Thanks RevCat. I have been looking at your previous posts and you are an inspiration to us newbies. I am glad to hear you have got your hair back and I hope it is not too long before you have it back how you want it. It does seem frivololus stressing about hair, in the grand scheme of all this, but to me, it is a dignity thing. Oh well, keep thinking of the bigger picture. I feel pretty normal today so am taking advantage of this and heading off out.
Thanks to you all for all your help and I am sure we will all get through this together and it will one day be just a memory. I think I am getting so worried about all the possible side effects, I am forgetting that by having this treatment, it will hopefully prolong my life and give me the chance to have memories.
Hugs to all
A slightly queasy morning from me.
Kate, I didn’t have any pain when the portacath was put in but later at home when the local anaesthetic wore off it did zing a lot and pain killers didn’t seem to touch it, but it did settle down quite quickly. `I had the problem yesterday that it blocked somehow but apparently they had never had that happen before. Don’t know what will happen if they can’t clear it for next time. If they offer you the local anaesthetic cream to use on port before next chemo, take it as the needle going in stings a bit. Hope you are feeling better by this afternoon.
Not feeling to bad, glad I had read on here about the metallic taste, Ribena tastes gross, water pretty bad too. Found orange squash with a lug of ginger cordial managed to get past the taste somehow while you are actually guzzling it, still get hit with the aftertaste though.
I too have found everyone’s suggestions and experience a huge help, there is the printed info from the hospital but not much else. Hope you are feeling better today Kate.
Love for today
Julia x
Hi Ladies…
Nicola, thankyou I am hoping it wont be so stressful now I wont be in a blind panic about the needles!! I really hope they sort the line out for you soon, all this hanging around not knowing really cant help, good luck and keep us posted…
Lyn, glad you are not feeling too bad at the moment, you are no way a wimp, this is so hard both emotionally and physically for us, totally life changing, and we will try and support you as much as possible…
Rev cat, thankyou for your lovely reassuring messages, they mean alot, and i’m so pleased your hair is growing back, it does us good to know that it wont be like this forever…
Kate, sorry to hear you are in pain, I hope it eases soon, maybe ring on Monday if its no better by then…
Julia, Glad you are feeling ok too, I did read that Lemon and Lime squash were really good to drink, when we have the horrible taste…
I have got some in just incase…
Have a good weekend All…
Jay X
Kate so sorry to hear that you are in pain.How is the hair situ?
Lynn, you are so not being a wimp. I am the same. The thought of waking up bald really scares me…
I am feeling a bit less emotional today but can’t be bothered to do anything.
Has anyone else had councelling or gone on anti depressants?
I thought that when you had chemo it was just a cannula in your hand/
I guess that I will find out on Monday when I see my oncologist again.
I have to keep remembering what she said , chemo is merely a precaution, I am not fighting cancer as it’s all gone now.
I still find it very difficult accepting what has happened so being on here really helps
I think that I am going to cut my hair short and try the cold cap.
I do have thick hair, not sure if this makes any difference.
Lots of love to you all today and a gentle hug to Kate.
We can do this Girls and then we can have our lives back.
xxxx
Sozza, hair is still hanging in there, not lost more than a few hairs each night. Really angry with the hospital though, they stuck a paper sheet over my face during the op and stuck it to my hair! They really pulled it when they unstuck it and later a big clump came out! Luckily you can’t see it but it still was not nice. It has made my mind up that I am cutting my hair short ASAP.
We are all far from wimps with all we have to go through, we are incredibly strong. I think I will scream at the next one of my friends to complain on Facebook about a little cold, they don’t realise how lucky they are!
Sorry, rant over, just fed up today but that has made me feel a bit better already.
Kate xx
Hey Girls
Well what a day! Went to have Portcath fitted all worried about blood count being OK and when I wake up guess what - Its not fitted they couldn’t find a vein!!! LOL but got nice little hole in my neck for the pleasure. So… will have to have in the arm again Tuesday if they can find one. (Vein not arm) !!Have to then go to Charing Cross hospital in 2 weeks to see if they can do any better.
Kate - Sorry to hear your feeling so miserable have they given you any strong pain killers? I can’t believe they pulled your hair out I think I would have screamed at them.
Sozza - You don’t have cancer anymore it is all gone. The Chemo is a precaution. They put a needle on your hand/arm and then feed the chemo through that - you will be OK - is someone going with you?
I would say if you are concerned about your hair def give the cold cap a go. If you don’t like it just take it off - I haven’t lost any hair yet but it is early days and everyone is different.
Hope everyone has a lovely evening
Love to all
Ginge xx
OMG, there are so many of you lol how on earth can I remember all your names!!! lol
Revcat, thanks for the lovely post, it really does help hearing things like that.
