Cancer support thread 63 for a handhold or advice and anything in between

[purpleunicorns]

Continuation of the lovely Leslie's thread here as it was nearly full

If you're worried about symptoms, waiting for test results or just need a safe place to vent then pull up a seat, we're a friendly bunch and we don't bite too much

There's quite a variety of cancers on this thread so hopefully one of us will have some advice and hopefully you don't need to stay for long.

I'll start with my story:
Diagnosed with stage 2b cervical cancer in October 2017, 25 lots of radiotherapy, 4 internal radiotherapy and 5 lots of chemo. Was told last week that it's spread and is incurable, palliative chemo starts on 16th July

Hi Oscha. My needle biopsy was in my armpit, but it really was absolutely fine. for you.

Thanks for the warm wishes Leslie am feeling nauseous today (which was the day I was worst last cycle) but am not as bad as last time still. All bearable. Glad your toe is healing well and you are feeling a bit better in yourself. When is your chemo rescheduled for?

Thanks purple will ask at my next clinic appt for sleeping tablets, good idea, I was wide awake until the small hours. I wasn't as bad last night.

Hi Oshkar, sorry you find yourself here. I had a needle biopsy after finding a lump in my armpit. When I had a mammogram, they found a tumour and the lump under my armpit was my swollen lymph node. Biopsies were taken of both, I had local anaesthetic for both, which didn't hurt. The one on my boob didn't trouble me again, my lymph node was ok, it did ache a bit when driving for long stretches, but nothing too bad. I hope that puts your mind at rest.

Hi miles good to see you back

My kids are both on sleepovers (timed well as day 3 is def when the nausea hits for me) so I am reclining on the couch with the radio on. I may start sorting stuff to eBay if the nausea passes soon. I have way too much clutter I need to get rid of & toys/clothes the kids have grown out of. I figured whilst I have some time on my hands I may actually tackle it all..... Or sleep!

Have a good Saturday Lacies

Noodles I have spent a great deal of time putting stuff on eBay and getting rid of baby clothes. If you have toys and big items such as cot etc try local Facebook groups or just the market place. I've sold lots in there too. It helped me think of something else as well as make some money!
Hope you're feeling ok, definitely ask for sleeping tablets. I really struggled to sleep during mine.

Waves at everyone else!

Will see gp next week as I'm more and more convinced I have a hernia. Oh the scheme of things it could be worse so I won't get too upset over it.

Thanks so much all, for being so reassuring

When I first got diagnosed I had a massive clear out of stuff I didn't use anymore. It's much better being able to relax when you don't feel too well after chemo without being surrounded by stuff you need to do but don't have the energy to do it. Although if you're tired Noodles then just rest, stuff can wait. It's more important to look after yourself and sleep when you can

Plus the extra money helps! Anyone who's just been diagnosed make sure you get an exemption card and you won't need to pay for any prescriptions for 5 years

@purpleunicorns I didn't realise the exemption card was for that length of time I sent off for mine this week.

On another note we've just managed to get a refund on our holiday that we should have been going on, on the 17th. Check your small print ladies as we managed to get a full refund without using our insurance. We may need to claim on our insurance for a holiday in October so that was good news!

That's very good news ranout :)

Dulce annoying about the potential hernia

noodles I hope you've been resting as well as doing the eBay stuff. My chemo is this coming Thursday now. It's good you don't feel as bad as last cycle. It's much easier to plan when you know which days you'll feel worst

I've been sleeping on and off all day. The cancery lymph node on my collarbone has gone a bit haywire. It used to swell up every cycle but hasn't done it for a while. Not sure if it's an infection or cancer growing or what. I'll see what happens after the next chemo, I guess!

I hope everyone is having as nice a Saturday as possible

Blimey Leslie, if it's not one thing it's another! I hope the adhesions have settled down and you're not in so much pain. A lymph node is yet another thing to deal with .

I've had a nice day thank you . Though Maisie refused to walk this am. She just laid down on the path and refused to move . So I went into town and watched an Elvis tribute singer do a set outside John Lewis in the shopping centre. He was excellent! We're having some kind of music event his weekend - all free. Tomorrow I'm going to take my chair into the marketplace and watch a whole load of cover bands.. You should come over Leslie.

In the pm my friend bought some left over 21st birthday chocolate cake round - well, someone has to eat it!

Ranout if you need to pay for any prescriptions before your exemption card comes then I think you can claim the costs back, that's fantastic news getting a refund in your holiday! Hopefully you'll manage to get away later in the year

Leslie hopefully you're lymph node is "just" an infection and nothing more sinister. I really wish cancer would give you a break

Hope you enjoy the cover bands TQ, a local charity have given me free tickets for a local music event with big name bands but it's not until the 18th August so I depending on when my operation is I probably won't be able to go

Dulce have you managed to get an appointment to see if you have a hernia?

