounds great. I won't be around later as we have friends coming for a Chinese but I look forward to reading your 'drunk' typing tomorrow.

Hope everyone has a great day in this glorious sunshine.

KurriKurri · 26/05/2012 11:25

gracie - I got a few little cotton hats from this site - ignore the plastic heads modelling them!, and the slightly old fashioned feel. The cotton hats and turbans are very soft and comfortable, I wouldn't particularly recommend their scarves - I think you can get nicer ones than on there.

It was a bit different for me though, because I had my chemo through the winter, so over heating and wearing head covering not such a problem.

Enjoy your day out Autumn Smile

How are you feeling today amber, have you got anything nice planned for the weekend?

I'm trying to finish my painting for our Jubilee art exhibition, - it's a picture of a man sledging with his child, - a bit odd for a summer exhibition, but I didn't think of that when I started it! - Quite weird trying to paint snow, when my paint keeps drying up in the sun Grin

jchocchip · 26/05/2012 12:38

gig is dd old enough to wear deely boppers? I'd probably go down the decorate an old t shirt with whatever was to hand - strips of fabric or crepe paper or poster paint... And if there were any angel/fairy wings in the dressing up box I'd add them for good measure!

DD came home from prom at midnight complaining that all the teachers had got drunk...

Baskets45 · 26/05/2012 15:19

I'll be back later to read the 'drunk typing'.... Meantime, I'm all at sixes and sevens here, as I was planning to take some boys off on a short holiday after exams over, and now not sure what to do. Haven't actually booked yet, as we tend to do short breaks in YHs in Europe, and can usually find something last minuteish. Problem over travel insurance for me if I leave the UK. Not sure what to do. Re hosp date for scan, i can prob just quietly postpone it if it's only a week. Not sure iwant to upset GP as he is my ally in this at mo (but he wasn't v impressed last year when I wanted to go away when it clashed with some other med apt. I did end up cancelling and went later and it wasn't a huge cost all in all). This time, it's to do with availability of ds, and getting away and back in June, before everything gets really busyand, if going via london, before all the olympics busyness. And later in summer I'll prob need another liver biopsy, which is a biggish procedure and needs rest time afterwards and a night in hosp. (livers being livers, they tend ot bleed if needles gets stuck into them, hence a bit of extra care needed). Then boy willl be back at college. And very aware 17 yo boy with steadt GF isn't likely to want to holiday with his mammy for many years to come.

Too hot to go out today. But feel I should enjoy nice weather while it's here.And ther's only so much laundry you can do. If I go furhter I'll need sunscreen, and I hate the smell and general stickiness. DS 17YO has taken little bro to drama class, so only ds2 and dh and me here. The house is too quiet!! But excited as eldest is coming back from college for one night only, as little bro's birthday tomorrow. And DH making cake so I don't have that to do that. Still got parcels to wrap, but putting it off 'cos it's a job I like.... Generally too tired to do much, would like to reada good book, but unable to focus for long. At least I've got the knitting.

WWYD re travel ins if in my situation, ie between tests, but with knowledge of a definite but sl vague problemo? I need ot bite bullet and talk to ins co on Monday. Presumably they would insure me for accidnets and theft, but exclude me for claims related to my liver dysfunction (and if anything acute happens, i can just jump on a ferry back to the UK, ha ha!).And it's not likely anything will happen quickly anyway. Although i want a break too, I do think ds3 (the one doing exams) needsa break more, and his little face fell alst night when I told him I wasn't sure we could go far due to all this. i deliberately told him nothing earlier in week due to exams (which he seems remarkably confident about. fingers crossed he's not just being a cocky teenager)

So, hope you are all 'fine' today and those of you needing head covering have managed something cooler. Hope too family smee having a lovely celebration day with little smee.

Baskets45 · 26/05/2012 15:23

By the way, you do know 'fine' can stand for F$&*ed up, Insecure, Neurotic, and Emotional. And certain variations in similar vein. That's me to a tee at mo.

xxx

KurriKurri · 26/05/2012 16:50

Oh Baskets - poor you, that is a bit of a dilemma. I think you are right about the insurance - that they will cover you for anything except things related to your liver.

I haven't had to deal with this particular problem - we generally holiday with relatives, so it's all pretty flexible. But if it were me, I think I'd go on my holiday - it does you so much good to get away for a bit, you need a break from hospitals, tests and being poked and jabbed. Also IMO experience if you delay something, then next free time you have something else will crop up and so on, and you'll end up not getting away.

But that's only my feeling on the matter, maybe its worth talking it over with your GP, he might turn out to be more sympathetic than you think you never know Smile

Happy birthday for Baskets junior tomorrow - how old will he be?

MaryAnnSingleton · 26/05/2012 17:39

I think a holiday would do you much good baskets - something always crops up whatever is planned - so a break might give you a bit of a lift and a chance to unwind. Happy bday to ds for tomorrow. We're celebrating dad's again today as my brother,SIL and niece are here.

OP posts:
amberlight · 26/05/2012 19:11

Yes, holidays are good.
Was feeling absolutely ghastly earlier. Now much improved after a decent meal and a cinema visit.

jchocchip · 26/05/2012 19:23

I didn't bother with travel insurance when I went away a couple of weeks ago. I figured that I could do without the hassle of answering questions, and it was only me, staying mostly with family and I could have afforded a new ticket to get me home if necessary so I self-insured... Should have bought a multi trip policy a year ago tbh, but that is the benefit of hindsight!

jchocchip · 26/05/2012 19:24

WE have noisy fairground set up in the park behind our house :( Maybe I should go buy some candyfloss :)

Baskets45 · 26/05/2012 21:05

I'm kind of with you, jchoc, on just not bothering with insurance. I dread the idea of lots from of nosy questions, from girlies with checklists, nobody being able to spell my various diseases (and I've had a lifetime of having to spell my surname, and dh's name which i don't use is hardly better, so no solution there!). And me feeling kind of fragile just now about the whole shebang. I've done foreign travel (in EU) without insurance, but just feel less confident now about it. I'm thinking we could ahve a few days across the sea in the Netherlands (and no hills for me to get breathless going up!). About to discuss with the prodigal son, see if he wants to come too, which means I won't have to do anything except bankroll the expedition. And he's very good (and patient) with ds4, who is tomorrow's birthday boy. Yes, there are only 4 of them. DS4 is 14 tomorrow.

My sympathy re the fairground noise. My neighbour (he of the large flagpole - 18 ft, I am reliably informed) has some very noisy mates round, having a bbq. I hope it won't disturb ds4 at bedtime. He has sensory overload problems, but that's why Santa brought him an MP3 player so he can choose his own noise :o . And I'm fine as deaf. I feel for our elderly neighbour, Sarah, who is nearly 90, and nothing wrong with her hearing!

Gigondas · 26/05/2012 21:33

If you get an e101 card you get some health cover (on basis of what is available across eu) which may help . I am taking your approach to travel. There are specialist firms but if you can get over the intrusive queries ( some want drs notes) , it is so expensive as to hardly be worth the bother.

Right back to Eurovision

jchocchip · 27/05/2012 12:21

Afternoon all, time for a nice cold drink?

KurriKurri · 27/05/2012 12:32

Yes please jchoc Smile - I have some homemade orange juice ice lollies in the freezer

Very hot and humid here, we are just off to the beach, trying to find our flip flops and sun hats from last year!

Anyone else venturing out? (part of me would rather just laze in the garden, but I know I'll enjoy the beach when I get there)