Looking great Louise. Enjoy the sunshine, but don’t get burnt!
Gill x
Definitely looking good, Louise.
Well done on penultimate poisoning Annabelle , and good luck with the last one. 2 weeks and I’ll be joining you, then we will all be in the carpark or beyond.
Hope the lack of coffee continues to help, Paula.
I’m having a bad day. Feel crap, don’t know what to do with myself. It’s just fatigue, nothing serious. Thank goodness for the tennis is all I can say. xxxxxx
Hi Girls
Louise the hair looks great, the cold-cap seems to have worked well for you. I am like Kath with a blue-ish five o’clock shadow lol.
Paula I start rads on Monday so this is when I plan to start. Think it’s more bloody SEs that I dread and that’s why I’m reluctant to take it. If going without coffee helps then keep it up or if you struggle to do without you could try decaf and see if that keeps the hot flushes at bay.
Annabelle you’re almost there, well done!! I had my PICC line removed 2 weeks after chemo (at the same time as getting my day 14 bloods done) but I only had it in because my veins got too painful after chemo 4 (theyre like cord and really hurt when I try and use my arm). I also had my operation before chemo, so can’t really say whether they’ll remove your’s before your op, but if you would prefer to keep it to after the op then say that.
Well done Blue Rose on your first Herceptin (on it’s own).
Linda sorry to be a pain after you’ve just done updated the chart, but I start Rads on Monday (for 6 weeks) if you want to update me. Thanks.
Hope everyone is doing well.
Dyane
Annabelle at my hospital they remove the PICC Line straight after the last Chemo.
Morning Vals,
Feeling much better at moment,hayfever symptoms still hanging around a bit,dry cough,sniffy nose.
Had last of the five rads on fri.Easy peasy compared to chemo.Skin looks fine so far,but rads still working for next two weeks so may have pink skin develop yet,hope not,will get skin check mon week.Putting on aqueous cream morning and night.Feels a little tender in the tissues around the side of my breast.Nurse had a chat and said my T shirt was too low at neck,only had a small V neck,boob well covered,she said must cover up to the neck in the sun for first year,and always use factor 50 protection.Went to Store 21 on way home bought three nice tunic tops £6 each,very wearable.Went to uncles funeral fri was interesting to hear of his sporting achievements,could have become international runner but for Hitlers intervention.his greatest moment was beating the olympic gold medalist, a czech man, at 10miles,in a fun run at Bata factory.The olympian said afterwards,thats not how you run a race,uncle said I beat you didn’t I.LOL
Re starting Letrazole or whatever you are prescribed,I was told take as soon as you start rads.I take mine at bedtime,so if any se’s you will be asleep anyway.Not noticed any se’s so far.
Glad to hear most of us are starting to see signs of hair growth,Louise your looks great.Linda amazing you kept most of yours.Wish i had a Tressie handle in my back to wind a bit more out.Those with dark hair can see growth more easily,I think mine will be silver,hard to see it unless light behind me.
Just seen an article on Fox News telling of a new drug for breast cancer with few se’s.Research is so important to us.
Went to see daughters friends AmDram perform Little Shop of Horrors last night,was excellent,they work so hard,like professionals.
Having blood test tomorrow,boy am I fed up with needles,ready for Bone density scan fri.Skin check will be the mon then I will get appt with onc.for 4-6 wks time.Do feel lacking in energy at moment,had good kip yest afternoon then picked 5 big punnets of redcurrants look like cherries,good year for them.Think I will have to make jelly with them.strawberries are all ripening now too.Got some mixed lettuce leaves to pick up allotment today.
Keep cool girls Hugs to all Chris xxxx<3
I posted yesterday after Dyane, but it’s disappeared. I can’t remember what I said. No probs Dyane. I have updated the chart.
The instructions I got for the Herceptin was to take 2 x 500mg paracetamols 30 to 60 minuits before infusion and regularly thereafter for a day or two to avoid the flu-like symptoms. This is written down in the Herceptin Oncology Protocol for my area and not just something the Onc or nurse said.
Annabelle, well done on the penultimate Tax, and good luck with the last one next week. A week after that it will be me and we will all be in the carpark or beyond.
Louise, you look fantastic.
Good luck to all the Rads girls this coming week, and good luck to you all on the Tablets.
Enjoy this glorious weather, Linda xxx
Chris, your energy is amazing!
Anabelle, I had my Hickman line removed the week following my last chemo but it was a minor surgery so piccs might be quicker.
Loving the hair Louise. Mine is just a covering of white stubble.
I’m really worried about not having my Tamoxifen. I mentioned it to my GP Dyane. He appears to have no contact with the Onc and said it was up to them. As I still have another op to come they may be holding off deliberately but I can’t help feeling that taking the pills wouldn’t interfere with the op but would at least get into my system and hopefully keep the BC at bay.
I think I’ll ring the clinic next week. The BC nurses aren’t very proactive at our place. They seem to give tea and sympathy at DX but after that they have to go to the Oncs or surgeons for everything. However, they’re probably able to ask the question for me even if they do make me free las if I’m being a bit of a pest!
Hello all just popping in to update those of you not on FB.
After two days of planning/drawing all over my boob for rads I hopefully will continue again on Monday with a quicker appt!
With this heat at the moment I am glad for my transport with Air con.
Very happy to have had my hair coloured, yes it was six weeks post chemo, but I had enough to cover the grey and as my hairdresser said she was using a colour that was amonia free. I felt no stinging or discomfort when colour was on and it has certainly boosted my moral. My oncologist said when I had enough hair she was happy for me to have it coloured.
