**TAMOXIFEN** 4th thread

[MaryAnnSingleton]

here we go !

Afternoon all! - I stayed up for a while - (DH bought choc. and other snacks, so bang went my diet), I'm very tired now, but all my own fault!

MAS - good luck with the CBT, my DS has had it, and always described it as hard work, dealing with certain things, but he felt it helped him in the end (he is bi polar).

Sorry about your car bump Cakes - these things are always scary even if its only a little one. Glad you are OK.

And fingers crossed for your friend SR - as others have said, a month is a long time, and very stressful for her. I hope she starts feeling better once she knows where she stands and her treatment gets going.

Smee - I think you may have a point about the gardening. It was all i could think about while on chemo. I think it represents normality for me, and also new life, forward thinking etc. (My God I'm deep)

Love to everyone on treatment, I'm glad it seems to be going a little better this time Pennies, and take care RWU

Just realised I need to change my name, - next time I'll be back in my old guise!

Smee - good news from your results then - that's excellent. My arm is proving too slow to improve for my liking but I am continuing to exercise and will give it 6 weeks before I do anything else (such as speak to BCN). Basically doing the exercises hurts as it is still tight, even at 90 degrees. And although I can put it vertical it is definitely painful! I am relying on what happened last time and trusting all will be OK by 6 weeks.

Its rather cold today but I've done a walk. Walking is key for me but gardening is nice too and if it ere warmer I'd prob. feel more inspired today. But the seedlings can stay comfy and warm inside for a bit longer!

I've got a friend coming for a few days, and I'll let you know what the news is from my other friend whos e results I hope to hear later today - thank you for your good wishes on that.

Sorry about yr car Cakes - sounds as though the driver didn't look at all.

Smee - excellent news! Well done! Now you know what's what you can get onto the next stage.

SR - keep up with the exercise, it's the only way, and it sounds to me as if you and Smee are both doing pretty well with it. I have full movement but even now, 12 months on, that arm is tighter than the other, and I get a very stiff shoulder if i don't do exercise for a few days, so keeping up with it really is the best advice I can offer.

Thanks for the good wishes ref the car - i have just been to a meeting 80 miles away in it, so you can tell it isn't too bad. More of an irritant - how can anyone fail to see a yellow car?? (Goold old Hondas, though. never let you down).

As for gardening - I am not sur eif there is a link between cancer and gardening in my case - it's more that I did nothing last year and it is starting to look a bit of a pit!

Have a nice weekend all - i am off to the pub, right NOW!!!!

Smee - I meant of course to say well done on your results, that is very good news

My friend has been told that although she has lymphoma it is very low grade and does not need treatment at present - I assume this means the riss of chemo are greater than leaving it. She has been told it could develop but they will monitor and if it develops, treat promptly but even then might not be chemo. She is now adapting to the fact she'll always have this. So although it is good news, she's finding it rather strange to accept. The troubel is that they say her other symptoms are unrelated, so she's still fed up with feeling rather unwell all the time. Her GP told her it had been avirus but trouble is that even tho its gone, the symptoms have not.

Sorry - bit of a ramble but I thought you'd like to know.

Its cold here. Will force myself out for a walk though as I've been watching too much TV etc. And overeating . So will go out in order to justify having meal in nice French restaurnat tonight.

Have joined the Saninsbury's fitnessbug club to motivate myself for 12 months. Might be quite a good time to do this as it'll be 5-6 months still on cheo but then hopefully 6-7 MONTHS POST-CHEMO - HURRAY!!

And might summon up energy to return to the degrouting job... neglected for 6 days ...

RWU - longing to hear more from you...

that is good news SR but obviously unsettling for your friend - also not knowing why her symptoms are still there
French meal sounds great ! We are going to a friend's for supper tonight..yay. Also fitnessbug club -well done !
I am going to do a Breast Cancer Care strawberry tea in June -have picked a date and am planning my event - am a bit nervous ! Do you know if you can freeze scones anyone ?

Good news for your friend SR, but I can understand how she feels disconcerted - there's a certain reassurance in medical intervention. Enjoy your meal tonight, French sounds yummy.

MAS - the strawberry tea sounds lovely, I always freeze scones, and they seem fine.

I went to a library sale again today, and bought some cheap CDs- all kinds of music- another bargain

I always freeze scones too - they do well.

What is this fitnessbug club? I shop in Sainsburys but I seem to have missed it - is it good? Must take a look. I have been exercising more recently and found my stiff neck and shoulders, and back, much better. But over the last week or so when I have been busy, I have done more hunching over the pooter and less exercise, and it is all starting to play up again. This week I shall do a bit of exercise every day, COME RAIN (MOST LIKELY) OR SHINE.

SR - good news really for your friend, then. But I imagine it will be unsettling just having to wait and see. I feel for her.

Hi, I don't know if the Sainsbury fitness bug is good yet but it looked as though it would be. I'm waiting for my pack.

I was sent an e-mail prob. because I shop on-line. Its prob. on the Sainsbury's website.

