What tests and scans used to diagnose breast cancer mets?

hola…Hats sourced!    Once I realised that the Quaker look was not for me, bought lots of lovely soft beanies.  Natura has some, beautifully soft and very reasonable.

Still feeling good, supraclavicular lump is now tiny and lungs clear, so hopeful.

I get the extreme tiredness though.   Low haemoglobin I think is the culprit though my little shots do seem to help.  As much as they try to tell us it’s not cumulative, it undoubtedly is!  A slow consistent poisoning.  

 It’s hard at this time of year when everyone else is jolly to join in.   I take myself off with a heated throw and and good book.   I’ve even been doing some very gentle yoga to ease the old bones.  I fell asleep on the floor last night, woke up to a small dog living his best life snuggled right in and snoring gently.

 Bone scan now booked for 23rd January.   Hoping it only finds arthritis same as last year,   MRI I still await.  

The portacath thing was interesting.   My feeling is that the first nurse was new and didn’t seat needle properly,    Once older more experienced nurse took over, took 5 minutes to resolve.  I really don’t want to have it removed and replaced, it’s part of me now.   Even the 3rd nipple.   

Getting used to wee bald head.   The new hats help.  Didn’t realise how cold it would be without my thatch of hair.

Nice you don’t have to go back in till next year!   Sounds exciting even just saying that.   I’m in on the 26th.   Full works, bloods, oncologist and treatment, cycle 2 commences!  At least I have Christmas Day off and even New Year’s Day!  Won’t be nursing a hangover.   No alcoholic drinks shall be passing these lips, body a temple, albeit a crumbling one.

Have a lovely Christmas when it comes, take time to rest and recuperate xxx

Hi Ochno - Happy New Year to you. Hope you managed to enjoy the festive period, and have been fit and well for your Paclitaxol sessions.
I was due to have my Gem-Carbo chemo yesterday but it was postponed for a week due to low white cells (again!), even though they stopped my day-8 treatment in the last cycle. I think my bone marrow is getting fed up with the chemo :-(
The oncol said they might reduce the dose for the next session (assuming my white cells have recovered enough). So that would be a second reduction in strength as well as the loss of day-8. Just hope it can still be effective, but I wont find out until the scan in mid-Feb.
Hope all is well with you. xx

Hi there, happy new year.  A quiet Christmas and New Year….chemo 26th Dec and again yesterday.   I’m finding Paclitaxel much easier than Gemcarbo and bloods excellent, better than they’ve been for months, my liver is normal and my anemia’s getting better, a combo of my daily shots plus different chemo…I’ll take it whatever it is.

  Just hope it’s working at keeping cancer at bay, talking to onco on 22nd about next CT scan.   Don’t want to hang about if any progression so have taken decision if any delays I’ll go private for that.  My nerves can’t stand the scanxiety and the wait daily for telephone appointments to schedule.  We sold our wee Airbnb just before Christmas so the money is there to pay.  Spending kid’s inheritance.

They’ve cancelled my MRI for thrombosis in uterus, radiologist thinks better served to do ultrasound first.   Didn’t think to tell me, found out from onco yesterday.  Now await US appointment and bone scan.   I’ll do privately if they don’t get finger out soon.  

Three Kings next week, it’s been a long month of celebration in Spain.   All appointments up in air while the Spanish celebrate.   Had Christmas tree deco stuck to my chemo bag yesterday.  At least no carol singers, singing Sinatras….and now the end is near, and we face the final curtain….still makes me belly laugh thinking of that day in Gods waiting room.  I laugh cried, the woman opposite just cried, her husband walked out.  My husband didn’t even click what was going on!   They must have been told, next waiting room got Frosty the Snowman!  

That does seem quite a drop both in frequency and amount.  As long as results continue to be good that’s the main thing.  Sounds like they are monitoring it well?   Are you continuing to feel okay?   

It’s strange New Year has released a bit of positivity in me.   The usual resolutions out of the window.  Normally it’s, drink less, nope, strongest I have is Diet Coke on a special occasion.  Irn Bru in reserve for emergencies,   Lose weight, nope…try not to lose any more.   I went through a wee stage it was dropping off.   Porridge for breakfast, lentil soup for lunch and whatever I can face for dinner.   Appetite back but think that’s the almost weekly steroids.  Usually I also do the resolution of taking bit more grooming care, well no hairdressers appointments for me for a while.  Gone for the shave, even in Spain my wee head missing big thatch of ginger hair, I’m embracing the beanie look.  It’s cold, sometimes it’s a double beanie day.   A wee bamboo one for night times, maybe I need a hooded onesie??   Or maybe not, chemo cystitis need easy access…tmi??

Still having chemo 3 on and one off.  It’s such a pain going all the way to Malaga but needs must.  Trying to do more on good days and time off.  Found a great Airbnb near Marbella with hot tub, that’s my new happy place.   He keeps it spotless so happy to be there and even dog friendly.   Special rates as we are regulars.   Cat goes into cattery and loves it.   Fed on demand shes now so vocal and fat!   She’s 18.

Lovely to talk.   I hope you continue to be well and 2025 is a peaceful and happy year for you and your family.

