Hi girls.
Just back from Herceptin clinic. (Last one!) I spoke to the nurse clinician there about the permenantly drippy nose. She said its the chemo not the Herceptin! I asked her if it would eventually stop, she said she didn’t know!
The gift that keeps on giving!!! (Plus mine is worse at the moment as Im full of a cold!)
I asked her what the follow up is now and she said 12 months from now!!! I went into panic mode. So we’ve compromised. Im going to be seen in October, because I’m seen by the surgeons for mammogram in March, so that evens it out a bit. Being seen every 6 months.
She asked me what I want to do about getting my portacath removed. Told her 50% of me wants it out because its a constant reminder of whats happened but 50% of me wants to keep it. Just in case. (Its all about being “braced”!).
Shes going to email me mid July to see how I feel, as my last Herceptin is 29th June.
Hope everyone is well and enjoying the sunshine.
Mandy xx
P.S. Also asked her if its ok to get my hair tinted next week. She said yes!! I just want to look in the mirror and recognise myself!! At the moment I look like someones Nana!!! New picture to follow!!
Hi Mandy
Hmmm I was told its the herceptin and the girls I know who have finished chemo and havent had herceptin dont have drippy noses!!!
Im 13 wks post last herceptin and still dripping yep the gift that keeps on giving!!
Yes I remember going to see the oncologist and he said ‘see you in a yrs time’ , I felt like someone had just took my security blanket off me. Im ok now though mandy its actually quite nice not having to go to hospital all the time.
Yes get your hair done, youll feel so much better. Look forward to seeing your new pic
Kim xxxx
Thanks for that Kim
So it could be a combination of everything we’ve had, causing this drippy nose?!! Interesting you say other girls who havent had Herceptin havent had the wet nose.
Only time will tell if it drys up! Has yours got ANY better?
Mandy xx
Could be Mandy but for meI think its been the herceptin.
Some days its not to bad but seems worse outside if im walking or when im eating. Its bound to ease off. I know a lady whos nose has stopped dripping and she finished her herceptin in december so theres hope for us yet.
When are you getting your hair coloured?
Kim xxx
Sounds promising!!! Fingers crossed!!!
Weds 23rd May for hair colouring!!! Cant wait!!! I decided when I was bald, I’d be so grateful to have hair back I wouldnt care what colour it was. But once you start to feel better and step back into your old life, and work is the main thing here, you realise, you just want to recognise yourself again. This curly grey hair is just a HUGE reminder of all Ive been through. Had I not had BC I would NEVER have gone grey (what woman would out of choice?!). Makes me feel like a “victim”.
So roll on next Weds!!!
Mandy xx
Oh not long then. My hair came back grey to and at 39 i thought ‘no way’ so dyed mine really early on. My hair would be curly if i gave it a chance but as soon as i could get my hair straighteners on i did.
You will feel great when its coloured its another step to getting back to the old you
Going to start my voluntary work today, feel really nervous! I hope chemo brain doesnt make me make a fool of myself!
Kim xx
Good luck for your voluntary work, Kimmie.
I did a bit of voluntary meals on wheels for a few months, once a week, but quit when i got my diagnosis due to the ops and chemo.
Havent yet seen manager at work as she wasnt there on monday, lol
When’s your 40th, Kimmie? Mine’s in July.
xxxxxx
Mandy, I also dyed my hair really early on, it all came back grey after chemo
I did voluntary work for a yr and then diagnosed so first time back today. It went ok but had induction for three hours and my concentration went after about one and a half hours!! . Still got that fuzzy head feeling to!
I was wondering what happened truddles, im sure you will be fine.
Oh my 40th is the 31st of May!!! Yikes!!!
Kim xxx
You think its bad having a 40th?! Ive got my 50th in November!!! But hey, Im not knocking it. The more birthdays the better, I say!!!
Was your hair grey before it came out? Mine was, but Id tinted it for 20 years. So its actually come back the same colour as it was before.
Cant wait for the “normality” of sitting in the hairdressers with tint on, magazine and a coffee! Seems like a lifetime ago I did that.
Got Herceptin number 16 this Friday. Nearly at the end!! Yippee/Eek!!!
Mandy xx
Mandy, I forgot to mention about your portacath. As you might remember I had a Hickman line, and half of me didnt want that removed “just in case”. But I am glad to have seen the back of it now.
