Breast cancer

FormerMember over 16 years ago

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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?

FormerMember over 15 years ago

Hi Everyone. Sorry I havent been around much lately had a week in hospital and now spending 3 days at the hospital having bloods done and chemo once a week Taxol Having another ct and bone scan in the next 2 weeks :(. Having a sad day hair beginning to fall out in clumps so getting hubby to shave it off today. Lucky I still have my wigs from last time although it seems harder the second time round.

Having diffuculty keeping up with everyone here. Can someone do a wee summery of all thats going on. Paula you look great with your hair under the bandana lol Gave me a laugh just what I need. I have been upbeat most of the time but today is hard. I think when I get rid of all this hair falling about my shoulders I will feel a lot better. Also they have told me I will need 20 chemos one every week so long way to go yet. Then chemo is not to bad using Diflam which has helped my mouth. Taking all my sickness meds so not being to sick. Still having the odd bottle of wine! Maybe thats why I am feeling low today might be due to a hangover lol. Going for a walk to see if that helps.

I will try and make an effort to get on here most days and catch up with all your news.

Take care everyone

Lots of love

Lorraine xxxxx

FormerMember over 15 years ago

Paula that looks great how did you do it especilally as back of bandana is rouched where tie it ???????? it looks absolutely brill :-) i have been in my bandana most of today and made birthday tea for my brother he is 33 tomorrow he is having his kitchen ripped out and thought doing him a birthday tea would help, he came with his wife and baby 8mths i made lasagne salad and garlic bread and hot chocolate fudge cake and cream :-)

lorraine so nice to hear from you again :-) sorry your feeling down and been going through bad time, i can understand how having to have chemo again is a real bummer its because we cope so well with chemo as with think i can do this and once its done its done, so hearing you have to do it all again is very disheartening. Be strong and remember we are all in similar predicament and do talk, keep your chin up and keep fighting - you are strong. I am having my 2nd chemo FEC on wed and have just shave head to a number 2 and am pretty impressed it still coming out yet though all over shower

Paula where did you get the red bandana from its really nice i only have 2 at moment - but not getting very far from home since got Trevor - though now he is good when i leave him and just goes to sleep so i might venture out to Bolton tomorrow and have a little shop :-)

Jean glad your hair is coming back some people say your hair can grow back curly ??? keep us updated.

Stef x

FormerMember over 15 years ago

Hello girlies,

Lorraine, so sorry you're having a boo-hoo day :-(. We all know what that feels like. I can imagine losing your hair again is harder than before. Good luck with those scans, i shall keep everything crossed for you. I can't help you with that summery, i also find it hard to keep up with everyone!! Hope your walk cheered you up x

Paula i love your hairpiece its so clever. You look amazing.

Stef you look fab too. Its funny you should mention the Willow Foundation as i've just been told about it and was going to mention it on here today!! I'm looking into it too.

Marion its great that your skin is doing so well on radiotherapy. Sorry that your having bad hot flushes and gaining weight :-(. Lets hope they sort this out for you.

Jean i hope you had a wonderful time at the BBQ..im sure you did. Like you i'm blinking alot!! and i also think my hair will come back grey!!

Blossom i agree with the other ladies that you have the worse behind you. Bring on the op!!

Kay i hope you have a great holiday :-)

Thanks for all your advice and experiences with Tamoxifen. Its strange how some of us are put on it straight away but others (including myself) have to wait until after chemo!!
My eyebrows and lashes didn't fall out until nearer the end of treatment. Like some of you i used an eyebrow pencil which worked well but i couldn't get the false eyelashes to sit right. I'm now seeing signs of them returning...woo-hoo!
I'm in a bit of a panic today as two of my children have a virus!! They are unwell, shivering, raised temperature etc.. Now i'm worried that i'm going to get it!!! Boo-hoo, why when i'm on chemo!! Oh well i guess theres nothing i can do about it. If i get it and my temperature goes high i could end up in hospital and i really don't want that!!

Anyway i'd better stop chatting now. Hope everyone else is ok.
Take care Chelle x

FormerMember over 15 years ago

Evening,

Just reading a few pages back so I can see how you are all doing... up and down it seems, but I suppose that is how it goes..

My arm completely siezed up in the week, shoulder too, went to see the breast care nurse and she thinks there is still fluid but needs to refer me to the doctors and physiotherapists. My underarm scar is only about 2.5 inches long and I just did not ralise the trouble it could cause.... but there again, at least the nodes were all clear! I want to go back to work, I only do two days a week, but I want to try and get a bit of normality before I start the radiotherapy on 22nd July, but the nurse says don't be silly, its too early as the arm is so painful and stiff and should feels dislocated... all not normal apparently..Am going to the GP's tomorrow for a second opinion..

The tamoxifen is going ok, been on it for about 3 weeks now, just a few headaches and hot flushes at night and in the evening, not sweaty at all, just 'hot'..plus I have to say I have put on a couple of lbs but we have had about three birthdays in our family so have had lots of party food....but will try to be good in next few days. I love keep fit but can't go at the moment, I do Rosemary Connelly 4 times a week and it is so good, takes about 45 mins so not too long to get bored. I long to get back to normal.

I hope you have all had a good weekend. Chelle, thanks for the tips and everyone else too..

