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Hormone Blockers Weight gain & GLP-1s
Hi Everyone, I am 53 yeards old and 3 years into hormone blockers and am managing (barely) all the side-effects except for one. Weight gain. I have always been fit and active and I am working out more than ever and eating incredibly healthy and nothing seems to make a difference. I have slowly increased from a size 10 to almost a 14 since commencing hormone blockers. I have seen some medical evidence that GLP-1's at a low dose have been helpful for not just weight loss but also a reduction in other side effects as well. Has anyone else had a conversation with their oncologist regarding using GLP-1's and potential benefits? I don't like the thought of taking yet another drug but I am getting to the point of worrying about everything I eat and also cannot afford to keep buying another size up! If anyone has any info on this topic or knows of any specialists in this space I would appreciate it very much, Thanks!!
Recovery lumpectomy
Hi Lovely People At the end of November I had a lumpectomy for 5 invasive carcinomas and or as I refer to them, the bloody mongrels. It was not the NST kind and they were ER++ PR++ HER2--. The combined tumours were approximately 196g so I have a long and deep scar from nipple to my underarm and I completed radiation a couple of weeks to go. So far my recovery has been “as advertised” and I still moisturising, massaging and exercising. I also got migraines due to the change in weight. This week or so though, I have experienced significant increase in pain. I’m assuming it’s the dreaded nerve pain I’ve heard about and my lymph nodes were tricky to remove. It’s just seems that the pain is everywhere in the breast not just the surgery site and arm. I’ve returned to regular paracetamol and ibuprofen routine but can’t stand the thought of a cool compress. Are there any things other people have tried for nerve pain? I would love to start hormone therapy with better health so I can monitor its side effects. Thanks for your help.
Grade 3 Oncotype Test Chemo decisions
Hi all, I’m in the challenging time of making decisions about chemo and would love to hear experiences from others journey particularly with any similar cancer. I have had lumpectomy on left breast results showing- Stage 2A invasive carcinoma 25mm Grade 3, HR+ PR-HER2- with lymphovascular invasion but all 13 lymph nodes sampled as clear. I am 39yo and very active and healthy (apart from this)! I pooled my savings to get the oncotype DX ordered- I am now waiting for results. (Still can’t believe we have to pay $5000 for this). I understand the Grade 3 PR negative and lymphovascular invasion detected are likely risk factors that tip towards benefits of chemo. But I have been reading more about the effectiveness of hormone therapies like OS+AI and that perhaps I could avoid chemo. I will let you all know my score when it comes back- I hope it’s low but if it’s high I’m facing such hard decisions that any similar experiences may help! thank you
Extent of numbness following double mastectomy
Hi! I’ve recently been diagnosed with early stage breast cancer and require a double mastectomy. I’ve been trying to come to terms with the need for this treatment. I’m wondering if some of the lovely survivors out there would be able to tell me how it feels post mastectomy? How much of your chest is numb permanently? Does PMPS become mild long term?
Recovery after axillary clearance
I had axillary clearance 12 days ago with the removal of 13 lymph nodes. I’m a bit bowled over by the severity of the aftermath of the surgery, including nerve damage and cording. I’m most concerned about the size of my axillary wound swelling, which is quite large (maybe 8cm x 10cm), painful and hard. It feels like I’ve got a tennis ball under my arm. Is this kind of swelling normal and I wonder how long it might be before I see improvement? Thanks for any thoughts.
Interoperative Radiation Therapy
Hello Everyone, I have just received my 2nd breast cancer diagnosis (in 2 years 🤔) And am scheduled for a lumpectomey mid march. This time around I am apparently a good canditate for IORT, which means no having to go to radaiton appointments for weeks and weeks. Its done durning surgery and thats it. I have been given a brouchre and am meeting with my radaition doctor next week. But would like to hear from anyone that has had this, or got any advice / good questions to ask , so I feel a bit more prepared
Starting radiation
Hello all, I will be starting radiation tomorrow. I had a complete pathological response after 6 months of chemo and a double mastectomy with complete axillary node removal and DIEP recon. But since I am young and had TNBC I was advised to have radiation to mop up strays as they say. I am terrified of radiation and always have been even more than chemo. So I would like to hear from anyone who has been through radiation. How was the experience for you? Especially if you had it to your sub-clavicular nodes (neck). Do you still have scars? skin changes? tightness?lymphoedema? Any tips or tricks? I will be having a total of 15 sessions (40Gy). Any advice or stories welcome :) Thanks.
Prosthetic
Hi there, this is my first post. I have had a single mastectomy of the right breast in October 2026 and recently given the all clear to get myself a prosthetic. I got an Amoena gel prosthetic which I am very happy with but I am finding that when I wear it in my mastectomy bra I am getting really itchy inside my scar. My scar is still numb so scratching is useless 🤦♀️. Just wondering if anyone else has this issue? if it will go away? or is this still part of the healing?Post Mastectomy discomfort
HI, I had a left Mastectomy end Sept 2025. I have healed up okay. However, I have always had this really "tight" feeling under my arm and there appears to be a hard area, like a muscle that has been pulled really tight under my arm. Initially I was told to do plenty stretches etc, which I do. However, since surgery I have also had pain down my left arm, like nerve type pain. I am an RN and to me it seems to be neuropathic pain. It frequently is more painful at night and almost every day still wakes me up. And I cannot sleep on my left side, I used to a bit, but now if I try. after about 30 minutes I am in pain and have to roll back onto my back. I am also numb under my arm and across the left side going up to under my arm. My left side still feels really heavy and tight. I did not have any lymph nodes removed. Only breast tissue. I am a bit overweight so surgeon (very experienced) said it was hard surgery to do. I used to have very large breasts and had a reduction 10 years ago. I was supposed to go back and have further liposuction as in the initial surgery they could not do anymore liposuction under my arms. I had to wait until all bruising went down. That was so painful I never went back and have put up with having too much "Breast" under my arms for 10 years! Ironically at the beginning of 2025 before the TNBC diagnosis. I was thinking "this year I really must go back to the plastic surgeon and get the breasts fixed up better" as it did look a bit weird. Anyway. Does anyone else have this problem? Do you think it's just a "it takes time" thing as when I bought it up with Surgeon and Breast Cancer nurses Oct /Nov last year they just said recovery would take time. But it's now been almost 6 months and I am still having problems. Do you think I should go back to surgeon and follow up again? I'm just SO FED UP with seeing doctors!! I've had massive problems /complications from the Chemo & Immunotherapy and am just starting to get my life back. I want to avoid seeing doctors as much as I can to be honest. Anyone have anything similar??