It's not summer yet, but we are on cancer support thread 69. Join us if you've got cancer or are having cancer-related tests.

[WhatWouldLeslieKnopeDo]

Good evening lacies and welcome to another thread. We filled the previous one rather quickly with dog stories

Hello to any new posters. Feel free to join us if you've got any sort of cancer, or if you're waiting to find out if you have it. We are always happy to share our experience and hold hands, and even happier when we get to wave goodbye to people who have had the all clear :) (please do come back and let us know either way - sometimes people just disappear into the sunset, leaving us wondering whether they were OK or not!)

It's helpful if you can post a quick (re)introduction, even if you're a regular on the thread, to save people having to remember or to refer back to previous threads. There's no need to "catch up" - just join in whenever you want to.

I'm getting a dog if I get pip! There's no ifs ands or buts. Hell I've survived cancer, I want a bloody dog. Been 2 years since I lost my last pair and I've been lost without them.

Morning everyone
I'm 35 with cervical cancer that has spread to my bowel, lymph nodes and vagina. I'm now incurable and currently waiting to see if I can get on a trial but if not then I have about 6 months left according to my doctor. I have a 16 year old DS and an amazing DH

Noodles my Macmillan nurse was out yesterday and said I can start taking morphine again so that's really helped with the pain as well as knocking me out so I've had a decent nights sleep. My DH is cooking us steak for Valentine's Day, I'm craving it at the minute so I think my iron levels must be low

Leslie so pleased you've been to see the kitchen although I have serious tile envy

Hi
So glad you've visited your kitchen Leslie and thank you for the new thread.

I was diagnosed with Neuroendocrine cancer in 2016 with a tumour in my small bowel. I've had the tumour resected with half my bowel. The cancer had spread to my lymph nodes so half thyroid removed after a suspected spread which thankfully was benign. My latest scan was good and I've had a colonoscopy that I found out yesterday was clear with negative biopsies so moved to yearly CT scans now which is brilliant. I will never be declared clear of cancer due to the nature of Neuroendocrine and the fact it was in my lymph nodes however I'm taking this for now and will deal with whatever is thrown at me when it comes.

Thanks for the new thread Leslie

I’m 50 and was diagnosed with a malignant melanoma on my vulva at the beginning of January. I had an operation a couple of weeks ago to remove the cancer, a couple of lymph nodes and some pre-cancerous areas (so they basically removed one side of my vulva). The good news is they got all the cancer and the lymph nodes were clear.

Big day today- I am hopefully having the catheter out (if my bladder can remember what it’s supposed to do) and will see the oncologist to find out my treatment plan. I’m expecting 1 - 2 years of immunotherapy, but we’ll see.

Hope everyone has a good day x

Great about your kitchen Leslie.
*
MrsTRaveller,* I could be wrong but that dog might be a Brussels Griffon, my friend has 9! Of them. Funny little things.

Thanks for the new thread Leslie and I'm so pleased for you that you got to see your new kitchen!

I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma (a type of blood cancer) in October 2018. Currently on my second type of chemo, after two rounds of the previous one wasn't having the desired effect. Currently on escalated BEACOP+DAC chemo if that means anything to anyone!

I'm also in hospital due to some mystery illness/chemo reaction. They're still trying to figure it out. So I missed all the dog chat on the last thread. I will go back and catch up!

Will also attach a pic of my lovely pup (a cockapoo)

Thanks for the new thread Leslie and really glad also that you have been to visit the new kitchen!

I dropped in briefly on the previous thread but don't think I ever did a proper "intro".

I am also in the Tamoxifen "awake at 4am club", following surgery and 15 x radiotherapy for breast cancer last year, which was discovered at my first routine mammogram.

I'm 52, with a dh, and dcs of 15 and 13, also 2 dogs, one of which we inherited from my late father in 2017

I pop in now and then. I was diagnosed with Her2+ breast cancer aged 43 and last year had a recurrence in lymph nodes, bones, liver and possibly lungs. I’m now 46 and have recently given up work.

Thanks for new thread Leslie. Really pleased you got to see the kitchen.

I'm also a member of the colon club (or should that be no colon club?). Diagnosed with stage 3 almost a year ago now at 39. Surgery and chemo. All good so far (touch wood) but monitoring ongoing - currently obsessing about a slightly elevated blood test as my oncology review has been postponed twice due to snow storms (I'm not in UK!).
I don't have a dog but wish we could - keep the pictures coming!

