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Hello, just to say a year on and I still check in on this website with totally admiration for patients, their families & nursing staff. The cancer journey is a very difficult one & I think of all the Irish people on this journey, people I do not know but people that I understand how it is for them. Take care everyone.

How long is the wait for chemo? relative met with oncologist almost 3 weeks ago and no sign of appointment yet. It's 5 weeks post surgery. Getting concerned now - that it will recur in that space of time Secondly, the surgeon said they got all the cancer, and that they were doing the treatment to prevent recurrence. Does this mean the cancer is gone? Our main worry is that there are some rogue cells flying about and that the wait for chemo might mean they have a chance to multiply and spread.

Hi, I am new to this message board but am looking for help. I Lost my mum to breast cancer, it is coming up to the fourth year anniversary and I am still lost in grief, what is wrong with me, I know part of it is that I cant accept that she is gone I so dont want her to be

Just looking for some advice please. I was diagnosed with DCIS in my right breast last May. I had two surgeries some lymph nodes removed which were clear thank goodness. Followed by radiotherapy. My most recent mammogram was in March. I also had a check up by my surgeon in July. But I am now experiencing pressure, not pain in the same area where the DCIS was but on the other breast. I am wondering if my mind is working overtime and if I am worrying for nothing. I didn't notice any pressure or soreness before finding the lump on the right side.

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Hi All Stage 4 Ladies, Anyone out there and how are you? I was diagnosed with bone mets May 2014[all usual treatments] and wondering if there is a fellow anxious Molly out there? How are you coping? At the moment Bacardi and zanex help me! Less time consuming than juicing! I know there were other ladies out there-Ellie, Lemrac, Deefed, Veronica,Mary B and Debbieb. Would love to hear from someone/anyone! Avril.

Any suggestions for what people used for bras during rads? It's uncomfortable underneath but I can't go without. I have one t shirt with built in support which is good . No idea where I'd get another. Got this in UK .

A few weeks ago I had brachytherapy and I hope my cancer has been nipped in the bud. It was diagnosed very early (6 on the Gleason scale). The side effects are kicking in and am peeing nearly every hour during the day but in fairness i am only getting up once or twice at night.. Could this be down to all the water I am drinking . I am also drinking 5or 6 cups of decaffe tea and a couple of de caffe coffees.. Does the decaffe stuff irritate the bladder the same as regular tea/coffee. Would a couple of pints of Guiness in a week or two on the odd evening be bad news?

Hi there I'm due to have a mastectomy on 25 still coming to terms with it. My question is about the tamoxifen if you remove the ovaries would you still have to take it?

I am wondering if anyone has had shoulder surgery that had previously had a full clearance of lymph nodes on the same side. I had a lumpectomy and full clearance of lymph nodes February 2012 followed by chemo, radiotherapy and Herceptin. I am now on tamoxifen. I had a great recovery with full movement of my right side. I returned to work April 2014. I was put into an administrative role as my previous job was considered too high risk. Within weeks I was in agony with pain in my hand, my arm and my shoulder. I did physiotherapy for months, ended up on pain medication that I could hardly function mentally on. (I have three small kids so being spaced out was not always a solution). Driving caused a lot of pain to the point that by evening I would have to prop my arm up on a pillow to just get comfortable. Physiotherapy and acupuncture helped to keep some movement going and relieve some tightness. Eventually an MRI showed Shoulder Impingement Syndrome. A Spur has developed which is impinging on the tendon that is inflamed, probably from radiotherapy. Being right handed I am quite limited in what I can do now. I have not been able to return to work as they have no alternative for me right now. I have been offered a great job that is nearby but was not certified as medically fit so had to turn it down. I got another phonecall this week offering me another job but I know it will be the same story again. I am on unpaid sick leave now since November last and need to get back to earning an income. I have had steroid injections twice in the last four months to relieve pain with little benefit so the next stage would be surgery to remove the spur and relieve the impingement. The problem is that I have no lymph nodes on that side. I am terrified of going ahead with the surgery for fear of triggering lymphedema. I would love to hear from anyone in a similar situation please.