Hi Nel. I was just reading your post. I hope your chemo was ok. I see you were up all night worrying about it. I think I’ll be the same. I can’t sleep tonight and that’s just after my visit to the oncologist. Let us know how you got on. Xx?
Morning everyone, I too start chemo next week and am feeling very scared after some horror tales from one of my colleagues at work. Not knowing exactly what to expect is the worst of the worries and also coping with my husband’s anxieties. I’m glad to have found this forum so that we can all support each other. Here is something that I found on the Ravelry (you’ll know what that is if you are a knitter!) Knitters with Breast Cancer group page.
“When you first start this journey you join support groups for the support. As you move forward you will give back to the new “sisters” going through this journey. That is how it works. I am sure that I speak for all of us when I say it is our pleasure to hold your hand. We are each eternally indebted to the sisters who held out a hand to us when we started.”
I found this thought very helpful as in the end everything, however difficult or unpleasant, passes and it is that idea which helps the most at present.
Best love to you all.
Hi, had my first fec yesterday. Wasn’t as bad as I expected. However felt really sick during the night ( huge thing for me as I have a vomiting phobia). Slept on and off just counting the hours till I can take my next lot of anti sickness drugs. I’ve got 4 different types so have had to write a list with times etc so I don’t muck up.
I feel ok atm but already worrying about the next one. I said to my hubby this morning I’m not going back, I may well not.
Hope zelda and nel are feeling ok today. Good luck to anyone starting today or tom, especially debtex xxx
Hi,
I don’t know if anyone remembers me, I started this thread.
I just have a quick question if that’s ok. My oncologist said I didn’t really need to have the flu jab as it’s more the bacterial infections they’re worried about but it seems a lot of people do. Has everyone here been told to have it. I start next Friday and I’m worried I might be more at risk if I don’t.
Hi Everyone feeling a little better the sickness has subsided a little just so tired,hoping each day will bring a little more strength .
Zoe, before I started my chemo last year I did have a flu jab as did my husband & 2 kids. I have just called up to book it in again this year. Your immune system will be very low & you will more than likely pick up colds very easily. After my last chemo I did get a cold which quickly developed into a chest infection. So I would say book yourself in at your doctors for a flu jab, it really won’t hurt to have it. I have found myself at the docs in the past year for several things that in normal circumstances I would never had gone for but that is what they are there for.
Sam xxxxxx
Well done murphy I was wondering how you were . Did you cold cap ? Take care x
Hi ladies came on to your thread by accident. I am on the April thread and thought that i would just let you know that there is light at the end of the tunnel. I finish all treatment at end of week i have had a mastectomy 20 weeks of fec and 15 sessions of radiotherapy.
Be kind to yourselves surround yourself with positive people and remember even on the very low days you are not alone (which is sad )
Before you know it you will be on the home straight and looking forward to normality Good luck to you all x
Hello everyone, hope all are doing ok (or as ok as possible)
Prechemo meeting today went well but I got in the car afterwards and sobbed like a baby - think stress building up!
They showed me around suite - very nice and calm place. Took bloods etc. So hopefully am ready to start Tuesday. I mentioned xmas - she said she cant guarantee that I’ll be well but imagines that as chemo is happening on dec 23 that maybe I’ll be ok - will try for my son!
Told me about all the side effects and then said during sex to use condoms - erm, nauseas, mouth sores, headaches, bone pain, hot flushes, bald, bloated with steroids and with just one boob - sex may not be top of the agenda . Obv all that is worst case scenario but we laughed. annoyingly mastectomy area has some fluid build up so now have to get it drained tomorrow as seeping a little through scar - needs to heal b4 chemo so fingers crossed please as want/need to start!
Love to all and thanks to those who have been through this for popping in - really really reassuring xx
Thank you Jingo. I have one booked now.
Evening ladies.
If I am due to start my chemo on the 1st October am I too late to have a flu jab, does it not give you a mild cold and will that not then delay my treatment.
Lovely to hear from ladies who are through the other side it gives us all hope and comfort.
I got a sort of filo fax from the Macmillan website (came in a few days) and this seems really handy as wou can write all your apointments in it and also your medication. Think I will need it as I don’t seem to remember much at the moment.:smileyembarrassed:
If anyone does go onto the Macmillan website (which is great) and orders anything be careful as I ended up with 25 cookbooks, not sure how that happened, will take them back to there shop and appologise x
It’s not a live vaccine so you won’t get a cold. I checked with my BCN who checked with the chemo nurses today and they said it was fine to get the jab before it starts. I’m having my jab next Wednesday and starting chemo Friday. Just mention to the doctors that you need to get it done before chemo. Mine has added a note for the nurse to do it at the same time as my smear test as the flu jab clinic is fully booked for some time. Hope this helps.
Thanks Zoe I will give them a call this morning and see if they can fit me in x
morning everyone prechemo chat today and im so nervous stupid really i no. just think its going to be real after today. good luck anyone having treatment today. sue xxx
Hi sue,
Yep i found my prechemo made it real - think thats why I sobbed afterwards!! Felt a bit of a chump sobbing in car park but also felt energised after the tears. Hope it goes well today - let us know how you get on. X
I have my pre chemo on Wed and start chemo on Friday. Junash I think I’ll probably feel same as you after it. I had my heart scan this morning and even that made me feel emotional. It’s a scary road we’re taking and it’s feeling more and more real. Good luck to everyone starting now and Murphy hope you feel better and build up strength for the next one. The sickness must be awful. I’m dreading that. Got my hair cut short today as I don’t know whether I can cope with losing my long hair. Somehow it seems like short hair falling out will feel less traumatic. Love to everyone and thank you to the people who are popping in on our thread to offer advice and a bit of hope ??
Hi Peta. Nice to hear from you. We’re starting on the same day. Scary isn’t it. I’ll tell you a little about me and how I got here. My name is Elaine and I live in Glasgow. I’m 49. I tested positive for the BRCA1 gene last year after losing relatives to breast and ovarian cancer. I opted for radical surgery and had a hysterectomy in March and a bilateral mastectomy in July. During the mastectomy a tumour was found in my breast. There was no spread to the lymph nodes. The tumour was triple negative and grade 3 so very aggressive. The mastectomy came at exactly the right time for me so I’m very lucky that the outcome wasn’t much worse. Good luck with your chemo Peta. We can swap stories xxx
Well Peta I might as well jump on the wagon:
Name Melanie, age 47, married to Terry for ten years, 4 children one daughter and three step sons, two grandaughters and one grandson. Live in County Durham.
Diagnosed middle of August with grade 2 invasive ductal cancer, 3 out of 11 lymph nodes were possitive, ER and Her2 positive.
Masectomy on 26th August.
Start fec-t on 1st October (6 rounds) then 18 rounds of herceptin.
Today I am ok but probably have a bit of a wobble on Monday when I need to go for my pre chemo visit.
We will get through this together x
About me for any new members
I’m Celia age 56 married with three grown up children of which two live at home and 2 dogs I live in the Staffordshire Moorlands. A routine mammogram revealed calcifications which led to clear biopsies . How ever after a partial mastectomy and reconstruction the area examined was found to be a small area of invasive cancer. The cancer tested for HER 2 pos and Grade 3. which means it was very aggressive.Fortunately the lymph nodes were clear.But because of the nature of the tumour I have am having FEC D Herceptin and radiation.I had the first Fec this week which made me very sick and has taken about 3days to recover from Its going to be a long journey for us all glad we can support each other.xx
Hi ladies just back from chemo .had the cold cap … It better bloody work ! Hope everyone ok xx