Morning ladies
Well done Moira and what a wonderful sounding way to spend a late birthday! Sounds like you had a great time.
I still have minimal SE’s, bit constipated so waiting for GP to sort out a prescription today to sort that, otherwise just tiredness. I slep for about 15 hours on Sunday evening/night! Luckily I felt fine yesterday so we were out and about most of the day, today I need to do some housework and washing otherwise there will be no clothes to wear!
good luck to all of you with cycles due this week, hope you have good bloods!
kate
x
good morning angels,
is anyone else just tired out?
ive had 2 days off work mainly because i just want to go to sleep. ive got 2nd cycle tommorow morning so i cant see me going back until next monday, but i’m not ill, just whacked!
No other problems either, nothing in the way of side effects, bloods are good, so hoping that its just normal treatment tiredness.
angie xx
Good Morning Ladies
What a beautiful sunny day 
Moira - Sounds like you had a lovely birthday. Welcome to the club, glad you feel great about yourself, it’s really good how we have all dealt with it positively, even though it was the thing that most of us were dreading. The sales of cosmetics and earrings will be going through the roof
Kate - glad the SE’s are minimal this time around.
Judy - have just received some more scarves from Annabandana, may wear one of my new ones to the chemo suite this afternoon.
The eyeliner and eyelash lesson yesterday was a laugh. I think I will definitely have to practice, practice , practice before I reveal my attempts to the world. I have worn Kohl pencils since I was a teenager…liquid eyeliner is so different, you have to be so precise otherwise it looks terrible. The eyelashes were a lot easier, but I looked like i was wearing two fat hairy caterpillars lol.
Off for my 2nd cycle in a couple of hours, hope the bloods are ok. Have stocked up on ginger biscuits and liquorice
speak to you soon
Kim x
Hi all
Patm thanks for info about cmf. Bit daunting but at least I’ll be prepared!
Angiepops I’m Feeling v tired too. Went away for weekend and had lovely time, but was v hot and I needed to sleep a lot.
2nd cycle on Friday hoping I feel less sick this time. Onc and bloods tomorrow at hospital.I have lots of questions so he will be earning his money!
Love to you all mel x
Fec Clycle 2 Day 7.
Hope everyone has had a great weekend. OH and me went to our friends barbie sat night and the food was sooo nice. It wasn’t that I felt left out or anything I just couldn’t concentrate on any one long converstion and just didnt dare start one in case i felt too tired to continue it. Felt myself sort of drifting in and out of conversations I had no hope of following and OH finished alot of my sentences.
I am also starving most of the time and wasn’t until my last visit to the barbie that OH pointed out that I had started eating at 7pm and it was now 9.15. I looked up from my 3rd portion of gorgeous asparagras to a host of amused eyes lovingly watching me munch whilst itching my dishevelled wig as natts were attacking my overheated scalp, and juice spots on my top. (Needless to say I blamed the steriods) te he.
Then Sunday. Family at ours for Barbie. Just loved it. The weather, food and everyone being such a support. A weekend I know I’ll never forget for many reasons but mostly the love of family and freinds.
Even though I hadn’t a chance of getting on the computer to post (lots of teenagers in the house) my thoughts were with all of you (my new family) and hoping we were all enjoying the same.
Diggy - Glad to hear from you and that all is well now.
Mel - Like you don’t like the stubble but the thought of using a razor fills me with dread. Anyone tried electric shaver?
Masie Mel - I too feel tired and woozy most of the time.
Supgirl - I have 4 Steroid Tabs a day for 3 and a half days after Fec.
Pauline - Loved the poem.
Hope everyones second cycles go ok and s/e are minimal. Best wishes all those running for life. Lv n Hugs. Sandy.xx
Hi Ladies, I had my 2nd FEC cycleyesterday as the neutrophils had come up to 3.4 whoopee. All went very well and had added Apepitant for anti sickness as well as the others… Result fantastic no nausea, all steroids before 12 sleep still not great , but better than last time. All in all, alls well. Good luck to the others with there cycles this week. But if you suffer from nausea ask you doctor for APREITANT it’s bbrilliant xx
afternoon girls
i think i might be normal if a few of you are as tired as i am,
kim - hope all went well today, i’m going tommorow.
sandy - what a picture you paint of the gnats at the barbie!
moira - early to bed?
Pauline - you sound very chirpy and well,
hi kate - did you sort your script? been there, didnt fare well, enough said!
judy - you just look so good, i need to find a look for me, my OH keeps calling me paddington because of my soft hat! not so cool!
Go Keely!!!
and to everyone else good luck this week, a few on seconds.
angie xx
EC Cycle 2 day 1
well what a palavar! First nurse managed to put the cannula in a vein, she must have pulled the needle out too far and blood was running down my hand into the floor. She pushed the cannula back in but couldn’t get any blood out. Flushed the cannula out with saline still no blood. Passed me onto another nurse who tried another vein and she did the same thing. Ended up with the sister putting the cannula in a vein in my forearm, first time no problem. This took well over an hour. Everything else went to plan. Got my difflam mouthwash as well as the normal steroids and anti-sickness drugs.
