Hello All,
Suzy, I am so pleased for you that your treatment can be in France. It must be a weight off your mind.
NoraBatty - Welcome to the gang. I’ll be thinking of you tomorrow, hope it all goes smoothly.
I’ve had confirmation that I will be starting on Friday, with the pre treatment visit tomorrow. All seems rather last minute, makes me wonder what they haven’t told me!!
Good luck to Twinnumber1 tomorrow too.
Best wishes to all,
Christine x
Hi,
I was diagnosed in December, the day before I was due to start IVF 
, and had a lumpectomy and started FEC at the end of Feb. Two weeks in, am feeling OK and it wasn’t nearly as scary as I expected. The anxiety before was worse for me. Have joined the forum today andhave found all the tips and support really helpful.
Hope it goes well
Natalie
x
Well had my hair cut today. It was shoulder length now in a Anne Hathoway pixie cut style. I actually quite like it, just a shame I won’t be able to enjoy it for long enough. It does seem to be the regulation haircut for us and I as said to my hairdresser gives me a sense of what my hair could look like when it grows back. I’m ready now and am just waiting for friday. Mungos mum , we are both on the same day for our first cycle. It would be good to keep track of each others SE’s.
I am curious that a great many women seem to be indicating that they are on the FEC course of chemo. I have not seen anyone refer to EC which is what I will be on for my first three cycles before moving on to docetaxel (Tax) for the final three. FEC is a combination of three drugs, whilst the EC combines just two. Wonder if there is a particular reason - medical, financal etc for this. Any ideas anyone?
Hi Mrs B
Have a look at the link in my previous post (post 135) and you can read about EC. Epirubicin and cyclophoshamide. You should ask your oncologist why you aren’t getting the F dose. It may be something to do with your particular diagnosis or your general health, or any number of reasons, but it is something you should ask.
Good luck everyone! I will be joining you all soon - my pre-chemo talk is next Monday.
Hi Ladies
I wonder if you can help me to build a picture of next steps as trying to plan some work things and not sure what Onc appointments etc I will need. Story so far - WLE early Feb, 1 positive node. required another op to clear margin and also get more nodes removed (last Tuesday). Back at hospital for results on Thursday this week albeit my doc gave me a sneak preview as he was able to access them yesterday. 1 further node from 10 positive but also found DCIS in the extra margin tissue they took so not sure what that now means.
Anyway, i have already been told I have to get 6 chemo sessions followed by rads. My question is how many Onc appointments etc do you need before chemo actually starts? I’ve seen mention of initial app with Onc, then pre treatment app then treatment itself starts. Can you share what app’s etc you had?
many thanks, Pauline x
Hi Pauline - my experience went something like: appt with oncologist on Thursday, discussed treatment, se’s, implications for future fertility etc. had my bloods taken by phlebo that day, spoke to a nurse for referrals for wig And shown round the treatment unit.
friday I got a phone call to say my first chemo would be Monday.
monday had my first treatment.
Monday went well, felt really well afterwards and ate a big meal… Uh oh! I’ve learnt my lesson now and am eating ‘Little and often’ haha
Hope your appts go well x
Bump 
- Can anyone help?
Hi everyone. It was my last day at work today before starting the chemo tomorrow and I’m just going to see how I get on as to when/whether I go back during the chemo. I had a lovely lunch with the girls who gave me a great send off. I started the steroids today anod seem to be ok on them - no hunger and no speeding round the house which the nurse said might happen. Not sure how much I’ll sleep tonight as I’m quite nervous.
Nattegg - it’s great that you are feeling ok 2 weeks in and that it wasn’t so scary. X
Nipinuk - really made me laugh about your hair cut - my brother said on seeing mine … … You look like your mother! ! It was great that you could donate your hair to the charity - I didn’t know about this but maybe it wouldn’t have been enough, I only had shoulder length hair. I’m really glad your hematoma/wound is healing. I think I was very lucky and had no complications.x
pcmartin - my dates/appointments were - surgery on 30th Jan, results on 17th Feb with consultation with surgeon who confirmed I would need chemo,rads, hormone treatment and that I would hear from Oncology. had the appt with the Onc on 21stFeb and the chemo starts tomorrow. hope this helps.
MungosMum - thank you for wishing me luck.
jess xxx
Hi Mrs B - I had been wondering the same as I am on EC as well. I have got 4 x EC and then 12 weekly Taxol … I’m Triple negative which may be the reason - not sure. Will ask onc next time. x
Hi Mrs B - I had been wondering the same as I am on EC as well. I have got 4 x EC and then 12 weekly Taxol … I’m Triple negative which may be the reason - not sure. Will ask onc next time. x
Pauline - I think you need to wait for your results on Thursday to be honest.
