Calling all triple negative breast cancer patients in the UK
Comments
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Hello Michael,
Thank you for your post. You always have something very interesting to say. You are probably right about the number of people that would have to be involved in rigging the opinion polls, but I am cynical enough to believe that, behind the scenes, the establishment and the people with power and money can do what they like and feed whatever they feel like to ordinary people. I am convinced this last election was won on scaremongering.
I was interested in what you said about the inherent anti-semitic streak in the British electorate. It was something that passed through my mind as well, as one of the possible reasons that Ed Miliband was not wanted as Prime Minister. It was in my mind as well about Benjamin Disraeli as the only Jewish Prime Minister we have ever had. The newspapers certainly demonised and ridiculed Ed Miliband from the outset. I do remember how they went on about his father and his Marxist beliefs. I think that Ed was trying to steer the Labour party back to its social democratic beliefs, but England is very Conservative.
The latest thing I have read is that certain people in the Labour party are now calling for David Miliband to come and rescue the party. LOL. If we are going to have Blairites back in power we might just as well stay Tory. Goodness only knows what is going to happen with the leadership. Before all that Labour needs to decide what it stands for.
I listened to John Prescott this morning being interviewed on Radio 4 and he said that during the election Labour did not say strongly enough that the banks were the cause of all our problems, and not Labour policies. Labour supporters bought the Tory line. We shall just have to see what happens over the next five years. I do not agree with this permanent five year status. Governments should still be allowed to fall on votes of no confidence. I fear all we are going to hear now is about how dreadful everything will be if we get out of Europe. Do you have any strong feelings one way or another about this?
I was glad to know that you had watched the programme about the shortage of effective anti-biotics. I share your view about how worrying this is. I shall certainly look up about Phage therapy at the reference you have given. Big pharma is certainly a curse and interested only in big bucks.
We certainly are living through interesting times. I was very interested in what was going on with the referendum in the Republic of Ireland. I am sure that linali will be glad over the result and I hope she will post to tell us how she feels. As you say, it is a huge sign of how the country is moving forward, not being brainwashed by the church, but is thinking for itself. It is progress when people decide they will not let the church dictate to them.
What do you think of the handshake between Charles Windsor and Gerry Adams? I was most amused by the cup of tea among the crowds! When in doubt, get the teapot out.
Did you read what I posted in my post to maryna8? It was about the compound BD which is said to help with metastatic TNBC. It was meant for everybody to read, but I am not sure that people are always catching up with missed posts. I would value your opinion.
It is trying to be a nice day here in Exmouth. I shall probably have a quiet day catching up with some reading. I have just started reading a non fiction book entitled "Sapiens – A brief history of humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari. This man has a PhD in history from the University of Oxford and now lectures at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, specialising in world history. I like what he says at the beginning of this book "I encourage all of us, whatever our beliefs, to question the basic narratives of our world, to connect past developments with present concerns, and not to be afraid of controversial issues".
This book is among the Sunday Times top best sellers.
On the back cover it says 100,000 years ago, at least six human species inhabited the earth. Today there is just one. Us. Homo sapiens. How did our species succeed in the battle for dominance?
I find this book deeply interesting and magnetic. There is also a good sense of humour.
I find books like this take my mind off breast cancer. I am still adapting to being on the loose, as were, and out of the hospital setting.
Enjoy your free Monday.
Best wishes.
Sylvia
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Firstly, I would like to wish everyone well.
My mind is a bit all over the place and even in writing this names and some words escape me.
Damian's mum is very I'll at the moment. She asked for the last rites on Friday and he didn't expect her to last the weekend. She has not been moved from the nursing home to hospital at her own request. For a 97 year old she has a strong heart and will but I think that she is frustrated at the loss of independence and has has a few falls in the past months. Her sister in England was 100 last weekend.
We are due to bring Oskar to France on our bank holiday Monday. I have packed most things like essentials,duvets and towels and packed a case for Oskar. We are not sure what to do but have discussed thing with Damian's brother.
