Also just looking at a couple of comments… ladies who are having/had a mx - what was the main reason for this? Was it on advice from the oncologist or personal choice? I’m really struggling to decide whether I should be opting for one? Xx
Kirsty - I asked exactly the same question to another forum!! I had an ultrasound/MRI and CT scan and no mention of lymph nodes came up. The surgeon did mention the possibility of tiny micro cells and that they wouldn’t know until surgery - but as you say… if chemo kills them off then will they ever know? My fear is that I could / May have extensive lymph node involvement before starting treatment and I never knew about it!!! Or is that completely not the case and my mind is running away with me??
Regarding MX - that makes total sense. I guess it comes down to location of the Tumour etc…
I’ll speak with my oncologist when it gets towards the end of chemo and see what the plan is.
It’s definitely good to feel it shrinking, I just want confirmation of it now though! I’m not sure if we are scanned midway through chemo or not?? Xx
I guess that rads after that is an extra precaution too?
Something I wondered with the CT is if lymph nodes would appear ‘lit up’ if there were traces of cancer in them? I presume yes… ??
Xx
Rads must be extra precaution too. I didnt have a CT scan, so not sure? I had an ultrasound, mammogram and MRI, strange how we all get diff scans as well.
Bloods are back up from 0.85 yesterday to 1.78 today 
so chemo number 3 about to start! X
Halfway through Kirsty!! Just remember that! Good luck and hope the SEs are kind to you!! ??Xx
Hi Chaffinch, I’m also HER2+, lumpectomy, chemo with herceptin (my chemo has been abandoned twice due to reaction) then rads, then tamoxifen, no node involvement other than micro mestasties. Strange isn’t it how its all so different.
Theres quite few videos on you tube as to how they work out the treatment, some you need to be a biologist, scientist etc to understand though!!
I’m off to oncologist appointment now to sort out my alternative chemo hopefully!!xx
Thanks
Good luck rabbit xx
Good luck and big hugs xx KirstyH
Home now, jammies straight on, feet up and pizza cooking for tea lol
Oh no thats rubbish hubby is ill, my hubby had a bad cold when I was cycle 1 and he slept in our spare room for a couple of nights and i didnt catch it. But if you already have a cold and then he is pretty bad with a temp, maybe it would be safer to stay at his mum’s even juat for a day or so? Xx
It might just be a man flu version of what you have but temperature does indicate that it may be flu. Have you had flu jab if not then maybe he should go to his mum’s but if he has real flu that will take huge effort. We all had it last year and couldn’t move for over a week and it took us about a month to feel well again.
Interesting about the surgery and perjeta because my HER2+ status wasn’t discovered until biopsy of removed tumour. I had surgery within 2 days of confirmed diagnosis.
Hello, I was wondering if I could join your thread? I started chemo in December but have not been brave enough to post! Feeling quite awful with side effects the last few days & quite alone in the whole breast cancer journey so thought I’d be brave!! Unfortunately I was only in this situation last year. I saw the comments about periods & just wanted to say that the chemo last year put me through the menopause. I finished in January last year & even though bloods showed I had gone through the menopause, my periods returned around May time last year. (I’m 42). T xx
Hi unicorngirlmummy, welcome to the thread,its been a great place for support for us all going through this and can come on here to rant, ask questions or just chat. The ladies have been fab! Sorry this is your second time going through this 
hope the side effects ease off for you soon xx
Thank you lovely ladies ?
Runaway girl I also hate, hate the steroids, my oncologist today said I could reduce them on the third cycle. I had AC chemo last time & as you say, it’s not just the physical side effects, it’s the mental side effects which are harder in the long run. It’s so hard to eat or drink anything but I’ve found squash with sparkling water the easiest thing to drink. I hope your husband is feeling better very soon. Xx
Hi unicorngirlmummy - welcome to the thread. I’m sorry it’s your second time doing this, that’s just unfair ?
Which chemo are you having this time? Xx
Saw the oncolgist today and she has confirmed to switch me to abraxane which will be the last one they can try for. Set for next Thursday with next herceptin injection. Hope this works out as I’ve read the herceptin only works to it’s full potential with chemo, so fingers crossed . xx
Hi everyone and welcome to our new ladies! Well I am now also half way through treatment- had my fourth EC yesterday now moving onto Paclitaxol for my next four. I had a progress ultrasound on Monday that showed the tumour was smaller and I also tested negative for the BRCA1&2 mutation so Monday was a good day. I just wanted some official word that something is happening because it’s so easy to doubt your own judgement. I was dreading my EC yesterday due to the horrendous side effects I have immediately afterwards, plus for the first time it was an afternoon appointment so I had all morning to work myself up! BUT they finally sorted my sickness (last one, but hey). To anyone suffering severe sickness, try this: Emend, and try to leave a full hour before starting treatment. One Ondansetron. Six steroids (apparently these help the anti sickness work better). I had two bags of saline, one before, one after. Now here was the extra tablet for when I got home - Prochlorperazine - it’s used in severe morning sickness and dissolves under your lip. I can’t tell you what a difference it made, I read in bed and even requested toast and marmite, as opposed to looking 80 and feeling like I had a hangover, jet lag, vertigo, flu and on the verge of throwing up!! So please, it doesn’t matter how far into treatment you are, you don’t need to suffer unnecessarily, keep getting them to adjust your meds. Good luck to everyone having treatment in the next few days, I will be having a day on the sofa watching rubbish tv. And if you really need a boost, dig out My mum is hotter than me on C5. Absolutely excruciating but so entertaining, esp episode two with the stripper mum’s exercise routine. Something I might adopt later in the year (not the stripping, unless the recon goes particularly well of course ?) xxx
Hi Sam, I’m having docetaxol & carboplatin this time. Dramaminx it took my 4 cycles last year to get the anti sickness medication right! It makes such a difference. Enjoy your much deserved tv day!!
Oh my goodness rabbit, that sounds like so much added stress ? Fingers crossed for you.
Hope everyone’s side effects are manageable.
As I’ve been here before I just wanted to say that life will return to some sort of normality once you’ve finished treatment…no more weekly PICC flushes, oncology appointments etc, going to the loo returns to normal, eyelashes do return & as scary as it is, & obviously not something that is ever far from our minds, you will feel normal again! Those going on to rads, although a pain going every day, it’s a walk in the park compared to chemo. Xx
Hi all I’d highly recommend the first defence nasal spray Lesley mentioned I’ve been using it since I had op back in October and have managed to escape all the colds and germs from people around me. Also glad I had a flu jab as seems quite bad this year.
Kirsty have you managed to work all through your chemo so far? xx
I also think having a cold may have contributed to your sickness. I was really ill with diarrhoea for three days before my worst cycle, plus I had lost some weight, so I think that must have been a factor. I think eating more lightly pre treatment also helped. I totally get the feeling sick before you even go though. I only have to think about going in and I feel sick. I also can’t eat anything I’ve had as a hospital meal, which is a shame as a jacket potoroos, beans and cheese is usually a comfort meal xx
Day 3 of cycle 2 and the sickness is terrible . I can only eat bread/toast and butter. I’ve been sick at night and the heartburn as been worse than cycle one.am on the tabs hopefully it was pass in the next couple of days
It’s amazing that you ladies are able to work though this a really amire you.
I work for the trust so there’s to many infections on the wards for me to go near work even if I was able.
Xx