Hi @tori123 just to say I had this recently - after my 2nd EC I found a lump in my unaffected boob - was also petrified but was told it was unlikely to be anything and thankfully once I got an appointment at the breast clinic and had an ultrasound, it was confirmed to be a simple cyst which I had aspirated. Hopefully yours is also nothing but hope that’s slightly reassuring. Sending good thoughts xxxx
Thank you, that does help. I’m partly thinking it’s always been there and I’m just very aware of every little lump and bump fingers crossed.
Hi @budsbails2301, thought I’d mention I have been on an antidepressant called sertraline almost since this began. The list of side effects are crazy but I’ve not had any of them and also not had hot flushes yet (not sure if thats related or not) x
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Some anti depressants are prescribed to stop hot flushes, so sertraline is probably helping.( see British menopause society for non hormonal options)
@glitteryrainbow your oncologist is just trying to make sure you’re fully informed of the ‘what if’, some people like to know everything other prefer not to know. Let them know how you feel. You can also talk it through with one of the BCN nurses on here * Helpline: 0808 800 6000 (Mon-Fri 9am-4pm; Sat 9am-1pm). Speak to our trained helpline team. No questions are too big or too small.
You’re all doing great 
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Decided to wait until yesterday and called my local unit. Pain in my hand is due to vein/nerve damage so going for PICC line insertion on Thursday for my last 2 treatments. I’m apprehensive about that but less stressed now for Friday’s chemo as I know there wont now be multiple painful attempts at cannulation. I have numbness in fingertips and some toes but was told just to keep an eye on it.
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I had a PICC line in for 15 weeks as I had 12 weekly Paclitaxel, I was so grateful not to have cannulas inserted weekly as well as 3 weekly bloods, which were taken from the PICC.
They are not without problems, I had a small blockage which was resolved quickly. You need to protect it from getting wet. I was given a sleeve to wear in shower/bath.
They numb your arm and you barely feel anything when inserting.
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@tori123 - fingers crossed and positive vibes that the lump is nothing.
@glitteryrainbow - The thread is so long now I cannot recall what op you were having now but I’m presuming the radio is because you will be having a lumpectomy? I was told this would always be the case if I opted for that instead of mastectomy. One of my friends had several lumpectomies and had radio. She was tired but nothing like that chemo side effects.
Wow ladies I’ve just literally caught up with this thread, there’s so much going on for everyone and I wanted to respond and bring you up to date with me (vent), but realise that would be a huge post. So will condense as much as I can!
@hopefulheart i loved your bravery of just rocking the naked head look, as someone who never left the house without a wig I took courage from your post and went out with just a cap! That is progress for me 
@snoop182 big congratulations on the end of chemo for you!! @tori123 have you finished now too?
@glitteryrainbow congratulations to you too on your up coming house move and the shrinking of Barry!! Also want to echo how miserable night sweats are, especially with a bald head, I’m finding I’m having to put 2 pillowcases on just to change them in morning 
I’m also sorry to hear about the surprise of longer treatment… I basically wrote this whole year off in my head with one treatment or another.
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Oh for goodness sake chemo brain is a nightmare 
was trying to edit my message and inadvertently sent it instead 
well I suppose it made it shorter!! Anyway… also wanted to add welcome @jaffaboob nice to have you with us on the journey no-one wants to be on. I’m sorry to hear it’s been a difficult start and wanted to empathise about how much of a steep learning curve it is for us all to try to figure out what’s best for us in the face of all these horrible (yet ironically lifesaving) drugs.
@tori123 just wanted to add I’m also adding my wishes that hopefully all went well for you today with the lump.
