Hi Suzie welcome you’ve done the right thing joining this group. There is loads of advise and support here as we’re all going through the same thing. I also waited about 7 weeks from surgery to chemo. The unknown is defiantly the worst but when you get started you’ll feel better- it’s very doable!! What chemo are you having? Take care xxxxx
Aww SO nice to be part of this, I’ve been in a lonely place…Left my husband the day before I found the lump:smileysad: Suddenly, my life completely changed!! Anyway, because I left that area, I have been handed over to Guildford Oncology, waiting for my first appointment there, will find myself ringing the specialist nurse tomorrow cos I’m not good at waiting haha! Good luck all those with chemo this week and great to meet you all :manvery-happy: XX
Hi Suzie,
i too was told that chemo should be within 31 days of surgery, when I mentioned it to my oncologist, she just said oh it’s a guideline, but surely guidelines are there for a reason. I now have my start date 8th October which is 50 days (over 7 weeks past my last surgery on 19th August). Just want too get started now.
good luck with your date and hope it is sooner rather than later for you.
hope all you ladies who have had chemo in the last week are all bearing up. Xxx
Ladies, just make sure you have healed completely before you start chemo. I had my op 22 sept 2014 and started chemo 31 Oct. My wound hadn’t fully healed but I pushed to start asap. Unfortunately after the first and second chemo I got infections which delayed the next treatment and resulted in my wound opening and further surgery!
Just a word if warning, don’t be in too much of rush xx
Hi. This is my first post. I had a wle on Sep 1st. Clear nodes and good margins, but as it was her2+ I still need to have chemo. I am having my port inserted tomorrow and have my first session on Friday. I’m itching to get started as I’m tired of waiting. I feel very well and know that this is going to change so I want to see what I’m up against.
has anyone else had a port inserted? I don’t like the idea of it being done while I’m awake, but I’ll just go to my happy place and brave it out.
Emma
Hi all I had my lumpectomy on August 10th and still no date for chemo starting… My wound has taken time to heal and oncologist said as long as we start it within 12 weeks…next appointment with oncologist on tuesday so hope to have date then… The waiting has been really hard probably the lowest I have felt so far in the last week but I don’t suppose it’s going to get much easier in the coming weeks! Only 21 weeks for chemo then 4 for radio and I will be done. Good luck to everyone having chemo this week x x
Good luck tomorrow Emma, and hope your convo with the oncologist goes well on Tues Marie. The extra time to get you fully healed and well will be worth it in the long run I’m sure. I had my first chemo on Weds and have had a pretty good weekend, following a dodgy start Thurs/Fri. I’m a bit tired, and ravenously hungry for some reason, so now waiting to see what comes next! X
Emma I had a port inserted last year for my chemo. It was done under sedation so I was awake but spaced out and didn’t know it was being done so it was fine. A bit sore for a few days after.
It made chemo a doddle compared to some who suffered with problems with veins so definitely a good choice. X
I can now see why sometimes it is delayed, luckily my mammoth wounds healed well within about 3 weeks, which was when I went back for my results, surgeon was very pleased with them. Hopefully I don’t get any wound infection now, it doesn’t sound great.
Hi again, I asked about a port or pic line, because the anaesthetist said I had crap veins, onc told me they like the chemo nurses to have a go first as they are used to rubbish tiny veins, they also said the only use a child size cannula, plus the fact they don’t want to introduce further risk, like infection or clots with a pic line/ port. However, I’m not great with needles and still think I would prefer a line or something. I’ll just have to ‘man up’ on Thursday. xxx
Morning all! I am meeting the chemo nurses today. I also have pre op tests in preparation for having a port inserted on Wednesday. Mine is being done under general anaesthetic. I am due to start chemo next Monday
Good luck to everyone with hospital visits today.
Hopefully a quiet day for me today. Am going to my local Maggies centre tomorrow for a talk on Chemotherpahy. Even though I have done my first session this will hopefully be informative. Whilst my first session of FEC went really well I am already dreading the change to T and want to get more information on the different SE I may experience.
