Went to see Oncologist today, and was all ready for her to say “wow those scars look good, and here’s the dates you’ll be doing 3 weeks worth of radiotherapy, goodbye and good luck we never want to see you again”!
One good dose of reality later and I will now be starting 6 lots of chemo on 29th Sept over 18 weeks followed by 3 weeks of radiotherapy, followed by 5 years worth of Tamoxifen. Trying to keep thinking that all this will keep me alive longer, (as long as a bus doesn’t get me first!!), so it’s worth it! That’ll teach me to be optimistic!!
So my personal plan of action before the poison begins, is to hit as many of my favourite restaurants as I can before the 29th, just in case I do end up with no taste and nausea!!!
Slightly bricking it, but reading everyone’s journey and the massive amount of support on here I know will get me through this.
Simone xxx
Its a bummer isn’t it. Although I haven’t officially been told by my Oncologist, only my consultant, it looks like we are going down the same route. I still have to have a further op yet on 7th October. I don’t blame you going to town before it starts and of course you need the reserves in your body to help when chemo starts.
I hope it goes ok, at least your journey will be well under way by the time mine starts. Will look out for your posts.
So sorry that you have to take this long, arduous route through, but it sounds like you have a great attitude to get you there.
Enjoy some nights out whilst you can, build some treats in for the good weeks (week 3) of chemo and be gentle with yourself. Then take it all at your own pace.
As you say, by throwing everything at it, you maximise your chances of a long, helathy life… buses notwithstanding.
I have almost exactly the same treatment plan as you except my chemo begins on the 30th and I always knew I would be having it. Its been delayed for a few weeks because of infection and I asked if it could be delayed until after my birthday - the 29th - they said yes but I have to have it on the 30th! So no birthday drinking for me.
Actually I’m glad it’s not being delayed any more, I just want to get on with it and want to know how it’s going to make me feel. I’m expecting to feel fairly crap for the week afterwards and get gradualy better til the next one.
Hi Simonewithane, i was exactly the same, expecting to get away without chemo then they hit me with that whammy. I started my first FEC last friday & so far have felt generally ok, no sickness , just tiredness really. I was bricking it as well but as u say it’ll keep us alive longer. U sound like u have a good attitude about it & i really think that helps. You’ll have to come & join us on the starting chemo in sept thread. Good luck with it & yes u will get through it, i think the support on here is absolutely fantastic & i really don’t know how i’d have got so far without it.
Ditto! I was told from diagnosis on 9th March, that I would have surgery, 3 weeks rads and tamoxifen! On the 12th july after THREE lots of surgery, that all changed and I was told I would be having six weeks of rads, 6 cycles of chemo, 18 infusions of herceptin and tamoxifen for five years!! I am having everything they can thrown at it. Every time I went it changed. The worst bit for me was finding out I was her2 positive, hence the herceptin!!
I can totally feel for you today as it’s a horrid shock when you are told you definitely won’t need chemo!!
Awww same plan as me simone but i am still waiting on my start date for chemo and my appointment for bone scan…waiting waiting waiting
I am also planning on getting a few treat meals in before the poison. Going out to pizzaexpress on friday with some friends and im sure i can fit a couple more Big BK meals in the next couple of weeks hehehe
Me too, was expecting three weeks of rads and then got the suckerpunch, 6 courses of FEC chemo plus three weeks of rads and herceptin.
Had my first chemo, 2nd on thursday.
Buy yourself some nice treats for when you have had chemo, I found it a good excuse to go to M&S and spend on things that I would normally reject.
Go on treat yourself .
Fi XX
I will probabely be starting chemo at the same time as you. Saw my Oncologist yesterday, have to have 6 x EC chemo, possible might have rads to follow and 5 years tam. Originally I was told surgery followed by 5 years hormone!
Don’t know how I am going to handle 6 more months of going stir crazy at home, but I am sure I will cope
SGL, blimey I know it’s no competition as to who’s got it worse but that’s some mill you’ve been through there, hopefully your days will get better, hugs to you xxx
Crabbit, thanks for the wishes, and a trip to M&S treat aisle is planned for this Thusday!!
Clare, hope you get your plan sorted soon and in the meantime happy eating, Go us xxx
Fi, good luck with the rest of your treatment and hope your se’s are tiny, thanks for the M&S tip xxx
Dizzycloud, good luck with your treatment, my kindle and this forum has been my saviour to date, just couldn’t face daytime TV!!!
awww it probably looks worse in print than it actually is lol I am lucky in that my nodes were clear and that hopefully I have no vascular invasion. But yes it was a shock to be told for months I would not need chemo to suddenly have that and herceptin thrown at me.
I am lucky in that I am now under the Royal Marsden and the Professor of Oncology was absolutely adorable and when he saw how distressed I was about the chemo business, he opted to give a less harsh one Vinorelbine, along with my herceptin, that does have side effects, but hopefully wont make me loose my hair, so all in all its not too bad.
I really hope you are managing to get your head around this, its a really shock at first, but it will get easier.
I have my first FEC on 30 Sept, after expecting to just have rads and tamoxifen, but I would rather know I have had everything possible to stop this coming back.
Good luck everyone starting at the end of the month , we will get through this together.
Hi mrs Doubt here, I have to have chemo then rads then 5 years tam, found BC on a routine mam in july. Had lumpectomy was grade 3.Its my 50th birth and I am going away for wk end with about 20 friends. So I asked oncol if I could start after that. Just got my plan I start my first 1 on the 12 oct. Like you I am bricking it as dont know how its going to affcet me. I have realy long dark hair all my own colour and am so worried about loosing it. I am going to wear a thing called a cold cap to try and stop it falling out. He said he wasnt going to give me strong drugs so dont even know what I am getting till I go. I wish you all the best .xxx
SGL, just about getting my head around this, but just a little bit fuzzy!! And mahoosive hugs to you too xxx
Jules, on the same wavelength, I’ll throw whatever I can at this to get out the other side, good luck for 30th and fingers crossed se’s are titchy xxx
Ninja, couldn’t agree with you more, feeling worried enough about 6 lots, must be dreadful for those who have longer, by the way I meant to say on other threads, your profile pic made me giggle, brilliant xxx
Hey Mrs Doubt, hope you have the best weekend away with your friends and happy birthday xx Going to give the cold cap a go myself, although my hair is short anyway, I figured it was worth a go, good luck with yours xxx
I know I keep saying this but I just can’t believe what a relief it is that this site exists, thanks everyone xxx
I needs some quick advice please. Went to see Oncologist yesterday, my BC is hormone recetive but neg to protien so I don’t need herceptin (good news) I know I will need radiotherapy and tamoxifen. I had my lump removed with good margins and no lymph node involvement. My Oncologist said I was on the border line as to if I need chemo or not. There is an 85% chance of still being here in 10yrs with radio and tamoxifen and having chemo only adds another 3% (this is an estimate). Is it worth going through chemo for and added 3%. He is rining me Friday for a decision. Any advice??
Hey Patlufc, I’m kind of new to all this but all I can tell you is that I think any opportunity to increase your odds as it were is a good thing, but obviously everyone’s different and them’s some pretty unpleasant se’s you might have to deal with!! Might be worth ringing the BCC helpline, chatting with your BC nurse and of course your family. Sorry I know that’s not particularly helpful but all the best and good luck with what is a difficult decision, Simone xxx
Could anyone else offer Patlufc any useful info please, thanks xxx