Tamoxigang thread 49 when Sumer is y cumen in and we get out the Pimms

[Lilymaid]

New thread!

Hi, I've just found out this week I have breast cancer.

I'm booked for a wide local excision and 2 lymph node removal on the 30 June.

At the moment I absolutely don't know what to think.

mrs I'm similar to trice. Also wearing pedometer and trying to get 10k steps a day. I've added berries to my diet 4-5 times a week, and trying to be better on the veg front. My Onc would like me to lose about 4 kilo and maintain that weight.

I used to have a drink 5-6 nights of the week. Now I aim for at least 3 nights without a drink. But I have 2 large glasses of wine on the other nights.

Gemma I am in the same position as you. I was told this week had breast cancer (be it DCIS) and have to have some lymph nodes removed. Unfortunately my lumps are too sizable and I have to have a mastectomy. My head is all over the place. One minute I'm fine the next I feel terribly down. Worst thing so far is telling family and friends. For some reason people think being overweight and drinking alcohol has something to do with it?? (only think that from what I have read here)
I'm 7st 5lb and have never weighed more than 8st in my life (am only 5ft 1) and am a virtual teetotal.
I'm not blaming anything or anyone,just unlucky I guess... I have had some really helpful and kind comments on here already and am very grateful for them Best of luck with your op and your recovery Gemma

I hope you don't mind me asking Mom but what does your onc want you to weight then - or more relavant what does he want your BMI to be?
I follow a very strict diet (for other reasons) but unfortunately have to limit my fruit to 1 piece a day due to the sugar content - means I have to eat more veg. (much prefer the friut!!)

Welcome Gemma - it's understandable that you don't know what to make of things yet. It's good that you already have a timetable for the next step but I guess you are waiting for your full histology and results from the Op before you know the full treatment plan. Stick with the girls here (I'm not around much now as very busy back at work) - lots have had, or are having, treatment for BC - and we're all still very much around.

I'm having a fun weekend - made my niece a sundress yesterday (and fixed the one my sister had attempted to make her!!) and made my son 2 pairs of pyjama bottoms this morning which he is delighted with (he doesn't wear tops).

Hi Gemma
Sorry you find yourself here but the support here is fantastic. I don't know anything about having the op yet as I am having chemo first but there are lots of ladies here who have. Of course you don't know what to think yet, it is a huge shock to the system! Once treatment started I found myself feeling more in control. Sending you a big hug

kitkat, she said 60kg is good weight for me. That is BMI of 23.5.

gemma welcome and sorry you find yourself here. I was exactly where you are now 11 months ago. I finished treatment a few weeks ago.
While treatment is unpleasant at times, it is all manageable.
This thread is very supportive. And you can ask absolutely anything. Or just off load your feelings in a safe place.

thanks everyone

Hi Gemma, I was in your position exactly 4 weeks ago except I had to have 3 nodes removed. My op was done about ten days after diagnosis. Really it's not too bad, a bit sore, but standard painkillers were enough.

My bc nurse is lovely and a few days after diagnosis I phoned her, with a long list of questions which I didn't think to ask at the time. I'm sure you'll be able to do the same. Have you been told about any further treatment after surgery?

You will get a lot if support here, whether you want to rage or ask a million questions. I think I'm the one with the closest op to yours recently so ask anything you need to.

Hi, I was told last Wednesday and we have to back and see the bcn this week as she said with it being a shock its better to go home them go back with questions.

I have to wait two weeks after surgery when the path results are back then they will tell me what treatment, the consultant said radiotherapy or rad and chemo.

Welcome Gemma though sorry you have to be here, I have finished treatment now was diagnosed last May and had lumpectomy then chemo, node clearance then radiotherapy. It seems such a mountain to climb but just take it 1 step at a time. Now I'm back at work and having holidays, hair is growing back Ask us anything and someone will be able to help

She was right to say you need to have a chance to draw breath and think about what you need to know. I was unable to ask much when I first heard the news.

I was told immediately that I needed surgery followed by rads and tamoxifen or a number of years, up to 5. If I go through the menopause in that time I think the drug will change, I'm just 50 by the way. I was also told that if my nodes were affected I would need to have further nodes removed and maybe chemo. Pretty much what you have been told really.

I had my op on Wed 21 May and although they told me I would have to wait two weeks I actually got my results on the Friday of the following week. I think it depends on when the planning meetings are for your team and whether they get your op results through quickly. The treatment plan remains the same and I'm hoping to start rads by the end of this month. I've taken tamoxifen for 3 days now, no side effects yet.

If it makes you feel any better, we have a holiday to the Med booked for 1 August and both bc nurse and surgeon said we should not cancel and to give ourselves something to look forward to. I'm aiming for things getting back to normal in a couple of months and thinking of a few lifestyle changes I can make to make me feel more in control. Ask your nurse next week what happens after this initial bout of activity, it gave me a lot of reassurance.

Hi to new people. Sorry you're here, but good that you have found the supportive group of folks.
I'm one of the 'oldies', diagnosed 3 and a half years ago with a 2.3cm/4cm lump (depends which measurement team they believed, after MRI, two Ultrasounds and various mammograms!). It didn't get into my lymph nodes, but it was a fast growing sort (grade 3) and a HER2+ sort (rudely behaved). So I ended up with four lots of FEC chemotherapy, four lots of Docetaxel chemotherapy, lumpectomy, 18 lots of radiotherapy, and Herceptin for a few months. Still here. No sign of the cancer returning so far (everything crossed). Worked all the way through all that lot (quite mad...)(but it shows that sometimes the treatment doesn't affect people that much...just depends on the luck of your body chemistry).
If it helps, breast cancer treatment is very very good these days. 9 out of 10 people who are diagnosed will go on to lead a life every bit as long as other people, on the latest figures. And the new personalised treatments seem to be edging close to an answer for nearly all the others, too.

