Hi
I’m Sarah and will be having 6 sessions of FEC starting prob on March x anyone else out there who wants to have virtual hand holding ( I need it!!) please jump on board xxx
Hi Sarah, I am Sue and on the November thread sorry you are having to join us on this journey but the forum is a great support. You are the first March starter but I am sure you will soon have some company, browsing the other threads will give you lots of tips and advice from those who have been there. Good luck Sue xx
Thx Sue xxx would rather not b here obviously but it is strangely reassuring to see all the other monthly threads xxx hope u ok x
Hi Sarah, I have a provisional date of 3rd March to start my chemo, not sure why it is provisional at the moment but I am having ct and heart scan next week so maybe it depends on the results of those. Will you be trying the cold cap, I was told about it but not sure whether to try it or not. Janey xxxx
Hi Everyone
I’m seeing my oncologist for the first time a week today and have been told Chemo will start 10 days or so later so I’d love to be part of this March group. Thanks for starting it Sarah. I don’t know what I’ll be having (other than chemo, herceptin and radiotherapy), I’ve already had a right side mastectomy and then a axillary clearance as my sentinel nodes had cancer cells in them. Thankfully the axillary clearance was negative. I’m HER2+ non-hormone responsive and stage-wise 2B - that’s all I know so far. How about you guys?
Is anyone else obsessively researching make up to fake eyebrows and lashes or is that just me?..It’s strange really as I hardly ever wear make-up - maybe be it’s my lack of skill that I’m worried about!
I’m also gasping for a strong GnT but trying to get my liver in shape before it takes a beating. xxxx
Hi Marie and welcome to the BCC forums
Along with the support and shared experiences here, our helpliners are on hand with practical and emotional support for you on 0808 800 6000 and lines are open 9-5 weekdays and 10-2 Saturdays so please feel free to call
I am posting a link to the ‘Treatments’ area of the site where you will find further support ideas and lots of information which I hope you will find helpful over the coming months:
Here’s also the link to the ‘Look good feel better’ sessions JETS has kindly mentioned in case you are interested:
Take care
Lucy BCC
Hi,
I see my oncologist 23rd feb (my sons 21st Birthday!!!), had surgery left mx 27th jan, had first check of wound week after 4th February (my Daughter’s 18th Birthday!!!), 2 weeks later got results, dcis grade 3 x2 tumours both positioned next to eachother but not connected, over all with clearance >6cm so had to be mastectomy, snb x3 clear, auxiliary nodes x11 clear. Think stage 2b mentioned.
Believe chemo advised due to size, grade, stage and consultant said particularly because of my age which is 45 years.
I get a bit confused with all the medical jargon and statistics alike.
I just want to increasevmy chances of survival…I feel its good news no lymph node involvement…but then again I am in the ‘blast me with anything and as much as you like’ camp.
Im sure many may think.thatvi shouldn’t have chemo, when I lok to the side effects I wish I wasn’t to go through it as I am already compromised and a ‘complex’ case so they tell me due to an auto immune disorder which causes inflammation of the gut/ intestines which is Crohns.
Anyone else undergoing chemo with other diseases?
I gues I will start chemo march early on…don’t know if I wil get a choice, really dont know what chemo will mean for me or what experience I will have…daunted and frightened by it for sure…however I have everything to live for . A hubby. And 3 wonderful kids aged 20, 18 & 16…and as I keep saying …no one could bring up my kids like I do and no one could annoy my hubby like I do … tongue in cheek…but its how I cope…so I say blast me with all you can…I want kill the blighter now I feel the mastectomy contained it ;)
Hi Kurup I’m from the October Thread - I’ve just finished my chemo . I’ve responded as I too have an auto immune condition - rheumatoid arthritis . I had to stop my ra meds before surgery and in between surgery and chemo it flared quite badly in my hands . However once chemo started it was suppressed , I think the steroids played a big part in this . I’m sure your oncology team will be able to steer you through your treatment and It sounds like you have a fab attitude . Good luck to you and all the other ladies starting in March xx
Hi kurup - think we are all fairly daunted on this thread … What a way to spend the birthdays! I’m sure oncologist will discuss with u in detail and the right decision will b made if you follow us on we are all here to help and discuss any side effects and share managing strategies! X lots hugs
Hi Kurup
Good luck today and do lets us know how you got on…I’m endlessly speculating about what my first meeting with the oncologist will cover/say so it would be very interesting to hear. Like you I’m in the ‘blast it with everything’ camp. I’ve just turned 41 and I have two young boys (9 and 6) so I don’t want to take any risks.
Jets - I’m booked onto the ‘look good feel better’ workshop in April and very much looking forward to it. What sort of freebies did you get? Marie x
Freebies galore!!! Worth a small fortune as some big name players - Estée lauder revlon loreal Lancôme clinique! - enjoy!
You’ll be safe having young boys - my girls are heavily utilising it all!
Hi Ladies,
I had the meeting with the Oncologists yesterday, the Consultant and her registrar. It was a lengthy some 2 hour one ! Glad I took the husband as felt quite exhausted coming out, so helpfulto have a second pair of ears.
