Calling all triple negative breast cancer patients in the UK
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Hello All
Sylvia
I had whole breast, neck and underarm rads. Almost 6 weeks of rads. I also had whats called a bolus for 20 treatments which concentrates the rads to the skin, as I had skin involvment( I'm not only TN, but have IBC as well )c. As a result it was more likely than not I would have extensive skin issues. I used My Girls calendula and aquaphor from day 1 several times a day. That is why out of 30 treatments (5 boost) that I did not have any skin problems until after 25 treatments and by then they were only doing the boosts. They had advised me early on that it would happen due to my skin and the intensity of the rads.
My Dr has seen me twice since I stopped and said it should get better after this week as the rads are still working. If not for the spring and summer rad board on BCO and other women in my rad center some of whom had skin breakdown earlier than me and had to take a break in treatment, I would have thought I was alone From what I can gather they all used the creams ahead of time but after a while it became more pallative and was not a preventive. I think it's like when you go through chemo, some side effects affect people and others do not.
My rads 24 years ago on the other breast, were 20, and ofcourse not as technical. I remember getting very pink but then they were over.
The silvadene cream has an antibiotic, anti itch and something similiar to calendula. I alternate between that and the calendula for comfort. Learning more patience, thought I had a lot but obviously need more.
Clauclau I loved the look good feel good class. the tips were wonderful and it was fun to be with other women doing a positive thing
Kath, hang in and still in your pocket and Hi to everyone.
Hi Mary, Claudia and everyone else sending gentle waves
Val
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Hello Mary,
Thank you for your post and I hope you have recovered from all your family visits.
I thought the August 1st newsletter from Chris Woollams was interesting, especially the article about pomegranates and how they are the top fruit for antioxidants. I do regularly buy a little tub of fresh pomegranate seeds from the produce counter in my local supermarket. I tend to put them at the base of a dish and then put soy plain yoghurt with live culture on top of them. Having read the article I bought a whole fresh pomegranate and cut it into quarters and ate it like an apple. I was surprised how easy it is to eat. I even ate all the outer skin which was quite soft. I have tried pure organic pomegranate juice, but found it a bit sharp. Have you tried your pomegranate juice? My was also unsweetened.
I was so glad that Chris Woollams is still talking about vitamin D and how important it is. Like you, I take 5,000 IU of D3. It seems so many people are deficient in it and it could be one of the main causes, not only of cancer, but of chronic illnesses in general.
I know that the two of us firmly believe in the rainbow diet and eating an array of fruit and vegetables with deep colours makes sense. It is too bad that orthodox medicine is ony just coming round to this way of thinking, and realising that popping pills is not the solution. I do think that with oncologists they are blinkered when it comes to nutrition. Chris Woollams of Cancer Active has been at the forefront of all this for years. I am so glad that I picked up icon magazine back in 2005 and am still reading it, even though most of the Cancer Active information is now on line. The magazine now seems to be published twice a year. I bought the last one on line for £5 and it is worth every penny. I ordered it one day and it was delivered the next.
I also picked up on that story about the lung cancer vaccine which is available only in Cuba. It is ludicrous that Americans still cannot fly directly to Cuba.
Our government here in the UK is even slower at authorising drugs than in the US.
Like you, I was interested in the article on chemotherapy testing. It can only be of benefit to future patients. If a chemotherapy drug is not going to be of benefit to you, then it makes no sense to take it. The women that I know around me, all hormonal, have had only surgery and radiotherapy, so there cancer journey seemed so much shorter and easier. However, they do have the ordeal of staying on tamoxifen and/or aromatase inhibitors for years, and they are no picnic.
As for the newsletter dated June, I do wonder if we have had it before. I do worry about gum disease as a possible cause of cancer.
That is all for now. Thinking of you.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Claudia,
I was glad to know that you decided not to cancel the Monday appointment and that you did the sensible thing of trying to help your WBC by eating foods that help to boost them. I have read that garlic is really helpful in doing this. You certainly increased the count and as we say here in the UK the proof of the pudding is in the eating, or in this case, the garlic!
I would not take any notice of the attitude of your oncologist to eating foods to help yourself. They believe that drugs are the answer to everything. Remember, doctors learn very little about nutrition in their training. It is only a fraction of a part of it. Basically, they learn to identify the symptoms of an illness and then match it up to pills. I am not a doctor, but I find that story strange. I firmly believe in what Hippocrates said way back when, which was "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food".