French meal was delicious but I didn't sleep well afterwards - perhaps I ate too much. have been busy today so a bit headachey now. Bye till tomorrow.

I'm sure I posted something yesterday but I can't see it! I remember congratulating Smee on her results and saying something about a chillow.....
Oh well.
I am a very happy bunny today - have had 2 full nights sleep thanks to the lovely tablets from my GP. I was at a fatigue management course on Wed and had a review with the rads nurs on Thursday and they were both shocked that I am managing on about 4 hours sleep a night. I was badgered into going to see GP - can't understand why I didn't do it earlier - guess I just didn't like the idea of sleeping tablets but I have been like this since July last year. I am a convert (short term hopefully)they are fab

My sister came home from Australia today for a holiday. Won't see her for another week or so until I finish rads - can't wait!
Hope you are all well. Thinking especially of RWU as we haven't heard from her for a while.

Hello all! Long time no see!
Sorry I went AWOL, just after I had my gallbladder out I went into a bit of a manic spiral. I'm fast running out of non-essential removable body parts and it hit home a bit too hard iyswim!
I'm a heck of a lot better now though, heavily medicated too keep me on an even keel (sp?) which leaves me really tired by early evening, but then I suddenly get my second wind about now and can't sleep- so sleeping tablets here as well!
Sounds like everyone is busy- lots of gardening and

just popping in - lovely to see you RWU - let me know about bedroom pic whenever you have a mo !
Am interested to hear about the Fitnessbug thing too SR...
So glad you've had some decent sleep haggis- and how lovely that you'll be seeing your sis soon. Take care all - my head is spinning with ideas and things for my BCC Strawberry Tea party - the folksy shop people have been incredibly generous with offers of their crafts for prizes -I wish you all lived near enough to come !
Take care all

Well I for one would love to come - or would that be too stalky? If it's a day i can make I'd like a day out, too!

Great to hear from you RWU - sorry you have been feeling under the cosh, but that you are feeling better now. And re the bedroom furniture.

Seriously I have to get fitter. I am down for the Race for Life (I think I said that so sorry to be repetitious): it wasn't my idea, DH paid my money without telling me, and I NEVER< EVER run. So I will probably be walking it, which will be fine from a stamina point of view, though a bit embarrassing otherwise. But there is little likelihood I'll break into a run. And I have started Rosemary Conley's Hip and Thigh GI diet. I am starving, but that may be all in my head. Determined to have a crack at it, though, as all the clothes are straining at the seams, and there's no joy in buying yourself bigger than usual clothes, only normal ones or smaller. [blobby git emoticon] I used to be a size 8. Sigh.

Lovely to see you as it were, RWU and the furniture sounds great I am too.

Haggis - I don't know how you've managed on 4 hrs sleep - enjoy the longer slumbers!

Cakes - even mentioning size 8 in the distant past is just showing off good luck with diet.

I have decided it is time for a healthy summer smoothie campaign - will be good for me and DH, will boost my DS's GCS results So have my recipe book out and about to go and buy lots of fruity ingredients now.

MAS - I have prob read about strawberry teas but promptly forgotten - good on you. I'll see if I could do similar in one of 'good' weeks. But I'd also like to do a tea for the Asthma campaign as my sister dies of asthma and I like to support them too. I'm feeling energetic today as I sleep much better last night (makes mental note to eat only small amount if I go a restaurant again. They seemed only reasonable portions but I think were too much in current cirs.)So I'm feeling inspired about cooking - or non-cooking in the case of smoothies. We had mango, banana, yoghurt and honey smoothie this morning and everyone liked it!

Ooh the smoothies sound great. Yum!

I can't sleep if I eat late, these days, either. Or drink late. God it's great getting old, isn't it?

Yes, the size 8 thing was a boast, really. I can scarcely believe it myself. One thing's certain, I'll never be there again!

I can't believe haggis managed on 4hours sleep either? Margaret Thatcher used to do that, and look what it did to her! Glad the pills are helping, it's crap not being able to sleep.

Good on MAS and SR for plans to arrange something for a good cause, nice to do, especially if it is something that has affected someone close. perhaps we should all spend the summer doing teas, turning up at each others, and donating cash. We could end the year poor, stuffed to the gunwhales with cake, but happy. I can think of worse ways to spend a few months!

Now stop with the baking, you're putting me to shame. I am most impressed by your energy levels though, and MAS what a lovely idea to have a strawberry tea.

SR, great to hear your friend's news is as good as it can be. Hopefully she'll continue on the level for a long while to come. How awful about your sister though. That must have been incredibly distressing. Asthma's terrifying; a good friend has it, and though she manages it well it's constantly with her.

