Have just signed up to this fab site and want to say hi. I am 35 and got diagnosed on May 18th with grade II ductal carcinoma insitu. Have since had two lots of surgery, firstly a wide excision and lymph node removal, then I needed a further margin removing because the results of the first surgery showed pre-cancerous cells. Thankfully the second margin taken has come back all clear, as were my lymph nodes. Phew! I will be meeting my oncologist this coming friday to discuss my treatment. My breast care nurse has told me that I will need chemo, radio, tamoxifen cuz my tumour was oestrogen positive and I will also need herceptin as it came back HER2 positive!! Blimey! So it seems I will be getting everything thrown at me! Bring it on i say! I do have a very positive attitude to this whole hideous situation, and am full of fight but I have to say that I am somewhat dreading the treatment. I have read all the info given and have read stories from others going through or who have been through chemo ect. My eyes are wide open to all the nasty horribleness that is about to take over. I just want to have the first dose so I know exactly what will be and then I can plan some more stuff. Like for instance my hen night! Yes I am getting hitched this September! Had to cancel the honeymoon but I have been told that my treatment will be worked around my wedding so I will look and feel fabulous on my wedding day!!! I would love to chat to others in my area to see how ya doin and if you are having treatment in the same hospital ect. Anyway I shall stop rambling on now and look forward to hearing from y’all!! take it easy x
Hello
Poor you, it is a scary time at the begining. I am 38 and was diagnosed and treated for ductal cell carcinoma grade 2, 3 years ago. I had a mastectomy and lymph node sampling followed by chemotherapy and the breast reconstruction with a tram flap. I have been on tamoxifen for the last 2 1/2 years. I too live in Oxfordshire and had my treatment at the churchill hospital and my reconstruction at the JR. Good luck for you wedding I guess by now you will have a clearer picture of your treatment
Best wishes
Chris
Nice to chat so someone from the same area. I had my 3rd FEC today. One more FEC then 4 doses of Tax and herceptin. They tell me I need the herceptin for a year! Then tamoxifen - how are you finding the tamoxifen? Isn’t doing anything weird to you? Have been trying the cold cap - it’s kinda working. I lost tons of hair about 17 days after first dose, very very distressing. But I have a short hair do now which I really like - its so easy to look after. Hair is still falling but only a little bit. Got a lovely wig for our wedding. Having that fitted soon.
As for side effects they haven’t been too bad actually. Crazy tiredness for 4-5 days, constipation and some joint pain but thats it. Getting off quite lightly compared to some. How did you get on with the side effects?
I’m having all my treatment at the Horton, Banbury. When this all kicked off the Horton was the earliest appointment, but for me its a easy journey from Kidlington - only takes 30 mins to get there. Such a lovely hospital… The Brodey centre only has 3 treatment chairs at the moment so its very cosy!!
Anyway I won’t go on - cuz I can talk the hind legs off a donkey at times!! Good to hear from you. Take it easy
xx
Hello Bird
1 more to go…I got off quite lightly with my chemo. I had 6 cycles of fec and managed to have them all on time. I wasn’t very good with the dexamethasone… didn’t like the side effects so felt nauseated for the first couple of days so comfort ate…gave me a good belly for my later reconstruction!!! I’m not a good patient too used to being on the other side. I have been on tamoxifen for 2 1/2 years the hot flushes have mainly settled down, my biggest side effect is the mood swings like permenant PMT my poor husband and children. My periods are also very heavy and a bit erratic i had those investigated earlier this year and everything looked normal so just something else to put up with. I didn’t have the cold cap my family was very young 3 and 1 so I just wanted to get back to them. My husband would also get completely stressed by it all so easier to be in and out. I opted for headscarves and hats. I had a wig but didn’t feel myself in it i donated it to wig bank.
Good luck with your wedding I am sure you wil look lovely in your new wig.