Keep posting about any information you find about food and special benefits. On this thread, since page 1, everybody has been interested in health through food.
Keep up the good work and keep taking the garlic and eat a good balanced diet of fruit and vegetables and whatever else you find works for you.
Sending best wishes your way.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Valstim52,
Thank you for the details about your radiotherapy treatment. You have certainly had a rough time and I hope it will not be too long before you have fully recovered. Here in the UK I think people mainly wash with the aqueous cream and often use aloe vera gel, which is used for burns. Keep us informed of how you progress.
Sending you fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Big hello to everyone on this thread - old timers and to the brand new people who are still going through treatments.
I am still around and all is well, except for the fact that I have been very busy with house guests and do not seem to have enough time to myself as I would like - but I keep telling myself that it is only for a while and then it will just be myself and husband again.
It is only 5 weeks until we leave for our marathon trip to Australia and New Zealand. If I think about it too long, I get anxious, so I tend not to think too much about it. I have never been away from home for so long, and somewhere in the recesses of my mind is the niggling thought that if something goes wrong, I want to be home, and not in some foreign country. I keep reminding myself that people travel all the time and things work out just fine - I also tell myself that what is to be will be regardless of the whether I worry about it or not. I have been busy planning an itinerary and it is a lot of work making reservations, researching accomodation, googling reviews etc It actually takes a lot of time, but I know that it will all be worthwhile when we get there not having to worry about where to stay etc.
I will try to respond again soon to various other comments on the thread.
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sylvia - I have been trying to catch up on the previous posts, and it is quite a lot of reading with several new women here on the thread. Looks like you have been very busy responding to all of the questions from them. I see that Maryna has also been responding which is great. I do feel somewhat neglectful in that I seem overly busy and some days do not even get around to reading this site. I see this as a good thing though, because it means that breast cancer is not at the forefront of my mind. Having said that, I do like to be of assistance to others going through chemo and radiation - if only to encourage and support and let them know that they are not alone.
Glad that you are well, and have been wondering if you will get a chance to do any travelling? Or will you get a holiday of some kind?
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Maryna - I am curious that you have the desire to go away a lot. I get the exact opposite - I want to stay at home. The only reason I am travelling so much is because my husband is coming up for retirement, and he has always wanted to travel, so I really do feel that I should accompany him. Having said that, I do realize that life is so uncertain and none of us knows what the future holds, so I feel I should take advantage of the opportunities that arise. So basically, what I am saying is that I have mixed feelings about travel.
I think that your trip to Aruba sounds exciting - I have never been there, but it sounds idyllic - relaxing and stress reducing - just perfect for all of us. I have never been on a cruise either, but I would like to one day if my health permits. I would most likely try a shorter cruise though, not a five week one like many people go on.
I am sorry to hear that you still get the tiredness and pain in your legs - that is no fun whatsoever. I hope and pray that one day it will just get better, and/or that you will discover something that will help the situation.
I am so grateful for the health that I have, and when I even dare to feel sorry for myself, I remind myself from where I have come just 4 years ago - and then I am very thankful.
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Kath - your fears are reasonable enough. Each and every one of us has gone through those horrible moments of fear and being overwhelmed by all the treatments and appointments. You will find that as time goes on, you will become more involved with the process of coping with the chemotherapy and the side effects of the drugs that the fear recedes a bit, but it never fully goes away. We have all travelled a similar path, but each of us has a slightly different story - you will have yours to tell also. And we will all be hear to read about it and to pitch in with our own experiences. Take one day at a time - rest when you need to. Ask your doctors lots of questions, and if possible take someone with you during appointments. One thing I did was record all of my conversations with my physicians (with their permission, of course). I did this because I could not remember everything that we discussed, so I found it helpful to listen at least once to the discussion. I always had a list of questions for my oncologist.
I think it must be more challenging if you live in a small community. But this is a great site with wonderful women who have gone through similar circumstances, and we are all more than willing to help and encourage you.
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Hello everyone,
I have posted some photographs of various hydrangeas in the grounds of the apartment complex where I live. The other two photographs of cyclamen and peppers were taken in our local garden centre. I thought the peppers looked really colourful and they are edible, but the look like the spicy ones to me. The cyclamen show us that summer is slowly coming to an end. The garden centre already has autumn bulbs.
