New podcast on fatigue
Hi everyone Last night I listened to our latest podcast from Upfront about breast cancer series. I wanted to post in here in case you had missed our promotions. This edition focuses on fatigue and includes Rina, who is living with metastatic breast cancer. I think Rina and the other guests provide some really helpful and practical information. It may even be very helpful for your support team. A link to the podcast is here: https://www.bcna.org.au/understanding-breast-cancer/resources/podcasts/episode-34-managing-fatigue/ I hope you are all looking after yourselves Cheers Kirsten
Letrozole
Hi Ladies I have started my third month on Letrozole and I have started to ache really badly, ever so tired and the weight is piling on around my middle, even though the diet is good and I am exercising when I can but not as much as I usually do due to having an op on my foot and it is taking a long time to heal as it is very swelled. How is everyone else who takes it getting on? I came off Arimidex as that had awful side effects but now I am getting this. I still have over 4 years to take these tablets. I think I will be crazy by the end of it haha. Cheers Ady :-)
secondary bc - new journey
Although i read regular blogs have not posted before. In 2012 i had a partial mastectomy, fec and doxi chemo, radio therapy. Over the last couple of months i have been feeling unwell and short of breath. Now i am starting chemo again tomorrow for secondary in my liver and lungs. Not good, but have to fight again. Very scary for myself and my lovely family. I have a 11month old grand daughter i want to see grow up. I am not sure if this has actually sunk in yet. But here we go again on the bc roller coaster. Love to everyone. ??
The new normal
This is my first post. My name is Heli. I was diagnosed with metastatic disease 4 years ago and have been living very well until earlier this year. I started chemotherapy in June, had major side effects and stopped the treatment but am still very unwell 3 months on. The Drs describe my condition as extreme fatigue, I was in hospital for days and feel I have come home weaker. I need help every day, I try to walk a bit every day but can't go out on my own. This is a huge adjustment and I miss my old life, walking my dog, doing yoga, driving my car....all things I took for granted. Now it is an effort to get dressed, takes me hours. I have come home under a palliative care team. This feels very scary and hard to accept. I have never been an anxious person but some times find this overwhelming and find the days very long even though I have someone popping in most days. I live with husband and he is very supportive but he is struggling too. I think I am going to have adjust to living this new life without energy. I find it very hard to ask for help but am getting there with that one. My oncologist hopes I will improve but it hasn't happened yet and I think I need to come to terms with living this way. I try to stay in the moment and not let my mind go into the uncertainty about the future. Sometimes I feel my heart will beat right out of my chest! The cancer has come back in my small intestine. It has never showed on a scan an was diagnosed after surgery. Apart from the weakness and fatigue I have very uncomfortable symptoms that make life difficult. I am on quite a restricted diet but have no interest in food. Am am going on and on here and I feel a bit chaotic in my thinking so I will sign off now. It is really draining to write too much. I wanted to post to a 'depression and anxiety' group but am un familiar with how this works so not sure where this post will end up. Thanks for listening helena
Secondary
Hi All, I was diagnosed with IBC on 18/10/11. Had the usual treatment, including Herceptin & Tamoxifen. Was going well until I was diagnosed with brain mets on 20/6/14. I had a 3cm tumour removed on 24/6/14 and 10 treatments of WBRT. I have a few lesions on my meninges and 2 on my spinal cord. My prognosis isn't very good but I have hope. A doctor told my mum because I had such a good response to radiotherapy to my breast there's no reason not to expect a good response to my brain. I'm currently very weak because of the steroids and nauseous from the WBRT. I'm just waiting for normal to kick in so I can have my quality of life back. I'm over being sick and tired and my kids who are on 13, 10 & 3 deserve a mum who can take them to school/daycare, come to their sport and help them at home. SueSecondary
Hi All, I was diagnosed with IBC on 18/10/11. Had the usual treatment, including Herceptin & Tamoxifen. Was going well until I was diagnosed with brain mets on 20/6/14. I had a 3cm tumour removed on 24/6/14 and 10 treatments of WBRT. I have a few lesions on my meninges and 2 on my spinal cord. My prognosis isn't very good but I have hope. A doctor told my mum because I had such a good response to radiotherapy to my breast there's no reason not to expect a good response to my brain. I'm currently very weak because of the steroids and nauseous from the WBRT.
like a kick in the guts
It's been a few days and though yesterday Wednesday was in comparison a good day with little pain I thought today would be better but I instead it proved to be a really painful afternoon on both sides of my ribs. I even made plans for the weekend but I realiased I have to be patient. A lot more patient. It's disheartening and sometimes I cry a little because it does hurt . I'd rather lose a leg than have to go thru this. Anyway I look forward to recovery and I hope that it comes real soon. Thanks for reading thanks for sharing. Distressed Donna
Maxine
I have one more chemo treatment for secondary cancer which Was found just after Christmas on my 5 year anniversary of being cancer free so was very upset about it. My treatment has been almost side effect free just tired and sore legs. So now I have to get my head around the fact that I can't get a cure for this cancer but learn to keep it under control. I just don't know how I'm going to get out of my mind and try and live a normal so life until the next time it rears it ugly head.
Trying to stay brave
well well how things sure change in 12 months, i had a MRI July 2012 because i was dizzy, walking into things, forgetfull, and more things,, but nothing was found,, in March of this year i have noticed headaches, lazy eye and still waking into things and all the rest of it,, my Onc ordered new scans and hey presto,, 10+ metasties on my brain,, hmmm shit i think,, some tears flowed but my adult daughter was with me so i wanted to stay brave! Suck it up im thinking,, break down later when im alone! SHIT BUGGER BUMB POOP Radiation theropy, chemo tabs and back on the Dexies, OKK i can deal with this,, get her outa my head and then im right,, back into my body and thats ok with me,, not my head PLEASEEE. im not allowed to drive, im devistated,, now im really screwed,, so im back in perth for 10 shots of radio theropy and staying at Milroy Lodge, NOW im being packed up and moved off the farm im living on,, grrrr hot happy Jan,,,, but i know its for the best,, shareing with my adult daughter and living in PERTH again,, where it all started,, so there we go,,,
six months later still on the road to nowhere
hi just having a vent six months after finding a lump on my neck on the left hand side just near my collar bone dx with locally advanced breast cancer feb 13 had chemo a/c 4 rounds taxol 12 rounds about to start radiation 19 th sept 33 zaps i can feel the lump and see that it is regrowing due to pain increasing and size of lump feels like chemo has been a bit of a waste so sick so tired no energy hope radiation can make it mark on the stupid lump not happy jan i hate my life stupid fxxx cancer