Cancer support thread #73 - come in, we're here for you.

[Trumpton]

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 smile

Just phoned drs to see if scan results back.

Not even been reported yet.

So Wtf was the point of an urgent referral???

Thanks @skap no I'm definitely not fluffy hun type. Bit of a dark sense of humour actually. My mate has just sent me a card which says "sorry your tit is shit" which made me chuckle and how I deal with stuff. But I'll take a look. To be honest you guys have maintained my sanity which says a lot so thank you xx

@Stinkyeddie are you kidding me?! Hopefully that means no worries and you can move on all positive like. Here's hoping eh? Until then keep busy anything to stop the mind working overtime xx

Forgot to mention bowel and bladder issues in my earlier epic post.
Before all this shit, I never had occasion to think about either as I had never had bladder or bowel problems. The effect of the radiotherapy was to make me pee more, including getting up in the night which I had never previously had to do (other then when pregnant). That has now subsided and I'm back to normal.
I was constipated during and for a while after treatment, managing to produce an eggcupful of sheep droppings (TMI, sorry) every other day after great effort. I'm now the other way, and need to go several times a day often with not a lot of notice. It's ok though, it's just inconvenient.
I had no burns or skin redness at all, so I was lucky there I think.

hippie
The lady at the drs just laughed.
Bloody hilarious!

Stinkyeddie. she laughed!! Let's hope she is never in the same position when she would realise it is not a laughing matter. So angry on your behalf which I know doesn't help at all.

Yeah...feeling a bit about that

@Hippiechick162 I think this thread achieves a great balance of empathy and humour. Did you get a Breast Care Nurse today?

I like your friend's humour hippie

She laughed?! How rude! Seriously, some people haven't got the brains they were born with. I did get my breast care nurse today @Skap she's called Emma. Her and the doctor were lovely, he had me laughing at my appointment which was a relief, really down to earth and promised me he wouldn't "bullshit" me ( his words not mine). You're right, this thread is beautifully balanced! If you can't laugh then you'll cry and if much rather laugh...it is after all bloody good medicine. @Stinkyeddie it's great isn't it? Very similar to me in a lot of ways. Our boss always says "oh here comes double trouble". I'm a year 6 teacher and she's my amazing TA xxx

Aha!
Most of my favourite people are teachers! :)

@meercat23 pot luck 're the counsellor to be honest. The sessions are provided free of charge as part of the local breast cancer Haven offer to patients.

Ive had counselling at various times in the past, and i work in NHS mental health services so I'm familiar with the different approaches, but this person is a hypnotherapist, which I've not had much experience of. I've had one session so far. I felt comfortable with her, so that was good. She gave me some sensible pointers on dealing with stress.....nothing I didn't already know but good to hear it nonetheless. She also gave me access to a download of a pre-bedtime relaxation to assist with sleep and I've got to use it every night. Good result last night which was my first attempt.

I've got 4 sessions booked, and we'll be doing some hypnosis/relaxation in the session next week. First session was all talking....and me crying a fair bit

Thanks WTF I think I might ask the BCN and she what she suggests. When I was having the Radiotherapy they had all sorts of alternative therapies and counselling on offer but I didn't feel that I needed it then. It is now that most of the treatment is done that it is hitting me. Mind you it could be a touch of the winter blue too.

Hi @redspook yep mancunian here for my sins lol! Where are you? Waving my whippet right back at ya! What is your cancer? Hope it's all going well xx

Brassica so glad to hear your good news! Thank you for all of your help and support. I hope you'll drop by to update us with your life post-treatment. Best of luck for the future.

hippiechick welcome! I'm being treated for breast cancer at the Christie (live in Cheadle). They are fantastic! I am currently having my 4th round of chemo (split across today and tomorrow, as I've just changed drugs and you can have a reaction to them - so it's split up so if you do react, they know which one you react to). Have you discovered Maggie's yet? They are also fantastic, and really close to the Christie. They run a breast cancer support group. The next one is on Tuesday 21st Jan at 11am, if you fancy coming along (I'm hoping to go). They run all sorts of courses aswell - the relaxation class was good. Feel free to PM me if you want more info on the Christie, etc. I know how hard all the waiting is, but once you have your diagnosis and treatment plan, it moves really quickly - I was diagnosed in late October, and am now half way through chemo. Take care!

@Redspook - I think my brachytherapy must be different to yours; I have two separate sessions, 50 minutes each. No mention of lying still for 24 hours!

@Stinkyeddie - it is perfectly possible that the lack of urgency is because there really isn't anything to worry about. In my experience, if it's serious, they know pretty quickly and make every effort to move things along. However, it doesn't make it any easier, all this waiting and fretting, and they are not being very considerate or caring!

@Hippiechick162 - sorry you have to have more diagnostics. Hope the picture is clearer next week.

