Cancer support thread #72 - come in, we're here for you

[Bloodybridget]

Welcome to the new support thread for anyone who has cancer, at whatever stage of treatment, is worried about symptoms, or is waiting for tests or results.

This is the place to worry, moan, ask questions, share experiences and good and bad news, and celebrate milestones!

If you've got a loved one with cancer then your best place for support is probably on the Life-Limiting Illness board.

Our previous thread is here

Current members, please do introduce yourselves

Couple of edits: when I say there isn’t much blue tit, the boob itself looks fairly intact but the amount of dye isn’t all that much. Just in case you thought I meant I’d had a severe hatchet job!

And the rogue was supposed to have Trumpton* in the middle of it.

Night all.

@Brassica welcome to the bluetit club. Glad to hear it's all gone well, I hope you have a comfortable night though expect to be woken every hour to be poked and prodded.

@TenaKween welcome and I hope we can help with a hand hold while you wait to find out what's wrong.

Hoping fudge has a better night.

skap very relieved to hear you didn't have a PE must have been quite scary for you.

Hi Teena welcome to the Patience. You can pull up a chair and have a handhold here.
Sorry to hear you are going through all the worry again. Havre you been given any indication of what the mass may be. Not on the same scale as fudge but I had an 18 week size womb removed, plus some grapefruit sized cysts. I was unaware as I put some of my symptoms down to perimenopause.

trumpton hope you are having a fabulous time at the festival.

Brassica I'm hoping you and the blue tit managed to get some sleep. Same for fudge and her much emptier pelvic area!

Hope everyone had a good night's sleep. zorg I took a sleeping tablet(zopliclone) last night and feel much better for it.

Good Friday to all. I haven't opened the curtains yet, but it sounds wet outside.

Fudge hope you had a better night and that you manage to get home today

Brassica glad the surgery went well

Hi TenaKween - another handhold from me. I had vulvar cancer too - mine was a melanoma though. Waiting for scans and results is so hard - hope you can do something to distract yourself this weekend

Brassica. Glad to hear that it all went well. I hope that they are looking after you well and that you have a speedy recovery.

Fudges. Wow!! 50 lbs. That is incredible. Again I hope that you are being well looked after and that they are keeping the pain under control.

Tena sorry to hear that you are having to play the waiting game again. That is really tough. I have found that this place has really lovely and supportive people who unfortunately know only too well how horrible it is to be waiting for clear information. You are welcome bit in the nicest possible way we hope you don't need to be here for long

I am feeling a bit better, not so down. I have been busy with work for the past few days and that does help although I get very tired too. It is a balancing act. Seeing my oncologist for a routine appointment next week so I can ask about the mood swings and about the weight swings that seem to have crept up on me since I have been taking the Anastrazole. Fudges I would be envious of your weight loss but not given what you have had to go through to achieve it!

Best wishes to everyone whatever you are doing this weekend. For myself I plan to creep into a a corner next to the fire in The Patience and quietly sip some proper Gluhwein. Well now the cold dark evenings are upon us it seems appropriate!

Morning everyone

Fudges like everyone else I am in awe of your 50lbs! Hope you managed to get some sleep and are starting to feel better.

Glad the surgery went OK Brassica I had the dye just over a week ago and my boob is now a very fetching shade of turquoise.

I have had a letter inviting me to join the NHS screening program and they have even booked me an appointment for a mammogram in the very clinic where I have spent half my life recently. You would think that when the booking was made a big sign would flash up saying “This woman has been having regular mammograms for 25 years and is currently being treated for breast cancer for the second time” but of course is doesn’t work like that so I shall phone them later to cancel the mammogram.

Thank you ladies, I'm in awe of you all! And I don't know how to do the bold name thing to mention people individually...
In terms of my situation, I know I have fibroids - dr did an abdominal and trans vaginal ultrasound already, but couldn't see my ovaries. I'm 54, so I know that fibroids aren't supposed to get bigger at menopause and I'm not in pain or bleeding. I've just got a bad feeling from the appt, the urgent referral for a ct scan etc. And I look pregnant, clothes don't fit and I'm regularly breathless and v v tired.
All symptoms that I put down to menopause and being a bit of a pie.
I am putting on the brave face of course, but inside I am just sick with worry. I know this isn't looking good.

