CANCER SUPPORT THREAD 66 for those with cancer or awaiting cancer test results. Rant, rave, laugh, cry, joke, scream - whatever gets you through the day.

[TwitterQueen1]

Welcome to the new thread, and the club that nobody wants to join. Our previous thread is here

Anyone with any type of cancer is welcome. And we will hold your hand if you're waiting to find out whether or not you have cancer at all.

If you have a loved one with cancer you can get support on a different thread here

For old and new posters it's very helpful if you (re)introduce yourself in your first post with a summary of your diagnosis (chemo brain is a real thing and my memory isn't what it used to be!).

Good morning

Hope everyone that's in hospital is sorted and out soon.

That cake looks amazing @Cally62

I've had the mouth thing, they have me a special mouthwash to use 4 times a day, I've tried pineapple but icecream was good!

Dreaded constipation here today, I've double dosed on whatever it is they gave me and fingers crossed! Sorry probably tmi, but it's blinking horrid.

I've also given in to no work for the foreseeable so I'll be able to crack on with the Xmas shopping! If you see a DH shaking somewhere in Yorkshire it's because I'm going mad with the credit card!

purple have they let you know how long you will be in? Hope it's not too long now.

I am the last to see the doctor so I won't know anything until this afternoon. I just called and left a message for my Macmillan nurse, I'm hoping she can throw some light on what might be happening as it all seems a bit vague. I'm used to the nurses being quite informed, upfront and talking to me like an adult, it's not quite like that here, but it's an acute medical ward so I suppose that is the difference. I sound like a proper grumpy cow! Part of me is enjoying not having to watch DP do 'performance housework' but it's not exactly restful with all the tests and prodding and poking. I'm going to browse the Christmas bargains threads and work out what I can possibly get my mother.

ranout I think am in the same boat as you! Well not sure actually. Horrendous cramps since Saturday night and I feel constipated but in fact it’s not like NOTHING is coming out. Am currently crying off my (actually quite good for me for once) eyeliner in the loos, so that’s going to be a good one to explain when I get back to my desk.

OMG @Namechangeforthiscancershit is fucking awful isn't it. They prescribed me laxotel (I think that's how you spell it). I doubled the amount this morning as I was knackered from being up all night thinking I needed the loo! Then you overcompensate with water, blinking nightmare.
Fingers crossed you get sorted soon, I'm back on the bran flakes tomorrow!

Cally that cake and cat looks amazing. I'm nill by mouth at the minute so I'm starving

Ranout eat loads of haribos and sugar free sweets for constipation. Much nicer than laxatives

I'm HOPING I'll be allowed home tonight. My temperature has been stable since yesterday so I'm just waiting for an ultrasound to check my kidney stents are still in the right place and working properly

Leslie as nice as it is getting home from hospital it's takes ages to get your strength back up. Laying in a hospital bed for days on top of getting over infections makes your body so weak and tired. I know it's frustrating but you will get there I've been trying to make myself walk to the hospital shop everyday to try and keep a bit of strength but it's more of a struggle each day

I’m post chemo and feel like shit at the moment. I’m constipated too. Nether regions still causing me grief (sorry tmi). Sorry to moan as I know Purple and Symphony have it worse at the moment being in hospital.

Symphony. I get what you mean as on the chemo ward they are used to dealing with cancer patients and despite what’s going on there’s usually a friendly atmosphere and you are not just a “general” patient. Also they know what to look for in terms of side effects, obs etc.

Purple hope you get out today. It's just so tedious in hospital isn't it? sorry you're Nil by mouth too - not that you're missing much if your food is anything like ours.

Leslie it will take a while to get your strength back. How are coping with the oxygen? Are you on it all the while, or just when your lungs are bad?

sorry for all you 'bunged up' people! Strawberries always do it for me .

Interesting that you're all getting stomach cramps/constipation - I assume you're all on chemo though.

I had my lumpectomy last Tuesday and ever since then my bowel movements (sorry TMI!) have been a nightmare. My body seems to store it all up, then once every 2-3 days, in the middle of the night, I am woken up with horrendous stomach cramps, and then eventually diarrhoea - this lasts about 2 hours off and on, then I'm OK for another 2-3 days after that. I'm not on chemo though! They did pump me full of lots of chemicals for the operation, but that was 6 days ago, so would have thought they'd all be gone by now.

I'm expecting another bout tonight - my intestines keep churning and making funny noises, which seems to happen the day before the stomach cramping.

Anyone else had this after an operation?

All the area where they chopped bits out is fine - I have no pain at all there!

Morning All

I haven't been on here for a little while but I've had a text this morning and I'm a little freaked out.

Three weeks ago I had an urgent endoscopy due to weight loss and difficulty swallowing. It went well (I thought) and all that was noted was a 'lesion' was found and biopsies done.

I haven't heard anything else and thought that I was just being a bit of a wuss and needed to woman up, that my symptoms were nothing more than heartburn.

