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?
Steff you must ber ER + (hormone) if you are taking tamoxifen. If you are also HER + you will have to get herseptin. They say if its hormonal + thats good because you can take tamoxifen to help stop the cancer returning. Works for most people I was just very unlucky that it didnt work for me.
Having a weekend away next week. Going to York for a couple on nights with friends. We are staying in the Royal Station Hotel and cant wait. Only thing is we are leaving 2 of the boys home alone and god knows what I will come back to. I also have a holiday booked 8th of July Ibiza for seven nights with my hubby and youngest boy 16 years and his friend. My consultant told me if my bloods keep going up then I can go and it is ok if I miss one chemo so everyone keep their fingers crossed I manage to get away.
Hope you all had a great weekend and Blossom all the best with your op. Before you know it it will be another thing done and getting nearer the end of treatment.
Hi Paula, gosh so many people in your family had/have breast cancer. With so many people It must be highly likely that you all carry the gene. Are you all being tested for it, is it just a swab and how long will you have to wait before finding out the results? It must be reasuring that you daughters are being checked so quickly. Good luck with the results x
Hi Lorraine, what a lovely weekend away and holiday you have planned. I wish i had your energy, you always seem to be doing something. Now i'm feeling alittle better i must plan more things. Its good to have days to look forward to. As i knew i'd be having loads of treatments this year i haven't arranged much, think that needs to change :-). My fingers are crossed your bloods are good for you to get away, god knows you deserve it. The last time i went away and left my eldest boy he had a car accident (teenagers!!) and we had to come home early!! Thankfully it was nothing serious and he wasn't injured ...but his pride was!! Oh yes and the car was a right off!!!
Hi Stef, i think most oncologists reveal as little information as possible, maybe they don't want to scare us. At my first appointment to discuss and arrange treatment, i was told that my cancer was hormone and her 2 positive and i'd need to have Tamoxifen (as it was hormone fed), chemo, radiotherapy, herceptin (as Lorraine said for the Her2, it was protein fed as well as hormone), and my ovaries blocked to reduce hormone activity. Basically my cancer was a right little so and so, being fed by everything and growing fast, so i need to have practically all treatments to stop it!! I agree with Lorraine you sound like you're hormone + and it's supposed to be the best breast cancer to have (easy to treat and the highest success rate). I'm going on Tamoxifen after chemo. How did you find it while you were taking it? Hope your tea tasted good...it sounds yummy :-) I'm now reaching for the chocolate and gaining another kilo!! Lol.
Hi Kay, your holiday sounds fab. Just what you need after all your treatment. My in-laws have just got back from there and they said how beautiful it was. This thread is a busy one, i think we all find it hard to keep up with it!
I reckon it might be the tamoxifen that is giving me the huge appetite or perhaps its the boredom of being off work for so long...Still getting the odd horrid migraine in the day and hot flush during the night but other than that, been on it for a month now. Starting the radiotherapy on 22/7 and have my booking appointment the week before, not looking forward to going every day but am sure it won't be too bad?? anyone having theirs at the moment?
On a positive note, my arm and shoulder are on the mend, probably because the fluid subsiding..
Chelle, your BC is definately having everything thrown at it so am sure you are well rid... fingers crossed and good luck with it all.. Lisa x
Thanks Lisa, all i can do is have everything and hope it doesn't come back. Everythings good at the moment....phew :-). I'm starting Tamoxifen and radiotherapy Sept/Oct time and i'm not looking forward to gaining more weight.Lol! Its been bad enough on chemo!! Have you been menopausal? My husbands dreading me having mood swings etc and being in the dog house all the time lol!! It's great that your arm and shoulder are improving. Hope radiotherapy goes well for you x
Hi Chelle i think you right about if you dont ask they dont tell you - so as not to worry you (this is bloomin 3rd time i written this now as it keeps disappearing when i go reading back what people said i have to keep copying it) I was told couldnt have herceptin as it for ladies who gone through the change. If makes you feel better Chelle i like a recluse (me and Trev) got excited about collecting my sons prom suit and getting dad garden centre voucher hahaha, as not like leavin pup long and got no energy - i just waking up since wed chemo bit like you were - very very sleepy. Not heard from Willow Foundation might give them a bell soon.
