Hello my name is Heather I have just been diagnosed with brest cancer last week for the first time (and last I hope) Both my sisters have had cancer,one died seven month ago Im a bit scared of what to expect with the chemo. Can anyone tell me how soon after the treatment do you start to feel ill? How soon do you lose your hair?
Finally I feel half human again!! Sickness finally passed late Saturday, managed to go out for cream tea Saturday afternoon and kept it down so all good! I can’t believe how lethargic I am though, it’s very alien to me just lolloping around not having the energy to do anything but read and sleep.
Jean, I was told to be careful of the sun, BBQ’s and the oven, but my god it hurts when you open the oven door!!! Lol How are your fingers now?
Jo – I’m not on TAC but I do have the daily injections and I was warned that I would have achy joints, fluey they told me. I’ve been lucky though, so far I’ve not had any problem with them. I do get the bloating though and I too have put that down to the steroids, luckily I only take them for about 3 days so it’s not soo bad.
Hi Jenney, welcome. I’m on FEC (have had 2 so far, one more to go) and then I go on to Taxatere for 3 sessions. Everyone here will tell you, everyone’s chemo is different but I sailed through the first FEC and can’t really complain about the second, I just felt very nauseas and was sick the night of chemo and felt sick for several days afterwards, the hardest thing is the feeling of absolute tiredness and lethargy. Just listen to your body and stay positive. If you have any relaxation tapes to listen to I would recommend them as the more relaxed you are the easier the chemo is on the body (was told this by the nurse). I’ve had a couple of hypnosis sessions which I found to be really helpful. My breast cancer is stage 2, I’m having 6 chemo’s followed by surgery (hoping now to have lumpectomy rather than mastectomy) then 3 weeks of radiotherapy then tamoxifen for 5 years, so we’re fairly level pegging here. We all need a release and although many of us have a great support network, I for one find this site invaluable as you think you’re going a bit mad and then you read other posts and just realise it’s chemo head speaking!! Lol
Stef – Yep lost that feeling after 2nd chemo, my poor fella is struggling with that too lol.
Love to everyone else I’ve not named hope you're doing well and having a good day
Chelle, thank goodness you and your Dad ar OK. Hope that your Dad continues to do well and that your chemo goes well today. 7/8 of the way there now! Yes I have a furry left cheek! So glad it disappears. I think there is more hair there than on my head!
Sam, great to hear you are feeling human again. Fingertips still numb and blistered.I can't feel them though, so that's something! Can't believe how stupid I was. Duncan how insisting that he is in charge of the oven and microwave!
Stef, hope Hannah is OK and that your Mum and Dad don't catch it, whatever it is. So important that you don't get it, so look after yourself. Will be thinking of you tomorrow and hope that this chemo doesn't affect you too badly.
Blossom you sound much more positive now.............keep it up!
Bloods done today,chemo tomorrow and then I'll join Chelle in being 7/8 of the way done.
Hi all, Chelle glad to hear you dads ok, re my mum she was taken back into hospital on saturday to remove a blood clot in the breast, since found out that she had moved some heavy carpet around and this was probably what had caused it, the woman just will not rest. She is doing ok now and due home today I think my dad is going to tie her to her bed, lol. re. passion yes it does come back but it does need the men in your lives to be patient. although I am newly married I have been with Kev for 18 years so we are not new loves, but reassurance and love is all it took, its not quite the same as it was because I'm very selfconsious now about how I look, but you have to think positive and know that it will improve given time. well thats what I'm hoping anyway.lol re furry face, I was well freaked out with the facial hair and was all for getting it removed when I read somewhere on this site that it was normal and it does go naturally, that made me feel better, and although I don't think its any different than before I'm maybe just not noticing it anymore, so have stopped panicing. sam what lymph node involvement did you have? as I haven't had any radiotherapy and i was told i would only need to take tamoxifen for two years, I'm not sure I am getting the right info here, as one min they say one thing then they change their minds. Iam seeing my oncologist onthe 12th august and will hopefully get some answers. good luck to all who are having chemo this week. sue
I've got nothing in the lymph nodes - or anywhere else (yet). My cancer is nothing to do with hormones and it's unlikely to spread so they tell me. My Onc - a brilliant "mad" Professor - reckons that within the next few years they'll increase the use of Tamoxifen from 5 years to 10 and he's already told me to expect to be on it for 10 years!! So I am most definitely one of the lucky ones who expects to make a complete recovery.
Re chemo and radiotherapy. My onc said the following.
