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?
hi everyone I've just finished chemo and am starting radiotherapy next week. Through all my treatment i have been very positive and its as though it hasn't really been happening. Since i finished chemo i have been very tearful and its only now it is beginning to feel real what i have been through. Did anyone go through the same? I think i feel worse now than when i was first diagnosed. I suppose it must be the thought of it coming back now treatment nearly finished. I am still trying to stay positive and have met some wonderful people during my journey whom i'm sure i will stay in touch with
All the best to everyone who is going through the same take care xxxxxxx
Hi Kay.t.m.gabb, i can understand why you're feeling low coming to the end of your chemo. You've been strong for months now and i guess it was going to catch up with you soon. Try to stay positive, remember you have other treatments ahead that are there to keep you cancer free.
Hi Marmalade, yes the sun is shining here too and its having a positive affect on me and making me shine today! lol
Today i took your advice Jean and painted my nails....nice and bright!! Hope the ibuleve is working and all your aches and pains are getting better.
Margaret thanks so much for your list of foods...very interesting! My husband keeps making me eat tomatoes as he heard they help cancer so he was gutted to see that they contain natural estrogen. The thing is im not a great lover of tomatoes anyway and i've eaten loads!!! Hope your recharged today.
Hi Blossom, sorry to hear about your mouth being sooo sore. I've got that to come next week...nasty isnt it. I like the barley sweets tip! Glad your on the retreat list now, hopefully you wont have to wait to long.
Marian im soooo jealous that you have hair!!! lol
Lorraine, Liz, Heather, Fran, Andrea and Gilly i hope you are all ok today and anybody else out there thoses going through this.
I have had a think about my hair posts and I am feeling a bit bad. I hope I have not being offensive. I realise that most people on here have lost their hair and I don’t want to come across as the annoying, gloating one. The reason I write about my hair is because when I looked into using the cold cap all the forums I found on the subject revolved around it failing. I nearly gave up before I tried as a result of my research as the thought of my hair falling out in clumps was very traumatic. I thought it might be better just to get the graders out and be done with it. It was such a depressing time for me, all I seemed to get was bad news.
However, one of the nurses persuaded me to give the cold cap a go and I may just get what they call a ‘monk’ and that is exactly what I have got (but nobody is allowed to call me monk Marian!!!!LOL) Luckily I kept my hair long enough to disguise the unsightly….Anyway, I am rambling now. I just wanted to write something positive about the cold cap, to show that being told you have to have chemo does not automatically mean you will loose your hair, incase there is another me out there, reading this forum, just about to have a type of chemo that the cold cap can work for and is desperately investigating if there are successes with its use.
I am also trying to change my diet as a way of helping to reduce the chances of the cancer coming back. It is a way I feel I can get some control back. I bought a book called the Breast Cancer Diet and recovery plan (It is written by a breast cancer survivor) and am slowly changing the way I eat. Oily fish is supposed to be very good and I am training myself to like it!!!!! I also have cut down on sugar and alcohol, cut out coffee and am trying to reduce dairy. It goes a bit wrong in the days after chemo but I am sure that’s allowed!!!!!
Anyway, I have written an essay. Hope I haven’t sent everyone to sleep reading it!!!
Oh Marian i was only joking about being jealous that you still have your hair, im really glad you have. Now im worried i've upset you. I had the choice whether or not to use the cold cap, and like you researched it and found loads of reports that said it didnt work. I chose not to use it in the end for other reasons (my choice and accepted that i would lose my hair)! but i agree it needs to be known that it can work. You certainly never came across as gloating or offensive. Its just better to laugh about all the 'not such great things' we experience at the moment. I think the diet thing is a good idea i shall be looking out for that book.
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Chelle, you have not upset me at all. I was just thinking about things today and now since I am not working I have plenty of time for that! I would highly recommend the book as the lady that wrote it had grade three breast cancer with lymph nodes involved. I think that was thirteen years ago and she is alive and well. When I feel down I read a bit of it to remind myself that there are positive things that I can do. Lots of love, Marian
You go through being told that you have cancer and you are told what is going to happen and you agree to everything. All the treatment takes place the op,chemo, radio. The doctor puts yo on the 6 monthly check ups and that is it.
When you are having the treatment and being seen by the doctors I think that you feel safe and that you are in good hands. When its all finished you are left to cope without them and every lump bump etc gets you parinoid and you are frightened to feel just in case it comes back or perhaps they didn't get it all.
Its very hard to try and keep things normal, no one wants to here I have got a lump or whatever and people seem to think that you should be getting on with your life. Which we should be but its tough. Being under treatment your life goes into limbo and you do not have any control and to tend to go with the flow. After you feel as though you have been abandoned .
Haven't been around for a few days as I have had an awful time. I was so well after the first lot of chemo that I thought I was going to sail through this. That'll teach me.
The chemo coma hit in a big way after the steroids wore off. Then the worst thing happened (well as far as I am concerned) I threw up in the early hours of Wed morning. I've never been so scared in all my life. I thought it was never going to stop. I was crying and shaking. Poor Duncan, I think he suffers more than I do. Cried most of yesterday. That was the worst day I have had.
Anyway, today I'm fine. The aches and pains have gone and I've learned my lesson. Just to take things easy and do what your body tells you to.
Chelle, how are you after taking the steroids? Hope Jimmy is behaving and that you enjoyed the wedding reception.
How are you, Heather? Please learn from me and take things easy. Is Elvis still alive and kicking?
What can I say to you Lorraine? You are truly amazing! A gutsy wee Scottish Lassie.
Marian, Margaret still thinking of you both. So nearly there!
Marmalade, you just keep talking to us all. I really enjoy reading your posts.
To everyone whose name i have missed, I apologise. So many posts to read since the last time I was here, the old brain gets fuddled. I think I am the oldest in this little group of ours. Well that's my excuse, anyway!!!!
Hope to hear from some of you later today.
As always, thinking of you all and sending lots of love.
Good morning everyone, I haven't posted for a while, just been a bit fed up for a couple of days. Trying to bottle things up and hide what I really feel from my husband isn't really working Im getting really iritible and crabby, don't want to upset him, but thats just me all over, thinking of him first as usual.
This morning, someone has let their dog do what dogs do, right in our front garden, it upset me that much that I got pains in my chest I had to calm down before I could have my breakfast. ohhh if I ever find out who it was!!! Im risking my health by picking my dogs up, and there's someone too d**** lasy to pick theirs up and leaving it for me!!!!!!!!!!!!.
Im just little miss angry this morning girls, I'm really sorry.
Hello Jean. Elvis is still alive and kicking. Not needed him yet though, but i'm ready for him.
Hope everyone eles is as well as expected HeatherXXXXX