Hello. 56 yr old Yorkshire Lady, with a very recent colon cancer diagnosis.
I also have Barretts oesophagus and a possible heart block which is also being investigated.
The possible date for my op is 7/3.
I dip in and out between Google and tears at the moment.
I've always been emotional and can cry at the drop of a hat quite easily.
Love and gentle hugs to everyone x x

Caught up on last thread - loved the cockapoo story. They are naughty little buggers! Mine is very well behaved, unless she's not

Dulce can you double/triple/quadruple your senna dose to help? I am not a doctor and not qualified to give medical advice obvs but my consultant is cool with me taking as many as it takes. Especially on days when I have multiple meds that make going impossible!

Tahiti I've been taking 6 a day and although I've been to the loo today, it took a lot of effort and straining. I've now found this other medicine ( dioctyl) which is meant to soften the poo (lovely!) so I'll try that and see how I get on tomorrow.

Hi All, I'm Caz, 44 with 4 year old daughter and DH with health issues. I had a 1.5cm lobular breast cancer tumour removed in early December and sentinel node biopsy which was clear. I am back to doing everything I could do before, like picking my daughter up, putting the bins out and today I've laid underlay and carpet without even a twinge. Armpit still doesn't feel quite like it used to but it is getting better.

I'm starting radiotherapy next week, 20 sessions as they want me to have the standard 15 plus 5 targeting the area where the tumour was. I'm feeling really negative about the radiotherapy. I don't want to go back to being sore and feeling crap. Also, I freaked out at the planning appointment as I really get anxious in hospitals and I couldn't cope with lying there with bare breasts. They covered me up with some paper towels and worked around it but I was so uncomfortable in those arm rest things. They have said that I can be covered for the actual rads but it can make skin reactions worse. But I just can't do it otherwise. If anyone has any words of wisdom to make me feel more positive about it I would appreciate it (I know I'm such a wuss). They did suggest that I get some more diazepam from the GP but it didn't really do much for me (unless I took them with alcohol!)

Born welcome to the club. Meant to say before, sorry to hear about your diagnosis. There are lots of us on here with colon cancer so please do ask if you have any questions about treatment etc. Attempt to stay off Google if at all possible ( I know it's hard!). I found the bowel cancer uk site useful for info and their forum if you do want to read up www.bowelcanceruk.org.uk.

Caz glad to hear you've recovered from the op. Sorry no experience of radiotherapy but I know lots on here do. You're not a wuss at all - laying a carpet?!

Hi Caz. One thing that might be worth knowing is that each radiotherapy session really is over very quickly (a few minutes in total), and in my case they had a video playing on a TV in the ceiling which it helped to focus on so as not to think too much about what was happening.

For me the thing that felt a bit more strange was getting the correct positioning before radiotherapy started each time. I realise it's hard, but I found it helped to try and treat it very much like a process that had to be done but without thinking too much in advance about the detail of what would happen if that makes sense. The staff involved were also very good at putting me at ease so I would hope you will find the same.

Hi all, I'm Kj. 44, married, one DD18. Long, convoluted family history of breast and lung cancer including mother (2 x breast, 1 lung, 1 cervical) 2 maternal aunts (both deceased met brain), 1 maternal great aunt (deceased met bone).

Currently waiting results of punch biopsy I had done on Monday on a breast lump. At my annual mammogram the consultant offered me Tamoxifen as a preventative measure so I'm looking for honest opinions regarding side effects etc.

And I have a 5 year old Cockapoo called Tilly who is a demon dog! Cute as all hell, but a devil in disguise! :-)

Hi KJ. Sorry that you find yourself here. I hope that you haven't long to wait before you get your biopsy results.

From my experience of Tamoxifen, I would distinguish between the first few weeks to a month which I found pretty difficult and the longer term once I had become accustomed to it. Initially I had headaches at the same time each day, trouble sleeping, more hot flushes than usual, negative impact on mood, and bizarrely also developed tinnitus. Because of this I had a break a couple of months in at the oncologists suggestion, as I was worn out from lack of sleep. Once I resumed it I have found that most things have settled, apart from waking in the early hours and not being able to get back to sleep - I find though that this goes in cycles, and I do have times where this is not a problem.

I was also just brewing up to the menopause before all this happened, so I'm sure there will be others who have had slightly different experiences but hope some of this might be of help!

