Helping us! ! Crickey I should write this stuff when I am awake !!!
Goes back to sleep
Hi Feb Folks - just peeking over from May Moonbeams. (Our thread was started by a Feb Valentine from last year!) I think getting hair cut short makes good sense even if it’s going to fall out anyhow. Your scalp will thank you for it when the time comes! Also it helps prepare you for a lighter head, and it signals to your family and friends that you are changing your hairstyle. (!)
I was told about all the recommended foods in this forum and I suppose you will each find what works for you. I became particularly fond of a ginger and elderflower mix you can get at the food stores which are in the JL partnership. Now I find it too sweet and I make my own from elderflower drinks in the big bottles and add good ginger ale to taste. Great on ice. And I also learned to make ginger tea and to add grated ginger in a small tea sieve and let it mash for a few minutes. Really strong but just what you need.
I didn’t have the metallic taste others get with taxotere (sessions 4-6 with me) but I did lose most of my sense of smell. Taste wasn;t so bad but the two are so linked it was hard to tell, and it was as if I was getting some information through my nose but not the complete picture. This turned me into a reluctant cook. Offers of cooked meals by family and friends were eagerly accepted!. I did get most of the ole olfactory sense back within three weeks of my last cycle but it has been up and down since. Another thing; some NSAIDs can affect my sense of smell and taste and that figured in with the whole mix as I had to take them when I had tax cause of the leg and hip pains which came and went but weren’t too bad.
I wish you all well- this is some journey we are on but let me tell you that I had neo-adjuvent chemo (before the op) and it smashed my tumour (which was huge but comparatively slow-growing) to smithereens. The biggest malignant bit the path people could find was 6mm. Not the result I’d hoped for; the pre-cancer in back of it had to come out so I had Mx instead of the WLE I wanted, but it is such a relief knowing how effective the treatment was. I hope this gives you hope especially those of you who have had the mx already. Good luck!
Hi, I’m new to this site. I was diagnosed on Dec 30th after a small lesion was found purely by chance as I was having breast cysts drained in November for the third year running. One mri later and three other lesions were found in the same breast and so on Jan 28th, I had a mastectomy and strattice/implant reconstruction…have to say that the consultant has done an amazing job and now less than four weeks later, I’m feeling pretty much back to normal, whatever normal is! I had my results last monday and I actually had three lesions in total, one @ 2.5mm grade 2, one @ 5mm grade 2 and one @ 6mm grade 1.I had lymph nodes removed and a tiny trace was found in the sentinel lymph node but all other 17 out of 18 removed were clear and consultant said this is excellent news as it hasn’t spread…needless to say it didn’t feel so excellent when he said I still had to have 6 x fec-d chemo as a precauction and then 5yrs Tamoxifen. I’ve been fairly positive since diagnosis and pretty much just ‘got on with it’ …even had my hair cut short in preparaton for my wig fitting monday as was advised to by a friend who has been through the same.She said it’s much easier to cope with once it starts falling out than if my hair was still long.
I still feel that I just want to get on with things now and am seeing my oncologist next tuesday and am guessing that my first treatment will be the following week. I am telling myself that it’s only six sessions and it’ll soon be over and am even prepared for losing my hair by telling myself it’ll soon grow back and a few months of nastiness is nothing compared to the rest of my life (Im 44)…I also have the birth of my first grandchild to look forward to as my eldest daughter is due in August so this is my incentive to get through it. I also have a 12yr old daughter and unfortunately she’s the one I’m worried with suffer the most as she’ll see me at my worst. I know it’s not going to be a great few months but determined to get through it as best I can and any helpful advice would be much appreciated. Thanks all xx
Hi anyone going to work while on treatment? Do you drive or take public transport? I live in London and now 10 days since first chemo, I walk local but was told my usual 4 mile walks are out for now…I wanna get out and about but need to take a bus just wondered what others are doing…
today is so nice I did a bit of garden clearing…
Hi jaffacakes
I’m having the chemo, then around 6 weeks after it has finished, I will be having a mastectomy so that’s most of my year mapped out.
Sorry to hear you have been sick. Do the anti sickness drugs work ? x
I was diagnosed 5th November last year. My first op date was the week before my 50th birthday. During the pre-op two days before they discovered that I was also diabetic. My original op was cancelled followed by a very panicked visit to my GP. I left the surgery with hope, a blood sugar testing unit & enough tablets to shake, rattle & roll my way to the New Year! I didn’t have the luxury of trying to control the diabetes with diet over 6 months so I had to go cold turkey on the sugary foods.When I finally had my op on 9th December my blood sugar had gone from 20 to roughly 12 which meant it was safe to operate. As it was a Monday, I had to be at the hospital very early so that I could have the contrast injection which would normally have been done the day before. The diabetes meant that my op was first on the afternoon list, just in case there were any complications. Sailed through it although the drive home was slightly uncomfortable. My husband was great on the bumpy roads but didn’t give much thought to the roundabouts or corners!
