Was experiencing some breathlessness last weekend so had extra appointment with oncologist to get checked out - he doesn’t think it’s anything to worry about but is arranging a chest scan to check there are no blood clots. It seems to be easing now - just got to try and not do too much walking . Juju it was me saying about feeling shaky and having to eat a lot - that seems to have passed as well now.
I have ondonsterone 3 times a day on days 2-4 of FEC cycle and then Domperidone to take as I want. Nausea wasn’t as bad on cycle 3 as cycle 2 but the tiredness was worse.
Macneech I also have loads of ondosterone lined up for next week before my first cycle of T plus pertuzumab and trastuzumab - 4 tablets twice a day for 3 days .
Feeling a bit deflated as had ultrasound today on breast to check progress and the tumour has not changed ? - the lymph nodes have all shrunk but not the tumour. Seeing oncologist on Tuesday to hopefully discuss results in more detail as doc today just said that . I was expecting it to have shrunk as it feels like it has - but at least it hasn’t grown and lymph nodes have shrunk.
Have also had a bereavement - my brother in law passed away yesterday, so all in all feeling a bit sad.
Have my girls coming home tonight and hoping some time with them will help raise my spirits.
Thanks for the love and hugs ladies - Jude I thought my post had disappeared as it didn’t come up for ages.
Feeling a bit brighter today , fresh air and a walk yesterday with family boosted my spirits - looks like being the only good day without rain this weekend so glad we got out. Yes a little bit of Easter egg also helped ??
Sorry to hear your news Bibi. Sounds like you’re having a rough time.
I hope others managed a good Easter. It felt like any other day/weekend to me. My gcsf injection and side effects kicked in on saturday properly, so i’ve been hobbling around with painful legs all weekend. Sent hubby out on easter sunday to get cocodamol, as paracetamol and ibuprofen weren’t enough. Today, and each cycle at around Day 7, i get back ache/kidney pain. And bloated and windy. Hopefully this will all pass in another day or two.
Re: lungs, i am a bit worried about radiotherapy. Last time was my right side, but this time is my left. Apparently, if they can’t avoid your heart (and most likely they can’t, as my tumour site was right under my nipple), i’ll have to breathe in when they scan and line me up, and then hold my breath for each treatment to put some distance between the zaps and the heart. I have my radio tattoo/CT scan on 11th April.
bibi, i hope your next scan brings better news. I’ve always had surgery first, so go into chemo ‘cancer free’ rather than hoping for tumour reduction, os I can’t imagine how you must be feeling. xxx
Flora I hope your aches and pains pass soon - have you tried taking the Loratadine to help with the bone pain?
Feeling more reassured after meeting with oncologist today and hoping the Herceptin I am having in my second set of chemo will start to have effect on the tumour. Starting T plus Pertuzumab and Trastuzumab on Thursday, starting loads of steroids tomorrow and then a long day Thursday as they give them separately the first time and have to be monitored for ages to check no allergic reaction.
On the plus side my hair is still here and that helps me feel good.
Hugs to everyone having treatment this week, look after yourself if you are recovering and have fun if you are on a good week xx
Good luck with the treatment today Bibi- hope all goes smoothly and you’re not too exhausted after. I am on my good week just now so making the most of it by meeting up with as many friends as I can for coffee, lunch and dinner. At this rate I will be the size of a house by the time of next week’s treatment!
Still have hair but now noticing that it’s dropping constantly and having to watch what colours I wear - it’s worse than dandruff!
Feeling pretty positive today as we finally have a bit of sunshine - the last couple of days have been really dank and grey and yesterday the snow was back again ?
It’s amazing how a bit of clear blue sky can lift your spirits ?
Keep well everyone - onwards and upwards
Well since my Mum went home my concerns of being on my own have not materialised. I am eating less cake though but still have a cupboard full of choclate to eat. Can’t think why I have put weight on lol. What with hospital appointments, the BH and starting Cycle 3 yesterday I have hardly been on my own. My boyfriend (Manchild - 53 going on 14) has ordered ? me to spend the next few days at his. Another plus side of the BH means chemo was pushed back which means I will feel up to seeing Gregory Porter in Birmingham tonight. Not the short break we had planned but so pleased I can still go.
