Chemo question!
Chemo question! I have started a new thread on behalf of new user ktmacca.
Kind regards
Forum Host
Breast Cancer Care
Hello to everyone! I am new to this site. I had a lymph node clearance 11 days ago, 6 weeks after I found a large lump in my armpit. I have occult cancer which means that the lump is a cancer that has spread from somewhere else but this source cannot be found. I have had a CT scan and an MRI scan but neither were conclusive. However the results from the analysis from the lump show that it most likely to be breast cancer.
I am meeting the oncologist on fri 11th may to discuss my chemo options.
I have been absolutely fine so far, no real worries and able to cope ok. However the thought of chemo worries me! Nor losing my hair particulary (its REALLY short anyway!) but the tiredness and nausea.
I work full time as a head teacher and I have 4 children aged 3, 6, 7 and 10.
How have you all got on with the chemo? Honest answers please! best and worse stories wanted!
kt x
Hi Kt,
So sorry that you have had to join us but remeber we are all here to support you, honest answers well I can only tell you my expereience.
But you must remember that everyone reacts different on chemo.
Had lumpectomy and sampling of nodes no nodes effected but was grade 3.
I have been having chemo since last Oct got 1 today and my last one next wednesday.
It has not been easy had 4 rounds of epi and 8 rounds of cmf.
In my experience the epi was hard very sick, constapation, indigestion, thrush in my mouth and down my throat, but looking back that epi went quite quickly, cmf is much easier for me still get sick,indigestion and thrush in mouth but not so severe, but very very tired. as I have gone along with the treatment I have learnt when to take my tablets and I think that is the secret always take what they give u, I was concerned about my weight in the beigining and would often not take my steriods but I take eveything I am given now, if I feel sick I will take the tablets straight away instead of leaving it until I am sick. I cant taste anything at the moment just a metal taste no taste buds but hoping they will come back soon.
But you get through it and the time soon goes it doesnt seem that long ago that I started the treatment, and now its almost over, so good luck to you, you will get throught it.
Hi
Sorry you have had to join us but you will get excellent support from this forum.
I had FEC and Taxatore, 3 of each. If you have lymph node involvement I think you are most likely to have these.
FEC caused indigestion, constipation and headaches for me.
Taxatore caused the above, joint pains and a sore mouth.
On the whole I was OK and tolorated the chemo well. I got up every day and took my youngest to school and did the pick up, Overall we kept everything as normal as possible. I did not feel unduly tired and my energy levels were fine.
I used the cold cap for the first 3 chemo and I did lose a lot of hair but got away without a wig.
I never felt sick with any treatment. My team were very good at sorting out side effects.
It is do able, just be kind to yourself.
Geraldine
Hi kt Hi kt,
I had epirubicin and then CMF. Although I lost my hair I didn’t suffer from sickness apart from a slight feeling of nausea as the chemo went into my veins via the drip. In fact I ended up giving back each time the anti-sickness steroids that they gave me to take home so after a while they didn’t bother.
In fact I tolerated the chemo so well that I was still winning at badminton - against a very competitive friend - and even managed to go swimming and surfing in the sea on my summer hols (with my oncologist’s permission - check first before doing this and don’t go anywhere near a public swimming bath!). My husband sent me off to have a helicopter flying lesson and I nearly lost my wig during a speed boat ride. I also bought a bright green vw beetle to make sure that the breast cancer diagnosis didn’t invite pity or embarrassment on the part of others.
Having said all this I didn’t work during chemo because of the possibilities of infection from other people (I work in a university environment and travel by train). I did suffer from the occasional bout of chemo brain (lowered concentration and a tendency to forget lunch dates) and towards the end of chemo I was pretty tired.
I hope that this is helpful.
Best wishes,
Sue
Dear ktmacca Welcome to the forums where I am sure you will continue to
receive valuable support and information from your fellow
forum users. In addition, you may find Breast Cancer Care’s
booklet called ‘Chemotherapy for breast cancer’ helpful to
read, you can access this via the following link:
breastcancercare.org.uk//docs/chemotherapy
_finalbooklet
nov04_0.pdf
We also have a range of pubications with specific information
about different breast cancer treatments which you may also
find useful once you have been told what your treatment plan
will include. You can access all of our publications via the ‘Information’ tab at the top of each page or by requesting any
from our helpline.