I hope that we do get to bring him as I feel he needs a break from what at times is a sad and tense atmosphere at home.
Max has had fitting for hearing aids and starts physio today. On Thursday he goes for a sight test. We will see him on the way to the ferry as they live an hour away from Rosslare.
Last Friday we went on a visit to Glenstall Abbey. 35 of us went and I feel that it was probably too big a group cos we had to split up to visit the Icon chapel.Half of the Abbey is a boys boarding school, quite exclusive by all accounts. I think that for me that took away from the serenity that I was expecting to experience. The school building was a Gothic castle like structure, we had lunch there and a talk in the piano room. It felt creepy to me.
Nessa and I ventured off on our own to see the guest house where you can spend time on a retreat. That and its small garden was peaceful. I would consider going there. There are only 30 Benedictine monks there ...... No sign of Benedictine which my Dad liked a small tot of.
We waited to attend Vespers which was chanted. It was beautiful.
Yes the referendum result was amazing. The polls had Yes and No neck and neck. I was so afraid that it would be a No. Even if Leighanna wasn't my daughter, I would have voted Yes. I must say I am proud to be living in a country that is the only one to have marriage equality by public vote. The compassion a nd love was out pouring on Saturday evening. People were celebrating but also had tears of relief and disbelieve that it was Yes. It was incredible to see the joy. Leighanna campaigned and even managed to get up early to wait for the count. Many unsavoury accusations were made by the No side, one poster in Cork drew similarities with same sex couples and Jimmy Seville and Gary Glitter. Leighanna was very upset about the way that LGBT peoples fitness to parent and their personal lives were discussed. She felt more marginilised.
Rainbows are the most beautiful and wonderful phenomena and now that rainbow has recognition.
Sorry for the long post but I'm not sure when I may get chance again.
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Hi everyone on our lovely forum. Just to let you know that my pelvic scan was clear so I am so relieved. Oncology nurse phoned me a couple of hours ago. I took your advice Sylvia about chasing the results, otherwise I would have had to wait til 8thJune!
I have had pain on and off in my kidney area since a year last January,about 16 months, and so fed up with it. I have also had a cystoscopy and ureteroscopy which were clear also. This scan was a ct with oral and intravenous contrast and all was very reassuring. So I will have to put up and shut up about this pain but soo relieved also.
I live near the banks of the Mersey and went to see the 3 Queens coming in and out of the river yesterday. It was so moving and thrilling I walked the length of the promenade and back seeing the 3 lovely ships in and out of the dock. Funny I felt almost moved to tears and not sure why? and this was before my good news today
love and best wishes to you all
Sue x
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Hello Sylvia
Just wanted to let you know I have signed up for the email from Chris Woollams. So I guess I will be in line for the next one.
Thanks!
Mary
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Hi Sue,
Great to hear that your scan is clear. It must be a relief. I hope that you will be able to find something to aleviate the pain.
I attend a pain management guy.
I had a persistent cough for 5 weeks and my gp was concerned so sent me for a chest xray on Wednesday .I had ones at beginning of February and thought that would mean all OK but he said not especially with the cough.
Anyway one sleepless night later he phoned me to say that nothing showed up so on steroids again but what a relief.
I remember sailing up the Mersey on a ferry from Dublin, I didn't realise that the estuary was so long. The ships must have been a fantastic sight.
Its our bank holiday here and I am getting ready to bring my grandson to France. Its about 18 hours on the boat and so I've packedlots of crayons and books for the journey.
Keep well.
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Hello linali (Lindsay),
I was sorry to hear about Damian's mother. I am wondering whether you did make it to France with Oskar.
I do hope that there is good news about Max and his sight. It will probably be better for all of you when the tests are behind you and you can all settle in to a less stressful routine with lots of support.
I was glad to know you enjoyed your visit to Glenstall Abbey.