Thanks for the good wishes everyone- treatment was long but feel really good today - nothing like as sick as I felt on FEC so far anyway ?
got to hospital for 8.30 for appointment- meds’ arrived late so didn’t get started till 11 so was a bit of a pain , was there till 5.30 - v tired afterwards but after a good nights sleep I feel fine and am busy with jobs around house and supervising hubby on our gardening project.
Hoping this will continue ?
have discovered my nail painting skills are rubbish lol - never usually wear it but they recommend wearing black polish on this chemo to help protect nails - hmm bit more practice needed I think.
Hope everyone else is well - have a good weekend xx
So much for feeling positive after my chemo started last Wednesday. Round 3 of Docetaxel and Capecitibane has been worse than 2. After going out Thurs I pretty much slept for 13 hrs , slept all Friday afternoon. The aches & pains I had yesterday were horrible & I was reluctant to take pain relief as temp kept spiking. Gave in though. The oral thrush us back too. Oh joy.
Managed to leave house today for the first time since Thursday, for 15 min as boyfriend was home from work early. Didn’t feel steady enough to do it on my own.
Don’t mind admitting I am feeling a little sorry for myself but I suppose if we can’t who can?
MRI is booked for the 18th and just keeping everything crossed those pesky tumours are being kicked into touch by this chemo.
Morning all. Hope everyone is feeling well today. I have my oncology appointment this morning and hoping my bloods are ok to get the go ahead for round 3 of FEC tomorrow. I’m not confident about it as I’ve been feeling pretty ropey for the last couple of days - shivers and sweats and headaches- although felt better last night and got a decent sleep. Fingers crossed it’s all going to be ok ?
Wee Burd, good luck with your appointment and fingers crossed your bloods are OK.
Bibi, if you cant moan on here then who can you moan to, it does you good to get your feelings out.
Miss Green, are you on TC? I had my 3rd yesterday, at work today but starting to feel really tired so will probably take the rest of the week off, thought I would be OK as its 4 weeks since my last one due to Easter but I definately think ther tiredness has kicked in sooner. How many are you having?
Take care everyone, each day that goes by is a day closer to the end.
Thanks everyone it was all good this morning and have the go ahead for tomorrow. Feeling much better today than yesterday thank goodness. Had a long chat with the oncology pharmacist as she was also preparing me for the start of the docetaxel next time. Sounds fearsome but having come this far surely I will be able to get through the last FEC and the T !
Hi Wee Burd, hope it has gone ok today, the only advice I would give you about starteing T after FEC is to rest, I found it harder on the T but I think I was trying to do to much. Keep the fluids up and rest as much as you need, eat healtthy, even if you cant taste it and be good to yourself.
Glad everything went okay Wee Burd and that you’re feeling better Bibi.
Jujube I am on 6 cycles of Docetaxel (Taxotere) and Capecitibane. I have them at the same time as the latter is chemo in tablet form which I have to take everyday for 14 days.
Yesterday and this morning I was hit with “tummy troubles” not pleasant at all. Thank heavens I am still off work at the moment. On top of this today’s PICC line maintenance didnt go to plan. Mentioned my swollen and painful arm. I am the proud owner of two blot clots on top of everything else !! Now need to inject myself in the tummy to try and break up the clots. Feeling peed off to say the least. Sorry for moaning ladies .
Hi All - pleased to report all went fine this morning and I have now reached the halfway stage already! Slight delay in getting started as the nurse doing my line care hadn’t removed the stitches when they were supposed to be and so we started off with that and a good clean of the whole area and new dressing but it all feels much better now. Chemo went fine and I felt ok when I came out but have been sleeping all afternoon.
Noticed today that my scalp has gone a bit scabby - like caked on dandruff ?. Took a walk out to the local pharmacist to buy some cradle cap shampoo but he recommended pure olive oil so have got some to massage in tomorrow when I wash my hair.
Today I am rocking the Jennifer Saunders look with my white turban on. Almost frightened to look at my hair today as it felt like it was all sticking to the inside of the cold cap when I took it off!
Not the best wedding anniversary ever but was feeling good last night and so we went out for the most delicious dinner and even managed to enjoy a wee glass of wine.