Keep on keeping on xxx

Hi there - so glad to hear that you are finding Paclitaxel easier than GemCarbo, and that it seems to be kinder to your blood & liver. Hope your lungs are also improving still. I guess I may get Paclitaxel at some stage as well, so its good to know that it's not too bad, other than the hair loss :-( I'll hate that too, even though mine is starting to go grey, and is getting quite thin with the current chemo.

Is the thrombosis linked to the BC/chemo or have you been really unlucky to get two health issues at the same time ?

Good to hear that you are feeling more positive - I'm the same until I get some ache or pain which makes me panic and think that the cancer is growing again.

My neutrophils were low again this week (1.2 when they ought to be 1.5 for chemo) but Onco said that providing I was feeling OK she was happy to go ahead if a blood test on the day showed no further deterioration - luckily I was up to 1.3 so could go ahead last Thursday - tiredness staring today but at least I'm prepared for it. This cycle is at same dose as previous, and I'll get 7 GCSF/Filgrastim injections per cycle from now on to try to boost neutrophils. If they are still poor then onco says they may reduce dose again :-(

Hope things are still going well for you ! x

Hola!   Bloods holding up really well though anemia took a dip this week.   I’m on my 2 week break so hopefully that will resolve itself.  Portacath unblocked, yay!   It was a bit of a mission. Think it needs careful tending, normal service resumed in chemo ward after massive Spanish holidays.

no idea re the thrombosis, they’ve still not tested!    I’ve written a firm email!   Feel I have to keep on top of things and advocate for myself especially when my onco goes on holiday.   That’s when it gets messy!  

I see onco again on the 22nd, I have a list!    Much more prepared to go private for testing so no messing.   Feel I don’t have the time to waste now or want to risk progression.  My lung still feel good so chemo obviously doing some good,  Bone scan next week, day after chemo.   It’s busy being a wee sick baldie person.  That’s not been pleasant but I do like a hat!  

It still amazes me after all this time that people don’t really get the chemo for life thing.   Or the risk of infection.   I can explain and explain but end up having to be really blunt.  

Hi there, a quick check in to see how you’re doing.   Same old, same old for me.   Tomorrow sees completion of 3 cycles of Paclitaxel,  9;infusions!   It’s a bit gruelling!  Scary CT scans next week, had bone scan last Tuesday.  Await results.  In general feel okay, just very tired.  How are you coping with it all?   It’s amazing how it takes over your life x

Hi there - glad to hear the Paclitaxel is bearable for you other than the tiredness (and all the extra travelling). Hope your bone and CT scan results show it is still working well.

I’m on cycle 10 of Gem-Carbo (day 1 only and the 80%-ish strength still). My white cells are too low each time (at 1.3 - should be min of 1.5) but as I’ve not been ill they’ve let me go ahead on schedule for the last two cycles.

Haemoglobin still low as well - 93 when should be min 115 so I feel tired & low esp in first week after chemo. Not too bad by week 2 and 3, though I can still only walk 4-5km compared with 8+km before chemo.

I have a CT scan in mid Feb so will get results early March - just hope that the Gem-Carbo is still working as it’s now got to a manageable/tolerable routine for me. Fingers crossed.

Good luck to you with your results x

Yay, I’m on a break…2 weeks off!   Nothing apart from scan next week.   I hope yours goes well.   Looks like we’re aligning again!   

Im  very impressed with your walking!   I need to kick myself up bum and do more.   This almost weekly chemo is knackering me, excuses excuses!   Anemia stable today, yay!   So that’s not my excuse.  Bloods best they’ve ever been on chemo.  My wee daily shot of Ferplex obviously works.

Hope you stay well.   Keep in touch, we can compare scan results xxx. Hoping to stay on this chemo, hope it’s working.   If not it’s Trodelvy for me…eeeek!  Sounds quite harsh but effective??

Hi there, results are in Chemo doing its job, everything decreased in size.    That’s the good news, brain met to contend with now.  I’m going to be zapped…the sooner the better for me.seems chemo doesnt cross brain barrier?   Urgent MRI requested then a planning meeting with radiology,  a bit of a disappointing set back.   X.  

Hi - so sorry to hear about the brain met - Just when you think you are beginning to cope with it cancer throws something else at you ️ . Hope it can be dealt with quickly and painlessly. How did you find out about it - did you have any symptoms or did it only show up on a scan ?

I haven’t had any brain scans - when I asked if the skull met (that showed up on my initial bone scan) could mean that there’s anything in the brain she said that they’d wait and see if I had any symptoms !

I had my CT scan on Tuesday - have got a face-to-face with onco next Tuesday in the hope that results might be back (though they usually take 2 weeks). My back is feeling more delicate at the moment, with various twinges. I’m hoping that it’s the lack of exercise, and the fact that my back often has phases of being uncomfortable, rather than the spine tumours growing again. Fingers crossed.

This week’ chemo has been postponed again due to low neutrophils. Hope they’re OK for next week.

But it’s great news that your Paclitaxel chemo has been working so well on the other tumours - brilliant that they are all decreasing. Long may it continue.

Best of luck with the MRI & rads.  X