Cancer Support Thread #79 Newbies Welcome

[MrsPnut]

Welcome friends old and new, to the most supportive thread on Mumsnet. Everyone is welcome whatever stage you're at (fears, diagnosis, treatment). Introduce yourself and say Hi

Good luck to everyone having treatment this week. Hugs to all - especially if you're feeling rubbish (physically, mentally, or waiting for results - ugh

Oh @BadEyeBri that definitely puts my bottom into perspective. That must be so uncomfortable. You might need to avoid going too close to fire pits etc to avoid a nasty accident!! I am sitting very awkwardly, and my poor DH has the dubious pleasure of monitoring its size over the next few days!!

@BadEyeBri Is it flaminal hydro? I had radiation burns on my vulva and that cleared it up in two days. Unfortunately I’d put up with it for ages because the radiographer had told me I couldn’t use it there and I had a few weeks before I spoke to my oncologist.

@Alittlewornout Do you have a ring to sit on? I was sitting on a pillow for some time just to alleviate my soreness.

I am still healing and am a little sore at times. I’m just trying to rest and do very little.

@MrsPnut thank you I am trying a pillow and sitting off that side. No ring, as when I was a student nurse, a few decades ago, they were discouraged as felt hindered blood supply to the area that needed it.( May have been more in relation to pressure sores to be honest!) Thought I might invest in a pressure cushion though if this is going to be a regular occurrence.

Hello all. I'm new here, and hope that I don't have to stay for long - lovely though you all are.

I've been put on the two week wait after severe abdo pains and a positive FIT test. Due for Colonoscopy late next week, and my mind has been up and down like a yo-yo. Terrified of what might be.

So I thought I would pop by and say hello and wish you all the best in your journeys.

@Recorditnow hello and welcome, sorry that you have an anxious wait now for investigation. Very much hope you will be fine, but you'll find great support here for as long as you need it.

@MrsPnut no it's the emollient Vaseline type diprobase but I'm seeing my consultant tomorrow and I'll ask for the one you've mentioned. It's not too bad but I'm very conscious that I've 6 radio this week d/t bank holiday and still the dreaded brachy 😣

@TopOfTheCliff indeed I have the orange flavour and it is indeed vile! I'll try and get some lemon and lime.

I went for a short, rather slow walk with my neighbour today (y'all know how evangelical I am about the medical powers of walking). Surgeon will inspect and get dressings changed in the morning - I don't want anything to do with it I do feel remarkably unhuman and unappealing from head to toe these days. I'm a pretty low-maintenance woman but this level of unattractiveness is rather depressing.

Sorry to hear about all the sore nether regions though. Very tedious.

@Recorditnow may your stay be short. Waiting for test results is very trying.

Thanks for the welcomes.

You can get plain Movicol, I mix it with squash. Better than the other vile flavours.

@Top I remember you telling me to get the lemon and lime ones. The ones I have currently are orange and I neck them in one. Sometimes I have a light chunder afterwards as they are so revolting.

@Acinonyx2 I hear you regarding feeling unattractive. You asked me about the J cloth hat earlier - I had a choice of 3, the shower cap, a men's one with a tie at the back and a sort of headscarf. I went for the men's one over my turban so I had 2 hats on omg and was happy to find my turban still in place when I woke up. Summer is already presenting me with headwear worries. It might have to be a straw donkey hat at this rate

I have an underwear problem. My scar is vertical and goes way below where my pubes would be and above my belly button. Currently I am commando but I will need to think of something that doesn't rub. I thought my normal bikini knickers would be fine but they are too high.

Hi everyone, I have a bit of a random question. I have a chronically infected impacted wisdom tooth that I know needs removal at the hospital. I have been told the wait time is about 6 months. Will the hospital somehow be able to speed this up if I need chemotherapy? Worried about the risks of infected teeth and treatment. Sorry, the things you worry about before bed.

@ChickandLamb I would think the priority would be your chemo. Once you're on chemo, you have to be careful when in your cycles you have treatment and I was told to get anything done first. If this is the advice then I would presume they would want it removed before you started. You could contact your CNS who could ask your oncologist and get the ball rolling.

@Recorditnow Welcome and hopefully your visit will be a short one.

@BadEyeBri If they are reluctant to prescribe it then I have loads of little tubes and can post one. My GP prescribed a second lot after I had brachy when what I needed was estriol.

@FizzyOrange can you not go the other way and wear apple catchers? Try to get the elastic to over the top of the scar? You’ll keep your kidneys warm at the very least.

