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?
Hey Paula welcome back! How are you? Feeling much better I hope. Have they sorted the problem out once and for all? What a nightmare!! Glad you’re back home. Big hugs to you x
Hi Caley like Paula said waiting for the result’s is the worse, they seem to take forever! And as the others have said at least now you know what you’re dealing with and what treatments are needed. Did they say what grade you are? I haven’t had an MRI so I can’t answer your question about sedation, however I would need sedating, as I hate small spaces!! Good luck for the coming months with all your treatments x
Hi Chelle, how's it going? I hope your chemo free days are brill and you are making the most of the taste buds again. They have removed the implant and I now have an open packed breast. It will stay open until they decide to put an implant back in or stitch it up for an implant in 6 weeks, they are not keen to put one in until my chemo is finished. I have to see the onc and the surgeon Friday to see if I can stay on track with my chemo as the wound is open.The infection hit me like a ton of bricks so I would HIGHLY stress anyone feeling unwell or with a temperature must get to the hospital immmediately as it got into the rest of my body and I ended up with a heart rate of 265 and ended up in the cardiac unit having injections to slow my heart rate down. Hopefully all gone now so back to partying lol xxxx
Caley - I had 12 nodes taken out, that was all of them, cancer in 2.
Went for my second taxotere this morning, did not get it. I'm back on the FEC - yiiipppiii!!! Could not have more taxotere because of the bad side effects. It wasn't the aching and all the other side effects, they would give me morphine & other medicines for that - no it was that I had bad diarrhoea for 4-5 days. That could develop into chely (or something like that, will have to find out) which is bad for the digestive system for life.
So now I'll just have the tiredness, mouth ulcers and occasional sore feet to deal with. That means I can start going training again (that is - doing my study stretches at a gym instead of at home because then I drag hubby with me and also gives me more initiative to have to do it).
Doing a bit of training in a few minutes - walking to doctors to make new appointment with nurse for booster tomorrow and also to book district nurse to come to my house on Sunday to flush my Hickman before I go on my holiday on Sunday evening.
Hope everybody is having a nice day in the good weather, nice here in Manchester area anyway.
Welcome back Paula, blimey you've been through the mill! I agree with you about infection. It's easy to get to relaxed taking temperature. 2 weeks after 3rd chemo I woke up in the night bitterly cold and temp way above 38. Landed in hospital in isolation for a week with 2 lots of antibiotics being pumped into me. Neutrafils were really low. Was a bit spooky but after the last 3 chemos I had a neulasta? jab to boost them up and that eased some of chemo side effects. Every cloud..... Not trying to freak you all out, just be careful 'cos I didn't actually feel ill. Glad you got results Caley. At least you know where you are now.
Had radiotherapy yesterday. Was fine,next one tomorrow afternoon and echo cardiogram in morning ready for herceptin.Lots of love Karen xxx
Having a great time with my brother. Eating out and having lovely natters late into the evening. The men are watching the footie tonight so I am catching up with e mails and doing my usual posting on here
Well I have been turned down for DLA too. They said if I disagreed with their decision and had any further information for them, then I should write to them and they may change their decision. So I have written to them today and told them that since applying I have seen both my onc. and surgeon and told them both that I am concerned about the lack of mobility in my arm and the aches and pains. The onc. said this could go on for months, years, even forever. The surgeon said I should have more mobility and is arranging physiotherapy. So how can they possibly say that my condition will improve before 3rd Jan 2010, which is 6 months after the date I applied. That’s what bloody annoys me about this. They count the 6 months from the date you applied not from the date of the op. Also you can’t claim until 3 months after the op. As my second op was in February, I could have applied in May, but didn’t as I knew nothing about this DLA. So they count it from the date I applied which was July 3rd. They really do my head in.
Hope you enjoyed Shrewsbury Kay. It is a lovely town. Duncan says you and Chelle can get your own whisky. His is all for himself!!
Jenney, I’m really sorry that the chemo is knocking you about so much and hope things get better soon.
Caley, 4 lots wow! That must be some sort of a record! Hope you are keeping well after the op.
Laila never heard anyone cheering because they are on FEC. Seriously you must be feeling a lot better as the Tax was really affecting you badly.
Karen, so pleased that your first radio went well. I start mine on Tuesday of next week.
Paula, so pleased that you are home again. You really went through an horrific time. How does this affect the holidays you were planning?
I was turned down for DLA as well and my hospital told me to ring a Macmillan welfare officer here in Stockport for help in contesting the result. Because of the sodding taxotere reactions I have let it slip, but just found the letter now and I have one month to contest it from date of letter, which was the 13 August! So better get a move on tomorrow!!. They say my needs are likely to reduce so will not satisfy disability conditions on on 7Feb 2010. "Having considered all the information I have decided that although your needs vary; the help you need most of the time is as follows:" - and then nothing .... (very intelligent don't you think??)