Lorraine thanks for reassurance - i dont know what the bloody hell i got i just know its not somet you want :-) i will ask next time. WOW you going abroad lucky girl hope all goes to plan really do - i had to cancel my Portugal hol 21-28 July as was advised not to go with the sun and tiredness etc. how did you find getting insurance hun is it a bit of battle or ok. I still trying claim back some monies from the insurance i booked on line with LOW COST HOLIDAYS (my husband called it bring your own mattress holidays hahaha) so it not very straight forward getting money back etc keep battling and WAITING.
Lisa great news your arm feeling better - i just have a tightness in my wrist area now (op on 27th April) might be nerve damage - my mum worked at hosp in EEG dept and said lots of ladies who had chemo couple years ago now have nerve damage and carple tunnel syndrome? but at the moment we not bother about that - but in 5 yrs time we all be winging about our war wounds :-) as we wont have as much to moan about.
Paula Hi too :-) i actually cleaned house today and myself - bathroom is sparkling (after i actually woke up at 10am and could have just kept sleeping - you know until the handsome prince came and kissed me awake) x
Kay so glad you had a good holiday in Scotland. The Gregory discussion was really funny.
Steff, Paula is right, you need to ask more questions and I'm sorry you are feeling so tired.
Re the Herceptin, I was told by my onc that this was given to ladies who were HER+, regardless of age. As I am ER+ only I have to have Arimidex afterwards not Tamoxifen. Arimidex is given to ladies who have gone through the menopause. Tamoxifen is given to ladies who have not gone through the menopause yet.
Lorraine, good for you going abroad on holiday. Have you managed to get travel insurance ok? I really hope the blood count stays up.
Lisa I'm glad your arm is feeling a bit better. Let us know how you get on with the radiotherapy. Margaret and Marian have finished their radiotherapy and I don't think any of the rest of us are at that stage yet. My onc is arranging the dates for mine when I see her in the middle of July.
Chelle good luck on Tuesday with the CMF, will be thinking of you. Mine is on Wednesday. More steroids are more bouncing off the walls!!
Hi ladies. Not felt my usual happy self lately. I think it is because I had my chemo on 10th followed by usual 5 days of tabs and bouncing off walls, and just when I thought I was going to get a bit of a life in between chemo's I spent 5 days at hospital last week and before I know it my chemo is due on Wednesday. Anyway, I am going to kick myself up the arse and be happy because I am still here lol Jean will join you for hot chocholate on Wed around 3am lol Steff, you sound a bit down aswell, keep your chin up. Chelle, I am not sure how they will do the gene test. I am in the early stages and have been told it could take months just to research my family background. After this my girls and I will be tested. Will keep you posted when anything happens Everyone else I hope you are o.k and keeping positive xxxxx
Stef, Paula - Give yourselves permission to have a really good wallow in self pity. You've earnt one, you deserve one, go for it. Then, as Paula said, give yourselves a kick up the arse to get back to your normally positive selves. During chemo I let myself have one day when I'd cry if I wanted to, snap at husband and generally just moped around. Then I usually became re-acquainted with Messrs Pinot and Grigio, and after a couple of glasses felt much much better. Worked for me...
Hope you feel better soon. (Has Trevor had his first outside walk yet by the way?)
Thanks Kay, that has made me feel so much better. I think I am so determined the cancer isn't going to get me down I have forgotten I used to regularly bite my hubby's head off PMT time lol. I have also been feeling 'out of it'. The hotel has been going along and nobody has allowed me to work because of the bloody stitches popping. Today I got back in the thick of it and have felt much better. Roll on Wednesday!!! Thanks again Kay, it's nice to be reminded I am allowed an off day or too xxx
You are still in the early stages of your chemo and you are bound to get down days. As time goes on these will become fewer.
It'll do you good to get back into the swing of things with the hotel. I had an awful time persuading my hubby to let me do the normal things around the house and not treat me like an invalid.
See you in the early hours of Thursday morning. Put the kettle on if you are up first!!
