@ivy-cat it’s natural to be anxious especially when we get a glimpse of normality, feeling slightly better then to have another cycle. Ive found this the hardest part. The way I explain it to my family is there’s no other illness that when you feel better you have to make yourself sick again( chemo) to get better. I probably haven’t worded this very well, brain is mush lol.
I know you feel you’ve a bit of a road ahead with surgery yet but I just want to reassure you, chemo is the worse part and you’ve already done so much.
I started this journey in November last year and can’t believe we’re in the middle of June. I keep holding onto what my surgeon told me that I’m investing in my future.
I’m at the stage if one more person tells me I look well I’ll scream lol. My close family just say to me now” you don’t look too bad, considering everything” this I can live with.
Hopefully the shoe shopping went well 
Pauline xxx
I view the whole fiasco as I am not ill, started this journey at peak of health and fitness. But every 3 weeks they are poisoning me and then I have to go into battle to fight the wretched stuff. It’s just a bloody battle. A friend posted a gif of me yesterday -Wonder Woman smashing through stuff- wish I could post it in action -she saw it as congratulating me on my run -I see it as me smashing through the chemo and cancer cells
I had this also and put the smallest amount of vaporub ( slightly stingy) in it and cleared in a day or 2. I now put a bit of Vaseline on nostrils every morning t as a barrier and have found this helps with nose running.
Just done an online workshop on lashes and eyebrows with Head Wrappers. Can’t remember booking on it but it was well worth it.
Thank you @pollyanna1 for your wise words! I just want to finish chemo now - as you said, the surgery should be easier after dealing with that! I hope you are continuing to recover from your last chemo? The side effects accrue as your progress so it’s no surprise that its hit you hard again.
@isthisreal - my nose has been really sore and my eyes have been awful - itchy, sore and constantly streaming. I shall try pawpaw on my nose I think and I’ve been using drops to soothe my eyes.
@elle16 and @swk1981 - hope you are doing OK? You must both be so anxious after last time!
@belle1 - is your chemo going ahead? If so, good luck!
@gromit12 - it really is an ordeal! I keep telling myself just two more to go - and then think ‘oh no, two more to go!’
Had my bloods done and now waiting to hear if I need to have my picc line re-inserted. I really don’t want that…
Emma x
Could I kindly ask those who have undergone surgery to share their experiences? I would greatly appreciate learning about the duration of the surgery and the approximate recovery time.
Thank you.
@ivy-cat yes I’m getting it tomorrow😁 first Docetaxel so I’m bracing myself but @gromit12 has given me hope after her big run yesterday!
I was in the ward for ages this morning as went for my bloods but they wanted to check my arm again too. Ended up switching antibiotics on Saturday as had an allergic reaction to the first lot and it is less red but is really swollen and hard still. They arranged for another ultrasound today and still have 15-20cm of clotting and it looks more like it’s just still very inflamed from the infection. Bloods were looking good though and the infection markers are normal now so happy to go ahead tomorrow. Think it’ll just take time and they’re thinking it’ll settle better on Docetaxel as that’s less harsh on the veins than EC so fingers crossed. Not gonna lie its been incredibly painful for the last week and im taking the maximum ibuprofen/cocodamol and it’s still sore so they’re going to give me more painkillers to try too! Hoping my left arm holds up for a while as looks like my right arm is out of action for the foreseeable!
I have my second docetaxel tomorrow - so fingers crossed for both of us 
@belle1. Really hope your arm improves soon - that sounds really awful.
Annoyingly, they have still not checked the x ray of my picc line, despite having an urgent appointment so it could be dealt with before my chemo 
. I need to wait for a doctor to look at it tomorrow now and see if they feel happy with using it. If not, I will have a cannula which I really don’t want as my veins are awful, Emma
I’m not sure what your surgery is @pinklady2 but I started this whole fiasco with mine. Had a full mastectomy and lymph node removal in February. It was done as a day case (which shocked me when I was told!) I went in early morning, the operation took around 3.5 hours and I was then in recovery until early evening. I came out with two drains, which I think was because I also had reconstruction at the same time 
For the first 48 hours the nerve block was great and I thought I was amazing 
then as it wore off I realised why I needed to take codeine! I was up and about at home after the first day, sleepy but managed the drains in a special little bag, they came out after a week, done by the nurse. The scar is incredibly small and (at my age 
) will never be seen (it’s underneath the breast) Amazing!
I did my exercises as I was told and have full ROM back within maybe 6 weeks, although it can be sore and stiff sometimes. Sensation around the arm/back/shoulder gradually comes back although I’d say it’s still a bit pins and needles-y along the top of my arm. I’ve noticed some discomfort over the past few weeks in the breast which the consultant told me was to do with the chemotherapy (isn’t everything!) causing inflammatory reactions. I just went today to get measured and buy some regular bras to replace the post surgery ones which I’ve stuck with since. You’re advised to wear front fastening super supportive ones 24 hours for the first 4 to 6 weeks and I’ve kept with these ones in the day until now.
I hope that’s what you wanted to know? By the time my biopsy results came through, which was almost 6 weeks after, I honestly thought they were going to discharge me as I felt so good 
@ivy-cat aw that’s so frustrating! I hope you get on ok - let us know how it goes and I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you!
Hello,
Massively late to the forum party as I started my chemo at end of April and only just got round to doing this. Three cycles in on EC and (hopefully) about to move onto Docetaxal next week.
