TAMOXIFEN**33**

[MaryAnnSingleton]

new thread - bring the trolley over here....

I looked at some forums etc but also found they were mostly full of people struggling or with rare complications. I don't look at them now and tend to stick to here instead. Much better place. I guess what I have is not that common and most people have never heard of it so there are not many places I can go for support.

Today is the last day of my medication before I have to stop for 3 weeks for treatment. A friend told me someone she knows was 'on his knees' without the medication and found it really bad and he is a 6 foot tough bloke. I really wish she had not told me that it was not helpful. I am also on a low iodine diet too. No fish or spam for me.

My main worry is the school run and sorting the children out. Helpfully my parents are away so I may have to call in a few favours.

I will have to go through this 2 weeks every time I have a scan so I had better get used to it.

Looking forward to a low iodine lunch with ned !

The dogs are going on a trial to the dog sitter today and hope the giant hooligan puppy does not disgrace himself. Last week he stole a chocolate spread sandwich form a small child in their beach hut. I was mortified.

:) at giant hooligan puppy! [Brew] time. Maybe tiny eggs for breakfas, they make me :)

All?

Hope puppy is good pen. I had lots of tales of doom about my treatment and I did all right. So I am always a bit scathing about the "great big bloke struggled" story as it affects everyone differently. Also speak up and tell your dr if you have side effects so they can help (they are very good at managing them).

Slowly getting there with painful shoulder- had much better night sleep so think am starting to crack painkiller combo/best position to sleep. To smee as must have driven you insane when you had your back issues.

Mas-took the new pic to get framed for Mother's Day yesterday.

Yes please for

Thanks gig you are right. I may sail through it. The side effects are extreme tiredness, muscle pains, weight gain and depression. They can't give me much for those I don't think apa form stuff ofr pain. It is only 3 weeks and then will be for the 2 weeks before each scan. Why is it I remember all the negative stories ?

The giant puppy is 9 months and 30 kilos so is a lot of dog when he hurls himself at people. He only does it to dog phobic people of course My hounds have their own FB page if any of you want a look pm me !

Will pm you.

I think weight gain and depression are not uncommon cancer side effects.

On weight gain , ask to be referred to a dietician. I know I bang on about this but properly targetted diet advice can make all the difference (can help
With fatigue too) . What you eat and when can make a huge difference- you probably know some of this anyway but there is no substitute for an expert sitting down and telling you.

On depression, vent here, see if you can offload on your specialist nurse (or counsellor) or ask about anti depressants. Lots of people here have used them and they seem to work well .

Fatigue - lots of rest , trying to keep up some exercise (they have studies on how it does reduce fatigue effects) and acupuncture .

I think as my symptome will be temporary and are caused by having no thyroid hormones for 3 weeks there is not much that can be done. They have told me people are very variable and some struggle with it and others are ok.

The irony is that I work with people with long term conditions and am supposed to be an expert on fatigue management and maximising functional independence .

I should be completley back to normal within a few weeks of starting the thyroxine again. We have a couple of days away arranged in the camper a few weeks after it is over. No dogs or children are coming (hence the dog sitting trial) and I can't wait.

Penperson - sorry I don't know what your specific condition is, but I do know that we're all warned about dreadful side effects and many people won't have the whole set - you will have some, and you'll be helped to manage tham - if not, then keep asking. For most people the SEs are manageable though often tough while you're going through them.

For fatigue, depression and weight - try gentle walking - as often as you can - even if only 10 minutes. I walked as much as possible for varying lengths of time depending on level of tiredness. I couldn't manage it every day of the 7 months treatment but I did manage a little most days and it helped with nausea too.

Gigs - have just read back a bit on the posts - I'm sorry you're having pain - is this a temporary or ongoing issue? Can't they hlp you with it? Pain is the worst side effect of all isn't it.

Pen - your expert knowledge will help then! Its probably worst while you're waiting and expecting it but not yet knowing quite how you'll feel. Good luck.

Ooh ooh I wanna see the puppy !
What breed is your giant hooligan ?

Think it's different when it is applied to yourself- read an article in the times by dr tania Byron where she admitted she was crying over the cot of one of her non sleeping babies whilst her dh read out advice from her own sleep book .

Sr- it's a stiff neck/shoulder which is also giving me nerve pain. Seems to be worst at night. Have seen physio who has given me exercises and it isn't getting worse (it is not so stiff now ) but it is still troubling. It is an old issue exacerbated by my op etc.

Ooooooh seen them !
Beaaaauuutiful .
I think pig/dog would like me to bring one home to be his Very Best Friend

This experience is defiantly going to change how I work. It is so so so different when it is you. That example of Tanya Byron has made me feel better thanks as I have been ignoring my own advice a lot recently.

? Amber is it your dr appt for results today?

Not great night with pain so glad to see dr later.

Best get up as am sat in bed watching postman pat by myself like a loser.

