Breast Reconstruction for Paraplegics

Thanks XX

I am so sorry Paula, I get your devastation. 
I hoe the tamoxifen is kind to you. 
Hugs

paula xxx

Hi Paula, Iv tried two hormone blockers & had a lot of trouble with side effects. Iv now been put on tamoxifen & will give it a good go. Yea it's shitty about the reconstruction, I went to the appointment assuming everything would be ok & was devastated with the outcome. I suppose I just have to accept it but don't know how atm.
Paula

Hi Paula, I am so sorry hat reconstruction is not an option for you. I k ow how much you were hoping to have one. Who knows maybe down the track when your diabetes ec are under control it may be an option. My cancer (both times) was triple negative so hormone blocking drugs were not an option for me. Whilst they do cause side effects in some, others seem to be ok on them. Maybe you will settle on them after a few days. Sending you a huge hug. 
Paula xx

This is what Iv been told: its an adjuvant chemotherapy drug and a type of hormone therapy as it attaches to oestrogen and is used instead of ongoing IV chemotherapy. There is no option with reconstruction, when I had the surgery before I had to have 2 anethetists (I know spelt wrong again) because I'm high risk. I just didn'[t expect the answer I got. They're worried bercause of my diabeties & healing, I have vascular disease & am on warfarin so they're worried about clotting if I go off warfarin & blood flow with the vascular disease & with other health issues they said it was just too dangerous & didnt want to kill me. As for other methods such as fat transfer, the breast surgeon thinks that the severe damage to my boob was caused by the radiation therapy & that surgerly wouldnt work.
Paula

Melinda yea we are all different & that's what I think helps, we get different perspectives from other people who do get it. Im like you I don't have anyone to talk to except hubby, who does get it (we've had a scare this year with him too & he is still being kept an eye on although things seem good but at least the Chest Clinic are doing the right thing). The recurrence with tamoxifen is just one of the things that terrifies me as I'v heard it so often. I did have traces in a lymph node but they didn't remove them all. I keep wondering how do they know that there wasn't a tiny spec that they didnt pick up & has spread. Iv already had a scare with my lungs & now I know that they are watching both boobs, Im also getting some pain on the bra line under my left breast & the pain feels like its in the bone
Paula

Tamoxifen is definitely not a chemotherapy. Those people are idiots who keep saying it. It is a hormone blocking therapy. ..so really it is a type of targeted therapy. It has been around for at least 30 years that I know of and has even been used in elderly women with no surgery as it slows the cancer growth rate down. 

https://www.bcna.org.au/understanding-breast-cancer/treatment/hormone-therapy/

It is also now on the pbs for women who don't even have cancer but are high risk and can be ordered by GPs.

https://www.bcna.org.au/news/2016/10/tamoxifen-added-to-pbs-for-women-at-increased-risk-of-breast-cancer/

Hopefully the nausea will settle soon, it might be just the changes to your body ..like pregnancy, the pill etc can impact.

I am so sorry about the reconstruction news. But I truly believe it is worth another opinion with another public health surgeon.  Did they not even discuss fat transfer options to fill out the shape of your breast? 

Kath x

Oh Paula i understand!  And we are all so different, i find the forum invaluable as i cant talk to friends or family they just dont get it! Our journeys are so unique and id never say get over it...nope sorry i know for me there are times that are gutwrenching and traumatic and we all deal with things the way we need to. No right or wrong. I was on tamoxifen 4yrs til my recurrence but i am surprised as ive never heard that its chemo in any form. So interesting!  Hugs to you xx 

Melinda I know I put this in the general post but I thought the ladies here would be interested too. Hi Melinda, it is tamoxifen I just get the spelling confused sometimes with my head being mush at times. My GP & sister-in-law who is a palliative care nurse have both told me that its a type of chemo. Im already getting some side effects, Im having trouble keeping food down even with the strong anti nausea drugs Im on (apparently you can only get it prescribed if you've had radio or chemo) it worked when I was on the other hormone blockers but doesnt seem to be working this time. I do find it helpful here but sometimes (only sometimes) hubby thinks I get too wrapped up in it & makes things a little worse, what he doesnt know wont hurt him LOL. I did have one lady kind of tell me to get over it & be grateful but I just ignored it even though I wanted to reply.
Paula

@PaulaN what an ordeal!!! Im so sorry to hear about all of this!! There seems to be alot of complications, so I like that your GP and Nurse are going to have a look at everything for you! Now the Tamoxifan you mentioned, Im confused isnt that Tamoxifen? the hormone therapy drug? just wondering if thats different to what you mentioned, as Tamoxifen isn't Chemo. If there is anything we can all help with, in any way, by experiences and what we know, just keep asking...I find it so helpful here, reading others stories and conversations on all of it. Hugs Melinda xo