Morning! Day ten after chemo, & just starting to feel normal-ish (although I haven't actually tried doing anything yet, so we'll see).

Leslie, if your lymph node is cancerous, it may have stopped swelling because of the chemo, which can only be a good thing. My treatment has visibly shrunk my lymph nodes (as one would hope, it being lymphoma & all).

TQ I do love a good Elvus impersonator: sounds like a joyful day

I hope everybody has a pain-free, calm day, with well-behaved children/pets/husbands/goldfish.

Glad your feeling better Miles, I don't think you realise just how poorly you feel until you start feeling better

I'm off to brave the metro centre today with no wig or scarf on. It's so liberating having no hair and much cooler too, although I'm bracing myself for some funny looks

Try & channel wossename purple... Sinnead O'Connor. Bet you'll rock the look X

Hello... I don't use Mumsnet much these days, but was dipping in and saw this thread on Active... and I could do with a handhold if that's okay? I'm 48 and was called to a routine mammogram about 2 / 3 weeks ago (part of the NHS trial where 50% of women aged 47-49 are called early at random) Went along and thought no more of it...

Was packing up from a holiday in Wales on Tuesday - stuff everywhere and my phone goes. The hospital ask me to come in as there's an anomaly... appointment the very next day. I was told not to worry too much as recalls for first mammograms are quite common. So I didn't! I just wish I'd felt a bit more prepared for what happened!

At appt I had another mammogram and it still showed a 'diffuse' area. Given ultrasound and the radiologist said there was something there but he thought it was probabaly benign but wanted to do a core needle biopsy there and then.

So - few minutes later I'm having a core biopsy under local anaesthetic and they took 6 samples. I get the results at 5.30pm this coming Wednesday. It's all happened so fast and seems so unreal when I didn't think there was any problem! It's really thrown me for six.

They gave me a meeting with the Breast Care nurse after the biopsy and she said I was between 3 and 4 on the bi-ards scale ie there is something there but they don't know if it's benign or malignant. She said 50/50 which threw me into a bit of a meltdown as I just wasn't expecting it - it was a lot to take in out of nowhere!

So I'm 4 days into waiting. I want to know but I don't want to know. Operations scare the hell out of me - I don't react well to general anaestheics. I'm good some of the time and not at other times - the anxiety comes and goes enormously. My wife is by my side and a huge support which obviously helps enormously. I had to see the doc about an unrealted matter on Friday and she have me some diazepam to get me through the week if needed. Only taken 1 so far!!

It all seems so unreal! Sorry this is so long... and thank you for the thread!

Pebble welcome but sorry you need to be here what a nasty shock when you thought you were just having a routine test. I don't have any very useful advice, but take the diazepam if you need it. There's no prizes for powering through :) try not to get ahead of yourself for now. If you need surgery then that's something you'll deal with when the time comes. For now there's still a good chance it's something harmless.

Miles I'm glad you're feeling a bit better today. Any plans?

Yes I think it stopped swelling because of the chemo, so I guess now the cancer is active again. Hopefully the next dose of chemo will sort it out :)

TQ I know I feel like a total disaster. The lymph node is just a nuisance. The festival sounds fun. If only it were a bit cooler. I'm not really leaving the house at the mo and can fully empathise with Maisie's refusal to walk I love Elvis. I hope you're having fun today

purple fingers crossed you'll be able to go to the concert! and good luck with no hair. It is quite nice in this weather.

I'm just lounging in front of the fan listening to classical music. It's quite blissful really :) thinking of you all.

Hi Pebbles I know what you mean about shock. I knew I had raised CA125 markers but I was sent straight to A&E from my ultrasound and then into hospital for 5 days with an advanced ovarian cancer diagnosis. I couldn't take it in. Fingers crossed you're one of the benign 50%.

Hi Miles it's odd to feel normal! I haven't felt this good for over 18 months. It's weird. I even got a 9 letter word on Countdown that neither of the contestants got! It was 'milestone' btw.

Hi Leslie too hot for me too so no concert today. Johnnie Walker's Sounds of the 70s is my background to web surfing.

Pebbles I think we have all gone through the shock and it does get better I promise. In my case I was "promised" gallstones and suddenly was told I had bowel cancer! The waiting is the worst bit.

Purple thanks for asking. Have to call for an emergency app to see doctor tomorrow. Also have a scan in the morning. I travel next Monday so whatever it is, it will be sorted when I'm back. Macmillan nurse said I'm ok to travel as long as I don't carry weight - which is hard with a 5 year old dd who loves cuddles!
It's boiling here. I feel like sitting in my chest freezer

Hi Pebbles. The same happened to me I am 47 got called for my first routine mammogram had no symptoms or anything. Then recalled for 2nd mammogram (the letter implied it was a normal thing to be recalled for a first mammogram so I was totally unprepared too) and ended up having an ultrasound and biopsy the same day. Had my results 3 days later and was booked in for a wide local excision the following week.