Thanks for the tips for the T Jujubee. As ever the worst bit is the fear of the unknown! Think I will treat myself to a manicure and get my nails painted a nice dark purple. The oncologist said it’s thought that the nail thing is brought on by sun exposure and that’s why dark nail polish helps.
Miss Green hope you’re keeping better now and fingers crossed for you for the next scan.
Love to everyone - keep well and strong and make the drugs do their work ???
Interesting article Bibi - wish I had known about it before surgery and could have discussed with the surgeon. I was prescribed dihydrocodeine post surgery and advised against anti inflammatories which could inhibit healing. However I just have to trust that the node biopsy didn’t miss anything too microscopically small to be detected and if it did that the chemo and herceptin are going to kill and/or disable any stray cancer cells roaming around.
Glad to hear your last cycle hasn’t been so bad Jude. Good luck with the Docetaxel Macneech and you’re right we all seem to be effected in different ways.
Bibi the tummy troubles settled down thank heavens.
So despite having 5 days of injections my arm is still swollen and sore from the blood clots that have blocked the veins my PICC is in. Admittedly it’s not as bad as it was so that must be a good sign. So that on top of, nausea, sore mouth, horrible taste in my mouth and sore hands I am still battling with the mental side of things. I’m sure I am not the only one.
Yesterday the sun was out and I left the house as cabin fever had definitely in. The sun seemed to make everthing seem okay. Plus my boyfriends Mum gave me some Aveeno cream for my hands and it’s made a difference already. Highly recommend it.
Hello everyone
Sorry been quiet been in my chemo coma first day out yesterday In 12 after 3rd FEC .
Some of you sound how I’ve been feeling obviously the horrible symptoms as everyone else but yes Jude the feeling of low is horrible isn’t it . On Tuesday I rang a local cancer support place to see if some counselling may help no one has returned my call !
Luckily the cloud lifted with the sun yesterday and I am feeling happier. So hang in there everyone keep telling yourself it’s temporary and I’m sure the weather doesn’t help when it’s so gloomy.
I’ve had the most horrendous heart burn rang unit increased lansoperazole to twice a day but not helped then rang again told need to change so had a bit of hassle getting,had to go to gp in the end on omperazole it’s helping abit but still not brilliant. It’s horrible not enjoying food .
Anyway my last week of feeling alive til I start docetaxel on 24th x
Good luck to everyone it’s so funny for 2 weeks my bank account doesn’t get used and now I feel better I’ve been spend spend spend !!
Hi everyone- all the things we write about show our shared concerns and problems on this horrid journey.
Jude - bras ? I am looking at post surgery bras ready for after my mastectomy- a few months away yet but having a look - apparently if you are a large cup size like me you obviously don’t like pretty bras - at least in M and S - it’s v annoying. Will have to have a look online - trouble is I like to try them on as you can never be sure of sizes from shop to shop.
Macneech- drippy nose, drippy eyes here too - then sore nose from coping with wiping drippy nose .
Chrissy - hope you get your acid stomach sorted - I take omeprazole too and find it really good .
In terms of mental well being I think I am finding it harder and harder, feeling low and really fed up with it all at times - but yes the sun does help. Chrissy I hope you manage to get some support- I also phoned my local cancer support centre as they offer counselling and have managed to get an appointment this week. Never tried counselling before , a bit nervous about it but hoping it will help me.
Have a good week everyone- I feel almost back to normal ( day 11 of round 4 - 1st round of Docetaxol, Pertuzumab and Trastuzumab)
Seems like everyone is having issues of some kind as we go along. I’m on day 5 cycle 3 of FEC feeling sensitive all over. All the skin around my jaw line and across my shoulders is sore to touch. Having to cover myself in Aveeno cream otherwise itching all the time. Appetite has been up due to the steroids I think but getting heartburn. Fortunately that’s resolved with Tesco’s own brand indigestion tablets. Bad constipation this time round has led to sore bottom and a tear - gave myself a fright with blood on the tissue paper. Feeling a bit sorry for myself! But I am halfway through the treatment so it’s not all bad. If only the promised good weather would come along!
Thanks for sharing ladies it’s good to know that I’m not alone xx
