**Tamoxigang 53** Roll up, roll up... Anyone with any cancer (or test-waiting) welcome!

[MarthaCostello]

Good evening all,

The old thread had nearly run out when I posted so I have taken the liberty of starting a new one before it fills up completely.

I hope the title is OK - there isn't actually that much room, I was trying to fit in that people should come along even if they haven't been diagnosed yet.

If you're new here welcome to the Tamoxigang thread. This is a great place for anyone with any type of cancer (it originally started out as those taking Tamoxifen for breast cancer, hence the name, but has expanded). Please introduce yourself and make yourself comfortable! You're more than welcome here if you haven't been diagnosed yet too, sometimes people find it helpful to talk through their fears whilst waiting for results. And we will hold your hand until you find out, and hopefully wave you on your way with an all-clear :)

There is almost always someone around to chat, or to answer any questions. Nothing is off-limits here. This is somewhere to offload any fears and frustrations, in a safe place where someone will have been there before.

I hope everyone has been enjoying the gorgeous summery weather

My goodness the knitted knockers website made me feel quite emotional, a real example of the kindness of strangers. They look wonderfully soft and comfortable. Maybe I should try to learn to knit....

gingeroots that's very kind, thank you :) it's nothing serious, just a bit of misbehaviour from my pouch. It is finally improving, touch wood. I hope you are keeping well yourself.

I do love a good Christmas tree we are getting ours next weekend so I am quite excited

Waving to everyone, I hope you are having a good weekend and keeping cosy

Hi all, don't post often but lurk and read when I can. Am due fec chemo no.5 next week, hopefully will be OK for chrimbo....

Silly - I don't fancy the boob prosthesis either, was offered and wear daily a "softie" by my bcc nurse, it's a skin coloured triangle pillow that I can add "fluff" to (have an expander implant so as it gets bigger.. need less fluff if you see what I mean lol) is comfy and fits in my bra well... wish they'd given me more tbh as need to hand wash often!! Might be worth asking about??

Hugs , seasonal if not MNtty, to everyone.

Any tips on nausea?

I have never drunk so much ginger beer in my life and I go round reeking of mint.

After radio I can keep very hot and cold liquid down and that's it. But alas. They don't want me to benefit from losing weight as they would have to remake the mask.

Are they giving you any antisickness medications? There are lots of options, so definitely ask to try something else if current ones aren't working.

I had nausea throughout chemo, but with medications managed not to throw up that often.

I ate lots of Lotus caramelised biscuits, and mini Ritz crackers. I found salty snacks helped, and eating frequently as it was worse when my stomach was empty.

If you're not able to eat anything, could you face a nutrient drink? They sell them in Boots and pharmacies, there are lots of different types and flavours. I'm not keen myself, but know others who have got on well with them. Or even just normal soups or full fat milkshakes would be a good way to get some calories in.

Sorry you're feeling rough, I hope they can give you something to help

Themodernuriahheep
Wish I knew the answer to the nausea question! Do you eat ginger biscuits too? I have tried, Anna's (those nice thin Swedish ones), Nairn's Stem Ginger Oatcakes ... must be healthy! Also good old ginger nuts.

I try ginger nuts, ginger sweets, boiled ginger, ginger cake.

Mint tea, mint sweets.

Yes, medication, but getting it right not easy.

Hi Everybody I have been advised to post here,
I am 43 and on Thursday last week, I noticed a large hard lump on my left breast (i don't normally check my breasts, I noticed it by accident). Saw my GP on Friday and she could feel it too. She said it is moveable and like a half cherry tomato. I am not convinced that it is moveable but GP should know better and I hope that she is right . It was sore yesterday and I feel no pain today. GP also said I have lumpy breasts (had not idea before). I have now got an appointment next Monday at Winchester Maternity Hospital. I have to wait a week. It will be a very long week. Trying to stay calm but I am constantly checking my breast and feeling very emotional since I lost a friend to cancer not long ago. 4 days after the appointment we are flying to spend time with husband's family for Xmas for a week. My parents live in another country and I am not sure what to say to people at this stage and I don't want to ruin people s Xmas and the New Year. My son's birthday is very soon too. I have two boys at primary school. Does anybody what to expect exactly on the day of the appointment ? Do they give you the results on the same day? Any advice you can offer ? Thank you in advance.

Hi Cratos, you are in the right place! It is very worrying when you find a lump, and hopefully it will be benign like 9/10 are, but in the meantime I can help you with my experience of the breast clinic. It's a good sign that it's moveable and that it is smooth.

Firstly a nurse will examine you, and then you will be sent for an ultrasound and a mammogram. If they can rule out anything sinister from the scans you will be told what they think it is. It maybe a cyst or fatty tissue etc. If there is any doubt you will have a biopsy and then will be given an appointment for a week later to get the results.

I know it's impossible not to worry, but you have done the right thing and not delayed seeing your doctor.

Thank you Fresta. Actually, I forgot to add that my GP doesn't think it is a cyst. It is pretty hard actually. However, I guess I just have to wait and see. I had private insurance but GP recommended that I go to an NHS hospital since she thinks that the doctors take decisions in consultation with other doctors and it is more reliable. But I would rather not wait and learn today.

