Di, my one remaining boob is big but not as big as a Church kneeler. That would just be showing off!!
Got a leaflet from BCC today about haircare, wigs and scarves which is really useful. We are off to Exeter to look for a wig tomorrow, not sure about scarves, some ladies look lovely in them, I’ve tried a couple on and look plain scary!!
Lydia that’s good news about your results.
Welcome to Angelherts. I was a wreck last week but for some reason seem a bit more positive this week. Some of the "been there done that " ladies have posted on here and it’s such a help to read their stories and put things back into perspective. Hope I can do the same when finally through this.Thank you hjv123 and sandytoes.
Here’s to a new week and hope pet cats and children and partners and all of us have a good week.
Maggie May XX
Good evening ladies, hope the week has got off to a good start for eveyone. Good luck to those who have appointments this week. For the first time in I don’t know how long, I have no appointments this week! Hooray!
I have had some good news about my cat (sorry, I know this is a support group for breast cancer really, I’m afraid my cat has got in on the act, having just also been diagnosed!). The steroid injection has agreed with her so she has now gone on steroid tablets which will keep it under control day to day. The outcome will be the same, but at least we will have some time to get used to the situation.
Carolyn, I am having my chemo at Lister too. I think you said your first treat is on 1st March? That is the same day as me. My appointment is 10.30am, we might cross paths if your appointment is the same time? I am having my rads at Addenbrooks though, it is closer than Mount Vernon for me.
I was only confirmed today I will start my chemo March 13th. I’ll have six sessions (finishing end of June), then rads. I have this blue feeling looming since we left the hospital, but I am mostly feeling strongish. I’m so happy to have found this thread, though. I’ll try to catch up with how you are all doing doing and with all the info I have been given today. See you all around.
Hi Everyone,
Had my chat with the pharmacist and nurse today. The nurse was unable to get any blood out of my arm, hope she will have more luck with the cannula for the chemo next week.
It all sounds OK, they have given me a list of what anti-emetic drugs I will be given together with the doses and a chart for when I have to take them. Also I have been given an emergency number for out of hours help and they promised if the side effects became intolerable there would be a drug to help. So I feel quite a bit more reassured, and not least because my BCC buddy phoned and she also gave me some excellent tips.
Over the weekend I spent some time looking for pretty headwear in case the cold cap doesn’t work and I came across two websites I liked randrconfidence.co.uk and bohemia fashions headwear. The first one has some beautiful silk creations and, while they’re not cheap, I think they will be my first choice should I need them.
KC
I so hope i dont have to join you on the chemo journey but you help allay some of the fear and tension by your positive vibes. If i decide to go ahead i am less afraid now seeing your positive comments and know you will all help
Good luck to you lovely inspiring ladies, hope you are all ok
Girls, have you been given info on the cold cap at your hospital or have you looked into it yourselves? I was told yesterday there was no way to prevent hair loss, so I wonder if I should call and ask them…
Hi Carolyn i too start chemo in March. Went to see oncologist yesterday and have PCA next Tues then start 5th March,having FEC x3 and T x3 then Tamoxifen for 5 years. I am really worried about everything involved i.e. side effects and hope to carry on working inbetween treatments. Hope all goes well for you
Been a good girl and had dental check up and all good therproblems ready though when he asked if there were any problems, and then had to mention the dreaded chemo! Had meltdown last night about it all and now have just heard my school is being Ofsteded so feel even more out of things. Like I said to Oh last night i just want my life back! Xxx
Probably posting here for the last time. After long chat with GP yesterday have decided not to do chemo and go for radiotherapy and pills. I’m 62 and have a whole list of other stuff I have to take regular medication for including heart, asthma and reflux, plus chronic depression!! My Gp lookd at the whole picture with me and as the odds are 90 to 10 of recurrence without chemo. thought I would take the chance! I was awake most of the night but hadn’t realised that going through chemo was a risk with the other stuff I have. It’s rock and a hard place stuff, but have decided and will now live with the decision, recurrance or no recurrance. If I was 30 or even 10 years younger would have not done this, but then didn’t have all the other probs then. Will keep an eye on this thread but I wish you all really well. You are all wonderful and I will probably keep posting on January Surgery buddies where I started. Loads of love, Maggie May XXXXXXX
Ah Maggie! Very best of luck with everything, I truly hope make a full recovery with no recurrence. Thanks for the posts you have left on this thread, you have raised a smile and I hope you keep with the positive attitude.
