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Are you over 18? Have you been told in the last 12 months that you have lymphoedema as a result of cancer treatment by a health care professional? If you have, our reseachers would like to hear from you! A team of researchers at DCU, funded by the Irish Cancer Society, are looking for people who have been recently told they have cancer related lymphedema to take part in a research study. The study involves filling out questionnaires on how you feel about lymphoedema, how it affects your life and your body image. Body image refers to the picture we have of our own bodies and the emotions and thoughts associated with that picture. For further details and more information, please go to https://www.facebook.com/Bodyimageandcancerrelatedlymphoedema or contact Emma Byrne at emma.byrne83@mail.dcu.ie  or from 9am – 5pm at the following number  083 0953847.

Hi there, I got diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer on 28 Oct and have started treatment 3 Dec - for 35 treatments including 1 day each week of chemotherapy. In 2018 I had a virus which led me to have a dull hearing in my left ear and a runny nose. 2 years later I have a 43mm tumour in the nose cavity and has travelled to lymph nodes in neck. Its a rare cancer and I hope I can get shut of it this way. does anyone have anything like this?

Hi all, I have recently gone through the whole diagnosis and surgery element of breast cancer. I was fortunate enough to have caught it early after a screening and was told I had a 2mm tumour removed. Thankfully it wasn’t in my lymph nodes. I am still finding my feet about information on post-surgery with radiotherapy and treatment. I have just began Tamox 20mg and am quite scared with how many side effects are listed on the patient information leaflet. I’d really love to hear from others who have or still are going through the treatment and see real stories about the drug. If anyone also has any tips on dealing with treatment day-to-day I’d be so happy. It’s been a scary few months and I am trying to stay positive but it is hard. If anyone could give me an insight, I’m keen to hear your stories 💗 sending best wishes to all of you through these times

Hi, I am male, 46 and recently had visible blood in my urine (it occurred on one day and in two occasions of urination). Ever since, I have had frequent urination, pressure/pain in the bladder/abdomen and just generally feeling unwell. I went to my doctor the day after i had blood in my urine and he did a manual check of my prostate and said everything seemed ok. There was no sign of any infection but i was put on a precautionary course of antibiotics. My blood tests came back and my doctor said that they found no cause for my symptoms and has referred me on to a Urologist (who I am still waiting to see). I also had an ultrasound and all that showed up was a small kidney cyst that the sonographer said wasn't anything to worry about. I am up the walls with worry and am finding the uncertainty unbearable. I am tormenting myself on google wondering what kind of terminal illness could be at the root of this. I would really appreciate any feedback from anyone who has gone through this. Thank you

Sorry in advance for the long post. My mother was diagnosed with terminal mesothelioma around this time last year. The average life expectancy for her cancer is thought to be 6 months to a year. I had just graduated college and was 2 weeks into my new career in a different city when we found out. With 6 rounds of chemo coming up to try and contain the cancer I had to move back home to look after her as she couldn’t live alone. My employer was incredibly understanding and agreed to let me work from home temporarily. My elder brothers live abroad so it’s just me here and no other family to rely on. The chemo made her incredibly ill with her constantly needing to be admitted to hospital which is always a battle to get her there. She wouldn’t eat for weeks on end, couldn’t stand on her own, dress herself anything. I was sleeping on her floor for weeks to make sure she was still breathing, it was quite honestly traumatic. This was pre covid and my brothers flew home a handful of times so I got a day to myself once every month or two. I barely held onto my job with how much work I had to keep taking off. I’m a finance trainee so my hours can range up to 60 hours a week including weekends during busy periods and I’m also meant to be sitting exams. Looking back I’m not sure how I kept it together. The chemo was eventually dialled down and the harsh drug removed as she couldn’t handle it. Then covid hit and in a bid to keep her safe we have been completely cocooned since March. I don’t leave my house except for a walk when she’s ok enough to be left alone and I don’t see anyone at all. We are completely alone all day everyday. 6 months post chemo she’s been doing relatively ok and the struggle she went through was worth it. But we’ve now found out the cancer has entirely collapsed one of her lungs. In order to slow its spread, the decision has been made to try an even more aggressive 6 rounds of chemo again. As much as I want to be there for my mum and I don’t want her to die I don’t know if I can manage it all again on my own. I honestly don’t believe she will be able to handle the side effects this time around and will be left with no quality of life for her final months. She won’t have a carer come in to help and because I was only straight out of college I’m not entitled to sick pay if I have to take time off work again. It looks like I’m going to have to give it up altogether and apply for carers which I don’t think we can financially survive on at present and job is the only thing I have left of a normal life. I love my mum she’s the only family I’ve known and the idea of losing her has been very hard to accept so I feel an incredible amount of guilt that I don’t want to do this round of aggressive chemo again. Any opinions I had on this have been immediately shut down by the team as they assured me she would be looked after (she wasn’t at all the last time, in fact various complaints were filed over neglect issues in the hospital). I can’t describe in words how stressful and isolated the last year has been. She barely survived chemo last time and that was before Covid meant trips to the hospital were so much harder. I’m terrified if she goes back in she won’t come back out and could die alone in the hospital like so many have since the virus started. Chemos starting next week and I’m just not ready for it. I don’t know how other people are coping with it all during these times but I applaud anyone who is managing it. I’ve been running on adrenaline the last 12 months but I’ve run out and don’t know how to keep pushing through. If anyone else has had similar experiences or methods of coping as a carer I’d love to hear them.

My 13 year old son has been receiving black specks in his poo and I am worried for him

My husband has been having diarrhoea and very loud noises in the bowel. He has oesophegeal cancer with boney mets. Had dilation of Oesophageou s last fri week. Thanks so much

Hi, My partner has recently had surgery for a brain tumour and we're waiting for the biopsy results. The consultant has said he's 90-95% sure that the tumour is malignant. Since my partner came home from hospital, I have noticed changes in his personality and attention span, ability to find words etc. He is in good form in general, but at times he fixates on certain things such as trying to sort out his affairs, or the fact that he was told he probably won't be able to work again. He can get very anxious, which is understandable. Does anyone have any advice on how to respond to these situations? Also, I work from home and had only been a month in the job when he got the diagnosis. My instinct is telling me that I should take time off to care for my partner asap. We'll be facing into radiotherapy and chemo after Christmas and in the meantime I want to be there for him. I could potentially work part time until Christmas but to be honest, I don't think I can focus on work at all at the moment. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Kind regards,

Hi everyone My name is Peter and I'm 47 , I was diagnosed with esophagal cancer yesterday, I also have some suspicious spots on my liver that needs checking. I'm waiting to be referred to Mercy hospital in Cork. I made the mistake of googling everything and I'm absolutely terrified and feel as I'm falling apart at the seems. Please any advice would greatly be appreciated. 😥😥

Hi All 40 year old male with papillary thyroid cancer , had spread to lymph nodes so needed a big operation to remove thyroid and lymph nodes in chest I am two weeks post op and recovering well physically but i am so depressed and anxious. I am on anti depressants for a few years and was doing really well but now im very low. My wife is really supportive and my GP wants to increase my SSRI dose which i will be doing but i have no appetite and feeling crap in general. I know i just have to try and get through these days but its so hard, i want to get some sleeping aids to help me sleep better until i recover but of course im afraid to take these