@Linda_Corinne he did st first then changed his mind … I’m in the day therapy unit now and they are getting me reviewed by the dr as they think I should delay a week and have reduced dose … but will see …
what’s the situation with you now ? Are they going to give you a different chemo ?
1 Like
I am swopping to oral anibiotics today as my bloods are being affected. Chemo is finished and last I heard from the onc was I don’t want to give you more chemo after what has happened. The nurse told me yesterday it says on my notes only subcutaneous chemo. I’m still having Phesgo. So I finish antib’s on the 22nd/23rd or would have so will check when I take my last oral one then my op will be in Jan all being well.
2 Likes
@Linda_Corinne you’ve really been through the mill … 
Here’s to 2025 being better for you x
I’ve seen the dr who thinks I’m probably horribly anaemic so has delayed my chemo for a week and is rechecking my iron as apparently it wasn’t requested on weds bloods. I’ll get an iron transfusion instead
2 Likes
Hi @arty1 i’m glad they have delayed thay seems to be the most sensible thing to do, but now ypu have lost trust in that doctor you saw yrsterday so you wont want to see him again. Sometimes after an iron infusion you get 24 hours of flu like symptoms, which they dont always tell you about. Anaemia can cause breathlesness and the feeling that you are wading through water doesnt it?
@Linda_Corinne hope you feel beyter soon and you csn relax over christmas and prepare for your op.
2 Likes
@pennyp Thats exactly how I’ve felt … really awful … it kicked in around the end of week two which coincided with the period from hell which lasted 10 days … plus I’m on blood thinners so it’s no wonder I probably became quickly anaemic . I’ve been anaemic since 2019 and on and off through adulthood . Always anaemic in my pregnancies and ended up having an iron infusion with my daughter 14 years ago … Annoyed now it wasn’t checked on weds … 
I could have had my chemo today and been really ill
I don’t really want an iron infusion but tbh if it’s anaemia that’s the issue … I remember how Blimmin amazing I felt after my infusion in 2010 … despite being 34 weeks pregnant I literally skipped of the ward !
1 Like
@arty1 I’m pleased they have delayed your treatment this week. I hope everything settles for next week.
It’s sometimes very frustrating having a delay but it’s for the best, it gives your body a chance to recover more. I remember this time last year and just wanted chemo to be finished ( finished 14 Dec 2023… it’s a year tomorrow 
) but I have a few delays due to low bloods and infections/temperature. With existing health conditions it’s frustrating that you have to continually advocate for yourself. From reading many threads the oncology team just want to get you cancer free and complete your treatment but in reality many of us have a more complex medical history which requires tweaking and adjusting.
@Linda_Corinne sometimes it’s for the best that they stop chemo your body has been challenged and needs to recover. You have been through the mill over the past few weeks. It’s surprising how antibiotics and other drugs on top of your chemo regime can have so much affect on your bloods. I have terrible liver results after 4 lots of antibiotics (oral and IV) and oral antivirals. It took several months for my liver to get back to normal. I hope you have a restful Christmas and you have a successful operation in January.
@salbert great news about your results.
@jeml open front tops like shirts and cardigans are great after surgery as you may struggle getting clothing over your head. I mentioned PJ’s before but thought it would be more specific. I hope you doing ok and ready for your operation next week.
@gladiolus one more Phesgo to go !
@shannon27 hope you are doing ok.
5 Likes
We decided on 22nd Nov to stop the chemo as I had 10 weekly Paclitaxel and had a good response after 7. I had an ultrasound on Monday and it just showed scar tissue and was normal!
2 Likes
Hello @naughty_boob yes i am doing better been feeling good this week. Getting ready for my next treatment on Tuesday 17th December!
How are you ? Did you say you were a nearky a year finished chemo 
x
2 Likes
Our dear @arty1, I KNEW something was wrong as we hadn’t heard from you. I had a horrible feeling you were being put through the wringer. You saying that you were breathless and exhausted just heading upstairs immediately rang bells as that is exactly how I felt when I became anaemic. I got an iron transfusion which worked wonders. I hate but fully understand why you are losing faith in your team. I know how that feels and it’s awful. That’s shocking that they used an echo reading from six months ago when you have a heart condition. @pennyp is right. That is poor and it makes me cross too. I know they are under the cosh but it’s really important that they get this right. It’s not like messing someone’s haircut up. I’m so grateful for the care I’m getting at Royal Marsden. It has been so excellent compared to what was going on at the previous hospital I was at and I know how bad and desperate I felt when I was there and just couldn’t get them to agree to do a mastectomy or start my chemo. If there is one consolation it is that you know what you are talking about with your medical knowledge and can speak with authority. Please push for better care. Sending you love and strength, my friend.
@pennyp I, too, felt awful this time last year, terrified of how bad it was and whether it had spread. Waiting, waiting for results. I think we deserve to enjoy this one.
@Linda_Corinne So the hideousness continues for you. I’m sending you love and strength too. I pray 2025 treats you more kindly.
Good to hear from you @shannon27 and @naughty_boob. That’s great that you finished chemo a year ago now. Did you lose your eyelashes and eyebrows? Mine have grown back but are short and stubby. Not a problem but I’m wondering how long until they return properly. Good luck for next week, Shannon.
