Hi @loubeeloo21
Welcome to our forum. So your diagnosis was 3 and a half years ago. How are you doing?
Salbert
x
Good morning all
Fantastic news @arty1. Who knew dozens of women would be celebrating the confirmation of your cyst. Real cysterhood in this group! Think I might raise a glass to it later!
@salbert my BIL refers to my sisters boobs as bajingling bajanglers. It does have a sort of sparkly musical theatre ring to it.
@hasnae87, I found cycle 5 tough going. Had a brief discussion about dose reduction for number 6 but opted to continue. It was rough but Iām through it. Unlike you I no longer have a small child to look after. Youāve done so well to get through everything to date. Itās a lot.
I attended my first cancer rehab class last Friday. I was the only one in the group with coordinated gym wear, so felt Iād tried too hard. Was a tad concerned that the elastic might have perished in my leggings as itās had been stuffed in the bottom of my wardrobe for so long. Also seemed to be the youngest and the only person who was bald. I got too hot for headwear so tossed it aside. I managed to keep up with them all but it was knackering. Instructor asked what sports I do as I moved like an athlete. Had to confess very few since completing my compulsory CSE PE in 1985ā¦ I left the studio sweaty and cap-less to a few stares from people at the leisure centre. My sister said they might have thought I was Duncan Goodhewā¦ Iāve been back today and am now recovering with my feet up and a dog sleeping between my legs.
Last weeks Covid vaccine wasnāt very kind to me. I woke me up sweating buckets. Temp was 39. Wiped out on Saturday. Had a sleep on my Portsmouth arbour seat with the dog in the sun. I had felt chilled to the bone. Warmed me up in no time. Was in the bath at a the childās time of 18:30 and in bed by 19:00. Lights off at 21:00. Slept for 10 solid hours. Marvellous. Shattered Sunday but by Monday felt nearly normal.
Monday led me to the coastal town of Shoreham for PICC care. Iāve decided to hang on to it so it can be used for my pre op bloods. Iām not chancing multiple appointments and attempts to get them from my hand. My record is 3 appointments and 17 stabs for bloods to start a new drug for my PsA. I will run out of days to have it done with my op on a Tuesday. Tuesday went for my first solo treatment of Herceptin. In and out in an hour. No one mentioned PICC removal and I kept it well hidden under two layers! My next herceptin is due on my op day so now waiting to hear when I will resume it after surgery. Have a provisional appointment 3 weeks post op. May I ask how long you have waited following surgery to restart it?
Wednesday was a good day. We went out for lunch and I had three courses. Delicious. Felt relatively normal. Be interesting to see how I am over the next week compared to having all the other 7 drugsā¦. Hoping Iām going to feel as I used to. Clear head and no discombobulationā¦
Yesterday was shattered. Had to buy big kitchen appliances. The fridge freezer is leaking despite replacement door seals and emptying it at defristuong it. Tumble drier conked out and tumble drier chewing the clothes. Hoping thatās the three thingsā¦
Pre op appt Monday. Tuesday is my first long term sickness absence meeting at workā¦
. We are thinking of going to the New Forest for a couple of nights to reward ourselves for getting through the last 8 monthsā¦ husbands reward on Friday is another eye op and being a passenger in my car for 2 hours 
. With only one eye on the road he will gripping his seat 
Time for a brew and a toast to all of us! Xxx
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@salbert you had a hairdresser who wouldnāt cut your hair 
Just had Kadcyla 13 of 14, getting so close now. And same poor little vein in my hand held up again. Asked about follow up after final Kadcyla and there isnāt any
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Hi unfortunately I was diagnosed with mets straight away-I thought this was a secondaries forum. Iām ok phesgo is my first line treatment and my oncologist is confident I could stay on it for much longer. Iāve had stable scans since finishing chemo
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Yes @gromit12 its a savage cut off! I think this is why so many struggle with initial aftermath when treatment finishes. And why they do the āmoving forwardā course. Why cant we have an hour with a BC nurse to wrap up and chat about the coming months? Much more human and patient based.
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Iāve been meaning to raise the subject of lack of estrogen ādown thereā. I was so scratchy dry it was awful. Luckily oncologist approved vaginal estrogen ring which has improved comfort 100% and now this study makes me feel even better.
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And another thing on this roller coaster. Been struggling since Saturday after wrenching my hips loading washing machine. Havenāt been sleeping with the pain. On 3rd bed hop! Only help was to cycle on my electric bike to ease muscle spasms. Gave up and made appointment with chiropractor at 10am this morning. Fast foward to 5.30pm after 5 hrs in A&E getting x-rays checking for fractured vertebrae and/or sinister āspotsā on spine. Cue panic tears and causing a scence by lying over 3 chairs crying in waiting room in pain and exhaustion from Kadcyla on Wednesday/not sleeping. All checked out OK (phew) and now high as a kite on morphine and the joy of being relatively free of pain while it lasts. Thats another 8 hrs of my life Iām not getting back but looking forward to a better nights sleep. And the doctor was very cute. Lol.
