@preferablywithfood i am so sorry . That sounds rubbish. Im not surprised you’re fed up. It’s sounds grim. Sending love and hugs. Xx
@schwartzwald @bramble1 @pips12 yay for regrowth! I actually went to my hairstylist on Monday to have everything shaved to the one length & it felt so nice to be back in her chair and she said that she noticed no grey so huzzah! I wasn’t grey before and was worried it would come back grey so far, it seems my own natural colour so I’m happy! My stylist did say it would take a little longer for the top to thicken up, Mine is annoyingly thin on top too at the moment, look like my grandad used to 
@toad your wee pug is adorable! What is his name again? I’m puppy sitting tonight for my son so I have his wee pug Winston, can’t think of a better Hogmanay than snuggling up to a wee snorey pug 
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That sounds awful, I’m so sorry! The Docetaxel is brutal, I think being so far past my last one I’m able to recognise even more how brutal a drug it is. The way it seems to just attack every part of the body 
How many more sessions do you have to do? I can totally understand you being fed up with it all. Sending lots of love and hugs 
@preferablywithfood that all sounds horribly tough. It’s hard enough when it goes well never mind when there are problems. Hope they get the dose right for you so you can complete your treatment without it making you so ill. I found the mid section hardest but once I was counting them down it got slightly easier.
@outdoorsy thanks for that, I shall blame the paclitaxel 
@preferablywithfood so sorry to hear you are having such a horrible time with the doxetaxel. I am on 60% of what I could have with doxetaxel because my body couldn’t cope with anything stronger. I too had a reaction, though not as bad as you, and I do find the side effects of bone pain, chronic indigestion, insomnia and fatigue so draining. But I have one more cycle to go and my goal all the way through this dreadful time is to pick up and hug my 2 year old granddaughter and start doing normal things again. Take care sending you hugs x
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@louise15 His name is Hippo and we’re going to see the new year in together 
I’m staying up until midnight just to make sure I see the back of this hideous year
Happy 2026 to all. I hope you all have a much better year full of recovery and new health 
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Happy New Year everyone. This is the year we all (start to?!) get our lives back 
. Hope it’s a much easier one for all of us xxx
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Happy New Year to all of you lovely people, we have seen the back of 2025 and can now look forward to a better 2026, our journey is not over as we now have radiotherapy and in my case Aromatase Inhibitors (Anastrazol) and Herceptin injections but hopefully not as intensive as chemo. I had cataract surgery on Tuesday as the steroids have accelerated the growth of a cataract in my right eye, have to have 3 teeth out before starting Bisphosphonates. Can’t wait until I have less medical appointments. I have been out for a walk today and met some family for a coffee, my legs feel so weak so need to do some strengthening exercises. If anyone has had radiotherapy how did it go for you and how did it make you feel. Has anyone been taking Anastrazol for a month or more, have you experienced any side effects? Feel like I’m entering a new phase if this treatment and that fear of the unknown feeling is back:pensive_face:
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Happy new year everyone. Great to read about ends of chemo, fairy hair regrowth, gorgeous dogs and lovely times over Christmas. We’re all sooo getting there and it’s been ace catching up.
I too finished my chemo early last month but sadly - 3 days later - caught a motherfukka cold from hell. Was ill all over xmas and even ended up being admitted to hospital for a night cos my cough was so horrendous. All viral but was given a 5 day course of antibiotics too in case of a secondary lung infection. Will never know whether that fixed it or not but either way I’ve felt waaay better over the last few days. Almost normal in fact 
.
@dianne3 I’ve done 4 radios (of 15) so far and apart from a bit of swelling/discomfort after the first one, all been okay. I had 5 radios this time last year to my other breast and that followed the same pattern. I suppose things might get worse once over 5 but am hoping not. Maybe they toughen up?!
Wishing y’all a happy and healthy 2026 xx
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I just had my first radiotherapy this morning. It was absolutely fine, apart from an hour delay because they were running “30 mins late” due to the machine being late in?! I think they were telling porky pies . By the time I went in they were telling new arrivals it was 45 mins but it was already a bit over an hour. I think they might be there until midnight. Anyway, anyone still to face it, you don’t feel anything, the machine just moves around and you let it do its thing. I feel a bit tired now but I think that’s possibly just a couple of subconscious worrying sleeps beforehand and the relief that one is over. 14 to go . I just hope that naughty machine isn’t late to work every day 
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So now my chemo is done and I’ve been off for Xmas I’m back to work full time this week. Pattern will be at least three days in the office/on site and a couple of days at home doing detail work.
