thanks to lucy, val and monica - its really encouraging to hear about people who have moved on after their BC at such a young age and still having a positive attitude 2nd time round! I do worry its gonna be like a big black cloud hovering over me forever and am so grateful for the support on here to help put things in perspective.
I have to say monica - i recon you could definitely get away with gategrashing the warrington forum from your profile pic you don’t look anywhere near 40 nevermind 50!
xxx
It’s brilliant to hear from ladies who’ve been through the ‘younger woman diagnosis’ and come out of it the other end. Very inspiring!
Pixie - nobody mentioned the possibility of the seroma going hard :-o. That sounds horrid. At the moment I’m having mine drained twice a week so looks like I’ll be back in for drainage again tomorrow.
It’s just uncomfortable, and wibbly. Which is bearable…but I didn’t know whether to try leaving it and see if it gets better of it’s own accord? I have heard that sometimes they’d rather you do this than keep having it drained as that might introduce infection. Gah…it’s all this conflicting information!
Mind you nobody said BC would be easy.
Kerry
xxx
Hi Ladies,
Lovely to hear all the positive things with people moving on. So cant wait untill im writing the same in the future
Had the Bi lateral mastectomy this week and feel like a huge weight has now been lifted so glad its over with. Am back at home now with hubby and the kids and trying to get as much rest as posiible slept for three hours today and am still tired. Due to start chemo in two weeks and totally dreading it. Seems ridiculous but am dreading losing my hair more than having lost my breasts!!!
Hope you are all doing well,
Caro, hows the chemo going???
Take care all and hopefully carry on enjpying the sunshine this weekend.
Love Nicki
Hi Nicki
Glad to hear the surgery went well; that’s one big hurdle over with! I had my 2nd FEC this morning. Had to hang around for a couple of hours whilst I had another blood test, as my neutrophils were too low on Friday. Luckily they were up enough today for me to get FEC-ed! Was quite uncomfortable today, as my hand was really sore whilst they administered the epirubicin. Feeling ok at mo; last time the nausea kicked in in the evening, so we’ll see…
Love to all.
Caroxxxx
Fingers crossed you wont feel to rough tonight Caro.
I have just seen the surgeon and they have got it all thank god no more surgery, well after having both off there wasnt really many more places it could go!!! But huge relief regardless…
I am seeing the ONC on wed and they have already talked to me about having a hickman line (think thats whats its called) in my neck to administer chemo as my veins are appalling already, maybe talk to them about it?
Keep well
Love
Nicki
thats great news nicki.
a hickman line is a central line and gets inserted either through the big vein in your neck which leads into your heart or sometimes into the top chamber of your heart… it does have its disadvantages as well but if i had the opportunity to have it before treatment i personally would have accepted it as i have had bilateral cancer and some swelling in both arms and knackered veins.
a lot of people dread losing their hair but tbh it never really bothered me emotionally… i thought it was quite amusing but my family were a bit freaked by it… my sis shaved mine off and we were in hysterics… i just figured its only hair… and it will grow back… and so many times iv heard folk say i wish i could shave it off and start again… so thought this was my one and only opportunity to do that. for me it was painful coming out and still get a tender head every now and then although still have a slight covering of hair… beware though it comes from you private parts before your head and that was a bit of a surprise to me.
caro hope your not feeling too floored after you FECing… im wiating to hear how my neuts are as had blood taken this morning but last 3 times have needed repeat bloods done on the day so not holding my breath they will be any good… but would make a nice change if they were ok.
kerry and pixie how are your seromas now? i had a haematoma… which is bruising and it formed a hard lump but was quite deep inside the breast as there was no evidence of bruising on the skin… it was in exactly the same place as my tumour was but eventually it just softened and went away after a number of weeks and i didnt need to get it drained at all.
take care girls
love Lulu x
Hi all, I’m a 47 year old from West Sussex. Diagnosed 16th July (found by accident having a mammogram for a cyst in other breast), mastectomy 11th August and first chemo on 3rd Sept. Hated the chemo as I was very sick that evening and felt pretty naff the next day. Noticed my hair is starting to fall out today and, surprisingly, this is the worst bit for me. I just can’t begin to think what it will be like to have no hair. Pathetic I know, given everything else that’s happening to me. Is there anyone that can give me an idea as to when I can expect it to grow back and are there any people using this site in my area?
Good news Nicki! Hope the line’s ok. I’m still not feeling too bad after my 2nd chemo on Monday; a bit of nausea occasionally but nothing to prevent me eating!!
Hey Lulu, bit worried about how low my neuts were though after only one chemo; is that normal?! They’d only come back up to 1.7 on the day they gave me my second chemo, so I’m guessing because they’re starting off low they can only get lower, which probably means they’ll be low throughout my 6 cycles of chemo…? Am now paranoid about risk of infection; any idea of what the risk is btw??? How were your neuts yesterday? Hope they were good. When’re you due your chemo?
Caro xxx
Well ladies looks like i’m joining you all on the FEC rollercoaster. due to start week beginning 28th. Then onto Rads for 15 sessions then Hertceptin then tamoxifen… going to be a long 6 months…
Got to have this porta catherter thingy fitted because of my rubbish veins as well next week and they are also giving me a drug to temporay shut down my ovaries.
Any tips to prepare for chemo would be greatly recieved.
Off to sort a wig out next week just in case the cold cap doesnt work or I cant tollerate it.
Caro glad the 2nd one wasnt so bad - it would take a lot to put me off my food too!!
Lulu thanks for the tips on the hair hadnt heard that one!!
Keep well everyone
Nicki
hi there just join this site never done this be four i have had breast cancer 7 monthes now been thour a lot had cemo and radio now am on tamo and just started herceptin had it 2 time now it seam ok u were the first one on the site that s why i just wanted to say hi not sure how it workes but hope to chat soon ok
well hi to u all first time doing anything like this i not quite sure how it workes i have had breast cancer for about 7 monthes now been thour a lot have had cemo radio now am on tamo and just started herceptin hand 2 now not 2 bad feel ok just neen to chat to other people that r going thour the same thing as me well speak soon by for now
caro thats not neccessarily the case the neuts can go up and down a bit… mine were higher this week before number 5 tomorrow than they have been before 3 and 4 although a bit lower than they have been on the actual day of chemo… so not sure if i will need them rechecked or if they are happy just to give it anyway… neuts are 1.35 today. hope your feeling a bit better… im a bit nervous about my first CMF especially as im going to the lakes for the weekend.
Hi Amanda as i said my hair falling out wasnt really that bad for me… but like a lot of the girls i shaved it off when it started coming out rather than waiting for it all to fall out to gain a bit of control back… depending on what kind of chemo your having will depend when your hair starts to grow back… if your on FEC it should start growing a few weeks after your last treatment… im having Epi-CMF and for some people it start to grow back when they are on the CMF part of treatment.
personally i dont mind having no hair… its quite liberating… but i will be looking forward to it growing back as i wouldnt want to keep the bald look permanently.
Nicki theres not really much you can do to prepare for chemo… i was worried about feeling sick but have had very little nausea as they give you plenty antisickness tablets… my main problem has been with my veins due to the Epirubicin (the E in FEC) and there isnt really anything that can be done to help them… best advise is just take it a day at a time and get plenty of rest… after the first one i wasnt so tired but it builds up.
hi maria glad the herceptin hasnt been too bad for you so far… im not getting it but was on tamox for 3 years and didnt really have many problems with it.
Lulu x