Hey girls!
How’s it all going?
I start rads at the end of Feb for 4 weeks and can’t wait to get it over and done with.
I’ve also started tamoxifen for 5 years.
What’s the update on you lovelies?
Jo xx
Well done for surgery butterfly, eeh you ladies are not far behind me im post treatment by 4 weeks now not doing bad still get tired but doing ok, hairs doing great have a very short pixie (grey?)
Jo fab news, and you too Ck what a lovely feeling ?
I know our posts will become a little less often but good to hear everyone is doing ok xxx
Hi August Ladies
Hope everyone’s doing as well as expected. So I started Radiotherapy a few weeks ago and compared to Chemo, found it so much easier to deal with, although quite hard doing the breath-holding as the Radiotherapy was to my chestwall on the left and they want to reduce the risk to the heart and lungs - hadn’t realised before… My skin hasn’t suffered too much thankfully but have lots of swelling under my arm, they’re hoping it’s just reaction to the Radiotherapy and not the start of lymphedema, not what I want… Managed to work all the way through the treatment, quite good as a distraction but so tiring… Also started tamoxifen last week, for the next 10 years and so far it’s been OK, except for hot flushes, but it’s early days… So, I’ve finally finished Radiotherapy – left that hospital like I was walking on a cloud! Nearly a whole year of treatment - 4 operations, 5 months of Chemo, then Radiotheraphy, and treatment is finally over and that feels amazing!!!
But, I can’t believe my bad luck since then… So, on my first day after finishing treatment I only went and slipped on mud in the woods and have broken my ankle – aghhhhhh! Not what I need right now – more enforced rest and recovery, so frustrating. After a CT scan they’ve decided not to operate and see if it’ll heal naturally, so in a non-weight-bearing cast, but they did say that Chemo can make your bones more brittle and can make broken bones harder to heal. Life can be very unfair sometimes - but trying to look at it as a minor set-back – this is fixable…nothing can be as hard as Chemo in the scheme of things….
But on the good side, had my first hair cut (very short and grey), now have a full head of hair and almost have a hair-style again – no more wig or hats! Such a good milestone to reach – a step in the right direction towards ‘normality’ again. Looks like the cold cap did work after all, I only lost about 50% of my hair and it might have helped with the re-growth, I think. Can’t wait for my eyelashes to grow back too.
Lovely to hear how you’re all doing. Great to hear of good results - Butterfly, JoG83, CK & Mishy18! Sib, so glad you’ve finally finished - it must feel like a marathon, glad you’ve got a holiday to look forward to. Ali, glad your 2nd Op has gone OK, hope the results are good when you eventually get them and that your shingles starts to clear up soon, it sounds like you’ve had a tough time recently - good luck going back to work too, let us know how it goes.
Take care and hugs to you all xxx
Food to hear from you Mary Kate. I dont know, a broken ankle now, oh well, just a little discomfort, painkillers and then hope it will mend soon.
Well done for finishing treatment. I have my onc app tono morn to see when rads will start. Its 3 weeks since I had ANC and surgery clear margins.
Hope all doing well and moving on to stage or completed treatment.xx
Happy valentines ladies ???
Hi ladies. How are we all doing? Butterfly did you get your results today? Mary-Kate, how’s the ankle? What bad luck for that to happen.
I had a very positive meeting with my surgeon yesterday. There was nothing of concern in the extra tissue she took so she is signing me off for radiotherapy. We discussed the pathology of the lump and i was pleased to hear that there was no vascular invasion. She is very positive about my future and the chances of spread or recurrence. However we also discussed my aches and pains and my little trip to a&e and she said she thought she should send me for a CT. I’m hoping she is doing it for my peace of mind and not because she suspects anything.
So I’m waiting for an appointment for that and for my radiotherapy planning. I’m seeing my oncologist next week so will find out if he is going to recommend more chemo. It seems never ending.
Work is going ok but is aggravating my neuropathy, especially in my hands. It’s very tiring though.
Hugs to you all xx
Just popping in from the October group. Hope you ladies are getting on ok post chemo. Sorry to hear about the broken ankle Mary-Kate that’s the last thing you needed. Hope it heals soon x
Just wondering how many of you in this group are having Herceptin as part of your treatment? I’m trying to set up a group in the Targeted therapy section for help and support. It is called February Herceptin starters? I had my first injection on Friday and so far so good. I would welcome input from any of you who have had several treatments already either alongside chemo or as injections afterwards.
Thanks, wishing you all well x
Hi chaffinch17, i am on herceptin, now having injections but started on infusions with chemo. Not sure how many I have had as I had breaks in my chemo due to side effects/illness and know i needed a further booster dose at one stage.
Dont think im getting side effects from herceptin but im still suffering other ses 4 weeks post chemo especially neuropathy and fatigue!! But happy to join. X
That’s really good news Butterfly I’m so pleased for you. I hope you get some relief when your seroma is drained, sounds like it’s really uncomfortable.
