hi , am in a tizzy as got a scan on tuesday , i should be ok as my markers have now gone to 82 from 1300 after 3 chemos , taxotere and xeloda . i have had such a tough time on them both tho , so many side efffects etc and my head is all over the place , cried so much today as i find even the smallest tasks hard , just empting the dishwasher is an effort and i have to sit down after every little thing i do (which is hardly anything as hubby does so much ) .
I guess i am scared because when my last chedmo ended ( andrioymicin ) i had a great scan but as soon as chemo stopped and i went on aromasin the liver tumours grew back so fast . maybe if i stay on xeloda tho this time will be different .
anyway hope everyone is ok ish just wanted to be somewhere with people who understand .
love Tracy xx
Hi
You are ahead of me in your treatment but just wanted to send you hugs. Im sure someone will be giving you some positive feedback very soon.
Take care
Karen
XXX
Hi Tracy,
I’m in the liver tumours club too. I’m so sorry you’re having such a tough time.
I finished my chemo before Christmas, but have got my end of treatment CT scan on Wed, so will be feeling like you by the end of the week! It gets to you at such a deep level doesn’t it, however hard you try to be rational about it. It’s no surprise your emotions are so upset if you’re suffering physically from the chemo as well.
I’m glad to hear you have a helpful man about the house. Just remind me why you were trying to empty the dishwasher again?! Take it easy kid, get loads of rest, and only do what you feel like. Try to get outdoors or speak to someone (you like) once a day, to keep your sanity.
Big cyberhugs coming your way
love Jacquie x
Hi Tracy
I really hate waiting for scans and then the results. BUT your tumour markers look really good - mine never got as high as yours but took ages on chemo to come down into the 80s (like you I have a liver met, and had 18 weekly sessions of Taxol and Avastin, finishing just before Christmas). So take some courage from that - and spoil yourself rotten tomorrow.
Sending you hugs now and for Tuesday - do you know when you get the results?
Jacquie - what a busy week you’ve got. Back to work tomorrow, scan on Wednesday and then the “big get together” on Thursday. Hope you’re not working on Friday!!
K x
Hi All
Thought would join in. I had a scan about 2 weeks after my last chemo and was told that had “considerable shrinkage”, but not given any figures at all. My onc doesn’t seem to believe in them!!! It is waiting that is the worst, but also the thought of having scans terrifies me so much. No idea on markers either (what good am I really), never been told anything about them, but sounds like they are good from what Kay said tracey.
Good luck for Tuesday Tracey and hope it goes OK and that the results when you get them are good news … will keep everything crossed for you. It is such a scary road we are all on with no control over it.
Jacquie, you kept that quiet, didnt know you had a scan on Wednesday. I hope that goes well for you too and will keep everything crossed for you too. Gosh, won’t be able to do much for 2 days will I. Busy week or what, as Kay said back to work tomorrow, scan Wednesday, the BIG SCARY MEET on Thursday (OMG) and then wot Friday, collapse I would say.
Take care all and Tracey/Jacquie let us know how you get on.
Love
Dawn
xx
Chemos are hard and the more you have the longer it seems to take to get over them. (now on my 5th type since april 05) I have only a small liver met. My secondaries are widespread in my lungs and squashing my gullet against my chest bone and now up against my aorta - main blood vessel from heart and up against right side of heart so understand the fear of results and the tiredness of chemo. I find it so frustrating as my secondaries shrink well on chemo but then my bone marrow gets too tired so have to stop and then the cancer grows back again at an alarming rate.
Try to treat yourself to something nice tomorrow to keep your mind off things. Hopefully, the results will be good. How long do youhave to wait between having the ct scan and getting the results.
I found taxotere the hardest chemo by far and took me ages to get over it.
Don’t feel bad about crying - it does us good.
Hope all goes well
Kate
Hi Tracy and all you others facing scans this week,
I’ve got a scan to look forward to on Wednesday and results on Thursday. I am not thinking about it very much 'coz too busy and it won’t change anything anyway. Will be thinking of you all and wishing you great results.
Tracy, I’ve been on xeloda for a year now, and my only concern is whether or not it is still working. I really hope it is doing so and also for you too, and that they can adjust your dose to suit you. It should be an easy chemo and if you are suffering major side effects, your onc needs to look at your dose. Take care.
Jenny
x
P.s. Suffered the same disappointment as you when on hormonals. My tumours just grew and grew. My onc told me that only about 30% of ER+ BC responds well to hormonals. Not inspiring news I know, but just to let you know that there are many of us for whom they do not work.
Hi everyone,
Can really sympathise with those of you waiting for results or heading for scans etc. Myself have a scan booked for tomorrow at 5.30pm so I have all day to get myself worked up for it. Then have to wait a week for the results when I see the oncologist. Keep telling myself the discomfort of the needle (yes I am needle phobic) is worth it because there is something wrong and we need to find the answers.
Kiwi
Hi
What are markers? I am seeing my onc on Friday (had chemo - 3 FEC and 3 Tax) just started rads so thought I would ask.