I came back to the office today. I don’t like it. I’ve been working from home all this year and it’s a bit of a shock to the system to be back here. I miss my dog and I’d got into a bit of a home routine which feels thoroughly disrupted. I have my old drama school friends coming tomorrow and they are all staying over. I’m going to mention that I can’t do late nights and heavy drinking anymore although since we all met in 1989, I think we’ve all slowed down a bit since then! I have to do a reading in church on Sunday for the 9 Carols and Lessons service. I cannot miss that as it’s the important bit where Jesus gets born! What’s the betting I end up heavy drinking and staying up late. Best laid plans and all that…
Love to all
Salbert
xx
3 Likes
That’s great news and shows others that you don’t always have to have the full treatment plan of chemo whether that be stopping early or a reduced dose like I had.
@salbert. All my lashes went and most of my eyebrows ( I had a bit in the middle). The eyelashes grew back much faster than the brows. I can’t remember exactly how long. I found a lash serum in Aldi for £5 and used it on both. Apparently the ingredients is the same you have a different applicator for brows and lashes but I made do! I think it had helped. The tail is still rather thin, probably from 90s plucking.
2 Likes
Thank you i hope you have a lovely weekend 
were going to try do something nice while im feeling tip top this weekend then chemotherapy Tuesday and resting up
2 Likes
@Linda_Corinne great at least that you don’t need any more chemo - fingers crossed all these other blips will clear off in the new year x
@shannon27 Good to hear you are feeling well , enjoy the weekend xx
@naughty_boob it was the right thing to do … I’ve got long covid as well which means fatigue is something I live with at the best of times , plus I’m going through hrt withdrawal which is rubbish . My ferritin was only 4 and my serum iron (not hb) was fairly low at 8 so I had a bag of iron and came home and went to bed at nine last night and slept for 12 hours !!!
@salbert On our nov chemo thread everyone was reporting feeling almost like their old self in the third week etc and I was there feeling like I was wading through mud just to get to the kettle and I couldn’t understand why … my ferritin was only 4 so no wonder I felt so awful … I had a bag of iron and was sent home . I asked if they had my appointment for next Friday but was told the request goes to the scheduling team but because they are so busy and have Christmas coming up … it may be more of a delay and may in fact mean a whole 3 week delay as they may not get me in until my next appointment on 3rd Jan … I was so upset I went home in tears but I had a two hour chat with my friend who is an advanced oncology clinical practioner nurse at Royal Marsden and she was very reassuring . She said they will be mindful that I need another appointment and they will try and get me in somewhere it just may not be in a week … but reassured me that as I’m having adjuvant chemo it will be ok and that I should embrace the rest time because I clearly need it .
She said if I’d had my chemo yesterday at the full dose I would have probably ended up I’ll … possibly in hospital and with a delay at the end of the cycle and stressed that it’s important that the body is coping with the chemo .
I told her about them using the old echo and she said it’s not ideal but probably ok as unless I’d had an heart incidents or heart altering meds it would be very unusual for EF to drop significantly in that time . She said it would have been signed off by the cardiology team if they couldn’t get all the readings in my latest echo …… but she did say that she totally understands why I’m feeling like I’m losing faith in my team after various issues …
2 Likes
Hy im her2 positive was supposed to get 5th cycle of chemo ladt wednesday but neutrophils were low i was gutted im worried that they’ll still be low next week. I just want my chemo to end so that i can get my surgery, will my chemo be delayed again if neutrophils are still low
1 Like
Hi
I had issues with neutrophils when I had EC. My levels dropped towards the end of the cycle. On the first 2 occasions my blood tests were done on a Friday. Chemo was the following Monday and they had improved. The 3 rd time they dropped really low, .30, so they gave me filgrastim injections. Then I had a temperature spike so chemo got delayed. Since moving onto docetaxel, I was given filgrastim injections to do. I have not had any more delay due to low neutrophils. So, were you given the injections to take? As far as I understand, if the levels are below 1.5 they won’t give chemo.
1 Like
Yes i get filgrastim injections but this time my neutrophils were reading 1.1 well below my other readings, but i dont know why they dudnt do any tests just said they would need to delay chemo for a week
1 Like
Hi @arty1 . I’m so glad you were able to speak to an oncology nurse who could put things into perspective . Its interesting what you say about ferritin, i think its a long covid thing as my daughter’s ferritin has always been very low since her diagnosis, but after her infusion the level did go up for a while. I hope you get some energy back and feel a bit better soon.
1 Like
@pennyp I definitely think long Covid has made things worse x
Now I just need to try and find out when my next chemo is … it’s no use them sending a letter with an appointment if Christmas post delays it … Worse case they said is I might not get another appointment because they are too busy
2 Likes
I saw the onc on Friday. He said I will prob stay on Phesgo so unless my results after my op are bad I won’t be on Kadcyla. Op will be Jan/Feb after another CT.
Blood test tomoz then they will decide if I need another blood test re staying on oral antib’s until 23rd. I won’t get the Hickman line removed before Xmas. I get my stitches removed tomoz as had 4 when the line was put in.
1 Like
I have my 5 out of 6 chemo tomorrow and for the first time my neutrophils are low at 1.2 but team have said as my full blood count is good I can have my chemo.
I am worried how I might feel after chemo this time with my neutrophils so low but so happy to then only have one more left to go.
Then to focus on surgery and Phesgo for the next few months.
Hope you all have a happy Christmas and everyone manages to stay away from hospital xxx
3 Likes