Oh but I did get a Ā£330 reduction in my professional fees this year when i asked if could skip logging training as was too busy with treatment. Iāll take that win. Hurrah. Itāll pay for a few massages and the Ā£5.50 bottle of laxative to go with tonights painkillers! Why is that not on prescription?
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@jayveebee - that made me laugh out loud especially a uni boob hug 
Thank you all of you - Iād been so worried about recurrence or secondary spread that I hadnāt even considered scares in my other boob - My son has only just gone home tonight and thatās been a drama in itself ā¦ Iāll save that for another time ā¦Iām exhausted and have a long day at work tomorrow ā¦ and my period showed up again in all its horrific soak through your clothes in two seconds ā¦ monsteousnousā¦ uggh ā¦ time to up the iron ! (,watches last drop of iron leave body ))
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@gromit12 Iām just behind you, scheduled to have number 12 this week and while Iām so ready to be done with these, am feeling a bit of anxiety about being released to the wildā¦ 
Iām sure weāll get used to it? Hope so anyways.
I still have my reconstruction to schedule so Iām not completely free yet but itās not too long to go.
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You lovely ladies have so much going on yet all so positive, itās great, very relieved for you arty that must have been terrifying! I definitely became a moaning myrtle again this week after another delayed chemo Iāve not had one chemo as scheduled and at the āthink itās time to stopā (my team id still try and push through I think) stage Iāve only managed 1 x ec and 2x weekly paclitaxol even one of those was 50% dose - my body just says no thanks so looks like it will be herceptin on its own instead how do you guys find herceptin on its own?! Iāll hopefully be starting this week
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Sorry some more herceptin queries, do you still have to be as careful with being out and about and catching bugs or is it more carry on life as normal go for dinner, meet friends etc etc?
@jayveebee hope pain has settled once the strong stuff wore off. Sitting outside local coffee shop with post surgery dog in her cone milking attention from passers by and hoping not to get rained on. We are both utterly frustrated with our respective restrictions and I canāt even imagine the end of this relentless cancer trip. Its good to know @kartoffel and @gromit12 that youāre nearing the end, but I can see that it becomes so much part of things that it must feel really odd to be sent off into the wild as you put it. Have the best weekend you can everyone
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Hi. Typing from my yoga mat on living room floor! Slept better and the muscle tension is easing. Forget to mention this amazing win this week too from:
https://her-bodywear.co.uk/
Finally found a supportive enough comfy soft bra with enough lift to leave the house in! I wont be running for any buses but at least they are comfy and in the right place. Worth every penny and made by one of us! Iām a weird 32f and wearing a size 12 if that helps anyone.
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@jayveebee I have just been to a lovely bra shop near us to prepare for upcoming mastectomy and the lady was showing me these bras made by lady in Nottingham. I have booked a fitting so not tried yet but they do look comfy. X
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Hi all, apologies in advance for sensitive subject! Has anyone experienced really sore red areas between butt cheeks? Chemo related Iām assuming? If so what did you do? Hope everyone is having as good a weekend that they can!
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3 weeks out from double mastectomy and diep reconstruction, going to the pictures with the wee one and huaband
Gone for a red wig usually blonde for me but live this colour x
Hope everyone is well, i havent chexkes in for a while been recovering from surgery xx
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Thatās a wig?
If so itās a bloody good one, I wouldnāt have known.
I find myself looking st everyoneās hair at the cancer hospital I go to for my treatment and to see my oncologist, I think I can usually identify a wig these days.
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Hi everyone itās been a while since Iāve been here but having read through thereās lots of us HER2 buddies now 
I hope everyone is keeping as well as possible. Iāve just completed 15 rounds of radiotherapy yesterday.
Getting used to this new normal is tough going isnāt it. Iām super grateful for all the treatment but feel worn out now and want to focus on healing both mentally, physically and dare I say it aesthetically!!
I know itās not the most important thing on this journey but not having my long hair is so hard to process. I had 14 inches of my hair cut off before chemo and had a decent bob. By round 6 I had lost so much so had to have the stray bob bits cut off
I have had quite good hair growth between end of chemo and end of April (I was fortunate to keep some of it after cold capping) and now Iām worried as Iām back on phesgo and Iāve read that it can cause hair loss?? Is this really a thing. Whatās everyoneās experience of this?
Thanks
X
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Bravo on the 15 rounds of radiotherapy! I had 15 too, itās so exhausting (Iām jealous of those only needing 5 or something).
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