For those of you waiting for start dates, I was diagnosed in July and started chemo at the end of September with no treatment at all inbetween (my operation will be after chemo and rads). I too was getting frustrated as just wanted to get started but in the end the start date worked really well and managed to get some family events out of the way first.
Happy Monday guys
Liz
Hi all, I’ve been to my local Maggies Centre today for a talking heads session, all about hair loss, wigs, scarves, care for your scalp etc, very good and informative. Looking forward to my LGFB session in November. If you have a centre near you, they are well worth a visit. xx
As soon as I get a chemo date I think I will go. I have one not far from me… and it will probably really help as apart from what I learn on here I have no idea what to expect. I’ve been told The LGFB sessions are great.
I went on a Headstrong session organized by this site a couple of weeks ago. The two volunteers were fantastic and it was such a fun hour. There is so much amazing support out there.
Have a great time Chris. I’m sure it will be fun and look forward to your report later.
Nikki’s been given a date of 14th October for start of chemo treatment. It’s a little scary at the moment.
Ahh, you beat me to it Barry (see “just diagnosed” thread) :smileyhappy:
Hi October thread starters! I know this is a long way ahead of you, but I am almost finishing all my treatments and will leave the forum in a couple of days. Before doing so, I wanted to issue a HAIR DYE WARNING for when you get to the end. I have done so for the August, September and October starters.
I am posting this to the attention of those who are still under chemotherapy as a warning, I had the most awful allegic reaction to a hair dye, which was, I believe, “recommended” by women posting some time ago.
I finished my chemotherapy in August. I waited almost two months for my hair to regrow, it was white, and I couldn’t stand it any longer. The cold cap left me with a handful of dark hair, and I wanted “1” colour.
Last week, I dyed my hair with NATURTIN, it said no armonia, no resorcinol, no parabens.
It did not seem to mention PPD, a chemical which can cause intense allergic reaction. Apparently black henna can cause the same reaction.
I had three pin points tattooes put on my chest for the radiotherapy, and I don’t know whether the tattooes had made me more sensitive. I did the strand test for allergy, and as nothing happened, I use NATURTIN the next morning. The reaction was slow, it flared out two days later, I thought I ate some bad cheese. I got my radiotherapy appraisal with a nurse, and both of us decided that with some Piriton the rash at the corners of my eyes would clear up. Two days later I was at A&E as “priority”, I still thought it was the cheese! I was prescribed steroids for 4 days and abtihistamine. My eyes had closed up almost completely, my cheeks were raw red, my ears had double size and I was so itchy I could not sleep. Not what I wanted after 6 cycles chemo and in my second week rads!!! Today (in my fourth week rads) I had an emergency appointment with my GP, heavier antihistamine, cortisoid cream - and more steroids “just in case”.
I am pre-diabetic, the steroids can topple me into diabetes. I am trying to avoid them, but if things don’t improve, I might have to take them. I researched the web, and it seems that PPD is the culprit. It is in a lot of hair dye, even those which are advertised as “natural”. Black henna can also cause allergy (in hair dye and tattooes). Apparently I can have weeks of rash, itchy skin, puffy eyes, and I am writing this so that others don’t go through this - I am not even concerned about my 4 weeks rads (!!!). This issue is now dominating my life! Chemo is pretty awful, but so is hair dye allergy. I don’t think that if I waited another month or two, it would have made any difference. I dyed my hair before, and this is the first time I use NATURTIN.
Sending my best wishes for your ongoing chemo, Egret x
Morning everyone hope you are all doing okay. Well I seen the onc yesterday and I thought I couldn’t be shocked anymore with anything (as youre all aware things change all the time when your going through something like this) but they have decided that due to brain aneurysms I’m going to have chemo weekly for 18weeks as it will be easier to monitor bloods ect I was hoping to continue with work and now think that will be impossible I think I’m still in shock. Anyone else had weekly treatment please? X x x