Feeling low

Hello one & all,
Louise, you sound very up beat,I’m pleased everything seems to have gone well.Have a lovely peaceful weekend.

Anne, hope you’re better and have a great holiday.

Nicola, the interview sounds as though it went well, let us know what you think of it when you see it in print. Glad your arm/shoulder is ok.

Mary, hope your treatment has gone ok.

Dianne, have you been back for the mac you saw?Panic over, OH went and got his own wine!!How’s your mouth, anti biotic should have worked by now.Are you going somewhere nice on Fri,or are you wearing your boots while watching TV?!! LOL!

M1yu,Has the picc line settled down ? Does it make a difference having to switch to tablets?

Has anyone had the experience of going away (in this country) whilst having chemo, not feeling well and having to use a local hospital?OH & I want to go to Brighton for a few days after next chemo, spoke to onc about it and she’s put a few doubts in my mind re “if I’m not well”.

I had routine appointment with onc (follow up to first chemo), she seemed to think the large hard lumps in my breast have softened and the pleural fluid hadn’t got any worse, which is good news on both fronts. I had thought my breast had softened, but thought it was my hopeful imagination, but perhaps it actually has! I’m supposed to go in on Monday to have pleural effusion dealt with, if there’s a bed…keep your fingers crossed for me that there is!

Roz, Wayne & OH, Sarah, Sarah,Terri, and all, hope your weekend is good to you,enjoy!
Sandra x

Hi all
Sandra, I went away after first chemo, to Norfolk. My onc was fine about it. Just get the number of the hospital, make sure you take info about drugs you are on etc. Our area gives us a red card with info on it to present if we are feeling unwell. Bear in mind you should not have to wait in A&E but be seen as a matter of urgency. Take your thermometer with you. I was tickety boo and you will probably be ok too. Getting away will do you good.
I am waiting for my lump to soften and have had second FEC and my fingers are crossed too. I think I detect a slight change but am unsure, also possible wishful thinking.
Dianne, hope the mouth is feeling better and you have a good weekend.
M!Yu, why is nothing straight forward with this C thing!Hope the line has settled down. I am becoming a whizz on Frontierville. Loving the game, trying to see if there is an app for that.
Mary. Hope you are feeling a bit more upbeat now. It’s so dreadful when we hit lows. Don’t know what I would do without my cyber buddies :sunglasses:
Wayne, hope your best beloved is continuing to feel well enough to be out and about. Thinking of you guys.
Louise. Glad you escaped for the weekend. Have a lovely relaxing one.
Nicola, the article sounds really interesting. Which publication is it going to be in? You have probably said but I can’t remember. You are right about all the stuff being about ‘beating it’ and going on to lead blissful lives… Folks don’t understand that its more about living with it for us.
Have a great weekend all
x sarah

Hi all,

Sorry about the delay in replying. It’s been a really busy week. Suddenly, with the rads, I have to go to hospital everyday, which means I’ve only got half a day to myself. With visa application happening at the same time, also my work just chose the right moment to tie me to a proper project (don’t have to start immediately, but still…) grrrr…

Dianne, hope we’ve survive the week without any alcohol and antibiotics has done the trick. Glad you’ve bought more things you like. I nearly did some retail therapy the other day with mum, but she decided to wait till the boxing day sale!!!

Julie, I’m sorry about your experience at the hospital. Those incompetent nurses.

Roz, I’m sorry to hear about the black out at your home. What a pain! Just shows how much we rely on the electricity those days.

Sandra, despite playing with computers all the time, never done grocery shopping on line! Got an ad posted through the door about organic food delivery and order on line. Sounds like a really good bargain. Will have to have a look at the website when I have some time. Hope you enjoyed your lunch with OH. What Dianne was referring to is a game on FB. Of course, we live mines apart and she couldn’t have watered my garden in Bristol!! Good to know chemo seems to be working. I’ve been away twice while on chemo. The first time was about 2 weeks after my first FEC (2 days after I had an infection!!) The second time I had to delay my chemo by a week. Had no prob what so ever. Onc’s are diff, thou. Mine is very keen for me to enjoy my life while I can rather than let BC to dominate my life. Hope you will have a bed for Monday.