Well I have felt a bit queasy today, bad cramps in tummy, felt like I was constipated, but actually…the other thing happened!! A horrid taste in my mouth, but apart from that not too bad at all. Or am I speaking too soon??
Hugs to all of you.
xxxx
Morning September girls…
Sozza, I was offered counselling, but to be honest I dont think its for me, i’m sure it helps so people, I havent got anti depressants either (yet)…
I wish you lots of luck tomorrow, please let us hnow how you get on…
Kate, good to hear your hair is still staying put, god no wonder you are angry with the hospital, I would be fuming…
Oh Ginge, I’m sorry to hear things didnt go according to plan, I hope you get on ok on Tuesday…
SGL, hope you are feeling better this morning…
Can I ask a random question, just out of curiosity really, did any of you have any other symtoms before you were diagnoised apart from the finding a lump etc? I had been unusally tired come about 3pm every day abit like when I was pregnant, I could hardly keep my eyes open, this went on for about 4 months, the strange thing is since my op it dosnt happen anymore, even though I dont sleep that well at the moment. I guess that will probably change after Tuesday!!..
Have a nice Sunday All…
Jay X
Kate , don’t apologise for the rant. I am really struggling with it all thinking that all along it was DCIS and all I would need is an op.
I feel like ranting all the time!
I am confused about these contraptions that you are having fitted?
Does it all depend on your veins?
I am still a bit worried as I have been told that I don’t need radiotherepy and yet other girls I know who had a mastectomy have had chemo followed by radiotherepy, maybe it’s cos lump was so small?
I will ask again tomorrow.
Kate great about your hair. I will defo give the cap a try.
Well I’m off to East Grinsted tomorrow for plastic surgeon to check wound and then the oncologist in the afternoon.
I can’t believe what my life has become…
Hi sozza,
I am so with you on this one, I was told I had dcis, and would just need surgery, and rads and tamoxifen. I was then found to have invasive, so was then told I would need my nodes tested and better margins, but I still thought ok, I will cope.
After my last appointment in July to get margin results, I had the bombshell dropped on me that I was her2pos and would now need chemo and herceptin. I cried for days and was in total shock as I had not been prepared for this so I can totally understand how you are feeling about this.
I have started councelling, and my second appointment is next Friday after my second chemo.
Kate, rant away as much as you need to, thats what we are all hear for, it really really does help, and we all understand where you are coming from.
Big hugs to you ginge, and hope Tuesday is better for you.
I got to say no Jay I didnt feel any different, but then I had just had a hysterctomy, so was still recovering from that, and put any tiredness etc down to that.
I have to say I am not feeling to bad at all, tummy is a bit messed up and taste, but so far so good.
Have a lovely sunday everyone. xx
Hi all
Jay
funny you say that i was completely exhausted before diagnosis infact that was why i went to GP and just mentioned my lump while i was there i had just thought it was a blocked duct from the breast feeding. Then all this happened!
Well i had 1str chemo on thurs felt fine after but by tea time was throwing up really bad, went on all night couldnt even keep water down, ended up back in hospital on drip all day fri, bit better yesterday but couldnt get off sofa or even have shower. Today still in pjs andstill feel very sick but only been sick once.
When i went in couldnt find vein for drip was nightmare all veins gone cos dehydrated.Now have to have hickman line in on wed if bloods ok cos she said if i need anymore fluids or antibiotics etc they would never find vein in A & E!!
Great!!
Now feel really fed up, sorry for moaning girls just dont know how im gonna get through this its so hard to manage with the babies i just cant take care of them, thank god hubbie is on a few days off but next chemo hes on a 12 hour shift and with travelling will be gon 15hrs how the hell???
I still can barely eat anything forcing water down is hell and i feel like ive been run over by a truck, Must be a wimp !!
When i had surgery i came home next morning and was bathing the twins and feeding them now i can barely change a nappy!!
Forgive me but ive no one else to moan to , so sorry
Love
JO x
Big hugs Rainbow Jo.
My son is 7 so it is a bit easier for me.
Do you have family and friends around you?
I thought that they are supposed to give you anti sickness drugs?
Oh I do hope that your sunday improves. When I was pregnant I found that plain iced lollies really helped.
I think that we all totally understand how we are all feeling. No one can know unless they have been here.
Lots of love to you all.
xxxx
Hi all, there’s a strong possibility that I could be starting chemo in the next couple of weeks and if so was wondering if I could join your thread. No actual date set yet but expecting call from chemo nurse next week to start the ball rolling. My bc was a 15mm idc with clear nodes and margins. Had meeting with oncologist last Wednesday and it turns out it was also grade 3 hence the chemo to mop up any microscopic cells. Naturally feeling scared and apprehensive over what lies ahead and would value your support going through this. I’m 49 and live in the Bournemouth area.
