Did you have side effects from cancer treatment from radiotherapy or tamoxifen?

Good for you Maddoglady. We have to be strong not only to get thru it but to stick up for ourselves too xx

Hi Maddoglady

I took the steroid Dexamethasone when I had FEC-T chemo - apparently helps with sickness and dampens down any allergic reactions. It made me feel rubbish! When I did have an allergy to the Taxotere and swapped to Abraxane instead, I didn't have to take the steroid any more, and I felt so much better! I think that most of the side effects (and I was quite lucky in how mild they were anyway) were steroid related!

I'm now having oral chemo for secondaries in lungs and spine and have also been on Prednisolone to reduce the severe inflammation in my lungs. I haven't had any side effects from the Pred. apart from a little fluid retention and slightly puffy face. The oncologist put me back on Dex a couple of weeks ago as she felt it was better for the inflammation, but within 2-3 days, I had a massive increase in shortness of breath, coughing and rib pain - all known side effects and exactly the symptoms they are trying to decrease! 

I phoned the oncologist but she didn't believe that it was side effects, just that my body wasn't used to the Dex (despite me telling her it didn't suit me last time!). However, she grudingly said that I could swap back to the prednisolone 'if I wanted'. I did, and within 3-4 days, the side effects had gone and the lung symptoms had decreased, so I was right! 

I'm happy on the prednisolone as although I know that steroids are not great on a long term basis, it is working for me to reduce the distressing lung symptoms that have kept me off work for 3 months - I got to the stage where I wasn't able to walk up a flight of stairs or talk for more than 30 seconds without a severe coughing fit! I'm a speech/language therapist, so that has made work impossible!! 

 I agree with you though that we have to fight our own corners with doctors at times! 

Hi Maddoglady

I experienced the same side effects with the Dexamethasone! Awful stuff.  Anyway got through it all.

What where your symptoms for the secondaries in your lungs and spine?  I am experiencing such backache, but do have RA, so not sure whether it's that?  And pain/tenderness in my effected breast and ribs.  Again, not certain if that is related to Radiotherapy.  

Always terrified that I will sound like a baby so don't like to rock the boat.

Would really love some advice....

Hi Elaine

I've had no symptoms from the spine mets - those were only discovered on CT when I had them done due to the persistent cough. That was the main symptom, as well as a 'crackling' in the right lung when I laid on that side. The cough is non-productive but has worsened slowly over the past few months, along with an increase in breathlessness and low tolerance to exercise. I do have some rib and shoulder pain now, but am waiting for the results of a bone scan to see if they are related to bone mets or whether it is referred pain from the lung inflammation etc.

 I have had some pain/tenderness around my affected chest wall since the mastectomy - apparently largely due to the fact that the nerves are all chopped about when they do the surgery so isn't likely to be directly related to bone mets. 

CTs have been abnormal since December - they show inflammation, thickening of the lobes of the lungs, fluid on the lungs, thickening of the heart walls. The main symptoms are caused by lymphangitis - basically the cancer is in the lymph system in the lungs rather than being anything they can remove. 

If you're worried, I would go and tell the GP or oncologist about your concerns - you have nothing to lose and they may be able to do some investigations to see what's going on! Good luck! 

Hi Elaine, it's not me with the secondary, that's weeblemum. However in answers to whether or not you should rock the boat, you go girl! You are entitled to have any and all information about your condition and treatment. Its just that some members of the medical profession do seem hellbent on only telling you what they want you to know!

You aren't being a baby or rocking the boat if you want information. I've recently been told that one of the drugs I'm taking has caused endometriosis and I only found that out when I got a letter to attend a clinic of a doctor I've never even heard of! My oncologist can't understand why I'm so annoyed with him. I've spent the last 6 years arguing with him and his team about the lack of information, and I'm still arguing!

Hello Weeblemum and Maddoglady

oops and thank you both for your replies!!!!  Guessing the mixup is due to chemo brain!  Thank you both for your advice.  I will phone my breast nurse this morning and have a chat to her.

in the meantime, keep fighting the good fight, and keep smiling.  What else can we do!!!

hugs to all out there xx

I have had breast surgery 4 weeks ago and I am now on my second week of taking Tamoxifen, so far so good. I have a meeting at the hospital this week to discuss my Radiotherapy plan. Since being diagnosed I have not felt any different, no pain after surgery, nothing. Fingers crossed it continues to stay that way, x

Anyone who's has radiotherapy after a lumpectomy had a really sore breast. I finished my rads 3 weeks ago and every day my breast seems to be more sore and sensitive?

Yip, I finished mine in March of this year and sometimes even now, the area is very tender and sore.  

I keep worrying something's wrong. Worse in a morning. Taking pain killers every day it's so uncomfortable.