MillyMolly they may ask you to start Tamoxifen after surgery as there is a risk of more blood clots with Tam, so best to wait. This is a normal thing with surgery and dont worry about keeping the BC at bay with the chemo still in the system you will be fine. I am not starting mine till after rads so thats the first week of August.
I am so glad there is only two of us waiting to get into the carpark, and that will be so soon!
To date I’ve had no SE with Herceptin on its own, so hopefully you other Herceptin girls wont either.
Off to paddle in my friends swimming pool today as due to Rads they said no swimming in pools. Might do abit of waist deep aquagym to help the wobbly cellulite legs.
Happy weekend to you all catch up next week with rads instalment
karen xx
Thank you so much for that Karen. I feel much better about it knowing they’ve not forgotten me. Have a nice paddle.
M
Just a quick one for Dyane.
Good luck with the start of rads (and tamoxifen) tomorrow. 30 sounds an awful lot, but I’m sure the weeks will fly by!
Hello to everyone else - hope you have had a good and trouble free weekend.
Gill x
Thanks Gill. I thought 30 was a lot too, but I suppose my Onc knows what he’s doing.
Dyane
Hi ladies hope everyones well and enjoying the sunshine,well it may be a fluke but ive cut out coffee asnd the sweats and flushes have eased not gone but a lot better and im not missing it so alls good,Noticed on Saturday when rubbing suncream on my head that my hairs still coming out just my luck even though its only a couple of mm long i thought it would now start growing… 
Kids were all good Saturday thought i would sleep but no so ive now given up moaning about it…lol OH gone of to the Isle of Man this morning to watch the road racing typical every time i go its raining was going to go this year and look at the weather sods law…Hugs to all enjoy the weather …xxxx
Hi Girls,
Dyane although 30 is a lot it is obviously best for you,we are all so different withour treatment aren’t we,Louise is having a lot too.I found the actual treatment easy and it’s only 30 mins drive for me,the biggest problem is for you ladies having to travel long distances every day,are any of you staying near your hospital for it.
Nearly all in the carpark now,hurrah,come on you stragglers LOL xx
Mandy my hair must be like yours,lucky Karen W.having hair enough to colour Well Jel as they say xxx
I picked 8lbs of redcurrants saturday and am currently making redcurrant jelly.Too hot for this really.Phew !!!
Keep cool my Valentines,hope all treatment and se’s good this week Love Chris xxxx<3
Hi Vals
Had my first rads today, in and out in 30 mins yet it was a 4 hour round trip for me. I believe Belfast City Hospital is the only place in the whole of N Ireland that offer it, so I’m sure there are people who are travelling much further than me. I also start Tamoxifen tonight … anxious about the SEs but I’m hoping it will be kind to me since chemo wasn’t.
Alison how did day one of Tamoxifen go? I plan to take mine around 2130. Anyone else started? If so, how’s it going?
Paula glad the coffee embargo is doing the trick.
Chris you are right I’m sure my Onc knows what’s best for me and I suppose overkill is better than underkill.
Mandy I’m surprised that your GP has heard nothing from your Onc, mind you I don’t know if mine are in contact either. However as Karen W says, it’s probably all to do with your up & coming surgery.
Linda how’s cycle 5 going? You’re almost there now.
There are afew girls currently in the waiting room, Funki for one. How are you doing? Have you been seen yet? Sorry I can’t remember when you are all due to be seen.
Hope everyone is doing well.
Dyane
Rads 1/30, Belfast City Hospital
Hi Dyane. I go for my ultra sound on Friday so not too long to wait now. Rads are helping to keep my mind off things 
good luck with yours X
Hi Ladies,
I am a tattooed lady!! I am hoping the one in the middle reduces and fades as it stands out a bit on my pale English rose skin. But it all went well and was over quickly. So just the count down to starting rads now.
It was lovely to meet Louise and her Husband and have a chat. We were both sat in the waiting room eyeing everyone up, until my name was called!!! That cleared it up and we said hello quickly before arranging to meet somewhere. I thoguht Southampton was a wierd hospital with all it’s shops up the main entrance - felt like a cheap airport. But the department (once we had walked miles) was good. That’ll be our home in a couple of weeks time!!
I found this http://www.lifemath.net/cancer/breastcancer/therapy/ and thought it interesting - and for me it set my mind at rest. It makes all the treatment worth it!!
I hope you all enjoy the sunshine - I am just about to start a spring clean.
Alison xxx
I tried to get a prediction from your calculator Alison but every time I clicked the agree button it froze my computer! I took that as a sign…I’m not meant to know 
X Yvonne
Yvonne I can’t get it to work either but I KNOW our prognosis is good. The power of positive thinking lol.
Hope everyone is well, I’m on the train heading to the medieval torture device aka the rads contraption we have to rest our arms in lol. Braved the evils/magic of Tamoxifen last night and so far so good, but it’s early days … so watch this space.
Alison how did you find your first tamoxifen?
Dyane
Rads 2/30, Belfast City Hospital
Sorry girlies seems I’ve posted my message more than once, it’s awkward on the train.
Love to you all xx
Morning girls,
Dyane, that journey is horrific.
I did the predictor test and it worked for me, but doesn’t seem to include my chemo regime and no mention of herceptin. The survey ended in 2007 and I don’t think Herceptin was licenced as far back as that. Could be wrong. It still gives a good prognosis over 15 years. (By which time I will be 80 anyway!)
Cycle 5 is remarkably good so far (day eight). Apart fom fatigue I have been better than on previous cycles at the same stage. Long may it continue.
Good luck all you tattooed ladies. xxx