***Tamoxifen 32***

[MaryAnnSingleton]

step this way dear ones...the trolley will be here in a sec...

AtoZ can you call the Unit and speak to one of the Oncology doctors? By which I mean insist. I know I had a v different experience to you, but am guessing you still got the 24 hour hotline number, which seems to be given to all on chemo? Your Gp's right as they haven't much clue on meds, but you clearly need urgent care. Not sure of your situation, but have you someone who could phone and be assertive for you? Sounds like you need an advocate.

Gig, is this you back at work proper? How is it? I did learn to play piano but cooked lots too. Weird as I had horrible mouth problems and a lot of nausea.

Ashoken, worth giving the group a go. I tried my local Bc group, but so much depends on who's there. I wasn't lucky with mine, but it's worth a go.

Hope Pen's okay and back soon safe.

Just bought a pound of cherries from the market. mmm

Atoz

Yes partly work and partly ou smee. Am about one of my bosses as has

Hit send too soon

Atoz- pull the cancer card with cabbies . I found that they were lovely to me and carried stuff etc so don't let that put you off. You do need that 24 hour number as its not a Gp job. Wishing you better .

Smee as I was saying have made appt to call one of bosses 3 times (she is meant to be my line manager and response for my welfare). 3 times has not made it - only left 1 voice mail so I am a bit eye roll about it all .

Yum cherries

Talking of support groups, I am meant to be doing a 6 week life after treatment thing covering food, fitness etc as of next week so will see how it goes .

AtoZ this all sounds hellish = really hope you get some help soon
Am totally streaming with cold (thanks dh and T) - extreme nose running-yuck.

Hi Ashokan and welcome
I too am a fellow young poster

AtoZ it's complete bollocks that your hospital are feeding you about going to your GP for anti sickness meds .
That is all dealt with by your oncology team . The GP will have very little to do with you from now on .

Do you have a Bolshy friend or family member that could go to bat for you ?
It's a sad but true fact that sometimes the one who yells the loudest , gets the best treatment !

Cherries Smee ?
Are they glacé ones to go in cocktails ???

topsy - stop trying to pretend you are young - it won't wash, - we all know that 'lovely cardi' is code for surgical stockings and double gusseted big pants.

I am knitting a tunic top - its in double knitting an dis taking ages - I wish I'd never started it - but it's to late to stop now

Ashokan - definitely worth trying the group - you never know, you might meet someone you really get along with. Lying in bed is exactly what you should be doing atm - I found chemo fatigue quite overwhelming at times, but as Sometimes says, it is doable you just really have to do what your body tells you, - and if it is saying 'lie down and sleep' then go with that, and plan to do something you enjoy on your better days during your cycle.

AtoZ - on your behalf, it sounds as if you are being really messed around

Course sounds interesting Gig - I hope its helpful for you.

Hope Pen is doing OK.

Good news so far. The cancer was 1.8mm and contained with a good clear margin.
No results yet for the lymph nodes but she did say a couple looked suspicious. The treatment plan would not change if lymph nodes affected or not though.

Radioactive iodine treatment booked for 19th march. I went into the isolation room to looks and it will be quite strange. There is a barrier across the entrance and staff have to stay behin it when you are in it. They also said to bring clothes that can be thrown away. I don't have any clothes I want to throw away !

I now have an oncologist as well as a surgeon. Lucky me.
I will see the oncologist in a couple of weeks.
The thyroxine I am on is short acting so only need 2 weeks without it before the treatment. I was expecting 6 weeks so I am relieved about that.

Ooh cherries 'tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor, ....... microbiologist' - bugger why do I always get five stones?

AtoZ that sounds awful! I've had similar problems but I have called the oncology ward at the local hospital (that's the number I was given on a card) and they've been really helpful.

Could you phone your oncologist's clinic directly? The ward weren't quite sure how to deal with me so they said I'd need to see my oncologist and then the nurse from his clinic phoned me and talked me through everything.

I hope you feel better soon and get some decent medical help soon, this is hard enough without being treated badly :(

Gig I had high hopes of learning Spanish, knitting lots of things, making wonderful healthy meals, taking up yogalates, reading all the books I have... At the moment I am mostly watching episodes of Grey's Anatomy on my iPad and sleeping. The only exercise I get is running to the loo all hours of the day and night.

Hi topsy I love knitting and I wear a lot of cardigans

Ooh glacé cherries, I loooove them! No wine for me as no alcohol allowed for a year after my surgery. I shall have a hot choccie though

That's good about the 1 week period and that you got margins.

How long are you in isolation? You can Mn can't you so we can keep you virtually company.

x-posted Pen - that sounds like good news, clear margins is excellent.
I think I posted before about having had RI treatment and offering tips! - Have just realised that what I had is obviously not the extensive inpatient treatment you will be having (mine was just a one off dose, and then stay in isolation at home for two weeks) so I probably will be no help whatsoever

ashokan - If you like knitting and cardis you will fit right in here

I'm glad it's good news PenisColada :) sorry, we cross posted.

