**Tamoxifen** 27

[Gigondas]

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Hi all

Skin still crap - raw bit in the middle has spread and more black skin has come off

I think, on reflection, the nurse at GPs didn't really know what to do with me, so think I will ring BCN tomorrow and see if I can get her to have a look at it. Maybe get some dressings. I really want it to be better before we go away on hols so I can take DS swimming.

Nearly cried at the vets yesterday. Think I still have some way to go. . . Apologies for self indulgence, just feeling a bit meh. . .

MAS glad you're having a lovely holiday. Hope you continue to have a great time x

HAPPY BIRTHDAY lovely sometimes sounds like you got some lovely presents! Hope you are celebrating x x

kurriots it will be a travesty if you don't win name change competition! Hope all OK with you. How is DH doing after your Dorset break? Hope he's still doing OK x x

smee got everything crossed for your gynae appointment tomorrow. Hope not too uncomfortable for you, and hope results good x x

Waves to lime, topsy, gig, gracie, sweetest and anyone else around this evening. Thinking of you all and sending hugs x x x x x x

I know Smee- thank you, but I think the person who has over taken me has caught the zeitgeist better

Ned - sorry you are having a wobble, - it really is normal, but that's no help when you are going through it. Crying's not necessarily a bad thing, I think you hold yourself together so you can get through treatment, and that means the emotion has to come out somewhere. I hope the little dogs are OK and vets was just a routine thing.

DH doing fine physically since we got back, but has been rather grumpy

There is an article I link to every so often called 'when the treatment finishes' - apologies if I've directed you to it before, - but if you haven't seen it, I think its quite helpful in examining the feelings cancer treatment brings (there's nothing horrid in it like scary statistics or anything - it is safe to read!)

This is the the article - there's quite a few sections, but worth a read I think - its one of those things you find your self thinking 'yes - that's just how I feel'.

Thanks kurri , vets was routine boosters, nothing serious!

Will go and have a good read of the article - thanks so much for the link x x

Ned, call the Rads unit. They should have a specialist nurse who has all the dressings. Definitely worth going to them rather than BCN or GP. Call them first thing, I'd bet they'll see you asap. Not surprised you're feeling low. Why don't you allow yourself a sob or two? Bit of a shame you finished during the summer holidays. Would have been great to have a bit of time with DS at school, so you could rest and take your time. You take care now. xx

I am obsessively clicking the Olympics site to try and get DH a cycling ticket. Last night they had tickets and I spent over an hour waiting in their kooky queuing system only to be told no tickets. Just seen some more, now they're gone. G'ah!

I am ok smee but tired/had visitors at my usual Mn times and been glued to olympics.

Yay re Australia trip but sorry you have gynae issue. Agree colposcopy more undignified than worrying and it is most likely nothing.

Happy birthday sometimes -hope you has a lovely day. Is it the same significant birthday I have on what is meant to be the last day of my last round of chemo?

Waves to everyone else- I promise to post properly tomorrow

And ned I was warned it was quite normal for burn to get worse just after rads (I couldn't actually see mine as it is in a delicate area but it did start to weep/peel in week after). But echo seeing the special nurse .

hello - I start chemo on Wednesday and am reeling from the rollercoaster ride that I have been on for the last few weeks since first tentative diagnosis by locum.

I have SO many questions. about so many aspects but one quickie: can I work and have chemo? I'm a teacher (yr 5 - yr8) and one macmillan nurse says no way and another says no reason why not. Its only my second year of teaching (I retrained) so I wont get much paid leave :(

Happy Happy Big Birthday Sometimes! Assume/hope you are full of and cake by now xx

Ned Yes the Rads people give out the best dressings. Echo what Gig said too - I was warned burns would peak after the rads had finished. Take care lovely. You have done so, so well xx

hello and welcome Overthemill - I'm glad you found us

It's quite difficult to say about working, - how people are affected by chemo is very individual, some people do manage to work others don't. I didn't - I couldn't have worked, but my SIL who also had chemo did work part time (she is also a teacher).

I would say one of the problems that might arise with you being a teacher is that you do have to be careful about infection - and obviously you're going to be at risk if you come into contact with lots of children.

I think it's something you'll have to discuss fully with your oncology team, and also your employers - do you think they would be prepared to be flexible and let you do reduced hours or part time?
For me the biggest problem was fatigue - I just couldn't function, but again that varies between individuals, most people find they have a few bad days after chemo then things gradually improve as the white blood cells build up again, before you have your next cycle. So there is a period of feeling not too bad, its whether your employers are willing to work with you around that pattern.

I think MacMillan probably have info. on employment and cancer, and whether you might be entitled to any benefits if there's a risk of losing income while you are ill. Employers are supposed to work with people who are having cancer treatment and not be discriminatory in the way they treat you.

Hello from me too, overthemill. You need Figgy and Ned, they're both teachers/ TA's and work in Primary, so they'll have some thoughts am sure. Sorry you're here, but ask us anything. What chemo are you having?

Night all. Failed (again!) to get track cycling.. zzz for all - especially Gig xx

Morning all hello to overthemill. What kk said about working.

Hope your sore bits feel better today, ned. I had dressings which stuck over the raw bit for a few days, they were good.

Sorry I'm neglecting you all, work is getting in the way of life, but at least it's friday.

I have hodgkins lymphoma, advanced. I am about to have ABVD (I think). I have 6 cycles of 1 day on 13 days rest x 2 as a minimum
i will lose my hair
i teach yr 5 - yr 8. many of my kids are sen (autistic spectrum) so it is very unsettling if i come in and out. my macmillan nurse (no 1) said put it out of your mind, go sick and that is what lymphoma boards seem to say but this week at new hospital macmillan nurse said no reason why not. so confused.

