Final chemo Jan 7

Thanks for your good wishes. Yes I'm doing okay. Chemo finished in jan. and my energy levels are really good again now. Have been on Tamoxifen for almost 2 months and to date the only issues are the hot flushes - quite mild during the day and usually one or 2 hot ones during the night. These had started already during chemo and so can't blame the Tamoxifen and it isn't any worse at least. My naturopath has given me some tablets too so these may be helping a bit. I'm about the see a plastic surgeon who will do reconstruction and I will probably have my other breast removed, so I will end up with an even pair and hopefully eliminate the risk of cancer coming in my other breast. I'm experiencing some aches in my chest area where my breast was removed. I hoping it's nothing serious - it shouldn't be cancer if the breast tissue is all gone ?? The pain is only occasional and mild so hopefully it is just muscular or scar tissue - it may even be from my prosthesis. I will try to pluck up the courage to ring my breast care nurse. I think too when you are on chemo, there is so much other ailments going on, now these have subsided I'm picking up on every other ache and pain. I'm looking forward to having this reconstruction done so I can forget/move on from this. Hopefully my hair will grow enough soon to get rid of the wig too! Glad to hear you are keeping well. You are my inspiration that life will go on for some years yet!! All the best, Di

Hi Di,

I have a tissue expander in at the moment and can quite comfortably lie on my side....not really on my tummy though as it feels like I am lying on something!  The tissue expander gives a nice natural tear-drop shape to the breast and I am happy with the result.

I am having the expander replaced with the permanent prosthesis on 24th Feb so can give you some more info about that after then....

FYI I have not had any problems with my back either in case you decide to go for a latissimus dorsi type of reconstruction.  It wasn't too painful - just felt swollen under my arm for quite some weeks but I had the reconstruction done at the same time as the mastectomy so some of the swelling could have been from that.

Louise :)

great to hear you are both at the end of your chemo, and good luck with the radio. and i am sure you will have plenty info on the expanders from our friends on here who have gone through it. Radio was okay, for me after being sick through the chemo and trying not to lie down to it, when i was going through radio i listened to my body, and when i needed to rest i lay or just sat down for a while. I was lucky i had gone through early menopause before bc, and then the docs told me i would go through it again, but as i had no side effects the 1st time i would probably go through the same, and yep thats what happened so i was a lucky one, I am now on Arimidex, and coping with that.  Please keep in  touch and let us know how you are doing and good luck for the next leg of your journey. MoiraXX

Just a quick hello Di, and confgratulations on nearing the end of your chemo.  I'm sure you can see the light at the end of the tunnel shining brightly for you.

Can't offer any advice or tips for you for the next stages of your journey, my circumstances were totally different to yours....... just look after yourself and listen to your body ..... if it says rest  - then rest ..... if it says crack a coldie - then do that too (and make sure you have one for me as well!!!)

Keep us all posted with your progress ... pop in for a chat anytime

Cheers .... Shirl xx