Struggling

floss b

Hi , sorry you're struggling. Its perfectly natural to struggle at times. Having a cancer diagnosis blows your mind and then on top of that to go through all the treatment can be especially difficult. 

You're half way there , which is a massive achievement. Personally I wouldn't give up on chemo , or any other treatment you are offered. In my mind you have to give yourself the best chance of killing the cancer so it doesnt return. Must be difficult having chemo first and not the op. I think as you say its because your triple negative that your having chemo first. But I'm not medically trained and my diagnosis is different to yours. If your unclear I'd contact your bc nurse for further advise.  

You are allowed to feel down , to cry and to rant if you feel you need to. This forum is a great place to do that. Always someone who will understand how you are feeling. I'm hoping this bumps your post to the top so others can comment with there tips /advice. 

Mine is simply to stick with the chemo,  cry when you need to , take one day at a time . Rest when you have to but also try and keep occupied. Doing normal things can help if you feel tou are able to do so. 

Hope the rest of your treatment goes well .

Take care 

Julie x

Hi floss b, please don't give up! It's really hard but you are half way there so your doing amazing. You don't mention side effects other than pain in breast, was EC really tough for you? Hopefully T will be easier, it was for me but everyone is different. I had pain in breast at times but in my case(and hopefully for you) it was the cancer shrinking. I'had chemo first because it was in lymph nodes.  finished chemo now and had my surgery (mastectomy and implant) and feeling fine now. I just got the results from post op and I had what is called complete pathological response ie no trace of cancer left just dead cells and scar tissue. I know there's no guarantee it won't come back but chemo DOES work. It's such a hard process to go through but it's worth it. Sometimes you just have a really bad day and need to cry/vent etc but if you are still feeling bad get in touch with your breast nurse or the oncology team for support. It doesn't help the situation with bloody coronavirus but you should still be able to get support over the phone and there's always people in here . Try reading the June chemo club thread for others going through it. I hope tomorrow is a better day for you xxx

Hello floss b

I'm her2 and like triple negative they are usually given chemo first. I found it really hard and felt like giving up sometimes. I've done chemotherapy now, had surgery last week and just need to see if I have clear margins then I will start radiotherapy. It's so hard physically, emotionally and mentally to go thru this. I've been at it since November. You must continue your chemo and I found the t part much easier and was able to function fairly normally. It doesnt help that we are having to go along to treatment alone and have the worry of the virus. Keep going xxxxxx

Julie 

Hi

It sounds like your treatment is working,my tumour went lumpy and sometimes hard on Fec I even had to be cut out of soft bra in treatment room.With T it went soft and started to disappear..Have you asked your team about pain control? The T section of treatment will do further killing of your tumour in a different way.I was only able to have 2 of 3 T as my op was brought forward.I got a nearly total clearance,lumpectomy margins clear and no nodes.Having neo adjunct treatment,hopefully knocks out any rogue cells that have already left the breast..

I looked on the discomfort as killing time!,that puts another perspective on it.

It was certainly all worth going through,just had clear MRI of breasts.

Yviex

Hiya floss b 

please read my profile, i had TNBC and FEC-T chemo and i am 1 year cancer free  

I started with a 6cm tumor and after the chemo it had shrunk so much it couldn't be seen on the MRI 

Please don't be sorry for feeling down, you did the right thing coming and talking to us. This community got me through and i will be forever grateful. 

Please feel free to send me a private message if you want a chat, you can do this, FEC done now lets get the T over with ready for the next step.

Big Hugs for you xxx

Thank you for all your replies. (Ju72 Cheeboe Charlieandlola Catgotmehere and TheScriptFan, plus those who liked) I do appreciate what you have said.

I perhaps should update my profile. My husband had a stroke four weeks ago and while he is doing very well, I've gone from being cared for to being the carer. It is so hard doing everything. He helps where he can and we will get there but it's just another thing on the top of everything else.

I have had allergic reactions to drugs, my hair has gone - so want it back (never let anyone say it doesn't matter, it's only hair - which is what I said at the beginning! - because it does. It's a constant reminder), I am constantly tired, have constipation, nausea, and this week in my cycle I come out in spots! My breast is so heavy and solid, and under my arm is painful. So that is my side effects.

I hear what you say about not giving up. Just finding it hard. I've been told to watch out for numbness in my fingers and feet with the T, and that the side effects I already have will continue. I have four more to go, then surgery and radio, and the thought of that is just too much. Surgery is for September at the earliest.

I will think about all you have said, I'm just not very strong at the moment. Spotty week takes it's toll. It's supposed to be my gathering strength week ready for the next round. I just itch with these spots - up my nose, around my eyelashes and all over my face and feel so low. 

Thank you again.

Hello floss b 

I too had those spots. I started to take benadryl every day and they completely stopped. Also I drank lots of water even though it tasted foul. You are going thru a bad time. My husband has been seeing another woman during my treatment and the thought that the man I loved was up to that on top of everything else was horrendous. I'm still trying to pick myself up off the floor. I'll deal with that disease when I've got the cancer sorted.

My boob was very heavy and all of a sudden it went soft as it should be and my breast MRI showed the tumo5had dissolved and the lymph node was a normal size again. Just need to see results of surgery now which is making me nervous.

I had barely any side effects from docetaxel. The fec part wiped me out and I was supposed to have 4 fec but was so poorly on it the last one was taken off.

We are all here for you xxxx

Julie

Bless you xx

Charlieandlola

That's made me quite sad for you. But you are such a strong lady. 

Sending virtual hugs

floss b

i hope your husband makes a  speedy recovery. I live alone with my 2 sons so understand in part how difficult it is for you. But T might be kinder on you. I've had manageable side effects on the T . You have to do whays best for you going forward. Everyones circumstances are different. But please try and stick with the chemo like the other ladies have said its shrank there tumour . Which proves it works. 

Sending you virtual hugs too

julie x

Hugs greatly appreciated and your advice. After much thought and a lot of working through things in my head yesterday I'm going to stick with it. I have a telephone conversation tomorrow with my oncologist and I've written down a lot of questions and I want him to be honest. If I know what I'm dealing with I can fight!! Bless you ladies. xxx