Thank you, aw right i have a large area of dcis and my invasive part was 12mm but they couldnt be sure even after all the scans,.mammogram,ultrasound, mri with contrast. Think the dcis is making it hard to determine the size but the scan and surgery will help determined the size xx
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@scaredmum1 Iām sorry to hear all you have been going through. The chemo and Herceptin/phesgo all have an affect on our hearts. I was changed from Docetaxel/Carboplatin/Phesgo to Paclitaxel/Herceptin due to my own SVT and family history of cardiomyopathy. My largest tumour was 20mm, had it been bigger they would have advised the first combination even if it was worst for the heart. Iām also asthmatic which doesnāt help with the lung issues after radiotherapy.
On the good side my SVT was still well controlled on my medication during the treatment, only a couple of palpitations occasionally and my ejection fraction reduced somewhat but not enough for them to worry about and they even cancelled my last MUGA scan.
Iām glad they want to review everything and hopefully they will adapt your treatment if required such as reduced dose, which is very common, I had started on a lower dose and had 2 further reductions or they can change your treatment.
I know itās frustrating having a pause in your treatment but your team want what is best for you.
Take care 
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Hey everyone. For those of you that have finished your HER2+ treatmentā¦how did you feel physically at the end? I had my 18th and last one middle of Dec, Iām also on tamoxifen.
Iām finding that I feel absolutely wrecked! My stomach is up and down, Im shattered and just generally feeling grim. Am working, parenting and all the other stuff too. Iām going to talk to my team, but wondered if itās an end of the treatment type thing? Thank you xx
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@bearcat1 I think itās a cumulative effect of everything you have been through. I finished my 18 cycles of Herceptin mid September and on Letrozole with Zoledronic acid 6 monthly ( had one mid October). I started to feel more myself early December. I felt very fatigued, struggle with sleep still and couldnāt get up before 8:30 in the morning. It doesnāt help I have some other ongoing issues meaning I have to spend 20 minutes massaging or stretching before getting up and about ( told it was best to do when warm on waking).
The enormity of your diagnosis and treatment will also probably kick in about the same time. I have found talking and meeting with others who have had a cancer diagnosis really helpful. Not everyone is the same on treatment, some work, some not. I think you just have to do what is right for you. Itās hard to be selfish when you have responsibilities but you need to feel better in yourself as well.
Maybe talk to the BCN nurses 0808 800 6000 or couselling. MacMillan and. Maggieās both offer some free.
Take care and know itās not just you.
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Afternoon!
Talking of the wonderful Liz OāRiordan, she posted a video recently where she reminds us that itās ok not to feel ok and I thought a) how wonderful she is to be so honest with us all and b) that I must share it here.
Also, following on with the dogs theme, I cannot recommend it highly enough. The joy that our little girl has brought us since we got her from a rescue in September, just cannot be underestimated. She fills me with endorphins, not just because I have so much love for her, but also because she ensures I exercise every day. We managed one month between the cat dying and getting another animal. They enrich your life so much.
@fimac1 I hope this next week passes quickly for you. I also had the prolonged wait this time last year and to say it ruins Christmas is something of an understatement. Keep us posted.
Hi @scaredmum1 That sounds scary. My heart function has been affected by the Phesgo so they put me on Candesartan which has sorted it out. I will come off it after I finish Phesgo in April when I am told my heart will recover. Also when I was on chemo, I became anaemic which made my heart race and pound just walking upstairs. I was given an iron transfusion for that which sorted that out. Hopefully they can give you some drugs to mitigate whatever is causing your heart to race.
@bearcat1 I also have IBS as a nice leftover gift from treatment. I think it takes time to recover from all that we have been through. @suedot and @arty1 have posted about this before. Definitely speak to your team though.
Ooh, I get to finish work now.
Happy Friday all!
Salbert
xx
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Thanks for responding, I do keep telling myself that Iām still in the thick of it really.
Iāve never had much patience with myself, thatās a big work in progress at the minute!
Take Care x
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This is my first post on the forums and I have used these chats for a whole year now to help ease myself so much over the past year. You all rock!!!
Today I had my first annual mammogram and ultrasound (a year tomorrow I was diagnosed) which come back clear straight from the consultant radiotherapist mouth - but I am yet to see the breast consultant for a discussion on the results and what next. Does anyone know if the scans are 6 monthly or annually?
I have some concerns over a small hard lump that come up on my scalp back during chemo last summer. I flagged it and was told it was cyst. Iāve had a second opinion but never a scan or anything to confirm. The area feels tender and the skin sometimes feels tight.
