Hi Yorkpud
I had all my treatment at Queens too, finished it on 22 Sept!!
xx
Hello ladies
Glad you had a good holiday Julie, looking forward to seeing you.
Welcome to MissM, gemb and Yorkpud - welcome to our thread on this wonderful site! Shame we all have to be here but it’s great getting support from others in the same boat. I am 42, had a WLE Dec08 followed by chemo and rads - finished in July this year. Prof D gave me the choice about chemo and it was a tough decision to make, I had long hair and hated the thought of losing my hair more than anything but was terrified that the cancer may return, so decided to throw all that was available at this ‘thing’ that had invaded my body. For me it was the best decision but of course it is one you have to think very seriously about and at the end of the day the choice is entirely yours - good luck with whatever you decide MissM
gemb, sorry you are so young and dealing with this sh*t. I think you are doing a wonderful thing promoting bc in younger women. Do you ever look at the blog from ‘allright tit’? It is very written by a younger women - very sad, funny and can be comforting too.
Yorkpud, you are an ‘honorary essex girl’ of course you can join our thread 
We are all off to a Ball on saturday night in Billericay, unfortunately they are sold out of tickets but maybe next time you can join us.
Keep meaning to ask - is anyone having the swine flu jab? I am quite worried as I have asthma as well as a weakened immune system from chemo. Feel a bit concerned as the jab hasn’t been around very long but have been advised by the doc to have it, just wondered if anyone else is considering it or do you feel you have had enough poison in your body already?? I’d appreciate your views girls.
Hi to all, looking forward to seeing you Saturday.
Keep well ladies
Love Helen x
Greetings all and especially to the newbies YOO-HOO!
All great with me, nothing to worry about with the blood tests, back again in Jan to see Prof Davidson and then the tit-vice, sorry, mammagram in Feb. I am going to talk Prof Sauven into letting me have an ultrasound.
I am off to Gran Canaria on Monday to see my Dad, we can’t wait. I went to bingo last week, won 3 times. £100, £20, THEN £750…FAB.
I was due to have the swine flu jab last week but they haven’t been delivered to the surgery yet, so will brave the plane on Monday with a gas mask i think. if anyone sneezes near me i will spray them and the surrounding areas in Dettol.
Off out tonight at an 80’s do in Pitsea with my mates, I have a very fetching electric blue outfit, glitter, footless tights and big hoop earrings! If only I had the same figure i posessed in the 80’s life would be ‘cool’.
Enjoy the ball ladies and hope to see you and the newbies soon.
Daisy xxxx
Hi everyone,
As Helen said we are really happy to chat to anyone who posts to say hi. We meet in Chelmsford apart from this big do we are off to at Stock Brook Manor.
Missm well I would like to be a fly on the wall as the Prof gave those of us with no positive nodes chemo too. I guess we are all different and have different viewpoints and dx and you must do what you want. Just remember the area where he works has one of the highest survival rates so he knows his stuff. Good luck on Monday as I know it will be stressful going to find out about everything.
Hi yorkpud, what a lovely name and of course we want to talk to yuo too. How did you get on with your consultant? Sorry to hear you are on fire - I used to expect to see smoke coming out my shirt!If it gets bad ask for actiform cool dressings the greatest thing ever invented for rads burns but not many people have heard of it.
Helen I am not having the swine flu jab. In the post rads appointment he said my immune system is back high in fact higher than many people normally so I am at no greater risk. I did have the ordinary flu jab last year before going back to school and that was fine. Not having anything this year but I don’t have asthma so no other considerations. Daisy have a lovely visit to see your Dad.
see you all soon
Lily x
Looks like I am going to have a fight on my hands then!
XM
missm,
wishing you luck for tomorrow and take something to read as he is so often running really late. They never rush people but that can cause delays of course. You may be very strongly hormone receptive and get your wish still. I would try to go with an open mind as they are only trying to do their very best for you and they see people like us all day, every day,
thinking of you tomorrow
Everyone else fab time on Sat and I have a rotten headache but worth it. We must do something nice again another time
Lily x
Thanks for the good luck Lily.