@Acinonyx2 I hear you, I feel all wrong somehow. It’ll dissipate with time I’m sure but the weather turning is making it worse.

I managed the orange laxido by mixing it with less water and treating it like a shot with a glass of water chaser to take the taste away. I’d better not get the lemon and lime one because my favourite squash is belvoir lime cordial and I don’t want to go off it.

@Chickenandlamb definitely speak to your CNS about any dental issues. I have recently been seen by a hospital dental team prior to my stem cell transplant. Realise you are a different scenario but always good to get these things seen to.i do see the dentist regularly but they wanted their own team to do the check.

@MrsPnut I'm getting some kind of colloid wipe/dressing and oromorph which I think might be overkill

@BadEyeBri I don’t know why they always try pushing oromorph for that type of thing. I fought my oncologist and I was right. If that area is sore, the last thing you want is to be constipated from morphine and having to push.
I’m happy to stick some flaminal hydro in the post to you, I have an unopened tube. It is about £15 for 15ml for the NHS so they might be reluctant to give it as a first try.

@FizzyOrange What you need are M& S full briefs with the inch deep lace top in the front. Ive found they dont dig in, also I did buy a larger size.

@MrsPnut yeah I'm not in oromorph territory but they want to px it. The colloid dressing sounds good- there's a delay in the order coz of Brexit YAY! 😡 I can order the flaminal from work but thank you very much for the offer. I think I'm getting some topical local anaesthetic too. I'll have a big bag of goodies to take home today

@MrsPnut and @thereisonlyoneofme thank you for those suggestions. I wore bikini knickers in bed with the front rolled down and they unrolled in the night and now seem fine so I think I was panicking unnecessarily;

@MrsPnut the Laxido shot is inspired!

@BadEyeBri it will be like a party bag!

DD and I removed the steri strips off my scar last night and I am very pleased with it. I have dissolvable stitches and was expecting the sort where they are knotted individual stitches but it looks like a running stitch. I can't see how the surgeon has done it, it is like an internal French seam. Perhaps that could be a challenge on the Sewing Bee?

I still havent looked at my scar Fizzy, you are brave !

@MrsPnut Yes - I'll try the shot method too!

@FizzyOrange @thereisonlyoneofme well done Fizzy. I went to get my dressing off this morning and the nurse knows I don't want to look at it so just does it while I lie down and chat and although surgeon says it doesn't need re-dressing she puts some on so I won't have to look at them! So I'm with you thereisonly.

Hello all - I have just been urgently referred to see a specialist of suspected oral/maxillofacial cancer. Appointment on the 10th of May x

Hi All.

I'm new here. I found you by chance. I was diagnosed on the 15th March with triple negative breast cancer stage three as there's some cancer in the nearby lymph nodes. I don't know how many. I don't want to know.

I'm 41(just) with a 6 year old son. Single parent but his dad is being great.

I started chemo on 16th April. Four rounds of EC then 12 weeks of paclitexal and carboplatin thrown in every third. Chemo brain and the bone pain from the filigrastim seem to be my nemesis.

Have any of you had a second Covid jab whilst in treatment? I had a horrible reaction to the first one and I'm terrified of having it done tomorrow.

I'm sorry we all have to connect in these circumstances but it does help to not feel totally alone.

Hello all - I have been lurking on this thread since getting a mammogram recall between Christmas and New Year. Diagnosed with Stage 2, Grade 3, IDC. Hormone +ve and HER-. Two operations (lumpectomy and margin clearance). Samples sent to California indicate no significant benefit from chemo so radiotherapy starts in a few weeks. I'm also on Tamoxifen although that is going to be reviewed following a blood test to confirm my menopause status - I'm 55 but had a coil fitted until my diagnosis so haven't had a period in years!

Thanks to all of you for helping me through the last few months. It is so empowering to follow your journeys and take all the advice and knowledge on board.

In particular @Noidea2114. I think you have a similar diagnosis and are a few weeks ahead of me in terms of treatment so any radiotherapy advice gratefully received.

Welcome @MamaOl93. I'm sure ladies far more experienced than me will be along in a minute to welcome you to the most supportive thread on mumsnet.

Mama I hope your results are negative and you get peace of mind soon. The waiting is honestly the worst bit because you're in limbo. I ended up on diazepam for the anxiety. Once I knew. It was horrible but I could plan

Welcome @MamaOl93 @PhannyPharts and @RocioMartinez I'm sorry you find yourselves here but we are a friendly bunch.

Please do join in, don't feel intimidated because we really do welcome everyone on the journey. Where else do you get discussions about laxido shots, big knickers and how to help sore mouths.