Cancer Support Thread 94 - Sweetness and light - the two noblest of things.

[LemonDrizzle10]

@tilllly and Daisy.

@enigma52 I have propananol which I could take. This doesn't take the edge of it as much as diazepam does. But the dr won't prescribe this to be anymore.

I was getting on fine with my life. I don't want any of this shit. My world has fallen apart 💔

@Dogfood yes cancer is an arse. Comes out of nowhere.

Can't the GP prescribe diazepam just for the CT scan?

Try not to fight your diagnosis ( hard as it is) Instead, focus on next week and your scan. The unknown is scary, but we are here for you. Is your DM supportive?

@Dogfood I'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis, and that you have joined the club that none of us really want to be part of. I promise, it does get better as the initial shock wears off and you start to get a handle on the practical steps that treatment will involve.

Macmillan are amazing. Do ask your GP for mild sedation for your scan if needed, I am sure they would consider a one off Diazepam prescription.

My own update, after a long silence (sorry!) is that I have had my single mastectomy two weeks ago. I've been recovering fairly smoothly although the bit under my armpit where lymph nodes were removed is still swollen and a bit sore.

I'm very contented with my decision to go flat on one side and happy with what my surgeon was able to do aesthetically. I've found some really cool prosthetic options, like Boost, and also some unilateral bras from Unobra - a very fabulous and affirming idea!

My really good news, though, was that my sentinel lymph nodes were clear! I will still need chemo but this means I won't have to have another op for axillary lymph node clearance. So unbelievably thankful and looking forward to being able to have a quiet summer break relaxing at home with my girls.

I hope you're all well and I am going to do my best to catch up with this thread, and all your news, over the weekend. Strength and solidarity!

@Dogfood you can do this. Do ask for the drugs you need. The staff have seen it all before.
@londondragonite great news- there is a brilliant support group called flat friends on line which you might find helpful.

@Dogfood I’m so sorry to hear of your diagnosis. I’m a few weeks down the line and it was very hard to deal with the shock.
I had a lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy two weeks ago and the histology is taking forever to come through. As someone said above, I wish they’d told me the possible options at the start - I have no idea how my life is going to go and whether I’ll be able to run my business - all depending on these elusive results.
the support I’ve found so far on mn and real life has been great - I’m trying not to google.

@Dogfood it's incredibly unlikely your scan itself will take more than 10-15 minutes. I've had probably a about 10 CT scans in the last 2 years and none have lasted longer than that. I suspect the 1hour 15 mins is probably if you have to drink the contrast drink, which takes a little while as there is quite a lot of it. Otherwise you just have a cannula for the IV dye. I promise you there is no way you'll be scanned for more than 15 mins for a CT scan. MRIs take a bit longer, but you have said it's CT scan?

CT scans are the easy ones. They are just like a big doughnut that you are moved into on the trolley. They whirl around but you aren’t enclosed and if you wanted to you could get up and walk off. MRI is more challenging but still doable.

@enigma52 DM and DH are both very supportive

@londondragonite that's great news, really pleased for you

Yes it's def a CT scan. I only got the appt through on Friday for Monday. Unfortunately no time to get meds from the Dr. I could just about cope if it was only 15 mins. I'm stressing about the scan so much. The time it could take and my anxiety/panic attacks. I don't think I could drink the drink, I'd throw it up.

Im due to go on holiday for a week, in a weeks time. I'm going with friends. The consultant said it was fine to go when I checked with him and he asked why I wouldn't go. But I really don't feel like it now after all this. Instead I want to run away and smash my phone up in anger and rage. There would then be no nhs app or NHS text messages or hospital letters (obviously there would still be, but I wouldn't see them and if i couldn't see them then i wouldn't know about them and if i didn't know about them then they wouldnt exist, in my mind).

I have my first year check up ct scan tomorrow for my colon cancer. Cancer all removed stage 2a. Chemo after. I’m bloody dreading it. I’m actually feeling sick at the thought of it. It’s a two hour appointment with the oral contrast. Scanning aprox 10 min.
Fitness wise I was actually feeling ok till a week ago when I started to get lower right groin pain, a sharp pain when it started, travelling down my leg. Crampy period feeling. I’m 51, never had a period for two months then a very light period with a few clots. My periods are usually very heavy. I’m hoping it’s late perimenopause or fibroids or cysts. I’m scared the cancers spread to an ovary. I know it’s rare. Im so scared with this scan then the week following till results. I feel like running away.

I was given lorazepam if that's any help.

@Dogfood I was just catching up on this thread and what you're feeling is normal, it's still how I feel and I'm near the end of my treatment. I have cervical cancer and I'm still embarrassed by it. I have brachytherapy every Tues for 3 weeks and I have to lay flat for hours with a contraption of rods up my vagina and I am beyond terrified. It sounds like you are having a full body mri?

