Great news on the blood results and weight @salbert I’m sure you can dance enough to counter a few cakes. Think hair / nail growth still at a standstill for me so look forward to that changing maybe when Im done with herceptin in April. Have to agree on an obsession with savoury foods that I can now taste as opposed to them all tasting like I was chewing a dishcloth for months. I’m also back up to a run at dog agility, we had month’s off during my chemo and dog needing surgery on her leg, something else reclaimed. Will post a pic if I can. Meantime vet just rang to say my other dog’s liver enzymes are finally coming down after a long spell above range, we think due to an infected tooth last October. Some thing do come right!
8 Likes
@salbert congratulations on the great meeting with your oncologist. Great cake news too. x
1 Like
Thank you all so much for making me feel welcome, and for the much needed hugs 
. I am seeing light at the end of the tunnel for this cycle today, I was able to have a joke with my partner!
I suffered with 
issues before this so thought that would be a definite side effect. My oncologist has given meds to help ease the symptoms and my dose has also been reduced. Back in next Friday for cycle no.3. Definitely taking one day at a time, I find it easier to cope having that mindset. It’s been an emotional week but I’m so glad I reached out to all you lovely ladies. Glad to be part of the community. Thanks again 
3 Likes
I would call your team if it’s not something listed in side effects. Better to get checked early.
@onedayatatime welcome, your are in the right place. Would recommend a read of the thread. Have you joined the monthly chemo starters thread? Always a good place to share experiences and side effects.
@salbert well done on number 4 zoledronic acid. I wish I didn’t get side effects, I’m due my 5th in March and have asked for anti sicknesses meds as I feel really nauseous for the first 48 hours and can barely eat.
not to mention just feeling a bit rough. I did wonder if it interacts with other medication I am on but I rattle so much it’s hard to know which one. I eventually have my 3 month menopause follow up after 5 months next week, so hopefully start a new medication to help with hot flushes (heat surge), fatigue, aches and pain and poor sleep.
Have a lovely weekend all. Six Nations rugby on from this week so I will be shouting at the TV pretending to know the ‘laws’ of the game and being pleased with myself when the refer agrees with me!
2 Likes
Hi all, how are the ‘Itchy’ people doing? I’m still struggling, but at last have managed to get a prescription for pregabalin from my GP which appears to be the suggested treatment for ‘Brachioradial pruritus’ which symptoms match most closely with mine. I do feel a bit silly now, as I have the meds but I’m too scared to take them as I keep reading, not suitable for people with heart issues! I really don’t want anything to make the AF worse or put extra strain on my kidneys as my function has dropped! My theory is…itching isn’t dangerous, heart and kidney problems a bit more so…. Hope everyone can have the best weekend they can x
Morning all, I have a quick post mastectomy and lymph nodes clearance question please if you can help. I’ve been doing my exercises daily since my surgery in Dec. I had my RT planning done. Due to start on the 12th. But since Thursday my underarm is not playing ball. Despite trying the exercises and massaging the area and using heat pads my range seems to be lessening not improving. Has anyone experienced this please? I was booked in for physio but they cancelled with no follow up date. I’m now taking pain meds to help. Just a bit upset and frustrated.
1 Like
Is it since you had your planning scan? Could it be that it overstretched the scar tissue when you spent a long time with your arms up over your head? X
1 Like
I lost range of movement in my arm after radiotherapy, I increased exercises but it got worse and at night the pain was keeping me awake. I got referred to physio and they said it was frozen shoulder from the trauma of surgery and radiotherapy but xray came back and its arthritis in my shoulder that I’ve got, they gave me the steroid injection last Monday to see if that would help. I’ve probably had arthritis but not known I’ve had because I’ve always been active but during cancer treatment I’ve been inactive so I’ve went back to being active and arthritis has flared up x
1 Like
Not really, my planning scan was at the end of January it did ache for a few days after but it’s really since Thursday last week it feels like my underarm is thick. I did have a temperature Thursday and Friday but that passed and I’ve basically been resting the whole time since Thursday. I’ve managed to do one lot of exercises this morning (late) but it’s all very odd. I can’t feel any knotting or anything.
