I’m bouncing off the walls with happiness here, today I had my final chemo, I’m on Neo-tango and at the start it felt that I’d never get this far, it was soooo daunting, but it actually did fly past and now I’m so happy, I went in this morning all excited about having the chemo without the dread that I’ve had previously as I knew that this time next week I’ll be starting to feel normal, well at least I wont have the constant nausea and that I didn’t have to pysch myself up for the next one.
I’ve been telling everybody, I think they think I’m mad but I don’t care, now just gotta wait, got bilateral mastectomy booked in for 19th October and I’m excited about that as well, OK I’m definitely mad! I guess its because once they’re gone I’ll start to feel a little safer and not so terrified all the time. I’ve got IBC and worry because you don’t always get a lump I’m not confident enough that I’d pick up on it if it didn’t present with a lump.
So to all you ladies at the beginning of your chemo, may seem like a huge mountain to climb at the outset but you’ll be surprised how quickly it goes.
Well done…that’s sooo good. What a great feeling, and good to hear it went quickly for you. Good luck with the Op - you will feel so much better once you have recovered from that - it must be such a relief to think it has finally been taken away.
I am due to have my first of three Taxotere next Friday, just done 3xFEC - then I will also have a bi-lateral mast. I was umming and arrghing about whether to have one or both, but have now decided (as I am triple neg and they think I have the duff gene) that I should just go for it, what’s the point in having a pair that don’t match anyway???
lots of love to you and I wish you well for the 19th October - let us know how you get on.
I’ve had bloods taken to look for the gene but unfortunately the results wont be back until November at the earliest, so the surgeon said he’d take one now and another after results, but I don’t see the point of having 2 surgeries. I’ll have a blank canvas from which he can construct 2 new breasts that will hopefully being as symmetrical as possible, and on the plus side they’re not gonna be heading south like my current pair!
Good luck with your next 3 sessions, I hope that time flies for you and that you get to see the end of the tunnel very soon.
I’m going through things backwards compared to you! LOL I had a bil-mast on 22 Aug and am (hopefully) seeing my onc next Friday about wwhat chemo drugs I’m going to be on for the next 6 months.
Maybe we can trade tips on how toy get through surgery/recovery and chemo? Hahaha
Debcat - couldn’t agree more about starting from scratch and getting a new pair, definitely be an improvement for me having breastfed 2 children…and my best friend said today, just think when we get older how everyone elses will be going droopy and yours will still be upright and bouncy!!!
Poannie - How did your op go? Are you making a good recovery?
Chemo is not fun, but 'tis OK and you will get through it - if you want to know anything, do shout.But check out the Top Tips 4 Chemo thread that’s going on at the moment.
Take care
Ali
Exchanging tips is a great idea, I had 4 sessions of pac & gem and the only problems with those 2 drugs was the joint pain and I really didn’t find anything to make that much of a difference. The next 2 drugs I had were the EC combo and boy how I hated those 2, I was unlucky I had constant bad nausea, I did find that if I drank loads in the week running up to chemo I recovered much faster, don’t be frightened to ask for more anti sickness pills if needs be, I now have 4 different ones to take and although it hasn’t got rid of the nasty feeling it doesn’t last for the 7 days that it was, found it was gone by day 4.
I managed to increase my iron levels each time I had chemo, so after the first dose I went from 11.2 to 12 then each week it would increase some more, my neutrophil count increased as chemo progressed before one session it was a level of 3.0 before my next dose it was 5.0 these helped as I wasn’t feeling so drained and felt slightly better after each dose. The only things that I’d consistently done differently from pre cancer was to switch from having toast at breakfast to something like weetabix that was fortified with vitamins and iron, I’m not a fruit or veg eater and couldn’t bear the thought of popping yet more pills. The other thing I did was to listen to my body, if I needed to sleep I tried to, well as much as my 7yr old daughter would allow. The other thing is don’t push yourself to do too much, housework will wait, just be kind to yourself.
I guess you could say I was extremely lucky and these changes didn’t really directly help me, maybe it had more to do with my belief that they were helping had more of an impact on how things progressed, in that I felt more in control by changing things, who knows!
Congrats on your awesome news!!! What a milestone! I can well imagine just how great you must be feeling right now. I started E-CMF in May and just have 1 more cycle of CMF to go then I too will be finished! I can hardly believe how quickly the time has gone! I was so elated when I had my 3rd day 8 CMF on weds so I can only imagine I’m gonna be a million times more hyper next month when I have my final day 1 and day 8!!! I told the nurses the other day that as far as I’m concerned Osama Bin Laden himself could give me the last one and I wouldn’t care!
Don’t know how you’re planning to celebrate but I am defo gonna go with the pink champagne option! I think I will cry when I am having my last one, mind you I am a bit of a weeping willow!!
I wish you well for your forthcoming op. I had a right mastectomy and total axillary clearance in Mar, a week after I was diagnosed. I found it to be really ok and nowhere near as scary as I had imagined it to be. I found the ‘exercises after breast surgery’ booklet from this site a godsend and would defo recommend you order a copy and take it in with you!
All the best as you continue this journey and congrats once again!
Congrats on finishing. I look forward to that milestone with anticipation, but still a long way to go. If all goes well I will finish just before Christmas - Boy will I celebrate!! Enjoy yourself!!!
Well done debbie, i am half way through my treatment, so at the top of my mountain. just need to scrabble down the other side.
Princess18 you are on the same treatment as me, E CMF. I am about to have my first day 1 cmf on Monday, then again on day 8 can you tell me if it is the same drugs on day 1 and day 8. did you feel better or worse than Epirubicin. i am worried that i won’t be recovered by day 8 and will be feeling really bad.
Princess 18
just seen all your lovely advice on my other link about my stomach. Thank you very much. I was very relieved to read all your info about cmf. i was ready to cry about monday and didn’t want to go, after reading your advice i am much calmer and not too worried now .
Thank you very very much.
Big Hug
Joining you too!
I finished chemo last thursday (13th).was a bit emotional on the ward with the thought that it was all over. Sad saying goodbye to nurses who have been wonderful to me -took them in big box of chocs and biscuits
Starting 25 sessions of rads on Monday 8th Oct at Southampton
then going on to tamoxifen and continuing with pamidronate. Onc says i can have these both in tablet form so will be getting them from gp not hosp -No more needles - yay!
Being to think there is hope for me and looking forward to planning some holidays since we missed out on one this year
Well done Jools - fab news. Glad this chapter is over for you. Now get your a*se down to that travel agents!!!
I’ve done 3xFEC start 3xTaxotere this Friday…help!!!
LOL
Ali
x
Good luck with your final chemo, pink champagne sounds like a fab idea
Jools
Great to hear that you’ve finished as well, its wonderful, I feel better post chemo more than I have after previous cycles, think its knowing that there’s no more to come. I’m due to start tamoxifen just before my surgery according to onc but I’ll have to check see if the surgeon wants me to start before or after, rads is still up in the air with me, I’ll have to wait until after surgery to see if I’m going to need some.
Bestie and Ali,
I see you’re both starting taxotere on Friday, best of luck to you and hope time flies.