@Dogfood CT scans are quick and easy. Tell the staff how nervous you are, and they'll work magic to get you through it in one piece. I've had sooooo many CTs and PETs and MRIs, and seriously, CT scans are the best because they don't take long and aren't noisy. The duration you've been given includes all the faffing around before and after. You CAN do this. And you WILL do this because you need the results.

One thing that I often tell newly diagnosed people is this: During this entire thing, you only have one single job: Turn up to your appointments. You don't have to turn up wearing a designer dress and with a smile on your face. You can turn up unwashed, in your oldest tracksuit, and in the middle of a sobbing fit. Just: Turn up. Your team will handle the rest.
Maybe that takes the pressure off? It helped me no end during chemo.
Just. Turn. Up.

Excellent advice above.

@Dogfood You CAN and WILL do this. Baby steps.

Brachytherapy tomorrow and I am feeling so sick with nerves. I have no idea what my bloods are doing either so who knows if I'll need a GA tomorrow or just a spinal.

I know for a fact I'm also more worried about another cannula. 😢

@catmomof3 fingers crossed it all goes okay. They give you all the good drugs!

@Dogfood how are you ?

I hope so, scared I'm gonna get to the ward and just start bawling my eyes out. I can't even take my lorazepam until I get there and get permission.

@catmomof3 sending you hugs and love for tomorrow. Xx

@Enigma52 scan done today. Tomorrow I need to chase for an appt with the consultant to get the results.

Fingers crossed for both of you @Dogfood and @catmomof3 🤞🤞🤞🤞

@enigma52 ty. I'm. Not sure what is next. Op to remove other thyroid or radioactive iodine treatment.

Anyone know ?

@Dogfood I know it's a bit of a random comment, but I love your forum name.

I'm sorry to hear you qualify to join this thread, but it is at least a place with lovely supportive people who understand.

Well done getting through the CT scan. I am claustrophobic and was utterly terrified of the MRI, but have now done them so often I lost count ages ago.

Regarding your question about what is next in your treatment, I can't answer that unfortunately. My diagnosis was locally advanced breast cancer. I know from breast cancer that there are a whole load of diseases under the umbrella term 'breast cancer' with very different treatments, so I imagine there could also be more than one thyroid cancer disease, which could mean different treatment to a different thyroid cancer type.

Do you have a phone number you can call to speak to your nurse / clinic / unit / hospital? Otherwise maybe your GP? I can completely understand you need to know what is up next.

@catmomof3 Brachytherapy sounds awful from what you described. I'm sorry you have to go through it. I didn't have that - the radiotherapy I had was easy in comparison. I suffered dreadfully on chemo though, so I completely get your fear of going in and having such horrible treatment. It doesn't matter if you cry; I cried plenty at our chemo unit over the one and a half years I was a regular. I even screamed out one day so loudly the whole room heard and probably the whole building.

You will manage to get through it, and I will be thinking of you tomorrow xxx Let us know how you get on.

@catmomof3 I don't think I had a cannula for Brachytherapy but I honestly cannot remember, I was sedated for most of the day. It really wasn't painful at all.

Bring along a long phone charger though as you are led down most of the day but you'll have a nurse or a HCA with you the whole time.

You've come so so far and this is the last bit, it's also a game changer in terms of nuking the bastard!

You've got this, you really really have xx

Thank you to everyone for your well wishes, my first brachy went ok, yes I bawled my eyes out walking into theatre and I was literally crying into the nurses shoulder while they did the cannula and spinal (they both bloody hurt). I was then fully sedated and woke up on the way to my mri and ct scan.

My spinal wore off about 3 hours later which was annoying as laying flat without moving was giving me a slight back ache but in all honesty my team was amazing, they gave me oral morphine and made sure I was done first when treatment was dispensed due to my autism and anxiety as two other ladies were also waiting. I was home by 4pm when I expected to be there till 6/7pm.

The most painful thing is how it now feels like razors when I pass urine due to the catheter.

OH and also the consultant who was inserting all the equipment came and told me that she couldn't even see the tumour. This was after the other consultant who was helping came to me in the morning before theatre and said he looked at my mri from last week and said he could hardly see the tumour. So I'm feeling really positive. Only 2 more brachy to go and yes I'll cry again but at least I know what to expect.

Plus looks like my blood transfusion will be next week now they couldn't do it today because there was 3 of us down for brachy and they can only do it if there is 2. Something about staffing levels.

@catmomof3 that's amazing. So glad it went as well as it could.

Brilliant news about the tumour, you can't get better than that

You've totally got this!

@catmomof3 👏👏 you did good!
You've come such a long way since you were first diagnosed. Things are looking up for you x