December 2024 chemo starters

Hi @sjp1 thanks for sharing your first experience with us and your journey so far. I’m a few years older than you and it’s such a shock isn’t it - I was definitely in this is not going to happen to me camp!

What a lottery on the cold capping I’ve been lucky and had the opportunity to have private health insurance so I am going to try it on Tuesday when I have my first one - 4 x TC every three weeks for me so slightly different . Seems so much to take on when we have already had a mastectomy- I was the same with micro mets in one node after a SLNB but didn’t need the ancillary clearance but grade 3 6cm IDC so even though oncotype low at 7 chemo was on the cards.

Hope the nausea eases off along with the joint pain, I read somewhere about taking the anti nausea meds before you actually start feeling it after your initial dose at the hospital, I’m going to ask about that on Tuesday so will try and remember to post about that after Tuesday.

Hope each day gets better for you x

@mumto2 , I totally agree the neck discomfort/weirdness when the port is first put in bothered me more than the port itself.
As it turns out, mine might be getting removed , as my oncologist called me a couple days ago and has researched and found I am a good candidate for the OFSET clinical study, so if I decide to participate there is a 50/50 probability that I would be in the group that would not be receiving chemo and go straight to radiation and ovarian suppressing meds. So my little “sidekick” would not be needed after all.
Regardless, we have my first chemo treatment scheduled for December 26th. Which means traveling on Christmas Day. :sob:

Hi @pugmom29

It’s settled a bit more today although bruising has come out a bit more. That trial sounds interesting , if you don’t have to have chemo that sounds like a positive , Christmas Day travelling for chemo is rubbish so fingers crossed for you xx

Hi there everyone.
Hope you don’t mind me jumping in to the December group. I start with a chemo unit visit on January 3rd and probably start treatment the week after. :scream:

I’m 54, I live in Scotland, I’m married and have a 21 year old daughter who lives 2 hours away.

In Oct I had a right smx with clear margins for a 43mm ER+, everything else negative, grade 3 tumour, one sentinel affected and 5 surrounding nodes clear and also removed. Abdo and chest CT clear.
It’s like a different language isn’t it?

Like everyone else, mind totally blown even just getting to this point! :exploding_head:

My menu for 2025 is 4 x EC every two weeks, 4 x Pacitaxel every two weeks. Reckon we’ll have to stretch that to three weekly but will see how we go!

I’m not cold capping but Suzzipads at the ready to freeze my hands and feet. Oh joy. :cold_face:

I’m writing away here and I can’t actually believe it’s me I’m speaking about, does anyone else feel like they are in a parallel universe??! :face_with_spiral_eyes:

Next course, radiotherapy to auxilla for 15 days, Abemaciclib undecided and Endocrine therapy to finish (me off)
Oh yes and bone infusions 6 monthly and a bonus mastectomy at the end. :scream:

Just hugely grateful that we have the NHS to help us nail it! :rainbow:

Also so chuffed to find some equally daunted new friends to get through this with. I really appreciate our new connection. Looking forward to getting to know you all on here. I wish I could give you all a big hug. :hugs:

I’m very open and wear my heart on my sleeve, happy to discuss anything within our little support network. :smiling_face:

@welsh-warrior I asked if I could delay my treatment so I could spend December with family & friends. My mum died of leukaemia and I’d had a gutful of hospitals and treatment so they agreed.
I also had clear margins and a mastectomy so they were happy there was no extra risk.
I’m sure if it’s safe to do so, more time may also prepare you to be in a better place before you start. :hugs:

I am eating, drinking and socialising as if I’m starting some sort of chemotherapy treatment in January! :crazy_face:
I’d highly recommend it!
:partying_face::christmas_tree:

I jest, as we often do in situations like this. Like everyone else I’m actually petrified. :worried:

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@indigo2 I’d have to absolutely agree with you that it is exactly like living in a parallel universe. :face_with_spiral_eyes: I feel like I’m still me, but yet there’s this other me walking alongside that’s living with and dealing with cancer. It is so bizarre, confusing and very overwhelming at times. Which is why I’m so very thankful for finding this forum and knowing I can connect with others that understand all of this.
I think it’s very fair and reasonable that your oncologist is ok with you having some extra time to begin chemo. I’m in a similar situation, had my mastectomy in October and waiting to be accepted into a clinical study here in the US, which will possibly delay my start to chemo, or I may be selected to be in the group to not have it.
All the very best to you and keep us updated. :heart::heart:

