Well done @naughty_boob. You did it 
. Have a wonderful Christmas and a deserved break from treatment. The only way is up
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Just want to wish you all a wonderful Christmas 
full of love and health. This is going to be a special one for me and I’m sure for most of you, beautiful warriors. Despite all the 
, there were some positives. I met wonderful woman: compassionate, brave, resiliente and always willing to help and encourage (it restored my faith in humanity) I encountered excellent doctors, nurses in our NHS (despite many struggles…). I learned to live more in the present (and I hope I will never forget to do so) and to be grateful for all my friends and family. Al the best
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You’ve said it all Guida. What a year for us all. May we all have a happy holiday time doing what matters most. 
. A year of loss and discovery.
Here’s to 2024 and the next phases for each of us (2nd Jan op for me 
).
Big hugs to you amazing women xxx
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I second what @Guida says.
I wish you all a wonderful Christmas and a better 2024.
You are all brave, wonderful and strong! 
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Hello All,
Hope you all had a good Christmas. Yes it’s been a year full of ups and downs. My hair, my eyebrows, lashes are growing back nicely. Feeling good.
I have recovered well from my surgery in November and went in for radiotherapy planning just before Xmas.
Also started on Herceptin no 5 (to have 18 in total, every 3 weeks) until the last in September 24’. 5 Radiotherapy session starts 4th Jan.
Onwards……
@rachel60 good luck for your surgery on the 2nd.
Here’s wishing the best outcomes for our health in 2024 xx
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Hi @Dhillman
My radiotherapy is starting on 10 January and I’ve also had 5/18 Herceptin. Had to call cancer centre to find out about my 6th on 4 January as I’d not heard. Had a letter to say home visits for them will start w/c 21 January but no mention of 4th. So hard to get hold of someone between Xmas and New Year. Eventually did and have appt in outpatients.
Salbert started a thread for HER+ if you’re interested HER2+ and need some buddies
How have you coped with the eyelashes falling out? Mine haven’t totally gone but have very watery itchy and sometimes swollen eyes. I wear glasses and hoed that would help but no. I had some Optrex Actimist given to me and it has helped a bit especially if I use it regularly. I’ve read some get given a prescription.
Great you have recovered well from your surgery. 
Let’s hope for a better 2024 even though like you I’ll still be having Herceptin until September
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Hello again all! Hope you’re well, and recovering. Im just on my Tamoxifen now which isn’t as bad as i was worrying it might be. Started to feel like I’m getting better. My nails are poorly, and the main side effect of the hormone therapy seems to be hot flushes and night sweats which are preventing me from sleeping. Any tips for managing this?
Otherwise my hair, eyelashes and eyebrows are all starting to make a come back. I’m looking forward to a better, healthier 2024 for myself and all of you!
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Happy new year! Hoping its a happy and healthy one for us all.
Cali, for nails I used two things. Polybalm which protects them and it seemed to work well. And good old fashioned olive oil. Bit of a mess but it really seemed to help.
Xxxx
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Happy New Year. Let’s all hope for a better 2024.
@Cali for nails, I used Oriflame multi balm as recommended in LookGoodFeelBetter course, it has natural ingredients like Beeswax and Paula’s Choice Lip and body balm also with beeswax. I received a Dr Lipp BFF which contains lanolin from LGFG but have not used it yet. Balm on nails twice daily with hand cream. LGFB recommended any balm that you like, cuticle cream is not rich enough. I have a small amount of damage to a few nails growing through.
They also recommended nail strengthening treatment followed by polish and top coat. File nails short and buff. Remove every 3 days to check your nails. I wasn’t really a nail polish person as had allergic reactions in the past. I found Nail Kind to be very good and Essie polish and have followed their advice from about week 4/5 of my 12 weeks of chemo.
Sleep… I was given sleeping tablets Zopiclone to use 3 times a week at the most. I also use Epsom Salts in the bath, Westlab have sleep version and a CBD that I feel helps relax me. Also pillow spray, have used the This Works one for a long time ( good if you like lavender).
@rachel60 how are you doing? Ready for tomorrow? I wish you the best with your operation and recovery. Remember to do your exercises and if some are hard give yourself a few days and try again. They really help with mobility.
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Rachel for tomorrow take it steady post op and let us know when you can after op 
Shi xx
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Thanks! Bit nervous but it will be done by this time tomorrow 
. Hope you are doing ok xxx
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Thanks. Will be good to have it done! Will let you all know xxx
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Feeling better day by day. So pleased two weeks have past since chemotherapy. Have MUGA scan tomorrow, back in on Thursday for Herceptin injection. They didn’t manage to get the home visits until 25 January, which will save on travel.
Radiotherapy from 10 January for 5 days. Hoping to feel better and get more done from end February. I was told by breast care nurse that it hits you 3 weeks afterwards.
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Op done and home resting. Sentinel node biopsy during chemo as negative so that’s good. Lesion - all surgeon would say is “chemo did a very good job”. Histology results next Friday. Fingers crossed. Then radiotherapy, immunotherapy and whatever else is needed
Hope your new years have started ok in this crazy world we now inhabit . Hugs to all xxx
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So glad the op went well Rachel! And good news about the negative SN. Keep doing shoulder rolls and the exercises you’ve been given, I’m 4 weeks post op and have decent movement in my arm/shoulder, hope it stays that way.
I have my radiotherapy planning CT scan tomorrow… the start of another road on this journey!
Sending good vibes your way for your recovery, it feels like a big milestone doesn’t it when the surgery is out of the way! X
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Rachel glad ops gone well and your home rest up Shi xx
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Hi Jess - how did radiotherapy go? Hope you’re doing well x
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How are you doing Rachel60? Hope knitting back together going well and your taking it steady Shi xx
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Hey Rachel, the planning scan went well and was fine, I managed to do the breath hold. I didn’t have to breath in really deeply like I imagined I did, just need to breath in so the ribcage moves up about 1cm. I start my first session on Weds 10th (I’m having 15), to be honest quite nervous about the possible skin effects, my skin is very sensitive. I’ve been told they will give me a cream called flamigel and other people have recommended aveeno. The hospital I’m being treated at have a 12 week exercise programme to sign up to for radiotherapy patients and a gym, so I’m going to take advantage of that, want to get my fitness back and I’d love to be able to run a 5k again by the end of the 12 weeks. Have you heard anything about when your radio may begin? Best of luck this coming week for your pathology results, let us know how it goes xx
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