Mary, good to know you’re feeling better. Hope Zometa went OK.

Nicola, good to know you’ve still managed to work after the fall. But take it easy. Don’t tire yourself out. What a fantastic job you did with the newspaper! Please do let us know what you think of it in print.

Louise, welcome back! Good to know the op went fine and you sound so good. No one’s bed is like your own. I can never sleep well in someone else’s bed, even the one in the 5 star hotel (not that I’ve stayed in one)! So, don’t blame you that you’re in a hurry to get home.

Anne, hope your cold is gone by now so that you can fully enjoy your holiday.

Sarah, your comment about the game makes me laugh. I saw you’re levelling up really quickly. Going to catch up with me soon. LOL! Hope the change is for the good and not wishful thinking. Isn’t the waiting awful?

A bit about me now: PICC line not quite settled. They moved it slightly, but still the skin is really itchy and quite red. Just worried if not dealt with, may cause an infection. The nurses were discussing for a while what to do on Wed, or maybe get a different one for next time. They saw another case like mine not long ago, I think I heard that they’ve recently change the brand or some thing like that.

My skin just gone a tinny bit dark with the rads. Looks like I’ve just been to the Caribbean or somewhere sunny!! Saw the rads dr today because been having a few se. Got a pain in the neck, literally and a bit swelling in the neck, but no surprise there. He told me that the swelling area is covered by the rads, and should be OK when rads finishes. We also discussed my lymphoedema while we were there. He had a check and decided to refer me to a lymphoedema clinic anyway before it gets any worse. The appt should be back in 1 or 2 weeks. So, going to be busy again…. Glad it’s the weekend and I can have a break in the next 2 days!

Take care every one. Have a nice weekend and hope the weather improves. xx

P.S. Sorry for long post. This is what happens when I haven’t posted a few days.

Hi everyone

Reporting back after an extremely busy week. I took part in the secondary breast cancer day in London, on Wednesday. There was a photo session in the morning and then a forum in Government offices in the afternoon. A couple of MPs were there and then there were round table discussions afterwards. It was really interesting to meet all the people and realise how much standards of care for our situation differ from area to area and, indeed, hospital to hospital. People had travelled far and wide and it was great to meet them all.

One of the main initiatives was to lobby for a national database for secondary breast cancer patients - at the moment nothing exists, which I find shocking. There is a link on the BCC page for people to contact their local MP to urge them to support this cause. Please do this, if you can, it could mean a real difference for all us. Even if we don’t personally benefit now, I would love to think that standards will massively improve for anyone affected by this in the future.

I was really delighted to meet the women who have put their faces forward for the advertising campaign. A real group of inspiring women who are doing their bit to help us all.

I also went to the Haven this week - have been meaning to go for such a long time. Wow, what a place. A centre dedicated to people with breast cancer and a real oasis in the centre of London. The staff are so lovely and I had my first acupuncture session on Tuesday. Fabulous. I think there’s also one in Leeds and possibly somewhere else. They offer an initial 9 complimentary complementary (now that’s a phrase!!) treatments for all clients. Much appreciated.

Today was Zolodex day and now I am pooped and planning to lay low for the weekend as am very achey and tired.

Hope everyone is doing well and sorry for the long but not, I hope, boring thread!
Love
Alison

Hi m1yu,

Another Sarah here - I move round a few threads so I hope you don’t mind me commenting on your post. I had a PICC line fitted from Feb. to late Sept. for chemos etc. The last few weeks I had it in it was a real pain in the bum - I had an infection, then a bit of itching, then finally unbearable itching! The latter was caused by a nurse I didn’t usually have using a different dressing, called Tegaderm, I think, which I’m obviously allergic to. My usual nurse whipped the PICC out (I’m not having active treatment at the mo.)and recommended Piriton or similar for the awful itching and blisters. Maybe would help you? It can make you feel a bit drowsy and spaced out though!

