The operation

Exactly the same reason that I did not want a recon. The knitted knocker sounds good. Are they widely available?

yes, they are, if you google (other search engines are available) knitted knockers you'll find the relevant pages, if in the Uk then look for the knitted knockers uk page. You fill out a form and then they get in touch with a knitter in your local area who will knit you one up and send it to you. If you can knit, there are also patterns on the website for you to knit your own.

It's my new breast friend!

Hi  ... we’ve chatted before. ... pleased you’ve got your date for surgery. I know how you feel as I too was stressed out beforehand  mainly because of having to think about recon as well as having to have a mastectomy.  I also had 2 ops before my mastectomy (sorry Leolady56 another one in your 3 op club ) I found I recovered well from the op. I “looked” when I was in recovery... it is a bit odd at first, just because it’s different than before,  but I quickly got used to my flat side... I’ve bonded well and am very comfortable with it. I also made a point of looking at my scar at my first dressing change. I was in hospital one night and my drain was removed before going home although I know it’s not the same everywhere. I was round the supermarkets first day home but no pushing/lifting. Keep doing your exercises as instructed. I had a small seroma drained a couple of times. I was out for a meal within 2 weeks. We are all different, you’ll know what you can manage. I’ve used a softie mainly but do have a knitted knocker although I sent for wrong size !!! ... (I’m knitting my own now), I have been out flat too. I got my silicone foob recently, with a bra, and find it’s really comfortable and looks good. I know if I lose weight, change shape, I can see the fitter and get another prosthetic (foob) easily...not something that can be done with an implant.

Wishing you the very best for your surgery. Keep on posting here. Ask anything .

hugs xx

Grrrrrrr! My post got eaten last night and again just now but we will try again.

Hi  and welcome.

It is understandable that you want something firm to hold onto, like a timeline for recovery, when there are so many uncertainties and so much is out of our control. Going  to Christmas do's and buying prezzies may fall into the nice stuff to do pot or the stuff to show yourself and others that you are coping or a couple of things you don't want to feel  robbed of.

As those who have been there have said, there are many different experiences so maybe get creative and work out what you reeeeeally want to do, how much of this may realistically be do-able but still enjoyable... eg would you enjoy a going to a  'do' for a short time or would you rather skip it and all the prep to prettify etc...maybe shop at quiet  times for a couple of special prezzies with someone to drive and carry for you and then delegate or get online.

Good luck and take care

Hi everyone

Well I went to my McMillan Health and Wellbeing day today. Very informative day and was able to ask the cancer nurse about supplements to help with the menopause, as I was not sure what I was allowed to take as I had a hormone + cancer.  She said oh I have a couple of no no things on my list, oil of evening primrose, red clover, black cohosh, vitamin E and  no soya in your diet. Someone asked why no soya as they were vegetarian and she said it stops the Tamoxifen/letrozol working. I asked if a little soy was ok she said no. The vegetarian lady asked if quorn was ok and she said yes as it was not soya.

Well who knew 

Hi  

Hmmmmm well I wondered why this advice wasn't being shouted from the roof tops and did a quick Google....

as is often the case...more confusion...some snippets saying the phytoestrogens in soya inhibit, some saying may boost and others no effect.

I am a vegetarian and largely dairy free and scour food labels...labels themselves are a nightmare. The print is usually titchy and there are so many terms for what's in the product....sugar  a fine example, and not everything has to be listed.

Along with stuff you might not check because a home cooked/prepared version wouldn't  have it added and its a lottery.

Quorn is made from mycoprotein, a type of fungus, sounds tastier if you think mushrooms : )

So in short... food for thought.... siiiiigh I will get my coat

Take care

Hi

Thanks for this info. Interestingly I asked a similar question of my Onco when I last saw him. He said phytoestrogens were a big no-no in supplement form but not to change my diet. Phytoestrogens are in so many foods so you can’t avoid them. They’ve also known all along that I take evening primrose and not one of the people I’ve spoken to has told me to stop.

It’s so hard to know what to do for the best. Sigh.

Liz x

Hi all,

Hope everyone is as well as can be.  Thought I'd post with a couple of interesting things I've noticed lately.  After my nail growth being very stunted for a good 6 months post-chemo, they seem to have started to grow at the normal rate again.  The 2 middle fingers still have the deep white bit that makes them look/feel like they might lift but never have.  I just cover them up with varnish and keep them short. 

I wondered if this was the chemo finally getting out of my system.  Related to that, and not such a nice thing, is that I have noticed the return of a smell in the house that I noticed when I was on chemo, especially the FEC.  This makes me quite panicky and I had a real meltdown one night, convincing myself that the cancer is back.  I know it's irrational but I can't explain the smell.  I'd honestly feel a fool saying it to the BCN but think I'm going to have to raise it to put my mind at ease.  I've had mild backache and in my hip but I get a lot of aches and pains with the tamoxifen.  Sigh.  Don't know what to do for the best.  Is it always going to be like this? 

Linda xx

Aspen

Hi Linda

I just wrote one reply then managed to hit a button and lost the lot.

So here goes

I am going to be devil's advocate her:

I wonder if the smell you noticed happened before all of this but because of heightened senses due to chemo you noticed it. You notice it more now as it has an emotional link to chemo. I listened to a certain song during chemo and it is only now I can listen to it as it was dragging me back to the chemo.

My simple view but it could help

LINK did you ever read this article. It took me a few goes as I wasn't in the right place emotionally to read it all in one go.

I remember, and may have mentioned it here before, how grief scribbles over and consumes all our life, What tends to happen is the scribble never goes away and we build around it. We create new things and that scribble becomes less as we create more. It struck me this is cancer. All consuming for so long then we start drawing good sensible pictures around it. Maybe there has not yet been a big enough time lapse and the scribble of cancer is still too big, but keep drawing and above all keep posting

Hope that makes some sense

Lindsay

Hi Linda Aspen, Lindsay is right (as usual, thank you for all you say to help & give us comfort). We have some horrid days that we can’t see anything for the scribble then other days when we start to see a bit of a picture coming back through and over the top of the scribble. I read the article Leolady56 mentioned a while ago and cried buckets as I could relate to it all.

I don’t think it will always be like this but I also think it’s not an overnight fix either. Off the cancer rollercoaster and onto recovery snakes & ladders. I try to enjoy and make the most of the up ladder days and ride out the snakes....not easy though. 

I’d definately run your aches & pains and the smell by your BCN, that’s what she’s there for. 

JammyR - Hope you’re ok and work are still being kind to you. Enjoy Jess Glynne, I love listening to her music all the time. Son calls her Jess Glum!! Cheeky!! She’s got bags more talent than the rubbish he listens to.

- I can’t find your post about LJ’s eviction date but it seems to be soon, which is good as he’s not welcome. I think about you every single day.

Still snotty here  OH said this morning he’s never known me to be viral for this long before!! 2 weeks and counting. It needs to do one as want to get Christmas bought, written & wrapped before going back to work.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend everyone. Off to a surprise 50th tonight...tomorrow is cancelled!! Xxxx