Starting Radiotherapy soon. Any tips? Thanks
I had my radiation CT scan and dosimetry simulation planning done on Monday and will be starting my radiation treatment next Wednesday. Would love any tips before I start treatment. I have my strata XRT and Moogoo ready. I have started moisturising this week. Told to apply Strata XRT first morning and night and in between moisturise with Moogoo. Did anyone do this differently? Also had tips to soak in epsom salt bath on weekends, drink lots of water, do some light exercise and lots of rest. Any changes to your food intake or supplements? Some have said there may be tummy issues as well. Any pointers would be much appreciated. Thank you.
What to do to regain my strength and energy levels
I have finished my chemo, radiation and now on hormone tablets for nearly 60days. I just cannot seem to regain my energy levels and was wondering if I should be taking a supplement. I cannot do much before I am puffing and exhausted, I am doing more than when on chemo as that wiped me right out !! I am going to get blood tests to check, and I have not been doing any exercise so I am going to start a little walk every day and try to build it up. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
TC Chemotherapy
Had Round 3 of TC chemo on Monday morning. Bone aches arrived like clockwork on Thursday night, but now on Friday, I seem to have lower back pain and hip pain for the first time as well. Is this normal? I have been walking 1.5 - 2 kms each day this week. I am finding the variety, and variance, of side effects, to be weird. For example, Round 1, a little nausea, Round 2, a lot, Round 3, none so far.
Cancer is the biggest c#%t ever!
It’s been 9 months since my lumpectomy, 6 months since radiation and think I’ve found another lump 😔 I’ve been having pains in my breast over the last couple of weeks which only really started since getting back in to the gym and exercise (a month ago) GP put it down to muscle strain and I thought so too....but today I started to feel around and it’s firm on another side of my breast to the surgery and I felt a lump in a different area to the first one. I’m freaking out. How I’ll stay sane until I get the proper checks done...I don’t know I honestly wish it would just f%#* off
Exercise and Cancer Catalyst special
A friend of mine who is also in treatment for breast cancer told me about this episode of Catalyst about Exercise and Cancer and I thought I'd share it. I've been walking everyday through chemo (all 18 weeks of it :s ) including on chemo days and really feel its helped me with physical side effects and with my mental health too. So it's interesting to see the science behind it all. https://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/exercise-and-cancer/11016526
Kisqali/ Letrozel exhaustion
Round 3 and I’m just realising how tired I am. Before Xmas I could keep going up to 730pm when I needed a bit of a break but now it all seems so hard going back to work yesterday. My new year resolution is to be the best version of me so I dragged myself back to the Cancer Fit gym before work. I was shocked that my blood pressure before exercise was 80/55 normally 110/70. After a glass of water 95/65. Is that why I’m tired and should I let my doctor know? Of course I’m wide awake now in the middle of the night worrying about being so tired
New year, new lymph nodes - swimming?
Happy 2019 to all the beauties and brains of BCNA ! I am going to take back my swimming practice that I used to have pre BC this year. Not that I believe in resolutions. Always bugger them up anyway! But swimming is something I have heard only great things about in regards to lymphoedema. So. I resolve to get back into it. Questions - do you have to wear your compression sleeve/garments when actually swimming? Whats the evidence for wearing/not wearing garments while in water, does anyone have any links or info about swimming and lympho effects? love x oIt's Letrozole For Me
Saw my oncologist this morning. She is giving me two to three more weeks to heal from the BMX & reconstruction and then it's on to Letrozole for 7 - 10 years. She said it makes no difference which AI I start on and alternates with each patient! She said seven years but it may be 10 as there are three clinical trials due to mature in that time. She said that it will almost certainly give me stiff joints which I'll have to manage with exercise & supplements like krill oil. She reported that other women have had success with turmeric and other supplements. I will work through all recommendations in my own clinical trials. Suggestions welcome! As I'm only (ha!) 51 and was still menstruating when I was diagnosed, she'll monitor my ovaries with blood tests every three months to see if they show any signs of trying to get me to do so again. If they do it's a monthly injection of Zoladex into the belly. Oh joy... The exercise physiologist at the BCNA Life After Breast Cancer information night was very interesting and informative. So I'm starting to plan what my exercise regime is going to look like. I think maybe something like yoga once a week for stretching and stress management, weights twice a week for warding off the osteoporotic side effects of Letrozole and improving my metabolism, and walking for at least an hour six to seven days a week for cardio health, fat burning and joint stiffness. Does that sound about right? Apart from being a massive time and money soak that is...
Cardio exercise during chemo - news story
There was a news story on recently, regarding a trial that had been conducted on breast cancer patients undergoing chemo - cardio exercise to lessen the impact on the heart. I do plan to ask my oncologist about it next week (along with all the other questions I have) but has anyone taken part in this trial? If so, what sort of exercises do they get you to do?