Hope everyone else is having a good day
Kim x
what a carry on kim !! glad i got a picc line, i’d have fainted 
angie xx
Evening Angels,
Spent the afternoon round at my daughter’s edging her large lawn and digging out weeds. Very theraputic! Should really be doing my own but she is eight and a half months pregnant and definitely at that fed-up stage! Gave her five year old son a haircut with my new fangled clippers too. Might go into business now I’m such an expert 
Kim, it doesn’t sound like much fun today. So long as the blasted s/es stay away you should be fine. x
Kate, keep doing what you’re doing to keep the s/es at bay. Think constipation is the s/e of the anti-sickness meds so it shouldn’t last too long. I’m a firm (wrong word!) believer in porridge and prunes!
Angie and Mel, me too when it comes to tiredness. I’m not weary but at the mo I could sleep for England!
Judy, you are looking really good! Though will your scarf stay on now you’ve made your head so smooth? I learnt to tie one today from one of the clips on youtube. Doesn’t look too bad but when I went to have my nails done this morning, the girls at the salon kindly told me that my wig looked better than my real hair so it’s wig for me outside and scarf at home. Oh, and I can’t do the earring thing cos I’ve never had them pierced.
Sandie, it’s good to hear from you. I had been wondering what had happened to you. Glad it’s all been good - other than the gnats. At least you made me smile! It’'s most certainly those steroids making you forget to stop eating!
Enjoy the last of the sunshine,
Moira xxx
FEC-T cycle 1 day 19
hello ladies I’ve just come back from the quit smoking help class at the hospital, I’m officially a non smoker now and signed off from them, it’s been 6 weeks since I had a fag, I’m well pleased with myself.
i went into town today with a new scarf on, it’s a pashmina I bought yesterday, but I tied it following a you tube video, using a thick elastic bobble to pull it and leave a bit of a bun, wrapped twisted one end and wrapped that around my head to make it fuller and less bald looking, then tied it into a knot at the side near the bottom, and it looked fab, the scarfs red, gold pink and purple, it looked really exotic. I think I’m likeing the scarfs more than my hair. I saw my friend in m&s and she was amazed at how well I looked. I think I quite like the whole scarf look as Ive always liked the sort of hippy/arty farty look and this just adds to it.
Moira , you look fab with your hair shaved, it suits you. I wet shaved my head again in the shower this morning and though there’s no hair there at all it still feels quite rough, there’s no problem with the scarfs falling off or moving Moira, they still stay put, in fact they slide less now than when I had stubble. And it’s great than no stubble is falling out down my back.
i sat in the garden this afternoon, I want to get a bit of colour on my bald head which is really white. Plus I havnt really been able to go in the sun for the last few years as my psoriasis would normally flare up, but I think with the chemo, it’s not going to happen this year, which is brilliant. This is one s/e I would like to keep.
kim you’ve had a right time of it, I think I would have fainted, … Can’t stand the sight of blood! I like the annabandana scarfs cos they just for over my head, I bought the ones with like an elsticated head band so they’re as easy to put on as a hat.
Angie have you tried scarfs in stead of a hat, mind you, i really like your wig. Your gonna be more tired Angie, as you’ve been working as well, I don’t know how you’ve kept going. good luck for tomorrow, I hope your second cycle goes through with no problems.
philomena , I’m so pleased to read that your cycle went so well, would you say it was easier than last time?
Sandy , I was a bit like you, not really taking in all the conversations, so I can relate to what you are saying. Glad you had a nice time with your family.
Mel , my second cycle is on Friday too, at 10 o’clock, well that’s provided my blood is ok, I’m having it taken at the doctors on Thursday.
Kate , I’m pleased for you that your s/e are keeping to a minimum, fingers crossed they stay that way for you.
Hope you all have a good evening with no side effects and that you get a good night sleep, Judy xx
Hi everyone,
Just catching up with all your posts about SE’s, hair shearing, BBQ’s and scarf attacks…glad most are doing really well, the new looks are amazing I am thinking of those too that are tired and feeling a bit off…your happy feel good days will be back again soon, take it easy and sleep as much as you can.
Had a great w/e away with other half…weather could have not been better, came home Monday night absolutely exhausted so can definately relate to the tiredness issues its unbelievable the difference on what I can do now on the chemo to what could be perfectly managed before. It has taken me today to recover - but worth it none the less!!
Had to go into hospital today to have my spacer filled, think I will only have 2 more fills to go then I will be stretched to capacity and ready to decide on what type of reconstruction to go for after chemo.
I have my 3rd cycle start tomorrow…half way there yipee - I will do my happy dance now as I know I wont feel much like doing it after!!
Onwards and upwards for us all…we are getting there ladies and I appreciate all of your support throughout this journey!
Take care all, let you know how the 3rd one goes.