It's very much a whirlwind and can be difficult to catch your breath and keep up with what's happening and the lack of control is very unsettling.

For me that operation (lumpectomy or wle) wasn't too bad was home the same say and coped with just paracetamol and ibuprofen. My surgeon said the operation takes about 1/2 hour.

Hopefully you will be in the 50% that's benign.

Thank you so much for your messages... every one helps! I don't want to get ahead of myself, but I also want to feel more prepared (if you can!!?) than I did last Wednesday. I think the operation has loomed larger than it would because as chasegirl experienced - I have already been told that if it is a positive result, then I will be asked to sign my consent to surgery on Wednesday and can expect an operation in 2-3 weeks... it obviously makes you do a certain amount of anticipation.

I really appreciate your replies - all of them. You sound like such a calm and positive bunch who have some real trials to go through - so thank you! My wife and I had our 7th CP/wedding anniversary today... we just drove up to the hills near us and chilled out and had a picnic and it was lovely. I tried practicing a little CBT type thinking on myself - that instead of these people being the bringers of potentially bad news, I have to see them as wanting to help me! Obvious, but helped me change my thinking a bit.

Thank you again. I shall no doubt be back in the next few days of that's okay?

Pebbles please feel free to come back on here anytime, night or day the chances are there will be someone to reply to you. I can't help much as mines cervical cancer but the waiting around not knowing really is the worst part of all this

Hopefully we can wave you goodbye on Wednesday but if not keep in mind that it's really treatable now and there's some lovely ladies on here who were in the exact same position as you are now who will hold your hand through it all

Happy anniversary Pebbles and MrsPebbles that sounds like a lovely way to celebrate. Sorry you've got this worry hanging over you. That re-framing sounds sensible. The way I think of it is that if there's something wrong it's already there, so the sooner it is identified and treated the better :)

You're welcome to post whenever you need to. As purple says there's usually someone about to reply. But don't be disheartened if it's a bit quiet - it depends on people's side effects etc. as sometimes people don't feel well enough to post.

Dulce good that you can still travel. If it helps at all, I have a couple of these hernia support bands. I think you can buy similar ones in sports shops or probably the pharmacy. I don't have a hernia but I'm at high risk so I was told to wear them for exercise and anything strenuous.

TQ sorry you missed out on the concert I've mostly been listening to Pachelbel but your soundtrack sounds more fun!

Ah great taste Leslie we had Pachelbel Cannon in D playing at our wedding, which reminds me its our first anniversary a week today so I really should start looking for an anniversary present pretty soon

Thank you Leslie. I'm trying not to panic and hope it's a hernia and nothing more sinister. My logical brain tells me it can't be a tumour as I had a scan only 3 months ago and a load of chemo after that but at the back of my mind I'm terrified. So I'll be delighted if it's confirmed a hernia. I'll ask gp about the band, sounds like a good thing to have. I want to go back to exercising but I'm a bit scared. I've put on a lot of weight since surgery and need to go back to normal.

Good luck dulce - hope it is just a minor blip and nothing to be concerned about. We all need a break from appointments and finding lumps and bumps to worry about.

Welcome to all newbies - sorry you’re here but this is a lovely bunch of lacies indeed

I hope everyone is surviving in the heat - again! I am struggling to finish the house move due to lethargy and wondering if I need some blood tests as I get so exhausted with minor exertion and my pulse is racing! Or it could just be dehydration, heat and post chemo effects

Also I’m struggling to avoid being caught off guard with awful thoughts of whether I will be here for my children (4 & 8) in a few years. Keep trying to tell myself that anyone could be hit by a bus in that time but then I think of other aspects of illness and needing more surgery/chemo etc. I suppose this is par for the course when the chemo etc is all done, and it’s just a case of waiting for scans???
It just hits me at random times and only for a few minutes, but takes my breath away sometimes.

Anyway, hope you all sleep well and keep up the hydration - I am not good at that myself! Sorry if I’ve depressed anyone but it’s so hard to mention to DH or friends...

Addle I have the same moments. I think we all probably do. It feels very lonely too sometimes. I am glad I found this thread cos everyone knows.

My DD is 10 and I worry about our future. But like you say there could be a bus

Addle that's what we're here for, I really struggle to talk to anyone in real life about the serious side of things. I'm currently trying to work out what sort of funeral and funeral songs I want but I'm leaving that in a letter as there's no way I can do that face to face with anyone. I'm sure you'll be fine though but it doesn't stop you worrying especially when you have young kids.

I had a racing pulse when having my last lot of chemo if I did too much which was down to my magnesium levels dropping

Once the chemos finished you'll have scans roughly every 3 months and then it'll be every 6 months and then yearly from what I can gather

The heat isn't too bad with no hair not sure if I rocked the Sinead O'Connor look but I didn't get too many odd looks while I was out today