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Just wondering if anyone else went throught this. Its now 6 weeks since I had a mastectomy with immediate reconstrucion. Op was tough but I am recovering well, I think, and prognosis is very good. The thing is I seem to be more upset now than I was before. My diagnosis was a bit hectic I suppose. I was told I was fine only to get a call back 10 days later to say the dr had reconsidered. I am delighted he did as he was right and he was brilliant and looked after me well. I have absoutely no complaints. Naturally I was upset being told I needed a mastectomy as I had large area of DCIS but now that I'm recovering I cant get the whole thing out of my mind. It's now after 3am and I have been up crying for the past hour while the house sleeps. Its very difficult getting comfortable to sleep anyway but I find it's my mind that keeps me awake really. Every moment I seem to be thinking about the drs, the operation, the breast clinic etc How do I move on from this as I'm begining to think I'm losing control. I'm usually a very level headed person and to everyone else thinks I'm coping so well but I'm not really. Sorry for rambling and I know there are lots of people with much worse diagnosis but I'd be grateful for any advice Thanks. Aileen

My mother has recently been diagnosed with Secondary Breast Cancer in her Pelvic Bone. We were told at the time that her Breast Cancer had been caught at the very earlier stages and are now somewhat disillusioned as to why and how it could have spread to her Pelvic Bone ? What is the average life expectancy for someone with this condition considering her Breast Cancer was caught very early? Do some people with Secondary Cancer given treatment to control it carry on to lead normal lives for long periods of time?

My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in november of 2007 and has had her breast removed we were told that as there was a 50% chance either way that they got it all and she went on treatment in january which was 4 bouts of ac then went on Taxol and Herceptin she has since been taken off the taxol because her oncolog told her that she has had every symptom that the drug is associated with can anyone out there tell us how long these symptom of taxol last and if there are any side effects from herceptin

Well, I am interested in hearing your story. How old are you? Where do you live? What type of breast cancer do you have? Which treatments did you get? For me it is quite interesting to see how women in other countries are teated. So I hope we can help each other by using this forum. Okay, my name is Sabine. I live in Germany. When I got the diagnosis I was 35 years old. Triple hormon negative, G3 tumor, 1,6cm. I had to go through chemo first (4x EC, 4x Taxan - just have the German words, sorry), then surgery and then radiation treatment (36x). In Germany women are sent on a socalled Heilbehandlung. You go to a place for about 3 weeks where you do sports and get special lectures on the subject breast cancer and things like that. It is to recover from the treatments and to make you get back into social and work life. That's what I did. I finished all my treatments in June 2007. In Germany women with breast cancer go to health checks every 3 month after their treatments were finished. You get ultrasound checks and every 6 month mammography on the side where you had the tumor. Every 12 month the other side is checked as well. I am looking forward to hearing from other women with breast cancer. Sorry for my English...

Hi there! Does anybody out there know if its okay to take Sage supplement for hot flushes while on Tamoxifen? I'd be grateful for any insight Thanks Resolute

This is my first time on forum. Diagnosed in feb with metastic breast cancer . Very scared . Chemo finished . On hormones now . Any one out there with similar. Had first diagnosis twelve years ago. Full right sided mastectomy Plus chemo. Tamoxofen for five years. Thought I was home and dry.

Hi everyone I have being on Tamoxifen for 4 years. My weight went from 8 and a half stone to 11 stone when I started taking tamoxifen. I managed to get down to 10 stone by exercising and eating sensibly but cannot shift anymore weight no matter what I do. I even did the 2 day diet for nearly a year but no joy. I never had to watch my weight I was always thin and I had a very big appetite. Last year my oncologist told me I would be on tamoxifen for 10 years and not 5 years as was originally prescribed; because of the new study that found 10 years is better. Therefore I was hoping next year I would lose the weight gained but seen as I have to stay on tamoxifen I would love to know if anyone managed to lose weight and how! I am so grateful to have tamoxifen - don't get me wrong but I would like to be 9 stone for health reasons; as I do agree that weight causes certain illnesses.

Just looking for some advice please. I was diagnosed with DCIS in my right breast last May. I had two surgeries some lymph nodes removed which were clear thank goodness. Followed by radiotherapy. My most recent mammogram was in March. I also had a check up by my surgeon in July. But I am now experiencing pressure, not pain in the same area where the DCIS was but on the other breast. I am wondering if my mind is working overtime and if I am worrying for nothing. I didn't notice any pressure or soreness before finding the lump on the right side.

Hi Girls Am a lurker here and post infrequently however I did use this board a little when I was first diagnosed in Dec08. I met (virtually and in real life) two wonderful ladies soon after my diagnosis - we were all being treated in Beaumont. One girl, Linda (she used Linda on this board) had been diagnosed in 2006 but reoccured in Nov 2008 in the nodes and shortly afterwards was diagnosed with lung mets. I kept in intermittant contact with her during my treatment but realised yesterday that I had not heard from her in months. I decided to google her full name and a sport I knew she was passionate about. What popped up in the results shocked me. It was a reference to a memorial service from the sports club she was a member of. She had passed last Dec 2009. She would have been about 36. I cannot believe she is gone and I am so sad for her husband and family. When I met her in real life she gave be some head scarves and other stuff to help me on my chemo journey. I guess we all have to live and enjoy life and hug those close to us even tighter today! LindyLu

Hello everyone. This is Elizabeth. I used to correspond but then I got depressed and stopped. I remember Hugs and Summer Breeze and Evelyn and I will catch up on all your posts now. I hope you are all well. I had a mastectomy three weeks ago and have to have more chemo and radiotherapy and then hormone treatment. the troube is I spoke to the oncologist last week and he said I have a high chance of recurrant cancer - 40%. I am in a state of terror since and feel ill. Has anyone any tips for coping? The thought of the next few years, getting scans and waiting for results and then maybe more treatment which might not work is more than I can bear. With best wishes to all. Elizabeth