Best wishes
Sylvia
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Hello adagio,
I was so glad to see you back on the thread, especially as i know you are busy preparing for you long trip to Australia and New Zealand. I can just imaging how much work is involved. I can understand how you feel because it is a long time to be away from home. Raymond and I have no travel plans now. We just want to live quietly in Exmouth, Devon. Here we have lovely countryside, the seaside and town. I think our travelling days are over, but I do love to read about the travels of some of the people on the thread.
I am wondering what has happened to Amanda. We have not heard from her in a long time and I hope she is fine, and just travelling and enjoying herself.
I do understand how busy you are, so just take your time catching up and then responding if you feel like it. I do understand as well how it feels when you do not have enough time to yourself or to do the reading that you want to. I am also hoping to get some free time to catch up on some reading, which has always been a passion with me.
There are several women on the thread that need our support. Two are going through radiotherapy and three are going through chemotherapy. We who have been there can fully understand all their fears and anxieties, so we have to assure them that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
I do not know what has happened to Hanieh. I know she is also very busy but we do need posts to keep the thread going. Mary has been a tremendous help with all the posts of support and wisdom she has been giving to the thread.
We have not heard from Michael in a while, either.
Take care and pop in when you can. You have always been of great support on the thread.
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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My rad burns are really improving. Looks like I will get to go on a short holiday to the beach with my husband. Sorely needed.
Need help? Is it possible to have lymphedema in your leg area? I was tested at the hospital for a possible blood clot, and they said it's lymphadema and have referred me to a lymphadema specialist? I thought it only occurred in your arm or trunk area?
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Hi all
Here is link 24. I watched this last night, I must say it looks quite exciting:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EBC-46
Michael
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hi Sylvia /everyone
I've not posted for a little while due to being busy/ stressed at work and a couple of little breaks away 😀
I hope everyone is doing ok and for the new ladies wishing for you that the treatment is over very soon and you can get on with life again .
I love your flower photos Sylvia they are beautiful you definitely have green fingers.
Valstim I hope your rad burns heal really quickly, I used loads of aqueous cream and that seem to do the trick. I couldn't wait to have a holiday and went about a week after treatment, I just put a little scarf over the area and it was fine.
This is a photo of were I stayed on my recent holiday . It was so peaceful in the Maldives.
Amanda x0 -
Oh Amanda how beautiful. Yes I plan to wear a scarf and hat and enjoy myself.
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HI, Valstim,
Unfortunately it is possible to have lymphedema in the legs, also in the trunk. But the specialist you see will do massage on you that will move the lymph to where it needs to go. She/he will also show you how to do the massage yourself. That is about as far as my knowledge goes. When I finished chemo I had so much arm and shoulder pain that my MO sent me to a physical therapist who specialized in lymphedema treatment. In her opinion I didn't have it, so instead she treated me for partially torn rotator cuff after I had a MRI and a diagnosis. {Also unfortunately, that didn't do me much good.) From the limited reading I have done on the "L" subject, it apparently can pop up at any time. My massage therapist told me that eating a low-salt diet helps with it, since that helps your body not hold onto the fluid.
So glad you are getting away to somewhere, enjoy yourself!
Talk soon, Mary
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Greetings Everyone,
It's that time during treatment when I'm hyper from steroids, and hoping that my Ativan kicks in soon, because I have another jam-packed day at work tomorrow. I felt really good on Sun night and Mon, before my Taxol infusion today. I'm crediting a light sweat from a short bike ride, and a lot of walking on Sun, earlier in the day. I had to nap for 2 hours before I felt better, but I felt very like myself.
I've had 11 weeks of weekly infusions, and my blood counts were acceptable, but lower than I would like. Still, I agree with Sylvia, there is a lot to relax about during this time. I'm fussed over my the brilliant nurses in the infusion center, and really, when in your life does that happen, while you recline in a chair? I'm being monitored for everything. Except for the random SE's, as long as they're not serious, it's not the worst experience. I am having lots of hot flashes, which are no fun at all, but those could have been coming my way anyway. For the moment, I'm enjoying my med-induced burst of energy.
As for work, that is where I have been the most careful about not overdoing things. I've started to cut back my hours and investing in the paperwork needed to bring help into the office. It does take courage and stamina to keep this up, but it's really more a matter of practicality. I want a rewarding, comfortable retirement, without a "break in service," and I need to maintain my current income and status for that. I only have a finite amount of sick leave, and most of you know that this is a year to 18 month project - if treatment goes smoothly. I could probably survive financially if I took full leave now, but I do have a choice, and I am an extremely determined person. I know I've heard from others in the UK, and they tend to get much more paid leave right away. That's one more reason that I admire the quality of life elsewhere.
