Breast cancer

Hey Jean, love the hat!!!!!
Hi Sam, my side effects have got worse the more I have had, although saying this with trial and error of different medications the oncologist has usually found something to combat each one. Good luck with the hypnosis.
I have done some research and if you are eligible for DLA it does not effect child or working tax credit, in fact they add to your working tax credit. Also if you recieve extra for the 30 hour element as long as your partner works over the 30 hours you still get the bonus even if your hours drop, think I will try for this aswell lol

Hi all

I seem worse after 2nd chemo but now i over it and back to me it seems not so bad but at the time i was so sleepy for a week after FEC BUT no sickness at all not even nausea feeling - but the food tasting bad gets me down. The steroids didnt touch me this time (slept every night well and most afternoons 1-3 ish before Hannah comes in from school. Then got sore throat last thurs which has turned into a cold - but on the best side of that now - so i must have fought it off :-)

Sam - glad you posted that chemo went ahead despite having a cold as i was worried if i dont shift my cold for wed 8th july they may post pone chemo - which i really dont need as have worked out radiotherapy will be after last chemo on 27th oct - wait a month takes me to end Nov then 3wks radiotherapy = right up to week of xmas so cant afford any delays or i may be a christies on xmas day.

Marigold - no i still sporting a brown stripe down my head - going to work on it today in the garden.

Jo are you keeping ok - have you heard from partner yet. Thinking of you through a ploppy time.
Jean and chelle hope you ok after your chemos yesterday.

Stavanger - welcome to the baldy club :-) - my hubby laughing at me as i shaved mine off rather than keep cleaning up bristles off pillow and bath - BUT still grows through slowly in patches - he laughing cos he says "i bet you werent going to lose it and now you shaved it" but i said dont care as it was limp and lifeless and was glad to get rid of it. Shaved legs and they are growing back slowly and underarms???? maybe i wouldnt have lost it all but like say - i love having no hair - i dont mind how it looks, its cooler and easy to shower and go.

Kevin - lovely to hear from you, so sorry you lost the 2 most important women in your life and that you shared your times with us - who do we ring for the DLA form? i will give it a go.

Since i came off tamoxifen to start chemo i have noticed periods coming at regular times and quite heavy - which had subsided on tamoxifen. has anyone else experienced this.

Eva - you inspire me and great that you beating the darn thing - live life to the max and no regrets :-)

Footie88 - Keep us informed about when your chemo starts and what type you having - i work for NHS and have never had a sicknote in my life until this - so i get full pay for 6 months (which will stop on 6th Nov) so will have to put some by for xmas - i will be very tired by then so just putting money in cards this year - and got off doing the xmas dinner for everyone. Hope you sort some financial help - not fair if there is nothing to help - have you tried the DLA like Kevin suggests?

Heather - so sorry you been unwell and in hospital - i would enjoy a week in hospital after my next chemo as would give me chance to sleep and not have to cook :-) and not be mithered for friends to sleepover (kids dont see me as ill proper and want to carry on as normal which is good in a way but would like some sympathy every now and again). Which chemo were you on and now you have changed what are you now on - as Jean says this new chemo is making you feel worse.

Chelle are you tired again after your chemo yesterday - Did you find the Epirubicin made you more tired than the CMF or just the same. Were you like me at first - steroids kept you buzzin the first chemo then just tired after the rest - did the tiredness increase after each one or stay about the same. I feel like dont want to sleep in afternoons as it wasting time away after sleeping lots for a week want to be awake - but i am sleeping to shift my cold ready for next wed chemo 3 (only 5 to go then - ooh that sounds lots).

Paula - my bags are packed and ready for the get together :-) hahahaha. Would be great to meet everyone in person definitely - i can envisage it now - crying, hugs and lots and lots of laughs. Are you on Isle of Whyte (i not good with geography as not often get passed tesco :-)

I have just painted my nails bright red and got it all over - looks a right mess :-) its my new thing painting toes and nails brightly to make me feel pretty. I took Trev out last night for a good hour with my friend and her springer spaniel - to show trevor how to swim in the pond but he was a wimp and just paddled - whereas her dog is like powered by duracell when out - shooting through bushes and going full pelt non stop, trev was off lead and ran after her dog but only for a safe distance then waited for me - so he is cool off lead and comes back, will work on the swimming lessons. Also evening walks are not such good idea as horse flies and midgies attack. Going to have a chill day today as was busy cleaning and shopping for bits yesterday. Michael going on another Duke of Edinburgh expedition at weeken so thats one down - but Hannah is dancing at the Monton Festival on Sat so its all lifts and bobbing about - but Sunday am hoping to bomb off up Rivington with Trev and Hubby and Hannah with a picnic (theres streams so can break Trev in gently - he supposed to love water and is warming to the hose pipe when been on a walk).

Dreading next wed chemo just because i will be sleepy again and wont taste food - problem i find is after your taste buds come back you want to enjoy food while it lasts so eat all the naughty things but also try to be good so that the weight doesnt get out of control i have put on 7lb up to now and am hoping it will stay there now. But just got to keep in mind its another one out the way. Going on look good feel good on 22nd July - cant wait. hey i still have lashes and brows Im hoping they wont go at all - but aware they could depart after few more chemos.

Blossom great you be home by thurs - great you got new little boobs and so glad you not in too much pain.