Hi - I'm a long-term lurker who's having 5 years of monitoring after a Borderline Ovarian Tumour. I spend my life telling people it wasn't cancer, including an ObGyn consultant this summer , so I don't belong here. I just de-lurk when I think I can help someone going through the diagnostic process. I was actually misdiagnosed by my local hospital and spent 2 weeks thinking I had inoperable stage 4 ov cancer, before being referred to SuperDoc at a big teaching hospital who knew better and put me on his list for a TAHBSO. So I have experienced a teeny-tiny fraction of the mental load that you ladies have to bear. The monitoring - bloods and TVUS - is because a v small percentage do recur as cancer.

De-lurking now to say, 'Tiles? What tiles?' Leslie could you post a pic on this thread, too? Your invisible audience would be v grateful.

Oh - and I swear by glycerine suppositories for post-op constipation. Worked wonders for me.

Hi all... I lurk here and only pop on when I've got anything remotely helpful (I hope) to say!! Had breast cancer Feb 2017... ER pos... her negative. I had lumpectomy... radiotherapy (15 and 5 booster)... and now tamoxifen.....
Radiotherapy... I was knackered... but enjoyed the camaraderie... lots of us there at the same time. But I hate flying... and for that I take diazepam
.. with a beta blocker... so maybe see if your GP will prescribe that!! It is incredibly quick. Also MOO GOO...is incredibly good should you have a reaction.
Caz... I'm on tamoxifen... honestly fine... I put on weight but now swim every day. So that's sorted. I vaguely went off sex... but think that could have been the whole cancer thing... now back to normal. And I like the feeling of safety it gives me... so I have made myself feel positive about the benefits it gives me. Also for me relon chem make is much much better than workhardt... (which gave me spots).... so worth trying different makes. And that's v v personal. Do feel free to DM me if you want more info.
While I'm here... love to all... and their dogs!!
Leslie... Twitter and purple.... think you're marvellous!!! Xxxx

Freddie I've just been to see Bohemian Rhapsody - just 6 of us in the cinema this morning. Oh my goodness it was just fabulous. Rami Malek is amazing - he deserves any and every award he gets! Took me back to my innocent late teens. Rock icons...

Congratulations on your baby MrsEd and good luck to you and Hug with your colonoscopys

Good to hear from you Pandora, what a relief that the lymph nodes were negative. Definitely get a dog! Or 2.. or 3...

Waves to everyone else and good luck to everyone waiting for treatment and results. Lovely to hear from some of the previous posters too, I worry when we don't hear from you for a while

Good afternoon lacies. I'm 42, 2 DCs 5 and 8. I was diagnosed in July 2018, 6 rounds of chemo then a single mastectomy no current plans for reconstruction. Started on tamoxifen this Monday - fingers crossed ok at the moment. I'm sure once it's in my system more I may have more side effects. My mastectomy wound is looking good, I do have a bit of fluid retention (no drains were used) but the BC nurse checked me on Monday and said leave it as long as it isn't straining on the wound.
I'm very grateful for all the help and advice on this thread.
More than happy to answer any questions. I did all the things the docs said but I also fasted through chemo, had acupuncture, take tumeric (when I remember) and have also visited a local breast cancer place called Haven which I've found very useful.
@WhatWouldLeslieKnopeDo so pleased you've been in your kitchen.
@Pandoraslastchance you totally have to get a dog. My DH bought me a new handbag last week when we got the sort of all clear for now news! I think he thought that would be cheaper than a dog, or a tortoise that I said I fancied!
Waves to everyone else.

Taytotots it's only a small room so not too difficult to lay the carpet. My next project is to finish cementing the patio!

Thank you, peapod and freddiemercury, I am trying not to think about it until I get there on Monday.

Hi KJ, I've been taking tamoxifen since mid December and I did have a few side effects - feeling bloated and sick, disturbed sleep, muscle aches and cramps but it has settled down a lot now, and exercise seems to help. I'm still having periods they now are quite heavy but only last for 2 days.

Thanks for the well wishes. Ive got myself in to such a state about it today

Hi. I'm 53 and was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013. I lurk a lot cos due to ancientpad cant post on threads of more than about 70 posts.

I had chemo, a double mastectomy (no reconstruction), radiotherapy and I'm coming up to 5 years of tamoxifen. In the summer, I need to stop taking it and 3 months later have a blood test to see if I'm now menopausal. I hope so because my optician thinks it's causing problems with my eyes.

Another one who'd love to see the tiles Leslie please?

Sending hugs to all.