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Hi there, My GP has referred me to the breast clinic in Beaumont Hospital, how long should it take for an appointment to come through? Would I be better to go privately to the Mater? Many thanks

Hi, Got Breast Cancer May 11, did 4 AC and 3 Taxol since. Didn't do 4 taxol due to side effects. Good News, on Breast Lump it went way down and chemo worked. Finished Chemo 6 weeks ago. Still suffering. Pain in feet peripheral neuropathy, pain in breast and under arm and stiff all over. Feel so weak and only get 4-5 sleep with sleeping tablet. Due surgery next Fri week and dreading it. Have people found chemo effects to last so long. bear12 E xxx

...and I start Radiotherapy on Monday. It's been hanging over me for 2 months now and am relieved at last to be starting...30 sessions...so will be going right up to Dec 23rd. Hopefully there won't be any machine breakdowns or snow! Anyone have any tips please? Hope you are all doing well on your journey. Micheline.

Hi anyone who is wondering about this- Thought I'd post quickly on this topic, as I'd started asking about it a few months ago, before starting chemo. Anyhow, and we don't all have choices in this regard, I recognise, but I kept up my work- a bit. And it helped enormously. I went on sick leave from my full time job as that involved too much travelling, but I kept up, sort of, my self employed practice. To be honest, my super-employee fronted for me, and did everything, but it kept me sane to try to work. I sort of followed her into meetings and pretended to understand what I was doing, and typed aimlessly a lot of the time, but other times I did make good and big decisions and presentations. I really felt much better for the sense of doing something worthwhile and not being a full-time invalid. However, I did have help, I did have a choice, and I also slept and rested a lot. There were days when I was in a chemo daze and towards the end my cognition and memory definitely deteriorated (that was a bit frightening), but its grand again now, seven weeks after final chemo. I was on the pretty aggressive TAC, which though horrid and not at all easy, was survived. There you go, started rads and Tamoxifen this week. Waiting for menopause to kick in any day now. Sincere good luck to everyone... xxxxxxxx

Has anyone had mamosite and brackytherapy for breast cancer. I had this last year and have had a lot of problems

I had mammosite and brackytherapy last year wondered did anyone else have this and did they have any problems

Hello! I was diagnosed with breast cancer in late Nov, grade 2 stage 2, had lumpectomy and node biopsy which showed minuscule traces of cancer so had lymph glands removed on 14 Dec but luckily all others were clear. Scans all clear. Met my Oncologist the other day and am due to start chemo, 6TC over 18 weeks, in 2 weeks in Tallaght (am patient in Vincent's but they have no cold caps) Just wondering if anyone else will be starting then too? Was terrified but seem to have my head round things a bit better now especially after meeting th Oncologist who was so nice and also reassuring. Love Linda xx

Hi Everyone, Just a quick introduction. Today I'm exactly two weeks post-op - lumpectomy plus wide margins plus three lymph node removals. Discovered lump (just under 2cms) end of November'11, had mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy by mid-December. Diagnosis of IDC Christmas week and two days before my 60th birthday! Shocked but overall, took it very well, didn't have too much time to dwell on it as I was up to my eyes in Christmas preparations! Back with Dr. yesterday who told me the great news that the lymph nodes are clear, my cancer is hormone positive so now I await appointment with Oncologist. My treatment will either be hormones or Chemo but definitely five weeks of Radiotherapy. I'm scared that the hormone treatment won't be sufficient to prevent the reoccurance of the breast cancer. The people I hear of having a 15-20+ years of being cancer free probably would have had chemo plus radiotherapy. Should I be scared? Feeling more confused than ever and very weepy. Thanks, Annie3

Hi Girls, Sarah here from Cork. I'm new to this and this is my first post (although I did compose others before this one!!). I've been very positive and upbeat since my DX on 16th Jan. I've had my surgery etc and all that already. Things are moving very quickly. I had my first meeting with my oncologist yesterday evening. And I'm a little overwhelmed with all the info. I followed and understood everything so that's not my question really. The subject of fertility came up. And I was told I'd go into an early menopause that I may or may not come back out of. And I'm going to be on Tamoxifen for 5 years too. So I have to decided today if I want to go and see a fertility guy here in Cork for a consultation. And if it's something I want to take further they'll send me to London or Belgium. It's all a lot to take in and think about. I'm 36 (37 in April) and very very single!!! And I can't see that changing in the near future. So I'm not sure the kids thing was on the menu for me anyway. But this is very much closing that door for good. I'm just wondering if anyone else had to make these sorts of decisions and how you handled it all. I'm facing into so much as it is. 6 sessions of chemo, a year of herceptin, a lengthy spell of RT and tamoxifen.... Definitely overwhelmed today. Oh and where did people go for their wig??? I have all that to sort too. So much to do... Sarah XXX

Hello, I've never posted for this reason in a message board, so forgive me please if it's the wrong forum to do so. I'm a final year journalism student doing my FYP on the health care system in Irleand, and I'm also writing an article on breast cancer care and treatment here too. I'm looking for people to share their experiences with me about this - it's something that has touched my family too but I'm looking for outsiders to give me a better view on how the health system cares for breast cancer patients. I apologise again if this is the wrong forum in which to do or ask so, Rachael