It is strange lately that the polls have everything running neck and neck. I tend to think it is all somehow manipulated, but Michael tells me it would involve too many people behind the scenes. At least in Ireland the people got to have their say through a referendum. In England the powers that be are not fond of letting the people voice their opinions. I am sure there will be lots of dirty tricks going on with the referendum (if it actually happens) about staying in or getting out of the EU. Apparently the question is going to be "Are you in favour of staying in the EU?". On the news this morning it said this sentence favours the Yes side. I think this is the case. I think it should have said "Are you in favour of getting out of the EU?". This reflects the issue more accurately. The people of this country seem to want to get out but the politicians and big business want to stay in. I think Cameron will do the rounds until the end of 2017, and say that he has obtained a reformed EU so that we can now stay in. He will be campaigning in favour of staying in. He will not have obtained getting rid of free movement of people and thus being able to obtain control of immigration, which is what the people want. We have too many immigrants coming into the country and housing, schools, hospitals and communities cannot cope. We are fast losing our identity as a nation and we have too many people for such a small island. It is common sense that we cannot go on increasing the number of people here.
I hope you have a good holiday. Remember to catch up with the posts as there is quite a lot in the media about cancer and I am going to try to post about some of it.
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Suewirral,
It was nice to hear from you and I was glad to know that your pelvic scan was clear. I can understand how relieved you must be. It is always best to be proactive about chasing results. I was talking to an elderly neighbour yesterday and she was telling me that she had had blood tests many weeks ago and no communication from her surgery. Because of this she said she was assuming that all was fine, otherwise someone would have phoned her. I told her this was a big assumption and that surgeries are apt to forget and that I thought it was always up to the individual patient to phone and ask for the results of any blood test. Even if everything is fine, you have the right to ask for the exact figure etc. of everything that has been tested. It is up to you to look after your own body and you should know what desired levels are for every test.
Did the doctor have an explanation as to why all tests are clear but you still have a pain in your kidney area? Could it be stress related?
I did see the photographs of the three Queens in the newspaper and they did look stunning.
Sending you fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello maryna8 (Mary),
I was so glad to know that you have signed up for the e-mail from Chris Woollams. He and Cancer Active have been way ahead of their time for years. He believes in an integrated system for cancer treatment, orthodox, complementary and alternative. It makes sense.
I think it is good that he is now doing general health. I think that all the degenerative illnesses have largely the same causes, general lifestyle and the modern age.
Today, on the news on the radio there was a mention of breast cancer and new research showing that breast cancer releases chemicals which weakens bones and allows cancer to spread. They did not give many details as it was just a short item and I need to look into it more.
I do hope others will post in if they have more details.
How did Memorial Day go? Here in England we have gone from overkill on the General Election to overkill on a referendum about staying or leaving the EU, scheduled for 2017.
Take care.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello everyone,
I hope those of you having had a long weekend holiday managed to do something enjoyable.
As I was telling maryna8, I heard a brief news item this morning about breast cancer and how it releases chemicals which weaken bones and allow cancer to spread.
I was wondering whether any of you have heard about this and have more details.
I also found a short item in the i Paper yesterday under the title Science – New key to spotting ovarian cancer. The article says "A new genetic discovery could pave the way to earlier diagnosis of ovarian cancer and personalised treatments, scientists claim. Researchers identified six molecules found in ovarian cancer cells but not in healthy cells. Spotting these could help diagnose ovarian cancer early, before it produces any symptoms".
Do any of you have any more details about this?
We are heading towards summer and no doubt a lot of you will be heading off on summer holidays. Let us know what your plans are for the summer.
The thread is fairly quiet and we do not have any newly diagnosed patients posting. It could be, at least I hope it could be, that fewer people are being diagnosed with breast cancer. It could be that, with all the information we now have, the newly diagnosed are coping better and do not need as much help and support. I still think that going through treatment of breast cancer, can be a lonely journey and it is always better to have people with whom to connect, especially if they have made that journey. If you are newly diagnosed you will get good help and information here. If you wanted to you could start reading this thread from the first page, in small doses, and will be amazed at all the information here.