How is everyone else coping with return to work? Have any of you adjusted your working patterns? Reduced your hours or discussed with HR or occ health how to get a bit of flexibility until our energy levels return to “normal” without it having to be seen as sick day/s off? Or indeed, decided to change everything after your experience and given it all up to tickle monkeys in the zoo instead of a proper job… 
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@schwartzwald I have put in my notice to retire, have to give 12 weeks notice so will be retiring at the end of March. I am 61 now and was planning on retiring at 63 anyway. This whole experience has taught me to value the simple things in life and cherish every day.
Had my first radiotherapy today so another eight sessions to go and can tick that one off. Also started my Anastrazol a week ago, so far so good. Just the 3 weekly Herceptin injections until October 2026, this journey seems so long.
Hope everyone is doing OK and getting used to writing 2026 instead of 2025 xx
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@schwartzwald I don’t go back until 23rd Feb. I’m signed off until 6th Feb as I wanted to stay off for radiotherapy, then am using up some annual leave as that needs to be used by the end of March. I thought that would give me a bit of time to get used to letrozole and abermaciclib. We have booked a week in a cottage a couple of hours away for mid Feb so we get a proper break before I go back. I only work part time anyway, so will go back normal hours - I do 4 days a week either 4 or 5 hours depending on the day - and see how I go. I work in a small one-man library so it shouldn’t be too demanding once I’ve cleared my email backlog and checked nobody has upset my shelving and desk organisation too much 
. I have another long weekend towards the end of March (using those last few AL hours) when I’ve done a month, so have that and then Easter weekend as “carrots” to get me through the first couple of months.
I’m just looking forward to getting a bit of normality back in my life. Though I will definitely miss my lazy days!
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@schwartzwald I’ve been given reduced duties for my first few weeks back while on radiotherapy. Been seeing fewer patients than a full list. Im oncall this Friday though so will be getting back to normal. I slightly regret using leave up while on chemo…..but I do have a couple of days left before March. I started some studies today part time as I’ve wanted to do it for a few years. Hoping I can still study! Feels a little odd given how uncertain the future is.
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I’ve sort of worked on and off through treatment. Like, just over a week off after chemo then back for a few days then off again and so on. I’ve just went back Tuesday there after a month off for surgery. I’m lucky, my employer is so supportive and my team are so supportive, as well as having very reduced duties so I’ve been able to stay on work for the most part which I’ve found to be helpful. I’ll go off again for radiotherapy once that starts and I don’t get marked down as having multiple absences, I don’t know if I’m just lucky with my employer.
@outdoorsy hope the first on call goes smooth enough. What other studies are you doing?
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@louise15 it was great thanks. Snow everywhere! Msc in global health.
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Hi everyone. I’ve completed all my 8 chemos, final one done today. Feel so pleased to have got that part done and dusted. Just need to find out the next steps from oncologist.
Been very stressed out recently, two days after New Year I had to have one of my beautiful cats, who was only 6 years old, put to sleep as she went downhill very fast from some unknown illness. None of the tests the vets did found anything conclusive and we lost her I just 5 days. Then today my husband who has been complaining of back pain for a while, was diagnosed with shingles whilst I’m in the chemo unit. I mentioned it to the chemo team, but they didn’t seem particularly bothered and proceeded to ask about my bowel habits. I thought they’d be a bit more worried, I was wrong.
Thank heavens that part is finished and I can get back to a bit of normality and start being a proper nana again.
Sending best wishes to all xx
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Yay! Congratulations on finishing chemo 
it feels amazing being done with it and knowing that this is the last time you’ll feel rough!
I’m so sorry to hear about your cat, losing them is such a deep pain never mind when you’re going through what you are just now. Sending love Your poor husband too, I’ve heard shingles is awful. I’m sure if there was any issue for yourself from that, the chemo team would have said.
Rest up, be kind to yourself xx
@louise15 louise15 thank you for your kind words. Chemo team weren’t too worried at all.
So pleased chemo now finished, and I will be resting, got filgrastim injection side effects to get through now. Hubby quite poorly, in a lot of pain, but no blisters so far which is a bonus xx
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