Thank you for posting the picture, that does look very like mine, thank you for the moisturising tip! Did you get sort of cold sores too? X
3 Likes
I had Paclitaxel and ached all over. Iām 15 months on from finishing and commented to my oncologist that I ache in a variety of places still. I was told that chemo can aggregate existing issues, some of which we might have thought of as an occasional niggle.
I use Epsom salts in the bath, I find gentle exercise helps including stretching, heated wheat bags and Iāve tried a couple of balms that are supposed to help with aches but Iām not sure they are that good.
Let your team know.
3 Likes
Morning all
@sassy3 that waiting game is hellish and we all feel for you. I was told by my oncologist that the fact-finding part can take time sometimes but that it is important that they get a clear and accurate picture to ensure the best treatment path. I guess we all know that but it doesnāt make it any easier. Distraction is key. Do lovely things for yourself right now to counter this horrid time. You will get there.
@arty1 It sounds like normality is returning for you. I remember answering your first post from a car park in Appledore back last summer and now you are like an old friend. We have shared so much and I love that we can celebrate these little milestones together. Your daughterās texts are very funny. Thanks very much for the splinter advice. My husband said something similar to you so I have stopped the jabbing and it does indeed look to be forming a callous. Itās brilliant to have friends with medical knowledge. I could have had half an angry red hand by now! Sorry to hear you have anaemia again though. I hope that can get sorted quickly. I didnāt realise how much weaker it makes you feel until I had it during chemo.
Thanks for the outfit approval @sn25. It will be interesting to know how you do without the white blood cell injections. Good luck with Herceptin number 1 on Friday. We are so lucky to have that amazing drug. Sounds like you are doing really well so far, despite the aches and pains.
@marymop Iām pleased to tell you that not only are you posting on here successfully but that Iām also super happy for you to hear that all they can find now is your metal tag!! Brilliant news! We love people to share their good news on here. Itās so important to celebrate the good times along with commiserating over the tough ones.
@galdiolus Thanks to you for sharing how your skin suffered during chemo. Again, if one of us has been through it and come out the other side then it shows others that they are not alone and before they know it they will be doing park runs again. Or caving or prancing around dressed as a butterfly!
@jayveebee Itās shocking and humbling to be told how much our treatment costs, isnāt it. I was told that a Phesgo injection costs Ā£9,000 per injection. Iām so grateful for it. Great that you are not suffering much on Kadcyla.
I am on countdown to my op on Friday now. I have decided to take The Complete Guide to Breast Cancer by Dr Liz OāRiordan and Professor Trisha Greenhalgh with me for some light reading. To be honest, I was offered this book at the outset while I was awaiting scan dates but at the time, my head was so full of breast cancer and Iād done so much damage by doom-scrolling that I couldnāt take anymore. Now I definitely feel in the right headspace to read it and Iāll probably find out I should have read it back then, all along. Iāll let you all know. This will be op number 6 for me and this is the good one where I get a lovely perky new pair at the end of it all. It feels rewarding to be positively excited about it!
Love to you, my buddies old and new,
Salbert
xx
6 Likes
Thank you for your kind words, also the book you mention is excellent, Iāve read it from cover to cover, it was recommended to me! X
1 Like
@naughty_boob that probably explains why my existing muscular skeletal problems seem worse these days ā¦ I am having a bone scan though just to rule out spread x
1 Like
Definitely makes sense all my aches are previous issues @arty1 fingers crossed for the bone scan
2 Likes
@sassy3 no cold sores but I did get a sore mouth and used Corsydl toothpaste for that recommended by my dentist and that also helped xx
1 Like
@salbert - I canāt believe that itās a year in July since I had my initial diagnosis - Without sounding like a sentimental old git ā¦ what would I do without you lot ?!! @naughty_boob answered my first desperate post and I suddenly didnāt feel alone , she directed me here when I got my her2 diagnosis and I canāt thank you enough for setting up this thread when you did , I remember your reply when I joined the thread when I felt so frightened ā¦ what a lovely group we have x
@galdiolus My skin was rubbish too during chemo . I had acne ā¦ I was outraged !
@sn25 in all honesty my body was a bit of a wreck even before the cancer diagnosis 
1 Like
Good afternoon ladies, I just came back from my oncologist as I was feeling rubbish I cried again this morning and again with her so she put me through counselling as itās really hard for me to cope and I feel lonely and isolated.