Liz xx
Hi Liz
markers i think, and someone will correct me if I am wrong are levels of cancer related protiens in you blood- the specific one for breast cancer is CA (E?)15-3. This is what caught my secondary as my Onc was taking markers every time I came in so when they jumped he ordered scans. They arent 100% reliable, for about 25% of women with breast cancer they don’t work at all, but for alot they provide a reliable indication of how treatment is going
Scans are total nightmares, I try not to work myself but I really think that the physical process is unpleasant and then having to wait for results…arggh…mind you I over heard my results last time and that is worse.
Tracy sounds like scan should go well - keeping my fingers crossed for you. jacquie best to you on weds and Kiwi- I know exactly what you mean about afternoon…hope it gos OK.
love
cathy
thanks girls , i should get results by friday , i am seeing oncologist today at 100 pm for a monthly chat on my progress etc so as usual i will badger to get them asap . if they have shrank alot i am hoping to go to the marsden for RFA but i am not pinning all my hopes on that as it will depend where the tumours are . the tax has certainly been the hardest for me to the point i was thinking of chucking it in i felt so bad even now it is so hard to drag my legs along with my body , they feel like they weigh 50 stone each .!
well seems so many of us are up for scans this week , i will be rooting for all of us and hoping we can at least try and relax a little waiting for results . at least we have each other here !
speak soon love Tracy xx
Hi Tracy,
Wow! your tumour markers have come right down, hope your chat with onc today went ok. I see my onc next Wed hoping my tumour markers and liver function tests are still ok after finishing chemo before Xmas, having scan in the next few weeks I think. I’d heard Tax is pretty hard going and you sound that it was pretty awful for you. I’ve heard good things about Zeloda so hopefully it will keep everything in check for you.
Take care & stop emptying the dishwasher, its not good for you!
Allie
Hi All,
Yes, I guess I was pretending to myself that it wasn’t happening. It did get a bit crowded out by MUGA scan and starting work, not to mention scary big meet up on Thurs! I won’t get the results for 10 days either, so there will be plenty of time to fret afterwards!
By the way Tracy - have you seen our plans for meeting up in London on ‘Anyone else with liver sacondaries’ (sp!) thread. You’d be most welcome to come if you felt up to it. You must be nr London as you mentioned the Marsden.
I do hope you’re feeling a bit better, both physically and emotionally.
Love to all
Jacquie x
jacksy i would of absolutly loved to of come and meet you all , was thinking about this today but i am in the channel islands and have top fly over for second opinions etc , plus i have my 5th chemo on thurs .i am here drinking my 3rd glass of wine building up to scan tomorrow but my appointment went ok and he cant feel my liver at all now whereas before it was very enlarged .
must say i got weighed while there and have put on 11 lbs since xmas !!well speak soon, going to take my own blackcurrant tomorrow to mix with the dye ready for scan as the orange and lemon makes me feel sick .
love to all Tracy xx
Wow! didn’t realise you were right over there. Do you get all your regular treatment and scans on the islands?
Glad your liver’s no longer enlarged. I suppose you could’v tried to blame the weight gain on it tho! I’ve put on loads of weight, the tail end of the chemo and over Christmas. The tamoxifen’s made me feel really nauseous, so I’ve managed to lose a couple of pounds over the past week. It’s so bad i haven’t got any trousers that fit that are tidy enough for work - only baggy gardening ones.I’m blowed if i’m spending money on new ones when I’m fully intending to lose the weight again (here’s hoping). I’m wearing skirts and boots a lot, but can’t do when i start working properly, crawling around on the floor with babies or demonstrating getting on all fours and lifting one leg in the air with the children! So I’ve either got to lose weight quick or spend money…
Really hope the wine does the trick and you have a worry-free evening and a good sleep, and all the best for tomorrow.
Keep us posted won’t you?
love Jacquie x
yes have all regular scans on the island but have to go to one of the other islands for just the bone scan . have chemol here and ct scans etc . do you meet often? i could easily get a flight for the next meeting if i know well in advance for a reasonable priced flight .
yes i will certainly keep in touch ,
take care lots of love Tracy xx
Hiya
Thought would butt in here too - Tracy next time you know you are flying over here, let us know and then maybe/hopefully we could organise a meet around you. Thursday is our first time of meeting up and there will be 5 of us that we know, but as Jacquie says, anyone can come along really.
Take care
Love
Dawn
xx
Must be the time of year for scans as I’ve got my liver scan next Thursday as well. I can’t remember how many I’ve had now as my oncologist gives me them every 3/4 months but she examined me on Friday just gone and said my liver is just under my ribs now whereas before she could feel it down by my groin but I still get anxious when it’s scan time. I also hate the injection and that feeling that you’ve wet yourself!
Good luck to all of you and let’s hope that we all have good news?!!
Pinkdove
Can I join the scan club?
I am up for next weds afternoon. Saw my onc today and he said after 3 sessions we check.
i absolutely hate the scans, and the guy who does it is very pompous
maybe they are having a january special on scans, lets hope we all get good news, I cn drink (small glass) to that-
Cathy
Makes you wonder if it’s a January sales on scans!!!
Pinkdove