However, if I personally had a portacath, and it wasnt causing any pain/discomfort/ or problems after treatment had finished, I would sorely be tempted to leave it insitu for maybe upto 5 yrs? I know that if I ever had to have further treatment in years to come, I would have a portacath inserted and not another hickman. I dont know much about them, like you do, but it depends on how often they need flushing and what impact that will have on your life after all your treatment is over. Those issues should help make the decision whether to have it removed or not. Im not too familiar with their usage protocols, are they safe not used, or do blood clots arise etc etc
Truddles xxx
Yes im not too bothered like you say the more the better.
No I had the odd few and got it coloured but it wasnt a full head of grey like it was when it came back in.
Yes its weird going to the hairdressers for the first time, ive become very precious over my hair now.
Woo hoo nearly finished
Kim xx
Truddles.
Yes, I AM tempted to keep my portacath for as long as possible. Just in case. However, as you just reminded me; I’ll need to make arrangements to get it flushed and also, on top of the Tamoxifen, it increases my chances of blood clots (although I do take 75mg Aspirin every other day). So I need to weigh that up against the security of having it there. Just in case. I just cant decide what to do. HELP!!!
Kimmie.
I know what you mean about becoming very precious over your hair!!! Me too!! But my hairdresser has been doing my hair for years and knows me really well. She came with me to choose my wig and also came to my house to cut it all off short when it started falling out, so she understands what ive been through and how much I used to enjoy my hair and how important it was to me, so she also knows to look after it whilst shes colouring it. And how honored she is!!!
Mandy xx
Mandy
Why dont you ask your breastcare nurse for advice on your portacath, I didnt have one so cant help on this one im afraid.
Ah your hairdresser sounds lovely… Yes how honoured she is indeed
Kim xxx
Ps. My oh shaved my long hair off when it started falling out, of couse he had to shave a mohican in it first lol. If i only i could show you the pictures.
Kim
I cant believe you took photos!!! Id love to see them!! I avoided looking at my hair when it had been cut off and once I was bald I only ever looked at myself twice. Once out of curiosity and once by accident. I decided then I didnt need to look at it again. Too traumatic. And Im glad now because I cant remember what I looked like bald. I used to get out of the shower and put a little turban on and then after doing my makeup I’d turn from the mirror and whip off the turban and put on my wig! Ta Dah!!!
I think thats why Im struggling with the grey hair. A reminder of the whole trauma last year.
Ive got several photos on my phone of my hair coming back at different stages, that my friend took of me, but I deliberately asked her to not include my face in any of them. I just cant associate myself with them. In fact my profile picture on here and my photo at work for the staff board are the only 2 photos of me looking like this that include my face. And as Im off to NYC on 6th July (1 week after last Herceptin!!) with my 16 year old son, I know we’ll be taking lots of photos there!!
Oh roll on next Weds!!!
You should post a photo of yourself for your profile, as I bet your hair is further on than mine as youve finished your Herceptin.
Speak soon
Mandy xxx
I can txt them to you if you like mandy there on my oh’s phone.
I never wore my wig only if i had to go to hospital. I wore scarves or nothing at all. I too didnt like looking at myself as i looked terrible as my skin went a grey colour.
Once you dye your hair mandy you will feel grt honestly another step forward in getting back to the old you.
NYC eh you lucky duck im sure you will have the best time and take lots of lovely photos.
I will try and put a new profile pic of me this afternoon
Are you from the north east area mandy?
Kim xx
No Im from the north west! South Manchester/Stockport. How about you?
Do you have WhatsApp on your phone? You could send me your photos for free then! Let me know and I can PM you my mobile number.
Mandy xx
Hello again, fellow nose-drippers - I have found you all again!!! Sick of this website since the changes as I can’t find anything! I have tried searching for ‘stamina after herceptin’ but the search facility is still not working! 
I have bookmarked this discussion in the hope that I don’t lose you all again. What has been going on in my absence or maybe nobody has missed me 
Herceptin number 11 is now under my belt and I have just started my phased ‘return-to-work’ so after being off for just over a year I am certainly feeling the effects of it.
I have also had my hair cut for the 3rd time, and been told that I still have chemo-hair and advised not to colour it until after my next hair cut, and then only with a semi-permanent natural colour as it is soooooo soft! This advice was given to me by ‘My New Hair’ which is part of the ‘Look Good, Feel Better’ salons so they know what they are talking about and I will heed their advice.
How’s the training going as not long now until the Olympics? My training regime will obviously suffer now that I am back at work!
Yes I do mandy. Pm me your number and i will send them to you.
No im from newcastle
Kim xxx