Breast cancer cannot kill someone unless it has sneaked out of the breast, past the lymph nodes and into several new places in the body....AND is so rudely behaved that standard potions and surgery/radiotherapies can't keep it under control. Most sorts are quite mildly behaved and can be defeated pretty easily.

Even if it is one of the rare rude ones that gets into the liver, for example, these days we have the most amazing technology like cyberknife that means there's still an 80% 'cure' rate for the more simple cases.

So, no need to start reaching for the wills and gathering the family round you. It might be hugely annoying/exhausting for a while on treatments, but there's no reason to think you'll die any time soon.

Meantime, have a and keep people up to date with any info you want to share about your results. If there's nifty new treatments around, you may find them mentioned on here.

Some very good advice from amber as usual.

Amber- can I ask how you coped with the four FEC? I won't find out until wed which I will be getting ( have done three FEC so far). Am still feeling a bit ropey and a bit worried how I will cope with another.

Has anyone else had four?

Hope everyone has had a lovely day. I got to sit and watch Godzilla with my youngest. I did try and sway him towards malificant!

Four FEC was OK for me. Four Tax was more, er, taxing.

I had 3xfec and 3xtax and would have been fine with more fec I found it much easier to cope with than the tax

thanks Mom - I've got my BMI down from 25 to 21.5 (which is 58kg for me). I seem to be sort of stuck at that (which I'm quite happy with) but just wondered what was considered a place to be.

Thanks Amber and malt. Beginning to worry now as really struggled with the nausea this time. It just hasn't gone and I don't feel 'right'.
Can I ask what the side effects of tax were and how long they lasted?

speedy I found the 3rd FEC by far the worst, 4th wasn't exactly fun, but I didn't feel anywhere near as bad as the 3rd. I had the tax weekly (for 12 weeks) and although I did get very tired from about 9 weeks onwards, I never actually felt ill.

Hello to gemma and nelson

I also asked my Onc re diet/supplements and he echoed what has already been said - eat sensibly, lots of fruit and veg and exercise.

Thanks wine, hopefully it won't be as bad if I have it again.

I spotted you lived near me Mrs. I have had treatment at both Harrogate and Jimmy's. I prefer Harrogate myself - Jimmy's is too big and impersonal for me. Although they do have lots of new equipment.

I had four EC and four Taxotere, so slightly different regime. EC made me a bit tired and nauseous, but Taxotere gave me bone ache and made me feel like I had flu. I couldn't even walk to the shop at the end of the road! Not fun. I still have tinnitus and numb fingers and toes. A very nasty drug.

I preferred Tax as there was no nausea. But by the eighth lot of chemo in total I was in a right mood. And v tired. Tax side effects for me were nothing much for four days, then whack with tiredness, then very painful digestive stuff, then fairly ok 4 days later. Muscles slow and achey. And I had some nerve damage in hands and feet. Use frozen mitts to minimise that and any nail loss or blackening. Nails grow back though.

Wren - It will be no problem at all. I will send a text to my BCN tomorrow morning, as soon as I have the details I will PM them over to you.

Malt - Hope you are doing well? How is your skin infection, did the antibiotics clear it up?

Hello to Mom and KitKat too - this is just like old times!

Gemma - Welcome, so sorry that you find yourself here. I had a WLE and full node clearance five weeks ago, so if I can answer any questions about your surgery, I will be happy to. From a practical point of view, button front PJ's are the best nightwear to pack for your hospital stay, they will allow the surgeon to check your wound whilst you keep most of your modesty. You will also find it more comfy to wear a non wire bra after surgery - I was fine with a sports bra.

Speedy - I had four EC, so just missing the F part of FEC! I suffered with bad nausea, which was at it's worst in the first 24 hours. When you say you feel ropey, is this because you feel sick? If you do, ask for your emeds to be increased to get you through - don't suffer!

I have my first RT session tomorrow. I am now looking forwards to getting on with the final part of treatment and doing lots of shopping. My clinic is just behind Oxford Street, so it won't be just my skin that suffers over the next few weeks, it will be my bank balance will too!

kitkat that is very healthy BMI. I'm doing loads of walking, but finding weight loss difficult. I have a very sweet tooth and love my glass of wine...

Nelson - Sorry, welcome too. I had a conversation with my Oncologist a few weeks ago about DCIS. I was freaked out because along with the cancerous lump that I had removed, was also high grade DCIS with it. I was worried that I had made the wrong decision about having a WLE instead of a MX. My Oncologist told me that only 15% of DCIS will turn into invasive cancer. So the odds really are in your favour. I hope that reassures you somewhat and I have everything crossed that your surgeon only finds DCIS.

mom - in my effort to shift my diabetes I have been forced to cut out sugar (and reduce carbs) - I also have a very sweet tooth but was very determined and knowing that my blood 'remembers' the sugar for 2 months made me stick to it when I was feeling weak. After a while it got easier and I only have occassional cravings now. It took me about 8 weeks to lose 7 kg without thinking about calories etc. (plus I now exercise 5 times/ week).

I miss fruit but do feel healthier then I have ever done - and look really well - clear skin, shiny hair etc. - so think there really must be a benefit to cutting down on sugar. As I wasn't over-weight before although I knew I ate a lot of sugar it didn't bother me.