Hi x I’ve noticed previous threads such as Jan gems & think they are a good idea to help everyone through this & especially when we are at similar stages , there seems to be a few of us recently diagnosed … Does anyone want to continue a February thread
seems like a name for the thread is also a great idea … As its Feb my suggestion would be the " Valentines "but would love to hear any other suggestions
Karen x
Hi Karen
I would love to join your “starting in Feb” thread and think the “Valentines” is a great suggestion 
Feeling a bit nervous about it all as although I’ve read the leaflets and talked to the Breast care nurse I haven’t got any idea what it will be like for me as I keep getting told everyone reacts differently! I guess I’ll find out soon enough!
I haven’t got an exact date for starting yet, going to see Oncologist next Tuesday and was told should be starting in a couple of weeks.
Had my long hair chopped short today in preparation and actually quite like it!
Nice to know that there is somewhere to vent where others will understand!
Looking forward to sharing with you
Elaine x
“What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
HI Elaine x I’ve just booked a hair appointment too I’ve got long blonde hair & going to get it cut short just think it might make it a bit easier for when my hair falls out , not looking forward to that but I’ve decided against the cold cap , My BCN put it perfectly in that every hair it kills its also killing a cancer cell … i liked that !
I haven’t seen my onc yet just know I need 6 chemo then rads but hopefully we can offer some support throughout this
Pleased u liked the name
Hi Karen and Elaine,
I also start chemo in Feb - not sure when as I too see my oncologist on Tuesday. I would like to keep in touch in a thread so we can compare notes on how we are coping and any hints and tips we pick up on the way.
I have a head start (excuse the pun) as I already have short hair - but I can image that you will be feeling your ears right now. The cold is not good for us short haired folk.
I have 6 lots of chemo and then rads to look forward to so we seem to be in a similar situation.
Look forward to getting to know you and hopefully more ‘valentine’ girls
Alison
Hi Alison , pleased you like the name ! & Ist just nice to know sometimes that your not alone & there are others that understand what we are going through & we can vent our anger or sadness or help each other , my oh is great but typical bloke when it comes to emotions lol !!
A Few people are asking about this thread & not being able to find the valentines ! think its cos we are just beginning & not many posts so its gets bumped down the line , not sure how this all works to be honest , if anyone knows how to make it easier to find ? Otherwise I’ve got a feeling it will get more posts unfortunately over the next few weeks & appear on the latest threads
Aha I found it!
Ha ha Welcome Bluerose xx
Hi Valentines!
I think this thread is going to be a lifeline! Really looking forward to getting through this together. I saw my oncologist yesterday, I’m having 6 cycles - 1 every 3 weeks, I had a left mastectomy 4 weeks ago and recovering well! Will hopefully start chemo beg of Feb in the meantime gotta have CT scan and ECHO to check all is well. Yesterday I was feeling really anxious&emotional but today I am having a good day!
Hope you all have a nice weekend!
Sarah x
Hi All,
This is my first time on here.
I was diagnosed with BC on 21st Dec and it’s been lots of waiting for things to start, which I am sure you are all very aware of. I had a Sentinal Lymph Node Biopsy yesterday and I see my Oncolgist on next Weds to find out when I start my Chemo.
I have very long hair and I am planning to have it cut next week, i’m gutted as I am getting married this year but keep telling myself it’s only hair at the end of the day and it will grow back.
Pleased don’t take this the wrong way but I am so pleased there are other who are going through the same, it seems so overwhelming sometimes.
Hugs to you all and lets all make sure we beat this.
Sx
Hi Valentines
just popped in from the January jems thread, hope you don’t mind.
I felt really sad when i saw your “starting chemo in February” thread… month after month this dreadful disease keeps on and on …be strong ladies . I’ve only had 1 chemo 4th January, next one next Friday, its not as bad as you imagine . Honest.
I started to get everything I thought I might need in advance and when the big day came I was scared but prepared.
Please feel free to message me if you want any advice and look at old threads (December November) to get some great tips .
Good luck Valentines. xxx
Hi Sarah , I’m like you having good days & bad days currently having a good day but I got really promising results on Tuesday as got clear margins & only 1 node from 23 affected so I’ve been on a high since , I know its strange celebrating that but knowing I’m getting Tamoxifen & the lump was small has given me the hope I needed . I’ve been fortunate not to have a mx I can’t imagine how emotional that must be let alone painful , my arm & breast are still painful after my ANC 3 weeks on !! I must be a wuss !!
I am waiting to see my ONC but been told I’m getting chemo within the month 6 session every 3 weeks followed by rads & 5 yrs Tamoxifen , just been checking out short hair cuts decided on a pixie crop trying to ease the transition from long hair to bald !
Shame we are all here , far too many however can’t change it so at least we can offer support to each other
Karen x
Hooray! Glad you’ve found the thread, hello to Alison, Bluerose and Sarah
Just had lunch with a lady who’s been through chemo and she gave me a couple of good tips I’d like to share with you.