I’m still playing the waiting game. Not heard anything about my radiotherapy at all. I have an oncology appointment tomorrow, no idea what it’s for. Hope all you other ladies are all well x
Fantastic news butterfly thats very good news ?
Heres hoping everyone is good doing ok aside from the fatigue Ali i hope you get RT dates soon so you can also start to move forward ?
So glad to hear your good news Ali and Butterfly, so good to hear positive news! Hope Radiotherapy goes well for you when you start Ali - there’s light at the end of the tunnel for you…
So whilst trying to move on from Chemo and Radiotherapy, I’ve now been told that my broken ankle needs surgery, really hoping it’s not because of the Chemo… So I’m back in hospital tomorrow, but it’s already been rearranged once as no beds, so just hoping it’ll go ahead. But the thought of more surgery and anaesthetic after 4 Op’s already for BC is quite hard to cope with… Just keep having to remember that this is fixable and nothing in comparison to what we’ve all been though - only a temporary delay in getting back to ‘normal’ and another few weeks of rest and recovery…
Hope everyone else is doing OK xxx
Mary-Kate, hope all went well with the op today. Hopefully you will have a speedy recovery and this is just a small setback on your road to recovery from the BC.
Had meeting with oncologist today and she did the paperwork for my RT. Hope to have planning within next 2 weeks. No news on whether I will be offered more chemo. The lead oncologists are going to discuss the study and let me know if they are going to offer it xx
Lovely to hear how you are all getting on.
Mary-Kate- here’s to a quick recovery for you!
Ali- how many weeks of rads do you have?
Butterfly- woohoo that’s such good news!!!
Just a question - does anyone experience sleepless nights? I’ve read up that the menopause causes it which was induced from chemo. I’m also on tamoxifen so not sure if it’s that too…?
Jo, I have 20 sessions of rads to do 15 normal and 5 boosters.
I have disturbed sleep too. The hot flushes wake me up as does the pain from the neuropathy and the nerve pain from the shingles. I’ve been given amitriptyline to help but that doesn’t stop the hot flushes. Does anyone take anything for the hot flushes? xx
Hi Jo and all the August ladies! How lovely to hear how everyone is doing.
I am starting to get back to “normal” now. I finished Radiotherapy last week, WOOOHOO, so now feel I have lots of time on my hands! Still a little tired but on the whole it was fine. Skin is returning to normal ish colour in places and nipple sensitivity has died down thankfully. I even had a haircut!!! Now sporting an Ellen type pixie crop.
SE wise my fingers are a bit sore, though this could be due to not working (hairdresser- so normally my fingers are really strong and I feel I’ve lost some dexterity)
I have some muscle fatigue, I’m sure this will improve as my activity level does too.
I also have some tinnitus though this could be down to a blocked ear that hasn’t really shifted in 4weeks? It started after my first week of rads but don’t think its connected.
On the whole nothing too rubbish to be left with.
I also had a lovely complementary massage at the Big C, so maybe worth checking if you are entitled to it too?! I’m allowed 6 treatments (either massage or reflexology) and so is one nominated person, so i will take my mum to the next one!
Im so thankful for this website, it and all of you, really helped keep me sane when I had some heavy stuff going on. Unbelievably, two of my co workers have had BC diagnosis since I started my treatment,so I recommended them here.
Your all on the home straight now! Haven’t we done well!!!
Jo im having terrible trouble sleeping too im not on any hormone blockers putting it down to the chemo induced menapause
Hoping everyone is well after treatments and getting back into real life whatever that is now!!!
I just wanted to say thanks to you all for the support and advice through this challenge. I hope you are all doing well or at the very least coping with all that this experience gives us. I have finished all treatment and I am now in recovery mode. Having lots of palpitations but I’m putting that down to fatigue. I’ve had all the tests which are fine. I’m taking each day as it comes and trying not to push myself!
I wish you all well in your future endeavours and I’m sending you all love and healing.
Xx
Hi Camilla and welcome
My hair started to grow back once I started on the T. If yours hasn’t started to grow yet it should do soon. 4 months on and mine is ready for a little trim.
I can’t really help with the taste thing. I was lucky to continue to have the respite week. I ate and drank anything strawberry flavoured during the bad weeks as its the only taste i could tolerate. I hope yours improves soon.
Good luck with the remainder of your treatment x
Hey beautiful ladies!!
Missed you all!!
Camilla - sounds like you’re storming through it. My hair started growing back after chemo had stopped and now it’s a growing machine! Same with the taste, all of a sudden you’ll notice you can’t taste again. It doesn’t take long.
Ps if anyone wanted to see my bald head back then, I’m the girl Cancer Research UK has just posted on Facebook. A bit weird seeing it all again but I’m praying it’s a blessing to those who need hope. X
Hi Jo. I’ve just checked out the cancer research post. You looked great with your bald head, far better than I ever did. Well done for telling your story to help others xx