" If no lymph node involvment then radiotherapy only.... NO CHEMO. As soon as it enters the lymph nodes then chemo is needed" This is to kill off any stray cells.
I only had one lymph node affected and I had to have chemo.
Good to be back in touch, Chelle, and so pleased everything is sorting itself out. Good news that your dad is better :-) Sam - all your news sounds good and positive - great!. Hope your fingers start geting feeling in them again soon, Jean. Seems to have got you out of a few chores though! Stef, good to hear Hannah is feeling better and that seem to have escaped it. I don't know yet when my DIEP will be - it involves getting my surgeon and the cosmetic surgeon together but I have an appointment tomorrow to do pre-op. checks - maybe I'll get a date then. I feel really tired today - perhaps I'm in sympathy with those who are having chemo.! Hope I'm not going down with the dreaded swine flu - that really would not be a good idea! I'll be in touch soon love, Wendy xxx
Thanks once again for your well wishes. It really is very sweet of you all and I appreciate it.
Wendy good luck with your appointment tomorrow, lets hope they set a date and as soon as possible for you. Sorry you’re feeling tired today. I really hope you’re not going down with anything I’ll keep my fingers crossed.
Sue I’m so pleased that your mum is ok and coming home today ..phew! She’s just a typical woman, carrying on doing things even when she shouldn’t!! I’ve already been told today that I shouldn’t be doing so much while on chemo and no wonder I’m so tired, but I just can’t stop myself if i’ve an ounce of energy I have to do whatever needs doing!! Thank you for your reassurance that the facial hair goes and the passion comes back. I’m worried that it won’t come back as I’ve heard you lose your passion when they send you into the menopause?? You’re right about losing your confidence, although I only have a couple of scars and my blue tattoo!! I feel like this year has knocked the stuffing out of me. I’ve aged, I’m often unwell on chemo and just don’t feel sexy inside or out!! It’s funny because otherwise I’m a positive, confident person. Pete is great, really understanding and patient, but I’m waiting for him to snap (of course he may never snap). Don’t think Pete’s ready for a life of celibacy even if at the moment I am lol :-) I’m having both chemo and radiotherapy even though I had no lymph node involvement because of my age and the type of cancer I have (which is hormone positive and her2 positive which is very aggressive) so I need everything thrown at it!! I think they sometimes prescribe Tamoxifen for less than 5 years if you are closer to a natural menopause, but then they put you on some other tablets (i believe)?? Really don’t know how true this is, maybe someone else knows the answer??
Jean I think it’s a blessing that you can’t feel your fingers!! Lets hope they heal soon. I’m glad I’m not the only furry faced one, instead of stroking my head I’m gonna start stroking my hairy face lol!! Maybe Pete won't want any passion if i look like a bloke with my facial hair and skin head lol!! Good luck for tomorrow, we’re sooo close now :-) I still found myself wishing it was next month and the final dose..can’t wait :-D
Sam it’s great to hear you feel human again. Isn’t the tiredness horrendous??!! That has been the worse side effect for me and I’m dreading it returning later on this week for me. Those relaxation tapes sound like a fab idea I must try it. I was told to be careful in the sun but bbq’s and oven’s were never mentioned! Your cream tea sounds delicious I really could eat one now..yummy.
Stef I would love to let my hair down (or wig off) this weekend. Lets hope I’m well enough too (can’t see it though). I fully intend celebrating in September when my chemo is over. We already have a couple of bottles of bubbly in the fridge waiting for me to get absolutely hammered lol :-D How are you and your daughter? Hope you are both ok x
Hi everyone, sounds all good news on hear at the mo which is brilliant. Been a bit negative lately so I thought I would keep my gob shut until I had soething positive to say lol My sister got her results today, the breast they found the cancer in has clear lymph nodes BUT the breast they said was clear (but had double mastectomy anyway) was cancerous so she now has to go back in and have the lymphs taken on that side. Thank God she had a double otherwise they would never have known until it was too late. Getting zapped tomorrow so I will love you and leave you xxx
I had lost my dear Aunt Marie because of Breast Cancer in 1986. Since then there has not been a single day when I had not lit a candle for her. My mom and Sis take every precautionary measure to prevent any chance of suffering from Brest Cancer.
I have searched quite a lot of articles on Breast Cancer. The one sight that caught my attention was http://www.caring.com/cancer. It provides a-z information about Breast Cancer.
It is so difficult to identify the cancer at the early stages. And yes, the treatments are painful (especially the Chemotherapy) and expensive as well.