I am a fellow HER + (hormone negative)
I had two tumours (12/19mm) in my left breast both invasive, plus another tumour but DCIS (49mm) and one lymph node involved. I had a complete response to my chemo (4 x EC/9 x Pax), a mastectomy and 15 days of radiotherapy. Iām on Phesgo until June this year. Every appointment Iāve had barring the initial diagnosis has been positive but I really struggle with the what ifs. I donāt work, I had to give up my training as a midwife to get through my treatment, so I have lots of time on my hands,
Just playing on mind so much and every little ache or pain my thoughts go wild. The lump on my head is going to be checked. Iāve contacted my oncologist and raised my concerns again, Iād like to ask for a CT PET scan but I donāt know if thatās going to be agreed. Will this uneasy feeling ever pass. Itās been a turbulent year (as you will all know) and my mind and body has been through so much but Iām also so scared still.
Thank you all xx
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Well hello there @sm2024 and Iām really glad youāve come to say hi. I love to hear that this thread has been helping people and am even happier when they introduce themselves so a big welcome to you.
Soā¦hereās the thing. I have a hard lump just at the edge of my eyebrow and a soft lump on the front of my left shin. About a year ago, when I was in the thick of it all, I visited my GP (a blubbering wreck at the time) and got him to check these lumps whilst I wailed at him āIs this cancer? What about this? Is this cancer?ā He assured me these areas were not cancerous and in the past year they have not grown at all. Also, I guess the head scan would have flagged it up if the eyebrow one had been cancerous.
What I am trying to say in a round about way is that it has happened to us. We got told we had cancer so none of us are in denial about it which is why we are going to have that worry at the back of our minds. I think it is important to acknowledge it, get it checked out and keep telling ourselves that at least we are on our health teams radars. Iāve been told if I have any concerns then to just go straight back to my consultant and Advanced Nurse Practitioner who are both lovely women. They fill me with confidence which helps hugely with the fear.
Every time I think of the what ifās, I flip it around and tell myself that Iāve had a thorough MOT and am going to do everything in my power to give myself the best chance. Iām going to stay a healthy weight, drink very little alcohol, get enough sleep, exercise and keep stress to a minimum. I look around me at people who still take their health for granted (just like I did) and I figure that we are in a better position than they are in many ways. We get the book thrown at our type of cancer and now we can keep an eagle eye out for the tiniest indication that something is wrong. A few of my good friends are heart attacks waiting to happen but not doing anything about it, whereas we are one jump ahead. Thatās the way I see it anyway. Optimistic or still in denial?!! Iām not sure, but I actually think I am probably healthier now than I have been in years.
If you are ever worried, then jump on here, say what youāre worried about and somebody or other will help put your mind straight. Theyāve been doing it for me for over a year now so I know it works!!
Let us know re your mammogram results (although sounding positive so far) and about the lump on your scalp. It sounds like your medical team think itās just a cyst but it will of course be good to be told that for definite.
Salbert
xx
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@salbert you are so kind to respond so quickly and I feel like I just blurted it all out in one big mess on here so thank you for taking your time to read and respond. I am very grateful.
I have found at times it very difficult to trust the process but I have really taken on board what you have written.
I worry that these thoughts will never go away but I completely agree with you on our own insight to health because I am the healthiest Iāve ever been. I did sadly have some news this week that a friends husband died of a heart attack after going into hospital with flu, which feels so sudden and was such a huge shock. Itās shaken us all. Maybe itās why Iām having a huge wobble.
Thank you again for being so kind and respectful. I will make sure I contribute more often. Night, night xx
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Forgot to take mirtazepine so awake at the crack of dawn. Nipped to the loo as you do, just in case you need one! Itās flipping freezing out of the bedcovers!
@salbert I can visualise you on that beach sharing my good news with the elements, your husband, the dog and those fishermen! Thank you 
Iāve been reading the thread since my last post. Lots of new people to welcome and trials, tribulations and much useful information and positivity shared. It reads like a book. Love it and love the glimpses into peoples lives.
Iāve had a busy week. Monday I partially retired which meant I only had to work for 3 days. My working week ended on Wednesday. Bloody marvellous! Tuesday marked the start of my 12th year in my current role and the completion of 36 years in my profession. What an achievement even though I say it myself. Aiming for my 40 years service badge to keep with my Brownie badges!
Had a flurry of telephone calls about me. Never been so popular! Also met up with two close friends. One whose Mum has been in this club in much later life than me and the other who trod the path during Covid. It was just lovely to catch up with them both and made me realise how much work has taken up my life and how much time Iāll have to catch up with friends with working part time and being on sick leaveā¦
Iām having my PICC line inserted next Thursday and chemo etc starts next Friday, the 9th anniversary of my lovely Mums death. I reckon she played a part in choosing the 17th. It is the start of me tackling āitā head on with the help of the toxic drugs, our brilliant NHS, those that serve in it and the love and support from family and friends. Iām feeling invincible!
