Thanks! Good to hear from you. First one done. 5 minutes scanning and then 5 minutes zapping. Managed the breath holds which was good. My upper arm hurt but I dug my finger nails into my hand and that helped distract me!!
Next one early tomorrow but I guess I’ll get into the routine for the next 15 days
How are you doing?
Xxx
Hello Rachel,
Good to hear you tolerated the first zap. It’s the breathing practise and the positioning that takes the most time 
I did have arm pain the first time but I think for me I was tense too.
I am doing well. Hairs all growing nicely on head, brows, lash, unfortunately nostrils & face (seems thicker!!!).
Herceptin injections I believe reading from other specific threads, are causing aches and pains in my knees, hips and I feel old stiff and need to stretch a lot to get going. I am persevering with exercise. I take some anti inflammatory and someone suggested clarityn (anti histamine).
It’s frustrating as I want to get on …injections don’t finish until September. I hope it improves and don’t get worse.
All the best with rest of treatment xx
Thanks so much for checking in. Day 3 - coming up this afternoon. First day was weird because I didn’t know what was happening, yesterday much better and seemed quicker too. Fingers crossed for today.
Slap cream on before I get dressed after the treatment. Then again before I go to bed. So far no problems but early days I guess.
Fingers crossed!
How are you doing? Xxxx
Pleased hair growing back - but so sorry about the pains. Can they do anything to help? My immunotherapy does similar.
The gift that keeps giving - including a peaky chin hair!
Xxxx
I’m 4 weeks post radiotherapy. I had 5 days on both sides at the same time. I am really fatigued and my ribs ache like mad. I’m on paracetamol and some ibuprofen gel. Told by breast car3 nurse it’s still early days.
I’m hoping to arrange some relaxing massages that may help with aches and pains. If not should just be a nice treat. I was going to wait until 6 weeks post radiotherapy and hoping not so achy.
Did you have a PICC line for your chemotherapy? I did and my right arm and shoulder suffered more during radiotherapy due to restrictions with PICC.
Take care 
Sorry to hear about the many. 5 days sounds intense. I had a port and so far I’m ok with shoulders.
On my right side, I had one lymph node removed which was negative so hoping the arm doesn’t get too sore during radiotherapy.
Massage sounds good. I had acupuncture and that helped as well as epsom salts and a heat pad I got from Amazon.
Stay well xxxx
Hello everyone
Thought this was interesting for what comes next….
Xxxx
Hello @rachel60 its a great article - thank you for sharing 
.
Hope you are doing ok since radiotherapy been completed. What’s next?
Have you had zometa or still waiting? Hope you are doing ok?
xxx
Still waiting on the zometa. I told the team I hadn’t had invasive dental work so free to have it asap. That was a month ago! So just waiting. I wasn’t sure if I should chase GP about the dexa scan I should have before. I was thinking by the time an appointment letter arrives it would be too late to arrange the scan before.
How has it happened with you?
Thank you for sharing the article. It was so helpful. I have also shred on the September chemo group (hope you don’t mind) and said that it had been shared here first. I really love the part on convalescence, which is not a word used much these days but it’s what you need after all the treatment we have had. Once you feel better you can move on to the next part of your life, one bit at a time. It even acknowledges that it may be difficult to plan 6 months. I have done a couple of things over the past week that feel like I’m moving slowly forward. With the Herceptin I still have 3/4 days when I feel under the weather but nothing like chemo and it’s only every three weeks. It allows me to want to and be able to do more when I feel ok. I’m having a massage this week paid for my employee well-being scheme, hoping it’s relaxing.
So pleased article helped. Please do share if its helpful.
Radiotherapy is going well. No sore spots yet although my boob feels bit lumpy but they said that’s normal! I have 7 sessions left so over half way. Bit of tablet therapy after that but getting there!
The melanoma they found on my foot is proving a little pesky. Some found in lymph node. Thank goodness I’m under such good care. They seemed to think all is ok and ultrasound regularly is the treatment mainly because I’m having immunotherapy for the breast cancer and have gad scans so they know it was contained in the now removed node.
My body likes to do cancer. It needs to stop now!
How are you all? @naughty_boob the massage sounds good! Enjoy it
Xxxx
Radiotherapy all done! Tired but skin ok.
Holiday next 
Hope you are all doing well
Xxx
Hello all
I’ve just had a look at this June group forum after quite a while and its good to see that you all seem to be progressing well with your treatments. I had my 6 month post chemo catch up with my oncologist last week, and she’s happy with my progress so that’s good. I’m still on the Herceptin every three weeks, which makes me pretty achey in the morning but I’m doing stretches each morning which help I think. I’ve just been referred to a new neuropathy clinic at the royal Marsden as that’s my main ongoing issue, especially in my feet so I really hope they can help.
That article by Peter Harvey is great- he really sums it all up. I went through a real’whats it all for’ couple of months over Christmas and still don’t like thinking too far into the future. One week at a time is enough for me at the moment. I did one of the Breast Cancer Now moving forward courses which was good- great to meet people on zoom who have gone through the same sorts of experiences and emotions, and we have a what’s app group for the occasional rant or question.
I wish you all the best with the rest of your treatment. Life is starting to feel a bit more normal some days now, so I’m sure yours will too. Big hugs to everyone xx
Hi @naughty_boob ,
I am due to see the oncologist on the 19th to tell her if I want to take up Zometa. Went in for my blood tests today just to check everything is ok. Herceptin is ongoing - hadn’t been too bad but I am exercising still and it’s not stopped me and I do some yoga most days to help me with any aches and pains.
