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?
Laila sounds like you had a lovely weekend on the boat. I dont seem to get out at all and even bought a vw polo so i didnt feel isolated while off work but Trevor keeps me in a bit as going to appointments etc. i dont like to keep leaving him as the toilet training goes out the window. I know about the starvin hungry thing i found that on chemo day Wed and up to Saturday couldnt taste anything well i could but it all tasted nasty even water. Then on Sunday (day 5) found i was hungry and the more i ate the less weak i felt and then Monday and Tuesday could have eaten a buttered frog - ate about 6 meals and felt like hadnt eaten each time. but then by Wed i was back to myself again and normal appetite. Why cant you go swimming - have they advised not too as i am dying to swim - thought id just get a swimming cap and go for it ????
Jean my Auntie had breast cancer but not chemo just mastectomy lymph nodes removed and radiotherapy and she has large brown freckles on her face and arms not sure about her legs. so it seems part of territory. Glad your very kind gradson has lent you his PC we would have been worried if you werent online :-)
Lorraine glad your on the up :-) when you said going to dentist about teeth i read somewhere you cant have treatment whilst on chemo and to have a good hygienist appt and chek over before treatment - problem was i read this too late. Just lettin you know what i heard?? Dog keeps your mind off everything as you so busy cleaning up piddle and poop and shouting get off my forsythia bush, and no dont wee under my bed just cos you can :-) and i do feel quite trapped and like its groundhogs day - same again and again - i certainly dont regret it and he does make me laugh but if you getting out at moment that might take a back seat. Sorry to put a bit of downer on things but just reminding you whats involved :-) unless you get a slightly older dog 1 or 2 that would be much easier. Have fun tomorrow chosing your wig and update us (change your pic to show us).
Marian sorry to heat about those terrible tablets - leave them well alone you dont need that at all. When you said FLY are you an air hostess or just planning to go abroad ?
Lisa Trevor keeping me busy think i gonna have to toughen up - but he is my new baby :-) My chemo went ok i though just accept now that i will have 7 wonky days either buzzin, tired, sickly slightly, starvin, and food tasting bad, then back to being normal again. I got my 2nd one tomorrow and just pray it stays at same level. Great to hear you may be back at work, you do miss the banter and laughs (and bitching hahahaha) Hey dont stress about the chemo we are all everyday ladies here and we coping with it and you WILL to, there is no option to be down come on up and at em fight it hun :-) When does yours start and how many you having. mines FEC and having 2 of 8 tommorow. Do you know your profile is hidden not a problem but mine was hidden as i hadnt given the site permission to show it and wasnt aware until recently.
Chelle great news you still fit and not got the bug - just shows how strong you are - keep fighting fit x stef
xxxxx Stef
FormerMember
Hi Girls
Thanks Paula and Stef. Good to know that my spots are chemo related.
Now then ....flying? Anyone know when we can board a plane and go abroad again?
My next onc appt is 16th July so I can ask then. However in the meantime if anyone has any info, I'd be grateful.
I've resigned myself to the fact that there will be no foreign holidays this year. But next year I want to get away as soon as possible and find some sun.
The tiredness is a weird thing, Laila. One minute I am sitting watching TV or reading and then ten minutes/20 minutes/half an hour later I wake up! I just seem to conk out. My hubby is totally amazed at how quickly I just keel over. When I wake up I am absolutely fine. I seem to do it more now as the doses of chemo build up. Three more to go so hope I stay awake long enough to get them lol.
Off to see my grand daughter singing in her school concert this afternoon. That'll keep me awake!!!
Love to all. Jean xx
FormerMember
Steph,
My chemo nurse said absolutely no swimming until treatment is finished as there can be a lot of "things" in the pool to give our immune system a challenge!.
Love,
Laila
FormerMember
Hi Girls
A lot of you seem to be on FEC chemo. I've been trawling the net a bit this morning and found this.
Hi Natalie, thanks so much for your kind words. This is a fab thread where we can all get advice and strength from each other. I'm surprised at how many of us there are on here...it's great (though wish we didn't need to be here at all). I wish your nan and your friend loads of luck with their results (most lumps are negative) and treatments.
Jean thanks for those websites. It's good to understand how they work (something the doctors never tell us). I know we can't fly while on chemo but i'm unsure about flying on other treatments and i didn't realise we can't swim either. I haven't swam simply because of my bald head!! Have a fab time this afternoon at your granddaugthers school concert. Your grandchildren sound soooo sweet.