I have Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT) and take Calcium Channel Blockers. There are so many drugs that interact. I found talking to an experienced pharmacist was the best help with drug interactions.
@emma-jayne I have had issues with both sides post surgery then chemo/herceptin. I was told the chemo affects the good and the bad cells and that affects healing. Did you have chemo before surgery? It also got worse are radiotherapy. The exercises given are supposed to be progressive but if you can’t do them don’t be hard on yourself. Go back to what you can do and try to progress. It’s a big operation and lots of muscles, tendons and nerves are affected. I found an Australian physio on YouTube that was really helpful. I hope you get a new appointment with the physio soon. I found asking for somebody who specialises in cancer physio better than those in the general physio department.
2 Likes
@naughty_boob thank you. Yes I had chemotherapy before surgery. So complete mastectomy (stayed flat) and full lymph node clearance. I am impatient so that doesn’t help things. I will look at that video thank you. Was contemplating a hot bath but then read that could aggravate or increase any swelling! Hard to know what to do isn’t it. Quick shower it’ll have to be.
1 Like
Thank you everyone for your kind wishes for my surgery last week x
I’m through the other side, and have an appointment for the pathology results on 18th 
Just a quick question for Kadcyla ladies: did you have a port, picc or cannula for the duration please?
2 Likes
Hi Dilly, well done on getting through the surgery. I had a port fitted for Kadcyla and having had initial chemo through cannulas I would definitely recommend the port! I was a bit torn as when I read about the port fitting it sounded horrendous but it had been getting increasingly difficult for the nurses to get my cannula in towards the end of initial chemo and my veins were quite badly scarred. In actual fact getting the port was a breeze. I was sedated and remember talking to the consultant and then him asking me if I was ok. I thought it was the same conversation but in fact the procedure was all done. It has been soooo much easier to have infusions with and I have my bloods done through it too. My veins have pretty much recovered now too x
1 Like
Thanks @woody2 x Yes, I can’t imagine 14 cycles of Kadcyla through a cannula, and surely you can’t have a picc line in for that long? How soon after surgery did you start Kadcyla?
I had cannula for my 14 cycles of kadcyla, my last cycle 2 of my veins collapsed but they got one on third attempt. I had surgery in march started kadcyla in April started radiotherapy in may x
1 Like
Thanks for sharing your experience too @caz591 x
I had a cannula for my neoadjuvant chemo with no problems…but then last week for surgery there were difficulties siting the cannula because apparently my veins are thin (from chemo I wonder??).
It does sound like they are quite quick to start Kadcyla after surgery, if that is going to be my treatment plan. My oncologist also talked about radiotherapy, but as they cloaked my treatment possibilities in secrecy I’m not sure how the two things might go together!
@dilly Hi Hope you are ok after your surgery. I had port fitted after three of my kadcylas as my veins had collapsed after the chemo so I have had 2 so far through the port and it is much easier. X
1 Like
Thanks @anb1 x If I do need Kadcyla I think I would prefer a port to that many cannulations!
Sorry if i missed a few posts. Ive been sat in ED since yesterday pm!
Emma although i havent yet had surgery but it looks like a frozen shoulder with the relatively quick onset? 
it will resolve quickly.
Naughtyboob i also have had svt! In favt thats why i went to ed yesterday with an episode except it was the worst one ive had in ages….beta blockers at home didnt work. Took 2 doses of IV meds in ED to bring the rythm to normal. And now my cardiac markers are massively raised! Really worried what will jappen to me! I havent even finished my chemo!!!
I had no idea kadcyla goes through an IV….assumdd its the same leg type injection as herceptin. I agree with all i would go for a port now if needed. Ive been poked 16 times today with needles!!
1 Like