Lisa xx

FormerMember over 15 years ago

Hi everyone.
Lorraine I am sorry you have to go through all this crap again, it must be very disheartening for you. Please try and stay positive and don't forget if you need a good moan we are all here for eachother xxx
LOL The bandana!!! I wasn't sure it was going to work but thought it would be worth having a go. I got a piece of tape about an inch thick and put velcro on it to secure at the front. I measured from ear to ear and stuck the hair on with spray glue. I then covered it with another piece of tape and machined it. As it is only a band it isn't sweaty under the bandana. My friend came round yesterday and sat there for ten minutes before she remembered I had shaved my head lol. I washed it and straightened it aswell, very strange feeling lol You could easily make one of these out of an old wig aswell so if anyone wants me to make them one let me know.
Steff, I got about 20 bandanas in different colours from www.bandanashop.com. They are only around £3.50 each and it gives you a change of colour. Like you Steff my number 1 is dropping out now and I have big bald patches lol
5th day after chemo now so back to a normal sleep pattern, no sickness this time either yippee!!!
Mission for today is to find some eyebrows, I give the ones I've got about two days lol
Hope everyone is staying positive and feeling good today xxxx

FormerMember over 15 years ago

Just found this ladies. Very similar to the way I made the hair piece. I think they are quite cheap on here aswell xx http://www.headcovers.com/948/hats-with-hair-hair-liner-extra-long/

FormerMember over 15 years ago

Hi everyone,

Hi Lisa, your arm and shoulder sounds really painful. Just make sure you feel ready to return to work, it's a big step after what you've been through, especially as it still sounds sooo painful. It's a good idea to get a second opinion. When my lymph nodes were removed i had an infection under my armpit and i felt very restricted with most tasks including driving, and i can remember how uncomfortable it was. I hope they sort it out for you quickly. I'm pleased to hear the tamoxifen is ok.

Hi Paula, thanks for the bandana tips. It's just a shame your tips have come too late for me as my hair is just starting to grow again! I think it was harder losing most of my eyebrows and eyelashes than my hair, because i felt i looked funny without them!! Glad you're feeling well.

Hi to everyone else, i'm typing this in the middle of a cracking thunderstorm.....lovely!!
Chelle x

FormerMember over 15 years ago

Lorraine good luck with your scans keep us posted.

Marian thanks for letting us in on the aloe vera cream for when we get to the radiotherapy. Where are you up to with treatment now?

Dracsam sorry to hear you are having problems with your shoulder and arm i hope they sort it out for you, i went to physio as about 2-3 wks after op couldnt lift it straight up towards my ear very well it was stuck and when i lifted it i had a stringy tendon thing from armpit to about 1/3 way up my arm like it was so tight and stringy. That has improved well now and then it went sore and tight at the crease of my elbow and then in wrist like bruised and tight. I put on tiny bit with the tamoxifen but then lost it but that possibly when got more in depth diagnosis. Though i have now gained 7lb and that was since about day 4 or 5 after first chemo could just eat and eat and still felt starvin and more i ate the better i felt - less gittery and weak. You say your missing rosemary connely i know what you mean i miss swimmin and every time i think of going something stops me - i fancy going but chemo on wed - hey swimmin on steroids might be interesting - i just need a swimming cap so no one sees my hairlessness :-) Might go soon.

Chelle great that your lashes are coming back - i know what you mean about lashes loss is almost worse than hair loss as until they go i feel ok being able to make up my eyes at the mo. but hey ho they gonna go :-) Hope you dont come down with anything with the kids being unwell.

Paula are you still sleepy from chemo - so glad you dont feel sick - were you actually sick with other type of chemo (i think i got that right that you are on kinder chemo now - pls correct if wrong - it hard keeping track) i just felt nauseous for 2 days (day 4 and 5) and i on FEC?
Thanks for sending the name of site with bandanas as i toured the Trafford Centre all morning with son 16, and found nothing - they did have some funky but masculine headwear in blacks camping shop like a bandana with a peak but it was £13 and boyish. i will check the site out, i found that site hair for hats - did you see the accessories for bandanas - they sell a kind of headband to help bandanas stay in place and also what sounded like half a football with a breathing hole on top so when you wear bandana with no hair it stops it looking so snug and obvious got no hair - sort of fills it out a bit. Funny what you can get. I saw some peacock coloured false lashes and purple ones in Debenhams - just made me laugh, i can imagine the false lashes a pain in bum as i have worn em a few times when on xmas doos etc and they start coming off or end up too far from where they should be.

Stavanger, Marigold, Sue, Kay and all of you ladies - keep well and chins up :-) x

FormerMember over 15 years ago

Hi,
Hey Stef, how is your new puppy Trevor doing... (love the name!)
Sounds like the chemo is hard going... why do they give you steroids too?

I did go to the GP today, he was no help, did not even look at my shoulder just said stay off another month, the nerves take a month to regrow and reconnect one inch, so could take months for the nerve pain to lessen..So I am very tempted to just go back say four hours on two days instead of my usual 14 over two days, I know work will be fine..It will just give me a bit of normality, back with my old friends (have worked there 20 years and we have a real laugh) before the radiotherapy.
With me, having chemo was debatable as I was borderline, so it was a joint decision between the oncologist and me and they decided the toxicity outweighed the benefit percentage if that makes sense. I am really proud of you girls the way you are coping. i know that if eventually I do have to have it, I will have courage to plough ahead and try to be as positive as you lot..

Its so good you can have 'fun' with your bandanas and wigs, like you say, make the best of the situation..
Have a good night..
Lisa x

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