If you are newly diagnosed and have questions about biopsies, scans, surgery, lumpectomy versus mastectomy, chemotherapy drugs, node testing, reconstruction, radiotherapy, what to eat and drink, tips to get you through, comfort and support, this is the place to be.
To Amanda10, I hope you are still keeping fine. Has your radiotherapy begun?
Hanieh, we have not heard from you in a while. I hope you are fine.
Marymargarethope, how are things going on the trial? I know you were planning a very busy summer.
We have not heard from InspiredbyDolce (Debra), Jackpot (Gill) and Tom. I am wondering if you have decided to move on. If so let us know.
Thinking of you all and sending you best wishes.
Sylvia.
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Hello everyone,
I have just been looking up about breast cancer releasing chemicals which weaken bones and allow cancer to spread. I have found the following link:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-32901133
This makes most interesting reading and I urge all of you to read it, since it states that it is particularly relevant to ER- breast cancer. Please read and let me know what you think.
There was mention of bisphosphonates to stop the spread to the bones. I did not think that particular aspect was new. I remember the consultant I saw in Bristol talking to me about bisphosphonates and their use in breast cancer. Bisphosphonates have very nasty side effects and I refused to take them to treat my osteoporosis. They cause brittle bone which breaks easily and these drugs do not allow new bone to form.
Best wishes.
Sylvia
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Hello again,
While I was researching about breast cancer, I also found the following information. The link is:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-32913659
Best wishes.
Sylvia
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Hello again,
You might like to know there was an interesting article in the i Paper on Wednesday May 27, entitled "British scientists develop new way to beat cancer with genetically modified viruses". It was on page 4 under Cover Story.
On the same page, under Background, there was an article entitled "Therapy that works by stimulating body's own immune response".
Both articles were by Charlie Cooper.
The study was led by specialists from the Institute of Cancer Research (and the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust).
The Royal Marsden is one of the world's leading cancer centres.
This was all about melanoma, the fifth most common cancer in the UK.
Please have a look at this and give me some input.
You should be able to find this on line.
Hoping to have some input from all the recent information I have posted.
Best wishes.
Sylvia
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Hi Sylvia and all,
I read the article re: the effect of tumors on bones and the possible benefits of the bisphonphonates on that process. Sounds like the usual "damned if you do and damned if you don't" scenario. Hopefully they will tinker with the drugs to make them safer so they don't cause more harm than good. I suppose if you already have a secondary tumor then there would be nothing stopping you from wishing to try them. I have a friend who has been diagnosed with osteopenia, the precursor to osteoporosis. She has refused these drugs and has opted for exercise instead to strengthen her bones.
I have had a small incident over the weekend. Saturday night the area along my mastectomy scar became very red; I have had red spots there before but this was along the length of it. It did not itch or hurt any more than usual. I have a small seroma so it is often uncomfortable there. I called the on-call oncologist in my doctor's group. He happened to be the husband of my oncologist. I then sent him a picture of the affected area with my phone. He passed it on to her, and said if it was no better to come in and see her Tuesday. I was concerned about cancer, they were more concerned about it being an infection called cellulitis. I saw her Wednesday and she said she didn't think it was an infection because it comes and goes. She explained that cellulitis was a possiblity because when there is a seroma there is limited blood flow to the skin over it, and so it is easier for an infection to take hold. It would be treatable with antibiotics. But, if an infection it would just get bigger, not come and go. I told her it is usually present, but not usually as red. Different shades at different times. She also didn't think it was cancer because that would be more of an indication of inflammatory breast cancer and it didn't really have the appearance of that either. Plus she said it would be very rare to have TNBC and inflammatory. She thought it was possible it was an effect of the seroma on the skin, and suggested I see the breast surgeon. I already have an appt. with her on June 15th, she said if it got bigger to move the appointment sooner and see what she thinks about it., or if it would make me feel better to move it forward. I guess I will try to do that. It's always something, right? I have found every day contains some wonderful things and some worrisome things, I guess that is normal. I seem to be able to handle the worrisome things better in the mornings, I think I should turn off all commuication in the evening and think about things in the morning!!