I realise I am in good hands and I can’t fault the treatment I have had.
I am just finding it really hard to come to terms with the fact that he might suggest chemo when I seem to be borderline.
I am pleased Saturday went well. I hope the headache goes soon!
XM
Hi all, really enjoyed the ball it was fun! was soooo tired yesterday and just slouched around all day. Lily, hope the headache has gone, mind you will probably have another after today back at school! Flora, thank you so much for the lift, it was a change not to have to drive. Has anyone any photo’s they can e-mail me please?
Hi missm, hope all goes well for you today x.
Tracey x
Thanks for the good wishes
It didn’t go the way I wanted. The Prof says I need chemo even though I am strongly against it. We came to the decision that I would start hormone treatment and radiotherapy and have my scans done first. This gives me time to think through things and decide whether I can put myself through chemo. Just been to Broomfield to collect mt Femara- It’s fightening just reading about the side effects. Anyone else take them and had any side effects?
XM
Hi,
missm I am sorry that you now have this hanging over you. I have to confess I was most upset about losing my hair (sorry must be vain) but had the cold cap and never wore a wig. I wasn’t surprised that he wants you to have chemo as he usually offers TAC for anyone with positive nodes and FEC for everyone without nodes. If it has gone to a node then it has got out of the breast and I would urge you to really think hard before turning it down but at the same time offer all our support to see you though it. Every one of us has had chemo and we are all still at varies stages of boobs and hair. It may be just 18 weeks chemo and you can do it. All I can say to encourage you is that you feel really glad you have given it your best shot when you get to the other end. Hope this helps and whatever you decide we are all here to meet or chat.I am on tamoxifen but some of the others are on Femara. It is the expensive one :)Well we all get some side effects but not as bad as the one you get if you don’t take them. It is all manageable but not fun.
Tracey hi glad you are back online and loved seeing you all on Sat. Headache still hanging on so ignoring it. Wish I was on the sofa today. Sorry no photos as forgot camera
Hi everyone else. Flora good luck on Friday
Lily x
Hi all, thank you for the warm welcome. I am 48 by the way, have started on Tamoxifen, now both my boobs are sore at the mo.I already had menopausal symptoms as I had a hysterectomy at 41 for fibroids. Thats why it never occurred I might have cancer just thought it was fibrotic,I get called a yorkshire pud as thats what i look like at the mo lol. Weightwatching again. My consultant is Dr Syms, always sees me every week after my rads. He says boob is ok keep cream in fridge to help draw out the heat.Its not too bad can still wear a bra.
Tarnya
Hello
After a sleepless night I made the decision to have the chemo treatment now and not wait till after rads- I let my BC nurse know of my decision first thing this morning. Thank you all for helping make up my mind. I am still very tearful at the moment but I know in my heart that this is the right thing to do.
XM
Hi everyone
Glad you all enjoyed Saturday night, the auction dragged on a bit but it was lovely to all get together. Only got one group photo as batteries went on my camera - pain! What shall we do next? It’s nice to have an event to look forward to.
missm, glad you have now made your decision about chemo, I am sure you have made the right choice. It’s natural that you will feel tearful - I cried buckets! I found that after I’d actually made my decision I felt more in control though and it made me feel better once I’d spoken to others in the same boat. I wanted to gather as much info as possible and trawled the web & libraries to arm myself with everything, it kept me busy too! Do you know when you start?
Keep well everyone
Love Helen x
Hi
missm we know just how you feel even if we sound brave after the event! Once the first one is done you will be able to feel more in control as I think the unknown is the scariest bit. Anyway thinking of you and if I can help in any way shout. Sorry you have to go through all this but not every day is bad and many people manage chemo well. I had 2 or 3 days in each cycle when I was on the sofa but I was never sick (didn’t even feel sick) and never had a mouth ulcer, so see how you go. Start building yourself up now by eating lots of protein and stuff to get your immune system healthy.
