CANCER SUPPORT THREAD 60! Here we are again... join us if you have any sort of cancer (or if you're waiting for cancer test results)

[WhatWouldLeslieKnopeDo]

Welcome everyone to a shiny new thread :)

It's a club nobody wants to join, but if you need us, you are more than welcome. If you're waiting to find out if you have cancer or not then pull up a chair. We hope you won't need to be here long, but we are here as long as you need us. And if you do have cancer then this is the place for you. Swear, rant, scream, laugh, cry... someone will have at least an inkling of what you're going through!

We only have one rule, which is do not Google. Though perhaps we should update that to please Google responsibly as few can resist completely!

I hope this thread will be a source of support for all who need it

Our previous thread can be found here

Hi Lacies
Rads start for me tomorrow, 25 sessions. I have developed neuropathy in my hand probably caused by the tumour pressing on a nerve, so I’m on steroids too. Hopefully my treatment will help a bit.

Sending you lots and lots of good luck and hugs for tomorrow Mysillydog and hoping that the treatments help with the neuropathy too. That must be very frustrating. Will you be signed off work while you're having the radiotherapy?

Yes definitely not working. I’m very fatigued by the cancer and having a dodgy hand doesn’t help.

Hello everyone please can I join your thread? I was diagnosed with invasive breast cancer today and am in total shock. I’ve got a young family and I’m terrified I won’t be around to see my children grow up. Any advice greatly appreciated xxx

mrsrhod, I had a gynae referral (fibroid and heavy bleeding which only just stopped at the end of last year after months of zoladex) and the only thing they offered was a full hysterectomy. Not bloody likely says I, unless absolutely necessary. I asked for a referral for embolisation instead, and met a fab radiologist who was going to do it. Then the bleeding suddenly stopped so we're doing a watch and wait and I can go back to him if necessary. Oddly enough, I was supposed to have the procedure today. I'm not sure why gynaes seem to be so keen to go down the most invasive routes so quickly. And I agree, there are many questions that the medics just can't answer, getting them to admit they don't know is quite a chore sometimes. No one has given me anything more than a vague timescale re taking zoladex, I've got an appt with BCN soon, so I'm going to ask.

Thank you Leslie and here's some and right back at you. I honestly couldn't believe we were finally going until I was on the plane. DS is on good form right now, he's doing really well at school and in his activities, I'm an extremely proud and lucky mum of an amazing boy.

My nose didn't stop streaming when I was having active treatment, and still does at times. I'm sure 'post nasal drip' added to my stomach/reflux/coughing. Delightful.

Mysillydog, I was so sorry to read your news. Totally and utterly gutted for you. I hope tomorrow and the following treatments go as well as they possibly can. Sending you love.

Hi Noself. So sorry to hear your news. I'm afraid I can't give advice but can do hand holding. I'm new tonight too. Take care and I'm sure someone with knowledge will be on soon.

NoSelfControl pull up a chair, but sorry you need to do you have any idea what the treatment plan will be? It does get a bit easier once you've started treatment. It's all a bit of a runaway train really and you just climb aboard and let the medics do their thing! Do you have much support in real life?

How old are your children? I don't have any, but there are posters on here with everything from babies to adult children so someone will definitely be able to help with whatever stage yours are at :)

Sorry I'm completely shattered and about to nod off so I can't think of anything more useful to say, but I hope you manage to sleep tonight and that it all feels a little bit more doable in the morning

Goodnight all

So sorry Noselfcontrol I don't know much about that type of cancer but I hope they can treat you quickly.

Hi noselfcontrol and also Elise....
First of all big hugs...it is not surprising you're both worried...cancer is a VERY scary word and it's very natural to have a Pavlovian reaction of "am I going to die"...i know I did!!
I was diagnosed on Feb 8 2017....by June all my active treatment was done...which was a lumpectomy and radiotherapy and now I just take a tamoxifen a day. Physically it really was fine....really really fine....i felt a million times worse with flu...i just needed to work from home during last two weeks if radiotherapy as I was tired.
Mentally I struggled a bit more as I have two small boys and didn't want to cause them any worry...i felt I had lobbed a hand grenade into their lives.... needless to say...they are fine.
I spoke to my GP and he told me my experience was the norm.... it's the trickier cases that we read about in newspapers because their rarity makes them newsworthy. ....
(Tho do admit to touching wood and keeping fingers crossed I won't be one of those.....but for the VAST majority it is relatively straightforward.. .if you want to ask me anything feel free to PM me...take care and love to all the other lacies..and we cake and gin!!

Hello noself but so sorry you find yourself here tonight, it's such a shock isn't it? Usually with diagnosis comes a treatment plan, have you had that? What you're feeling is completely normal, I think those of us with children think of them first. It's going to be a scary time, no doubt about that but you do get swept along in a round of testing and treatment. Most people have a very good experience of breast cancer care, it's usually run remarkably well.

Have you told friends and family? Accept any help offered but it's also fine if you just want to keep it quiet for now until you know what you're facing. Remember that treatment is very good these days, stay away from Google, it's out of date. If you must look use the proper sites such as Macmillan, Breast Cancer Care. If your children are at school it might be worth telling their teacher, I found they kept an eye on my daughter very well. Ask anything you want here, someone will have been there already and can offer help.

