Hi everyone,
possibly a bit early to be posting this but thought I would start a thread for those of us starting chemo in January. I had WLE in November and will be having some further surgery on 21st December as the margins weren’t clear. I’m meeting with the oncologist in early Jan and will be starting chemo and Herceptin sometime later in January. It would be great to link up with people in a smilar position
xxx
I am starting chemo on the 4th January. 2012. I had a WLE and margins were clear. Tumour size 3 cms. Lobular type of Breast Cancer. The Lymph nodes were OK. I had the ONCOTYPE DX Test and the score on the test was 25(16% chance of recurrence) so I am having chemo, radiotherapy and hormone treatment. The consultant says I will have Hair Loss. Tomorrow I have an echocardiograph. I am postmenopausal. I don’t relish the idea of menopausal type problems,such as hot flushes, coming back.
Hi
I will also be starting chemo in January. I did think it was going to be December but I had to have further surgery.
I had WLE and SNB in novermber with clear margins but 2 out of 5 nodes involved so had lymph node clearence last week and get my results Friday.
I haven’t been formally refered to ONC (or I don’t think I have) so I expect I will get more information Friday.
take care love Anne x
Hi
I found out today that I will be starting chemo on 5 January. I was diagnosed in September had WLE and SNB in October, unfortunatley the margins weren’t clear and a lymph node was affected so I had more of the breast tissue removed and all my lymph nodes removed on 22 November. Results came back clear so the next step is 6 x FEC chemo, followed by radiotherapy and then tamoxifen (I think I am spelling this all correctly!) I have been reading the December chemo thread and everyone is so supportive of each other. I think this site is amazing, a real support for everyone involved.
Anne I hope you get good results on Friday.
Thejourney I too have been prepared for hair loss, I haven’t gone through the menopause yet so am dreading those side effects.
Happyhunter good luck for your surgery on 21 December, I hope it goes as well as my second op did.
Hugs to you all
Gillian xxxx
Hi Ladies,
Just popping in from the Sept thread to wish you all good luck!
I was diagnosed in July and had a WLE & SNB late July, Grade 3, no nodes but not clear margins do had another WLE in early August. Due to my age (43) it was felt I should have chemo which I started late September. My last chemo should be (fingers crossed) 9th Jan (Yippee!)
I just wanted to say its do-able - not always pleasant but you can get through it! My top tips are suck ice lollies whilst on FEC to prevent the chemo messing your mouth about. If in doubt about any side effects - speak to your chemo team & Onc - they can change your tablets to suit you! Finally, accept any help you are offered!
Take care & good luck on your journey!
Axx
My chemo drugs are, Doxorubicin(Adriamycin, cyclophosphamide(Cytoxan),paclitaxel(Taxol). I have an appointment on Monday afternoon with a company which supplies wigs and head coverings for chemo patients. I want to get this sorted out before my hair starts to fall out. Thanks AnnieK68 for your good wishes to us January chemo people and to those who have commented regarding their Journey.
Thanks for your good luck wishes Gillian!
Here’s hoping we all have a wonderful Christmas! Love and hugs to you all
Claire xxxxxxxxx
Hello everyone,
I have been diagnosed in early October, had a lumpectomy October 13th, biopsy of the lymphnodes were clear, thank God, but had to have a second surgery to remove more breast tissue as the margin was too thin. Have my oncologist appointment on the 4th of January - looks like I am going to have the full Monty, chemo, radiation and now that I read up on it, Herceptin, as the tumour was / is HER2 positive. Cr*pping myself over chemo, it’s the not knowing what to expect thing. Feeling a little calmer now reading through the December chemo posts but still…
I live in Copenhagen; everyone was super nice and thankfully language is not an issue, everyone speaks English.
I’ve been stuffing my face like there is no tomorrow, thinking I must build myself up before chemo (managed it, I’ve put on 4 kgs and I wasn’t underweight before either) but maybe it is time to stop. I thought the silver lining with chemo is going to be weight loss but I see this might not be the case. 
Good luck to all of us - I am so glad I found this tread. I was ready to explode!
Julianna xxx
Hi everyone
I did post on Decembers as well.
I had good news Friday and none of my nodes were affected, only the 2 original ones from SNB. I was so happy on a weired sort of way and couldn’t stop smilling all the way home.
I have to wait now for an appointment with ONC. I will have to have Herceptin as HER+ and have been reading some of the other ladies experiences on the site which are a bit scary. I know I have to take one step at a time and get through chemo before worrying about Herceptin but getting I’m bored at home with the miserable weather and way too much time on my hands. And the waiting, well what can I say, it is driving me crazy.
Going to concentrate on Christmas and enjoy the holidays.
Anne xx
Hi Everyone
Hope you are all as well as can be expected and looking forward to Christmas.
Anne - great news about your results. I know exactly how you felt getting the news that no more lymph nodes were affected as my results were the same. I only had the 1 original affected one from the SNB. I hope you get your appointment with the ONC soon and then you will know when you are starting chemo. It is so much easier to plan your life when you know what direction you are going in.
Happyhunter - wishing you loads of luck for your next op on 21 December. It is awful sitting around waiting for it but if it is anything like my op you will do great.
