Cancer Support Thread 93 - The Thread for the Dread and the Not Yet Dead? Everything you need to know about Cancer but didn’t want to know

[LemonDrizzle10]

Shiny new thread.

@Enigma52 I'm sorry I can't help with the menopause symptoms, though I may be asking for advice on that score now I'm having Zoladex injections every month.

I submitted my PIP claim a month ago and I had a call today from a nurse doing the assessment. She just wanted to clarify a few elements (mostly around how far I can walk, how long I can stand for), and said she didn't think I'd need a face to face assessment because I'd been clear about my limitations.

She's going to write her report today and then I should hear from the DWP soon with their decision.

@SewingBees I do hope the injections are kind to you. Honestly, I feel cancer has fucked with just about every aspect of my life right now!
It's taken my breast, womb, reproductive organs, lung and hormones and now I'm suffering every fucking menopause symptom known to man!! Urghhh!

Fingers crossed for your Pip application, I hope you get every deserving penny without question.

I swear, if I have to go to an assessment centre to prove I can breathe, there will be trouble!

Rant over.....

@Enigma52 I get ADP and I met with somebody from Scot gov who filled in my form for me.

@Enigma52
How did it go with GP?

@Tilllly Shes prescribed sertraline, 25mg for a week, then 50mg going forward. It's either going to do something, or turn me into a complete zombie (then I won't care where the clutch is!)

Shit show number 2, the one they don't tell you about when everything is whipped out!

Sigh 😞!

On a lighter note, I'm quite enjoying the actions of my new found " don't give a fuck/ super bolshy hormone deprived self!

Pretty liberating really ( especially when it comes to queue jumpers, people who won't move out the way in supermarkets and noisy cinema eaters!

Yeah, I'm finding a bit of that too

Turning into a gobshite!

That's the word I was looking for; gobshite!!!

@Enigma52 have you tried propanol for the anxiety? I found it gave me chance to hear myself think when I was first having symptoms that caused anxiety. I'm off it again now. My tip would be not to take it too late in the evening though as it can cause some pretty colourful dreams!

@Catunderling I may have tried propranolol years ago, but I don't recall it doing much ( except slow down my racing heart?)

Will start sertraline I guess and see how it goes. Things can't get any worse.

Yesterday was a trip back to Cancerland for a bone infusion. I started badly by going to the wrong hospital. Luckily I was early and they are only five miles apart. When I finally arrived it was one of my favourite nurses who is still working at 66. She was very chilled and competent. We discussed why she doesn’t want to retire yet despite two pensions. I got home and had a night from hell with everything aching in turn. Around three am I took some codeine and amitriptyline to shut it up. Now I feel like I had an overnight boxing match.
I am trying to remember why I thought it a good idea to request a scar revision next week. I promise myself after that I am not going back into that hospital unless it’s life or death.

@Enigma52 how about asking for some diazepam? It would help while the new meds kick in.

@TopOfTheCliff sounds a rough night! Hope you can rest today?

Diazepam, is that a beta blocker?

Not a BB- It increases GABA uptake which causes central nervous system depression...

@enigma it is the generic name for Valium. Useful for short term anxiety treatment. It’s in the benzodiazepine family which are out of favour due to the risk of addiction but in palliative care that hardly matters.

A benzodiazepine

Thanks all.
Okay, it could be an option.
Sertraline will take at least 3/4 weeks to kick in.

@Enigma52 the "don't give a fuck" side is good!

@TopOfTheCliff that sounds rough! What's the bone infusion for (if you don't mind me asking).

I have my meeting after the "no time off for six weeks" eye roll inducing meeting, tomorrow, after work 🙄 Conveniently, I have not had minutes from that meeting yet 🤔 Never fear...I have my trusty post-it's that I used when calling Unison & will chat through with the rep first where they're going wrong 🤷‍♀️

Good luck for today @lucysmam xx

Thanks @demivolte .

Fave colleague is going to be hauled over hot coals if she comes in today - she's sent an email that she probably shouldn't have, to a rather large group of us. I suspect she won't be in though 🙈

Thinking of you @lucysmam . Remember the invisible army behind you.
The bone infusion is given in certain breast cancers to women post menopause. It prevents osteoporosis from hormone blockers and reduces the incidence of long bone metastases. I had three years worth for BC no 1 and am now having a bonus extra year for no 2. Lucky me!

Keeps us posted @lucysmam
Last day of term today?
Is fav colleague in?

Yep, last day of term. Fave colleague was in - seems to have vanished!

@lucysmam I'm burning with curiosity about the content of fav colleague's email....

Good luck for your meeting.

@lucysmam what was in the email? Also curious 🧐

Just had a session of reflexology.
Been referred for acupuncture next! Maybe it will fix the " horror pause"
🙏