Hi I am Debbie and I am from Belfast. Mentally and physically I have been turned inside out with my diagnosis and treatment. I need to take back control of something in my life and am
Hoping that by completing the C25K I can do this. I had completed 4 park runs before my diagnosis and I would absolutely love to be able to run another one before the end of 2020.
I had a mastectomy and anxillary lymph clearance in Nov 2019. I completed 5 out of 6 FEC-T chemo cycles....my last was cancelled because of covid which I am finding hard to mentally deal with. In 2 days time I finish my 15 radiotherapy sessions. I started Tamoxifen in April and will take it for 5 years and finally I have Targeted Therapy which is 23 cycles of Herceptin and Pertruzabub aka Perjecta....this will finish Apr 2021 when I shall be 45 years old. I would love the support of others going through treatment and also to help support anyone else if I can x
Hi I had My chemo first followed by wide excision lumpectomy, node clearance, 15x radiotherapy and herceptin which all finished in Oct 19. I found I was ok whilst having the treatment but felt very vulnerable when it finished. I am so sorry you had one of your chemos cancelled, that must be playing on your mind I am sure. It’s really good you have a focus with your running, something to aim for. I was in the middle of doing a ‘swim the channel’ for diabetes uk, I really miss doing the lengths in the pool. This coronavirus has really hit us hard as everything we had to lthis year has been cancelled including my daughters wedding. I feel very angry that we are in this situation.
First of all, we'll done getting through your treatment. My story is similar to yours. I just completed my last chemo round about to start hormone treatment.
I see my oncologist next Thursday, we will discuss what meds to try, I'm a diabetic and asthmatic and few other issues, so we have to be careful. He is thinking tomoxifen too, we will just have to see
Hello,Debbie - and it’s good you sounds so positive. Six years ago I was diagnosed, and had mastectomy and node clearance, chemo, herceptin every three weeks for a year, and radiotherapy. I take exestemane rather than tamoxifen as I’m well post-menopausal, and will do so for another five years.
Just a note of warning - since November you’ve been seeing health professionals constantly, and if your experience is anything like mine you will have been comforted, helped, cheered up by and professionally dealt with by them. When you finish your radiotherapy all of a sudden you’re seeing no-one except the herceptin nurse every three weeks, and you may feel a bit bereft. And when you finish the herceptin, all of a sudden you see no-one for six months. You may feel a bit as if a comfort blanket has been removed. This feeling wears off!!! Make sure you’ve always got something to look forward to short term, medium term and long term - it looks like you’re on track for this anyway.
I’m very happy and positive - and it looks like you are too.
Well done on getting through the treatment which is very very tough in all sorts of ways. Your body will take time to recover and your ambition is stunning, do look after yourself though. Happy rosie comments resonate with me, after months and months of almost daily treatment, after radiotherapy is can feel very strange and quite lonely and isolating. Good luck going forwards. xx
Hi Debbie, I'm also from Belfast but live in London. Think how far you've come - you're doing great! I started this year thinking 2020 was going to be MY year, so in Jan I joined a gym, started pilates, went for a routine mammogram and fell at the first hurdle. Covid 19 has made this surreal experience even more surreal.
The day before my surgery (lumpectomy) just as we went into lockdown, my surgeon, went into isolation with Covid 19 symptoms (so my op may have been done by Pam from catering, last one standing with a sharp knife), I then developed a seroma, then cording... and completed radiotherapy 10 days ago. Today and yesterday my breast really hurts so I'm staying out of the garden as I don't think my neighbours are ready for my 'St Tropez' style just yet. Even a camisole feels too much to wear.
I didn't have to have chemo and I'm really glad about that. Hats off to you and the other women who go down that road...and up the other side! Well done you for getting there. I was dreading starting Tamoxifen as I'd read about the side effects and already had hot flushes and as for sleeping through the night, well, I vaguely remember being able to do that once upon a time.... and didn't want these to get even worse, so I delayed starting it until a week ago and surprise surprise, it seems fine so far. How are you getting on with it? (Have I spoken too soon? )
It's great you're looking to take back control - this must be a sign you're on the mend. Post BC I think slow and steady wins the race
Just reading your replies about finishing treatment, I finished mine back in 2014, like yourselves I was bothered about no hospital appt etc, but I turned it on its head, it wasn't the hospital abandoning me, I abandoned them, knowing that they're at the end of a phone of I ever needed them, be kind to yourselves all of you and you will get through this x
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