At last!!!! Chemo starts 11th June

Was DX on the 10th April, lumpectomy and axillary node clearance on 25th April. Result 1 week later - medullary BC 22mm, Grade3 , 1/18 lymph nodes affected, triple neg, 2cm clear margin. Not too bad, then wham a really extreme wound infection set in. Weeks of antibiotics, wound drainage, ultrasounds, needle aspirations & dressings but today got the OK to start treatment. Yipeeee.!!! Can’t believe that I’m actually pleased to be starting chemo. Getting Hickman Line in on Monday (not looking forward to this) then starting chemo on Wednesday the 11th June, 4X FEC then 4X Tax followed by 5 weeks of rads. Would love to hear from anyone else starting about this time. This is really scary!!!

I start my chemo on 16/6. Also 4 FEC and 4 tax. A long road ahead. I was diagnosed 6/2. Lobular cancer, 2 tumours 5cm & 2 cm. Mastectomy on 10/3. SNB. Loads of problems with mastectomy wound healing. Just gettin there now. Axilliary clearance on 10/5. 6/21 nodes. Also scary. Would love to hear from you.

Hi
I am not on the same time scale as you havibg just finished 6 x 3 fecs, but re the Hickman Line.
I was scared stiff of having mine put in. For years I have suffered from post traumatic stress, now under control, and I thought that under a local I might well go berserk.
What a waste all the worry was. It was fine; nothing to worry about at all.
AND I have not had to worry about finding viens for chemo or blood.

Margaret

HI all

I have my Oncology appointment tomorrow have my mastectomy 4 weeks ago I don’t really know what to expect but not too stressed about it at the moment just want to get on with it

good luck everyone

Debs x

Hi All thankx for your replies , it’s really good to talk to people who ‘understand’ .

Starfish - sounds like we’ve had similar experiences with infections, but never mind hopefully that is all over and we can get started. I keep thinking that im going to be fine with the chemo then I think ‘don’t be so stupid’ and worry that i’ll get every side effect there is.

Margaret - thank you for reassuring me about the Hickman line. I know it won’t be as a bad as I imagine but I’m really glad that in the long run it will make my life easier.

Debs - hope your appointment goeas well tomorrow. Remember to let us know how you get on.

I spent the evening with my friend who is a work collegue. I love to meet up with her and hear all about what’s going on in work, but it always unsettles me as I think 'that’s my life, that’s what I should be doing, not dealing with all this c!!p.

Anyway enough moaning. I’m glad weve started this thread, hope we all keep in touch as the support is nice.

Jackie B

I am going to ask about a Hickman line. No one at hospital has mentioned it. First appt and chemo is 16/6 and thats all I know. If theres a chance I can have it sounds better. Dont want bruised hands and rubbish veins if I can avoid it.

Hi all,
I had my dx on 07/04, WLE on 23/04, results showed poor margins on 1 side and 3/10 nodes involved, re-excision on 7th May results on 19th saying good margins. Just got my letter in today so I see the oncologist on Monday 9th June. Havne’t a clue what I am in for as haven’t seen the oncologist through this so far. Should be starting on 18th June but really not a good time, kids in a school play and son leaving school and they are having a Mass and buffet. Had a bad day today, it’s been nice being off work but not having anything annoying me, wounds healed well and almost full movement in my arm.

Suppose it could be worse. At least there are a few of us who can chat to each other.

Talk to you soon
Lisa
xoxo

Hi
Sorry you are all on board but hoping all goes really well for you. Breaky,nothing like a long wait to make you actually keen to get on with the rotten chemo eh! It will make you very positive about it and I think it helps a bit if you can stay calm. I have had one dose of epi and have number 2 on the 10 June. It was nothing like my vivid imagination imagined and best of all you have all those drugs in there at last fighting all the little Cs. I wish you smooth sailing through this part of your treatment. I am having chemo until Nov and then on to radio. Leeloo. why don’t you ask to move your treatment by a day so that you can do all those important things, as I think it is important to also enjoy the normal things that just keep going on. If your treatment was due on a bank holiday they would move it and if you had an important event they would too. Ring now and ask, you have nothing to lose by asking. If you were ill that day they would delay you immediately. You need great memories to see you through the tough bits! Debs hope your appointment went ok today.How did you get on?
Hugs to you all as you start this part and moan like hell when you want to, I certainly do
Lily x

Hi
I had my first FEC yesterday immediately after having a PICC line inserted (don’t know what a Hickman line is, but mine goes in just above elbow and the catheter stops just short of the heart. It was almost completely painless and made it so easy for blood to be taken and FEC to be administered).

