Feeling sad☹︎

They are, there are 2 of them, but they never seem to be in the office when I phone. I'm going to try again tomorrow, wish me luck!! xx

Aw, thank you! Never ever done anything like this and still working it out. Not online at home so just smart phone with teeny tiny screen so not ideal. A new computer was on my to do list pre 1st lockdown and then the cancer came so its still on that list - a rather long list! Just take each day as it comes. Just be prepared for the road to be a long and rocky one, but you WILL get through it. As Dory says "just keep swimming, just keep swimming". Hope you know the Finding Nemo film!! Take care, xx

Hi, just one thought on Letrozole.I have heard many ladies say that the brand makes a difference, so maybe it's worth asking the pharmacy if you can try a different brand. The drug is the same, but the stuff each manufacturer adds to make it into the tablet is different and for some reason many people say this impacts their side effects.

Good luck with the post radiotherapy boob. Mine is also a bit swollen and uncomfortable, now 4 months on and it's hard to know what to do for the best.

    Apologies but it was late when I was typing to you so this morning I thought I would give you some more details.

Maggies is located here https://www.maggies.org/. I had my radiotherapy at The Christie, Manchester and there is one opposite. I only went three times to see what like and did get talking to a lovely lady.

There is also an article by Dr Peter Harvey called 'When the treatment ends'. if you google that, it is a good read and will also help to understand the 'what do I do now and how should i be feeling' moments. Also I did do a 'Moving Forward' course run by Breast Cancer Now. It was helpful but I think I did it too soon after I had finished treatment and it was done via Zoom. It would be really nice if there were some face to face meets.

Another lady did a wonderful thread about the daft things people say because when I went back to work one lady just commented on how well I looked but I always remember one Welsh volunteer saying people had said the same to her and her reply was 'well its not my face that's had cancer'. people can't see the issues underneath the clothing and like you the brace face we all put on. Yes i think some people don't know what to say but I would rather they say I don't know what to say than come out with rubbish.

Last thing if you google NHS Predict - this is the tool the medics use to calculate the change of reoccurrence. you put in all your details and it churns you out a %. you may want to run it with and without the hormone drug to see number. I'm younger than you so just going with the flow and taking what they recommend although I struggle to swallow pills. As another lady said the brand can make a big difference so perhaps ask pharmacist to change it. there is also an interesting thread on 'Oestrogen Reducing meds' here: https://community.macmillan.org.uk/cancer_types/chat-breast-cancer/f/questions-about-diagnosis-and-treatment/208210/oestrogen-reducing-medications its a very busy site so drops off the front page but I don't think you are alone by any means of side effects with the drugs. good luck x

Not a friend if they disappeared !  Good riddance! You can  get better friends . Friendship is a two way street so take your time and choose with care you  can do it. If you can put up with this harsh treatment you can do this,  like eating a piece of cake .  Best wishes summer is coming and your strength will come back. 

Thank you for all the info. Found out that there is not a Maggie near me and the Moving Forward course is only online and as I only have a smart phone and not the Internet at home feel it would be a bit difficult. I will definately try the prediction tool. I have managed to get an appt next week to see the surgeon who did my op as he is a breast expert rather than the oncologist who is a cancer expert (I hope!!) He is a nice man who was very kind, I first saw him years ago when I had a benign lump removed so I am hopeful that I may get the definitive answer re EPO. Feeling a little brighter today - it's good to have this link. Can I ask, what sort of breast cancer you had and what treatment? How long ago was it and how are you now? Thanx again for your message, take care, xx

Thank you for your message. I am still struggling with the loss of my friend. It feels like a bereavement but at least when people die it's not their choice. I have gone over and over our last few conversations and the only thing that I can see is that I got cancer. You are right that she can't gave been a true friend but I thought she was and after 16 years of friendship I miss her dreadfully. My closest friends now live 70 and 80 miles away so although they have been great on the phone and sending little care packages I am pretty much on my own now. I have lots of acquaintances but only a few close friends but I guess I just have to get on without her. It hurts though. How are things with you? Where are you in your treatment? Hope you're OK, take care, xx

No problem. In work today so typing on my phone and it's a little harder. If you click my name it will take you to my profile. I've put a lot of info in there. I'm just a bit fed up with not feeling well. Aches, pains, still disturbed sleep. Just generally do t feel like myself. Anyway, I'm rambling. Have axread and if you have questions feel free to ask x

Thank you for your reply. I am on Accord which seems to be the best according to other posts. Am seeing my surgeon next week and am hoping for some help from him as he is a boob man and not a cancer man. Also he's a much nicer man! My boob isn't swollen but it's very tender and I feel a pull inside my armpit when I reach for things. Wish I'd known about the exercises before my radiotherapy and not weeks after. My whole experience seems to have been wrong, late or missing information. Felt like a lottery as what you were told depended on who you spoke to. Has anyone else had this experience? Still plodding on, one day at a time. Whoever thinks that the cancer roller-coaster stops after initial treatments is sooooo wrong!! The ups and downs continue with no end in sight. Take care, xx

Just read your profile so know a bit more about your journey. Its the side effects of the letrozole that feel like the straw that broke the camels back. The numbness in my fingers and toes from chemo are driving me mad and I feel that the numbness in my feet and my constant trying to "wiggle" life back into them (even tho I know I can't) is the reason that my restless leg syndrome has been more or less relentless every night. The sore boob and restricted movement in my right arm are tolerable, just, but it's the night sweats and hot flashes together with joint pain that feel like a side effect too far. Also it's something that no one tells you about. I think most people have an idea of what chemo can do to a person but I'd never heard of long term drugs with side effects after that. I am pretty much alone with this. Do you have family to support you? Sorry if that was in your profile, my chemo brain seems to be getting worse instead of better. Take care, xx