Waves to overthemill - sorry you are here but welcome.

I think it is possible to work depending on how you feel but the low immunity (usually a week to ten days after you start) is something to watch as is fatigue ( I have had some fatigue but usually worse on day after chemo and on low immunity days).

There is a Macmillan leaflet about work that is brilliant as you do have protected status as a cancer patient.

I am doing inpatient chemo (3 of 6 ) so my battle is as much the hospital effect (shit food, not restful) as the chemo for first few days.

Hello i hope nobody minds me popping on your thread?
I hoping for abit of advice.
My aunt was taken to hospital last week.She had been ill for awhile but wouldn't go to the GP's.
She has been told she most likely has breast cancer,and moved onto the cancer ward.She has had a MRI,no results yet.She has not had any other test apart from bloods.Her calcium levels are low and her whole body is swollen.
Is it normal for things to take so long?She hasn't had a biopsy,should she have?My uncle dosn't seem i know what is happening.I'm sure he think my aunt is ok.He keeps saying how well she looks now.But she is on morphine for the pain,so she can't be ok.
I have a bad feeling about it. Surely its not normal to have a MRI,unless they think it has spread.
Thank you for reading hope it makes sense.I'm so worried.

An MRI is relatively normal to check pattern and density of tumour (in this case in the breast). It is also done before biopsy to see where to biopsy. I am sorry to jeer she is in pain but hopefully they can get the right meds to control it.

Fwiw I was in terrible pain (have soft tissue sarcoma) when original tumour on my hip was there but have been fine since so maybe that an op will bring some relief.

Also if cancer has spread that doesn't mean nothing can be done. Maybe won't be able to cure it, but a lot can be done to manage the cancer.

Thank you Gigondas
She had a full body scan on wednesday.So we are really hoping for some results soon.We had pain in her hip,knee and ankle,so she couldn't even walk.Thankfully the pain relief has helped with this.
I think we are all abit shocked,that they told her it is cancer without doing a biopsy.
Is this normal?

I am not sure it's normal but It does happen as I was told it was a possibility as were a few other ladies here (kurriots). The issue is that cancer is a bland term ESP with breast cancer. They need to know more to see if stage (how fast and developed growth is essentially - doesn't mean high grade is not treatable) and type as with breast cancer it makes a difference if it's hormone sensitive or not to the drugs and treatment used.

Thank you again Gigondas
Hope today brings good news for you all,and for my aunt.

Morning all and welcome overthemill and underpants.

Hugs and strength to everyone needing them today.

Our Paralympics tickets arrived today- I hadn't realised we got free travel cards with them, so that was a nice surprise :)

Have had a slight dip on the roller coaster ride aka Life with/after Cancer, nothing specific causing it. Think it's just part of the pattern with which we are all familiar! Still, off to watch the women's triathlon tomorrow in Hyde Park, so that will be good.

Morning to all, especially our two new members - overthemill and flying underpants. I don't have any sensible advice for either of you, because I just don't know but welcome.

Ned - get dressings my lovely - the right ones work wonders, and quickly. Do it NOW so you can take the family into the water on holiday.

Smee - we got baffled by the Olympic ticket system too - apparently tickets for the ladies football game tonight are available but we can't get any.

Gig - no. I doubt we are sharing the same significant number, birthday-wise. I think you are wayyyyy younger than me. Let's just say mine isn't 40 (or 60). I can't really bring myself to be more specific I am in and denial. Dd's best mate says I look 37 I don't - God I love that kid!

SweetestThing - lucky you, just the thing you need to take your mind off the roller coaster dip.

Flinging very gooey chocolate birthday cake on the trolley

Thinking of you all but not posting much as feeling a bit rough.

Welcome to overthemill and underpants.

overthemil I tried to work during chemo but wasn't able to keep it up. I took my first 2 cycles of chemo off (I'm a PA by the way so not working with children). The fatigue made me feel awful but I do suffer from horrific sickness (now on syringe driver to control it which in turn makes me feel more tired). I have now had 6 chemo (out of 8) and definitely couldn't work - some days I can barely function. One thing I would say was my surgeon (not onc) told me the only profession they advise not to work through chemo is school teachers/CA but this may not be the same advice in different areas. Good luck with your treatment. Stick with us, the girls here will cheer you up and help you through.

ned hope you get some relief from your 'black bits'. Ringing rads unit is probably a good idea.

kurri I voted for your yesterday - unfortunately it will only let me vote once.

smee hope you manage to get those Olympic tickets.

sometimes what fab birthday presents. Any idea where you will go for your trip?

Waves to everyone else. Feel rotten but DH off so we have to head off to do a few things, nothing exciting.

Managed to get out of the golf yesterday, lay down for a sleep and 10 minutes later my mum phoned (she had already been up for an hour earlier). She said 'oh did I waken you?'. 'yes mum, I'm not feeling very well', 'oh ok but wait until I tell you this' and proceeded to talk rubbish gossip. 'Well I better let you go' she says, 'yes I'm going back for a sleep'. 10 minutes later phone goes, its mum again 'forgot to tell you' and wittered on about rubbish. So my rest didn't go exactly as planned.

Sorry long post again.

Grr re phone - that is kind of thing my mum does. Hope you get a bit of rest today gracie and you are 3/4 through!

sometimes sending you love and positive thoughts to get over dip. Felt like that on Tuesday and to me at dip times it really does feel like no way out so big sympathy.

Right back to Olympics viewing

It's SweetestThing having the dip, Gig - not me. I'm fine considering my great age

Thanks for the thought, though

I think the sight of all those men in tight lycra is making you giddy