All the best,

Sarah

Hi Lovely Ladies, Hope you are all having a lovely weekend, the weather here is not to bad, a bit cold so have got the heating on. Going to clear out my condement cupboard as I am sure a lot of it is out of date,{bay leaves, bouquet garni and the like}, but am gearing myself up to it.

Sandra, Yes the electric was off as the electric board were cutting down trees that were growing near to the lines, and took them longer than they thought, the field was behind my daughters house and she asked them if she could have the wood, so she now has a load of branches that need chopping into olgs, good luck to her, I order mine all chopped up. Hope you had a nice day out and lunch with the OH, isnt it nice just doing the ordinary things. Think you are very brave doing an on-line shop.Good news about the lumps softening and hope all goes well on Monday.

Mary, I am so glad you are feeling more in control, these black moods seem to affect us all at times, its no wonder really given our circumstances, but at least we can come on here and have a good moan. I love having a look around old market towns they can have some lovely interesting shops tucked away. Hope all went well on Friday with your zometa, you are well, and the se’s are minimal.

m1yu, Oh dear your poor friend sounds to be going through a hard time, its good that she can have her meds done at home, I know our hospital has a system like that set up and it does seem to be a good way of doing it. I do hope they can sort your line out for you, taking the tablet does mean you dont have to go to the hospital but it is a pain to take. You sound as if you have a lot going on, going to the hospital every day is such a pain, but the benifits should out weigh the negatives. How long have you to go with the rads?

Anne, Do hope your antibiotics have kicked in and you are feeling a bit better, nothing worse that going on your holls if your not feeling so good, have a lovely time.

Dianne, Hope you are having a nice weekend, prob a bit quieter than last weekend, did you go back to get the mac it sounds nice, Louth must have some nice shops, we once bought a car from there but cant remember much about the shops. Thats why I love meadowhall so much you can have as many trips to the car with the shopping as you like.

Nicola, I have much admiration for you working through your treatment, you are entitled to veg out whenever you like.Sorry to hear you have had a problem with your arm after your fall, You made me laugh with you wet rag hand shake. Very proud of you doing the interview, you sound as if you put forward a positive not on secondries but also told them about the feelings side of it and what it is like to live with the ‘incurable’ label, so well done, would be good to read the article, let us know what paper it is in.

Lousise, So glad to hear from you and that your op was a success, and dont blame you for wanting to go home, Im sure we all rest better in our own beds. Hope you have got everyone looking after you, please take things easy.

Sarah, I do hope you are not imagining the softening in your breast but that it is actually happening, I will keep my fingers crossed. Hows the knitting going, not heard much about it latley.

Alison, Sounds like you had an interesting time in London. A national data base sounds like agood idea, would like to hear more about what this entails. Hope you had a restfull weekend after your meds.

Hi ALL,
well dont know how that happened, thought Id lost the lot but when I have come back on to do it again there it is, so I will now finish my post.

Alison, Hope you got plenty of rest and are feeling a bit better.

Wayne, Hope you and Maryanne are both ok.

Terri and Julie, hope youhave both had a lovely weekend.

Lots of love Roz xxxx

Hi Everyone,

Hope you all managed to have a good weekend,the weather was lovely here. Well had the Zometa…eventually!!! Five puncture holes later, my hand is black and blue today!!! I am getting worried,in case I have to go on the tabs…don’t fancy that!!!

M1yu, Hope you get the line sorted, and you don’t have to change!!! It is a nuisance having to go to the hospital everyday,and typical that everything should happen at once!!! Your poor friend,I feel for her,good that she will be able to have her treatment at home,and she has got you for support,maybe she will come on here, when she has got her head together!!
Liverpool rubbish again!!! it’s got to change!!!

Dianne hope those antibiotics have done their job,don’t forget the Cordysol, that is good to use as well as the tablets.

Nicola, I am sure you have done a good job, with the interview,look forward to seeing it! Hope your shoulder is better,can just imagine the hand shake!! lol !

Louise hope you are being spoilt!! So good to have the op over,onwards and upwards!!! Take it easy,thinking of you, love and hugs xxx

Anne, thinking of you and hoping that bl…dy lurgy is on it’s way out!!! Good luck with the bloods tomorrow! xxx

Sandra good news about the lump, and the fluids! Good luck for tomorrow, everything crossed that there will be a bed, awful when you are in limbo like this!!!