Finally, I just want to vent about my own recent experience. Had 4th and final EC (yay small wins!!) and felt awful but assumed cumulative effects of chemo. Noticed red skin on mastectomy site and sent pics to hospital out of hours who diagnosed skin fungal infection (eww how did I get that?!?) put cream on for a week no improvement. Temp spikes Friday night (it’s always a Friday 
) straight to hospital and told not fungal at all but cellulitis!!! Which was why I was so unwell not chemo (or not just chemo) 6 days in hospital (1 extra day because they lost me - don’t ask) on iv antibiotics, initially on a ward with no picc trained staff, so they left me hooked up to an empty iv bag for 2 hours, when picc nurse came back after being paged eventually she was furious at staff and informed me that was an infection risk with an open line to my heart!! Well when she put it like that I realised I need to stop being so accommodating, I’m always like nhs is so busy and nurses are understaffed and I don’t want to be a bother… but I also need to accept my care is important too, so even found the courage to challenge some nurses who weren’t using the sterile pack when hooking me up!! Go me - I’m learning 
Anyway, oncology appointment today for weekly pax on Thursday, she takes one look at my bright red chest and says no way… so chemo is delayed for 2 weeks while they try to resolve my cellulitis. It’s all a bit of an on-going nightmare. Even the oncologist acknowledged I’ve had a bit of a rough time and gave me a hug (which nearly made me cry!) so am back to see surgical team tomorrow in the hope they can do something 
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Oh I’m actually terrible… I forgot to mention @budsbails2301 and @rosa1 sounds like you’ve both been through the mill recently and hope you’re feeling a a bit better and hopefully home now.
Last post I promise (will engage brain fully next time!!)
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Goodness me @kiltie that sounds terrible and uncomfortable. I’ve just nhs’d cellulitis and looks like it’s really bad if immuno compromised so hopefully this two weeks give you the chance to rest and recover.I wouldn’t have even thought one could get it after the wound had healed but I guess it’s healing underneath still.
I’m busy trying to rest after my last chemo and ahead of my holiday later next week which I know will take a lot of effort to pack and set off on. It’s in Wales and a 4. 5 hours drive for us, but it being school holidays and there are no holiday clubs running this week it’s a case of trying to amuse the kids whilst expending as little energy as possible. If I have one more argument about whose turn it is in the hammock I think my head might explode 
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Thank you very much! I am very excited to move house! Feels like things are finally on the up! The sweats are disgusting. I feel like a sticky mess and with the PICC line, its not easy to just jump in the shower 
. Ive found a silk pillowcase and a fan has helped out a lot. Last night was the first night i didnt wake up in a puddle of my own sweat
Wow youve really been through it! Well done you for being so strong and for standing up for yourself! We have to put ourselves first right now. Make sure you rest up and look after yourself 
.
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Im having a lumpectomy, I dont know why I thought I wouldn’t have radio as everyone was really shocked when I said it wasnt in my care plan. Im hoping it will just be for 5 days and I can go back to work ASAP. Ive now considered volunteering at my local animal shelter but dont think my hormonal chemo brain could cope with it atm. I cry at everything
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Good news! Lumps are nothing but normal breast tissue!!! Lumps plural as I found one near my armpit last night as well. Consultant couldn’t feel them and nothing on ultrasound. The consultant also dropped into the conversation my mri results showed an “excellent partial response” to chemo. I’m not exactly sure what that means as I didn’t ask questions but anything with “excellent” and “response” in the same sentence I’ll take happily!
Thanks for your positive vibes everyone xxx
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Great news! Im so happy for you! Also great news about the MRI!
@glitteryrainbow Ive literally just had an appointment today, to discuss the radiotherapy plan after I finish Paclitaxel. It’s 5 days (one week) but with four additional days as a ‘booster’ - presumably to absolutely nuke the area around the tumour site so there’s zero chance of any stray cells. So nine days in total xx
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Hi I cant find who it was but I think I remember someone mentioning problems with neuropathy? Maybe. Anyway I saw this on Instagram which might help.
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Thanks @tori123 that was me - although it does seem to have calmed down now so I’m hoping it will gradually go away after I finish chemo. I also have some lymphoedema in my hands since I’ve been on Paclitaxel- I had a full node clearance the first time I had cancer. It’s literally never caused me any problems until now but my hand is definitely swollen compared to the other one. I think there is such a thing as lymphatic drainage massage so if it doesn’t go down that’s another thing for me to look into!
Sorry in advance if this is TMI, but in the interest of sharing experiences (and making people laugh) I have had absolutely dreadful diarrhoea this last week, it’s been getting worse every treatment but recently I literally have had no control of my bowels - twice on a dog walk across the fields I’ve had to find a bush 
thank goodness no one was about - and I laughed so much at the dogs’ confused faces as I surreptitiously squatted! Imodium has sorted me out now thankfully!
Pax 5 of 9 tomorrow 
bring it on!
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Oh no! 
I’m guessing you didn’t pick it up in a dog poo bag (sorry couldn’t resist!)
Definitely get the lymphoedema looked at quickly , good luck tomorrow x