Hi everyone. Just jumping in from the August Chemo Starters Group to wish you all well. I hope you all have smooth starts. I’ve only had 1 EC so far, but wanted to tell you that it hasn’t been anywhere near as awful as I’d expected. I had my first cocktail on August 23rd. First few days after were mainly tiredness. Day 7 was worst with aches but since then I have felt fine…normal even. The onco staff will help you sort any side effects out. So although you’re bound to be nervous, you can do this and you will kill the cancer. Good luck everyone. X
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What chemo are you having? How did you get on today? I saw the cardiologist today and all good. Told a director at work today. May tell others too at work now otherwise they will think I’m crap if I’m not getting stuff done.
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Well I was due to start chemo in the morning. But after feeling ill all last week I ended up at the out of hours emergency GP on Sunday night unable to breathe & have a severe chest infection. On antibiotics, PICC line insertion today didn’t happen and they have cancelled my chemo for tomorrow. I know it’s for the best but feeling really gutted and depressed. No idea how I got ill as I’ve barely been anywhere or seen anyone!
This is not going to help my germ-phobia at all! Good luck to anyone else starting soon, hope all your weeks are going better than mine! x
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Oh no. Hope you feel better soon. So what’s the plan re you starting chemo now? I’m avoiding people now to try not to catch anything before I start on Friday.
Oh no! I was wondering how you were getting on today. I think we are so run down with stress and anxiety that we are more susceptible to bugs, you poor thing. Hope you have a super speedy recovery and get your treatment plan back on track soon xx
Yes I don’t blame you. To be honest we have been too…but with a toddler who goes to nursery so there is only so much I can control this (my husband and I both really ill, child fine!). They have pushed everything back 1 week so I just have to try & rest & get better now.
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Thankyou. Trying to look at the positive side of things - I feel so rotten that any chemo side effects after this are going to be a breeze! 
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Hope you have some lovely supportive work colleagues. My work colleagues have been amazing. It’s weird but I kind of feel easier talking about my situation to some of my work colleagues than some friends - x
First time I’ve posted on a chat room. Diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time in April. Had auxiliary lymph node clearance on 10th July due to have my PICC line fitted on 10th of September and chemo starting for 18 weeks weekly on 16th September. It’s been a long wait for chemo. It’s hard to know what to expect. My family are really anxious about my chemo. So I spend a lot of time reassuring other people that it’s going to be okay. When I’m actually pretty scared myself. I’m really not looking forward to having the PICC line fitted. I’ve also put on quite a lot of weight over the last few months whilst what seems like doing a lot of waiting for results etc. I’m really concerned I’m going to put on more weight during chemo too☹️
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I had an op on 13th June to remove a stage 3 - 46 mm tumour and full lymph node clearance. I saw my oncologist on Aug 26th and don’t start my chemo till 11th Sept! This delay has been due to holidays. Been told how aggressive the cancer was and was in 25 lymph nodes. Everyday I feel like it’s spreading. I am an emotional wreck and dont know how I’m going to get through this if I do. I’m not sleeping and constantly crying at the thought of chemo and his it’s going to change my body. So sad 
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Picc line day today 
Not looking forward to it at all…needles etc don’t bother me at all but there’s something about the picc line that makes me bork a bit. Wish me luck!
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When I had my PICC line fitted previously it was OK and I feint alot! I got diazapam before having an MRI last time so you could maybe do that. It doesn’t phase me now. You will all be fine.
I had a 51mm tumour previously. I have been told by 1 oncologist this is a new primary not a recurrence which he said everyone was talking about. There isn’t much I can say other than take it a day at a time like I did last time. Would meditation help? The Insight Timer app is free which I use.
I’m now resigned to having treatment so will probably tell more people. I have my nursing assessment today. Not sure exactly what she will be doing apart from give me steroids I guess. I just try to keep busy and have started going for a walk at lunchtime. Running is good too which I do daily now. I’m not very good at saying the right thing but coming on here definitely helped me get through this nightmare! Lots of love.
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Paclitaxel and Trastuzumab. The whole thing took nearly seven hours. That might have been because it was my first time. I was braced for hideous after effects but have had none so far after 24 hours. I slept like a log. No nausea. My face is very flushed but I think that goes away soon. I’ve just been to our shop to stock up on prunes. I was in a room with six other people and they were very good about handing out tips.
I think it will get worse but so far so good.
They’re making me an appointment with the wig maker.
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I was going to get prune juice but have been told a pint of boiled water first thing with a squirt of fresh lemon juice is the thing. I asked the nurse today who said you just don’t know what the side effects will be and can’t do anything in advance. I have changed my flu injection to the day before treatment (weekly) and rung gp to see if they can give me a flu and covid jab before Friday and they are calling back. Got dentist tomorrow and been told no invasive treatment without checking with the onc first. Got a big crack in windscreen so sorted that being fixed too.
Also spoke to company who will be doing my blood tests, PICC line care and home treatment from 5th week twice.
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You’re very well prepared. Thank you for the prune juice tip. I hadn’t thought of that. My surgery is doing all my blood tests. I can get there in five minutes which is handy. I’m not having cold cap so they made an appointment with the wig lady.
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Eeeee how did it go? (Feel free to be brutally honest no sugar coating needed here)
You will get through this. And you will surprise yourself with how strong you can be. That is quite a wait for chemo but at least the start date is in sight now. (Mine starts the day before you now - was due to start today but I’m ill). Do you know what regime you will be on and for how long? Having and end date in mind is the only thing keeping me going right now
It was…weird It didn’t hurt at all, but it was like a mini surgical procedure…I don’t know why that came as a shock to me, but I hadn’t really thought about how they did it. It took a lot longer than I expected but like I say it wasn’t painful and I couldn’t feel anything. There was a lairy moment where the line wouldn’t go where they wanted it to and it kept trying to go up into my neck, so I had to press my chin into my left collarbone to ‘block’ it, then it went the right way I had a bit of a bleed but I’m a bleeder so that’s normal for me.
It’s a little sore now but I’ve taken a couple of paracetamol and it’s ok. The worst thing at the moment is the paranoia, I seem to have health anxiety nowadays and I’m almost convinced I’m going to get a clot 
Trying to give my head a wobble
It was really nice to see the unit properly and familiarise myself, everyone is so lovely. I already have a nickname - I’m from Gateshead but live in Cumbria and they all said I sound like Sarah Millican… I absolutely don’t but it made me chu ckle 
Hope your cold is improving? X
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Jules8:heart:sorry you find yourself here 
please do speak to your team they might be able to prescribe something to help you. Please know that bcn and everywhere has got you virtual 
you and the sept chemo gang will all get each other safely through Linda corrine who is on this thread is kick ass, she’s seen it off before and will kick its ass again as all the September gang will hold on tight to each other you’ll get each other through with 
and definitely 
as the steroids kick in (and give you pikes) get that senokot, movicol and anosol ready day T a time and step by step you’ll get through and above all be kind to yourself, do it your way no right or wrongs snd you’ve got your safe space here where everyone intend just gets it 
Shi xx
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Wow. I’m not sure whether to laugh or cry at the blocking it with the neck comment ha! I am so worried I’m just going to be really aware of it. I also have to pick my LO up using the arm the PICC will go into as my auxiliary lymph node clearance was in the other arm and I’m worried the PICC will stop me doing that. But I suppose I should be worried about other things. Are you really hyper aware of it still?