The Lacies are back for cancer support thread 56 - all welcome!

[WhatWouldLeslieKnopeDo]

Hello again, and welcome to our 56th thread. Some of us have been here ages and others have just joined. I hope you've all made it safely over to the new thread.

An extra special welcome to anyone who is lurking and feeling a bit shy. We are all quite friendly and we definitely don't bite, so please do say hello if you'd like to.

All are welcome here. We started off as a breast cancer support thread many years back, but all cancer types are welcome and at any point in the "journey", even if you haven't yet been diagnosed. We have all had different experiences but there's almost certainly someone here who will understand how you are feeling.

Our previous thread is here.

I have started the new thread a little early, and I will explain why in a moment.

Morning all. Just popping in to wish everyone good look for their results, GCSE's or medical. I know how much your children's success means to you when you are facing cancer. I was so relived when my dd passed her 11+ and got into the school she wanted to go to! Her future is more certain whatever mine might hold.

Hi to Amber and Sleepy if you are reading, thinking about you.

Leslie, you may be the youngest but have a mature and wise outlook. Thoughts to you and all you are having to face at your age

Hello my lovely Lacies
Mrs I love the quote I'm not enjoying the heat, it has no business being in Yorkshire. I'm sorry that you are in pain though.
Royal I'm sorry that you had a long day at the hospital and hopefully you will be getting favourable results through soon.
Chewing My dd got a very similar results profile to your ds. Mostly B's with some C's. We are all delighted for her. She has not had the greatest run into to her GCSE's and she passed them all. She worked hard in Y11 but slept in Y8-10 and so had a lot of catching up to do.

My hospital appointment today went well. I was seen on time for the first time ever. I have been put on tamoxifen as predicted, with a borderline benefit because I am only 3/8 ER receptive. I have just taken my first tablet and hopefully the side effects will be kind to me. My oncologist was not particularly interested in my arthritic symptoms in my lower back and hips. She felt that it was more likely to be attributable to low oestrogen levels rather than herceptin. She was pleased with how the rads went, and my minimal skin reaction.

Well done Chewing's DS; you must be so proud.

Mrs Hodge. I have bad arthritis down (mainly) my right side as a result of the virus/pneumonia I caught; and could not tolerate the NSAIs even with the big horse pill for the stomach. I'm afraid I gave up on them because my stomach felt either like I was carrying a brick around, or it had been kicked.
I started to swim just over a 1/2 km a night and after about three weeks, had a really beneficial effect on the pain. My consultant says it's because the stronger muscles supporting the bones push the two bones away from each other and stop them rubbing.

Anyone with ANC wounds, I can really recommend the Dead Sea Salt. Even though I'm still sweating into the wound (grim); two soaks in the Dead Sea salt has really reduced the redness and stopped the awful stinging.

Love to everyone.

Congrats to chewing and mysiillydog on the GCSE results! You must be relieved for sure.
mrs when i had that hip pain abiut two months ago and the doctor prescribed antiinflammatory tablets I decided not to take them and never told him i did benefit from the physiotherapy although the achy feeling has not totally disappeared, I think it is all pay back for all those dreadful chemo drugs.
sleepy i have not stopped thinking of you and your family.
mysillydog your visit to the oncologist sounds pretty much like my first one post treatment! When i mentioned my hip pain he was so dismissive and kept lecturing me about how not everything we feel is related to cancer..sure he can afford to say that! Good luck with the Tamoxifen. I am doing ok on it although i do have stiff ankles. Since I am officially menopausal now according to the latest blood tests( i am not 50 yet but the chemo etc induced it) my doc seems to think at some point we should stop the .tamoxifen and to on to the other stuff..the inhibitor kind.
leslie hope you have a cool day :)
mrs i am seeing my doctor on Tuesday to find out the results. I got really worked up yesterday which is odd..you would think I would be used to this by now! I woke up today feeling awfully tired from all that stress and tension.
Sometimes while waiting at hospital appointments, I look around me a other people and I think about what people are going through and how before cancer I would go for simple( well simple NOW!) procedures etc either involving me or the DC and not really think of the tens of other people around us who are there for more serious issues..issues like mine now. Yesterday I watched as happy faces carrying new babies passed..anxious faces like mine sat waiting..children crying..old people in agony as they moved about.
Cancer makes us so much more aware of others and of life's small moments.
Oh well..
Take care lovely lacies.

Royal, hoping for good things on Tuesday then. I'll be interested to hear about your change from tamoxifen to the inhibitor, that's what I'm facing in the near future but I suspect not until the spring unless I go for the hysterectomy.

Mysilly, good luck with the tamoxifen. I'm tolerating it quite well apart from a few niggles. It's certainly not been as awful as some other threads would have you believe.

I've had a call from my GP, I've got to go in this afternoon so they can examine my tummy. I think he's a bit worried now. I've been rather naive in thinking that was I was experiencing was normal and continuing to take them but it's also reassuring to know that others have had a nasty reaction too. I just really wish I'd been given some advice first.

Rain here today and cooler, proper Yorkshire weather.

Hello Lacies

Currently on hols in the Alps, hence I've been a bit of a lurkio, apologies for my flakiness.

However, 2 weeks after 20 rads (incorporating a booster) I've found myself marching up mountains at 8000ft altitude with a toddler strapped to my back. And then some days I can barely walk up 3 stairs. Fatigue is a funny thing! Luckily DD has a two hour nap after lunch so I can also crash then.

Now in month 2 of Tamoxifen and I had become as stiff as a board. Had been taking glucosamine (crappy Tesco own-brand), was still a bit stiff, ran out while here in France and managed to get my hands on Voltaflex - 625mg glucosamine for light-moderate knee arthritis. I now feel like a well-oiled machine so will see if I can get doc to prescribe something similar on my return. Anyone else have experience of glucosamine?

