Hello waiting oncology appointment

Hi Jules62

Welcome to the forum, I'm Daisy53 one of the Community Champions on this forum.  I'm sorry to hear that you have been diagnosed with breast cancer.  The chances are that having found cancer in three of your lymph nodes you will need to have chemo.  While the thoughts of chemo are terrifying and while I won't say it's easy it is doable.  I've had chemo three time and I had very few side effects.  Everyone reacts differently to chemo.  I found drinking plenty of fluids and getting out in the fresh air everyday helpful.  You will be given meds to help you to cope with any side effects you may have.

You might find it helpful to write down your thoughts in a journal and you can ring the Macmillan helpline on 0808 808 0000 to talk to someone about how you are feeling, they can even arrange counselling for you if you want.  ff you have a Maggie's centre or another cancer near you you can call in or give them a ring and they can also arrange counselling for you if want.

Wishing you the best of luck with whatever comes next for you.

Best wishes

Daisy53

Hi, I just want to send you a gentle hug 

Whilst I didn't have mastectomy (lovely consultant decided he could do wide local excision because the 2 different types of cancer I had in my breast were closed enough together for the local excision) I also had lymph nodes affected.

I had to have CT, Mammograms with contrast, more ultrasounds and a bone scan to check for spread.

Thankfully my cancer had stopped spreading after targeting my lymph nodes.

I grasped that news with both hands and thanked the Lord above!

I hold onto that precious news so tightly and it is that which keeps me positive.

I had all lymph nodes removed (23 out of 25 taken out had cancer)

Tomorrow - Friday 24th April 26 I start climbing the mountain known as chemotherapy.

Apparently I have 3 sessions of a mix of 2 drugs, so that is over 9 weeks (1 session is go for chemotherapy then recover for 3 weeks, then another chemo session and so in).  Then I switch to a different drug which is weekly but again it is over 9 weeks!  

So it is going to be a long haul.

I decided against cold cap to try protect my hair - there is enough going on without having to cope with having my head frozen to minus 4 resulting in a major headache.

I have already been referred to Cancer Support Services to sort me out with a wig - although I decided that I will try and channel Halle Berry because I saw her in a film where she looked stunning with a shaved head - I just think I am ok - I can do that and look stunning!

After all the chemo - because my cancer is hormone positive I start on two different meds - 1 for 3 years and 1 for 10 years.

Once the lovely cancer team are happy nothing is giving me extreme reactions - I start radiotherapy sessions.

If nothing else I know my summer will be very busy!

Try to grasp every bit of good news and hold onto it.

Try to not "overthink everything - I was given a mountain if leaflets and information about chemotherapy etc - I set off reading it all but after a couple of pages I decided it would cause me more worry than help me causing me to "overthink" and get scared 

I decided to just "roll with the wind" and "go with the flow" - it is so much easier and better for you mentally.

I wish you every good wish for your treatment and send gentle hugs x

Hey Rusty53x 

I start chemo today also! I'm on 3 x 3 weekly EC, then 12 x weekly Pactilaxel. Sounds like you're on something similar.

I've also decided to sort of roll with the punches a bit now as while I think it's good to know what could lie ahead and there are certain things it's worth prepping and planning for, I also find overthinking and trying to head off every single possible thing that could happen before it's even happened pretty draining. 

Best of luck to you, hope your first session goes really well. x

Hi MsC19754c

Yes I think its the same chemo plan 

We will get through this - I thought it was comforting when the lovely nurse doing Pre-assessment told me that the nurse administering the drug is with you all the time because it is pushed through the line slowly by a nurse - so you are not just left with a drip - you are closely watched all the time 

I hope your first chemo session goes well.

Gentle hugs to you x 

Hi Rusty53x

so lovely to hear your reply to me . You are so brave and gentle hugs to you too. 
I need to get your optimism and shake off this black feeling. 
It really is draining. 
Hope we can keep in touch with our progress xxxx

Hi again,

Well, so far so good, I survived my first chemo session.

Problem is because of the strong steroid they put in the line as well as the anti sickness tablet, I have woken up (why I thought I would just write a little note with an update.

I have to say the room for oncology day cases is so lovely and chilled.  So very relaxing.

In my case the lovely nurse was with my all the time because he pushed the drugs through the line and was watching me so closely.  He was brilliant.

I got lots of advice how to manage any side effects but so far I am ok.

A note of advice - you must try and do any strenuous jobs before you start your chemo (cut lawns do as much housework as you can etc) because chemo means you must "pace yourself" do a little task and rest a bit then do something else then rest. 

As my son (comes to stay overnight to keep an eye on me) said when he saw me tidying things in the kitchen for no apparent reason last night,

"what are you doing now?  You have just come back from hospital chemo - sit down before you make yourself feel worse and start complaining you don't feel well - it will get done"!

I hope you get your plan sorted and treatment started soon.

The mere fact you are being offered it shows your cancer care team are helping you.

Again, don't overthink it and just roll with it and you will manage fine 

As always - gentle hugs x

Hi Rusty53x

so glad it went well for you xx

Got my appointment for oncologist yesterday not till the 7th July which seems a long time. I’m seeing my surgeon Monday so will question her. 
I have another PET scan 24 th June so don’t know if waiting for that. 
Must say there doesn’t seem much urgency sine the initial op . 
sending hugs to you and hoping side effects not too worrying for you 

please keep in touch xxx

Hi - I’ve just read your very informative message, which was very helpful for me and my circumstances. I’ve got triple pos and I’m starting chemo next Thursday (surgery coming later after hopeful shrinkage of tumour). It sounds like a similar treatment to yours - I’ve got EC-T every 2 weeks for 4 weeks then another cycle of something else, can’t remember the details but it’s every 3 weeks for 4 weeks and first couple of sessions have to be at Guys in London because of possible side effects. I’ll try to give an update after my first session next week because it helped me reading yours so maybe mine will help others as well. 

Hi, just checking that your 1st chemo session was ok and not too scary.

I haven't had any side effects yet (apart from waking up in the middle of the night with deep pitting tummy pains which I put down to my body getting used to the new chemicals in me).  However this morning I seem to be fine although not feeling hungry but I will try to eat bits and pieces as the day goes on.  

I had a lovely sunny calm morning walk with my dog first thing which cheered me up because I managed to walk as far as my usual walk - I thought I would be weak and wobbly so I put that down as an achievement.

I plan to try and clean my bathroom and then chill again until dog walk time 

If I can keep pottering along like this without too much struggle I will be happy.

Take care, gentle hugs xx

Hi Rusty53x 

So sweet of you to check in and great to hear you're doing well!

I actually felt sick and had some chest tightness during the process, but the doctor checked me over and it was put down to anxiety, which I was pretty sure it was. The staff were amazing and it was a pretty good atmosphere considering it was a chemo centre! Some of the women were chatty and passed over tips etc. and I was even there for someone ringing the bell, which was lovely.

I was very tired, a bit lightheaded and a little nauseous when I got home so went to didn't eat and just went bed around 5pm and I did feel a bit rough during the night. It felt like a hangover if I'm honest! 

Felt a lot better this morning and have managed to eat, but have had a wave of that sick feeling again just now so downed some anti-sickness meds and keeping fingers crossed that doesn't escalate!

Hope you manage to keep your plans for today. Sounds nice and chilled for a sunny Saturday. x