The helpline is open Monday to Friday 9am-5pm and Saturday 9am-2pm on 0808 800 6000 and you are welcome to contact
the team for support, advice and information at any time you
feel it would be helpful to you.
Kind regards
Forum Host
Breast Cancer Care
Hello Hello kt,
I haven’t yet started my chemotherapy, but I too found a lump in my armpit (last Boxing Day), which turned out to be an enlarged lymph node.
Neither mammograms, CT scan,nor two detailed ultrasounds showed any breast tumour, although a core biopsy of the lymph node showed mets from breast cancer. However, an MRI scan showed two tiny 6mm “suspicious lesions”.
My consultant recommended axilliary clearance plus mastectomy followed by chemo and radiotherapy. I was very upset by the thought of mastectomy, and sought a second opinion from a Professor at Guys Hospital who told me I could keep my breast so long as I had all the other proposed treatments.
I went ahead with the full axilliary clearance. The only node affected by bc was the one I had originally found.
When I finally saw the oncologist at my local hospital he was adamant about the mastectomy being best for me, and I went ahead with it at the end of last month.
The two lesions were found at pathology to be invasive ductal carcinomas and a third area was discovered which hadn’t shown at all on MRI, was a non-invasive ductal carcinoma.
I start chemo in a couple of weeks when my scar has fully healed, and have been told it will be FEC followed by Taxotere. Also I will have herceptin for a year and Arimidex for 5 years. This is because although the cells from the lymph node proved negative for hormone receptors, the actual primaries in the breast were positive.
It is very unusual to present with the only symptom of bc being the enlarged lymph node (about 1% of all women so I’ve read), so you and I are in a small minority! I have another contact who just like you, had nothing found in her breast even at MRI, and she has just finished her courses of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, but has kept her breast.
Good Luck, and I hope all goes well with you.
Dee
x
Hi kt Hi,
I like you was so scared when they talked about chemo as an image of sick people with no hair was the first and only thing i thought of.
I had 3 rounds of FEC and 3 taxotere. I had no side effects whatsoever from the FEC, the Taxotere was a little worse - that was when my hair started to thin and i did get thrush in my mouth but it was quickly treated with antibiotics. Towards the end of my chemo i got an infection and spent 7 days in hospital but even then it wasn’t that i felt ill as such, i had a high temperature which wouldn’t come down and so they need to watch in case it got too serious.
Throughout all my chemo i was never sick or constipated. I used to have my chemo on a Wednesday have Thursday and Friday off work (just in case) i would suffer from aches on the Saturday would be fine on Sunday and back to work on Monday.
I know alot of people really suffer from side effects and i really feel for them - fingers crossed you may be lucky like me.
Kaylou
don’t work! Hi
I have had a mastecomy, node clearance and 6 x lots of FEC chemo. It has not been a walk in the park for me. I have had pretty well every sympton going including vomiting, nausea, fatique, sore mouth, aching joints, yukky phlem, bad cough etc etc. Well you wanted honest replies!
On a positive note, I have just finished chemo and though I am very tired, I do feel more positive that things are on the turn.
My advice to you as a fellow teacher is this: Cut all ties with work, you can’t work when having chemo anyway because of the risk of infection from all the snotty noses. If you leave your school in the hands of someone else, you can focus on you which is now the priority. It is also better for the school to have a constent, not someone coming and going. Believe me, you will need all of your energy for you!
You also have a young and no doubt demanding family life and that will need to come second as they will be affected by your illness, because you will change and they may see you in a different light, weaker perhaps physically but also emotionally.
If you work for a local authority they will pay you full pay for 6mths them 1/2 pay for six months then arrange a phased return. This is the route I have taken. I know your job will be much more stressful than mine, and chemo can make the brain fuzzy (I’m told this is a temporary side affect, I hope so!) So please put you first.
Having said all that, you may need to keep in touch with work for your own peace of mind, just try to keep the balance right.
Irene