Hi Helen, thought you looked lovely in your dress on Sat. Have you decided about the swine flu jab yet?
Lily x
hi
mssn new lady, you have made the right decision, good luck we have all been there , and all been frightened , its very friendly where you have chemo and they make it as lovley as possible ,music and tea ,food etc. I am on Femera, and its ok , not much side effects , just abit hot at night mainly, but most side effects dont last, I had tac, chemo ,
hi to everyone else. thanks for taking me Shelia on Sat, it was good, I have your pressie here still!
I had flu jab , but not swine flu jab yet ,helen,
Hope to see you all again very soon , arm hurting me today, going to work Thursday to talk about maybe going back in Dec for couple days a week love to allxxxxx
Thank you ladies
It’s very encouraging to hear what you have to say. I can’t pretend I’m not really frightened by the whole thing. I am trying to keep things as normal as possible- and planning ahead to treat myself to something special for when it’s all over. I am hoping that neither of my sons decide to get married before my hair grows back! Talking of hair where do you go for wigs? Julie Rose I am having Femara- do you take it at the same time as chemo or do you have to stop? Have a good day girls and keep well.
XM
Hallo everyone - found your thread while I was searching for info - diagnosed yesterday and still crying!!
Hope you dont mind me joining in - could do with support - my hubby knows but I havent told my daughter yet and dont know how to.Luckily shes away on a school trip tonight.
Couldnt face work today - Im a nurse on a medical ward - will have to go in tomorrow though.
Anyone been treated at Colchester? The consultant seemed lovely - got to wait a week for core biopsy results.
Thanks for listening!
Sarah
Hi strawberrylady
Welcome to the forums, I’m sure other users will be along to support you soon. In the meantime you may want to call our free Helpline on 0808 800 6000, lines are open Mon - Fri 9 - 5 and Sat 9 - 2.
Best Wishes
June, moderator
Hi All
Thanks for the comment about my dress Lily, I thought we all scrubbed up pretty well ha!! I would have loved to get one of the official photos but thought they were a bit pricey.
Glad you’re feeling a little better missm. I got a lovely wig from Michael Roberts Wigs in Southend. You will get a voucher from the chemo unit when you go for a look around (they should contact you to arrange an appointment. The voucher can be misleading, basically you pay the first £59 and then NHS pay the rest so you can get two lovely wigs for only £59. I think mine were £200 each. Very realistic and lots of people commented on how nice my hair was looking! Even my ex-husband who is the most critical person I know. Don’t worry it’s not all awful, like Lily said, I felt rotten for a couple of days after each cycle - I had 6 x FEC. I am a single parent and still managed to carry on life fairly normal, taking my daughter to school and clubs etc. A friend who had previously gone through treatment for bc said to me ‘surround yourself with people you love and take up any help offered to you’ - good advice I thought! A good idea to treat yourself too, I had lots of nice things planned which got me through it all. We are all here for you too 
I’m still undecided about the swine flu jab, spoke to a German doc on Monday and she had mixed views although my GP and nurse said I should have it…really confused now (not that it takes a lot) ha!
Anyone fancy meeting up one night next week?
Hi to everyone, hope you are all keeping well.
Love Helen x
Welcome too, to the new people. You will find a lot of support here. Chemo is at first frightening but once you get used to how it affects you it is doable as they say.
I have also found support groups helpful if you have any nearer to you than Chelmsford. I had Femara for a year and had few side effects. Hormone therapy is usually given after chemo Usually best to concentrate on one part of your treatment at a time. As Helen says plan for some treat days etc for the best time in the cycle so there is something to look forward too. Good luck.
Helen
Those of us who purchased the official photo were going to find a way of copying it so others could have one. Will let you know when it arrives. Happy to meet next week depending on what day.
All the best to everyone else.