So found out today that chemo has gifted me shingles, how lovely. It’s currently at the itchy rash stage but will move on to the painful blister/scab stage soon. Can’t wait. I’m beginning to feel like there is no end in sight and that I will be unwell forever ?
Thanks Butterfly. Feeling awful today but think it’s the anti viral tablets I’ve been given not the shingles. Feeling very fed up ?. I hope you are doing ok x
Thanks ladies. Had a ‘nice’ few days relaxing adter a traumatic day and getting used to Dolly rhe drain which is stull following me.
Enjoying my Port again. At least taste buds are back?
Ali S
My GP gave me Cetraben cream when I had blisters from burns. Why not try it? Its Pareben free. It will help sooth. It helped rhe burns on my face too ans no scars.xx
JoG
???For results! Good luck.xx
Butterfly
Hope ylu have a good discussion with surgeon to see whats best. Upwards and onwards.xx
Well happy new year to all you lovely August ladies! I’ve been trying to keep up with you all though I haven’t really commented for ages. I think I just wanted to get my head down through Xmas / NY while I was treatment free and just live a “normal” life before starting rads. I’ve just finished my first week of rads. My skin has already gone a little pink and boob a bit sensitive, so hoping I can get to the end without the skin breaking down. I’ve also now officially been discharged from my Oncologist! So, once rads is complete that’s me out in the open on my own for a year-bit nervous. I think I will have a look at booking the moving on course if there is one in my area.
I will also be looking up the recommended book below, I’m interested in seeing what the recommended dietary changes are. I’ve had no advice on this from my onc though.
Mishy-can’t believe rads are all done for you already! Sorry tiredness has hit badly. Did you get other side effects? How was your skin?
Ali-really sorry to hear you now have shingles, that is so rubbish for you. Butterfly-really glad you got good results and the chemo has done it’s job.
CK-glad your surgery went well after the initial hiccups. Woohoo for the return of tastebuds too, enjoy that port!!!
Sib-well done on your last chemo, hope SE aren’t too bad for this last one.
All the other August lady’s, I hope your all doing well. This is such a long procedure from start to end, I think we all deserve a medal!
Butterfly great to hear very pleased for you!! Sib hoping you are ok after last chemo Xena nice to hear from you the skin was OK ish not awful but nit great but it settled fast never broke down but went awful colour and peeled very sire under arm but it did settle quickly x
I know how you feel about treatment finishing then??? Going to no mans land territory!! Im slowly adjusting to life after bc but need a little help in form of counselling had a session fortnight ago then another next week at my Maggies also signed up to there where now course which is a 1 session per week in a 7 week course which is similar to the moving forward which wasn’t in my area oyr Maggies is in grounds of my hospital x
Ali the shingles is a ? after bloody chemo feel bad for you as its painful hope it goes soon x
Hi ladies!
I’m day 11 after finishing radiotherapy. I was told the symptoms would continue for a couple of weeks after the end of treatment but I underestimed this, so take note ladies if you are working! My skin got redder, warmer and more sore for a good week after the end of radiotherapy especially below my armpit which has been really sore. I was close to taking painkillers but managed without. I found it really uncomfortable to wear a bra for long periods too. It has begun to peel now but my skin has stayed dry without weeping etc. Today is the first day symptoms are slowly subsiding. I’ve been putting on some good cream every day for the full 20 days and since finishing and it’ll last me another week I reckon. I bought it on Amazon, it’s from France - BIAFINE which is for burns and is about £15. I found out about it on the radiotherapy thread on here, it’s been excellent. It ‘absorbs’ quite quickly so I’m not having to wait too long to get dressed - I’m all about the practicalities!!
It is great to see us all being post-chemo at last, I know I’m coping so much better by reading all your posts, thank you so much!
Helen
Thanks for tbe advice. I will look into that cream as rads is on the plan after recovery from ANC.xx
Posted on September thread too ladies!
WOOP WOOP! One of the best days of my life!!! Saw my surgeon with a big smile on his face, so kind of knew it eas good news! Back in August he didnt smile! He sat down and his first words were ‘Good news!!!’ Well I wanted to get up and cuddle him to bits but held back and just repeatedly shouted ‘Yes, yes, yes!’ Like a crazy woman!!!
Chemo worked well!
All 18 lymph nodes clear!
Margins clear!
O.5mm DCIs all gone!
No more surgery!
No cancer!
Will see Onc 21st Feb to discuss Rads which will hopefully be March some time.
Need to work on exercise to avoid stiff shoulderand Lymphadema!
I was buzzin so much I forgot I had Herceptin, so had my 5th one today too!
Ladies, I need you all to have this amazing feeling at some stage, Ive had a big grin on my face all day and not sure what to do with myself!
There have been times when Ive been so down and my mind wondered but thats normal and I was bricking myself this morning. Its really not nice not knowing and waiting for results but we can do it, will do it and even though it doesnt seem like it at the moment, its to give us a better quality of life!
I chose to forget about statistics, how long or what chance, etc! Treatnent and drugs are getting better and advanced all of the time, and if they give you a percentage, are you part of it, will you know? No!! So get healing as we have lots to do!!!