RWU, really glad you're back and feeling stronger, new bedroom and all. Sleeping tablets sound sanity inducing. Four hours is far, far too little. Did you know Margaret Thatcher used to have injections to help her through? Can't remember what they were, but she needed them to keep going apparently.

haggis, thanks for you kind wishes even if they never appeared! Had a bit of a predictable downer about it all yesterday. More reality sinking in, so I stupidly googled convincing myself the Consultant's prognosis was overly optimistic. I should have learned not to by now. But Haggis, does that mean in another week you're out of treatment (apart from pill popping I mean)? If so that's fantastic. How long's it all taken to get to here? Really really well done to get to the end of it all.

Cakes great on the fitness campaign. Just the thought of it is going to make you feel smugly better. Go bask in your soon to be vibrant self! I asked about swimming during chemo (ever the optimist me) and my BC Nurse said it's fine so long as I'm feeling fit and I keep away from crowded changing rooms full of snotty kids. Can't start yet as I'm still only just over two weeks post op, so it's too soon. I have a mate who needs to shed a stone or two, so he's going to be my swim buddy. Followed naturally by much tea and cake.

• I have some cording - anyone else had that/ got any advice? Am hacked off, as all the info says that doesn't come until 6 weeks post op and I'm only 2. Weirdly I have great movement - can do everything apart from lifting my arm up above my head. I can even do that, but it hurts. Tell me it'll go if you had it and it did. I have visions of a physio massaging my arm pit and it's not what I want..!

Hiya Smee

I had cording just like yours - full movement, but tight and painful - also much sooner than six weeks after surgery. I just upped the amount of arm stretches I did, and it did ease. You have to keep going on the arm stretches though, probably for months and years, otherwise it reasserts itself. IME you don't have to do loads of stretches each time, but you do need to do a few, several times a day. The frequency is the thing.

Thanks Cakes - says she with one arm raised...

Lovely to see you RWU. Not surprising that the gall bladder op. took it out of you but I'm glad you are feeling a bit more like your usual self now. The bedroom furniture sound great, - I urgently need to have a clear out, I live in clutter!

Smee, I second Cakes with the arm movement - like you I had good movement but couldn't raise it above my head, and a lot of tightness. You may well find the swimming helps - I'm sure it did for me. Stay away from the google - it is a baaaaaad thing!

Haggis, well done for getting the sleeping sorted, I'm sure that will make a big difference to how you feel. It will be lovely to see your sister, is it a long time since she was here? How is the kitten getting on?

Strawberry tea sounds brilliant MAS - I hope you get lots of people coming, and I like Cakes idea of a round Britain cakeathon- thats my kind of trip (can you tell its a long time since I was a size 8 too!)

SR - mmmm to smoothies, you've inspired me to start making them for breakfast. And the fitnessbug sounds a good thing, is it something you can join online?
Very sorry to hear about your sister - asthma is horrible, my DD has it and we have had a few scary moments with her. She seems to have a good asthma nurse at uni. now though, he has altered her treatment and it seems to have improved things.

Well done on RFL cakes - don't worry about walking it, the majority of participants will be walking, good for you for taking part.

I'm of to the dentist soon, and I'm pretty sure he's going to want to do a crown on a tooth that fell apart when I was on chemo. It got a temp. repair at the moment. Am dreading the cost. I'm going to yoga afterwards to calm down.

Sorry second post - but wanted to tell you about DH, and give you a laugh!
He was just about to come to bed last night when he said 'bloody hell, I've just remembered I've got a conference tomorrow, I've got to give a presentation, it's being filmed, and I haven't written it yet'

So - he stayed up all night writing his talk, woke up early this morning, got all dressed up in his suit and tie, was just leaving when I said 'have you got your talk?' 'oh no' he said 'its on a memory stick in my other trousers pocket'.(typical)

So he eventually leaves. Half an hour later he's back home looking very sheepish. He arrived at the conference venue, where they told him it's actually on tomorrow not today! - he is such a fool!

Oh how you can milk that one Kurri. Is he always that bad...? Mind you he's made me feel almost organised.

Ha ha, poor dh!! Are you sure he's not the one with chemo brain??? Bless him, it could run and run, that one!

Will they really be mostly walking the Race for Life? Alleluyah! That's alright then!

I am seriously down wiv the yoof. Following on from my comments about Plan B a few weeks ago - i have just booked tickets to see him live. There'll be the four of us, trying not to get stepped on at Rock City (Nottingham), and not one of us under 40 (most of us are a lonnnnggg way past it)!

Hi All,

Lovely to see you RWU - sorry you've been having more ops and then feeling low afterwards. If it's any help I understand that often a longer term side effect of a general is to make you feel very low about a week to 10 days afterwards. I was dreading it after my BC ops, but luckily it wasn't too bad (or I was too down already to even notice?!) but when i had my wisdom teeth out I was beside myself about 10 days afterwards!

Not much going on here. Coping v.v. well on Taxol! I have shaved the remaining few straggly hairs off my head now and generally just getting on with stuff.

Waves hello to everyone.

hello everyone -so many posts since this morning - must catch up...
I have posted on a thread about asking to have the facebook & twitter links removed as I don't think it's appropriate on certain threads.