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.

@JlL2013 yes surgical memo is brutal. What Hrt regime are you on? I hope you find relief from it. I was on patches and they worked well for me at the time.

@Enigma52 am on the tablets and pessaries it's week three and not noticed any change but it's early days. Just need more than 4 hours sleep a night, the insomnia is awful.

How are you managing without HRT?

@JlL2013 Do you have to use dilators after brachytherapy?

@Enigma52 sorry to hear about va- it’s awful, isn’t it? I’ve tried lots of stuff, yes moisturiser and Dr Woolf moisturiser helps me a lot.

@catmomof3 they advise you to but I've not been great at doing it to be honest, if you have regular sex though you don't really need to.

Yeah I don't lol, is there an issue otherwise?

@JlL2013 okay, let's hope HRT kicks in soon. Is it oestrogen tablets? Insomnia is the pits. You are young, so would need a good whack of oestrogen.

Me? I'm not managing at all. Every night, I'm drenched head to toe in sweat 😢 Heart palpitations, anxiety, dry " bits " it just goes on. I'm having to address each symptom separately now. I've also got an appointment with a meno specialist next week to discuss a new non hormonal drug to tackle the sweats. If oncology say " no" to new drug, I don't care. My quality of life is shite as it is.

@thesandwich yes products I have; they aren't bad to be fair, but they don't stop the night weeing.

@catmomof3 I think it can cause shortening of the vaginal canal otherwise and it breaks down the scar tissue caused by the radiation.

@Enigma52 it's oestrogen and progesterone tablets 10mg and oestrogen pessary.

Hope your appointment goes well, a friend with breast cancer takes clonidine for night sweats and swears by it,

I hate, hate, hate chemical/medical menopause, too. I'm just so fed up with it.

@Zoopet I had a lumpectomy. The size difference was quite minimal at first, but my bad boob really firmed up/ got smaller after radiotherapy, so the difference is more obvious now. However, I just wear padded bras (t-shirt bras) anyway, and there's a great range called "Full coverage" or something like that from Victoria's Secret that works well. You can't tell that one cup is a bit emptier than the other.
With swimming costumes, I've chosen some that are sort of a wrap style with some ruffles, and that totally hides it as well.
When you're thinking about lumpectomy Vs mastectomy, think through the extent and position of the tumour. For example if the tumour is very close to the skin, mastectomy might be better so that they can take lots of the skin away, in case there are stray cells there. That sort of thing.

@KentishMama I hate surgical menopause too. It's brutal. Just feel life is rubbish right now. Everything itches, burns or is dry!

Okay, why do I feel worse after this drainage procedure? The site hurts, I feel wobbly and a bit spaced out, my legs are shaky; what is going on?

No hormones
GP has requested bloods; thyroid, diabetes, kidney, b12, vitamin d, iron.

Feel as though I'm falling to bits!
Can't return to work yet with this stupid pleural effusion. What if ribociclib isn't working? Then what? I'm going mad! 😢

@Enigma52 I think it's perfectly normal to feel a bit rubbish after a medical procedure - it's trauma for the body. Even if it was a procedure that should have a net positive effect, it might take a few days to come back from the trauma of the procedure itself?

"What if ribociclib isn't working? Then what? I'm going mad! 😢"
But what if it is working, and you're wasting previous energy worrying about it, for nothing? C'mon, you know not to go down this rabbit hole. I always spiral when I'm having a day where physically everything just feels crap, too. Is there anything kind and gentle that you can do for yourself to feel better?

My MRI is at 9 am tomorrow, and then I'm seeing the opthalmologist straight after. Not looking forward to either appointment, and it'll take two weeks for results this time anyway as my surgeon is away, and then I'm away... Bleurgh.

@KentishMama you are right, I shouldn't waste time thinking and worrying. Physically I just feel a mess and just can't fathom what is wrong.

Best of luck for tomorrow, will be thinking of you. Are you going anywhere nice?

@Enigma52 Thank you. I wish it wasn't an MRI, the noise is just too much... But I'll get through it somewhere.
Not going anywhere nice - work trip to the US. Long flight, two and a half days of meetings, long flight back. I should have used the cancer card to get out of this one, but I like my colleagues and don't want to leave them in the lurch.

@KentishMama Agree re: the MRI noise ; it's hideous. Hope today goes okay.

Travelling with nice colleagues, I'm sure helps a bit. Nevertheless, a long few days for you.

I need to get my act together and figure out what I'm doing job wise. I just can't return as I am.

Oh @Enigma52 I hope you're feeling a bit better today. There are just days when it all gets a bit too much, everyone gets them and takes a massive downwards spiral and these days are needed because it makes us put on our big girl knickers, pick ourselves up, and start again. Sometimes our brain needs a cuddle and some time out.

For those with pelvic radiotherapy just wanted to say I sailed through the menopause, done and dusted in 3 months without any medication (thank god I was good at something). However regarding dilation please do it, I didn't and developed a mental block and basically I never have had sex with my partner again. Thankfully he's just happy I'm still here but if I knew then I would have sought help sooner.

@Enigma52 hope today is a bit brighter for you and your in less pain.

@Whatevershallidowithmylife you must have been very lucky, menopause is still kicking my arse 18 months later, although I sailed through treatment so I guess it's swings and roundabouts there.

@Whatevershallidowithmylife Yes it just gets too much at times. Just feeling frustrated because I can't carry out my usual activities, at the same pace. Health anxiety seems to have kicked in and the stupid menopause kicking my arse.

How are things with you?

Thanks.
Pain is subsiding slowly.

How are you managing the menopause symptoms?

Another question; low Haemoglobin. When I went to a&e at the end of March, the Doc said it was slightly low (85??). I feel lightheaded and cold hands and feet. How can I raise it? I already take a liquid iron supplement twice a day.

@Enigma52 I have a ct scan on Wednesday and will know what’s happening on 10th. Not sure if they’ll give me another go on immunotherapy if my kidney function has improved or just send me straight to clinical trials. Am not letting it get me down though! Not sure about Haemoglobin but pernicious anemia causes those symptoms too just in case that's a possibility (b12).

The MRI went pretty well, thanks all! They found a vein on the first attempt - unheard of! Also, this was in Harley Street, so while you get a horrible hospital gown, they also give you a nice, spa-like dressing gown to wear on top, and slipper socks. And there's good coffee.

There was a box to tick on the form that said, "Do you want us to send you the images after the scan?" So I said yes. They sent them immediately, so now I have images, but no interpretation, and I'm looking at them from all angles to try to make sense of them... Be careful what you ask for, people, because this is not really good! 😀

@Enigma52 sounds really frustrating, allow yourself a bit of time to recover, easier said than done though.

It's just shit, just need a good nights sleep and I'm sure it will all seem better.