I'm going to post this here because I can't bring myself to talk to anyone about it in real life. I think my boyfriend of nearly seven years is about to break up with me things haven't been exactly easy since my diagnosis and he's struggled with it all but I really thought we could work things out. I'm staying with my parents so he could have a break but he's invited me over to talk and is being quite weird about it. I cannot believe how much this stupid bastard illness is taking over my life.

Oh sweetheart that is so hard for you. - I think some people really struggle to cope when their partner has cancer, - it somehow scares and panics them. It is so weird but some people just seem to want to keep their distance from you, and I think it must be based in fear and not knowing how to behave in an alien situation.

Feeling angry is a totally normal and reasonable reaction to this illness, it is a bastard and it does affect you in such a big way not just physically. I hope you manage to sort things out with your boyfriend, imo he is being pretty inconsiderate worrying you with this when you are having to cope with treatment (but I have DD about the same age as you, so I do tend to get protective )

I know it seems like a long way ahead, and it feels as if you have a lot of treatment to go through, but you will get there and get your life back - we call it the 'new normal' on this thread - it's not the same as it was before, but it can be just as good. xx

That is rotten ashokan- I can't top what wise kurri says but am here to offer hand holding and support.

And kurri is right- there will be more life after this and if your fears are justified, there are decent men out there.

This is a bastard disease.

Thank you KurriKurri. Sorry to turn up on the thread and start filling it up with my drama! I'm having a bit of a bad day, I'm afraid.

New normal sounds good. I feel like I just need a big pause button so I can have a few moments to catch my breath. I seem to be lurching from disaster to disaster at the moment.

A lot of my friends have just stopped talking to me. I sent a couple of them an email when I got diagnosed as they are far away at uni but they just never replied. You're right I think it's fear and not knowing what to say.

It is lovely to talk to people who get what it's like :) I'm going to try and catch up with the whole thread so I have a better idea of what's going on with everyone!

You can say whatever you like on here Ashokan - it's a safe place to say stuff you can't always talk about in real life, - and we've all had our bad days, so don't worry - we've been there and know what it's like

You tend to find out who your real friends are - I think a lot of us on here have lost friends since diagnosis - some people just can't handle it, but real good friends will stick by you and be there for you.

That is what we are here for so don't feel bad about needing to rant.

Hmm I think we all can relate to the people who drop you (I think boss at work is partly reluctant to speak as doesn't know what to say).

The most amusing example is someone who isn't a close friend (I met via here) who is always banging On about charity (incl Macmillan) on fb but didn't respond and ignored me for months after I said I had cancer. I always have a wry smile now about how she can't actually behave charitably despite her much vaunted fundraising. Then again this is a woman who takes pictures of her kids homework to post on fb!

I was dx a year ago (in fact it's a year this weekend since my op to remove my tumour ) about 3 weeks after my dd2 was born. I have 2 dd, am 40 and am meant to be starting back at work part time this week . Had surgery, radio and chemo last year and as I have mets , am on 3 month scan as will likely need more treatment.

Good evening Ladies and sorry to hear that some of you are having a pretty tough time I hope things get a bit better soon.
I had my core biopsy today after all the messing about over which hospital I was going to. Pretty sorry tonight. Even with all my medical knowledge I wasn't expecting such a big hole and definately not one that needed to be sutured closed. Looking forward to feeling like I have been kicked by a horse tomorrow as the consultant described it.
He is away for three weeks now his secretary will e-mail him the results he will then ask her to phone if it's okay. If not he explain when he sees me in clinic in three weeks. I have to admit to wishing that he had just said you will get the results in three weeks time as whilst I know that if I get a call I will be delighted. I also know that if I don't get a call not only will I know, but I will have no plan. At least if everything was waiting for clinic I would get the news and the plan together.

That's good news Pen
Hopefully you'll get the all clear for your nodes too !

I think a little catch up post is in order for our newbies .

I'm Topsy
I'm 43
Diagnosed with primary breast cancer in may 2011 , later diagnosed with secondary lung mets .
Had mastectomy and node clearance , followed by chemo and radiotherapy

Had breast reduction on other side last summer and developed awful post op infection which morphed into pneumonia and 2 weeks in hospital .

But the great thing was the infection kicked started my immune system and put my lung mets into remission !

So I am semi cancer clear at the moment . I have CTs every 3 months to check , but other than that I am treatment free .

Lonecat, aye. The waiting for results is arrgh. Do join us on the Paranoia Box. We can budge up a bit.

Ashokan, I'm nearly 50, and was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago. Had chemotherapy (8 lots, of mixed sorts), lumpectomy, radiotherapy, then herceptin wonderdrug for four months until my onc took me off it before it killed me (it likes most people; it hated me). On six monthly checkups now for five years to see if it's stayed gone. So I potter about on here conveying what microscopic wisdom I can offer/drinking the /enjoying the company and comfort of others who know what it's like to be in the 'life sort of on hold somehow for five years' bit.

Shit Lone
That's a bugger of a way to get results !!!
He could have thought that one through a bit better

Keep up on the painkillers for the next couple of days and be kind to yourself .