Amazing! Thank you so much! ![]()
@carrie5 A Joe Brown frock fund is an excellent idea! I saw a cherry crumble in my parents kitchen last night and fell upon it like a savage and then remembered I am dieting. Old habits die hard.
@dilly I had to give up teaching children during chemo and so did @naughty_boob I missed them more than I can say. Hereās hoping you are one of the people who find Kadcyla kinder.
@sweatybettyhq26 Thatās good news that they have decided to go ahead. I had one chemo where they reduced the dose a little as I had raised liver levels which had returned to normal by the next chemo so then it was the usual dose again and it didnāt happen after that. Itās great that they will monitor your blood weekly. I had weekly blood tests as I was having weekly Paclitaxel and I was glad to be able to keep an eye on it myself. On the Royal Marsden app it shows you the historic data so I can now see how everything has recovered and is in a normal range. Long may it last. You absolutely can and will get through this. Love to see a pic of your wig if you want to post one. No pressure though. We love to admire the wigs on here.
And finally, hello and welcome to @farli You are in good company. The best! Post away; there is always someone to chat with.
xx
@farli I have just read you are a dancer with some anxiety issues. I was an actress for 20 years with anxiety issues. I am now teaching drama and musical theatre. This is a safe space to chat. Everyone on here understands the anxiety that this diagnosis brings so you will have lots of empathy and understanding.
@sweatybettyhq26 Love the pics, you look amazing ! Welcome @farli
Thank you so much ![]()
Thank you so much Carrie
@sweatybettyhq26 Wow!! Itās gorgeous. You look lovely. Good luck for the chemo. You can do it!!!
Hi Salbert
Thank you so much. Wow! How amazing! Yes I dance and itās my whole world. I suffer terribly with anxiety and other mental health illness. Dancing keeps me safe and helps me to manage my mental health difficulties. I am petrified of losing my hair and not being able to dance throughout this as it will have such an impact on my mental health and positivity going forwards. I am having my lounge turned into a studio in the next couple of weeks. I havenāt felt heard so far about my mh difficulties, it has felt a one size fits all approach so far with no joined up services between physical and mental health, especially with pre existing MH illness. I am so stressed and worried about my plan. I am so happy to have joined this forum and itās wonderful that you teach musical theatre and acting!! That is so cool and exciting! Did you/do you perform too? Thank you for reaching out. Much appreciated
Hi @farli Anxiety and mh issues are so common in the performing world. It goes hand in hand, I think. I was a professional actress for 20 years then after I had my son and had to get a full time job after my first marriage broke down, I started teaching instead which I love. I was also very worried about losing my hair but when it happened it wasnāt nearly as bad as Iād thought it would be. I loved my wigs and then I loved my Sinead OāConnor buzz cut. Also, itās only temporary. I lost my hair during EC but it started growing back during Paclitaxel. Itās only natural to be stressed and worried at the point you are at now, but once you have your treatment plan and get started, you will start to feel less so. Right now your world has been turned upside down so no wonder you feel as you do. It will get better. Great that you are turning your lounge into a studio. I have Musical Theatre class tonight. We are working towards LAMDA exams and are doing pieces from Oliver (Consider Yourself), Matilda (Naughty) and Annie (Itās the Hard Knock Life). The dance teacher has choreographed a fab routine for Annie. I absolutely love being back in the studio. Itās like doing what you love without the stress of being a performer. I had a great time in the industry but donāt miss the stress and all the anxiety it brought. You will no doubt fully understand that. I took two terms out of teaching while I had chemo but was straight back at the start of the autumn term in the September after finishing chemo in the July. Iām sure everyone is saying it to you, but just look at Amy Dowden. You may sail through or you may find chemo tough, but youāll get through it and youāll be back dancing even if you have to take a little break. There may be some days when you just manage a little walk or there may be some duvet days, but just keep putting one foot in front of the other. What type of dancing do you do?
Evening ladies. I have a kadcyla question. I have just had number 12 today. My liver AST and ALT levels have been raised throughout. At my last blood test they were 89 and 70. Still had my infusion today but my oncologist wants me to have a scan. He says thereās no real concern just want to check the liver is ok and check for gallstones. Anyone else experienced anything similar. Was last scanned in June and all clear. Trying not to panic. They did say I was due a scan soon anywayā¦..
@woody2 I havenāt had Kadcyla myself but hopefully some of the ladies who have will be able to share their experience of your situation. It sounds reassuring that your oncologist has said there is no real concern and that the scan was due anyway. The fact that your last scan in June was all clear is also a really positive sign. It sounds more like a ābelt and bracesā check rather than anything urgent or worrying. Sending a big hug and hoping you get some reassuring replies soon.