Sue, belated congrats on your good news, or if I have already congratulated you, here is another one!;)
To all ladies and men on the thread, hope things are going very well and Inspiredbydolce, let us know how you are. I have been hearing more things about metformin and I think you were taking that.
Mary
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hi Sylvia / everyone
Hope you all had a good bank holiday. I went to Manchester for a couple of days with my daughter. We stayed in a nice hotel did a bit of shopping was a lovely break.
I've not yet started radiotherapy . Went to see the oncologist on Wednesday .. I have another small lump now on the top of my rib. She has decided to arrange an ultra sound now as she's not sure what the lumps are.
I agree with you Mary each day bring good things but also another worry. Hope your concerns turn out to be nothing to worry about.
Hoping everyone else is doing ok
Amanda x
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Hello maryna8 (Mary),
I was interested to know that you had read the article about the effect of tumours on bones in breast cancer and the possible benefits of bisphosphonates. Like you I believe this a no win situation. Bisphosphonates are nasty drugs with nasty side effects and are always being pushed on people. I certainly would never take them. When I was diagnosed with osteoporosis after my cancer treatment, I was told that I should take bisphosphonates at the hospital and by my GP and I told them I would not be taking bisphosphonates. They can cause all sorts of problems and stop new bone growing so you end up with old brittle bones. I did not think taking them as breast cancer treatment was a new thing. I remember discussing it with the homoeopathic and cancer consultant in Bristol and the breast cancer surgeon at Exeter and they both said they were very nasty drugs. A friend of mine was kept on them for about seven years and they caused nasty problems with her jaw. She was taken off them and told me yesterday that she had now been off them for three years and that her body should now be clear of them.
I think that these drugs will now be pushed as part of standard breast cancer treatment as a preventive, so I suppose a patient will have to decide whether to consent to them or not.
I was interested to know that your friend has been diagnosed with osteopenia which, as you say, is a precursor to osteoporosis, and has refused bisphosphonates. I think she has made the right decision. She might be offered strontium ranelate, which is something they now offer here. It is a man made artificial form of strontium, and has nasty side effects. I refused to take this, but am taking my own natural strontium which is Strontium Bone Maker made by Doctor's Best which I get on line. This strontium is strontium citrate.
I decided from the beginning to research what to do about my own osteoporosis. I try to get it mainly from food (but not dairy products) by drinking Alpro unsweetened almond drink enriched with vitamins and calcium, but not calcium carbonate, which is what the doctors push, but is hard for the body to absorb. I also eat natural soy yoghurt with live culture and enriched with calcium. I do take calcium supplements but with caution. I take one Solgar calcium supplement most days, called Bone Support and 4,000 IU of Solgar softgel vitamin D. I try to keep physically active to help my bones. I steer clear of the doctors!
I do hope you will have good news about the red spots that have formed on the mastectomy scar. My oncologist told me that the most likely place for a possible sign of recurrence was a rash along the mastectomy scar. I hope they get the problem sorted out quickly and that it is something that can be treated with antibiotics. If that were me, I would not want to wait until June 15th. They are the experts so they should be able to tell you what it is and put your mind at rest. I would have thought the oncologist would know what it is rather than the breast cancer surgeon.
I think you are right that each day brings different things. Life is all about ups and downs. There is always something about which you can feel good, but it is often accompanied by things about which you feel bad.