And Sleepy, there are no words. Having gone through this though with my mum 6 months ago, to be at home surrounded by your loved ones is a very special thing and I'm sure the love and care you receive surrounds you in warmth. Sending you positive energy across the air waves xxx

MrsRhod good luck this afternoon, sorry to hear you've been feeling so crappy

mrs best of luck. Hope they can resolve your tummy issue. Doc says no need to make the ahift to the inhinitor yet but he says eventually we have to as Tamoxifen is only for premenopausal women and seeing as chemo has put an end to my periods and what with those estrogen test results looks like I am soon to be considered menopausal officially. Dunno how I feel about this tbh.
flychickie good that you are enjoying your holiday. We went to the Bavarain alps and yes there was a lot of panting on my side too as we trekked up the steep parts! Interesting what you say re glucosamine. Tamoxifen has not affected me much except in that My feet get stiff after I have sat or lay down for a while. I would be interested in any info too on how it my help in this for as long as I am on it.

Royal, I'm finding this quite confusing. When I saw my oncologist recently to get advice on the hysterectomy decision he was very clear that it is ok to remain on tamoxifen after the menopause. He said they would probably let me try the next drug but if I had any issues with it I could go straight back on tamoxifen for the remainder of the five years. I've never heard that before. When the time comes I'm going to need a second opinion I think. So many doctors, so many different opinions, how are we to choose?

mrs you are so right ! as if we don't have enough to think about. I agree about seeking more advice and expertise. I think I will be doing the same. I am borderline when it comes to oestrogen receptor level, so I want to know more about choices.

Back from the GP, I've got an inflamed gut. No shirt Sherlock. Do you think a G&T might help?

Evening Everyone, Been lurking for a while as my rads finsihed in June and now its just the last few Herceptin and Tamoxifen. fly I've been recommended glucosamine too, can't remember what strength but they're called mega epa by Bio Care and they've made a massive difference to my joints as I was really seizing up and now its loads better. Also had accupuncture for the hot flushes and although the first person I saw didn't make any difference I saw a lady who works as an accupuncturist at the local cancer centre and she made a huge difference, the hot flushes went down to about 2 mild ones a day and even 2 weeks on they are still a lot better than they were.
Hope everyone waiting on results has got the grades they needed, I remember it well when mine were doing gcse's and A levels and I think I was more stressed than they were!
Will be glad when this muggy weather has gone, raining here at the moment in the Southwest so hopefully it'll get a bit cooler.

Oh dearso it is official. mrs ironic that antiinflammatory meds go on to inflame ! What have you been given for it besides the accreditation

Hi Rover. Good to hear from you. Never considered acupuncture for the hot flashes, but sounds encouraging. I think I will ask my Doc about Glucosamine too as my stiffness is annoying me. When I get up I am like an old woman bending and arching!

Royal, you couldn't make it up. I have awarded myself a G&T, kill or cure. No offer of help from the GP. I'm interested in this talk of glucosamine. I'm feeling quite creaky myself. I've got a review with my BC nurse in September, I'll add it to the list of things to discuss. Top of the list will be things that are safe to take for hot flushes. I can't show my face at my local Haven centre after falling out with the acupuncturist last year so I'm looking for alternatives.

I take a cod liver oil supplement with glucosamine- I don't know if it's just time or whether it helps but I'm definitely less creaky than I was when I finished chemo. It never occurred to me to ask the doctor about it, I just took it. I also went to my first yoga class tonight- it felt so good to stretch everything!

Morning Lacies. Getting histology results at 9.15 am this morning, bit of a sleepless night.

Good luck Tutti and good that the salt baths are helping

I hope you feel better today mrsrhod sorry GP wasn't very helpful!

Well done to your DD Mysillydog and good news about appointment

FlyChickie that sounds fantastic I'm very impressed! Though sorry about stiffness. Hopefully that will improve.

Waving to everyone. I hope you have a good day :) still really hot here. I'm going away for the weekend and will have limited internet access but I will be thinking of you all, especially Sleepy and family

Morning all. It's sunny here but not Yorkshire hot
Hope results are ok tutti
Leslie enjoy your weekend away.
I am planning on having a fairly quiet day after the stress of results day!
Will look into glucosamine as I am definitely more achy and creaky. Could be my old age though

Good luck tutti, hope you get good news today

mrs sorry to hear your GP was utterly useless, self medication sounds a good way to go ;)

leslie enjoy your weekend away, have fun!

chewing let's hope today is a relaxing antidote to yesterday, you can't have too much excitement in a row!

rover lovely to hear from you, have you many herceptin to go now? I remember counting down the last few until the final dose, it was certainly good knowing I didn't need to step foot on the chemo ward again

Good luck tutti, fingers crossed they didn't find anything. We all know what that appt feels like.

Leslie enjoy your weekend away, I sometimes think no internet is a great thing. I'm always reluctant to switch back into it when I get home.

Lovely and sunny in Yorkshire but south of 20 degrees, order is restored.

Good luck Tutti !
leslie hope you have a pleasant and restful weekend away. Do spoil yourself by all means
fresta Yoga sounds good! Well done you.i have been contemplating joining a class for some time..could do with some proper stretches!
Waving to everybody else.
Enjoy the day ahead.

Not great news, I don't think.
They have to re operate as they didn't get clear margins; they're ringing on Tuesday and trying to get me an early date.
Tumour 3.5 cm Grade 3. Nine nodes removed, three had mega metasteses.

oh... and someone forgot to get the protein/hormone tests done, so they don't know about that yet.

So sorry Tutti this is not the news you and we were hoping for. Let us now focus on what should happen next.
Holding your hand.