Just to add I had the same treatment as Freddie above, it was over in three months with a tablet to take for five years. Yes I've had a problem recently but it's nothing to do with my initial care or cancer prognosis.

Awwww thank you all so much - I'm trying to not cry at everyone being so nice at my me me me pity party when you all have stuff going on yourselves.
I don't really have a plan yet - I need the microbubbles in 2 weeks (ages!) to check the nodes and they are also waiting for more info from the original biopsy. I know it will definitely be surgery probably in March but they don't know what kind yet until they get more results.
We told our 12 year old tonight and he was ok. Unfortunately my dad died of oesophageal cancer a few years ago which has probably given both of us a warped view of cancer as my logical brain knows they are so different. I actually teach at the school my son attends so he will be well looked after by my lovely colleagues.
Crikey I'm babbling! I have really good friends and family supporting me, my husband is fab so I just need to crack on. I know loads of people are in a much worse position than me. I think I'm just in shock.

I hope you get some sleep tonight. I've never heard of microbubbles, new things are happening all the time. If you have questions tomorrow fire away.

genie I hope your surgery goes exactly to plan and they get those good margins. I presume they'll kick you out tomorrow after the operation, it's all done so quickly. Good luck

Furryface I am sorry you find yourself here. I hope you will soon receive good news. I am just starting to go through menopause myself, with sporadic periods and spotting. A recent scan found something on my cervix that turned out to be a nabothian cyst (yeah, I'd never heard of it either). The fact that you so recently had a clear smear and don't carry HPV is good news. So one step at a time and fingers crossed that this is just another one of those joys of menopause. It's all hair-raising though, and I sympathise completely.
Noselfcontrol sorry to find you here too. You and I are in the same boat. Sending hugs and hand squeezes. Keep checking in here, this board is full of incredible women who will give you support and great advice.
Penguins here here on the holiday with your children. I hope you are really enjoying it. I have a long-planned family holiday beginning in about ten days and I fully intend to go.
Elise are you still around?
Leslie hope you are feeling well today.

mrsrhodg thank you so much again. You too freddie!!
Off to the hospital v soon, will check in again as soon as I can. xxxx

Good luck genie

and mysillydog very best of luck with your rads.

thank you Leslie! xx

Hope the surgery goes as well as it can Genie today and hope you have a lovely, well deserved holiday. I am off next Wed just until Sunday just to Torquay, my 11y/o DS (ASD penguin and panda obsessed) loves it there as they have penguins on the beach at Living Coast.

Goodness it's been busy here, welcome to the new folk, sorry you have to join the club that no one wants to belong to , If it helps, I had fairly straight forward cancer as well, lobular breast cancer, surgery, chemo and rads. 6 months on tamoxifen, a year on letrozole now with 6 monthly bisphosphonates. I've just been prescribed zoladex as well after a surprise period ....
Long chat with the BCN to make sure my notes aren't mixed up with someone else after last week's fiasco, finally got my correct zoladex prescription and now the pharmacy have to order it in! Lucky the earliest the surgery can fit me in for it is Monday... so an extra 10 days after seeing the registrar.
To be honest I'm tempted by the oophorectomy given the hassle just the first injection is causing. I shall discuss with the consultant next time I'm in. mrsrhod when will you get more news? I've lost track of which way they have agreed to go with the surgery? I'm kind of hoping i wont get too many side effects from the zoladex, the hot flushes have been grim anyway and come and go in waves (which thinking about it may tie in with some kind of cycle as my ovaries perk back up) we shall see.
My BCN confirmed if my ovaries have recovered from chemo the letrozole will have become ineffective....
mysilly best wishes for the rads, hope it doesn't exacerbate the tiredness.
and for all, it would be rude not to as it was my birthday yesterday (49) and my 2nd cancerversary the day before!

for you pepper two excellent causes for celebration. What a pain about the zoladex though. I hope the injection itself goes smoothly and that the side effects are minimal.

Mysillydog I hope your first radiotherapy went well

Waving to everyone e

Puttingthegenieback, thanks for your kind message. I've never heard of that either! I've had a really bad day today. Doctor called me at work and I freaked out and had a panic attack. Thought I was going to pass out. I feel sick all the time and don't want to eat. I need to pull myself together but not sure how.

Oh Furry you poor thing did the doctor have anything useful to say? You mentioned before that you already have health anxiety. Are you on any medication or using any techniques to help that? Don't be afraid to ask for help if you need it.

Hi Leslie. Doctor didn't know what the sore was. Quite a young doctor. Bleeding now seems to have stopped and I have no pain so I'm trying to be positive. I need to talk to someone about my health anxiety as I'm always waiting for the hammer to fall. It's awful. I'm on ads and have been for years. How are you today?

Hopefully you'll get some reassuring news soon furry then you can focus on getting some help with your anxiety. I know it's rather a cliché, but have you tried mindfulness at all? I've found it very helpful, though I don't have anxiety, just the occasional anxious thought iyswim.

I'm alright thanks. I've got a cough and breathlessness again, so taking it very easy! :)

Pepper...we share the same birthday (45 yesterday!!)..and bizarrely I had my biopsy on 8 feb 2017 where it was strongly indicated I wouldn't be getting good news!! My birthday feels a bit tainted...but wine helped...a lot!! Hope you had a very lovely day...
Hope everyone else is ok...
Furry I so feel for you...huge hugs, hopefully it's nothing to worry about but even if it is you WILL get thru it...