Still rads and herceptin and hormone treatment but give it to me. Thank you for your words of support.
To all trestments this week, the best of luck and least SEs.xxx
Yes CK!! Get in!! I bet you’re well chuffed!!
Well I’ve just got out of hospital from being in for a couple of days due to fevers. However had my surgeon appt too whilst I was there!
I also have NO MoRE CANCeR! My surgeon, despite all the odds of me having small boobs got some clear margins and he’s well happy!
I cried so much my face hurt!!
Rads to start soon then tamoxifen tablets and we’re back on the road again.
Take hope girls, we can do this xxx
So my mum who lives overseas and my daughter who is at Yourk uni are over rhe moon and today Ive had a visitor. Ive not wanted visits but my mood is different now and better company.
JoG83
GO GIRL! IM SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!! I hope our good news brings more good news for other ladies!
This is amazing!
Butterfly
You too! Fabulous! Omg, its so nice to hear good news and I hope its giving hope to our ladies who are following us.xx
Ali S
Hope rhe shingles have gone and on the way to recovery.xx
Xena, Mishy, Sib, Helen
Hope treatment going well for you all??
How lovely you are all getting such fab news onwards and upwards for us all treatment for me is over just recovering from it all and sone help from my Maggies Centre with the emotions side of it all but hey we did it!!!
Well done Mishy
Now concentrate on you and your emotions…but dont leave us here???
Great to hear so many good results!! The chemo has been doing what it should and beating that cancer!!! What a relief. Makes the last 6 months worthwhile 
I get my results next Thursday so fingers crossed…
My op went well. Can’t believe it was two weeks ago. A couple of complications post op - the ever growing seroma, now holding 350ml even though it’s drained every three days, and some cording that needs ?♀️ stretching a few times a day or its a bit restrictive on arm movement.
Also my eyebrows completely fell off last night. They went crispy and brittle then departed! 6 weeks since my last chemo so what’s going on there??? Armpits are regrowing nicely though ;-!
Hope you are all well and coping with emotions and seeking help if needed,
Love cx
Goid to hear yoyr well after op don’t worry about the brows that happened to me im 12 weeks post chemo now sporting a fab pair and lashes had nothing at xmas also have a very short pixie quite thick too good luck for results x
Good to hear from you Cathysid
Results will be good next week as youve kicked ass!!!
Regards eyebrows I had mine semi permanant brush stroked and everyone she has done look fab. Let me know if need her contact. Shes in Handforth.
Since my lashes dropped out my eyes get so itchy and dry. We dont realise how they protect our eyes. Hopefully they grow back soon.
My armpit still numb and a little painful after op but taking paracetomol.
Got the form for Moving Forward Course in March but wont know rads start till 21st Feb so need to know what time its on and see if can do both.
Right, going to make some spinach and potatoes now.
Hope all well.xxx
Hi all. It’s so lovely to hear that you are all doing well. I’m a little jealous as I’ve not felt well since Christmas with one thing and another. I’ve had chest pain which my GP thinks is caused by acid reflux, a painful swollen eye and then the shingles. Yesterday I had abdominal pain and went to my GP who phoned an ambulance to take me to a&e. The ambulance ladies told me that the GP thought I had an anurysm in my main artery in my abdomen and my blood pressure was sky high, hence the ambulance. So after 4 hours in a&e, blood tests, ECGs, a dreaded canula, an ultrasound and lots of prodding the doctor told me that everything looked fine. He thinks the pain, and my rib pain, is caused by the shingles. Once he had reassured me my blood pressure came down instantly.
Of course I had already decided in each case that the pains are caused by the cancer having spread. I’m also not getting the results from my second operation until 14 Feb, which will be almost 4 weeks which I’m annoyed about as it’s delaying my radiotherapy. Sorry to moan ladies but it’s all getting a little on top of me at the moment. It really helps to be able to share with you all though.
On the plus side my hair is growing well, my eyelashes are back and my eyebrows started to come back all of a sudden. I’m going back to work on Wednesday which I’m really nervous about.
Hope all you August ladies have a great weekend xx
Hi Ali S
We do have to go through so much but it will be worth it when we get those good results!
Going back to work is great. Take it easy and dont let the emotions take over. Ive cried a few times at work which is good to get it out but then I felt silly afterwards…and wondered if it made others unco fortable. Better to cry at home.
Glad your hair growing well. Ive seen mine come thrkugh and they look grey…arghhhh! Too much stress!!! Cant wait for lashes to grow as my eyes get dry and itchy.
Let us know how work goes. Keep going.xxx
Hi Ali i too have acid reflux which started with 1st chemo and hasn’t gone away yet take medication for it so I know how you feel x
Were you surgery 1st i think as it was so long ago before chemo started im my case the mind can wander a little as we don’t have the fresh reassurance thays its all gone as that was the case for me but every so often my mind will tell me it might have come back!! Even though I know it hasn’t hope you are feeling better soon and good luck with getting rads started xx
Ali,
Hoping you are doing ok. Can’t believe you got shingles. Not fair!!!
Hugs and get well wishes,
Cath x