Bit worried now as this doesnt appear to be normal practice. drugs wont take all day to administer but need to wait around 4-5 hours afterwards. Better stock my kindle up! Might be a silly question but do the “chemo lounges” allow laptops etc in, OH needs to work if he can (works for himself).
Glad to hear all ok for you today Jenny. Long may SE remain absent. I
I got a wig today in London. Bit of a trek (6 hour round trip) but it was worth it for peace of mind. Looks better than my own hair !! Lisa x
Fec 1 Day 10
Happy Thursday, this week is my lack of immune system week so I am keeping myself shut away from everyone, the onc said just be sensible don’t shut yourself away but I figure with all this poop I’m going through why take the risk, after all it’s only one week in 3 for 6 cycles which, when you think about it, is nothing in the great scheme of things.
BUT I’m soooo bored & it’s only Thursday.
Pots, Avonlady, Seaview how you all doing this morning?
Hope you all have a good day my fellow superstars xx
Hope everybody is doing OK this morning.
Thanks Lulu, I had heard that about the reactions so keeping my fingers crossed I can behave myself next week! I must say having been lucky enough to have very little to do with all things medical so far Im totally amazed at how clever it all is! I had my tonsils out when I was 5 and I was told the best thing after that was to eat lots of ice cream! Things have moved on so much since then as I have rapidly found out these past few weeks, although part of me is still hoping to get some ice cream somewhere along the way 
I went for my heart scan this morning to check that out before the herceptin starts and they said unofficially that that looked OK from what they had seen. When I was there the BCN rang to say my CT scan had come back clear. Left message with OH and Ill be honest I pretty much collapsed when he told me just with sheer relief! Hopefully the neighbours didnt hear my sobs as I stood blubbing on my doorstep! So now that is out of the way Im ready for the fight, or as ready as I can be. Small matter of telling the masses to deal with but Ill be relieved to get it out in the open. I work at my youngest sons school in the town we live in so as a result I know loads of people as a parent myself as well as a member of staff and havent really wanted to see anyone or be near people, OH has been doing all the school runs and if Ive had to do them Ive sat low down in my car with a cap on and have sent my eldest in to pick the youngest up. Just wasnt ready to face the world until I had the full picture so now Ive got that I can get out a bit more. Fabulous support off my family, colleagues and close friends have kept me going and Ive picked up loads of advice from everyone on here so now Im ready to hit this little s**t head on. Lets do this!!!
Jayne xx
Good evening Stars,
Haven’t checked in for a couple of days so not up to speed on all the events so I hope everyone is doing ok.
Everything is fine for me at the moment. My big event was yesterday when I decided the falling out hair was too much to handle so my lovely son attacked it with graders. Today I have ventured out for the first time wearing my wig, successful outing and not too self conscious. It actually doesn’t look too bad.
Love and luck to Jo, Anne-Marie, Karen and Sarah for your dunking sessions tomorrow. Lulu, good luck with your results. Love and hugs to everyone. Keep on shining! xxxx
Ah Pots are you the one with bad veins, or is that some one else, I remember reading that about someone and got excited today when I was told I had beautiful veins, odd how Im now getting excited about news like that and odd that the nurse seemed excited to. Yes delighted about CT scan but as a result Ive hit a brick wall today and have practically collapsed with exhaustion, also cried heaps today particualry when I told one of my good friends my news but strangely I feel better for crying, not actually done much of that which is most unlike me, Im usually a right cry baby. I hope you get the CT scan sorted, good that they said they didnt see anything nasty but I can understand the need to have that confirmed, in all of this the waiting is dreadful, so stressful!
Jenny I went to Nottingham Trent, loved it, fab city and we still pop down for a visit once in a while!
Im quite worried about the bordum kicking in, with working full time and then some, plus 2 kids and a house Im always doing something so finding it hard being off, OH works from home so Im trying not too pester him although Im probably doing his head in, bless him he only had one day when I went back after 6 weeks off but he has been great coming to all my appointments even though he hates needle, the consultant who did my biopsies was more concerned about him that me! Love the suggestions for keeping the bordum at bay!