Cancer seems to be very much in the news this past week. There has been news about new treatment for sarcoma. That was the one I was posting about earlier on. There has been the news about bisphosphonates and breast cancer. This morning it was all about a new drug to prolong the life of lung cancer patients. It was mentioned on the 6 am news this morning, but then a later broadcast pointed out that the drug was very expensive and would the NHS be able to afford it? It also said that it prolonged survival by about three months longer than without it. It made me wonder what kind of quality of life a patient had during the three longer months. I still think there is too much emphasis on making more and more drugs, all with side effects, and not enough emphasis on prevention through lifestyle. Prevention does not make money for the drug companies!
On the news this morning they were also saying that obesity is now the second biggest cause of cancer after smoking. I think there is too much food around, especially junk and processed food, which our body cannot tolerate. I think the food companies somehow need to be controlled and that there would be a good argument for rationing food. It is very worrying that people are getting cancer earlier and earlier and on the news they were saying young people were now showing all the signs of deteriorating health that used to show up only in elderly people.
It is sunny here today, but there is an autumnal feel about the weather. If you want to read one good book this year I would recommend the non-fiction book entitled "Sapiens – a brief history of humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari. I have read 83 pages out of about 500 and it is so interesting and stimulating. I am just hoping to have more free time to read more. I was interested to read how 100,000 years ago, at least six human species inhabited the earth. Today there is just one. Us. Homo sapiens. I was interested in how the hunter gatherers in the past were healthier in many ways because they foraged and has a very healthy and varied diet compared to when man became agrarian and more settled, with a more limited diet. This is a book for all you with inquiring minds.
I have just received my June 2015 issue of the magazine What Doctors Don't Tell You (Helping you make better health). On the front cover this month is the title Tired all the time? The secret to getting your bounce back. Also on the cover The People's choice: Most Popular Health Website of the Year www.wddty.com. I have yet to read it but I did spot on the cover Fast to beat cancer.
Wishing you all the very best.
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Amanda,
I was glad to know that you had a lovely break in Manchester with your daughter.
I do hope that you will get good news from the ultrasound and that the lump on the top of your rib is nothing serious. Do you have a date for the ultrasound?
I do hope you will be able to get your radiotherapy soon so that you can continue with your treatment, get the cancer journey over and get back to a more normal life.
Wishing you all the very best.
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello to all
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/elder/11637...
Saw this article this morning, very disturbing.
Mary
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Hello Mary,
Thank you for taking the trouble to post the link to the health news in the Telegraph. I am going to have a read of it and comment later.
It is a cool, windy day here in Exmouth.
I have recently read about how GPs in the UK are not referring patients quickly enough to consultants at the hospital when the patients are complaining of certain symptoms. The GPs appear to be dismissing possible signs of cancer and are often dismissing as arthritis in the bone pain that later turns about to be cancer in the bone. One of my neighbours here told me this had been happening to a friend of hers and it turned out it was cancer that had spread to the bone and he has been told he has a few weeks to live. I really give up on everything that is going on in this country. This past week the news has been all about FIFA and a £100 million taken in kickbacks.
Talk to you later.
Best wishes.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hi Sylvia and everyone
I have not been here for a while and I really miss you.
To be honest I have tried to make myself completely busy so that I manage to forget all about my disease which is so distressing. But I never forget all my dear friends here.
I try to enjoy every minute to the fullest and I hope to be able to continue it.
Now that the schools are off here in Iran for summer vacation I have less chance for exercising as my friends and I have to go to the park with our children but again we try to take any chance.
Also, I try to take a lot of trips as they give me lots of comfort.
I hope to hear the best from everyone here.
Love
Hanieh
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Hi, Amanda
Thank you. I will see my breast surgeon next Monday and see what she has to say. She has been seeing me every few months and checking on my seroma. It's possible that is what is causing the red spots on my mastectomy scar, since the fluid pulls on the skin. It is not a lot of fluid, it's surprising how much discomfort it causes. Sylvia said her doc told her a red rash on the scar is a sign of recurrence, but my onc doc didn't agree except in the case of inflammatory breast cancer.