This looks like a lovely supportive group that I would love to be part of and ask annoying questions to!
I hope you’re all coping okay on the chemo journey!
Welcome @msizzle160 I’ve found this group really helpful. Everyone’s really supportive and it’s nice to be able to ask questions to people who are going through similar stages of our chemo journey. Good luck with your Docetaxal. I’m just about to start Abraxane on Thursday. Any questions ask away as I’m sure someone will be able to help or advise. Helen x
Welcome @msizzle160, I’ve just had my last chemo on Wednesday 4 X AC and start radiotherapy in July. This group has been amazing and everyone is so supportive. Any questions ask away, most times someone has experienced it or have helpful tips xxxx
I had exactly the same problem with nose when I was going through EC and Docetaxel. I was prescribed Naseptin which sorted it out within a few days. Tried to get an appointment with the chemo doctor but he was fully booked so they advised me to see GP who was happy to prescribe via a telephone appointment. x
@belle1 and @ivy-cat Best wishes for today!
I’m awake, too scared to sleep as it’s the 3 week anniversary of the sepsis and I’ve not drunk enough today. Rationally, I know I’m fine and I genuinely am compared to that last cycle but I’ve turned into a loony obsessed with water and mouthwashes and mouth thrush prevention.
On the upside guys, guts are still complaining but I’m not pooping piping hot lava this time so that’s gotta be a win!
@msizzle160 Welcome - this group is a lifesaver!
@pinklady2 what surgery are you having?
Mine was different to @altoan as I wasn’t allowed reconstruction as I need radiotherapy after chemo finishes. Mine was a full mastectomy and node clearance with flat closure. Despite a seroma that needed draining a few times, the surgery has been the absolute easiest part of all of this. I won’t pretend mine is pretty. It’s not. But I don’t mind because they cut the bastard cancer out. I am in no rush to reconstruct (I thought I would be) because chemo takes over and you end up just wanting to feel human and get strong again and vanity matters less and less.
I’m weirdly grateful for the mourning process of losing old leftie. I have learnt to be kinder to myself. I do feel deformed and I hate people saying “Oh don’t say that!” because it’s true. I am. I see it, they don’t. It’s brutal and gnarly and real and perfectly depicts cancer. One day it will be porn boob and the poor other boob is going to feel super inadequate after that so I’ll let righties enjoy it’s moment of glory FOR NOW!
Honestly though, this journey kicks out wayyyyy more upsides than downsides. Gorgeous people on this forum, a wisdom I wish I had possessed for the last 43 years instead of being so anxious about everything. An ability to parent your kids knowing that not much actually really matters in life. There is something strangely liberating about this entire shit show.
Recovery wise, the worst bit is the first bit with the drains and adjusting to it all being so different. Take the painkillers but also take the stool softeners as obsessively. If you know whether you’re better with morphine than codeine then tell your anaesthetist so they can give you that. I personally want to die on codeine whereas morphine works well and I could take far less and manage mostly on paracetamol in recovery.
Drink loads, rest lots and don’t underestimate the calories and rest your body needs to heal. Do the exercises they give you religiously and ask someone to massage your back. You may think it’s your chest and shoulder that are tight but sometimes it’s a referred stiffness into your thoracic spine. Let people touch you and give you that. I didn’t. I was guarded and embarrassed about my body and it was only when I cried when my daughter massaged my foot that I realised how much I’d shielded myself from touch and how lonely it was.
I like @gromit12’s gif smashing through the cancer cells. I’ve seen every bit of surgery and chemo as a series of battles and it can help. It feels like a positive then.
Surgeons can also be crap about prepping you for the next bit. They’re a funny bunch. Look into vaccinations for chemo sooner rather than later as often it’s too late by the time the oncologist mentions it!
When is your surgery booked for? X
@swk1981 Ive also been in the wide awake club most of the night, feeling nauseous and bone pain( the usual 1st week stuff)
I’m sure you are feeling anxious, I had sepsis 20 months ago ( not cancer related, UTI) it left me very frightened at the time. I was constantly tying to make sure I drank enough, every time I felt slightly sore peeing I was convinced it was back. I found I was on high alert always. When I had a UTI in April this was my biggest fear. As time goes on and Chemo hits us with other side effects these feelings lessens.
@pinklady2 I’m not sure what surgery you’re having as my surgery wasn’t as big as @altoan & @swk1981.
I had a lumpectomy and 3 lymph nodes removed. Surgery went really well to start with ( full clearance and no lymph node involvement)but unfortunately a week later I had a Hametoma & Seroma which led to a bleed and abscess and had to have emergency surgery.
I’m not telling you this to frighten you as you might have already read it here but to reassure you that if you can go through chemo you’ll be fine with surgery.
@swk1981 I’m laughing at your description of leftie it’s surprising how our mind set changes going through this. As I had a lumpectomy, leftie is now the perfect boob I’ve always wanted ( Minus the scar) and poor old rightie, let’s just say being 52 and gravity setting in is feeling very left out 
Sometimes I think maybe this journey has a way of slowing us down and appreciate what we really have in life. It’s made me realise what’s important and what’s not. I for one am glad to step of that hamster wheel of constantly chasing my tail and never getting a minute to breath and always playing catch up, I’ve questioned myself lots of times what was that all about.
I’m starting to rant now lol.
One thing I can say for sure is the wonderful ladies I’ve met here have been so supportive and are with you every step of the way.