@salbert i an on TC Phesgo so 6 cycles every three weeks, so 1/3 of the way through.
I have compartmentalised mine into 7 days of feeling 
so now I am at 31 days left of feeling tough.
I do have to have the Phesho part for a further 12 injections 3 weeks apart after the main chemo. So all in all if all goes to plan itās pretty much a year of treatment plus the mastectomy
@kartoffel Iām using the Flamigel so itās very heartening to hear that everything is looking fine 1 month post radiotherapy. Iām on number 9 today so will have 6 more to go. All looking ok-ish, so far. Apart from the dented ball look but Iām getting another saline pump up on 1st November so that should sort that out.
@arty1 What majorly fantastic news!! 
I canāt imagine the stress and upset that youāve been through for the past 7 years. Your beautiful daughter looks so happy in the pic. Please tell her that if I could, I would do a celebratory dance with her. Hey, youāll just have to do it for me!
@galdiolus - A year sounds about right. We often say on here that we are in it for the long haul. Except that thereās no nice holiday in Australia at the end of it. That said, I have a New York plan in the offing for this time next year. Iām saving hard. Anyone else have any good trips planned for when this is over?
Happy Friiiiiidaaaaaaay!
Salbert
xx
PS is anyone else having the hot flushes?? Driving me mad! Not had a period since first chemo either.
No periods for me either since February which is weird. I keep getting reminders from my period tracking app which I probably should switch off at some point since itās not particularly useful anymoreā¦ 
I do have hot flashes as well, but Iāve been having acupuncture to deal with them and that seems to be really helping. Have you tried acupuncture?
New York sounds amazing!!
We were supposed to be going to Disney world in Florida for 3 weeks on Monday 
. Weāve postponed to this time next year and just praying weāre able to make it then!
On a positive note though, I finished chemo yesterday 
. Iām planned for surgery next month and weāre going to book a centre Parcs break with the kids before then so we can try and have a normal weekend. And now my picc line is out Iāll be able to take the kids in the pool.
Donāt know about anyone else but Iām really excited for Christmas this year. I think Iām just trying to grasp on to nice things! Iāve been super organised and already ordered my food! And booked our Santa visit 
@jeml you look bloody amazing! Iām currently in my āresemble a potatoā phase so wonāt be posting pictures 
.
Well they did tell me from start that it can effect fertility and asked if i wanted to be refered to Gyne but i decided not to as i already have a 2 year old and just wanted to start treatment asap.
Its weird for me too as i am usually very regularā¦ no i not tried itā¦ i only have recently started with them tbh.
@rrey thank you! I resemble a potato tooā¦ today is first time in days i have even bothered getting ready
Congrats on finishing chemo! Have you had any recent scans etc? I have 2 more left but they are going to book me in for another mri soon then surgery. I am looking forward to christmas! Summer as been crap so i am planning to have a good christmasā¦ started shopping already and i have an excited 2 year old waiting for santa to come! I do love christmas anyway thoughā¦ tree will be up in November at some point 
I applaud you for getting ready today!! I havenāt worn make up since august . Iāve got no hair, lashes or brows and live in my dressing gown. If I could get away with going to appointments in my dressing gown I would! Hoping now that Iāve finished chemo, Iāll start to get some hair on my head! Itās freezing .
I had an MRI last week and my tumour has shrunk from 27mm x 50mm to 4mmx4mm. I didnāt have a scan mid chemo so thatās the only one Iāve had since the start. I met with surgeon on Wednesday and am booked in for lumpectomy and node clearance on 28th November. Christmas tree defo going up before then!!
Thats amazing!! I had a scan after 3 rounds and my nodes were back to normal and it shrunk from 2.7cm to 1.4cm and i had another round since thenā¦ just got 2 more nowā¦ im back next friday after having a extra week of recovery as my bloods was not 100%.
I am wearing a wig! Never fully lost my hair though and its growing back already. Still got my lashes and brows and hope it continues that way.
I mainly wear my head scarfs in house but still not told the whole world about it all yet so i pop a wig on if i go out anywhere.
They said my nodes looked normal as well now. I need to decide whether I want full node clearance or just afew taken out.
Thatās a great reduction at the half way mark!!
I hope youāre using the extra week to take it easy. My second round was delayed due to low bloods. Frustrating but weāve got to listen to our bodies.
Would never have guessed that you were wearing a wig! It looks great on you!
You look fantastic. Iām 55 and was already going through menopausal symptoms on HRT before my diagnosis. My hot flushes were getting better with Fezolinetant which I paid privately for 4 months worth itās Ā£600 including consultation. I was led to believe it would be approved on the NHS in January 2025 as the MHRA had already approved it, just waiting on NICE. I had thought it would cost about Ā£1000, so Iād go for it. However I checked the NICE website and they are not even meeting until March with their outcome in May which would double my costs. The British Menopause Society no longer have I decided to stop taking it just over a week ago. Now it wasnāt perfect it took most of the flushes away and those I did have were mild and short lived. They are now back with a vengeance 
.