They will want to see a clear margin round the DCIS as well as the invasive tumour. Have you any idea if there are clear margins round both sorts of cancer, and if so by how much? I was originally dx with a grade 3 IDC. Had a lumpectomy and there were good clear margins round the IDC BUT some DCIS was lurking in there that had extended into the clear margins leaving just a tiny tiny clear gap of only 0.5mm. I was told they like to see at least 2mm, more if possible, so back in surgery for a cavity shave to try for a bigger margin round the DCIS.
I was lucky in that my surgeon got this clear margin. However, I had asked what would happen if she didn’t. There were 3 options, depending on what they found in the 2nd operation - a third operation for another shave, a mastectomy, or an additional week of booster radiotherapy. I was also told the DCIS could wait as it was going nowhere, and that any additional treatment to remove it would take place after my chemo. Only your surgeon will know what your best options are, and she/he should be discussing this with you when you go for the results.
You will get an appointment with your oncologist once you have seen the surgeon. Sometimes this can take a few weeks. Then you will have a pre-chemo assessment, and maybe a line or port fitted, and then you will be fitted into a slot for the treatment. You may also be given an appointment with the wig lady if you choose to do this.
With only 2 positive nodes it is unlikely you will need any body scans. These are usually if you have more than 4. You will, however, have some sort of heart scan/ECG depending which chemo regime you are on.
Hope this helps.
Hi Pauline,
There are some differences between Trusts, but I was referred to the Onc after my post surgical review. I had to wait a few weeks for the appointment, but had as long as I needed with the Onc to discuss proposed treatment. During this appointment, had a minor physical (height, weight, heart and lungs with stethoscope etc) and had all my questions answered. Had proposed start date (confirmed within 2 working days by the ward) and booked in pre treatment visit to the treatment ward. I will need a couple of other tests because of the proposed treatment (FEC-T requires heart scan) and the obligatory bloods. The BCN has been wonderful in answering minor questions and has jigged another appointment around to minimise my visits to the hospital.
I visit the ward tomorrow and start my treatment on Friday. Best of luck,
Christine
Lola 65 / Jess - thanks so much for replying. Looking at both your timelines I guess it’s hard to call as quite different however, it has helped knowing what to expect next.
I’m not sure about the clear margins - after my initial lumpectomy they said they didn’t get enough clear margins at one edge, thus the 2nd go. My path report says that high grade DCIS was found whilst doing this so think it was in the additional tissue they took out. I got a sneak preview of this path report from my GP but he’s obviously not an ‘expert’ so was unable to explain what this meant or what happens next. Guess I’ll find out from surgeon on thursday, just hoping it’s not a 3rd Op and doesn’t dealy chemo starting - just want to get on with it now!
Thanks again, I’ve started a ’ starting chemo in April’ thread so please pop in now and again and give us newbies the benefit of your experience
Pauline x
Pauline - I wish you all the very best for Thursday. Will pop into your April thread to see how you are getting on.
hugs
Jess x
Started chemo yesterday, they had trouble finding veins. had a bad night as could not sleep
and was sick. i did not take all my anti sickness tablets. I have been sick again this morning,
toast made me sick , rang my specialist nurse waiting for her to call me back, i am on FEC i
hope i am not going to be sick all the way through any ideas on what food i can keep down
Chanson,
I am so sorry you are suffering. I don’t have any solutions, but I do know that dry crackers (like jacobs cream, water biscuits etc) worked well during morning sickness. might be worth a try, little and often.
I hope you find a solution that works for your soon.
MM x
Hi Chanson,
So sorry you feel so crappy. Other ladies have recommended ginger biscuits. It also seems you must take your anti-sickness tablets on time whether you feel sick or not - they are preventative medicines. I hope your nurse can sort you out.
xxx
On anti sickness pills,
Chanson due take them, as Linda says, whether you feel sick or not. Chemo is very harsh on our systems - toxic in effect, so any drug that can couteract SE’s is a great bonus.
I will be taking Emend before my first FEC and for 2 days afterwards. Here in France you have to buy your meds from the chemist - 3 pills cost £60 which is frightening. I also found out each chemo cycle is around £ 900! if only we could spend all that money on spoiling yourselves! Still I would rather be wearing sack cloth and well 
I have done a fair bit of sailing and to counteract sea sickness I can recommend ginger tea and ginger snaps and ginger beer - so I will have all the above in store before next Friday. I’m also a great fan of dry crackers nibbled slowly.
Cheers Ladies
Suzy
Blimey Suzy - do you get reimbursed for any of those costs?
Hi Linda,
I get 70% of the treatment cost but I should get some more back from the dept of health when I send in my bills at the end of treatment. I could have stayed in England for my chemo but my hubby is here and it will be allot easier for me in the long run.
Suzy