I am to start chemotherapy on 4th March, the day before my 46th Birthday…yesterday incidentally was my son’s 21st Birthday…the day I was back a week after surgery for some results and dressing removal was my Daughter’s 18th Birthday, the day of my surgery was my s mother’s 83rd birthday. I have told myself that when I am out and the to the other side of this and consider myself wel again I shall have the biggest party known to man to celebrate the battle, thank and support al family and friend s that have been with me on this journey of Cancer & Crohns, and to make up gor the loss of celebration on such important land mark dates as my childrens 18th, 21st…may even combine it with my youngest daughter who is 17 at the end of July…which is when I am set to have finished chemo and wil have just started and hopefully stabilised on the immunosuppressant drugs Gastro will give me for my Crohns disease … they predict a riot of ‘flare up’ as I finish Chemotherapy.
My chemotherapy is to consist of EC regime for 6 cycles - Epirubicin & cyclophosphamide…we went through the whole history of finding my cancer from scratch, whole medical history otherwise and dwelled upon crohn for ages. I then had the registrar examine me, check my chest, heart, wound etc etc. This was about an hour into the consultation. Classic line of the day and ‘ice breaker’ came at the point of checking my chest in the little corner cubicle of the room, curtains drawn giving me privacy from my husband of 22 years, which always makes me chuckle. She asked me to lean forward and take deep breaths in and out …‘gosh you have quite a significant scar on your back here, what was that from???’ …me replying…‘oh yes, oh that, errrrrrrr that was Melanoma Cancer 13 years ago, when I was 32, I have since that had another 14 operations for it!!! Oh I forgot about that, I guess I should have mentioned that in the any other medical history bit’…‘Correct’ she said ‘is there anything else you would liketo tell me about???if so can you please do it now’ helping me off the examination bed in uncontrollable fits of laughter, pulling back the curtains to expose my husband who was siting there with a chuckling grin on his face…who then looked up and volunteered ‘is the fact that she also had a tropical disease 2 years ago of any relevance at this point, she didn’t mention that either’…oh did we all laugh … it was such a tonic … it had all been quite stuffy and serious beforehand.
We went through the drugs in detail all, mehod of giving, reasons why chosen in my case, side effects, cold cap I decided against as although ok and recommended with cyclophoshamide, all the good of cold cap is then undone by epirubicin. So I decided against. There was some talk of a wig on the NHs … so if I am offered I wl probably take one just because I can, but have already in true ‘brownie’ style got prepared…I last night ordered loads of caps from wigs for hairloss/ hair world & wigs, human eyebros, human eyelashes and a few hats for hair grow back time next autumn from Simply Wigs.
I am to go to pre assessment this friday, then chemo starts 4th March. Thereafter I go back every 3 weeks for chemo but bloods and pre assessment/Consultant appointment is always the day before.
Husband will be with me for the first, fourth, fifth, & sixth cycle flying back from abroad taking his holidays to do it. The second and third cycle my eldest son is going to step up to the plate taking my two other children aged 16 & 18 to college…and possibly me to chemo sessions if I amto ill, sick, tired and not able to drive myself there (100 mile round trip). We’ve yet to discuss the possibility of hospital transport, which was suggested by someone on here, I guess the opportunity will arise for that at pre assessment this friday.
Came away feeling quite upbeat about it all and positive, which is good.
Good luck to all you other ladies starting in March.
I will keep you all posted on how I am finding things x
Keep fighting ! X
I’m starting on Friday and am so scared.
Starting chemo on Friday for ILC How come you ladies are all so upbeat. I am in a mess… I am attending Addenbrooke
kurup - please keep posting ! I need flippant and positive! The beauty of these forums is that everyone feels safe to say whatever is on their mind - good days bad days ups downs - I didn’t read the posts and think anyone took offence! Glad to get that off my chest ( haha)
Thx to the ‘experienced’ who are posting on here also - this is very helpful for us newbies x
So - dental hygienist today - ulcer warning on chemo but suggests corsodyl wash soft toothbrushes … Anyone else scared of the list of side effects? Also been told to take a little blanket as can be cold sometimes on injections…
Hi, I think I will find it really helpful joining this thread. I was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this month and had a mastectomy two weeks ago. I’m due to see oncologist next week so I expect chemo to start in March. It all seems to have happened very quickly but the diagnosis took nearly six weeks with three rounds of biopsies and the wait for results. At the moment I can manage two tear free days in a row and then I go all weepy again with no warning. Re knitted knockers…my mother-in-law has knitted me one and is bringing it round tomorrow!!
Welcome zizzles! I hope it goes well with oncologist x I think that tears are often a natural release especially post op as your body works to recoverxxxx take it easy - two weeks is no time after op! XXXX
Thx beryl xx will keep an eye out for you honey xxx xx
Hi Janet and Demi - my daughters ( twins) actually most of their GCSEs next year as they are in year 10 - but thet are doing some this year ( one science some language assessments and a media gcse) x hugs to you supporting yours through xxxxx
Wig fitting was “ok” - but I didn’t really like them !! I have heard that monofilament wigs are the way to go and the ones I saw werent monofilament - I did choose one in the hope that hairdresser might be able to sort … There were other ladies there who liked them though so you might b lucky! The lady was really nice but it felt a bit surreal looking at photos of wigs and saying " let’s try that one…" ! Think I’ll probably stick to the scarves!