She lower my dose and prescribe different anti sickness for next time and some acid medication to help me eat as I lost 8kg in 3 rounds and some steroids foam for my rectal bleeding as I am bouncing btw constipation and diarrhoea and she add some medicine as I have cold sore in my cheek and she asked me to take ibuprofen or paracetamol for my muscle ache.
She told me to go out and meet friends if I can or have the energy for it.
6 Likes
My dear @hasnae87, can you feel my virtual hug? You are having a really horrible time of it and the sooner you can start counselling, the better. You need to talk all this through and process it. They should be able to give you some coping tools. All the side effects from treatment can make you feel so grotty which doesnāt help when you are struggling mentally. Have you tried Someone Like Me? Here is the link - Someone Like Me | Breast Cancer Now
It would be good for you to have that extra support in place and there are always our wonderful Breast Cancer Now nurses on 0808 800 6000. Keep talking about it and if you can muster the energy then do go and meet with friends. You have us but itās not the same as seeing people face to face.
@arty1 - Wellā¦I feel the same. This journey without you girls doesnāt bear thinking about. @naughty_boob was first to come to my aid too. This group are a flipping phenomenal bunch.
3 Likes
@hasnae87 - you poor thing 
Iām so sorry you are being hit with nasty side effects ā¦ Chemo and I didnāt get on either . I had either horrendous constipation or chemo larva bum ā¦ With a long history of piles and on anti coagulation treatment ā¦ it was like a blood bath in the loo !
What I will say is ā¦ get them to prescribe you a good laxative . I was given laxido ā¦ Start taking it two days before your chemo cycle and for the week following or until you are going to the loo with no issues ā¦ it sorted things out for me in cycle 3 and 4 x
2 Likes
I get a call from someone like me ppl today as I really want to talk to someone as I need to take all this overthinking and anxiety out of my head.
Big struggle is my husband working everyday and as not being able to drive even to nice park itās make me sad. Before I used to take buses or train but now they say you should avoid public transportation.
And I donāt have the energy for long walks too.
3 Likes
Thank you,I have laxido and I m using it every day until I feel ok.
This time I will use it before chemo as your advice
2 Likes
Hi all. Just wanted to recommend Moo Goo range of skin products for all. They have a whole set that are oncologist approved. Really helped me during first chemo, still using.
And to say to all you ladies in the thick of it now to say this too will pass and please take heart from those of us on here now caving, partying and going to bonkers concerts. Thanks Scissor Sisters for this image during their encore! The irony!
@salbert i did think of your wonderful outfit!
7 Likes
Hi @galdiolus
Thank you so much for that, Iām about to order some now as itās driving me nuts, ( dr pimple popper fan) 
3 Likes
Hi @hasnae87
Iām so sorry you are having a rough time. Do have a maggies near you. Iāve been for a wig thing today and ended up having a lovely chat with one of the staff there, it really helped. X
1 Like
Not where I live but I will search for some near me hopefully my husband will find free time to take me as I donāt drive and they say not to use public transportation.
1 Like
@hasnae87 sounds really rubbish for you, really hope it starts to sort out, sounds like they are listening in oncology at least. Youāre also getting good wisdom from here. If youāre not doing it already, keep a few notes on the symptoms and the strategies you try, to see if that helps you work out what actually makes a difference. If youāre having challenges in the ādonāt go too far from a toiletā department I can see you probably donāt want to go far anyway. Iām tending to google ābusy timesā before I go to places and Iām finding its fairly accurate when I go for ānot busyā before I set out. Guess there may be quiet times on public transport too . Take care, honestly it wonāt go on for ever
4 Likes
Well, slap a bench, if that isnāt 18 Phesgos in the bag.
Reading everyoneās posts. @naughty_boob @salbert @arty1 so impressed you manage to digest the conversations so quickly and reply to them all.
I too had a kind of acne on chemo. Moisturising helped to some extent. And the nurses gave me some paraffin based cream to create a skin barrier and stop any infection. According to the blurb, I was flammable after using it. It did help though.
@salbert agree with the advice youāve had on the splinter. My mum always told me to soak the area with the splinter in warm water with epsom salts dissolved in. Did the trick for me.
8 Likes