Take care everyone, hope you have a good nights rest!
J xx
Oh dear what a drama, its amazing to realise how much infection our bodies fight without us even knowing! Hope you have a good nights sleep tonight xx
Lulu, think I’ve already said so, but just in case not, good luck with results tomorrow. Hope it’s not what you don’t want to hear xx all the other ladies up for a dunk, Jo, Pips & Gold, who know what to expect and cinderSarah, our first timer, really hope l goes smoothly and you come back to us safe & sound xxx
Bonne nuit tout le monde xx ??
I second that Barbs, fb is so much easier to use, we get to share photos, don’t get censored, it’s all very secret none of your fb buddies will know or you could open a separate fb account just for the group. No pressure I just feel you’re missing out xxx.
Here’s wishing everyone a good weekend. Trust you do not get too many side effects, get the rest you need and can eat whatever you fancy. Hugs to all. xx
Hi Stars, just to let you know that I went for my first cocktail hour yesterday (a bit sick yesterday evening but fine so far today, touch wood). Thank you to all the stars that have been reporting back, been a big help as I was waiting for mine. Sorry Barbs about your run-in with A&E, hope you are feeling better now.
Best of luck to those up next, for what it’s worth I found the actual day a weird sort of relief, especially after all the stress about it starting and the nurses were great, explaining everything as they went and making us feel at home.
And for the record, here’s the rest of my details: ANC (3/14) gde3 ER/PR+ FEC-T #1
Hi Pots,
How are you feeling now, a few days after round 1? Hope any se’s are settling down for you. I don’t blame you for going for portacath, if I’d had it as an option would’ve taken it hands down!! I’m like you with virtually non existent veins, probs with bloods/CT contrast/etc so when the chemo nurses said I could have a PICC thought it was going to be a godsend. How wrong was I? After a temp spike earlier this week, was told to go to A&E for bloods, checks & the like. However instead if using the PICC they proceeded to ‘attempt’ several times i may add to get a cannula in…not an easy task either. When I asked why they couldn’t use the PICC they told me nobody there had had the specialist training needed to be able to use it!!! Bl00dy joke!!! Needless to say if I can avoid that dept again I will be doing so. Stick to those that can use it properly.
However, with regards to your concern about everyday convenience of having it, not really an issue. Other than the fact you have to keep it clean & dry, which you can get items to assist with this, it doesn’t get in the way. The district nurses comes to flush it weekly & redress it with plenty of padding & coverage to keep it secure. The one thing I would urge anybody to consider is how blood pressure would be taken if, like me, it’s on the opposite arm to surgery site (for obvious reasons). I now have the problem of them only being able to do BP on my one good leg as I have lymphodeama in the other. Oh we did laugh!!!
Don’t know if this helps at all for anyone considering PICC but thought it worth a mention.
Hope you manage to get some sleep Pots, as well as any other night birds xx
Lulu, {{hugs}} what can I say other than sorry about your cr4ppy results, this trial drug does sound promising and it’s certainly about time something went your way xxx
Fec 1 Day 12
Good morning stars, I hope that yesterday’s dunkees had a good night and se’s remain minimal. I didn’t sleep too well last night 
I have absolutely no idea why… Busy brain that’s all. So thought getup and try to get more active today whilst I feel good as I’m beginning to put weight on sitting around, eating and watching too much trash tv.
Hope you all have a good day, take care xx
Good morning Stars
Seems to have been a fair bit of activity here during the night and the early hours. Hope you managed to get some sleep. To all the Stars waking up after their dunking yesterday, I hope the SE’s are being kind to you (and staying away). Just make sure you all rest up and get those fluids inside you know it makes sense!
Love to all the Stars out there who we haven’t seen shining here for a while. I hope you are all ok.