Hi Stef, i didn't know we shouldn't visit the dentist! By luck mine checkup was just before chemo began, but if my appointment had been during i wouldn't have known not to go!! They don't tell us anything!! You gave good advice re getting a puppy. I'm taking your comments on board as me and my husband keep thinking about getting a dog. We just get carried away with the loveliness of having another family member and forget everything else that comes with it. I shall stick with just having my 2 cats for now. They also keep you company :-)
Laila your canal cruise sounds fantastic, just what you need at this time. Sorry the side effects have began. I found the tiredness the worse of all the side effects. Although like Stef said your food tasting bad isn't great. I really missed a good tasting cuppa tea!!
Take care everybody Chelle x
FormerMember
hello everyone! just want to let everyone know im 57 years old had breast cancer back in 2004 breast removed chemo and radiotherapy and tamoxifen for five years and last week i was dismissed. There is hope at the end of the tunnel and i would love to talk to anyone going through the same, chat and have a laugh. unfortunately my mother is now dealing with bowel and liver cancer terminal but thats life unfortunately so as you can imagine im trying hard not to let her know im upset keeping strong. please contact me and chat.
janet.t xx
FormerMember
Hi janet,
Congratulations. You must be feeling on top of the world. Thankyou so much for sharing your good news with us. We all need to hear positive outcomes such as yourself to keep us going on our down days. Thanks for offering your support, it's very much appreciated.
I'm really sorry that you and your mum are facing this awful disease once again. You must be finding it ever so hard to be strong at this time. If you need to chat we are all here for you. Please keep posting and let us know how you are keeping.
My best wishes and big hugs Chelle x
FormerMember
Morning Girls. Jean how sweet your Grandson lent you his PC, my kids wouldn't part with theirs for love nor money. Chelle how great your hair is coming back, it must be a lovely feeling!!!! Steff, like you I can't stop eating, no weight gain yet but it's only a matter of time!!!! Lorraine I am thinking of you and hoping you are keeping your fighting spirit up!!! Hi Janet, fabulous news about being given the all clear. Please come and join us, we all love a good moan and a good laugh. Well, where do I start? Every bloody orifice on my body has something wrong with it. My nose is sore, my throat is sore, my tongue has ulcers and the antibiotics have given me thrush in my mouth. My ultimate complaint for today is "GREGORY THE GRAPE". Having given birth naturally to twins 19 years ago I developed a single pile which we named GREGORY. I have never had a problem off him until now! The constipation has obviously got the better of him and he is around with a vengence. Like Jean once said I am totally confused with the amount of creams I have and after a few beers last night I just prayed I had put them on the right places. I had visions of putting preparation H up my nose instead of vaseline and waking up with a shrunken nose lol Anyway on a lighter note I went out in my new dark wig. My hubby said he felt he was cheating on me as I looked so different with dark hair lol He started to moan I got ready earlier as he said it takes me long enough to decide what I am wearing, let alone what colour wig I am going to wear lol Hope everyone is in good spirits today lots of love to all xxxxx
FormerMember
Morning Girls and GREGORY!
Janet thanks for posting. You words will give us all a lot of encouragement. How sad that you are now having to cope with your Mum's illness. Life can be a bitch.
Paula, oh how I sympathise with you. I remember too well having the 5 different creams/lotions to apply. (I had a Gregory too! and he hadn't put in an appearance for donkey's years)
Glad to say that all the lotions and potions were applied to the correct places and at the moment I am now lotion/potion free. Hope all the orifices get better soon and that lotions and potions are applied to the right places!
I've put on half a stone since this all started. My chemo nurse said they would be worried if we didn't put on weight. It is to be expected and we shouldn't even think about dieting. Just try to eat normally. Normally????? I do not like sweet things, or I should say I did not like sweet things. Now I am eating cream cakes, pancakes, crumpets and when we eat out I have a pudding! But I don't like sweet things. I have been a coffee drinker all my life and now I can't stand the stuff. I have never liked tea. What am I drinking now??? TEA with a big spoonful of sugar in it. Explain that lot if you can.
Spare parts for my PC are being delivered today, so by the weekend I'll be up and running properly. Lewis is a real gem. He said to his Dad "Granny can't cope without a computer, she'll go ballistic, Better give her mine as Grandad won't have a life!"
Hope everyone is doing well. I'll be fine until Wednesday when they "hit" me again. Back to bouncing off the walls and sleepless nights. So for the moment I am enjoying a bit of normality
As ever, love to you all
Jean x
FormerMember
hi jean
thank you for answering my message, yes your right life is a bitch but still keep smiling everyone not easy i know but the only way forward.
