Tamoxigang cancer support thread 54: A new thread for a new year!

[WhatWouldLeslieKnopeDo]

Welcome one and all to the wonderful Tamoxigang thread! May 2016 bring us all health and happiness

If you are new here, then an extra big welcome to the club nobody wants to join. The thread is for people with any type of cancer, and also those who are waiting for results. So don't be shy. We are more than happy to hold your hand while you are waiting for a diagnosis, and we will be here to celebrate or commiserate, whatever your news

No question is too big or too small, someone will usually have an answer, or an idea of where you might find one. You can laugh, cry, shout, swear, and, of course, eat chocolate it is a bit of a safe haven from the mad world of cancer, the head-tilting and talk of bravery, and all the nonsense that comes with this diagnosis :)

So feel free to introduce yourself. And oldies, feel free to re-introduce yourself if you'd like.

We only have one rule here and that is no Googling!

Good morning all. sleepy damn damn damn the cancer! I hope they manage to tackle it.
I have a CT simulation session coning up in preparation for my rads. I have thus managed to stay away from hospital and everything medical and it almost seemed like i was back to my normal life,but who was I kidding !
I am still not ale to sleep well and i guess this is to be the norm:(
mrs wanted to uodate you on my corn i saw a podiatrist who said i have been doing very well and that no intervention was required. She said to keep up the warm water soak, file, lotion routine. I am actually noticing good changes and am no longer feeling any pain when i walk. Your DD may want to persist with this routine till the corn is gone.
Wishing everybody the best.
Have a good day ahead.

Sleepy. Indeed, stupid bloody cancer. Hope this treatment does what it should. Hope the bathroom issues are not too bad and your stomach behaves.

Boobz - hair looking fab.

Fresca- glad ecg ok. I get twinges now and again but they keep an eye on it. Stress does make it worse. Am hoping now herceptin finished I can eventually be weaned off the tablets. Glad your dd back to school.

Royal- glad you're making progress with the corn. Not sleeping is a pain. It did get better for me over time.

Am going to have a change of scene today which will be nice. Getting a bit bored of the house now. Still waiting for results.

sleepy. Stupid cancer indeed.

Leslie yes thank you the nausea has subsided. Not feeling quite as green!

Well I have managed quite well with side effects so far, just cramps in my legs and a bit of a headache. I hope that is all for the next couple of weeks. The tiler has promised to finish by next Wednesday which is exciting.

I have so many pills to take now I have installed an app on my phone to remind me. It does temperature and has a symptom diary too. I do love a bit of tech so I will enjoy seeing how this goes.

Royal, thanks for the corn info, I'll tell Dd to keep on with what she's doing. I hope yours clears up quickly.

Sleepy, as you say stupid cancer. Like everyone else I hope the new treatment does its thing and the SEs don't get any worse.

Wishing everyone a good weekend.

Sleepy I'm sorry you are having to put up with all this.

I had my first chemo today. Not too many side effects yet, just a vague headache and feeling a little bit queasy. But also very hungry from the steroids. I have to give myself injections starting on Sunday. I hope I can do it, and don't go all weak. I have injected myself before, but I'm not looking forward to it.

Sleepy, hope you continue with few side effects.

MySilly, glad your first chemo went OK, and hope the side effects aren't too bad, what type are you having first? I managed to inject myself after a lovely nurse showed me how to do it, wasn't half as bad as I thought it would be. I found it was easier if I was sat down and nice and warm, the needle goes in easier the more relaxed you feel.

Things have been slightly less fraught today in our house, I'm feeling better now last weeks side effects are starting to wear off and I have been able to do more and dd is coping better with her cast, she's off to the school disco tonight so she must be happier , she's just come home with it covered in signatures and is very pleased with that!

Hope you all have have a lovely weekend.

Change of treatment for me. After almost my lifetime max of Epirubicin which didn't reduce the tumour markers, my next treatment will be something called CMF, which, apparently was the standard treatment 20 years ago. SEs include diarrhoea and thrush (so what's new!) but my hair may start growing again.
I was almost fancying Sleepy's bum injections as a change but i seem to be the least hormone receptive person with HR cancer.
Hope everyone has a great weekend without too many SEs.

Sorry to hear the Epirubicin hasn't been effective, Lilymaid - hope the new treatment works better and isn't too harsh.

Glad you've got the first chemo ticked off, Mysilly. I do the injections first thing in the morning before I have time to think about it...

Did your DD have a good boogie, Fresta?

My daughter was asking about my 'strong medicine' the other day and I was trying to make jokes out of it - cue a minor meltdown because it's not fair 'I want red wee too!'

Wishing relaxed weekends to all.

Lily, drat. If you are a bit short on HR, I wonder if the team are looking at atezolizumab plus nab-paclitaxel (Abraxane) at some point. It's been doing very well in early trials as a combo for triple negative, so may work for more stubbornly weak HR ones (some say). Might be one they suggest for the future.