Sarah do hope that it is not wishful thinking, and your lump is definitely responding to the treatment. I am sure the chemo will zap the bugger!!

Alison , the Haven sounds fantastic!!! What a great experience, unfortunately too far for me, there is nothing remotely like it here in Suffolk, according to my Mac nurse,this is one of the worse places for support and facilities!! Hope you managed to have that nice rest over the weekend!!

Roz hope you got the cupboard sorted, when I do mine, I am always amazed how old things are, and sometimes the jars are still sealed!!!

Wayne and Maryanne,Terri and Julie, hope you are all okay!

Thinking of you all dear friends, lots of love, Mary xxx

Hi Girlies, Hope you’ve all had a great weekend. There are too many posts to reply to them all individually, so I’ll just mention the ones I can remember bits of.

Roz, I had a very nice weekend thanks, actually drove to Kirton Lindsey on Saturday to check out the airfield where Dave will take his gliding lesson. We watched them take off and land for a while (rather him than me). Yesterday we went down to the beach with my little dog at Cleethorpes and then had a barbecue. It was such a gorgeous day wasn’t it?

m1yu, sorry you’re having so much difficulty with your arm, I do hope you get sorted out soon. I remember having to go every day for the rads, it takes over your life doesn’t it. How many sessions are you having?

Mary, hope the zometa is ok with not too many side effects and that your hand clears up sooner rather than later.

To everyone else, I love you all and hope you are all well and have a fab week. I’m in a tearing hurry as I have one of the neighbours coming shortly for coffee. Take care, loads of love, Dianne x x x

Hi all,

Alison, sounds like you had a nice time in London. It’s really good you can go and attend things like this. I hope you’re feeling better now after your Zoladex.

Sarah68, thanks for the suggestion. I’ll need to have a word with the nurse on Wed when I see her again. I’m def not happy with how it is. I’m having 2 bad arms at the mo - right with lymphoedema, left with itchy skin caused by PICC line - and both of them have been keeping me awake lately!! By the afternoon, I’m just too tired to do anything and falls off to sleep…

Mary, sorry they’re having troubles with finding your vein, too. Must be the cold weather, it always makes my vein disappear. So, I’m dreading it that they’ll say to me on Wed that it has to come out, but, the PICC line seems to have deserted me after one year long friendship. As for Liverpool, I didn’t really think they’d win the derby game with all that pressure on them, but 2nd from bottom, that’s very embarrassing!!!

Dianne, hope you had a nice time with your neighbour.

Re my friend. Spoke to her at the weekend and things are settling down a bit now and she sounds just as upbeat. Her chemo started last Thur and se not too bad. Pain has got better and able to walk now. Her family is sticking together now and giving her really good support.

It’s one of those days at the rads. When I first got in, the broad reads 1hour 45 min delay due to 2 fire alarms!!! Oh, great! Off I went to get some fresh air and find somewhere a bit cooler and quieter. 1 hour and 10 min later, I came back and the broad reads 45 min delay!!! OK, so they were looking for me while I was outside then! Before I was able to find a seat again, a nurse came out to look for me, but I was treated on a different machine. Got to laugh, at least I finished reading a magazine while I was waiting.

Hope you all have a good week. xx

Hi Lovely Ladies, Hope you are all well, just come back from taking my daughter to parents evening at eldest grandaughters school. My daughter is on crutches at the moment for two weeks as she has pulled her [begining with M} ligament,the dog did it, so cant drive.Lauren got a very good report from the teachers, so we all very proud.

Mary, Oh my goodness what a mess you must be in, full of holes and bruises. The tabs are a pain to take. Hope not to many se’s. Yes the cupboard looks half empty now, but will prob fill it up when I come across a recipe that needs ingrediants you have to but a packet for but only use a small amount and in a years time throw the rest away again.

Dianne,I would feel the same about the glider, you should have given me a ring and called down for coffee.You sound as if you had a nice weekend and Cleethorps is nice out of season.

m1yu,Glad your friend is sounding more upbeat and getting good support from her family, I know that really helps. What a lot of waiting around for you but you have got to laugh or you would cry.