Love Lori xx
well done Judy with quitting smoking
I 've smoked on and off for years, but have been off now since December. Still find it hard if other people are smoking. It’s not easy especially to give up while having chemo so well done you and stick at it!!
my second cycle is Friday pm- hopefully you’ll be home by then. good luck
Moira your hair looks great shaved. I think mine’s got to go shorter it keeps dropping in my dinner.
Kim sorry you had such a time of it. I was given a choice of canula or PICC line and I’m really glad I had PICC line- painless to put in and painless blood tests and infusions. bit awkward to keep dry in the shower but well worth it. Have you thought of asking for one?
Mel x
Glorious day here, sunny days cheer us all up. Went on a scarf hunt today and eventually got one I was happy with. Iam with you on the scarf thing Judy, I much prefer wearing a scarf to my wig now. I feel so hot when I wear my wig.
Lori, good luck for tomorrow, keen to see how number 3 goes.
Everyone else hope s/e are minimal, you’re all doing so well
take care xxx
lori good luck for tomorrow, hope it goes ok for you, nearly half way there… Well done you. I’m going to have reconstruction after the mastectomy, I think they said something about using a spacer, that’s one thing I’m so not looking forward to.
mel , I’ve always found it hard, trying to pack in smoking but this was just so easy. Two days after the BC diagnosis and after looking at photos of how the healing is affected by smoking, it was an instant smoking turnoff. I would just hate to go through all the reconstruction only to have the skin not heal, or worst still drop off, just because I carried on smoking. Poor you, with your hair dropping in your dinner, I can highly recommend shaving it down to the wood So to speak, it’s much better. I’ll be thinking about you, Friday afternoon, good luck to you too.
Hi Judy
I have not had any problems having the spacer, they put some saline in when they inserted it during mastectomy op. Since then I have had 2 additional fills which is done by using a magnet to locate the metalic disc in spacer they then insert a small needle and link it to a syringe of saline. I have never felt the needle going in or the saline. At the end of it you just feel a slight tightening of the skin, no pain. My surgeon recommended this to me as I do not require radiotherapy as direct rads on area with spacer can have an effect, but overall I have no issues with it, its actually quite good to be regaining ‘some shape’. I
am hoping to have a couple of options for reconstruction so by expanding the skin it may make it easier…time will tell?
Good luck with your decision, if you need any other info on having it let me know I will help if I can.
Love Lori x
Evening ladies, as ever mixed day for everyone. So glad to see that some have managed to give up the fags, unfortunately I am still on them! I have never smoked many but really need now to go the extra and give up. Now day2 cycle 2 and apart from the wired up feeling from thesteroids have had another great day. I put it all down to the apretent, it’s just fantastic not having that terrible nausea, feel I can face the world now. Good luck to you all. Philomena xx
Evening all,
sorry its late, I did post earlier but it disappeared into the ether!
loved the BBQ story, have taken notes on gnats and wigs though as flying creatures head for me whatever so my wig may have to stay off in warm evenings when I want to be in the garden!
i got the prescription and hopefully the magic potion will relieve my troubles…have a coffee date at 10am with a guy I used to work with so hopefully I’ll be off the toilet long enough to meet him!
good luck with all the cycles tomorrow, and hope everyone else manages to stay awake…I slept for 15 hours Sunday into Monday! I would never normally sleep for more than 9 if I was really tired so it must be the drugs!
judy, I have the saline expander too, love it already but will have something else to replace it post rads as this is interim so if you are having mx and recon after treatment is finished I’m not sure it’s an option as it is not intended to be permanent.
kate
x
Hi all,
Well finally been to talk to the Oncologist about my treatment after having anaphylaxis with both treatments so far, resulting in my chemo being abandonned last week! he has decided that the docetaxel is too toxic for me and he is now starting me on chemo tablets starting in 2 weeks when my next Herceptin is due. I will be on Capecitabine (Xeloda) and Vinorelbine (Navelbine). The method of taking them is apparently tricky, ie: different doses on different days etc so I will have to write myself a little timetable down so that my already addled brain will remember which and when!
Is anyone else on these tablets or has had to stop Docetaxel? It would be interesting to hear how you are getting on with them.
I am keen to get started on the treatment again as all of this is only dragging it out for longer and I would like to get my life back on track, if that’s at all possible with this horrible horrible THING that we have all been afflicted with!
Good news is - Onc said that my hair should start to grow back and shouldn’t lose it again with this treatment (unfortunately that’ll mean the leg hair will also return) Also, no steroids so may be able to leave the fridge alone for a while!!
Hope everyone is well, Karen xx
Karen,
Good news that the ONC had another plan up his sleeve. Pity about the leg hair but good news for head hair and the fridge! Hope the new regime treats you better and you get on well together to concur this disease.
The sun seems to have left Sussex and left us some rain…the garden might like the rain but I don’t as I was planning to go out in my wig today and seem to remember someone said they go frizzy in rain…oh hum better get used to frizzy hair!
Kate
x