Feeling a bit low today (must be the weather) and fed up feeling anxious and scared when I wake up in the morning. Have lost all confidence in knowing what’s right or wrong with my body. Was worried about a lump on my elbow (bc side) which turned out to be a benign fatty lump following ultrasound. Can now feel a smaller lump further down the arm which is probably something similar but I’m getting paranoid. Now underarm of right side feels a bit swollen but breast feels ok and assuming it’s probably lymph fluid compensating for other side. There’s so many people on the bc team that I’m not sure who to contact to discuss these little niggles with. It’s probably my mind going into overdrive again but will get things checked out. Sorry but I just needed to offload there.
Alison
Jay, in answer to your question, i definately felt a lot more tired in the months leading up to diagnosis. I can remember walking home from work & wondering how i would manage it as each step seemed to take it out of me,i had no energy, very strange.
Rainbowjo, im so sorry you’ve been so sick, presume u are taking all the anti-sickness meds they gave u. They’re definatly keeping my sickness at bay, i can feel when they’re wearing off. It must be so hard with little ones to look after. Hope ur feeling better soon.
Course u can join Alison, we’re all in this together. I’d ring ur BCN with any queries,or the helpline on here.
One more thing, pls don’t apologise for ranting or needing to offload. We’re all here for each other & i really do think that this is the only place we’re able to do so, take care everyone xx
Welcome to our ever growing gang Alison, you offload as much as you want on here, we really do understand, its a very frightening time, I would personally give the BC nurse a ring with your concerns, I’m sure they will be able to reassure you…
Jo, it just goes to shoe how everyones SE are so different, you poor thing, twins are hard enough when you are feeling well…
I hope you have other people to help you when your husband is away…
You are not a whimp, just going through a really rough time at the moment…
Ring them if you continue to feel bad, they told me we shouldnt have to suffer to much…
Take care…
Jay X
Sorry to hear that you are suffering Jo and welcome Alison.
I did feel much better after my rant yesterday and am not quite so sore today.
I have had to have my hair cut really short today, I look like a man! My hair started coming out in handfuls this morning when I washed it. It was horrible. Although I am not massively keen on how my new hair looks at least I won’t have to deal with that again. I have still got loads of hair left, you can’t tell I have lost as much as I did apart from it is a bit thinner on top. I am scared to touch it now!
I also felt tired for a few months before I found my lump but put it down to starting a new and quite stressful job. I only found my lump because I had a sharp pain in my breast, almost like a wasps sting. It did go after a few days so I thoroughly felt around and found the lump. I am so glad it was painful or I would never have found it and caught it early.
I hope everyone has had a good weekend with as few side effects as possible.
Kate xx
Hello everyone,
Jay- I didn’t have any other signs beforehand, in fact I went for a mammogram and it came back clear on the Friday and Saturday I noticed my nipple was inverted. I was due to go on holiday and as the mammogram had come back clear, I wasn’t really worried. Anyway about 6 weeks later I went to see my GP and that was the beginning of this horrendous journey… Since I was diagnosed though, I’ve had alsorts of aches and pains which come and go when I stop worrying about them. The power of the mind eh! How are you feeling about Tuesday? I’m trying not to think too much about it but it’s always there at the back of my mind.
Rainbowjo - So sorry you’ve been so sick, I really hope things are beginning to settle down a bit for you now. From what I’ve read it doesn’t always follow that you’ll be the same each time.
Alison - I’d reiterate what everyone else has said, speak to your bresat care nurse. Don’t hesitate to contact her whenever you have a question because they really don’t mind. That is exactly what they are there for - to support you.
Thanks for the welcome and support everyone, and you’re right about calling my bcn. I will make sure I do that tomorrow and hopefully put my mind at ease.
Alison
Hello all
I haven’t been on here for two weeks as I have just come back off holiday, it was nice and relaxing even though weather could have been better.
The only thing I started getting very scared from about mid week thinking about having to start chemo on Tuesday, I dont know about anyone else but I wake up feeling very panicky and sick with the thought of going through that awfull treatment. I’ve just read all your threads fron you ladies who have started chemo in Sept and on the whole you all seem to be coping quite well, how brave you all are.Did most of you take someone with you for your first treatment or did you go alone? I just got this fear that I will do a runner right at the last minute, I know this is silly but I’m so scared of the se’s I’m not scared of needles though. Big Hugs to you all
Sue
Hi everyone x
Curlyglad, thank you for making me laugh, re FEC, Father Ted!!
Jay66, yes, to your answer about the mega tiredness before I was diagnosed. Found lump myself, noticed slight puckering too. Though, being a woman, I blamed it on anything I could!!
I think I feel a bit normal today!!! (1st chemo 8thSept FEC)
Hugs,
xoxo