Wayne, Hope you and Maryanne are both ok, not heard from you latley so hope all is alright with you both.
Julie, Sarah,Anne, Sandra,Terri,both Sarah’s, Nicola hope you are all keeping well. and Louise thinking of you xxxxx
Lots of love Roz xxx

Hi Girlies, hope you are all ok. I haven’t been on the site since Monday, just too busy doing nothing! Been out this morning as it’s a beautiful day, although freezing cold. I had to buy a pair of gloves as I didn’t take any out with me and I was taking Jodie to the park. I also got a long black patent leather pair of boots. I’ll be slapping my thigh when I wear them as I’ll look like bloody Dick Whittington, but who cares, I like them!

Roz, sorry to hear your daughter has hurt herself an is on crutches, she’ll have her hands full now! Good news about Lauren’s report though, well done to her. I did think about ringing you on Saturday, but I didn’t want to put you on the spot.

m1yu, sorry you had such a performance with the waiting around, it’s always the same. And your poor arms, hope they get better soon.

Mary, hope you are ok today hon, not heard from you for a few days.

I hope Anne is having a marvellous time on her hols, I miss hearing from her.

To everyone else, I hope you are all well and happy and having a great week.

Take care my darlings, loads of love, Dianne xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hi everyone, gosh where are you all, do I take this as a posistive thing and everyone is feeling well, or is it that you are all ‘feeling low’, I hope it is the first.

Well my OH has got his yearly cold, it goes straight to his chest and he is not bareing it very well, as we speak he is in bed coughing for england, not good, I have had to clean the fire out myself and go to his mums and get her logs in, well what a response, I walked in and said 'I have come to get your logs in as alan is in bed, well up she jumped and helped me, thought she couldnt do it that was why he went round to do it, Hmmmmm

It is very cold and windy in Lincolnshire although the sun was out yesterday it was still sold so didnt do very much, Loose Women and Sixty Minute Makeover!!!

Mary, are you are ok, and not having those dreaded zometa se’s.

m1yu, hope the rads went better yesterday, and your arm is feeling better.

Louise, hope you are copeing well, lots of love and hugsxx

Dianne, Boots sound great, pantomime next!!! Give me a ring next time you are in my area, looking forward to the 5th.

Anne, hope you are having a lovely holiday.

Wayne, Nicola, Sandra, Julie,Terri and Sarah, hope you are all well.

Lots of Love Roz xxxx

Hi Everyone, Hope you are all well, only me and Roz posting at the moment. Do hope thst’s a good sign as Roz says. By the way hon, it’s the 16th not the 5 that we are meeting…

Sorry your hubby is ill, of course it will be man flu and much worse than when you get it… fancy his mum eh? She probably just enjoys having him do bits and pieces for her. My mum is exactly the same, my Dad does everything for her. She’s 150 miles away from me, otherwise it would be me running about! It’s very cold again today isn’t it? I went out yesterday as you know, but am stopping in today and watching the telly and playing on Fairyland (Crackers!)

Well, not much else to say really, hope everyone is well and happy. Roz, it’s time you got on Facebook. Ask your granddaughter to show you. It’s really easy and a quick and simple way to keep in touch.

Lots of love to you all, Dianne xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hi Everyone,

Haven’t posted for a few days, but have been thinking of you all!!! I am fine, had an appt with the onc, yesterday, just a routine ,no results or anything. Well he had a feel around,and said everything seems stable at the mo, so keep taking the tabs, and see you in three months!

Dianne,sounds like you had a great time last weekend…so you are not tempted to go up in the glider!!! don’t blame you…it’s not for me either!! Loved the idea of your thigh length boots, I bet they look fab on you!!! Now on me they would probably come up to my neck!!! I actually bought some boots last week, pointy toes, just hope I can walk in them!!!

Roz Thank you , yes I am okay, and the se’s are much better now that I have changed to the 4 weekly regime!!! Oh no not the dreaded man flu!!! Don’t they make a fuss!!! I would rather go through it myself!!! I hope your daughter is managing okay, what a bummer! Well done to Lauren,I bet you were beaming with pride!!!