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Hi @pugmom29
What time is it with you?!
My days and nights have turned upside down and I’m a bit of a night owl. It’s 2.16 am here.
The waiting is a strange phenomenon. I’m not sure how things have been for you in the US but there seem to be huge gaps that cause such angst. It’s not pathologists and surgeons twiddling their thumbs, there is ofcourse a process, particularly on the typing and histology, but my tumour grew from 30mm to 43mm in the five weeks I had to wait from diagnosis to surgery, granted they were surprised, but it has an impact on my recommendation for Abemaciclib which I didn’t. Want to have and future treatment.
My surgeon who is an open and lovely person said there are only so many operating slots, surgical assistants and she comes in an evening a week extra to reduce waiting times. They are as frustrated as we are!
Thank you so much for your best wishes, like wise, I hope you feel more settled about your path ahead soon. :smiling_face::sunflower:

Hi @indigo2 i know we have been chatting separately but wanted to welcome you to December 2024 group , yes the club no one wants to be in but so good to support each other through this and I know from our chats you will be super supportive to everyone on here with a good dose of laughter which we all need to get us through this . I definitely need that although I do sound like Muttley after several packets of woodbines even after never smoking in my life well either that or a white Rustie Lee :joy:

Off to take my first set of steroids now so will see how that goes !

Take it easy :sunglasses:

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Many thanks for the welcome. It’s just very reassuring to have people around in the same boat.
Hope everyone is having a good day given the circumstances.
Look forward to some chat soon. :sunflower:

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@bluehourd just wondering how you are doing today ? Think the steroid would have stopped by now so wanted to check in on how you were fairing ? Hope you’re ok.

I on the other hand have become a lunatic - I will regale you with just one of my madness moments today - had a lazy morning first of my steroids and thought by midday I should get my backside in the shower :laughing::scream:. So I’m in the shower and I start thinking well I had better make myself look my best for chemo tomorrow - like it’s some visit with royalty :rofl::rofl: who does that and then I’m looking at my woolly mammoth :mammoth: legs and going hmm I better do something with them or you are going to be able to plait them soon :ribbon: before I realised it’s all going to fall out soon :exploding_head: so then was like well do I bother finishing this and started giggling thinking which is more insane going round with one leg shaved or even thinking about how I will look for chemo tomorrow - gave me a good laugh and hope it does you too .

Note have not gone for a one legged :mammoth: look :rofl::rofl:

Take it easy x

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Hi @spuddy just realised it’s been a few days since your chemo too , hope your doing ok ?

Take it easy xx

Haha, enjoy the steroids! I was amped on them the first day, amusing myself, my family and my coworkers.

Yes I’m chemo +4 days now, no steriods to keep me peppy now and I’m exhausted and achey. I did manage a walk in the sunshine and felt much better, but am generally just taking it very easy today and tomorrow. I haven’t had nausea but things are starting to taste funny :tired_face:.

Good luck tomorrow @mumto2!

Hi glad to hear your doing ok, and able to get out in the sunshine , I’m a keen gardener so hoping I can get some fresh air in my happy place when the time comes.

I’ve decided I must be really lazy as haven’t had effects of steroids yet - thought I would be saying “I’m just popping out for a jog “ words that have never crossed my lips. Head feels a bit fuzzy and had a bit of headache but putting that down to the anxiety of tomorrow.

Thanks for the good luck and hopefully all continues to go well for you xx

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Thanks for asking @mumto2 , I WAS feeling absolutely normal until today, now just a bit off-kilter & don’t know if because no anti-sickness tabs today (currently just prescribed for 3 days after chemo) or possibly because I had a day out in London with my daughter, so quite a bit of walking after staying inside for past 2 stormy days. We went to the Barbie exhibition which was booked a few months ago before all this cancer business started so I am definitely feeling the parallel universe today. Gonna rest tomorrow to ensure bloods are OK on Weds ready for round 2 chemo on Thursday.

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I’ve just been back to the clinic today and I can start my chemotherapy just after Christmas (thanks for everyone suggesting this). So really everything starts kicking off for me on 27th with my first dose of EC given on 1st January but I’m staying in with my December clan of Christmas :christmas_tree::christmas_tree: chemo girlies x. I feel I have a few weeks to get all my ducks in a row and get mentally prepared. X

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@welsh-warrior Aw that’s great (well as great as it can be :roll_eyes:) so glad you have a plan, it’s half the battle.
I’ll be close behind you.
Have you started preparing things to get ready? :sunflower:

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Sounds like you’ve done a lot - glad you got to enjoy some things. Fingers crossed your side effects don’t get any worse and that your all ready for your next one xx

So pleased for you @welsh-warrior that you now have a plan and can at least have the time to enjoy Christma - whilst also be in planning mode it’s amazing the things that pop into your head :rofl::rofl:, will post asap on my first dose so our “clan” ( love that) can get a bit more of an insight - and cheer me up as I will hopefully do for others xx

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@indigo2 Where I live in the US, the time difference is 7 hours behind the UK. So while you’re all snoozing away, I’m just eating supper! :sleeping::laughing:

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@mumto2
Will be thinking of you from across the pond tomorrow as you go in for your first treatment. :heart::people_hugging:

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Thanks @pugmom29 x

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