Giving hope to those affected
by secondary breast cancer
Research. Support. Education.
Giving hope to those affected
by secondary breast cancer
Date of diagnosis?
Dec 2019 Stage 3
March 2020 Stage 4
Current treatment line?
Palbocyclib 100gm
Anastrozole
Zolendronic infusions
Calcium
Cocodamol and Pregabalin
3 monthly CT scan and consultation.
How does secondary breast cancer affect your life?
Limited in walking and cycling
Brain fog
Tired by early afternoon
Being clinically vulnerable during the covid pandemic, still being very careful.
2 yearly trips to Australia to see my son and granddaughter now not feasible, too long a journey and time off medication.
What advice would you give to someone newly diagnosed?
Get contact information for all your medical team, including GP, and keep them informed - about everything.
Inform yourself and ask questions
Live life as normally as possible.
Don’t google stuff unless you stick to accredited sites like Macmillan, Cancer Research UK., etc.
Has your treatment line changed since you completed SBC & Me last year?
Just a reduction in the palbocyclib dose, and a switch from Letrozole and denusomab
How many changes to treatment have you had?
None but I did have a single blast of radiotherapy for a new nodule near my spine in May 2022.
How are you coping?
Very well mostly. I have no responsibilities, am retired and we are comfortable financially at the moment. My husband and I have 3-4 monthly catch ups on how we are physically and emotionally and in between try to lead as normal a life as possible. I keep close family fully informed and do a health update post on my facebook page after a consultation as interacting with everyone has become more difficult with brain fog. We have talked to a counsellor at Maggies once, and are going back this week, mostly my husbands distress at my illness and what is to come.
I had felt very isolated until finding the make2ndscount facebook page, which is both supportive and informative. Covid, and the ongoing restrictions I choose to still make, has been very very hard in terms of seeing family, friends, the cinema and restaurants, and going on holiday (Europe).
I have blips every now and again - particularly as I have a son and granddaughter in Australia. Our two yearly trips are now off and covid and work/school restrictions have made it difficult for them to come to the UK - Easter 2023 hopefully, but very grateful for regular visual and. audio contact through SKYPE, Facetime and Messenger audio calls.
Do the side effects affect your life daily? If yes, please explain
Have to rest from about 2pm so try to get what I want/need done before then.
Brain fog/concentration problems mean previous activities/hobbies have been curtailed - reading, writing anything, sewing.
Hip pain means walking/cycling have been reduced to about 2 miles.
Have you found a routine that works for your everyday life? If yes, please explain
I don’t need a routine. I rest when I’m tired, I do things when I’m not.
Do you feel anything is missed when it comes to living with secondary breast cancer? Medically or Socially
Socially - understanding, that this is very different to primary breast cancer.
Medically - difficult as there are so many differences in diagnosis and treatment but a book along the lines of The Complete Guide to Breast Cancer (it isn’t, it’s primary) which talks about markers, neutrophils, the language of SBC, and sepsis, spinal compression, etc. would be a useful resource.
The government investing more money, and a huge recruitment drive.
Have you treated yourself to anything since your diagnosis? If yes, please explain
2 holidays in the UK, both in covid controllable airbnbs.
Has it changed your perspective on life? If yes, please explain
Not really. I’m 71 and have had (generally) an interesting and good life, great childhood, 2 children and 3 grandchildren. Everything is still working at the moment and I have much to be grateful for - as ever.
It upsets me that so many with SBC are young, often with children. We need a cure, particularly for them.
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