I hope your ultrasound turns out well, and the spot on your rib is nothing to be concerned about. But yes, it seems there is always something to be concerned about, doesn't there? I guess it's our cross to bear.
I hope you have a wonderful week with nothing but good news!
Mary
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Hi, Amanda
Thank you. I will see my breast surgeon next Monday and see what she has to say. She has been seeing me every few months and checking on my seroma. It's possible that is what is causing the red spots on my mastectomy scar, since the fluid pulls on the skin. It is not a lot of fluid, it's surprising how much discomfort it causes. Sylvia said her doc told her a red rash on the scar is a sign of recurrence, but my onc doc didn't agree except in the case of inflammatory breast cancer.
I hope your ultrasound turns out well, and the spot on your rib is nothing to be concerned about. But yes, it seems there is always something to be concerned about, doesn't there? I guess it's our cross to bear.
I hope you have a wonderful week with nothing but good news!
Mary
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Sorry for the repost, don't know how that happened.
Mary
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Hello Mary,
I read the link that you posted about the NHS and I do wonder where we are going. It looks as though the over-70s are going to be used as victims in our rapidly declining health service. With the government that we have all they can think about is how to make cuts to save money. The role of government should be to take care of its population from cradle to the grave but those that we have in power at the moment are in it for themselves and live very high off the hog. They earn too much money and dip into claiming on expenses as if there is no tomorrow. I think the elderly are going to be left to die. It is no coincidence, in my judgement that we are hearing about all this now as the baby-boomers staring in 1945 hit 70.
It is ridiculous that these targets to cut the number of deaths from diseases like cancer, stroke, diabetes and dementia, by one third by 2030 do not include anyone over 70, as they are not deemed to have died prematurely.
I wonder how they propose to cut the number of deaths. Simple things like a healthy diet, as far as the powers that be are concerned, are less important than stuffing everyone with medication. All I hear about is more and more people on statins, more and more on steroids, bisphosphonates, beta blockers and so on and so on.
There is so much junk food around that I expect the younger generation to succumb to what should be chronic illnesses of the elderly at a younger and younger age. I do agree with Professor Peter lloyd-Sherlock when he says "This premature mortality target is highly unethical, since it unjustifiably discriminates against older people".
As he says, there is already discrimination in cancer care and surgery. It is indeed the truth that people over age 70 will become second class citizens as far as health policy is concerned.
The Sustainable Development Goals are due to come into effect this year. If the target is met 42,000 younger lives would be saved under 70, but if the over-70s were included, 130,000 lives would be saved.
It is appalling that in this country almost no patient above the age of 75 are receiving surgery for breast cancer or routine operations such as gall removal and knee replacements.
The idea that there should be no age discrimination in the health service or indeed in other services is becoming a laugh.
That is all for now.
Best wishes.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Hanieh,
It is so nice to have you back on line. What exactly have you been doing? I do understand that you are trying to keep busy in an attempt to forget all about your breast cancer. You will find that your cancer will occupy a smaller part of your mind as time goes on. You are right to enjoy every minute of your life to the full.
How long is the school holiday in Iran? I know that when I was teaching in the south of Morocco school ended at the end of May and started back sometime in September. By May it was very hot and dry. Just enjoy the vacation with your children.
It is good that you are taking a lot of trips that you enjoy.
Thinking of you.
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello maryna8 (Mary) and Amanda,
I do hope you will both have good results from your visits to your consultants. Be sure to let us know what happens.
Thinking of you both.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hi Sylvia
The elementary school are off for around 4 months and high schools for about 3 months. It's got really hot in here making exercising in the park difficult but my friends and I have decided to go to a gym. Yet, once a week we go on a picnic to the state park to let our children enjoy playing in nature.
Every holiday I get a chance to take a short trip somewhere with either my family or my friends to keep my spirits elevated. Also I have engaged myself more with my work which is teaching.
I also spend some time reading some self help books every night to help myself with sleeping.
I will have a mamo in two weeks to see how everything is going on so please pray for me everything goes well.