I'm cheering because I hardly have any side effects with the FEC - don't loose taste or anything. And after today - only 1 more to go!! Nurse said that she will coordinate for me to have my Hickman taken out the same day I go for mark up for the radio therapy. Both of them are at Christies, so will not have to go to Macclesfield any more after the last chemo.
Karen - happy your radio went OK. My turn in about 6 - 8 weeks.
sorry to hear you were turned down for dla but hope you appeal against this...my friend similar diagnois to yours was turned down, didnt even qualify for low rate care/mobility! and now is waiting to got to a tribunal....last thing you want when trying to cope with this diease. good luck
Hi everyone - just got back from York for a break before the op. and now I'm off to Chelmsford - more driving - to meet the anaethetist and breast recon. nurses in preparation for the big day! so I can't write long now but did catch up with your posts before I went to bed and I'm pleased that you are all still so positive especially as some of you have had such an awful time lately.
Really glad you posted, Marian. Just a week to go - how are you feeling? I'm a bit nervous now!
I've realised how imporant this site is to me while I've been away! I will be in touch later!
The sun is shining here - I hope it is with you! Did the tamoxifen make anybody a bit grumpy? Please say yes otherwise I won't be able to blame my occasional bad mood on it!
Hi Paula it is great knowing that chemo is over, sadly the taste buds are still not back to how they were pre chemo although they are getting much better each day. In fact I ‘m feeling better regarding chemo side effects every day, but I’m noticing the Lupus symptoms slowly getting worse. Hey ho I can cope with Lupus its just such a relief that chemo’s over. Radiotherapy, lupus, ovaries being removed, etc, etc….bring it on!! :-D Things haven’t gone smoothly for you with that troublesome boob :-(. Let’s hope you don’t have to go through that again, it sounds really awful and what a worry it must have been for both you and your family. I’ll keep everything crossed that they don’t put chemo on hold as I expect you just want to get it over and done with. How many more have you got to go, there can’t be many now? Let the partying begin :-D. Good luck for tomorrow x
Hi Karen glad the Radiotherapy went well, hope it goes well today for you. Does your echo cardiogram involve being injected with Radioactive medicine? If so, that’s what I’ve had. It was painless and no bother at all, although I did feel a little strange when they injected me knowing I was Radioactive!!
Hi Jean glad you’re having a great time with you’re bro. I'm a bit gutted I can’t join Duncan with a whisky though. I’ll have to join you with the Vodka instead :-)! DLA!! I Can’t even type DLA without it making my blood boil..grrrhhhh!! Good for you appealing. I definitely think you should get it with your arm being as it is. It’s ridiculous that you can’t apply for 3 months, then you have to be ill for a further 6 months and their criteria with symptoms is limited…arrrgghhh so annoying!
Hi Laila how good it must feel knowing you haven’t got to have Taxotere anymore and not go through those nasty side effects. What a nightmare it’s been for you. Hoorah only 1 more to go :-). I can’t believe you’ve been turned down for DLA also, after all you’ve been through with Taxotere!! Don’t get me started again lol!! Have a fab holiday, you deserve it x
Hi Chrystal hope you’re keeping well x
Hi Wendy I’m sure you’ve had a lovely time while in York, just what you needed to take your mind of the op. It’s great that things are moving forward and it’s only natural to be feeling nervous. It’ll be fine :-). Sorry I can’t answer your question as I’m not taking Tamoxifen but I can have my grumpy days too. I'm still blaming my hormones :-D x
What do you think of this? Any changes you think let me know, I will not be offended, all ideas are welcome.
Hi everyone, here is a new forum, which hopefully will enable people to gain information quickly and efficiently on any Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) regarding thier specific treatments, the side effects they suffered and the coping stratagies that they used.
This site can only work with your help and input. Because we have all had different treatments, experiences etc., it will need YOU to share them for others to benefit. For example - if you have had a certain type of chemotherapy you could post your experiences and coping strategies in the appropriate section on our FAQ forum. This will help other sufferers find the information quickly without having to wade through a mass of posts. We have created many categories already.
To start contributing, please register. Once this is done, please contribute to any existing threads which you may have had experience of. If you would like another category adding i.e a type of chemo, reconstruction etc. Please go to the feedback category and write a request and small description. This will be added to the site and you will then be able to start your own thread.
I will be posting this message frequently to help the site get going and for any newbies which may have missed it.
Thanks to everyone who contributes and I hope it turns out to be a helpful site.
