Chemo and Radio treatments ....Help !!

[DarleneL]

Hi yorkshire_defector,

Thank you for the good wishes and the eyebrow pencil suggestion.  I will have to give that brand a try!

Blessings!

[yorkshire_defector]

Darlene

Gosh, you're getting your run for money on the side effects front eh?  I was very lucky, got off very lightly.  Hope the rads is not too bad to you.

I lost all hair too, I found the eyebrow pencil by IT cosmetics to be really good.

Good luck

[DarleneL]

Hi, I’m new on here.
I have already been through chemo- 6 infusions every 3 weeks.  I had every side effect possible, it seems.  Today I start radiation- 25 days.  Which is a little intimidating.  I had 7 lymph nodes taken and 1 came back with cancer.  It is all scary, but helps to “talk” to others going through the same thing.  I don’t know if this is the place, but I’ve lost my hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes.  Can someone tell me a good eyebrow pencil to use?

[pinkwarrior76]

Hi Claire,

I have almost the exact same issues going on as you. I am stage 2, grade 3 IDC. They took 17 lymph nodes and I had one that was positive.

i struggle daily with worrying it has spread further and have terrible anxiety about it. My oncologist told me that it is not necessary to do any scans unless I have symptoms of metastasis, are you doing additional scans?

i think it would give me some reassurance, but I am so scared to do them.  I’ve been trying to find survivor stories with lymph positive breast cancer and knowing that we have a small number of positive nodes is reassuring too. But it is very difficult to stay sane with aches and pains. I hope you find reassurance soon!

[CDLucy]

Thank you Shi

Hopefully I'll hear something this week. My nurse has suggested I try cold capping so I suppose it can't do any harm . None of the wig shops near me are open . 

I've bought a notebook to keep a record of everything too. My husband works abroad and has just had to go back after being home for 6 weeks. I'm dreading facing it on my own, although I have amazing family and friends. I'm hoping I can drive myself to and from most treatments . 

I asked my nurse again about stage/grade but she said they don't stage anymore ????

Take care 

Claire xx

[Shi]

Hi Claire, yes grades and stages are different, please call the number on here and speak to a nurse, they will be able to explain in more detail so it will help you 👍 when You are waiting for chemo to start it can feel like it’s looming over you, but once you settle into routine with it and taking meds you keep step by step getting through ❤️ I did graph chart for each week of chemo cycle, I. E cycle one, week 1, 2, 3 and kept track of temperature and when I’d taken meds and done injection, it helped me to feel like I’d taken a bit of control back. Do everything your way and in your own time ❤️ It’s your journey always do what’s right for you ❤️💕💕✨✨Shi xx

[CDLucy]

Hi Jan, 

I had an mri and ct scan before surgery but not a bone scan as such. Everything was clear apart from a 5mm nodule on my lung. They are keeping an eye on that , although they have said it could just be scarring but will re scan it in 4 months . 

I stopped googling things as , yes you're right , I wouldn't survive a month let alone any longer !! I worry about every ache and pain . I'm sure I had most of them before but everything is so much more noticeable now. 

Will they continue to do routine follow up scans etc ? How can they be sure it hasn't spread if they don't . Will bloods show up anything ? 

Sorry if I sound like I'm rambling on . 

Take care 

Claire xx

[CDLucy]

Hi Shi

Thanks for your response. I'm waiting for my appointment to see the chemo team to give me a start date. I know it's not long but waiting just makes me worry more about spread . 

I have a thermometer ready . I know not everyone get poorly , I'm never ever usually poorly . I used to run 3 times a week and ate reasonably healthy and drank lots of water . Just hoping all this carries me through chemo ok. I'm not one for going to the Drs so will certainly have to make myself call the tram if I feel unwell. Usually I just plod through anything until I feel better !! 

I think the moment they said grade 3 I just became terrified . Are grades and stages different ? 

Take care 

Claire xx

[Jaybro]

Hi CDLucy

I’m sad to hear you’re also going through all this rubbish - but it’s well worth it. Regarding the fear, your cancer was removed by surgery and you’ll probably have further tests like a bone scan, a CT or MRI scan which will reassure you that it’s not spread. If it helps, 19 of my 21 lymph nodes removed were positive for cancer but no test has shown any evidence of spread in the 18 months since, so thank heavens for lymph nodes! Meantime, do not Google anything. It is very harmful and I think everyone would back me on this. Any questions, you can draw on our experience or ring the nurses at the number above, if you can’t access your breast care nurse.

Chemo is not easy for most people but it’s nowhere near as bad as the popular image of it is. You can’t predict if you’re going to bounce back after a few days or feel like a zombie (me); you have to wait and see but please don’t assume the worst. The treatment itself is nothing spectacular, though it seems to take ages (and you’ll have red pee for a day after EC) but the hospital will give you a ‘goody bag’ like a mini-pharmacy to take home with you, preparing for any eventuality, especially constipation like you never knew was possible - drink that water!

You’d have to be superhuman not to feel close to meltdown at times. Thee important thing is to accept that as a perfectly normal, if horrid, reaction. I think that the emotional aspect of treatment is maybe 50% of the hard work and you need to make sure you have a small armoury of strategies, from Rescue Remedy to running, Mindfulness to yoga, ready for the tough times. I got by on Progressive Hypnosis’s Manifest Healing, a relaxation video I’d plug into on YouTube. There are loads there for all emotional issues and you may find something you find useful. There’s also the Calm app.

I hope you’re treatment goes well. The recovery rate for breast cancer is getting higher by the year and your team will know what they’re doing! Take good care of yourself,

Jan x

[Shi]

Hi Claire yes the chemo monthly threads ❤️ Get a thermometer so you can keep check of your temperature. If your antisickness meds don’t work ring your unit they will tweak till they get right combination for you if they need to. Drink 2-3l of fluids a day during chemo keeps things flushing through 👍 of your wee burns but no temp it’ll need antibiotics not just a bit of cranberry juice, if you don’t feel right but no temp always ring your rapid response, they won’t mind and want to get you through safely ❤️💕💕✨✨Shi xx

[CDLucy]

Do you mean the monthly threads ? 

Thanks 

Claire x

[Shi]

Cd Lucy, please join the chemo thread that’ll be the chemo thread for when you start chemo, you’ll be with others 👭 and together you will get through. Also there are rads threads too that you can join when rads comes around ❤️ There are so many amazing beautiful people through breast cancer now you will never be alone on your journey 👭 everyone is here for everyone ❤️💕💕✨✨Shi xx

[CDLucy]

Hi 

I've recently been diagnosed with invasive ductal and lymph node spread. Had a mastectomy and removed 18 lymph nodes , 2 cancerous . Originally said 30mm lump but after surgery it's grade 3, 65mm and also High grade DCIS which they say is non travelling . 

I'm going to have chemo , 3 lots of EC90 and 3 lots of Braxzean. Then radio 15 sessions. 

I've been ok until today then had a total meltdown thinking it's gone elsewhere and they aren't going to cure me . I'm terrified and got myself into a bit of a state. Please help !! 

Xx