I have to do the breathing technique as well as I’m also left side affected, but seems my trust don’t go down the equipment route!
Hi
Good to hear you are doing well.
Yes we are coming to the end of chemo, but for some there are more treatments to be had. Me personally, after 9 radiotherapy’s, I will be back on letrozole plus 3 weekly Herceptin jabs. That should be a lot more manageable 
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I was surprised by it!
@bigpickle this mirrors my experience. My last cycle is next week and i know ill end up in a&e again for 3rd cycle in a row. My doctors are convinced that its the docetaxel causing the temperature spikes. Hope my last cycle goes better. And that yours passes without issue too. X
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Just moving into week three of cycle 5/6. Cumulative effect is taking its toll. Feeling tired, sleepy and energy less but love that by day 9 I can eat again and what an appetite I have!
I have my radiotherapy consultation next week, not sure if I’ll have to do breath holding yet, have been warned I may have to due to lymph nodes near sternum even though I’m right side BC. I haven’t had an update CT scan yet and they had said last one showed a couple of reactive lymph nodes but will see my Onc and radiotherapy both next Tuesday, before (hopefully) last round on Thursday. So looking forward to getting this part behind me.
Hope you are all hanging in there and manage to feel at least a little festive soon xx
Hey
On Monday Iv just had 5/6 docetaxal and carboplatin. Pain from filgrastim already kicking in, this time in my hips, usually my legs.
I had a dose reduction again of 10% due to the accumulation effects, i nearly ended up in a wheelchair. I had a four week break which helped.
@songbird1 i know what you mean with the eating I’m literally hungry all the time! My mouth is not too bad and I’m on day 4 so fingers crossed I may get away with it with the reduction.
I have an mri booked for 10th December if there is nothing left I will have surgery to remove the marker and check all clear then it’s just the phesgo 3 weekly until August.
I’m anxious to see what side effects come from having that alone. I’m told not too bad! I feel anxious about going back to normal as well! I feel like i will need some time to heal, I’m worried that everyone is going to have high expectations on me as they are already saying how great it is that I’m on 2nd to last round, I think the best excitement is more for them
Than me. Xx
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@lilly123 Glad they gave you 4 weeks and reduced your dose, you were definitely having a rough time.
Fingers crossed for all clear at your MRI.
The recovery is next steps for you (I have 19 rounds of RT starting Boxing Day) but daunting because everyone is different and it’s not just physical but psychological. I know what you mean about others expectations to be ‘all better now’. We need to do what’s right for us but easier said than done.
I’ve only now managed to reduce my working hours, I find that quite stressful, I think it’s easier to be there or not but feel out of the loop on reduced hours and this is only my first week of having to rely on others to tell me what’s going on - I’ll get there though and hopefully will appreciate some recovery time xx
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@songbird1 feel for you and others needing
RT, that was the initial plan for me but no lymph nodes affected. I feel fortunate about it but also a little anxious about the her2 factor and the risk of it returning. Having 3 weekly injections until August makes me feel like it’s not quite over.
I have been working from home for a couple of months now, pop in to work once a week when able. I hear what you’re saying about being kept in the loop. I am the manager but no longer feel like I am. I feel like I’m in my own bubble and that’s what scares me about going back to normal, Iv kind of got use to my bubble and feel secure in it.
Yes we need to look after ourselves and do what’s right for us. Never easy when you’re the one who run’s everything and everyone relies on you. I think alot of women must struggle with this.
Everytime I have chemo it’s like everyone has forgotten what I go through each time and I have to explain the process, the medication, the side effects.
Oh well I have just done a Tesco woosh delivery with all my favourite snacks though and going to have a feast before my mouth goes bad 
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Hi
I can totally relate to the tiredness, just want to nap all the time, but finding that I still don’t get a good nights sleep.
And yes, my appetite has not been affected at all this round.
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@bigpickle and @beckya I have my radiotherapy planning appt on 11th Dec so a bit concerned about all these clamps and tubes! Mine is also the left side so no doubt special breathing for me too. Normally I’d be ok with this but have been experiencing breathlessness lately so a bit concerned! We’re actually away for a few days but then I have 5 appointments in 7 days 
. Feel I need to build my strength up now chemo has finished! Will follow your progress with interest! xx
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@lilly123 I’m the same as you, the manager. My team have been great and so supportive. I’ve put contingencies in place but it’s so hard to reduce input and just trust the team when you’ve been used to leading and being key decision maker. I had been going in until last round but trying really hard to support from afar while I go through last bit of chemo, RT and phsego injections. Hoping the reduced hours will help me recover quicker.
You are right about the ongoing injections, recovery might not start until after then but it has to be better than the docetaxil and carboplatin, I’ll be so glad when this last round is behind me xx
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It’s starting to feel that the end of chemo is in sight! I’m a tiny bit jealous of those of you going to radiotherapy next. I’ve got that to come but not before a double masectomy. I feel really agrieved that 3 surgeries already and i’m still not tumour free. It’s almost 1 year since my diagnosis, and I’m still months from being all clear. Last chemo is next week. I see this as a huge milestone but such a long way to go still. X
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I feel the same way @bluesatsuma , after tomorrow I have 3 more treatments to go, followed by mastectomy mid January and radiotherapy about 2 weeks after that. Feels so daunting and i do get a bit anxious but i keep reminding myself one step at a time… easier said than done to be truthful.
