Male Breast Cancer
Hi All, I feel a little out of place here, and yet it feels like the right place to be chatting. Its very unusual in men but I was diagnosed with what I now know was a stage two breast cancer on Chri...
Forum Discussion
Hi @gossy29
Welcome to the club that no-one really wants to join! Here, You can raise ANY issue, and get helpful replies from those who’ve gone before you - and we have other male members too, so you are not alone, Danny. Nothing is off limits. There is a Group for Men Living with Breast Cancer that you may like to join where you can raise ANY topic ....
Your prognosis is good - so that is a BIG WIN! You've already done the hard yards .... all the best with your Rads - just make sure you keep the lotions & potions up to the area and hopefully you won't succumb to skin break down. Will you be on hormone tablets afterwards as well?
As you say - I also found that it mucked with my BRAIN more than anything else! And sometimes that is very hard to control, as it has a mind of its own! I believe that Keeping BUSY doing things is the main secret .... get back into your hobbies or take up a new one (if you are retired) or getting back into your work routine if you are able to - even more so now with Covid as we can’t get together with buddies as readily as before.
It is totally 100% ok to skip between anger, denial, sadness - but if your find the sadness/anxiety is overwhelming you, please seek professional help! Your GP may be able to refer you ... or your local Breast Cancer Centre May have help there .... Just talking about it openly and sharing it with a professional - they should be able to give you coping mechanisms ...
We all know the absolute turmoil that comes with the bc diagnosis .... Your whole world is turned upside down in a millisecond, as you navigate unknown areas of our health system! It is almost a conveyor belt! First you do this, then this, then go there and do that, then come back here and do this .... and it may take a year or two for your life to settle down again. Then suddenly, you are 'on your own' - and this can be daunting & it is when your mind may go into overdrive .....
Try & keep your sense of humour 'up there' - we have a really good 'funnies page' (called Friday Funnies, but we add them every day!!).
https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/19116/friday-funnies#latest
If you are into arts & crafts, we have a 'Creative Corner' - are you into wood working/art at all? We'd love to see it.
https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/14979/creative-corner#latest
and if into your garden, a Gardening post as well!!
https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/comment/186078#Comment_186078
And we now have a Fishing post, as that is one of my passions!
https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/19494/fishing-brag-pics
Try not to use Dr Google as there is just so much conflicting information out there, and every BC case is 'unique' and it will only scare the pants off you!
All the best with your ongoing appointments & treatment. We have some posts here on what to take with you to your 'anniversary appointments', to make it 'easier' on you to 'tick the boxes'.
https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/16442/prep-for-surgery/p1
I've just had my 3rd year checkups last week and have a phone consult with my Rad Onc next week ..... I am not expecting anything untoward ....
Take care, stay well xx
Welcome to the club that no-one really wants to join! Here, You can raise ANY issue, and get helpful replies from those who’ve gone before you - and we have other male members too, so you are not alone, Danny. Nothing is off limits. There is a Group for Men Living with Breast Cancer that you may like to join where you can raise ANY topic ....
Your prognosis is good - so that is a BIG WIN! You've already done the hard yards .... all the best with your Rads - just make sure you keep the lotions & potions up to the area and hopefully you won't succumb to skin break down. Will you be on hormone tablets afterwards as well?
As you say - I also found that it mucked with my BRAIN more than anything else! And sometimes that is very hard to control, as it has a mind of its own! I believe that Keeping BUSY doing things is the main secret .... get back into your hobbies or take up a new one (if you are retired) or getting back into your work routine if you are able to - even more so now with Covid as we can’t get together with buddies as readily as before.
It is totally 100% ok to skip between anger, denial, sadness - but if your find the sadness/anxiety is overwhelming you, please seek professional help! Your GP may be able to refer you ... or your local Breast Cancer Centre May have help there .... Just talking about it openly and sharing it with a professional - they should be able to give you coping mechanisms ...
We all know the absolute turmoil that comes with the bc diagnosis .... Your whole world is turned upside down in a millisecond, as you navigate unknown areas of our health system! It is almost a conveyor belt! First you do this, then this, then go there and do that, then come back here and do this .... and it may take a year or two for your life to settle down again. Then suddenly, you are 'on your own' - and this can be daunting & it is when your mind may go into overdrive .....
Try & keep your sense of humour 'up there' - we have a really good 'funnies page' (called Friday Funnies, but we add them every day!!).
https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/19116/friday-funnies#latest
If you are into arts & crafts, we have a 'Creative Corner' - are you into wood working/art at all? We'd love to see it.
https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/14979/creative-corner#latest
and if into your garden, a Gardening post as well!!
https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/comment/186078#Comment_186078
And we now have a Fishing post, as that is one of my passions!
https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/19494/fishing-brag-pics
Try not to use Dr Google as there is just so much conflicting information out there, and every BC case is 'unique' and it will only scare the pants off you!
All the best with your ongoing appointments & treatment. We have some posts here on what to take with you to your 'anniversary appointments', to make it 'easier' on you to 'tick the boxes'.
https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/16442/prep-for-surgery/p1
I've just had my 3rd year checkups last week and have a phone consult with my Rad Onc next week ..... I am not expecting anything untoward ....
Take care, stay well xx