I don't want my husband to come with me on Tuesday- I think it'll be a lot of waiting about for him and they won't tell me anything anyway, but he's insisting. He feels guilty that he didn't come to my last appointment I suppose.
I'm right tho, they won't tell me anything even if I ask outright will they?
Rambling a bit now. Sorry.

Fudgesmummy, how has your day been? Is the pain manageable?

@TenaKween Your appointment Tuesday is just for CT scan is it? If so you probably won't be told anything because the images taken have to go to a radiologist for interpretation and a written report. The scan report will then go to whoever ordered it, presumably your gynaecologist. Do you have another appointment with the gyny? I would certainly ask at the scan how long it will take for result to go through. Have you had a CT before? They are relatively quick and not too unpleasant. There is nothing worse than that sick feeling of fear. Can you keep very busy over the waiting days?
Oh and to bold you just type an asterisk* at both ends of the word you want to bold.

Hi MrsL17 How unbelievably insensitive to send you that appointment, if only there was a computer they could check before sending out appointments

@meercat23 how is your DD? Do you have any more treatment now apart from the anastrozole? Hormones and mood swings go together don't they? I don't miss those pre-menopause feelings.

@Brassica how are you today? Hopefully home and being looked after.

@catnidge Glad you got some sleep, are you still in pain from the surgery? It's an awful lot of healing internally.

Thank you Skap

Hi Skap, My DD id doing OK Up and down. Not an easy situation. I am still having 3 weekly Herceptin as well as the Anastrazole. The Herceptin goes o until April. I suspect that the side effects are more Anastrazole than Herceptin but then who know what the combination does? I thought I was well over menopause and all its delights

Hi all. Sorry for silence since Sunday. and to those recovering from latest round of ops and treatments and the dreaded scanxiety.
After I posted it all kicked off here, middle DDs illness turned out to be a horrible infection that could not be defeated by oral antibiotics. I have spent most of the week driving to and from hospital as she needed a stay with iv antibiotics. The other daughter has had her pre operation booking appointment too, I had to take her to that while husband stayed with other one on children's ward. People keep looking at me funny at hospital: who is the sick one here? Answer: all the girls in the family.
Dd finally discharged last night. I have a work conference this weekend which I shall mostly snooze through, not going to go mad, its nice to get back to being a person rather than a patient briefly. I hope I don't get too tired or feel ill.
Wishing you all a restful and peaceful weekend

Morning! Or evening, depending.
Fudges, I wonder if you got home yesterday? If not, hope you do today. That all-important bowel movement, the key to unlock the ward!
TenaKween, really sorry you have these worrying symptoms. I guess there's a chance it could be a non-malignant cyst. Horrible having to wait for investigations. If I were you, I would want my DP with me, certainly my partner has wanted to come to every appointment she can.
Brassica glad surgery went well and I hope you're not feeling too rough now. Are you still in hospital?
meercat I hope things get easier for your DD soon. Sorry you are having bad side effects from drugs
Emperor your family is really going through it, much sympathy to you all, and I hope everyone is in better shape soon! I'm in awe of you managing to work!
I was pleased with myself yesterday as I managed to call in on two friends locally, didn't need to nap, and enjoyed another friend's visit at lunchtime. Also started knitting a pullover for my great-nephew, and ate a proper meal in the evening! After my 5th chemo I was just poorly pretty much until the last one, so it's great to be doing so much better now. I even drank most of a cup of tea this morning.
Wishing everyone as good a day as possible!

Good morning everyone,
I was discharged yesterday afternoon and I am very pleased to be back in my own lovely, quiet cool bedroom 🙂
I am struggling a lot with the pain, especially the nerve one that goes up into my shoulder. Any tips for helping that?
I wasn’t hot overnight but woke up absolutely drenched in sweat, is this normal do you know?
I haven’t eaten since Sunday, I feel hungry but I just can’t force anything down. I feel absolutely drained which I know is too be expected but it’s a horrible feeling.
Sending love to everyone, hope you all manage to have a peaceful day/night

Brassica and fudge hope you are both home now and as comfortable as possible

meercat sounds like you've been busy. Work is great but knackering even without everything else going on.
Sorry to hear about your side effects. If they are giving you menopausal symptons, post penopasue that's pants.
I'm having problems with night sweats and insomnia but feeling OK in the day. More emotional but I think that's just everything going on rather than hormones.

