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Hi, I was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer last jan. had a bone marrow biopsey as platelets& iron levels were very low - bone marrow showed up breast cancer cells! Further scans showed my lump& "spots "in liver! Getting over(sort of!) the shock and am in my 5th month of chemo. It's taxol every week for 3 weeks a month and one week "off" I also get a monthly zometa infusion . After my 6 treatments my consultant is talking of putting me on leterzole tablets. Anyone else on this treatment? Anyone else like me? Help! I was wondering if a second opinion would be a good idea but how does that work ? Would love to hear from someone going through similar --also there's no surgery planned, I'd been looking forward to a few "removals" of lumps.

Ladies, I desperately need your advice cos no one else understands!! I am 12 months into my cancer treatment, had chemo, surgery, rads and tamoxifen and I have just had enough! I'm done. I have had severe reactions consistently throughout my treatment and because I was so young I was just told I was stressed out. During chemo at varying stages I lost the ability to speak and walk, my head has been melted from all the drugs and I am just not able to make decisions, or be independent essentially, my head is just so badly fogged from everything. Anyway tamoxifen was suppose to be my last treatment, I was on it and due to severe reactions it was stopped for 6 wks and I felt great, then tried it again and only lasted 4 wks on it and my tremor came back (started with chemo but faded slowly after 6months) so it has now been stopped again. I just can't take it anymore, I seem to be really sensitive to drugs and no matter what, I suffer side effects. I just want to be normal and get back to some sort of life but I can't do that on drugs. I am going to tell my oncologist I have had enough and am refusing further treatment cos I can't take it anymore. I have had to give up my life for the last yr and am still waiting for final reconstruction in early oct but then I am off to aus to start again. As far as I am aware the tamoxifen reduces my personal risk of reoccurrence from 15% to 10% which I personally think is useless to me cos if u get cancer in ur 20's there is no way I will get a forty year free pass, if its going to come back it will and I have a tried everything to give myself the best chance but enough is enough! Ye know the pains associated with all the different medications and know that it's not easyi would like to hear your thought before I make radical decisions, any advice really appreciated!!!!

OK so had my genes test results today ....I have the BRCA2 gene .A very strange feeling after all that has gone this and last year . I feel glad that I got the test as I was borderline whether they were going to give it to me ....My Mum had bilateral breast cancer in her 50's and 60's she is in her 70's now and doing well.Also I have 4 sisters and alot of extended family so its very important that they get tested now. So now to take in all this information and decide what to do .....Just finished radiotherapy 3 weeks ago so need a bit of time to gather myself together . feeling a bit numb at moment .

Had my meetin in st Luke's today for radiotherpy. Consultant has recommended 6 and half weeks.. Seems really long. Said something about a week and half booster sessions. I had a lumpectomy and auxiliary nodes clearance 4 weeks ago.

Cant believe I'm going for last chemo tomorrow , fingers crossed that they will do it , playlets low but hopefully they will be back up tomorrow . I have very little to complain about got through it with no severe side effects , a few bad days and then just got on with things as normal . Had reaction to the second session so everything has to be slowed down and it takes nearly all day to do , but gave me chance to catch up on all that reading I had wanted to do . For anyone starting out with chemo , the only advice I could give is if you break down your days and weeks after each session into a couple of good days after , then a couple of bad days , then you keep it in your head that these will pass and you will start to feel better . I felt that by getting out and about , a bit of a walk , some gardening, made me feel so much better and made the symptoms disappear much quicker , I got to Dublin horse show on day six post chemo on my last one and felt good . also have got out on the horse every day for the last fortnight. Happy days another step in the right direction

I am just about recovered from a weekend spent at the "relay For Life" event in Toomevara, co. Tipp. it was a fantastic weekend and if there are similar events in your area I would encourage you to participate. (There are links on the Irish cancer society home page) If you haven't heard about it, relay events happen across the world. In Ireland Teams raise funds for the Irish cancer society through local fund raising and sponsorship. over the weekend the teams walk in relay for 24 hours (because cancer never sleeps) The event opens with a "survivors" lap then we are treated to a meal, entertainment, treatments so we feel really special. we don't have to stay all night but I did as my family had entered a team so we put up the tent and camped. The most moving part of the event is when the candles are lit round the track in memory of loved ones lost, or celebration of us, the survivors. sorry for rambling on, but we all benefit from the support of the community and this event really helped me feel that support. Karen

I am 6 weeks post surgery . Before being diagnosed I did kettlebells 3 times a week and circuit training. I really enjoyed both. Both physotherepist and breast nurse agreed I can't go back go kettlebells . I feel up to gettin back into some sort of exercise. Now I am to start Radiotherepy in 3 weeks. Would I be silly to sign up to a couple of weeks classes to beginners yoga or Pilates with starting radiotherepy soon.

Hi there I haven't been on here in a while as I returned to work in January following 18 months of treatment. All was going well but I just seem to have hit a wall. I am really tired, the hot fulshes from the Tamoxifen keep me awake most nights and the joint pain is awful some days. I was wondering if anyone else has had the same experience. I feel totally disconected from my family and friends and cant really talk to them about this because as far as they are concerned I am " fixed". Is this just a temorary blip and should I just give myself a good kick up the butt??? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Sinead

Hi Ladies Finished my radiation today so "all" thats left is to get me a new boob and lift the old one. Fingers crossed this bugger stays away. Nearly a year since diagnosed. Been the worst and the best year of my life. This forum has been great to meet all you fab ladies. I'm celebrating tomorrow night with Wicklow Lady who is having a fund raiser for breast cancer in the Grand in Wicklow tomorrow. If anyone is free be great to meet up. Thanks for all your support. Dee

Hi all I have been a member for a while now but this is the first time to post. I have a few worries at the moment but first let me just do a quick recap of what has gone on so far, I was diagnosed in February with IDC and had a lumpectomy and a sentinel node biopsy. Margins were clear and nodes were clear oncotype dx score was low so no chemo. I also had to have a full hysterectomy as I had problems in the past with pre cancerous ovarian cysts. Finished rads nine weeks ago and had no problems with my skin at all which was great. The problem is a few weeks ago I noticed that my boob was swollen and very tender and sore. Under arm is also quite sore, swollen and when i lift my arm over my head it hurts right down to the nipple. I also noticed the skin had thickened and there was pitting. could this be a reaction to the treatment after all these weeks???? am i just being paranoid???? any advice on what i should do would be great. went to see my GP today but she is on holidays for two weeks and i don't really want to talk to anyone else. thanks a lot susieqnolan5