Hi Wtp
I had my MRI last week and the results weren’t good enough to make it worth doing the 8 treatments initially planned,. My lump measurements are about 30% less than they were pre chemotherapy and I was hoping for more as that gives a better chance for recurrence free survival. Everyone is telling me they can’t know the outcome until they examine the lump post surgery so I have about a 6 week wait to find out. Surgery I’ve been told will be in 4 weeks, pathology results 2 weeks after.
Suze, how can they refuse you 30% off your manicure?!!! Seriously though, how are the nails that have fallen off? Have you got new nails underneath? Are they painful?
And thanks for the bathing tips on radio! I escape from the kids for an hour and usually lie in a long hot bath but it’s been ruined since my PICC went in but I was prepared for that! I think I would feel cheated by not bathing on radio as I’ve not read about that anywhere so wouldn’t have been prepared!
Suze you made me laugh with your mine artist gloves. I have a pair I wear too and my boys call me Michael Jackson when I have them on!! I also have some white cotton socks for my feet just to add to the goddess look!
Jackie how are you? Did you go and get the BOB drained? Hopefully all well.
Egg x
Hiya Chemo Buddies
Just catching up on the thread. I too am in need of a group hug, was feeling very low at the beginning of this week. Got myself in a bit of a state as i have to start taking Tamoxifen next Tuesday and have been reading up on side effects and how people have found it and it all just sounded pretty negative and made me feel like this journey will never end.
However, on Wednesday I met up with a friend who told me that hers sister in law, who is 37, has been taking it for a year and found it okay, so it made me realise I will hopefully be okay and it wont ruin my life…after all it is there to help me. Also the fear of reooccurance is ever present and I too am sick of the “it’s nearly over” and “you look so well” comments…however well meaning they are.
Blue- congratulations on passing the finishing line. It may not be over but you have finished chemo.
Egg - hope your treatment went okay and sending you lots of hugs as you deal with the side effects.
Jackie - so sorry to hear you have another BOB, stay strong.
Suze - I start my Radiotherapy next Tuesday. Thanks for the heads up on what to expect, feeling a little apprehensive but am hoping it will all be fine. Love your sense of humour!
I am still getting aches and pains around my armpit and scar and my cording in my arm seems to be a bit worse. I hope this is down to the chemo chemicals still being in my blood. Good to know it can take 6 weeks for you to get over the final chemo. Has anyone else got cording issues? I had all my lymph nodes removed so am also paranoid about lymphodema!
Hope everyone has a lovely weekend.
nicky x
Blue well done on crossing the chemo finishing line. Hope all others who had treatment this week are doing ok.
Nicky I’m starting radiotherapy on Tuesday too so we will be radio buddies! It seems strange to me to start on a Tuesday but there you go.
Have a good weekend everyone. Hugs R x
Awh Ebim, I like your style! I hope you manage to get something fabulous for your end of chemo surprise/celebration! Especially as it will be belated! As predicted, I got nothing! However, I did get some flowers and chocs delivered from my work colleagues coincidentally on final chemo day which was lovely.
Nicky, I’m worried about tamoxifen too…ive read awful side effects mainly related to the menopause but the best piece of advice I’ve been given about tamoxifen is…don’t go looking for side effects. I will try to heed that advice but am thinking it wont be easy! It was confirmed to me that I will start it after radiotherapy, which will start 6 weeks after surgery, which is planned for 4 weeks! I love having my summer mapped out!!! It looks like my 60 mile round trip to the hospital for daily radiotherapy for 3-4 weeks will fall during the school summer holidays. Bad timing or what?!
I am also concerned about recurrence, especially with the knowledge that the chemo has only been partially effective in attacking my cancer. I asked my oncologist about statistics for recurrence - and was told you can’t predict whether it will return or not, statistics are just statistics, so you just have to learn to live with the uncertainty! That sounds like a big ask to me!!!
Hi all,
It’s been a while since I checked in - well done to everyone who’s finished chemo!! We’re all getting there.