I've been on a bit of a book spree, and I tend to download them on my Kindle because it's lit from within, and so much kinder to my eyes. Also, if you share a bed, no need to keep the light on. I have always been a big reader, and use it as comforting escape; believe it or not when you see some of these subjects. Here are some of my recent reads:
The Red Devil: To Hell With Cancer and Back, Katherine Russell Rich: It was tricky for me to read this without causing myself anxiety, but overall it helped. The writer was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1988. By 1993 or 94, she had stage IV. Sadly she died in 2012, but she lived - truly lived - with stage IV for all of those years. I could not put it down.
Shrill, Notes From a Loud Woman, Lindy West: Once it gets going, this was a brilliant series of essays from a "non-compliant" woman, touching on feminism, body acceptance, speaking out, and other issues. Not for everyone, but I loved it.
Mindy Kaling: The star of the Mindy Project has written a few chatty, clever, autobiographical books. I think I read them all, and enjoyed them as a guilty pleasure.
A House in the Sky, Amanda Lindhout and Sara Corbett, A controversial book about a woman who (during a fearless or foolish bout of travel, coupled with a drive to be a foreign correspondent) found herself kidnapped by Islamic insurgents in Somalia, was held for 15 months and survived. It's wrenching to read, but I have read it more than once. And it puts things in perspective, because it's hard to imagine a more terrifying scenario.
Porcelain, Moby, A sometimes fascinating account of New York city in the 80's, and the level of sacrifice, including homelessness, that it can take to make a living doing what you love.
The Girls, a Novel, Emma Cline, This is up next for me, a bestseller about a a girl in the 60's who gets involved in a Manson-like cult.
If anyone has any good ones to recommend, please share. I'm still enjoying the pictures, especially of the lovely garden and the Maldives. I have long wanted to visit there. Well, that's a massive post for now. I hope everyone is relatively well today.
Cheers, Pam
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Hi, Pam
Thanks for book-posting, I am always on the lookout for something good I haven't read. So disappointing to start a new book and find your self slogging through for one reason or another and eventually giving up! The last 3 you listed sound especially interesting to me. I read about 1 cancer book a year, I seem to learn more here by talking to real live people with stories to tell. And Sylvia and I try to keep up with Chris Woollams, who posts a weekly digest of news in the (mostly) cancer field.
Glad you are doing so well with your treatments, and that you are able to keep up the physical pace. That will only help you in the days ahead. I admire your tenacity in holding down your job so well at the same time.
The steroid buzz is real, I didn't like it because I basically got no sleep or poor sleep for 3 or 4 days, body exhausted but mind racing. The sleeping aid the doc gave me didn't help either, hope the Ativan does its' job!
Glad you posted today, I meant to post to you sooner and offer my encouragement to you as you go through the regimen.
Cheers to you!
Talk soon, Mary
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Hi, Adagio,
Glad to see you here, sounds like you are having a very busy time with guests and doing all the prep work for your 3-month trip. I can only imagine all the research on places in Australia you have done! I've never been away that long, well, not for 30+ years anyway. When I was much younger I would pull up stakes and leave wherever I was periodically and live rather a nomadic life. Now that my husband is gone I seem to have those feelings returning, of wishing to shake off my troubles and head for a new horizon. The problem now is that I still have many ties that bind me here, and so I think that's why I love getting away for trips because I can shake everything off and just be for a while. Without responsibilities and always feeling like I need to be doing something on the to-do list.
I have mostly been traveling with my sister-in-law, she is very a very go-go person, but she understands my limitations and we travel well together. I also hope this weakness and fatigue will get better with time, but I understand there is no guarantee. So I stay as active as I can, I see my acupuncture doc regularly and also a massage therapist. This fall I may start with a personal trainer who could show me things I could do to perhaps help my situation, the problem is that this really isn't something I can exercise my way out of, if only it was! I am willing to try anything.
I am very much looking forward to Aruba, I have been told it is a desert island, not steamy like most of the Caribbean Islands. Hmm, not sure it is in the Caribbean, guess I haven't done all my research! I do know it is off the coast of Venezuela.
Happy trails, talk soon,
Mary
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Hello Valstim52
I was so glad to know that your radiotherapy burns are improving and that you will get to go on a short holiday with your husband. It is always good to have a break, have a bit of enjoyment and try to forget about treatment.