M1yu, you will be glad when your rad sessions are over, could do without the delays!!! You could’ve read War and Peace,the amount of time you had to hang about!! Hope you get your line sorted, have you been to the lympo clinic yet? Glad your friend is feeling a bit more upbeat!

Anne, thinking of you, and hoping that lurgy,is finally losing it’s grip!!! Take care of yourself xx

Hope everyone, I haven’t mentioned,are all okay, thinking of you all, and sending lots of love and hugs, Mary xxxx

hello everyone!
I haven’t felt too bouncy recently, always feel low when onc visit is imminent. BUT at last some good news! Onc says he reckons my lump is smaller and my tumnour markers have gone down, but he will let me know next visit(3 week’s time)whether I will have 3 or 4 Fec. Even more good news, I am to have herceptin alomgside my tax and to continue indefinately.
Mary, I know you have Herceptin, how is it for you? Glad everything is settling down a bit for you x
M1YU. I know what you mean about waiting… my onc runs about 2 hours late on clinic. You run out of stuff to do. Although I do have a frontierville app on my phone so I can check my crops. It tells me when to harvest etc.Not that I am obsessed at all…lol
Anne, Glad the lurgy is packing its bags. I had a cold last week and coughed for England!
Dianne, you would have been proud of me. It was my birthday on Tuesday and shopping was necessary! Went to leamington Spa for lunch and a bit of a shop and then afternoon tea at Carluccios in Stratford. We like eating . I bought olives , posh spaghetti and pesto. Almost bought a nice dress but wasnt fitting quite right so left it. However, have bought some natty spotty tights to ward off winter chills.
As for knitting, which someone enquired about earlier, my friend has had to close her wool shop 8-( so I am having to source stuff online now. I am aiming to knit stuff for christmas. The year before last i knitted egg coises. They were like little jumpers, and I put them over a kinder egg which was in a white eggcup. Classsic.
Love to all xxxxx

Hi Mary sorry to here your feeling down been there myself so know your not in a very happy place Mary are you in pain around your ribs,Pain has a way of playing wiith your head I hope your mood lifts and you start to feel a bit better,I had a masectomy nine years ago and now its back in chest wall I will say a we prayer for you zelah

Hi Mary sorry to here your feeling down been there myself so know your not in a very happy place Mary are you in pain around your ribs,Pain has a way of playing wiith your head I hope your mood lifts and you start to feel a bit better,I had a masectomy nine years ago and now its back in chest wall I will say a we prayer for you . zelah

Hi Sarah,
Nice to hear from you…belated birthday greetings!!! Sounds like you had a good day!!!

I know what you mean about feeling low when you have an onc visit,but you had some good news!!! Really good sign that your markers are going down, and the lump!! Sarah I think you are getting me mixed up with some one else, I am not on herceptin,I have Tamoxifen, and Zometa,.

Hi Zelah, welcome to the thread, I am not too bad at the moment. I had a mastectomy 51/2 years ago, and was dx with mets in my ribs in April this year, I was in a lot of pain, but since I have been getting an infusion of a drug called Zometa every month,things have settled down,and the pain is not so bad. What drugs are you on? Thank you for your prayers,I will also say one for you!!

Well ladies, hope you enjoy the rest of the evening,

Lots of love, Maryxxx

Hi all,

Sorry hasn’t been in touch for a few days, been busy doing project for work. Just a quickie to say that had my Zoladex today (should be yesterday, but no senior and trained nurse available yesterday!). They also stuck my PICC line to a different place. It turned out that I developed an allergy to the statlock (the bit that’s hold the PICC line down) - it was very red and sore and lots of little blisters when they took the thing off:-(! So, no statlock, just lots and lots of sterostrips to hold it. Got home and put on lots of Aqueous cream and it seems to settle down now. No news from lymph clinic yet Mary. They did say 1 or 2 weeks. But not too bad. Those exercises have helped a bit.

Sorry no individual comments, but thinking of you all. Take care xx