Good luck everyone

Kinden
x

Good Evening everyone, late on tonight as I had to watch my 10 year old son playing football.

starfish - no harm in asking about it. It was actually suggested to me because they had problems finding veins when I ws in for my op.

Welcome Lisa, nice to have you join us.I agree with Lily that you should ask to have it moved. After all my waiting I asked for mine to be delayed for a couple of days to allow me to do some work with the SQA (scottish exam board) that had to be done Thursday & Friday of this week. It was no problem at all. In fact they thought it was good idea for me to carry on doing something I would normally do as I am unable to work at the moment(I’m a teacher in a large Seconday school).

Thanks Lily for your very positive comments about the chemo not being as bad as imagined. I think we must all imagine the worst. Did you have many side effects from your first dose?

Kinden a Hickman is similar to a PICC line except it’s inserted through the neck but has it’s exit point in the chest area.Hope it turns out to be as good an experience as yours has been.

If your out there Debs let us know how you got on. I hope it wsn’t too traumatic for you.

Hugs to everyone

Jackie B

Hi

Lily, I’ve just been on another thread where I have read that your a teacher in a Secondary school as well. What a coincidence. I am thinking that I won’t go back until this is all over as well. It’s not an easy place to be if your not 100%. I also don’t think I could teach with the wig on!!! What subject do you teach? where are you based? I teach Biology & Science In the South West of Scotland and most of the time I love it.

Jackie B

Hi all
Good luck for your chemo! I like Lily have jsut completed my first FEC, second due next wednesday. I am the biggest chicken out there, nearly had to be dragged in as such a fear of needles, looking like a cancer patient and fobia of needles. I can re-iterate that so far hasnt been as bad as anticipated, yes its not pleasant and scary but I can out and went into town shopping and was fine. Felt rough the first night, dodgy the next few days, problems for one day and then started picking up. I have one week left and feel great (apart from the hair dropping), and want to enjoy it - Ive been driving, walking, laughing, drinking and today even half day back in work! Hopefully to stays like this and will be like that for you all. Just get some travel sick bands, ginger nuts, pinnapple oh and some of us are currently having a fetish for M&S mreingues - I can totally understand now why they said people put weight on - after the first week Ive eaten everything in sight to get rid of the slimy taste in my mouth.

Good Luck
xxx

Thanks Lisa
What you have said is great. I really hope I come out on Wednesday feeling as good as you! I keep telling myseIf that i’m going to be OK as I really hate being sick. I have all of the things you mentioned ready for then just in case. About the travel bands I’m not sure of when to wear them. Did you have yours on when your chemo was going in? How long did you keep them on?

Jackie B

Hiya Jackie
Im sure you will be fine, I thought I would get everything going and hope I continue like I have done. I wasnt actually sick at all and had heard lots of horror stories - the only time I felt really sick was when they put the red drugs in which could of just been my mind.

I wore the travel band that evening and for about 10 days, I took it off every now and then in the first week as my hand felt a little swelled. Apparently if you wear one on each hand much better but with having all my lymp nodes removed my BCN told me better not wear it on my bad arm.

Good luck, my second on the same day as you so keep us posted.