In addition, on Monday i start working again part time 2 mornings a week to see how it goes, and like it was said before, I feel like I’ve been in a bubble and to be fair outside of that is scary because yes life goes on like is should yet you cant go back to normality because you’re not the person you once was, and it’s not like you can snap your fingers and everything goes back to how it was… it will never be the same… and that to me is scary.
And thinking of the next steps, I’m sure they will go by much quicker thay chemotherapy did, but with so much that needs to be discussed, seeing my surgeon next week and although i know radiotherapy is certain, I’m still yet to know what that’s going to look like and what comes after that, (can’t remember the name)… I mean i haven’t made up my mind yet about reconstruction everything is confusing and more keeps being added to the plate. But worst is… oh yeah then we have this and that, but we will talk about it closer to the time , and that leaves me wondering… which leads me to be more anxious even though intry not to i still am… so yeah been feeling kinda lost butni dare not tonsay anything because life goes on right? So i plaster a happy face (when i can) and just go through the motions just hoping everything goes according to plan .
So yeah not had a good day x
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@dhmb I felt every emotion reading that. I am so apprehensive about work too. As a teacher, I’m terrified about having the self confidence to stand in front of assemblies and parents and a class again. I look totally different and they don’t know the extent of what I’ve been through. Right now, all i think about is cancer. I can’t concentrate on my job. I plan to return after the masectomy and radiotherapy. April maybe?
I hope your back to work mornings give you some part of your old self back and a sense of normality and a break from all the worry.
With regards to reconstruction, I’m seeing plastic surgeon next week. I’ve opted for diep. Very nervous about the mammoth size of the operation, but with radiotherapy to follow, implants would get damaged, whereas own tissue shouldnt. I’m told i need 15 radiotherapy sessions plus a boost.
Tuesday is my 1 year anniversary of diagnosis!
Hope today goes well at chemo. One step at a time. And good luck for work next week.
X
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Reading these posts makes me appreciate how lucky I am. I don’t work having taken early retirement. We don’t have a mortgage or rent to pay. So I can get better without any pressure on me. I had my surgery in May, 1 chemo left, then begin 9 radiotherapy’s on 2 January. Letrozole is to restart and 3 weekly Herceptin jabs, I may have Bisphosphonates as well. It is clear though that in the main my life can get back to some sort of normality, whatever that turns out to be.
My utmost respect to you all.
Have a good weekend xx
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@bluesatsuma and @bigpickle thank you and yes one step at a time indeed.
My surgeon suggested always a delayed reconstruction because of the issue I’ve had with the lumpectomy site rupture (still have drassings changed every week) … just everything gets a bit much i guess.
How i admire the strength of everyone in the group , takr care and enjoy yhe weekend xx
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Just had my penultimate chemo on Wednesday (was delayed a week due to low platelets).
Feel so grim, the needle site is so tender and painful it feels like I’ve sprained my wrist. My temperature keeps jumping up but then back down so I’m reluctant to go to a&e cos I know how long I’ll end up stuck there and if it comes down again it’ll be a waste of time.
I got the results of the genetic testing done, it’s negative so it looks like it’ll be a single mastectomy rather than bilateral (which I’m getting my head around). I’m not as upset as I thought I would be, I mean were it to come back there’s no guarantee where it’d return so I’m not as adamant I want them both gone anymore.
My surgeon that I’m not fond of doesn’t do reconstruction and I haven’t made a decision what I want yet and think I’m going to delay it til after radiotherapy anyway (thinking for going for an expander in the meantime), so some good news is I’ll be referred to a different surgeon.
My last chemo is now the 18th December (
) so Christmas is scuppered and we’re delaying it.
Then phesgo will apparently continue until surgery, which will hopefully be the end of January. I speak to the gynae team around the same time to discuss that surgery and the radiotherapy after that (and probably the gynae surgery after that).
People keep saying “oh you’re at the finish line!” And my response is always, nah I’ve nearly finished the first lap, I can’t even see the finish line yet.
Ugh
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Hi
The delay is such a shame. I know how you feel about your temperature jumping up and down. A&E is not a nice place to go, and this time of year they are under more pressure than ever. It was ridiculous when I went Monday night. A young woman miscarried in the public toilet, no privacy whatsoever and she had to sit by me crying and still in a lot of pain . It was awful. As for me no infection found and blood cultures have confirmed nothing growing. There must be a better solution.
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I’m very lucky to have so far only have to go to a&e once. I got a isolated cubicle quite swiftly, although had to sit in the waiting room with a bloke gagging and vomiting into a cardboard bowl for about 10mins first (made me want to gag too).
I was there hours and it was nothing in the end.
If I call the hotline I know they’ll tell me to go in but I bet just getting dressed and ready to leave would make my temperature drop.
I’m going to hold off, like you said it’s so busy this time of year.
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