? Yes please. I've no excuse to watch postman pat :(
Hope doc can find a way to help the pain, gig.
I woke up with a frozen shoulder type of pain. First had it when I spent a week doing a temp job which had excessive mouse use. Only get it occasionally now if I sleep awkwardly on my right shoulder.

Hope you all have a good day. Must get ready and dash to work now.

Morning All

Gentle hugs for you Gigs
You are having an awful time getting this pain managed aren't you ?
I would stay in bed with Postman Pat (ooh er) if I were you !

Test results Amber ?
I must have missed that .
Candle lit for you x

Am extremely tired today .
Determined not to day time nap though .
Sleep patterns have actually been quite good this weekend .
So don't want to banjax it all !

Who's in charge of brekkie this morning ?
I had a dream about toasted cheese and pickled onions last night

Hope results all ok today amber

gigs sorry to hear you had a bad night and hope the dr offers solutions today.

Day 1 of no meds today. Guess who rememberd them today for a change then had to remember not to take them

I can offer a low iodine breakfast if that tickles yer fancy ?

I am about to ring Waitrose to see if their bread has any iodine....

oh poor gig - I am sorry you are in so much pain, it's rotten
Think amber has results according to fb- am sure she'll be along shortly...
Am lugging 2 enormous bags of clothes/stuff for recycling to the charity shop -amazing how much I culled from my underwear/nightwear/socks drawers and from T's drawers -they actually shut now

Waving to all. Sorry I've been so absent. Was away with work for 3 days last week then came home to no broadband. Fixed now, so will try and catch up. How are we all?

This was blood test results. Cholesterol now high and heart age is 10 yes older than my age. But could be worse. Diet and fitness here we come. Inc is on 12th for annual check from her so that'll be next.
Thanks for remembering :-)

Hello everyone,

Welcome sparkle and sorry that you've had to join the thread. It is a very big shock and it will probably take a while to sink in. It's been just over 4 months since my diagnosis and I still have moments of complete disbelief!

I definitely agree with all the advice about blogs and forums. Most people only go online when they're in a panic. That's the good thing about this thread, as it's not a specific cancer website, people are on the site anyway and just happen to be having cancer treatment, so you get a more balanced view of it all. Everyone here is lovely and someone will almost always have an answer, whatever your question :)

amber sorry to hear about your heart/cholesterol but hopefully something you can work on fairly easily. I have high cholesterol too. My doctor was talking about statins but I read some slightly controversial books about it all and decided not to worry about it for now!

I'm very jealous of everyone's dogs. I would love one to snuggle up with.

I'm having a day in bed. I was already having a lazy morning as I woke up late and had some volunteer work to do on my laptop so thought I'd do that in bed. Then DP came home for lunch so was planning to get dressed after that but then threw up my lunch . Hopefully it was because it was McDonalds rather than anything else. Apart from that minor incident, this round of chemo is going swimmingly, I haven't really had any side effects, so I think it was definitely the oxiplatin causing all the problems last time.

and :) to everyone, I hope you all have sunshine where you are

great news about the lack of side effect ashokan
amber hope you are ok
Am doing a drawing in return for another person's creative efforts - a needle felted Streetcat Bob for my best friend - I like bartering !

Hello all

Gig - sorry the pain is bad atm, - I hope DR can help you sort it out, it's so draining especially I imagine when you have little ones - that's tiring enough in itself!

asho - glad the side effects are behaving this time, but day in bed sounds like a good idea anyway

amber - sorry about the cholesterol and heart results, but at least they have found out and can do something about it now, have they suggested statins for the cholesterol? (I have a couple of friends on these for high cholesterol)

MAS - well done for clothing cull, that's something I definitely need to do, I have a house full of junk and clothes I don't wear. I like the idea of artistic bartering

Waving to Smee, and everyone else - sorry I am a bit behind with posts, but hope everyone is OK atm.

I spent yesterday gardening and am very stiff today, but garden looks nice

Went to yoga this morning, and when I came home I found that someone had chewed the corner off my library book. Old lady dog said DD did it, but I don't believe her - there were bits of paper stuck in her beard. I don't know what got into her - she hasn't chewed anything up since she was a puppy, and it's the whole corner of the book, including plastic dust cover and a big chunk out of about thirty pages
Anyway she was so tired out by her efforts, that she took my trousers out of the ironing basket and put them in her basket as nesting material.

Yay for no side effects ash .

Amber- presumably this is due to your horror time on herceptin. Dh takes statins and doesn't seem to have too many issues with them. He had a long chat with consultant and was persuaded the pros outweigh the cons.

Seen nice dr (he is like a big teddy bear) who has given me some slow release horse pills on top of the ones I have and suggested no typing (interesting that you said that set you off jchoc). I even found time to visit the cake shop on way to see him so chocolate or red velvet cake for all.

Thanks for sympathy - in the day it's not too bad if dont over do it. It is most uncomfy at night which added into my duff sleep cycle makes things tiring.

At being in bed with postman pat- I am not sure which children's character I would like to cuddle up to but postman pat is down the list along with fireman Sam, the fat controller and Justin.