You asked about lymphoedema. This is fluid swelling and is very common after surgery for breast cancer. I remember getting some puffiness in the hand and at the top of my right arm after I had had a mastectomy of the right breast. On diagnosis of breast cancer, here in the UK I was allocated a cancer care nurse, whom I could phone and ask about anything related to my breast cancer. I asked her about the swelling and puffiness and she said it was caused by the removal of some of the lymph nodes under my right arm. I had seven removed and only the first node, the sentinel node, was positive. She organised an appointment for me at the lymphoedema clinic in the hospital to see a lymphoedema nurse. There is a certain procedure to decide whether the swelling is bad enough to merit more visits and treatment. The procedure is to measure the circumference of the arm at various points, and according to these measurements, it will be decided whether further action is needed. I was told that mine was not that bad and I could probably do the manual lymph massage myself. I was shown how to do this and all you have to do is carry out bold strokes with the hand along the affected arm. I used to do these strokes from the back of my hand up to the level of the elbow, and then go back again to the back of the hand and repeat about twenty times. I then did this procedure again from the level of the elbow to the top of the arm. Having done this, I then did the same procedure from the top of my arm across where I had had the mastectomy.
I was offered an elasticated sleeve to wear all the time, but I tried it on, decided against it and just continued with the massaging.
I still do this from time to time on the right arm, either with my left hand or using a detox brush.
The reason for doing all this is to keep the lymph moving around the body. Because lymph nodes have been removed, the lymph system has been damaged and t needs a bit of help.
I had one further appointment at the clinic and was told I did not need to attend any more.
I have seen women who were much more severely affected, and did wear sleeves and bandages on hands and arms.
The lymph system goes right round your body, mirroring the blood system. I would think you could have it almost anywhere. The word oedema means swelling due to fluid retention.
It might be useful for you to see a lymphoedema specialist.
By coincidence I was at the podiatrist's this morning for my usual feet check up and while I was waiting I read through a leaflet about MLD (manual lymphatic drainage), which maximises the potential of the lymphatic system and improves its functioning. The leaflet said "This is primarily achieved through gentle, rhythmical movements of the skin which stimulate the contraction of the lymphatic vessels. As a result, a greater amount of the metabolic waste products and excess fluid are removed from the body's tissues and enter the lymphatic system. The fluid is now known as lymph and passes through a series of lymph nodes where it is cleansed of dead cells and other waste products. The clean lymph is then returned to the blood stream".
The leaflet further said "A well functioning lymphatic system contributes to healthy body tissue and plays an important part in the body's immune system".
Where I go to see the podiatrist, there is also a specialist for therapies such as MLD, and reflexology, aromatherapy etc. This is all private treatment, but in the UK, at the hospital the MLD is available free at the point of treatment on the NHS. At the hospital I went to FORCE cancer charity was also offering various treatments such as aromatherapy etc. and counselling free for cancer patients and family members.
Some of the benefits of MLD are as follows, according to the leaflet.
Clears the skin.
Can be profoundly relaxing.
Alleviates fluid congestion such as tired, puffy eyes and fluid retention due to pre-menstrual syndrome.
Promotes the healing of wounds and burns and can improve the appearance and texture of old scars.
According to the leaflet, it is:
Used in treatment of venous oedema.
Has successfully been used to aid the healing of leg ulcers.
Is a key element in the treatment of secondary and primary lymphoedema.
May be used pre and post surgery to aid healing.
I do hope this information will be of help to you and others.
Sending you best wishes.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Michael,
Thank you for your post. It is always nice to have you on the thread. Thank you for link 24, which I shall have a look at during the weekend.
I am proud of the fact that you have kept with us and that you keep researching. I am sure your wife, Janette, would have been very proud of you and what you are doing in her memory. How is the Janette Collins Foundation going? Did you ever get the authorisation you were looking for? I do hope all our new posters and viewers will look up this foundation as it has so much information on it.
How is life treating you in Northern Ireland?
Have you been back to Essex recently? I have good friends who live in Wickford and they tell me things are changing so much there. At the weekend I was talking to someone who spent a very long time in Chelmsford and she was saying that it had changed beyond all recognition and that there had been too much building there.
What do you think is going to happen to the Labour Party? It seems to me the NEC has been out of order recently and that Iain McNicol should get the push. Do you think that the 130,000 members who are not going to be allowed to vote in the leadership election will get their money back?
I have watched two sessions of the leadership debates, missed the one today but will catch up on the computer this evening.