Yesterday I was called to see the surgeon. Iāve joined the 5% club with @naughty_boob
After jesting about a āTale of Two Tittiesā my right one has its own starring role in my story. Thank goodness the MDT decided that although small, those two naughty areas shining their lights on the MRI stage warranted a closer look. Feeling grateful for MRI guided biopsies and the radiologist locating the areas with his grid references. The results confirmed that I have DCIS in the right one. Now I have till spring to weigh up my options. Double mastectomy or one mastectomy and excision of the affected areas of tāother. My immediate thought was they can both go. Donāt want them or need them. Whilst he said outcome was the same my head is telling me that if it all goes there will be less likelihood of recurrence as there will be less breast tissue for it to recur in. If I opted for a reconstruction will I potentially look more symmetrical if they are done at the same time? If I have a single mastectomy and reconstruction will I have an apple and a pear with my maturing body? 
Weird thing is I didnāt feel any emotion about the news. Perhaps a sense of relief as deep down as it was what I had expected because why wouldnāt it be me that has it in both? I never do things by half! Though saying that I do get called āhalf job hillā at home as I hardly ever complete anything as Iām doing three things at once, which reminds me I need to finish of painting a chimney breast which I started before the biopsies and didnāt finish on account if sore boob. Hmmmmā¦ now why is it called a chimney breast? See, Iāve gone of on a tangent againā¦ canāt stay on task! Does anyone know why itās called a chimney breast!
So the news meant that for the fourth time on a Friday Iāve had to tell the kids. They were both nonplussed and said get rid of it at the same time as the other one. Think we are all getting accustomed to the bad news and are trying to look at it positively in the fact that āitāsā been found and itās being dealt with.
On a lighter note I had a delivery of a Limbo in the post. I had to chuckle as it was addressed to Mrs Jelly!
Enough of my wittering.
Happy Saturday. Xxx
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How did your dcis respond to treatmeant i have a similar diagnosis and have been told that it wont treat the dcis (10cm) it will only get rid of the idc (12mm possibly )im on cycle 3/6. I hard a hardened area after biopsies and felt it change after the first round but not so much now.
I got a ct scan but im sure it only done my spine to my pelivis area i would only like a brain scan im paranoid and want to be checked everywhere.
Hopefully you can get one and pit your mind at ease 
xx
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Wow , a lot to catch up on , I had cycle 3 on Thursday which wooed me out unusually as Iām usually a bit wired when I come home but I yesterdays steroids wired me up sufficiently!
My friend wanted to visit yesterday so after checking and was lurgy free etc she popped over , no hugs and sat in the other side of the living room but after isolating from people it was a tonic to see a human that wasnāt a medical professional , postie or Amazon delivery driver !
I felt my MH lift and my internal happy meter went up ā¦ it was lovely , Iām trying not to worry that she might have lurgy as my 14 year old is coughing all over the house so itās a miracle if I donāt get anything !
@scaredmum1 how did your scan go ? You just be feeling very worried ā¦ I will tell you that with cycle 1 I had a reaction to the herceptin and about a week after my cycle I started to feel breathless and if I exerted myself I felt like Iād climbed Snowdon , I too have existing heart issues so itās a worry although I was reassured my heart was pumping well before I started treatment , I also have SVT but Iām not on any medication as my cardiologist wanted to watch and wait due to my pre treatment very low blood pressure ā¦ My chemo cycle 2 was delayed a week and they did realise that I was horribly anaemic and I had an iron infusion that day .
Since the. Iāve felt better gradually , cycle 2 was given a week later and I recovered much better after it as they also reduced the dose although the breathlessness and palpitations kick in if I try to do anything too strenuous like cleaning etc ā¦
My oncologist is going to arrange another heart scan just in case but I am on paclitaxel as like @naughty_boob they didnāt want to hit me with anything too hard ā¦
Itās not unusual to react to taxels after a second infusion and it may be they need to with consider a dose reduction or change of meds after your scan . All chemo is cardio toxic and obviously herceptin has risks but my consultant was happy for me to have both and said even his patients with quite poorly hearts have actually managed ok in chemo and he has patients with severe heart issues on herceptin ā¦ so I hope that helps a bit ?
Itās possible your body is just not happy after the latest docetaxel or there is another issue but any heart issues that may arise are usually bit not always ā¦ a bit further down the line due to the cumulative effect xxx
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@mrsjelly sorry you have joined the 5% club but now you have a plan and it will be treated. Great that your family have talked and are open about it.
We will be here for you when chemo starts on the 17th.
I enjoy reading your posts as you have such a way with words. Youāve even made me think about why we call a chimney breast, so I had to Google it!
AI found this A Brief History Of Chimneys, Chimney Stacks And Chimneys Pots ā¦A chimney breast is called a chimney breast because it projects forward from a wall to contain a fireplace. The word ābreastā may refer to the way it extends out from the wall. Can only assume our breasts are called that because they protrude from our bodies until they go southš
Hope everyone is doing ok.
@chakakhan How are you getting on with radiotherapy?
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