Sore throat and lump on tongue
Hi I commenced Radiopherapy a few weeks ago, up to treatment 15 and have 10 more sessions left. I also commenced taking Tamoxifen 6 weeks ago. For about over a week now, I have been experiencing a dry throat and have also noticed a lump on my tongue. Has any one else had this happen to them? Not sure if it is the effects or radiotherapy or the tamoxifen. I have made an appointment to see an ear, nose & throat (ENT) specialist.
CHEMO & TAMOXIFEN
Hello everyone, I hope this message finds you all well. I have been on Tamoxifen for 9 months. I had 6 months and 16 rounds of chemo. I have had scans recently and everything came back clear. I just wanted to see if anyone else has joint pain in the legs and lower back since treatments/medication. I have started taking tumeric tabs which helped but still struggling. If you could give me any advise I would appreciate it. Thank you xo
Nervous about starting Tamoxifen
Hi everyone, This is my first post ! I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in January 2016. I feel very blessed as my cancer was found early and prognosis is good :-) In February I had a lumpectomy and central node removal. That went well until I got a wound infection that saw me back in hospital. In April I started Radiotherapy for 4 weeks. It is now 2 weeks after I completed radiotherapy and I am due to start Tamoxifen for 5 years. The problem is that I have started reading about the side effects and I am now feeling very anxious about starting, to the point that I have decided to delay. I already suffer from anxiety, the thought that this drug will contribute to this condition is scary. I have also read about other womans experiences with weight gain. This concerns me as I am already struggling to lose weight. Then there is hot flushes, nausea, indigestion..... I know it will be worth reducing the BC recurrence regardless of the side effects, however, I am not ready to face this next step in my journey. My courage is failing me at the moment. Did anyone else feel like this before starting Tamoxifen ? I know that so many of you out there have journeys that are so much more challenging than mine and I want you to know that I think you are all brave, strong and inspirational woman. Ta Sandra
Tamoxifen
I have recently had a lumpectomy followed by 6 weeks radiation therapy. I have been using tamoxifen for a month and have chosen to stop due to the side effects. My onco dx test showed I have less than 10 percent chance of it coming back. My question is: would a bilateral mastectomy further reduce risk of the cancer returning to my breast?
Just took my first little white pill
Well the day finally arrived and I took my little white Tamoxifen pill this morning. I was terribly nervous and anxious and I waited for a bomb to drop with side effects....weird I know! I went through Chemo with relative ease, then radiation knocked me a bit with severe burns and pain but this white pill was the ultimate monster to me. But Im now a 'Tamox Girl' like so many of you out there and I'm going to cross everything that I dont have any side effects and if I do - I pray they are minimal! Hope you are all well. xxxx Jodie
High Estrogen Levels
Hi Ladies, After Mastectomy, Chemo and Rads I have been on Tamoxifen for the past 12 months for early ER+ and PR+ breast cancer and have recently been experiencing some bleeding. Took myself off to the Specialist that found 2 substantial cysts, nothing to worry about apprently as they will go by themselves. Of more concern to her was my extremely high estrogen levels on Tamoxifen and now we are talking shutting them down chemically or taking them out altogether. Has anyone heard of having high levels of Estrogen on Tamoxifen and if so does this then meant hat the drug has not been giving me the protection that I first thought? Worried Jo
My Treatment Plan
So after waiting what felt like forever after my follow up appointment with my surgeon, I finally have a plan of attack! In reality I only had to wait 19 days, but they were 19 long days. I knew what was going to be my likely course of treatment, but you can always hope that it won't be quite so intense. No such luck for me, 6 cycles of chemo, 6 weeks of radiation and tamoxifen for 5-10 years. Remind me again where and when I signed up for this particular party?! I'm glad I know what's going on now and we can plan things accordingly. My husband works away and at least now we know when he might need to stay home a bit longer. I think that organisation will be the key to getting through these next few months. I just want to get on with it now. The sooner it starts, the sooner it finishes. I've already ordered some bandanas and went on a cheeky shopping spree for some new makeup, (my husband is blissfully unaware of how much money I spent and long may it stay that way!)
Normality?
So I went for a wee trip up to the radiation clinic got measured up,poked, prodded, drawn on and tattooed. My radiation oncologist popped in to see me, along with some young bloke who was a trainee or something. It made me realise, I don't even bother to cover the boobs up any more, just whack em out and get them on display. I walk in to any examination room now and yank my my top and bra off automatically assuming the position ( you know the one, the playboy pose, chest out arms behind head). I find myself shouting at people in white coats "oh hello there, do you want to see my knockers?" Gave the bloke behind the butchers counter in Woolies ever such a shock I can tell you! Breast Cancer is a bit like like childbirth in that respect, you don't care about your dignity, bring a marching band into the room if you like but just get this bloody thing out of me!!! On another note, I'm still on Tamoxifen, I've started to get face fuzz, my joints are still pretty sore but the irrational mood swings have calmed a wee bit. Mind you I got really worked up last week, we finally got dates through to start radiation, which allowed us to finally book our break to Singapore that we promised ourselves at the start of all this crap. We spent the weekend trawling online looking at hotels and flights. We decided on a hotel near Chinatown, a small boutique hotel ( hubby reckoned it looked like a house of ill repute due to the chandeliers and velvet in the rooms, over the top I know but different). I popped in to travel agents to see if they could beat the deal and I came out all booked in to a completely different hotel.........how the hell did that happen!! I was ok until I got home and looked at the new hotel online ( agent had shown me pics in the shop) and I got really worked up, I decided I did not like this hotel.....the main reason being .......the room walls were beige! I have beige walls in my house, most hotel rooms I've been in were beige, I'd actually turned down another hotel she'd shown me because the room walls were lime green! But no I got it in to my head that after all this crap we've dealt with, I did not want a boring beige hotel! Hubby came home, realised I was having a physcho episode and tried to reassure that the hotel would be fine, I was almost in tears over the colour of a bloody hotel room! I went off and made dinner and realised a an hour later that I was fine, I wasn't bothered about the hotel anymore, it was like I'd hit the off switch! I then realised that perhaps this was due to the tamoxifen and those bloody hormones again! Totally irrational over reaction. I think I'm going to see if it continues to happen and if it does I will mention it to my oncologist, that's if they don't put me in a straight jacket first!
sjogrens and chemo
I have had a masectomy instead of a lumpectomy as I have Sjogrens and wanted to avoid having chemo, in order to try shrink the tumour. Ive learnt that chemo can cause a permanent worsening of the sjogrens symptoms. Do you have Sjogrens & have you had either chemo, radiation or Tamoxifen & what were your experiences? Also, If you are not on medication for sjogens & have had the above treatment, I would be particularly interested in hearing from you as you are more likely to be aware of how treatment afffected your existing symptoms.
Braca 2 Gene
I had a lumpectomy with a wide excision followed by chemo and radiation. Three Tumuors were found, with invasive ductal carcinoma. As my Mum had died from Breast Cancer seven Months previously, I was tested by a genetist. The results were that I was braca2 positive. I took Tamoxifin for 3 Years and the my Oncologist suggested that I take Arimidex as it is beneficial for Families like mine. The Breast Surgeon has now recommended a bilateral Masectomy and I hope to be operated on in the next 3 Months. I was a bit teary because it was so over whelming but with the support of my Friends I am happy to have my breasts removed as I know it's the right decision.