Hi all, yes it’s a great relief having finished. I’m amazed that I’m still feeling some of the SE’s though and the hot flushes are more often.
Hair is coming back, it’s blonde where I lost it but on the areas where I hadn’t it’s still the same colour. It’s also coming back straight! Hair else where is growing too. Which is a bit depressing.
I was put off by the mention of the possibility cancer coming back. From what I gathered they need the tattoos to stay as a reference point just in case. I don’t know what colour of ink they use yet, keep joking with people that I’m getting some new funky tattoos- like phoebe from friends, a tattoo of how the earth looks from really far away!
I had 2 nails come partially off, my big toe nails. My fingers are all ridges and various shades of purple,with index and thumbs lifting. I just keep them clean and painted and so far none have become worse.
Gosh Amanda you have alot happening right now, I hope it all works out for you though.
Vicky, maybe you should speak again with the radiotherapy peeps and just explain how you feel your trust has been broken by the unexpected rads and you would deeply appreciate it of someone explained all the steps to you, to help build that trust again? And for them to put it in writing for you,so you can reference it whenever you have a moment of doubt?
Sorry to hear you are on your own again Tina but hope your spirits have risen since coming of chemo?
I nearly feel like I miss chemo, just because it was the reason to why I felt sick etc, now that I still feel this way but no chemo makes me feel like a fraud? I know it can take a while to get over it, but still…feel like I have to justify why I’m exhausted, nauseous and sore to people, even though no chemo.
Hi all. I finished rads yesterday! Woo hoo! No more driving an hour away and back.
I spoke with a senior radiographer end of last week. The tattoos can be taken off. She doesn’t know how they do it but my consultant is apparently very pro taking them off. The don’t need to keep them as they have all the details written down in your notes. That was such a relief.
I still have my nails although rainbow and ridged.
Hair is growing. Little more grey than I would like coming through at 35 but still its looking a lot better.
Eylashes and eyebrows appear to have tiny little hairs starting to come through but nothing much to write home about yet.
Managing to work through rads has again kept me sane!
Glad to hear you are all doing not too bad and things generally are on the up. Xx
Hi Gillian.
Personally I have found I am not too tired after the rads. More hot, itchy, rock hard, swollen breast.
I was thinking last night about the se’s from rads and Lymphodema. They are practically the same aren’t they? If so how in earth do they know if it is swelling due to rads or lymphatic system?
I have been having a bit of trouble this last week getting my ring on and off. Don’t know if to be concerned or not what with swelling to the recon area and up towards armpit.
Feel ok in myself otherwise.
Hugs to you all xx
Not much info hun. More me wondering out loud how on earth they know! Really haven’t a clue myself. Feels like I have gone down the beach and found a huge rock and strapped it to my chest. One that has a squidgy bit at the bottom!
Hi all. Still haven’t started rads yet. Im also still losing hair, it’s the hair from my head that managed to stick around during chemo, while rest of head is growing fluff. Losing arm hair as well now. It’s very odd
Hi all… Day 14 of rads… Am now quite sore in armpit where node clearance scar is, but itchy on plaster site, feel swollen (like post surgery) and very red.
Nadz… Strange eh!? I didn’t lose forearm hair till couple weeks post Last cycle! And also lashes and brows thinned dramatically same time!?! I’ve stopped shedding now (about 6 wk after last chemo!) and hair coming thicker, though waking some days still look like an Orangutan! ?
Haha Tina my partner says I look like a baby orangutan now. All bald at front but sticky up hair everywhere else! My eyebrows and eyelashes are completely gone. Guess it just shows how long the drugs stay in your system for
hi all a very long time with no hearing from me. i still have no laptop or pc .so popped to mums to use hers.
my rads are now all done. still no hair grr
how are you all
Hi lovely ladies. Im from the may starters. I have a question…my hubby wants to book us a family holiday after my last cycle before i start rads. I beleive there’s usually 4 weeks break. Ive no idea how ill be feeling… Do you all think its doable? You may not be able to answer that i understand…may be best to leave it and book last minute. I dont want to say yes and feel rotten while im there!
Well done for crossing the finishing line…im jealous! Im only day 13 of fec 2…seems so far away and despite enduring cold cap ive lost lots of hair…so much that i cant go out without head coverage : (
Xxx
Hi Tina J,
It is normal to have about four weeks between the last chemo and rads, but it can vary a bit. You should consult with your breast care nurse or oncologist before booking anything. Also you need to consider travel insurance, especially if you’re thinking of going abroad… you may be refused while you are still having active treatment so do phone a few companies and check first. It’s not such an issue if you are having a holiday in this country.