@sweatybettyhq26 Great news that your CT scan is clear and I hope youāre doing ok today after chemo 1. I used to pop up on tv lots but not anymore. My favourite year was the one I spent with Paul OāGrady doing his stage show of Prisoner Cell Block H - The Musical and then his TV show. I also loved doing The Omid Djalili Show, the Sky breakfast show, and I did a couple of West End shows which were wonderful experiences. I had a decent career for 20 years and got to travel all over the UK and do shows and film in other countries so I wouldnāt change it for the world, even if it isnāt the most lucrative or secure profession. Plus which, I think it makes for a better teacher if you have lived the subject that you are now teaching.
I hope everyone has a good weekend. I am having a horror night with my best friend tomorrow evening. She has a macabre appetite for the most horrific films she can find. We have an agreement that we can watch the trailers first so that if I think they are just plain stressful/traumatic, then we find another that we both agree on. Whatās wrong with The Sound of Music? Thatās what I want to knowā¦
Hi everyone hope you are all well. Iāve now completed my chemotherapy and radiotherapy following my lumpectomy last year. Still have the ongoing Herceptin injections and Tamoxifen.
Found the Chemo forum so helpful.
Just feeling a bit worried about the future and potential reoccurrence.
How does everyone cope, sorry if Iām sounding negative.
I have a bit of pain in my boob that I think has got me extremely paranoid. I did see my BCN who said couldnāt feel anything and itās all still linked to healing but Iām still worrying.
Did anyone else have pain symptoms after treatment.
Love to you all xx
@erica well done on completing the tough part of treatment, it is a huge milestone for you.
The point where you are coming through cancer can be tough as you are losing the support network of the care team, and your personal network now start to see you as better, which you are, but the work goes on internally for many. You look better, but the mind is still on high alert and anxiety.
If you havenāt been offered counselling, I would recommend you explore it. Also BCN have some great services to help you cope with the emotional fall out.
Of course there will always be this forum for you to be part of so you donāt feel that sense of abandonment, if it is a space you want to hang around in.
Love to you as well. xx
Hi @erica good to hear from you, as @Jaygo said its normal that we worry about reoccurrence and it doesnāt take much to set that off. I think Iām roughly similar plan/stage to you, my 2x lumpectomy boob remains a bit lumpy nearly a year on and is a bit uncomfortable to touch, that got a bit worse after radiotherapy. However my one year mammogram shows all is fine compared to the original one.
You could chat through your worries with the bcns here and ask about any changes to be aware of and report to your team. Like you Iāll probably finish oncology reviews when I finish herceptin in April, I will be asking where exactly my point of contact is if I have concerns. This rubbish has happened to us once and we just have to insist on getting any worries checked out.
Wow! What an incredible career! Sounds so exciting! How was your class? Apologies for my late reply!
Yes, I do feel like my world has been turned upside down, youāre right. I have spent many years rebuilding my life after another health issue and now this happened. It feels very painful right now but I am trying hard with it all .youāre right about anxiety and MH issues in the performing world. Mine are mainly around perfectionism in that world, in this world, I just feel suffocated. I am now trying to decide on the plan going forwards. Do you know if many people struggle with neuropathy with Paclitaxel please? I keep reading things online and itās really scaring me. I can ask the group the question, when I can find the right button to press! Right now, I can see how to reply to posts but not actually post in the group
. I do ballet mainly but I do lyrical, character, modern and a bit of tap now and then. Iām competing in May so Iām really hoping Iām well enough to go! I need to find out about the neuropathy especially as a dancer as itās my whole world. So pleased youāre back in the studio doing what you love!! Literally makes me smile and gives me hope that I will be there too. I am actually having my lounge converted into a studio in the next 2 weeks! Just so I donāt have to go out if I donāt feel well enough. Iāll put my pointe shoes on and practice my feet! ![]()
xx
Me again! I wanted to post in the group and ask a question but I cant work out how to do it. I can reply to posts but Iām.not seeing how to make a new post. Is my account restricted do you think? Or is it me doing something wrong?.Sorry for bothering you. I have emailed the moderators but not sure how long that will take. Thank you x
@farli I have screenshot this page which is the same as the forum. The heart, link, 3 dots and reply buttons are within a persons post. To reply to the thread use the reply at the bottom of the page.
Does this make sense?
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@dilly I finished kadcyla on 7th january I was fine on it just a bit tired but I went out walking everyday, I went back to work after my 10th cycle ( I work in a supermarket) my neutrophils were always between 2.5 - 4 , when I was told I was to go on kadcyla I cried but actually it was OK so if you are to go on it donāt worry x
Thank you @caz591 x