Emperor, you are going through the mill. . Your poor girls.
I'm imagining you snoozing through the work conference, hopefully no little snores will alert people

Tena you should be seen quite quickly for your CT. They won't tell you anything re diagnosis at the scan. One of my dc went with me for support and I was glad they came, just for the company and incase I felt wobbly after.

bridget you have been busy. Hoping food starts to taste delicious very soon for you

skap thanks for asking. I mostly still have pain in my back around where (I think) the haemorrhage site was. Stomach is slowly deflating back to usual size. I've been doing lots of walking, being careful about lifting as I know the internal healing is a slow process.

I'm waitung for the rain to stop so we can go for a dog walk. Ds3 returns to France tomorrow so we will have lunch out.

Happy Saturday all

fudges I don't think I ate for about 6 days after I had surgery, I don't remember feeling hungry, though, I was sick a lot and couldn't swallow anything, all meds were IV or by injection. Can you not eat because you feel sick or think you will gag? I think the first things I ate were bits of fruit, pineapple and watermelon. Feeling exhausted is absolutely normal, just sleep as much as you can and keep trying little bits of food.

fudge I somehow missed your post.

Keep an eye on your temperature with the sweating. Do you think it could be a menopausal night sweat? I've been getting plenty of them!
I couldn't really eat either, like Bridget I was sick. I found it easier to eat tiny amounts. Some grapes, bit of sorbet, Satsuma etc.
3 weeks post op, I'm hungry all the time but still find it hard to eat large meals.

Did they send you home with pain relief?

Feeling drained when you've had major surgery and haven't eaten is normal. It's a horrible feeling though. Each day you should feel a litrle more like yourself but there will be good and bad days. Hopefully more good than bad very soon!

Thanks for asking after me, lacies. I came home yesterday and am feeling pretty well. My blue tit is quite unimpressive already and the wounds seem ok, my only minor niggles would be numbness down the back of my arm from where the lymph nodes were taken and the fact that I also pour sweat at night time. I’ve been menopausal since halfway through chemo so it’s just more of the same but I sympathise with all experiencing the same thing, it’s quite grim!

Good wishes to catnidge and fudges for continued recovery from your surgeries, and I hope you start to feel able to eat a little more soon. After such big operations you’re bound to need to take lots of time to get stronger, but it must be boring and frustrating. You’ll miss your son when he goes I’m sure catnidge. I hope he’s enjoyed his visit home.

Emperor you sound incredibly phlegmatic (is that the word I mean?) in dealing with everything that life is throwing at you at the moment. I hope the conference is interesting/allows a good catch up with colleagues/makes everything feel a bit more normal for a change! Good wishes to your DDs and I hope they are both feeling better very soon.

Tena I would also encourage you to let your DP go to your CT and results appointment with you, especially if your concern is just that he’ll be hanging around waiting. Partly that’s because you might have a wobble going through it, but also it will allow him to feel a bit more as if he’s doing something useful. I think it’s hard on partners being bystanders. If he’s not waiting with you, he’s bound to be waiting somewhere else after all.

I’m impressed by your activity yesterday Bridget! It makes a huge difference to how you feel if you can do some normal stuff and notice a bit more energy being available to you.

Hope everyone is staying warm and dry on this rotten evening! Have a good weekend. Waves to all

Is anybody up?

Hi bitoffun I'm up, you OK?

Night sweats woke me up at 4, can't get back to sleep.

I've been awol for a bit but was just catching up. Can chat if you want to BitOfFun?

I generally don't look at Trench Tit if I can help it, but I felt some dry patches of psoriasis earlier, so I looked, and my fucking already-inverted nipple actually looks necrotic. I think I might going to have to contact the medics first thing Monday and get the whole thing lopped off.

Oh that sounds horribly scary BitOfFun. Are your medical team easy to access?

Oh bitofun how worrying for you. Do you have a temperature or any signs of infection? If so a trip to out of hours or a&e may be for the best.
A call to one of the cancer helplines as soon as they open may be good.
Why do these things happen on a Sunday!

I'm so sorry to hear this, so you have anyone with you now?