She advised me to keep a diary on how I feel each day after the first chemo because it will probably follow the same pattern after each treatment so I’ll be able to plan a little more easily.
Also she advised me to look at it in blocks of 3 weeks, she called the first week “red” which was when she felt most tired so not able to do much, week two was “amber” as she was able to do more but got tired and had to rest after doing anything that was a bit strenuous and the third week was “green” when she felt much better and was able to do the things she would normally be doing. Having something to look forward to like a weekend away, an outing or visiting friends on the 3rd weekend helped the 4 1/2 months go past a lot quicker than she was expecting too.
She used the cold cap but didn’t like it and she also said that she still lost about 2/3 of her hair but it started to grow back after the 4th treatment, she suffered with tiredness, some sickness until they sorted out her anti sickness meds, mouth blisters and nail damage but she did say it sounds a lot worse than it actually is when you’re going through it. She had her reconstruction last year and it is all firmly behind her now.
It was lovely to chat to her and I have to say that although I’m still a little apprehensive about how it will affect me, I feel like I’m going to be able to cope O.K. and it sounds like it will go quite quickly once we get started. TBH it’s doesn’t seem that long ago that I was diagnosed with BC But that was at the beginning of November so will be 3 months on by the time that chemo starts.
Hope you all manage to have a lovely weekend, I shall probably spend some time building a snowman as there’s plenty of it outside, it’s been snowing all day!
Elaine x
May not manage a go on the sledge but defo a snowman & a walk in the white stuff is on the cards ! Have a nice weekend everyone
Hello Valentine’s,
I hope you’ll let me join you. Haven’t got a date yet, but have an appointment to go to chemo day case unit on 31st Jan. A group of us will be shown around the unit and be able to discuss our anxieties with the staff there. It’s standard procedure at my hospital. So I’m assuming my chemo (fecT) will begin in February. I too was dx in November, mx and snb 12/12/12.
It’s awful that we are all in this position, but to have a group of lovely ladies for support and to share experiences with will make it so much easier.
Good luck Valentines, hugs to you all.
pg xxx
Hello
I’m starting chemo 1st February. Going next week for ‘talk’. I’m triple negative so I have no choice. Will have radiotherapy after 6 sessions of FEC. Any information and tips please. Scared stiff.
I am going to try the cold cap but is it better to get my bobbed hair cut short as well.
Cuddles to you all xxx
Hi Jennifer
So sorry that you have to join us, it’s not a nice place for any of us to be in. Can’t answer your question about cold cap, as I’m not bothering. I have very short hair anyway, and when it begins to fall out, might get my OH to shave the rest off. Good luck with your FEC, and hope the cold cap works for you.
Big Hugs, pg xxx
Hello to everybody!
I have my first appointment with the oncologist on 30th January.
I first found a lump back in June, had an ultrsound and was told they didn’t think there was anything to worry about but to come back in three months just to put everybody’s mind at ease. So I went back and this time they wanted to do a biopsy. A few weeks later I found out I had a grade 3 invasive ductal carcinoma. That was in October.
Since then, I have had three ops, the first a WLE with sentinal lymph node biopsy - the lymph nodes were, thankfully, clear but there were pre cancerous cells in the margins so I had a second op - same again, so then they went ahead with a mastectomy in the last week of December.
From the origional biopsy, we thought I was Triple Negative but since they got all the results from the MX, they found that I was HER2+ so after chemo and radiotherapy, I will also have a year of Herceptin.
Everything happened so fast and now it feels so strange to just be waiting around to start the chemo.
I think it’s a great idea to have a group like this as we can all share tips and help each other through the harder times.
Wishing you all all the best.
BlueRose
P.S I have very long hair too and have decided that I’ll try the cold cap but that if I find it too hard - have heard from quite a few people on here that it is not a pleasent experience, then I’ll just go ahead and shave it all off when it starts to come out. I have already cut quite a bit off in preparation, maybe I’ll just keep trimming it bit by bit as it won’t seem so bad then!! Anyway, the most important thing is to beat this and get better but I know it’ll be a sad time.
Big hugs to you all
Hi Karen1971 and the rest of the Valentines <3
Thank you Karen1971 for starting the thread.
I thought I was going to be starting in the January thread but it looks like it will be febuary now.
I’m 54, Married with grown up children and I have 3 grandchildren.
I was diagnosed in November after finding a lump myself.
Grade 2 IDC with intermidiate DCIS amounting to 33mm.
I had a lumpectomy and SNB in November. Clear margins but 3/5 nodes affected
ANC 2nd January 3 more nodes found.
I’m still having problems with pain 3 weeks post op so your not a wuss or alone Karen1971
I see my Onc on the 23rd of January but already know that I will be having 6 rounds of Chemo followed by Rads and some sort of tablet
I look forward to joining you and getting to know you all during the next few months sharing the ups an downs
We CAN do this Valentines!
Funki X