This mornings text says I have a hospital appointment next Monday. No appointment was made after my scope and I wasn't expecting to be called back. Somewhat freaked at the moment and I was wondering if any of you wonderful people knows if it's usual practice to be called back if all is grand.....

LadyMary De-lurking to say that I've recently had CT scans after slightly raised cancer marker bloods associated with pancreatic cancer. I was given an appointment to discuss the results, which were fine, and to formally discharge and refer me back to Gynae. (I'm being monitored for recurrence of an ovarian problem.)

I think it depends on the department. Gastro in my hospital are much better than Gynae about explaining stuff. Also, they will still need to treat whatever your lesion is, whether benign or malignant? I have a friend whose 'lesion' was a sort of pocket in her oesophagus where food got trapped. Nothing sinister.

Just a quick one ladies with sore tongues, I've just been for my picc line cleaned and mentioned mine and they've given me Nystatin suspension, god knows that it is but it tastes like marzipan so a bonus for me!

ranout let us know if it works! I left a message with my key workers (nurses) and asked if I could get something for my mouth. All I've managed to eat today is a smoothie and cold Muller rice.

@Tahitiitsamagicalplace my mouth seems better and I've only used it twice. Interestingly I fancied rice pudding earlier but I didn't manage to get any! Have you tried mashed potatoes with cheese in or scrambled eggs, their both nice and soft.

Joint pain is kicking my ass today. Sorry for not keeping up

Keep Calm

I hear you. Mine always seems to end up in my lower back. I’ve been on the prescription painkillers since Friday. Hopefully today I will be able to do without them. I’ve been given anti-biotics for a different issue and they are adding to the general feeling of crapness. Injections and antibiotics finish on Wednesday so am hoping I will then feel up to going out

MrsT feel free to moan, there's always someone worse off than you but it doesn't make you any better so don't worry if you don't think you have it as bad as some other people. I hope you're feeling a bit better today and the constipation isn't as bad

Keepcalm try hot water bottles. They help with my joint pain better than paracetamol does

Eee TQ one more day until you find out about the trial! We're all keeping absolutely everything crossed and double crossed for you

I'm still stuck in hospital. I had an ultrasound scan yesterday and it showed my right kidney stent is starting to get blocked. The doctors will be round about 10:00 so I should find out what's happening then

astuz I had that post-lumpectomy, though not quite so extreme. Mint capsules (for IBS) helped.

Today is my last radiotherapy! My poor burnt nipple is especially happy about this.

KeepCalm I empathise with the joint pain. I only had it for 48 hrs and it was miserable

Purple I hope you get sorted and on your way home soon

MrsT fingers crossed that you can come off the painkillers today

I'm still in hospital. They kicked me out of my lovely side room because my WBC was out of the danger zone. Now I'm in an AAU

Pressed too soon!

I'm in an AAU General bay which is a fast turnaround bit, so people come in before discharge or on their way elsewhere. As you can imagine, it's hardly been peaceful. The poor old lady opposite has dementia and has been shouting all night.

They gave me a CT yesterday and found a tiny clot in one of my arteries, hence the breathlessness. I'm very glad they found it but it means a load more meds/appointments and I'm not sure when I'm going to get home. I'm absolutely exhausted as it's my second night without much sleep.

Hi Symphony

Good they found the clot. Sounds like it’s very small so hopefully it will be dealt with quickly.

It’s difficult being on a ward with dementia patients. I think you feel sorry for the individual but lack of sleep will take it’s toll on anyone’s patience.

Purple. Talking of patience.....hoping you get some better news from the Doctors today.

I need to try hot water bottles for the joint pain. I was having reflexology at home on my good weeks which was lovely and relaxing but the reflexologist has just had hip surgery so is going to be out of action until the New Year.

Right you lovely lovely people, treatment finished, so I'm off.

Thank you for the support and the animal pictures. All the best to all of you

Good luck with everything Minnie and hopefully you won't ever need us again. I hope you've got something special planned for the rest of the day Take care lovely

@Minniemountain woo hoo, hope your doing something to celebrate? to you too.

Morning all

Sorry I’ve not been around much lately, I have been struggling a bit with my headspace (which seems to have been firmly up my arse )

My mastectomy is scheduled for tomorrow, and I’m crapping myself - even tho I’ve had major surgery several times before, there is something about this that just feels horrific, and I can’t seem to get past that feeling

Have to go in today for bloods and tonhave something radioactive injected into my boob, so at least that will keep me busy!

Love to all here, especially those not feeling so good

Minnie Off you pop! And let's hope we don't see you round this way again. It's lovely to wave goodbye.

Fuzzy Of course you're scared! Who wouldn't be. I didn't care about my womb, ovaries etc - I'm done with those - but boobs are right there on the outside of the body so they're a lot more significant. Having said that, when I was in hospital last year I saw people come in and out very rapidly. All was well with them. Good luck to you for tomorrow.