Are you having FEC-T? Quite a lot of ladies find the T quite hard, I certainly did and each one was worse than the previous one! The worst symptoms kick in between 3 & 5 days after and my last one saw me unable to do much at all for about a week from the 3rd day, so the first week to ten days can be very rough! (I barely got out of bed for 4 days and spent the next few days after that on the sofa) Your immune system will still be hard hit for a good few weeks, so you’ll still have to be very careful.
In my personal opinion, I think it could be a bit too much for you, assuming you’re having FEC-T and three cycles of each, your body will be pretty hammered by then. The main thing here is that you are going through all this gruelling treatment to rid yourself of this horrible disease and try to stop it coming back. It may be necessary to put normal life on hold for a while, to give your body a chance to rest and to deal with the treatment I would consult with your BCN or oncologist though.
I didn’t cold cap and had a massive hair loss about 13 days after the first FEC. I didn’t really lose anything much after that and it was growing back by the time I started the T. My last T was the 21st April and I have a complete covering of hair which is about 1½ cm long. Of course, most of my eyebrows and lashes have gone!
Amanda x
Thanks all
Ill wait and see how i go then.
Amanda dubrovniks where we had to cancel this yr…i love Croatia!
Tina
Thanks Gillian, I’m doing ok, rads all done and not too red, so far!
The point about infections etc if important Tina, as I had to delay a week twice, meaning I finished on the 21st April rather than the 7th so consequently, rads started later too. I got the letter with the dates for the rads between my 2nd and 3rd T, it could have still had to change if I’d been delayed again.
You could always wait until chemo is finished and you have your dates for rads, then see if you can book something last minute. If you are going abroad, check you can get travel insurance first and be sure to include everyone who is in you group on the same insurance!
Amanda x
Amanda
Thanks for the tips xx
That’s great news Tina. I still don’t have my appointments yet. None of the follow ups from rads at all. Xx
Hi Ladies … remember me
I have finally finished chemo and have had to be operated again as 3 lumps appeared in the same place. They were taken out Monday and waiting now for confirmation that they are not cancerous. Can´t start rads until scar healed so a little wait still.
Had managed to be very strong but now my world is falling apart. Can´t bare to think that soon it will be all over and I have to go back to work. So worried that the work stress will bring it all back. And think that if it comes back, will it be because of the stress of work. I´m only 52 yrs but wish I could retire!!
Marina
Capsular constricture. Scar tissue formed around the implant and squeezing it. Probably more surgery in October to put it right. ?
Hi Vicky (think that’s your name RedRobin!) I had immediate silicone reconstruction and finished radiotherapy in June. Think I might have to have further surgery as my surgeon wasn’t happy how the implant sat although it wasn’t bothering me. However the area seems more tender now and swollen, so maybe radiotherapy has affected it ?
Just when we want an end to it all eh?! Although I guess recovery will be quicker and we don’t have to extra worry of results and further treatment …
Hope all goes well, Kim xxx
hi all. long time i know i am still with out any kind of pc or laptop so as babysitting nephew i am able to get on line. how are you all doing?
i have being having lots of xrays, mri’s and the neculare bone scans since i last spoke. i hope to get results for last scan next thursday.
it is to see what my hip has ben up to wile i was on chemo and what it is like now.
i have lost the use of my left hand and constant pins n neddles in other. plus hearing has taken a battering but all in all ok.
i havent had a holiday yet but will hope to get one in september.
have any of you been away? tc and hope to be hear again soon
Well after initial lumpectomy & 8 x chemo I was operated for 3 cysts in same place. Turns out one was cancer. How does cancer grow during chemo I ask! Anyway then operated again for clear margins. Still have drainage attached.
Apart from that I’m well!
Hope everyone else is doing well.
Marina
Hi all!
Kim yes it is Vicky. Well remembered ?
Yeah can not see an end. Just a long break before having more surgery. Yeah like you say at least it won’t mean messing around waiting for results.
I will probably need surgery to put the capsular constricture right. Then hopefully a long break. Then in a couple of years I am having the other side chopped off so as to help reduce the chances. Then once I hit the menopause the ovaries are going too. Got to love the braca1 gene. Going to be surgery after surgery.
On a good note though…
I went to have my rads tattoos lasered today. Posted this in tattoo removal.
Heads up for anyone in West Sussex who wants laser tattoo removal.
Brian at rebel laser tattoo removal and body piercing (inside Needle and fred tattoo parlor) will remove radiotherapy tattoos for free!
This is my review I left for him…
Came in today to ask about a very sensitive tattoo removal. 3 little dots from radiotherapy for breast cancer. Brian could work out from looking at them how they were done and treated them straight away. Even better too he was so understanding of how these awful dots made me feel that he is treating them for free. So nice to find someone so understanding and compassionate. Thank you so so much Brian you probably don’t realise how much this means to me. I will be telling everyone I know how great you are!