Lulu, so sorry the results weren’t the best but let’s hope this new drug works well for you. Seems like you have rather a busy schedule ahead but whenever you get started you will always be our Superstar. Love and hugs to you xx
Nikki, don’t go too mad. It’s the weekend after all! x
On that note I hope all the Stars have the best weekend they can. love to all. xx
Hello All, I am new to this website but have been reading everyones postings, and thought I would like to join please, there is something comforting in knowing you are not alone on this horrible journey. I am 46 yrs, living in west sussex, I was Dx in June had a MX in July with delayed reconstruction, I have had a recurring seroma that will not go away, bain of my life! been drained 3 times, last time was last week following a trip to a & e as it looked infected, wasn’t thank goodness. I had anc at the time of MX. On seeing the oncologist in August I was told I had 3 lumps removed totalling 5.2cm all grade 3 I am HER2 + est+ 8/12 positive nodes the breast tissue that was removed showed alot of pre-cancerous cells, so my treatment includes chemo, 6 cycles FEC-T, radiotherapy 3 weeks, 18 rounds herceptin, 5 years tamoxifan, reconstruction, followed I should imagine by some sort of rehab as I have never taken so many drugs.
I had my first chemo on the 3rd of September where my vein was so small that it took 1 1/2 hours to adminster the red juice, so last tuesday I had a port fitted, surgeon said I had the worst veins he had seen all year! thanks but didn’ t fill me with pride. Anyway I have second dose on tuesday, I have clipped my hair off as walking around shedding hair like the dog, and it was very uncomfortable scalp quite sore, thought losing my hair would really bother me but hasn’t yet.
I am off work for the duration of chemo as I work with the under fives and families, and little ones are very good at sharing their germs around, been popping in on good days to stay in touch and see the world going on as normal.
My se’s from the chemo have not been to bad, not pleasent but I have survived, had alot of trouble with the 5 days of injections, bone pain and motion sickness even when lying down, so I was given drugs to treat these se, and then more to treat the se of the se drugs, seems mad to me , but I was told that the onc will be able to give me a different type of injection, which may well suit me better. Here’s hoping.
Hope everyone elses se are manageable!! Sue
Hi there Suzie, welcome to the September Stars where you will never be alone. These stars are the best virtual friends you will ever have. Their support, help, wit and wisdom is relentless and without them my days would be a lot harder to deal with.
I too started my chemo on the 3rd but my next will be 25th. I am doing chemo first with WLE and rads to follow.
Like Barbs and Nikki have said we are on Facebook too where we really do get down to the nitty gritty. Hope you can join us there too.
Keep up the fight, Star! xx
Welcome Suzie, sorry you find yourself here though.
Can recommend the FB page, might make you blush though lol! But aside from blushing, or is it a hot flush, its very helpful and amusing. Ive not started chemo yet, got that pleasure on Wednesday so Im a virgin still!
Jayne xx
Hi ladies. It’s been a while but I’m here. Had 1st FEC on 17th sept. SE not been too bad I guess although really not enjoying it much. Had sickness on my first night but just nausea since. The steroids have been driving me nuts - dont know where to put myself most of the time. Can’t sit down, can’t stand up, been going for many walks! Took my last does yesterday morning so hoping this will pass very soon. Not eating much really but again that seems to be getting slightly better each day. At the moment wondering how I will get through another 5 of these buts everyone does so I guess I will too.
Hope all you other ladies on here are doing ok. Nice to know we’re in it together 
xxxx
Hi ladies. It’s been a while but I’m here finally. Had my first FEC on 17th sept. SE not been too bad really although not at all a pleasant experience. I had bit of sickness on my first night but just nausea since then. The worst for me has been the steroid SE. I haven’t known where to put myself - can’t sit down, can’t stand up, been dragging other half out for many walks just to keep moving! Took the last of those yesterday so hopefully things will improve tomorrow. At the moment can’t imagine how I’m going to get through 5 more of these but everyone else manages so I’m sure I will too.
Hope all you ladies are doing ok, nice to know that we are in this poop together and will come out the other side most importantly. I find it comforting to hear of people who are on the other side of their treatment right now as it gives me hope xxxx