Hi ladies. I’ve been wondering about the use of cannula, pic line etc. I was having my Kadcyla this morning on the chemo ward and everyone seemed to be on a cannula, all my chemo was too. I have seen one younger lady with a line in at the clinic. Is this a hospital preference? I’m ‘lucky’ as I have big fat visible veins. Not so pretty but very glad I have them now. I did have a hard lesson with first Kadcyla as unintentionally turned up dehydrated and took 5 attempts to get the line in and very bruised all over from it for weeks. Focused on drinking loads yesterday and cannula went in first time today. So I’m convinced this is connected. Wondering on your experiences?
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It seems to be dependent on the hospital. My first preferred PICC lines and my second just scheduled me in to get a port before I started Kadcyla. I’ve not encountered anyone who prefers cannulas yet.
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@jayveebee that’s an interesting thought. I’m on cannula and most on my unit are. You are probably right on hydration, I’ve not had any issues so far but did drink loads from the day before. Might be preference, costs, complexity/ frequency of chemo? Hopefully will carry on working ok anyway!!
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Hi Hoggie, yes it certainly is stressful! I perservered with the hospital and have managed to get an appointment next week now, so the wait is much reduced. So now I’m worrying about the results of the CT scan…! I think this is going to be one worry after another but its reassuring to connect with people on this Forum in similar situations. I’m glad to hear you have a treatment plan and the best of luck with that. Talk to you again, I’m sure! xxx
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Dear Naughty Boob - now there’s a first!! Thank you so much for your detailed reply and I’ll take my time to read through and take it all in. As you know, it can be overwhelming but its reassuring to find that I can talk to so many people via this forum in the same position as me. Thank you again and I hope your naughty boobs are behaving themselves - no more intruders… Take care and I’m sure we’ll talk again. xxx 
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Thank you - yes its a relief to find this forum. I went through my husband’s chemo journey with him 9 years ago but I think women are more inclined to seek empathy from other women rather than coping on our own. Its good to hear you had a complete response to the chemo and I’m encouraged by what you say. Thanks again xxx 
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Hello, lovely ones and welcome to you @nicky2
I feel like this is the longest I’ve been away from this forum in a year and a half and I think I’m suffering from withdrawal. I have been reading everyone’s posts but we keep wildcamping in places without any signal, which is both brilliant and infuriating. We have just left the Isle of Skye and driven across the Applecross Pass and now I’m on a campsite with WiFi!! But I am still typing on my phone so can’t scroll back and answer individually to people which I am desperate to do so this doesn’t sit well with me!
But hey, at least I can check in and say hello. I can’t believe treatment finished a week ago today and I have been on the road since then. It feels great.
Happy birthday for yesterday, our @jeml - you look as beautiful as ever. Breast cancer be damned!!
Big love to you all. Normal service will be resumed from Tuesday!
Salbert
Xxx
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@jayveebee I had a PICC line for my initial chemo- EC and Docetaxel but they’ve been using a cannula for my Kadcyla - veins have currently held out for 10 of 14 Kadcyla. But it does depend on hospital - 2 ladies in the Chemo starters April 24 both have ports for Kadcyla xx
Hi to you - ooh your trip brings back memories. We toured Scotland towing a caravan in 2021 and even went over to Harris and Lewis with it - the roads were much better up there than in the west country! Our caravan will be my refuge during the treatment - even if we go to a campsite a few miles up the road. I love it and its a comfy home from home. I bet you’re having a great time and I’m amazed you took off a week after finishing treatment! xx
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Hi, nicky2, you sound in a very similar situation to me. I am waiting for more tests and an oncology appointment. My biopsies were confirmed HER2 + 11th April. The waiting is awful isn’t it…
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@sooz1 @mrsjelly I’m a bit late on the COVID vaccine question but I do have something relevant I think 
I have delayed mine following advice from my oncologist - where my understanding was although it is safe to have the jab, he didn’t want me to present with a temperature on the chemo ward as that would just earn me a trip to A&E.
I guess if I had been on a 3-weekly cycle or whatever he might have just advised me to think about the scheduling so that any jab-related temperature was sorted by next infusion date so that may be the thing for you, but as mine is weekly (and nearly done 
) his advice was just to wait till I’d finished.
Happy birthday @jeml 
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Hi, all, struggling to navigate the site, i seem to be popping up in the wrong place! I need to join the club no one wants to join too! Diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma HER 2 + on 11th April. Had Echo cardiogram, now waiting for MRI and scout implant before oncology and chemo. Really up and down, trying to be practical, then panic sets in! Need some buddies right now x
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@sassy3 well, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve all been where you are and know what you’re going through. There’s a couple of newly diagnosed people in the thread who seem to be in the same place. It all seems the most up and down when you’re diagnosed and waiting to start treatment because you have no idea what to expect. I think my most anxious points were in that period (and then when I got surprised by needing Kadcyla post-surgery). Are you having chemo before surgery?
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Hi, yes, chemo first, no idea yet of any regime x
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@sassy3 welcome to the club no one wants to be a member of. This is such a great place for advice and support. The early days of waiting are the toughest mentally but once you start your treatment you will get into a rhythm.
Ask any questions on here usually someone will have the answer.
Look after yourself and be kind to yourself
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Thanks for that, I was going to ask next week on my 3rd and final EC, then i move to weekly pac but I think im just going to wait, I don’t fancy a trip to A&E because of temp, avoided it so far.
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Hello all,
Warning and apologies in advance this post is going to be a downer of a read. Just trying to avoid the google black hole so coming to you ladies to offload I’m afraid. Had my appointment with the surgeon yesterday to discuss my upcoming mastectomy. I had a CT last week as a routine check for an ‘incidental lung nodule’ they picked up on my pre treatment PET scan which they told me they did not think was cancer related at the time. However, it’s totally disappeared after chemo so I’m assuming actually it was a met 
this recent scan also showed a ‘spot on my spine’ so I now need to have another PET scan. I’m spiralling, just so so afraid. My little girl knows ‘mummy’s sad’. Heartbroken all over again
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I would wait for your covid jab as I had mine in October and a CT in Nov which showed an 8mm lymph node nr my collarbone on the other side which was still there in Jan when I had a CT. I haven’t had a Spring covid jab and am due another CT in July.
I’m having my last radiotherapy of 5 today so the main treatment is done apart from Phesgo as my oncologist has recommended I don’t have Kadcyla due to having cancer before as people who had cancer before were excluded from the Katherine trial so there is no way of knowing how beneficial it will be but he says 11% but another oncologist said 2%, having Sepsis so more prone to infections (he told my surgeon I don’t tell him when I feel ill as I didn’t tell him from Tuesday afternoon to Thursday morning when the nurse came round and took my temperature and that he saw me in hospital every day for 3 weeks well it was 12 days) and having itchy arms when I was on blood thinners so may have been that not Phesgo. I may discuss that with him again as my surgeon thinks I should.
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Awww sooz1 im sorry to hear you are going through this. Because it has dissapeared still does not mean it was a met… but if it was it has gone! My aunts mum had Lung mets but caught it really early and that was years ago and she went through treatment and it totally gone because it was early and she has been okay since. Also where i worked years ago at a GP practise we had a patient with spine mets and he had treatment and that also went because it was early. Not saying it is that but i just wanted to share that with you.
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Thank you @jeml 
some positivity is probably what I need!!
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