Love to all x Stef

Hi Everyone

Not so goood trying to control the sickness with this chemo I am on. Lost a bit of weight and every bit of food is so hard to keep down. Having my 6th Taxol today and will speak to the consultant about my anti sickness drugs.

I just got the full DLA last week. The McMillan people at the beatson where I go helped me fill out the form. I am off sick from work at present and looking for early reitrement due to ill health but still managed to get full DLA thanks to the guys filling out my form. I also have a disabled badge for my car now. Not sure if I should feel happy or sad re getting these things and like some people here I was reluctant to go down that road but hey I think we deserve it. My full DLA is £120 per week not bad. Also someone told me I am also due incapacity benifit havent looked into that yet but will let you know how I get on.


Chelle hope your slowly getting less sleepy and just think not to long to go before your finished the chemo.

Jean hope that wine helped you sleep and yes it doesnt taste the same when your on chemo nothing does (

Welcome all the new names and I hope you get lost of suport from this thread everyone is so lovely.

Hope you are all enjoying the weather but keeping out of the sun as its not good for you while getting chemo or radio.

Lots of love to everyone

Lorraine xxx
p.s. My bloods will determin whether I can go to Ibiza next wednesday please wish me luck for today when I get my results of my blood test later today before I get my chemo.xxxxxxxxxx

Hi Everyone, Chelle1, they always give it to cancer patients and it's dated from when you asked for the form, as I said earlier in one of my blogs there is another form but I don't want to say on here because it is very sensitive and upsetting and I don't want to upset anybody on here, so again if you want to know what it is request me as a friend and I will tell you . Sorry everyone it's not a secret it's just not nice knowing Sorry.

Kev xx

Hi stef, if you go back to page 69 I have written the details there saves me writing them again, ta.

Kev xx

Well girls, decided I have had enough of pretending not to be bald so went out for lunch bald as a coot with the shiniest head ever lol.
I now have a tan in between my old brown parting line and if people want to stare then B...s to them, I am too hot to care!
Steff, glad you got your bags packed, we may have hair by the winter lol
Kev, thanks for all the advice, I would never have known.

Evening All

Stef.....you're back!!!Glad the steroids don't make you over active and that you get over the sleepiness soon.

Lorraine I slept really well last night. Obviously the red wine helped. Just a pity I couldn't really taste it, but it has the right effect. My friend,Chris, saw my bald head for the first time last night as it was too hot for Wilma or the hat. She said I looked like Gail Porter! Was I CHUFFED or what. She's young enough to be my daughter. I know she just meant the baldy head, but I can dream!!!!

I really hope your blood count was OK today and you can to to Ibiza next week. Fingers and toes crossed for you.

Paula.............how brave are you??? I went out for lunch today too but wore Wilma as the front of the pub faces North and is very cool inside. It would have been lovely to sit in the South facing garden but toooooooooooo hot!!!! I took my new hat with me just in case it did get warm, also a supply of wet wipes and tissues, but the pub was lovely and cool so I survived

Ah ladies, just remembered........when I had my chemo yesterday I was telling the nurse that my hair was coming in dark and grey and that I have been a "bottle" blonde since I was 16. She told me that I should not colour it until 6 months had elapsed from the last chemo treatment. Apparantly, although your hair comes in, it can be quite delicate and dyes, tints, perms can really damage the new hair.

Really looking forward to Andy Murray's match tomorrow.

Anyone heard from Jo? I wonder how she is?

Love to everyone

Jean xx

Lorraine sorry youve been sick and hope you got some effective anti sickness drugs today and that your chemo went ok. Fingers crossed here to that you are able to go to Ibiza.

Go Paula :-) you were brave well done - why should we be ashamed of having a shiny head, we didnt ask for it - i walkin around house and garden bald as it been so hot and my heads not looking so pale now. I think i could do it - once you out i suppose you just wouldnt care. Was hoping to go for picnic sunday but weather is on the change here says friday heavy rain till late afternoon then sunny. and sat and sun down for light rain and sun 21 and 22 degrees?

Jean - hey when i come back i do it in style did you see how much i wrote hahaha. Love your hat and glad the wine helped you sleep.
Not impressed with the hair colouring info (we need to know though :-) ) just can imagine mine coming back grey and curly and looking like ive had a set. hahaha. But i can imagine well just be glad to have hair again, although really not missed mine. My friend came round for lunch other day and she has naturally shiny long dark hair its gorgeous and i couldnt stop staring at it. :-)

Camilla i only just starte doing a bit more just time it now so that i do bugger all the week after chemo then start cleaning a bit (not much) and nipping out to shops and walking dog for longer - but i always try to sleep in afternoon and it really helps keep the tiredness at bay. I certianly dont avoid doing anything whenever i want (maybe i ignorant) i have a pup who bites me i just wash hands well and shuv germolene of any scratches. Maybe if i got an infection then i would be more careful but i havin 3rd chemo next wed and only had mouth ulcers on and off which werent sore and just getting over a cold - so i must have faught the cold off.

Jo hope weve not heard from you because you are having a nice time in Cornwall and not because your down or sad xxxxxxxxxxxx

Luv Stef x

Hi guys, just to let you know my mums has had her first round of chemo on tues and so far feeling great though we're in no illusions this wont last.

I just have one question, when will her immune system be the lowest and when is it safe for her to be around kids who have slight sniffles or cough, if any

Many thanx

Lx