Lots of love
Hanieh
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Hi everyone, I am not usually the sort to post on the net. Was diagnosed Jan2013 and had all the usual treatment , lumpectomy, docetaxel? think thats the name of chemo, only had four treatments of chemo due to being extremely ill with side effects, was hospitalized 3 times with neutropenic sepsis. No lymph nodes involved , grade 3, etc. It is only very recently that it has sunk in that I had breast cancer, came out of nowhere, no history, fit, and still working at 68 years of age. Needless to say I am now feeling very very negative and depressed, this has come on only in the last week or two. Why is this and how can I get myself into a better frame of mind??? dinwidx
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Hello Hanieh,
It was nice to hear from you. At least you have a nice long holiday during the hot weather. I hope you manage to join a gym and enjoy yourself with your friends while keeping fit.
It seems a good idea that during the holiday you take short trips with your friends or family.
Absorbing yourself in your teaching is also very therapeutic.
Whatever you do to keep your self busy will help to put away thoughts of breast cancer. Just keep telling yourself you have got through your treatment and that you are going to be fine.
I do hope you will have good results from your mammogram in two weeks time. Be sure to let us know how you get on.
Here in Exmouth it looks as though we might have a nice summer's day.
Sending you fond thoughts,
Sylvia. xxxx
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Hello dinwidx,
Welcome to our thread. This is a good place to come to just to have a chat and have a bit of company.
It was good to know that you had got through your treatment and are now doing fine.
We all react differently to our treatment, especially to chemotherapy drugs. I was sorry to read that you were extremely ill with side effects during your chemotherapy. We have had other cases of patients having to be hospitalised with neutropenia, but it is good news that you got through it all. Did you have a mixture of chemotherapy drugs like most of us do? I had six months of chemotherapy treatment, three months of epirubicin and cyclophosphamide and then three months of docetaxel (Taxotere) on its own. Did you have anything like this?
It is good news that you had no lymph nodes involved. Most of us with triple negative are grade 3. What size was your tumour and what stage?
I think we all go into shock when we are diagnosed with breast cancer and this can be initial or delayed reaction. What you have to tell yourself is that you got through it all.
A lot of these breast cancers seem to come out of nowhere and those that are genetic represent only about 5% of all breast cancers. Triple negative breast cancers represent about 15% to 20% of all breast cancers. The most common are the hormonal breast cancers.
Although we are told that TNBC affects mainly younger women, there seems to be lots of cases among older women. I was nearly 63 when I was diagnosed, healthy, fit and had never been ill. It was just one of those things. There are a lot of risk factors indicated in the development of breast cancer, but just because they are risk factors it does not mean they caused your breast cancer. I put my own down to stress, which is a possible risk factor.
It is good that you are still working at 68 and I do hope you enjoy what you are doing. If you feel the need for counselling, that is always available through your hospital. If you want to you are quite welcome to share with us if there are any particular problems that are making you feel deprressed. We can try to cheer you up.
I had a large tumour and a mastectomy of the right breast, chemotherapy before surgery, and then three weeks of radiotherapy. I am still here to tell the tale ten years on. Did you have any radiotherapy?
I do hope others will post if they have gone through this delayed reaction to their breast cancer diagnosis. I do hope you have a lot of support from your friends and family. It is sometimes difficult for other people to understand the psychological effects of breast cancer on an individual. They tend to think that patients have the treatment, get through it and that is that. Only those of us who have been through it know what it does to us. It stays with us but somehow we put it into a smaller and smaller corner of our minds.
I hope this helps and hope you will stay with us.
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello everyone,
I was wondering whether any of you read the long article about cancer and statins. They are now saying that statins help with preventing cancer and prolonging survival if you have it. We now have two drugs being put forward for all of this, metformin and statins. I was wondering what your opinion was about all of this. You will probably find the article on line under the Daily Mail of Wednesday, June 3rd.
Best wishes.
Sylvia xxxx
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