Hi all
Having now got my hickman line fitted (without the pain and fuss I envisaged lol) - I’m off to have my first herceptin tomorrow. It’s such a relief to be starting it, considering that it was originally arranged to started 3 weeks after my chemo - and it’s now 9 weeks later!!
Although I know the herceptin has none of the awful side effects like the chemo - unfortunately my chemo seems to be having a delayed reaction - I had 4 x fec, then a break for 20 x rads, then 1 x tax (tax was stopped due to severe side effects) and 2 x fec. The last 2 fecs everything was fine-ish - now, 9 weeks on, I still have no hair and not much sign of it doing anything, I have lost the top half of every finger nail in the past week, and my toe nails are looking like they are going the same way. BCN can’t explain delayed reaction - she thought I’d be feeling ok by now - in myself I do, it’s just all this other stuff lol
Only having 2 herceptins, then they are going to check my heart rate again, as I’m only starting out with a score of 51 - so they want to keep an eye on it.
Given all the problems I had with my chemo - I so hope that the only side effect I get is the runny nose…
Good luck to anyone else starting out
Margaret x
Dear Margaret
I know that the BC treatment is not easy for any of us, but you seem to have had it worse than most to say the least. You really have had a rough ride over the last months, and yet still you seem to manage to keep your sense of humour and write supportive postings to other people what a star you are. Very best of luck for the herceptin and will be hoping with you that you find it more straightforward. I am sure your hair will put in an appearance in due course, but sorry it is taking it’s time - and that you are having problems with your nails. What did you decide about work in the end?
Will be thinking of you tomorrow and look forward to hearing how you are getting on. Love Sarah x
Thanks Sarah…funnily enough I woke up this morning to discover that my hair has decided to put in an appearance after all - yippeeeeee - just tufty at the moment but there nevertheless !!!
The herceptin didn’t go too badly - the hanging around the hospital was the worst bit - arrived at 8.50 and didn’t leave till almost 4pm - dozed on and off though. Funnily enough when it was all finished and the nurse was tidying up my hickman line - she kept asking if I was ok. When I said I was, and that I felt perfectly fine I asked why she was so concerned…her response was ‘I told all the chemo nurses to keep a special eye on you - cos if anyone was going to have a bad reaction to it, it was bound to be you!!!’ So I think she was quite relieved!
Work wise…I’m job hunting at the moment. Sick note runs out on 3rd August…my fixed term contract runs out on 12th August…and I’m on holiday 2 - 9th August so won’t be going back into that job lol. Having just transferred onto Incapacity Benefit from SSP, I have just received a letter from local job centre telling me I have to attend a ‘Pathways to Work’ interview next week - designed to help disbaled people return to the workplace seemlessly - I actually found it quite insulting - all this stuff about retraining, or just plain training, and how I could volunteering etc etc. I have a fistful of qualifications, 2 degrees and letters after my name, have spent 10 of the last 30 years running my own business (as a human resource consultant haha) and they think I won’t be able to find work???
I wouldn’t mind so much if I thought all the local junkies, dropouts and alkies were all being forced to do the same bl**dy thing grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr…sorry rant over lol!
Hope you are keeping well Sarah
take care
Love Margaret x
Hi Margaret, I don’t know if this is of any help to you but I was asked to go to a medical to prove that I couldn’t work. When I rang them to say I was having chemo they immediately said that in these circumstances you are not expected to attend. The only info they wanted was the name of my consultant. Perhaps if you give them notice of your treatment , that you have recently finished chemo with continuing bad side effects you will not have to attend and they may leave you alone for some time.
Margaret
Hi Margaret
Thanks for that. I was told when I submitted my claim for incapacity benefit that I would be sent this letter, so I knew it was coming lol. The appt is only with a career advisor, and as far as I am aware does not involve a medical.
But I’m ready for them…!!!
Margaret
Great to hear from you Margaret - and hopefully your first “straightforward” herceptin will have set the course for the rest of them! Good luck with the job hunting - and with dealing with the paper pushers before hand! I’m doing just fine - Recently started my five years of Arimidex and apart from a bit of stiffness it seems OK. Ditched my wig last wek and am enjoying feeling the wind in my (VERY short) hair - glad yours has decided to stick it’s head above the parapet! Sarah x