Wishing you all the best.
Sylvia
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Hello Amanda,
I was so pleased to see you back on the thread. I was sorry to read that you are feeling stressed at work because you are so busy. I do not blame you for taking a couple of little breaks. You have to tell yourself that the work will always be there and try not to worry too much. There is only so much you can do. I think employers should realise that their employees are not machines (or slaves) and that they will be more motivated and more productive if they are treated better. Employees need somewhere to get a bit of relaxation while working and that employers should be more humane and take more interest in the welfare and well-being of their workers.
Thank you for your kind words about the flowers. I do like to do a bit of gardening.
You have a good tip about the aqueous cream. It does work wonders on the skin.
I like your photographs taken in the Maldives. It does look very interesting. Tell us a bit more about it. It is good for all of us to get interested in the rest of the world.
Try to visit us when you can and if you have friends or acquaintances with TNBC tell them to come and join us.
I remember that Marymargarethope and two other women came from your neck of the woods. I often wonder how they are getting on. Do you ever hear from them?
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Pam,
Thank you for your post. I need to take a rest now so I shall answer your post tomorrow. Thank you for all that information about books you have read.
Talk to you soon.
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Pam,
Thank you for your post. Please try to get as much rest as you can, as these chemotherapy drugs are very toxic and really hurt your immune system. Try not to overdo things. Remember that as time goes on everything accumulates with chemotherapy treatment. You are doing well to keep your blood counts at an acceptable level. When you go for chemotherapy which is a long process, just try to relax and let others take care of you. I suppose you could even have a nap while the drip is doing its work.
You are right not to overdo things at work. I can understand that you want to try to keep on working, but really pace yourself. Are there no special circumstances at your place of work for people going through cancer treatment? It is a long process and even when all the treatment is finished it will take time for your immune system to get back to normal.
I was interested to know that you like reading. I think most of us on this thread share that with you. Thank you for posting the list of books.
I have not read any of the books you listed, but they certainly sound interesting. There are so many books out there that it is often difficult to make a choice.
That is about all for today.
Here in Exmouth some urgently needed rain.
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello everyone,
I was concerned to read in yesterday's Daily Express an article entitled Anger as NHS breast cancer drug shelved. It was about the drug Everolimus, also known as Afinitor, should be removed from the list of drugs available through the Cancer Drug Fund.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) says this drug is not cost effective.
NICE also recommended that Exemestana, another breast cancer drug should also be dropped from the fund.
It also stated that these drugs would be removed in England, but not from the rest of the UK.
The whole thing seems to me to be very unfair and once again in this country we have double standards. Those who can pay will be able to get it, and those who cannot will not get it. This is also a lottery, depending on where you live. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have much smaller populations, so it will be less costly to fund them. England has a huge population, so there will be more cases. The population of England is about 60 million, maybe more, compared to Scotland which is about 5 million. Northern Ireland and Wales will be smaller.
The chief executive of Breast Cancer Now says this is a huge blow and shades of things to come for innovative breast cancer drugs in England.
I do not know much about these two drugs but Everolimus is used to treat a specific type af advanced cancer.
Women in this country will have to be prepared to protest against all this and take action as women were doing back in 2005 when they were taking the NHS to Court to get Herceptin.
We cannot be proud of the UK if those in power are not prepared to fund our health services adequately but are prepared to waste money on projects such as Trident, wars and goodness knows what else. We have to be more like American women and shout to get our rights.
Thinking of you all and sending best wishes.
Sylvia
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has anyone heard about turmeric supplements for triple negs? My daughter wants me to take it while on chemo as a supplement super foo
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Kath - I started taking turmeric with black pepper the day I was diagnosed which is almost 4 years ago, and I am still taking it faithfully every single day. I use the turmeric spice in soups, rice and stews also. For the supplement I use the brand Botanica - which is one of the few brands in Canada that has turmeric and black pepper together - the reading I have done suggests that the turmeric is much more beneficial when combined with black pepper.
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thanks so much. Not sure if I can get a turmeric and black pepper combination in Austraila. Any suggestions? Do I just use on food if I can't find the combinatio
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also how often do u take them
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Hi, Kath,
I take Turmeric also, my supplement has 500 mg of Curcumin Extract and 5 mg of Black Pepper Extract, It also has Ginger Extract. Quite a few of the supplements I've seen have the pepper (piperine) in them. Also good in cooking. It is supposed to be very good for anti-cancer purposes.
Talk soon, Mary
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