The biggest problem was getting to see a consultant to get the pathology results two weeks later. Christmas is a really bad time to try & get to see anyone. Had an appointment for Christmas Eve but it turned out there were no consultants, only nurses, who were unable to discuss anything useful. Finally, after a tense week, I got to see a consultant on New Years Eve. The lump was successfully removed but one of the sentinel nodes came back as cancerous. Another op scheduled for 9th Jan 14 but this was postponed until the 20th. They removed 21 lymph nodes which all came back clear (hurrah).
I am starting chemo on Tuesday. I have already had my hair cut short with a great response from all my friends. Wig almost organised. Seeing the chemo nurse on Monday so I shall ask about the cold cap. I’m told sucking crushed ice during the chemo can help reduce the mouth ulcers too.
Has anyone else having chemo & living with diabetes got any tips for getting through this? I’m pretty sure my blood sugar will go haywire but I’m so new to the diabetes, knowing what to expect would be helpful. Thanks x
Hi tfitz, welcome to the BCC forums
Please feel free to call our helpliners to talk through your queries about diabetes and treatments, lines are open weekdays 9-5 and Saturdays 10-2 on 0808 800 6000. Our team are on hand with practical and emotional support.
Take care
Lucy BCC
Hey up me ducks
Hows everyone doing?
Welcome to all the other lovely ladies, im sorry youve had to join us!
Sue123, why on earth would you think I am a star?
Bit of a weird weekend in the lovatt household, ive lost an awful lot of hair over the last 2-3 days and while I have been a bit emotional about it hasnt bothered me as much as I had worried it would, so not bothering with the cold cap again. Freya’s been shopping with her mates and brought me some funky scarves (she says ive got to wear a scarf and then put a baseball cap on at an angle and then I’ll look cool). Meg has spent more of the weekend on her hands rather than her feet as she practices her new gymnastics routine and noah has decided that he doesnt like that we called the baby ellis so insists on calling him woody out of toy story. Andy says that he’s going to shave his head, ive told him if he does its divorce cuz he’ll look sloth out the gooines ?
Hope everyone is doing well
Love and hugs
Hayley
Xxx
Hello just wanted to enter into this fabulous group. I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer on the 31st Jan this year and a week later told i had Triple Negative Cancer which is a rarer form (only 15% of women with breast cancer get TN). I am 44 years of age with a wonderul supportive husband and a 14 year old who always makes me laugh and brings a smile to my face. I start my first lot of Chemo this afternoon which is FEC-T which i was told was the international standard?? I am having 6 cycles every 3 weeks. I stayed up until 1am last night reading through all these threads for February and just want to say thank you as you have all made me feel so strong for today.
It was also interesting to hear about the troubles that people have had with finding veins and canular, just to share that one of the many nurses i saw advised me to come to hospital with a hot water bottle and have it resting on my arm prior to the canular going in? Not sure if it works but can let you know later?
Will update you on how i am feeling later.
Thanks xx
Hi Howiej01
Welcome and sorry you find yourself here . My veins were a nightmare on first appointment but I knew they were not good as I had IV antibiotics at Christmas and struggled . The chemo unit used a hot pad on my hand and arm but it still didn’t raise them any better they also recommended having gloves on to keep hands warm prior to coming to the appointment …Hickman line inserted in between my first and second course so the second session was a breeze
Good luck for today make sure they give you plenty of anti sickness medications and drink plenty before and after the chemo to flush it through cc
Day 19 after first dose of AC - hair everywhere!!! Hopefully my hairdresser calling to shave it for me asap!
Hi everybody
Hope its ok to gatecrash the group. I’m starting chemo (EC) on Wednesday. I was diagnosed on 6th jan, mastectomy 16th. 5 ‘sites’ 3 were non invasive but 2 were grade 3; 2.4 mm and 12mm. No lymph node involvement. I have developed 2 swollen nodes behind ear over last 3 weeks and a stiff neck which is on the opposite side to the mastectomy, so pretty stressed about that.
I’m pretty scared about the chemo starting but I’m trying to not read too much about it and take it as it comes. I’m determined to remember any side effects are down to the drugs not illness!
Wishing you all the best and sending hugs.
Love, Caroline x
Trying to sleep ahead of fec 2 tomorrow xxx
Hi Josi, I will be starting my chemo on March 10 but I was wondering if I can join in this group? Isa
Hey up me ducks
FEC 2 done, hoping that I dont react with the reduced dose like I did last time! chemo wasnt without its drama after being told by some woman who thought she was above me telling me I should be ashamed to have got pregnant at 16, andy had to leave to fetch noah from school cuz he’d been sick, was having a lovely chat with the nurse about the kids asking how old they were and what they all like doing when this woman piped up that I should be ashamed of myself for getting pregnant at 16 and going on to have 3 more kids when they all must have different fathers, the look on her face when I told her that I got pregnant at 15 and had freya the week after my 16th birthday was priceless and when andy got back she was speechless as we had a lovely conversation about how we’d been together 19 years, I looked at the woman and said dont judge, we both sat here having chemo so you no better than me, sorry but made me mad!
