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I do think breast awareness campaigns are a good idea but i also think they need to be accompained by GP awareness campaigns. there is no point in going to the doctor and being made feel like a fool or a hypochrondiac when you have breast cancer that they have put down to hormones and it takes five visits before getting to the trible assessment point, young healthy fit people do get cancer too.

Having had my first chemo session on monday, I thought it might be a good time to put up a thread for people to put up some good advice for us newbies starting. Im having 8 rounds. 4 AC and 4 T. I was just so relieved to get it started, i wasnt worried at all. I just couldnt wait to get going. Im on day 4, and not doing too bad so far. Im taking things really easy, just pottering around (waiting to grow a second head or something ) Ive taken all of the tablets given to me, Im not taking any chances at all. Even the ones that say take if necessary, Im not waiting to see if theyre necessary. So far, Im extremly thirsty. Im dringing about 3 ltrs of water, plus tea and orange juice during the day. Ive an endless supply of orange ice pops to cool me down. Im rinsing with oral b 5 or 6 times a day, and brushing my teeth very carefully after every meal. Im resting as much as i can, sometimes i just crash and have no choice but to lie down and sleep. If anyone has any other tips they could stick up here to give me a heads up on what more to expect. My head feels like mush

A warning for anyone coming off HRT. After BC diagnosis I was told to stop taking Hormone Replacement Therapy immediately. This resulted in a very sudden and violent onset of menopause symptoms which are still making my life a misery after nearly seven years. I have done a lot of reading on this subject and it seems obvious that HRT (like most drugs) should be weaned off slowly to enable the body to cope with the adjustment. The medics don't warn anyone about this as far as I know. Hope this helps someone

Hi Everyone, If you need to complain about, or compliment, a hospital or member of staff you have encountered, this is the email address to send your feedback to. yoursay@hse.ie This is the official HSE contact and they aim to respond within 30 days. See details on their website. http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/ysys/Complaint/ Regards, Flo.

I am 39 years old, married with two babies - 5 months and 22months. Last week I was told that I had breast cancer. I found a lump in my left boob 5 weeks ago now. About a week after finding it I went to my GP who referred me for further tests in Beaumount. In the last two weeks I have had mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy of the lump and sadly the results have confirmed my worst fears. It seems that I have two tumours – one about 19mm in size which can be felt. The other, right beside it, is about 9mm and cannot be felt but can be seen via ultrasound and mammogram. Current options for me at this point are (a) Have the two tumours removed ie a lumpectomy (b) Have a full mastectomy – having more than one tumour usually dictates a mastectomy! However cos they are right beside one another it may be possible to just have a lumpectomy but I need to have an MRI scan on my boob to make sure there are no other growths there. The good news is that it does not appear to have gone into my lymph nodes as yet according to what can be seen via ultrasound however I will shortly have a biopsy of those nodes to test for sure whether the cancer has spread to there. I am still in shock with the diagnosis. Too shocked to actually tell friends tho I have told immediate family. I just keep bawling my eyes out anytime I think of what lies ahead. Anyone else been through this and come out smiling??

i had a mastectomy on the 7th of november this year and two weeks after the operation i was told that i have secondary cancer in femur and pelvis. this is very frightening and i am also on zometa and having radiotherapy this week i am 49 years of age and i would just like to know if there is any one out there living with this at the moment and what can i expect in the way of quality of life with regard to pain control and life expectancy i would love to hear from any one with any advice

I just wanted to drop a post on the day that is in it to wish everyone a very happy christmas. I know its difficult with everything going on for us but things will get better, treatments are tough but they will end and we will be better again. Here's to a very healthy 09 for all of us!! Linda

Hi just wanted to know is there anyone here with liver lung and bone cancer my partener of 17 years has she was giving one year to live that was 3years ago she refused chemo and last week she got her first round of radiotheraphy which she still has a lot of pain after it....... realy would love to hear from ppls who had chemo for the liver...we were told 4weeks ago the cancer had gone to her liver up until then she was doing great....the bone lung and liver are secondary....

Hello I am starting Chemo next Week. New to all this. Any tips or advice greatly appreciated. What do you do to pass away the time in between sessions ? My chemo is for every 3 weeks for 6 months.

Hi, I had my mastectomy with immediate reconstruction on 1st December last. Everything was going ok but for the last few days it has been getting sore and red. I thought I was just imagining it at first or maybe it was the cold but it's been getting sorer. Thankfully I had an appointment with the surgeon set for today anyway so I didn't panic. The dr was very concerned and said it looks like a serious infection. He said it was very unusual at my stage and, if it was going to happen, it would usually happen in the first few weeks. He put me on the strongest possible antibiotic and if I develop a fever or feel sick I have to go straight to A&E. I have to go back next week and if it's still the same they will take me back into hospital. Now my brain is in overload... could it have something to do with the cancer coming back.... is my body rejecting the implant.... I got such a shock as I though everything was going so well I hadn't imagined anything that sounds as serious as this sounds. I contacted my breast care nurse when I got home and they said just not to panic. I asked about implant rejection etc. and they just said not to start going down that road at the moment but I can't help it. I'll be ok if it's not the cancer but if it is likely I will need another operation to have the implant removed I think I'll be leaving it out! Why was the dr so alarmed about going straight to A&E? Has this happened to anyone else. I'll be 10 weeks post op next Monday. Thanks. Aileen