Thejourney - it looks like you are first of the January girls to start chemo, I will be close on your heels on 5 Jan.
Julianna - welcome to our thread, it is a shame that any of us are here but hopefully we will all keep each other supported over our journies. What is the weather like in Copenhagen?
And me - well I am going to enjoy Christmas and New Year to the full this year building up my strength for starting chemo in January!
Hugs to you all
Gillian xxx
Hello ladies, please can I join this thread.
I start chemo on Friday 13th January - FEC x 6 then hormone therapy. I was diagnosed at the end of September and had mx with DIEP reconstruction on 10th November. 2/17 lymph node involvement.
I have found this forum incredibly helpful and reassuring.
I hope we can all have as good a Christmas as possible and go into next year with a view to beating this
Clare x
Hello all,
i’ve been given the date of 10th January 2012 to start my chemo. i’ll be having TAC minus the C. 6 cycles, 3 weeks apart for 18 weeks. once that is all out of the way i will start 3 weeks of Rads.
not really looking forward to it but it has to be done. i’ll do anything they tell me if it helps keep this horrible disease at bay.
i’m just so greatful i get to enjoy my bday (19th Dec, yesterday), xmas, my Mum’s bday (30th Dec) and new year before i start my treatment
hope you are all well.
Lynzi xx
Hi everyone,
I was diagnosed with BC in oct had WLE on 7th Nov,lymph nodes & margins clear but because my lump[although small]was grade 3 i’ve been told i need chemo which starts on Jan 4th,6xTAC followed by 3 wks rads then hormone therapy.Today i went to a wig clinic to get myself sorted in plenty of time before my hair falls out which i’m not really looking forward to.I don’t post often but find the forums a wealth of information from all you wonderful ladies that are at different stages of your journey.
Take care love Tracey.xx
Hello.
Just jumping in to wish you all the best and to say that chemo is doable. I finished chemo (3XFEC and 3X Tax in August and have since had double mx and rads, which finished two weeks ago) It seems endless when you are at the beginning but you will get there and life will return to normal eventually. Look after yourself and accept any help that’s offered.
Love to all ladies starting chemo in 2012.
Rach x
Hi Everyone
Welcome Clare, Lynzi and Tracey to the January chemo thread. Not a place any of us want to be but hopefully we will be able to share experiences and offer support to each other. Thank you Rach for your positive comments. It helps so much to hear that others have successfully completed chemo and that it is doable. I am trying to concentrate on Xmas and the New Year and spending time getting together with my friends and family. I am very nervous about starting chemo but know that it is something that I will have to get through. I suppose it is a case of taking each day as it comes one step at a time and by the summertime we should be finished with both chemo and radiotherapy. Well I had better go I am going out for xmas dinner with my work colleagues. Take care everyone.
Love to everyone.
Gillian xx
Hi
Had a phone call from ONC and have appointment Thursday so should have a plan. Had butterflies for an hour after the call (not with excitement either).
Also been and had my hair cut even shorter; I have gone from below shoulder to short bob and now it is cropped like Frankie from The Saturdays. Haven’t had it this short for years but I’m hoping the hair loss will be less traumatic (have taken advice from the December girls).
Anne xx
I purchased a wig last Monday so that this will be one less thing to worry about when I start the chemo on the 4th Jan. I am planning to get by hair cut in early Jan before it starts to fall out in clumps.
My hair is cut short in layers at the moment and I have not got my colour done for several weeks so quite a bit of grey showing!
I am having 8 sessions of chemo which seems quite a lot, followed by the radiotherapy. Luckily I live very close to the hospital where I am being treated. Enjoy Christmas everyone and we will let January take care of itself.
Hi Lovely Ladies.
Just popped in from Dec thread to wish you all well on your journey. You will find a wealth of support, knowledge and advice on here - it really is a fab place, full of lovely ladies. Although none of us want to be here, you will draw a lot of strength from this elite club!
I am on 6 x FEC, due my second on Friday, and have been pretty lucky with se’s. I know you will all be apprehensive, but as other ladies have said it is doable honest! I think the fear of the unknown is scarier than the actual reality.
Hi Anne, Glad you got your appointment through, will feel better once you have a game plan. I also had a “Frankie” cut, which I absolutely loved and wish I had it done ages ago! In fact I Loved it so much I got a similar wig!
Hope you all have a fab Christmas and a healthy New Year
xxx
I am at home at the moment (home being Budapest, Hungary) stuffing my face and drinking plenty of alcoholic beverages with head firmly in sand. Chemo? Cancer? I will face the dark, dark woods in January (by the way, if you have not read that tread yet, do - it is inspiring), until then party time!
Julianna
hi ladies i’m new on here but felt less isolated reading your posts. I was diagnosed with bc on 3 nov have had two lumpectomies and all lymph nodes removed under right arm pit. Went for pre chemo talk today i start 12 jan on fec-t 3 wks apart for 18 wks then mastectomy and recon. My world seems to have been turned upside down yet am grateful i can enjoy xmas with hubby and kids aswell as my daughter’s 1st birthday before chemo. I’m very scared had floods of tears today, opting for cold cap too praying my hair wont fall out everything is just so overwhelming.