Cant sleep, just want shut off xxx
Hi lowfatlovatt
Sounds like you are doing really well !
I was diagnosed late September, my chemo started late October (Epirubicin, cyclophosphamide x3 and taxotere x 3).
My hair loss was exactly two weeks after my first treatment, took about a week to be completely bald !
I didn’t use cold cap and had two lots of hair cut, first 15 inches which was heart breaking and then 7 inches ! The hair texture changed the moment it started falling out and was a pain as it just got everywhere !
I sulked for about a week while it was falling out and a couple of days after,my mum helped me trim the last bit of hair off, call us weird but we swore at the hair coming out and as the cancer dying and falling out !
Once I got over that I was fine with baldness 
got a lovely wig but never worn it, feels alien ! Got lots of scarves and beanies from Anna bandana online reasonable and pretty !
Went to a look good feel better session, well worth it for me, you learn all sorts about make up application but the brows and lashes bit helped me greatly (great make up goody bag too )
Tomorrow 26th feb I have my last chemo treatment, my hair is growing thick and fast which has given me a confidence boost and my op will be afterward ! It’s nice to know its all worth it, my lump has reduced from 3.5-4 cm down to 1cm and that was before treatment five.
Keep things normal and positive, keep healthy with food and get your vitamins in one way or another, I take a supplement and juices, smoothies etc … I watch lots of films or programmes that make me laugh when I’m not working on my dodgy weeks to keep my morale up, it works
Everyone is different, it’s not pleasant at times but I’ve done everything I can with the support and help from my hubby, family and friends, if you’re offered support or a chance to chat take it, even if its by text with friends it has helped me my hubby said he’d shave his head too bless him we made sure he didn’t lol
We set stages and goals and give ourselves some things to look forward to once we pass them
I thought the hair would be the worst bit ! But actually its been ok! The side effects have been harder to deal with as we ve gone along ! Time has flown by to this point, I wish you luck through this, you sound like you’re dealing with it well !!! Kay x
Hi everyone. I was the same with the sickness, mine lasted 9 days! I couldn’t eat for 5 of them or drink for 2 of them, which obviously makes it worse!
I’ve been to the chemo unit today to ask about emend for tomorrow. I spoke to the nurse who administered my last chemo…she said the 2 lots given through the drip were emend and should have lasted in my system for 5 days! I was only given domperidone to take at home and on day 2 had to phone the hospital for some ondanfectron which helped take the edge off with the domperidone but still felt dreadful!
Anyway, she said that it wasn’t good enough as I shouldn’t feel like that so has told me to get to the unit an hour earlier and she will speak to the oncologist who may suggest to take the emend tablet an hour before chemo, so we shall see. I shall have my fingers crossed x
Hey up me ducks
Hope SE’s are minion for everyone!
Emend is working for me so far, still have an icky feeling but no being sick, headaches are driving me mad though
Marie, I dont know how I managed to be so polite either, I do hope your ok xxx
Jaffacakes, I was thinking of you today, hope your ok and this time in 3 weeks we’ll be half way through!
Ive done the school run this afternoon and noah made my day, my hair is all gone now so of course everyone on the playground was looking (even though id got scarf and cap on) noah came out and kids were asking why id got a scarf on my head, noah turned to them and said cuz my mums a superhero, bless him I could of cried! Me and andy been asked out for drinks tomorrow night by friends we havent seen for a while (That’s the last thing I want to do) so I replied to the text with a simple ‘sorry cant make it, alcohol doesnt agree with me, it thinks my husband is attractive’
Love and hugs
Hayley
Xxx
Hi Alice45,
I was sick on day 1 and got changed to ondansetron and cyclizine and it did the trick but only for a few days. I felt really good and thought this would be a breeze. Until last Wednesday that is… I ended up at A&E because I couldn’t stop being sick and the nausea was overwhelming. They gave me an injection that stopped the sickness but not the nausea. Fast forward 5 days and I was still in bed with severe nausea. BCN’s got my meds changed on Sunday to Nozinan. By Tuesday the nausea had gone. It’s really worked well for me. I’ve now got bad diarrhoea (had it for 4 days) so another call to the BCN will be made this morning. I’m just so tired of feeling I’ll and I’ve only had 1 FEC!!! How on earth I’m supposed to face the next one in Thursday of next week, I’ll never know…
Hazel x
Don’t feel guilty Alice. My nausea lasted a week. I can’t imagine what it’s been like for you having it 3 weeks so far!! Its so debilitating. Like you I haven’t eaten much when I know I should be so I am able to get my strength back for next week. Make sure you get different meds. My BCN has been great letting me try different anti-sick meds until I found the right one.
The district nurse came out today and took blood and stool samples so hopefully that will sort out my very upset tummy. The BCN talked about admitting me to hospital but I’d like to avoid that if I can. She also said I might not be able to have my next chemo dose next week because I’m not strong enough. On the one hand that’s music to my ears and on the other, it just makes this whole thing last longer. We’ll see what happens.
Hazel x