Lisa
x

breaky
I am a secondary teacher as well, and I take my hat off to anyone who tries to keep going. I am off until the whole treatment is completed but will be on half pay well before the end. The school were keen for me to not return until better and despite me trying to do little bits, keep getting politely refused. I constantly felt bad about the kids about to do exams but they have finished now so I can stop feeling guilty. How are your school being? I have not told the kids what is wrong, have you? What drugs are you on? I am on the TACT 2 trial arm one, having 4 x epi followed by 4 x CMF. You get a really big dose of epi on this trial and only one drug so it may not be the same as yours exactly. They put steroids and anti sickness in the iv first before the drugs. Skipped out the place feeling fine, took all the tablets exactly as prescribed and no effects apart from feeling like I should be careful and eat loads of savoury things (very unlike my sweet tooth ) for 2 days. They say the steroids stop you sleeping but I slept non- stop, hardly saw some days which was great to pass the time. Then had about 4 days that were absolutely do-able but did not feel my best at all. No sickness or pain at all, but an acidy tummy (tablets cured this), some dizziness, eyes would not focus very far and slimey mouth. Mouth took longest to go because I did not start the mouthwash until the side effects started, will know better next time. I hope that does not sound too daunting, it just travels round your body for a bit and then just suddenly goes and you can rush out and enjoy yourself again. Just don’t plan to do anything so you can rest/ eat / sleep whatever you need to do.
Good luck everyone on the thread and the best part of all about going is that one is over and you are a bit nearer to the end of chemo.
Lily x

Thanks again Lisa, I too have had all my lymph nodes removed from one arm so I will take that advice. At least I won’t feel stupid now.

I will certainly keep in touch.I can’t believe how important this site has become to me. I was just reading things for the first few weeks and found it really helpful but nowe that I’m actually posting I find it a huge support.

I’m off to bed now as I have 2 days of meetings ahead. At least it will keep me busy and take my mind off the Hickman Line going in on Monday.

Jackie B

Hi Lily
My school have been fine and have said that they will try to accommodate me, BUT it’s not very realistic to go back before the end as they now have someone in covering for me. Part ime is a possibility but I don’t want to mess the kids around you know what they’re like they prefer to have the same person in front of them. I haven’t told them whats wrong with me but some of them have found out and have been asking after me (even the bad ones). I’m sure they will be lovely when they see me around when I pop in but I don’t think I could teach them and cope with this at the same time.
Thanks for all the info about side effects , it really helps to hear from someone who has been there done that. I am having 4FEC followed by 4TAX then 5 weeks of Rads so I have a long way to go. I’m sure I will be on half pay by the end of it all as well.It does seem a terribly long time when you see it in print. However people on here keep saying its doable so I just want to get on and do it so that I can have my old, nice, happy life back

Jackie B X

Breaky
sorry loads of messages crossed over, we must have all been typing at the same time! I teach Maths in the South East of England. My son is taking GCSEs at present and I have to say the chemo brain is a force to be reckoned with. I tried to revise trigonometry with him and some friends and my head was all over the place. Spent the next day worrying I might have actually made them worse! You just can’t teach really because you have no idea how you will feel the next day and it is easier for them to get fixed term cover in to replace me completely.I have told them I won’t be back before Christmas and maybe not Jan even. Going to try to get a very long signing off from the doc next week. Thought I would go straight after the next dose so she feels really sorry for me. Will let you know how that goes. It is really strange not having any marking or reports to write isn’t it?
Hey Lisa I bought the bands and forgot to use them, do you really think they helped? Hope to be back on the meringues tomorrow , you made me want that ice cream !! Where did it come from?
Hugs
Lily x

Lily
I think it might off helped, dont know, not risking now wearing them to find out though!! The ice cream is lush, tried it for the first time yesterday. We have a local company called Hartleys who always just done vanilla on vans that come round when I was younger - Im a lover of the mint choc chip and found out they have a little shop that sells them all, so, vanilla (for with strawberries and you know what), honeycomb (oh so cruncy) with treacle tart and the mint choc chip for my mouth next week (if it doesnt go beforehand). I also sampled a burger and chips today in Wetherspoons but was very wary - nearly had a curry but paniced about the rice - my aunt who has BC and spread to Liver said she was always warned off rice as it contains lots of bacteria if reheated or left to stand - boo hoo!!

Gonna go and rest my stomach which is expanding.

p.s. booked on the “Look good, feel better” in July so need eyebrow tips before then as Dennis isnt holding out!
xx

I start my chemo (FEC) on the 11th June. On Friday i have to meet chemo nurses and get a heart scan aswell as a blood tests. Really not looking forward to having loads of needles stuck into me but like you Breaky i’m glad this time has arrived, not because i want chemo but because i would have had it last month if i hadn’t to get a second surgery and i just want all this over and done with so i can get my life back to some kind of normality - if that makes sence.
Saw the chemo doc yesterday (wednesday) and she never mentioned the hickman line and i forgot to ask - would like to know more about that.