The final dose wasn’t particularly kind to me either, nothing serious, all the usual things - very emotional, tired, bad fingers, runny eyes and nose - all still hanging around. Unfortunately by bad arm and surgery scar were badly affected this time, very sore, wearing any type of bra was really painful. Frustrating as I was doing quite well with physio and it was starting to improve a bit. Not sure why it happened but thankfully its starting to get better now - at least I can wear my underwear again, a relief as we have builders around at home at the moment!
I’ve had a couple of really good appointments in the last week or so - firstly with the radiotherapy consultant, after feeling down with last Tax he was lovely, said just the right things to get me feeling positive again. The doctors can make such a difference, I’ve found all the way through I’m usually as good as my last appointment.
The other one was with the physiotherapist, she’s starting special exercise classes for cancer patients at the hospital, so I’m starting circuit training as soon as I’m finished radiotherapy, all new to me!!
Radiotherapy started yesterday, all fine. I think the worst bit will be the drive there and back, an hour each way. I was told though that the side effects usually peak 1 to 2 weeks after the last treatment. Looks like a bit of a longer wait to get a bit energy back again.
Blue - I hadn’t really thought about tamoxifen yet, one step at a time. A friend has been on it for a few years now though, it wasn’t great at first but settled and she’s fine with it now - she’s also escaped lymphoedema.
Thanks Truey for the nail info. I have bad fingers at the moment, not sure if it’s neuropathy or my nails starting to fall off, probably a combination of the two. I’ll be keeping the navy blue nail varnish for a while yet.
Thinking of you all, and hoping that the sunshine comes back again for the weekend.
Hope I’m not too late to join in the group hug xxx
Hi everyone.
Just a quick check in from me.
I’ve read all your posts but either chemo brain or old age prevents me from retaining enough to reply individually on my phone.
I’m still in hospital after my 3rd op for the BOBs - which are medically perianal abscesses.
They are concerned that a fistula may have formed so I had an MRI yesterday.
Have to wait till Monday for all results.
In the meantime I’m on intravenous antibiotics and painkillers.
To those concerned about Tamoxifen, I’ve been taking it for just 3 weeks now and had few side effects.
Please don’t scare yourselves by reading all the POTENTIAL side effects.
Remember, Tamoxifen has been at the front of the fight against breast cancer for over 40 years, and if we looked at the potential side effects of Paracetamol, (just as an example) no one would take that either.
Lots of love to all
Room 421
In hospital.
Xxxx
Oh Jackie. Hope these BOBs can heal properly now the chemo is over and you can finally put them behind you (no pun intended!!!). Fingers crossed for positive results tomorrow. X
Hope all goes well tomorrow Jackie and that the BOB is just a BOB and not a fistula.
To all the Tamoxifen takers ( I am Letrozole same difference). For us with high oestrogen sensitivity it dampens the free oestrogen produced in body fat tissues etc thereby helping to stop recurrence. A necessary evil- a bxxxxr after all we have been through though.
I am 19 days post Final chemo. And like a lot of you am feeling very fed up. It’s the weakness and absolute tiredness . Having to sit down for half an hour after doing the slightest exertion. The legs muscles positively hurt after any walking, the eyes constantly stream and for the first time my shoulder and scar on my lymph node removal arm aches and feels stiff. And there is radio to come so a bit worried about lymphodema.
Like all of you lots of people say great no more chemo- which it is- but somehow doesn’t feel like that. So know how you all feel. All a bit of a bother!
On the positive side have been in caravan in Suffolk this weekend. lovely break. Just wish could feel more normal. More like me.
Love and hugs
Mooneyxxxxx
Ebim you are right. We have to be really patient and remind ourselves it will pass.
Mooney I do know how you feel. I am nearly five weeks post final chemo. I still have my side effects except I think the fatigue has started to lift. I am doing more normal things now. The consultant last week told me to expect the side effects to last for six weeks after final chemo and some will last longer.
Good luck to all warriors this week whether facing treatment or side effects. My first radiotherapy tomorrow - exciting! R x
Hello my dear friends
I am pleased to say I have been discharged from hospital this morning.
