Finished treatment, now what?

TeePee
TeePee Member Posts: 31
Hi All

I haven’t been in here for awhile, I think I just battered down the hatches to get myself through treatment. Diagnosed with Grade 3 Triple Neg in Aug 2018. Single mastectomy with lymph clearance in early Sept, followed by 4x AC and 10/12 paclitaxel weekly (finished Feb) then 25 rads which finished 3 weeks ago.  As I’m Triple Negative I don’t have any hormones to take.

I’m kind of lost as what to do from here. I feel like there should be some exercise programs I should do - I have awful joint pain, especially in my ankles. I also wonder if there are any vitamins/minerals supplements I should take to get me feeling good again and help with my recovery, but no one has advised anything. I feel like my treatment has been quite disjointed, like I haven’t really had anyone overseeing my care plan.

Any advice or recommendations what I should do from here in terms of dos/donts, exercise, diet or vitamins etc?  Any advice greatly appreciated!

Thanks

Tania

Comments

  • Deanne
    Deanne Member Posts: 2,163
    edited May 2019
    Hi @TeePee,
    Firstly, congratulations on finishing treatment! It can take quite some time to feel better after everything our poor bodies go through with treatment so be gentle with yourself.

    I personally found walking for gradually longer times helpful to get moving again but the best thing is to find something you enjoy. 

    A good GP can help you find services appropriate for you. They can organise a personal health plan where you get 5 subsidised (Medicare) visits to health professionals such as a dietician, exercise physiologist etc.

    I found an exercise physiologist to be very helpful because I simply wasn’t ready to go out and just go to the gym or a normal exercise class. They can help you recover with a much more individualised program.

    I hope that you find some of this helpful as you try to get back to feeling good again. Just take it one step at a time and don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Take care. xxx
  • TeePee
    TeePee Member Posts: 31
    Thanks ladies. I’ve made an appt to see my GP and I’m going to ask for a full blood work up to see if I’m lacking in anything, but I thought it might be good to ask those in the know!

    I’m really keen to find an exercise program to get me going again, so I’ll look into Encore. Unfortunately I’m a single Mum with not much family support so organising time to myself is tricky, though I’m planning on going back to work in a few weeks for 2 days to start with.
  • Romla
    Romla Member Posts: 2,092
    Hi TeePee

    Here is the website on vitamins , herbs etc that @ sister mentioned.
    Its used a lot by GPs and there is an app you can put on your phone too.

    www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/patient-education/herbal-remedies-and-treatment

    It details how a complementary therapy works , what it’s  benefits/side effects are and also what medicines they conflict with.Well worth a look but always check with medical staff in case of conflicts with your meds/ treatment.

  • kmakm
    kmakm Member Posts: 7,974
    The herbs website is

    https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/diagnosis-treatment/symptom-management/integrative-medicine/herbs/search

    It's excellent and was first recommended to me by my oncologist.

    It's a weird time eh, after active treatment. A lot of people struggle mentally, myself included.

    I heartily agree with @Sister about finding an exercise physiology programme to do. You can ask your GP, oncologist, breast care nurse or your local public hospital.

    It can be a good time to join a support group, and maybe see a counsellor if you're feeling a bit down or lost. It takes a while to process what's happened. You've been in fight mode. Now it's wound licking time!

    It can be a good stage in which to start a hobby, or renew an old one. There's also lots of fundraising activities out there, and not just for breast cancer. It feels good to give back.

    Don't rush yourself, listen to your mind and body, and be kind to you. K xox
  • Romla
    Romla Member Posts: 2,092
    Encore is a free 8 week hydrotherapy course for breast cancer patients run across Australia except not Victoria.Each session involves a one hour seminar on topics of interest like lymphodema , Otis foundation (free holidays) , clothing and undergarments post mastectomy. Then you spend one hour doing hydrotherapy.ie 2 hours per week for 8 weeks.It also provides an opportunity to meet other breast cancer people and make new friends.

    Another free program is a half day seminar called Look Good Feel Good which is for any type of cancer patient and discusses wigs and makeup with a wonderful bag of top quality cosmetics to take home.

    Also you might like to investigate local breast cancer groups to provide support in your transition back to every day life.It helped me a lot to seeing local women I’d met at a local group carrying on normal daily activities in my community.

    Re supplements I was recommended to take Krill Oil tablets by my oncologist for joint pain/ stiffness and like @Deanne I found a daily walk of one hour very helpful to my physical and emotional state.I also participated in a local gentle exercise class run in my community twice per week for an hour.
  • Romla
    Romla Member Posts: 2,092
    I think there is special group for triple negative people. Can you help @SoldierCrab ?
  • Romla
    Romla Member Posts: 2,092
    It is daunting when you finish active treatment and are more or less left to your own devices and expected to rejoin life again. I found at a low spot the Cancer Council Cancer Connect service useful.It put me in phone contact with a lady who had had breast cancer years before and back enjoying her life. Hearing her tinkling voice meant much to me as did our chats.

    Recently @Deanne posted a wonderful thread about her life 6 years post her diagnosis - the search bar at the top of the homepage enable you to locate past posts which may be of interest too.


  • SoldierCrab
    SoldierCrab Member Posts: 3,429
    hi Teepee
    yes there is a facebook group you might find helpful 
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/1166665270079659/

  • TeePee
    TeePee Member Posts: 31
    Thanks @SoldierCrab, I’ve just sent my request to join!