Hoping so cointreau

Number 8 of 12 chemo done today . Fell asleep on couch after dinner , crawled off to bed at 9pm and now wide awake with crashing headache .
Herceptin next week as well that will be number 3 of 18 .
It’s all moving along .
My diagnosis and treatment plan has been a slow burner from “ area of concern” in June through biopsy and two lumpectomies , sentinel node removal and planned mastectomy surgery in November . That was postponed as tests came back the week before showing I was HER2 + so needed chemotherapy before surgery rather radiotherapy after.

It really does bend your mind not knowing a definite plan but I think we know now and can plan ahead to next July when I should be able to say I am clear.

Sending support to all. Pour me a drink at The Patience Inn and I will wash some paracetamol down with it .

Hi. I had a biopsy today of a mass in my breast. I had my first mammogram on December 6, which found a mass in my right breast. Due to a mixup at my doctor's office, I didn't get an ultrasound of the spot until December 27 (🙄). Then the biopsy today.

They are saying the chances that it's cancer are low (the mass has regular borders and minimal blood flowing to it), but my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer prior to age 50, so I'm considered high-risk. I am BRCA1 and BRCA2 negative. I should get my results Monday or Tuesday. I'm freaking out a little.

On the plus side, I found the biopsy to be easy and painless.

Hi @Trumpton how's the head? Nice cool drink poured for you with a paracetamol chaser...enjoy! Bit rough that long not having a definite plan, how did you deal with that? Here's to next July!

@steff13 welcome, I'm new here too but you should find everyone super supportive. Hopefully it's all clear and you can sail off into the sunset soon, but until then if you have any questions I'll bet someone here can answer them. I found my lump in between Christmas and New Year, was told on Monday that I have breast cancer. Once the biopsy is done it's pretty fast moving. Waiting is a head screw, the great advice I was given is keep busy (my house has never been so organised-wardrobes cleaned out, kids toys sorted, even decorated my bedroom now). I'm sure someone else will be along with something for you but until then I'll budge up on the bench and say welcome to the most supportive thread I've ever seen xx

Thank you. I'm trying to be positive. Even if it's "something" it is a single area and it's small, and the survival rate is so much better than it was when my mom had it 20 years ago. I want to go look at my biopsy site in the mirror but I'm afraid it will be gross. 🤢 They showed me the samples they took which were surprisingly innocuous-looking.

Steff13. Welcome and I sincerely hope you do not need to be here long. From what I have learned they tend to err on the side of caution when telling you what they think and so must think it is likely to be nothing sinister. I very much hope that turns out to be the case but meanwhile I know that you will find friendly support and information from the lovely people here. As many of us here have discovered, waiting for results it one of the worse bits. Whatever they decide your situation is and whatever they decide needs to be done about it, you will be able to get your head round it and cope. The awful vacuum of not knowing just leaves the blackest bot of your imagination to fill in the bits.

Trumpton I am hoping that you are fast asleep at the moment after your disturbed night. I am finding at the moment that either I cant sleep at all or I cant keep awake. I had Herceptin on Thursday so it is probably that but it is a pain. 8/12 is definitely getting there. I found that as I got towards the end of chemo the light at the end of the tunnel was very welcome indeed. The three weekly Herceptin does stretch out a bit. (I have just done 13/18 so getting there but it will be April before it is all done) but the side effects of that are much much less than for the chemo si it interferes with real life much less.

Morning all! Have just read through a week's worth of posts, aiming to catch up properly.

Firstly a big warm hello and welcome to @steff13, very much hope the biopsy doesn't find anything sinister.

@Toofaroutallmylife how are you doing now?
@redspook I'm having exactly the same bowel issues as you, I have had bowel surgery and chemo but no rads. I'm somewhat reassured that you're in the same boat as I was a bit worried it could be a symptom of something bad. Think I will mention it if it's still going on by the time of my next appointment in March.
@WTF99 sending a virtual hug and hope counselling continues useful. Do you want to say more about specific difficulties with post treatment life? I'm finding quite a few people still expect me to be feeble physically and are surprised when I walk fast etc. Ridiculous to be irritated by this!
@Stinkyeddie it is crap that you are still waiting for results even though I agree with others that it probably means not too much to worry about. You still need to know!
@Skap glad you have dates for treatment sorted.

@CointreauVersial getting extra bits of diagnosis by the back door is not good.

@Trumpton hurrah for festivals, and being able to plan around dates.
@meercat23 hug to you too, I think low stamina in itself is depressing. I know since I have got much more energy, I'm much happier.

@DoreensEatingHerSoreen crossing fingers your latest scan results are as good as possible this coming week.

Greetings and good wishes to @Nonotmenori, @CaptainNancy1, @BrowniesAreSuper, @Clogsaregreat, @Zorgothslugofdoom, @Hippiechick162, @LittleMissnotLittleMrs, @digerd, @NaomiFromMilkShake, @Squiffy01 and anyone else I've missed. Wishing you all some nice times this weekend.

@meercat23
I woke again at 2 and awake by 6 but have made a big pot of mega veggie soup for later.

@Hippiechick162
I found the change of plans very hard to deal with particularly the move of op as I had set up flights and arranged to stay locally after op as the surgeon did not want me to return to the island for 2 weeks after op.
Still everything happens for a reason and I am plodding on !