Hello

Hi , I noticed your post and that you didn’t have any replies. So thought I would say Hi, it will bring your post back up to the top of the board.

Firstly well done on getting through the active treatment, I can only imagine how tough it was to go through treatment during a Pandemic. As for how you are feeling now, it’s TOTALLY normal. In fact when I read your post it really resonated with me, as it was almost exactly what I had written about 6months after my original active treatment had finished. During the surgery, Chemo and Radiotherapy I had just got on with things, I didn’t stop to think about what was happening I just did as the medical team told me.

So during the following months when Tamoxifen started to affect my mood, my sleep pattern and my physical and mental well being, I suddenly allowed myself time to think! This is when I hit my lowest point and I was actually overwhelmed with so many different emotions and I just couldn’t process them. So I went to my local Force Cancer Centre, a place a bit like the Maggie’s Centres and I was able to access a Counsellor. Together we were able to sort through some of the emotions and feelings that I was having. It really helped (me)! It’s not for everyone, but I needed somewhere and someone to help me and that someone being totally disconnected from me or my family helped.

I too suffered with Pain in my case joint pain and fatigue! It turned out Tamoxifen was the cause of a lot of my side effects and I tried all the different brands until I found one with the least side effects. I know it sounds silly as they are all the same drug, but it’s true, for some people the way a drug is made/put together can affect them. So if you haven’t tried different brands it might be worth giving different brands a try and see how you get on.

But my main piece of advice is, Don’t expect too much too fast. Your body has been through a lot over the last 8/9 months and it is very much still healing physically and more importantly mentally too. Just take things a day at a time. Exercise daily if you can, but if you have a day where you don’t feel like it then rest. Listen to your body.

As for returning to work, if possible discuss with your boss the possibility of a phased return. I don’t know what you do for a living. But going back after a prolonged break can be difficult enough without adding the side effects you are living with into the mix. So don’t expect too much too soon. Allow your body time to adjust. Maybe start with less days/less hours and build up when YOU feel ready. There is no right or wrong way of doing this. We all have to find what suits us.

I hope that’s helped a little and if nothing else I hope it’s helped you see that you are not alone and that how you are feeling now is TOTALLY NORMAL. Good Luck with everything Hun. Keep posting on here if you need too. There is usually someone around to chat/offer advice and support. Especially if you post in the Chat section. Take Care. Sal xxxx

www.peterboroughbreastcancersupportgroup.co.uk/.../AfterTreatment.pdf  This article is well worth the read