Been for an echocardiogram in January shows a slight drop in percentage with Herceptin but due another one in April to see if there is any further dips at which point they will probably stop and give me other tablets to protect the heart function as assuming having the Herceptin is more important - not sure?
Didn’t realise will need a dexa scan prior to Zometa but I supposed I haven’t yet said yes the oncologist has not told me.
Life does feel like it’s settling down after I took a whole month of February to convalesce and consolidate but back at busy work now.
Hopefully spring comes soon.
Hope you are all doing ok and look after yourselves xx
Hi @Dhillman
Nice to hear from you. I still haven’t had my appointment for Zometa, if I haven’t heard in the next two weeks I will have to chase again. No bloods for me since just before last chemotherapy in December.
Now my team are going back on the need for a Dexa scan. They have said as I have already agreed Zometa that is the treatment for bone protection. I was told I would get a baseline, ie if osteopenia yet or normal. I have asked my breast care nurse to clarify.
I had a MUGA for my heart in January had to chase results two months later but all was ok. I saw my cardiologist who wanted an ECHO for their own records and was told on the day all was ok. So that is reassuring. I have my next MUGA in May and they have booked a phone call around the same time as an oncology follow up. Due to the nature of the MUGA if they phone on time and the MUGA is on time I will be able to take the call. Hopefully it will all work out. There doesn’t seem to be any joined up thinking where bookings are concerned. Since chemotherapy I feel that I have just been dropped. The surgical breast care nurse had me in for a chat in February and I was all over the place. She’s referred me back to complementary therapy at the cancer centre and menopause clinic.
Have you decided to go for Zometa?
Great news you are back in work, I have just had redundancy confirmed. It’s a relief. I don’t think I could ever go back to my teaching role as my brain doesn’t work the same and I’m still very fatigued and achy.
Take care
@Artylady thanks for the update and so pleased you seem to be moving on. I’m 3 months post chemotherapy and am thinking ‘what has happened to me’ and feeling very emotional. I think I just muddled through the treatment to get it done and didn’t really deal with the emotional side.
Take care🥰
Hello @naughty_boob
I spoke to my oncologist and we agreed we won’t be having Zometa which is a relief. She said it would only be of marginal benefit to me.
I don’t really want to have it if I don’t really need it. I just want to get the Herceptin over and done with.
Hope you are doing ok and everyone else too. Take care xx
Continued….
I am also sorry that you are feeling all over the place and feels like the team dropped you after chemo. It seems like that only because we have been kept so busy when everything was ‘acute’ and we were in the eye of the storm fighting.
You’ve been through a lot so it’s not surprising this emotional roller coaster ride we can’t seem to get off from. We had to concentrate on fighting and can be a bit of an anti climax. That’s article that @rachel60 shares was really good. It made sense.
I am waiting for my repeat echo. They say because I have no symptoms and am well, they are not rushing. I guess I am ‘non urgent’ now. They told me they are inundated with requests.
Hopefully now you have redundancy you can concentrate on yourself and not having to worry about ‘should I or should I not return to work’.
You take care and just let what needs to flow through you, flow, take your time.
I met a friend who I haven’t seen for a while and I was telling her about what I had gone through. The floodgates opened in a cafe and there I was thinking I had ‘coped’ well.
It all takes as much time ad it takes and now we have heard our future Queen is one of us. I feel really sorry for them and their kids.
@rachel60 how are you doing?
Take care xx
@Artylady I am pleased life is slowly getting back to normal and oncologist happy with your progress. I seem to get neuropathy in hands and feet intermittently - seem to return a few days after Herceptin. Like you, I feel like things are settling back to routine after going back to work, catching up with friends, exercising etc
Hope you continue to stay well xx
I’m glad you and your oncologist have come to the decision about Zometa. I’m having my first infusion at the end of April and see how I go. My recent injury with the dog running into me causing a bone bruise has made me realise how much more I bruise and bleed and the risk of fracture is higher. Luckily I’ve never broken or fractured a bone before so hopefully I have quite strong bones and the treatment will only reduce that strength a bit. I’m increasing my weight bearing exercises to strengthen the bones naturally.
Funny how you mention that you met a friend and the floodgates opened. Only today I saw two colleagues from work and when I spoke about my treatment and side effects the tears came. I even apologised and said I’m not usually teary and they agreed as I’ve worked with them for over 10 years. I’m hoping having some complimentary treatment will help. The counselling through work hasn’t really made a difference. I’m hoping the Penny Brohn comes through soon.
All the coverage about the Princess of Wales is quite triggering to me, you only have to turn the TV or radio to hear some say…’How did you break the news to your family? Or How did you feel when you heard you had cancer’ Don’t they realise that they are still talking about her? Nobody that hasn’t been diagnosed with cancer will really understand what it’s like and many of us hide our real feelings to protect those that we love.
The article @rachel60 shared was really helpful and I’ve bookmarked it so I can go back and reread when I need.
I’m sorry to hear you are still waiting for an echo, I’m assuming they aren’t too worried. Like you I would like to get the a Herceptin done, I’m so over it. I will be 10/18 cycles next Thursday so that more done than required. I have heard somebody on the forum saying there is a trial to only receive 9 cycles of Herceptin. I’m not sure I would go for it unless there was some extra checks to ensure no recurrence.
Take care