Hi Amber
My Oncologist is working his way through all the treatments. Once he's exhausted the standard ones he will go for the trials. I think I believe him as he is head of the breast unit in major teaching hospital (beginning with A) where there is a lot of research going on both in the hospital and on the biomedical campus. But any information on possible treatments are most welcome as I expect they will be discussed witch me in the future!
As I am having treatment privately in the private hospital he is the team, I suppose, but if I was at the teaching hospital there would be a team (of which he would be the head). So I don't know whether that is a disadvantage, though I reckon I ought to be better off than if I had been under a consultant from a district hospital.
As I am living a pretty normal life and there is no spread from the bone marrow, he is concentrating on treatments to reduce the TMs that are relatively tolerable. Wish the hormonal stuff worked, but none has so far and I haven't been tested as yet to see if I have changed from positive to negative.

Can't sleep. Can't sleep. Got myself into a state. Still have slight nausea and indigestion and just before bed found a very small lump on my stomach to right of my belly button; nowhere near the operation scars. If you push down it disappears but if you slide across it can be felt. Trying so hard not to think the worst.

Had phone call on Friday (after I contacted them- surgeon on annual leave) to say results all clear so that should have been that. Will try and see doctor next week who will probably raise eyebrow at me. I know I am being a drama queen but can't seem to stop the thoughts. Too much time spent in the house and on own for two weeks to think about it. Just wish I had someone next to me in bed to wake up or to just give me a hug. Did think I could phone my sister who will be awake on other side of the world but then I would only end up worrying her. Shame all the help lines are day time only.

I need to sleep otherwise I'll end up being grumpy with boys tomorrow and goodness knows how they have had to put up with me being grumpy for last couple of years. It all feels so unfair on them.

Best try and sleep.

Hi speedy, sorry you're having bad thoughts and are awake. The middle of the night is not the best time to be thinking things through. Good news that your results were clear, but it's hard to focus on that if you have other new worries. It must be really tough doing this alone, I can't imagine, sending you a virtual hug.

Another hug coming your way. Speedy, though hoping you've managed to drop off... Middle of the night worries are the worst and add in nausea and on-your-ownness and no wonder you're anxious. Maybe if you can get an appt ASAP to get things checked out, that might help?

Speedy lots of hugs from me too. Hope you manage to get some reassurance. As for the boys, they will understand(. How old are they?) it is in such trying times that we need the most support and understanding and no point pretending to feel good if you aren't.
Try kistening to something calming if it helps.
Hope you get some rest.

Bad thoughts are the worst and the middle of the night is when they rear their heads.

I hope you managed to get some sleep, and am very pleased that your operation results were clear. Hopefully the children will distract you today, and then tomorrow you can see your doctor.

Thank you all. That was a bit of a whinge wasn't it! sorry about that and thanks for the lovely messages. It seems a few of us were up!

I feel a bit better this morning, just tired but did manage a bit of sleep. When I was in the shower I noticed the skin above the lump has a bruise but have no idea if maybe I had knocked it causing a lump or I have a bruise from all the poking!!

Hope everyone has a good Sunday and those in the chemo treadmill aren't suffering from Side effects too much. Sleepy- hope you are ok.
Dinster- you did make me smile with the 'I want red wee' comment. The thought of red wee still makes me feel sick!

Off to drag boys out for a walk. They are 13 and 10 so it might take a bit of effort. Perhaps if I threaten to withdraw food!

Thanks again for helping me to feel more calm.

Valentine's Day - DH aren't heavily into the slushy stuff so we usually give each other a card and small present and one of those meal deals from M&S or Waitrose that take us several days to get through
My present this year (and yes I did suggest it) was an enamelled pill box!

Happy Valentine's Day Lily. That sounds like a lovely present.

I cleared my shelves ready for all the flowers and cards but have decided that it's a good job I didn't get any as they will just collect dust .

Happy Valentines day everyone . Your present sounds lovely Lily . We never do presents or cards, but DH did nip out for a box of Ferrero Roche which shared while watching the Baftas.

Another MRI of the boobs for me in the morning.

Hope your MRI goes smoothly Fresta. The table with the boob shaped holes used to make me roll my eyes but it was never particularly comfortable. Hope it's a quick one for you.

The sun is shining and I have a doctors appointment later. Happy Monday everyone.

Hope it goes ok Fresta
Lily sounds like a lovely pressie !
Sleepy hope you've had some sleep now. Do you take anything to help you sleep ? I used to have zoplicone which was amazing and now have kalms from time to time

Hope everyone felt the love on Valentine's Day whether from partners, children or friends and that those of you on half term this week have a good week

Hello all.
Fresta I hope everything goes well.
Half term and two DS in need of constant entertainment or thhey end up pkaying on their PS forever!
I have my CT simulation session today before the rads start.
Take care all and all the best for the day ahead.

hello, just wondering on behalf of a friend if anyone here has had a period since having early menopause induced by zolodex and letrazole?

Hi Cosamangiare, I had six years of zolodex and Letrazole and tamoxifen and my periods came back when I stopped taking them . I have since had an oopherectomy which has done the trick.