Hello anyone out there struggling??? I am Had surgery and treatment but now I feel lost and scared as appointments have stopped.

Hi  , lovely replies already from the fine folks here. Just thought I’d add a hug, and yes that feeling of fear for the future and a sense of abandonment when the main treatment has finished sounds very familiar. I’m more than 5 years now since my cancer was diagnosed and fear of recurrence is always present, but I think has gradually moved into the background as time passes. A bit like grief after a death, it becomes less raw but you never really stop missing the person you’ve lost. But I do enjoy my life and like others have said, I appreciate the smaller, simpler pleasures so much more than I did. There’s an article I find really helpful, I’ll try to post a link. Sending love and a big virtual hug, HFxx bah the link won’t paste! Google After the treatment finishes by Peter Harvey and it should come up xx

Hi Missymolly,

It's so understandable that you feel petrified about chemotherapy, but please don't! I was terrified too, but I have to say it's very, very doable. Many people, and I really mean many, have just mild side effects. Things are not what they used to be years ago! You  will be taken care of, the nurses are just brilliant - they will give you all the necessary medication for and advice on how to deal with the side effects if you have any. Be kind to yourself, you are not alone and you will be fine. The very best of luck with your treatment!

Lana xx

Hi Lana

Thank you for your kind words and reassurance. I will try to focus on the positives. I'm relatively healthy. I'm praying for minimal side effects and good outcomes.

Can I ask were you able to maintain a decent day to day life. I would like to return to work for part of it. I find the sitting around waiting my mind wanders. But im also afraid of my suppressed imne system when on chemo. I understand I needed to recover from Op have healed well and will be able to drive again from Wednesday onwards so will get a bit of my independence back. I have a lovely sportive family but I'm also independent and a control freak .

Thank you Senga

I was diagnosed 2 years ago and finished treatment last July.  I too was petrified of chemo in the beginning but made my peace with it - and only the day before I started it. 

I tried to view chemo as being on my side in fighting my cancer and not something that was against me and it really did help to view it that way.  I lost my hair, my sense of taste, had chemo brain, felt exhausted, had diarrhoea - you name it, I got it.  But I tried to remind myself that if chemo was doing all this to my good cells, what effect was it having on my bad cells?

I am now on hormone tablets for another 4 years, neuropathy tablets and blood pressure tablets daily and it's hard that some or all of the drugs have caused weight gain and my hair to thin (although it had grown back fully and was lovely and thick).  It feels like rough justice after all the hard stuff of chemo and I'm still working through that.

I just want to say though that although chemo is tough, it IS tolerable.  Be very kind to yourself, do not beat yourself up on the hard days and remember that it won't last forever and is temporary.

Wishing you all the very best with your treatment and your recovery xx

Thank you for your lovely message and thank you to everyone’s responses. I am overwhelmed with the love and support that I have received on here. I truly wish all of you all the best for the future. 
I get stuck in my own bubble and think I am the only one going through this but unfortunately this is not the case. Too many people are affected. Going forward I will concentrate on the present and try to live life to the full. Love to you all. Xx

Thank you so much for your feedback. I will keep all that in mind. I'm am giving myself a talking too, viewing it as the next stage to getting my life back and if kids and teenagers can tolerate these regimes then so can i. 

I will go in with the view this is to eradicate cancer and keep me well.

Good luck I wish you well with your recovery. Xx

We are so much stronger than we realise, Missymolly, and you will get through it xx

Thank you xx

Hi Senga,

My treatment was every two weeks and I had the side effects during the first 3 - 4 days after each treatment, mostly feeling tired. I had 4 cycles of doxorubicin which I tolerated quite well, just felt a bit tired after each cycle. Then I had 4 cycles of Paclitaxel which made me more tired and I also had some flu like symptoms. I had perhaps 3 or 4 days in total when I felt very tired, but managed to get out of bed and spent those days sitting on the sofa watching TV. Unpleasant, but very tolerable. The good thing was that for the rest of the time between the treatments, I felt OK enough to do what I usually do, but I work from home. Have in mind that people respond differently to treatment and I know people who even managed to exercise and go to work. Some, unfortunately, feel unwell for longer, but it all goes away quite quickly once you finish your treatment. Ask the nurses all the questions you have, don't be shy or hesitant - they will be there for you and will do everything to help you with any side effects you might have. Give youself time, see how you feel after your first treatment and then decide what you would want to do work wise, but don't push yourself too much, your body needs time to heal! Again, all the very best with your treatment!

Lana xx

Hi Lana

Thank you for this feedback. It's really helpful. 

I will see what they offer me and how it might affect me. Work is brilliant they are not expecting me back till treatments complete and I feel ready.

The work was more of a distraction for me. Keeping busy and trying to gain some control over my life. I might be able to do some work from home if feeling up to it.

But I understand everyone responds differently and i may be happy enough making it to couch to watch tv. 

I value all the feedback. Wishing you a speedy ongoing  recovery xx