I have to say, the NHS have been pretty good and treatment commenced quickly in my case. Could you use your private Health care for a quicker diagnosis and then switch back to the NHS? I don't think the actual treatment you will receive will differ much between the two, and often it is the same team of doctors who split their time between the local private hospital and the NHS one (it is here anyway).

Hi Everyone (and especially Cratos). I'm in almost the same position as you - I'm 44 and found a lump yesterday morning. I went to the doctors and have a consultant appointment tomorrow evening (Private) and hoping to get the results there and then. It's pretty scary as I have a strong family history of breast cancer and actually have an appointment next week with the genetics department of our local hospital to discuss getting onto the screening programme. Hoping that I'll still need it and not be already in the system by then! However, I'm comforted by the fact that my Mum is now 77 and very healthy after being diagnosed 24 years ago and both she and my two sisters have all had false alarms since then which have been absolutely fine. Hoping mine is the same.

Hi Cratos and 2madboys, welcome, but sorry you've had to join us here. Hopefully it'll only be a short visit for you both :)

Hi all,
I hope you don't mind me joining this thread, I did start a new thread before I realised I could probably post here.

For the past 6 months I have had 2 ovarian cysts monitored having had emergency surgery for torsion of huge ones 8 years ago.
One is small and likely dermoid the other is the size of a hens egg and I was told last Friday that it has some signs of papillary projections, which apparently can be a sign of malignancy. On the same day I had bloods taken for all kinds of things that I can't recall now, but I do know one of them was for ca-125.

I spoke to the consultants secretary this morning and she said I will be told if there is anything to worry about, but she couldn't be certain how long it would take.

I just feel in limbo atm, I don't want to be fobbed off as I know normal ca125 levels don't always mean that the cyst is benign, but I just wondered if anyone has been in a similar position and what happened with results, next step etc.

Thanks

Welcome Nerris, but sorry you have had to join us. Hopefully you will also only be here on a flying visit :)

I have no experience of ovarian cysts/cancer, but hopefully someone will be along soon.

If the blood test is unreliable, they may want to do a scan or biopsy to check.

I don't know if anyone on here at the moment has experience of this, but at the very least most will have been through a similar waiting period and understand what it feels like :) I hope you get some answers soon.

Hi 2madboys, I am sorry that you are experiencing this. I wish I decided to go private as well since this waiting is killing me at the moment. Please tell us how you get on tomorrow if you feel like it. I am not talking to anybody at the moment and I am finding it very hard.
I wonder how long it takes to get the results after mammogram and ultrasound etc.
Best of luck

WhatWouldLeslieKnopeDo
Thank you for the good wishes

Unfortunately, it is too late for me to ask to see the Private Consultation now I think. I wish I did this. I am finding the wait very difficult. The more I read about the type of lumps on google the more worried I get. I am trying to be brave but I am very scared and emotional.

Thank you leslie.
The waiting is agonising, annoyingly the stand in Doctor (the consultant was called away to surgery just before my appointment) led me to believe she would ring with the results early this morning but when I spoke to the actual consultants secretary she told me that was very unprofessional as they would never do that. So she caused me to age 10 years over the weekend thinking I was going to get the results which could indicate cancer, then never phoned!

I am so not myself right now, just can't stop thinking about it. Waiting is just awful.

Btw I am 34 and have 2 dc aged 3 and 5.

Hi Cratos best piece of advice that we tell everyone on here, is DON'T GOOGLE! Google is not your friend, you will just scare yourself.

Instead talk to the lovely ladies on here. You are currently at the worst stage, the not knowing! Plus waiting for your appointment. I could say try and keep busy to take your mind off things, but I know that you won't be able to stop thinking about it, however hard you try!

It hopefully will turn out to be nothing sinister, but even if it turns out to be Cancer, they will give you support and a treatment plan, and before you know it you will feel more in control. Waiting for tests and results is the pits!! That's coming from someone who has 8 more days to wait, to find out if she has bone mets, or just an over sensitive bone scan 😕

We've all been where you are now, and we all worried, but we all got through it 😉 Lets hope your stay here is brief, but talk about anything your worried about, I am sure you will find someone who has felt 'exactly' how you are feeling.

2madboys welcome to you to. I hope your appointment goes well tomorrow, and in the nicest possible way I hope your time here is short 😉

Oh Nerris, sorry to hear that all this is happening. Hope you will hear the good news very soon.

Hi Cratos. It might be worth telling some people for support. I texted a few girlfriends yesterday asking them to pray for me and found it really helpful. It turned out that one of them had had a similar experience a few years back and didn't tell anyone except her husband and she now regrets that.

The private thing was very close to not being possible. We'd cancelled the one through my husbands wok as we pay for it and I'd been offered one with my work (paid for), starting in the new year. Luckily we had until this Friday to change our minds about DH's one as mine won't cover anything diagnosed before the plan starts (31 Dec), so we hurriedly told DH's work that we'd changed our minds and opted back in.

I'll update after the appt but it may not be tomorrow as its in the evening and my parents will be here babysitting when we get back. If it's not good news, we may need to be talking to them for a while.

Hi Nerris I feel your pain, I really do. Waiting truly is the worse thing in all health issues. Hope you get some positive news soon xx

Of course 2madboys
I will pray for you. Hope there is nothing to worry about.