Another 'old girl’checking in. I am on the November thread with my last chemo on March 5th (the day after my birthday lol). Just wanted to reiterate the other ladies, you don’t all react to chemo the same way, if you do get bad se’s there is a solution to them and call the hosp straight away.
The only one thing I would say is about work. I run my own business and tried to work, whilst I found it ok for week three you must be careful of bugs as they hit you harder whilst on chemo. You must take care of yourselves, you are your priority at the mo. (I realise that financially this is tough but you can get support there too.)
Don’t forget to speak to your Dr about free prescriptions as you are entitled to those too!
Take care of yourselves, I will pop in from time to time to see how you getting on.
I send you love and hugs and lots of wishes for your next treatment, you’ll be able to tell us all whatvradio is like. It must have been such a hard decision, but I can understand why you came to it. Seeing your posts has certainly helped me ( my late mums name was Margaret and one of my cousins always called her Maggie so reading your posts always brought her back to my mind). Please do keep us posted as we all started in January with surgery.
Well done on getting to your last chemo session! That’s great, a big step along the way. You will have to have a belated birthday / end of chemo celebration!! Thank you for your post, its good to get hints and tips from those who have been through it.
Been sat at the back of the feb chemo train watching all comments and how great they all coping, got my 1st oncology appointment tomorrow get my results from my CAT scan and my chemo plan.
Had lumpectomy and full node clearance 4/18 cancerous on Jan 9th. seems i have been waiting for ever to get on my chemo plan.
If my 1st chemo is in march jumping train onto the march group. Hoping my 1st will not be March 1st as my birthday and going to see Stranglers in concert.
Begun a detox on sunday no caffeine no alcohol, no fatty foods get my self a bit more body fit before my plan starts. Off to get a pixie hair cut end of week as i have long hair, do not fancy ice cap incase theres a stray colin hanging about in my head.
Fingers crossed for tomorrow i dreading the results of the scan
Good luck tomorrow with your results, hope everything goes well. I had an mx on Jan 5th and start my chemo on March 1st. I too was on the Feb thread but jumped to March once I had my dates confirmed. I feel like I have been in limbo land for a little while, but at least the wait has given my body more time to recover from the surgery.
Have a lovely birthday on 1st, I shall think of you eating birthday cake (or not if you are still on your detox!), while I am hooked up! Hope the Stranglers are great!
Let us know your results and dates after your appt tomorrow and good luck!!
Carmy,
I spoke to someone yesterday who used a cold cap and didn’t lose any or much of her hair and there are lots of similar cases I’ve read on the internet.
I was shown the one at my hospital when I went on Monday and although I don’t know if I will be able to tolerate it I will definitely give it a go. I tried one for size and it was explained how it worked. However, I was told that sometimes hair does fall out in patches.
I wonder if maybe your own hospital doesn’t have access to cold caps? I would definitely ask them as soon as you can.
On another note, I went back to hospital today and one of the regular phlebotomists took the blood without any trouble so that’s another job done.
KC
Kitcat, glad they did your blood ok yesterday, as you say, another thing ticked off.
Well, I am amazed! I phoned up this morning to get booked onto the Look Good Feel Better course and I am going next Tuesday! Can’t believe it as I have read in other posts about there being a really long waiting list in different parts of the country. One lady couldn’t get booked on till July! I feel very lucky, I am having my first chemo session next Thursday 1st March so it will be great to do this before I start.
Have a good day everyone. Good luck with appointments, test results etc.
Thank you for your kind words Joan and Carolyn. Am off to Oncologist tomorrow to get booked onto Radiotherapy and starting the pills today, so all going forward quite fast. Great that you have an appointment so quickly Joan. must be a big boost to have a make over etc. With mastectomy etc its easy to start feeling a bit weird and lumpy. Since losing a boob have been reminded how big my stomach is (couldn’t see it under the large boob pre mastectomy) so am having to do some sit ups!! And talking of boobs have lost one! 2 softies and we have been hunting for the lost one all over the bungalow. How can you lose a softie!? Going barmy with all this. Take care all of you and all the best with results, and life in general.Maggie May XX