I am so sorry to hear that all of us who have had our final chemo are still suffering in one way or another.
I seem to have avoided the nail issues, although I have yet to see what happens when the white lines reach the top.
Prior to my last admission I actually felt I was getting some of my mojo back.
Still, I’m happy to be home with my long suffering DH and son and my dogs.
Sadly the MRI showed I do indeed have an anal fistula, so I will need an operation to correct that after my radiotherapy has finished.
Thanks Tax - I’ll be remembering your side effects for a while longer.
However- and we must all cling onto this - we are going through all of this to LIVE.
To get back the lives that we had before cancer came and stole our joy.
We have to keep our eyes clearly focused on the prize at the end.
I want to share one of my favourite quotes from Chariots Of Fire
Eric Liddell: You came to see a race today. To see someone win. It happened to be me. But I want you to do more than just watch a race. I want you to take part in it. I want to compare faith to running in a race. It’s hard. It requires concentration of will, energy of soul. You experience elation when the winner breaks the tape - especially if you’ve got a bet on it. But how long does that last? You go home. Maybe your dinner’s burnt. Maybe you haven’t got a job. So who am I to say, “Believe, have faith,” in the face of life’s realities? I would like to give you something more permanent, but I can only point the way. I have no formula for winning the race. Everyone runs in her own way, or his own way. And where does the power come from, to see the race to its end? From within. "
We all have the power.
We will get there - and we will win.
Oh Jackie, I really feel for you, chemo has not been kind to you in the short term but as you say, in the longer term hopefully it has done its job, you are doing so well to stay so positive.
Today, I had my last chemo!! I’m done!! I know I have to navigate the SE’s yet but I do feel relieved to have finished.
Robin/Suze - good luck with RT tomorrow.
Fen Hen/ Nicky - I asked my oncologist this morning why the chemo is still heading for my scar and boob 6 months after surgery and she said it is perfectly normal, the area will be sensitive for up to a year and chemo would do the same to any post op area. That was a relief.
Re the sore fingertips/nails, she said to keep them warm so that the blood circulates to them and that should help, so wear gloves and thick socks if toes are affected.
hugs to everyone, Beedot xx
Well done Beedot on crossing the line! Help yourself to a sausage roll!!!
I’m finding these SE post final chemo really hard to take - not because they are tougher but because I feel I shouldn’t be having them as in my mind I’ve moved on!
Hope your final SEs finally sort themselves Jackie.
X
For Beedot
The latest of our brave chemo warriors to have passed with flying colours.
To you I am pleased to award the badge of courage and the certificate of fortitude in the face of the gazillion side effects that chemo has thrown at you.
May your final session give you few SEs.
Hi Ebim,
Thanks for asking - I’m fine apart from a very sore bottom. :smileysad:
This too shall pass.
I have to go to hospital in Benidorm every day to have the dressing changed, but it gets us out in the lovely spring sunshire (fully hatted of course).
Hope you are well.
Jackie, thank you so much for finding the energy and time to produce my certificate, I really appreciate it, I have printed it.
It must be sore for you just sitting in the car going backwards and forwards to hospital, even though it gets you out, I hope it heals quickly.
Thanks Blue and Ebim, I am looking forward to the party! I haven’t drunk any alcohol pretty much since starting chemo. Once I get my tastebuds back I am planning some Prosecco, maybe even Champagne and I have some family and friends eagerly awaiting it, with bottles ready.
I am torn on the alcohol links that are in the news again today, I was not a big drinker before but did drink every day, a glass of wine while cooking dinner, maybe two. Going forward, I think I will drink socially but not every day - what are others’ views on it?
Beedot x
Yes well done Beedot on crossing the line and welcome to the party!
I’ve had my first radiotherapy. Quite straightforward really, bit boring but apparently today’s was longer than usual as they did x rays as well. Hands got pins and needles from keeping arms up for so long.
Hope everyone’s weeks are going well and side effects are in retreat. I’m definitely less tired but have all the other se still including no hair. R x