I canāt imagine what it would be like so much younger but there are options on the NHS for no hormonal help one of which Iām going to ask my menopause consultant in 2 weeks is Oxybutynin. As well as others, see link below
https://breastcancernow.org/about-breast-cancer/treatment/hormone-endocrine-therapy/hot-flushes-and-night-sweats/
Congrats on your results and congratulations to @rrey to completing chemo
Talking of scans I will be having an MRI on my spine next week. Iāve been suffering with pain in my neck that a physio diagnosed back in May, I went for chest wall pain and came out with another issue 
Iāve tried hard to manage on basic pain relief, paracetamol and ibuprofen gel but with exercises and stretches from the physio and trying to live a normal life it just gets really painful. Iāve increased my exercise and do more gardening, weather permitting. The GP gave me Naproxen for the pain to see if it improves but was concerned with how long itās been going on and thought I should have a scan. I saw the GP yesterday and was called to book appointment today. They offered 7:30 am or 6pm next Tues /Wed at hospitals further away, which meant hitting rush hour traffic for both or a closer hospital on Saturday 10:30 am. Iām going for Saturday, the car park should be quieter as well, as no A&E. I airing on the side of ruling things out and that itās just me getting older 
Hope everyone has a great weekend, off to see the kids for us. 
Thank you! Its a real human hair one that a lovely friend i made through it all gifted me it! Proper helped with my confidenceā¦ i had a hot flush though earlier and felt a bit weird so i took it off
Yes my mum came and took little one for long weekend for me to get some much needed rest. Seeing her tomorrow though, we doing a little halloween party for her as now im delayed i wont be able to do it next weekendā¦ i love halloween too so going to dress up a bit! Use to have some amazing parties back in day. Yes they said i responded excellent after 3 rounds and i was over moon with the nodes being back to normal as they were what was worrying the me the most reallyā¦ also i cant feel my lump now had a poke around and it all just feels normal so its either gone or teeny tiny! Bloody thing!
@naughty_boob sorry to hear you are having problems, its such a worry now any aches or pains we seem to get! Im sure it will be nothing but at least you are acting on it and getting it checked out. My back and neck always seem to hurt but they have done for years now i pulled a muscle and its never been the same since.
Does seem unfair i have the menopause symptoms at 33 im in and out of covers all night, anyway hopefully might just be temp and i might bounce back after treatment as finished. If not then well still better than having a shitty titty
I take Oxybutynin but not for the hot flushes. I started in 2018. Itās for sweating and works for me but I have a lax lower oesophigal sphincter now which it may have caused and it can cause memory problems if 60. Iām 58 now and canāt live without it. It has changed my life.
I have everything crossed that you get good results from the MRI. Youāre doing the right thing but it doesnāt make the worry any easier. Iāll be thinking of you and sending positive vibes your way!!
@jeml i had a period the month after I started chemo and it was awful. Worse one ever. It was so heavy and if I remember correctly, went on for about 10 days. I havenāt had one since and would defo take the hot flushes over the heavy period. I know chemo can make you bleed more heavily so not an ideal combo! I have no idea whether mine will come back now Iām finished chemo - Iām 38 so could go either way I guess.
Thanks @Linda_Corinne oxybutynin was offered by the menopause specialist as I also had urinary urgency and it can help with that. Iām sorry about your issues that may have been caused by it. I suppose itās like everything has an effect on something else. 
. I wish I didnāt have to stop the Fezolinetant but I canāt justify paying over Ā£2k. What makes me cross is that we canāt take HRT but are forced to have menopausal symptoms to stop the bc coming back so youād think NICE would be quick about it. Then again they re the ones refusing Enhurtu for HER2 low secondary cancer, it al, comes down to money.
@jeml you look fantastic !
I was peri menopausal when diagnosed and now Iām reducing my hrt Iām getting awful symptoms back , palpitations, hot flushes , and Iāve had two awful periods in the last 4 weeks . Iām 52 though and Iāll be relieved if the periods stop with chemo . I canāt imagine being younger and going through it
@salbert Id do a happy dance for you but I might keel over
@naughty_boob fingers crossed that the MRI scan is all clear. Itās hard not to think itās something sinister and the likelihood is that itās not x Iāve had terrible pain in my rib under the breast that was removed , I told the surgeon but she said itās most likely just bruising but I do worry
I have my oncologist appointment tomorrow and today I feel sick with worry , itās bad enough having the ticking time bomb of a thoracic aorta aneurysm hanging over my head but Iāve kept myself awake at night panicking that the treatment will worsen it . Iāve booked a private appointment with Professor Christoph Nienaber at Guys hospital in London as this is his specialist field and I want his thoughts as my cardiologist by his own admission doesnāt know as much about aortic aneurysms
@arty1 youāll be in good hands with him, heās my husbandās cardiologist & was referred to him for an aortic dissection.
Oh wow had his aorta already dissected ? Mine was only picked up in May and is currently on watch and wait but my cardiologist specialises more in coronary disease rather than vascular and great vessels . Iāve researched this consultant and he seems to the man to go to .
I need his thoughts on whether chemo and herceptin are going to weaken my aorta putting me more at risk where as before my diagnosis my consultant said with lifestyle changes I could hopefully reduce the speed it weakens as stress is a main factor ā¦ then I was diagnosed with BC ā¦ so much for reducing stress
Heās got a long cardiac history including 4 open heart surgeries and then the dissectionā¦ so weāve got a lot of experience with cardiologists.
I hope heāll have some good news for you.
