Hi
I have recently been diagnosed with primary and secondary breast cancer to hip and liver. At present on 2nd chemo session. I am 45 . I have been reading forum posts for a while and feel I would benefit from the warm support and encouragement offered on this forum.
M xxx
Hi Maria
Sorry to hear your news and that you have joined us on this forum. We are a friendly bunch, there is lots of information and genuine support on here. Have a look at the Bone Mets thread & Liver Mets one - we tend to hang out on the ‘Bone Mets please join in’ one regardless of which mets we have.
I was diagnosed in Dec 2012 with primary & bone mets, added liver mets in Oct 2014. I’m doing well at the moment although I remember the first few months after diagnosis were very hard but the ladies on here got me through it.
Take care of yourself and good luck with your treatment. Which chemo are you on? How are you finding it?
Love Helen x
Welcome Maria.you will get good information on this site…and hopefully answers to your questions.which are probably endless.as mine seem to be.it is a friendly site…take care.sharon
Hi Maria Louise
Welcome to the forum but sorry you are here as the others have said we are all here for you. Not sleeping can be annoying my worst time is between 2.30am - 4.30am I often wake up around these times usually because pain sets in my legs. But dropping off to sleep and laying awake used to be regular when I was first dx I’ve walked the floor and sat reading the forum posts. But that does you no good only gets your mind more active.
There is a thread on the private board which is quite funny with remedies go through the alphabet naming different names. I needed help last night almost gave up and then dropped to sleep.
You could try something like this. But try not to think too much about your cancer don’t let it take your life over tell yourself it’s not going to get you down.
Hoping you have sweet dreams xxx
Welcome Marie. The night seems to last for ever when u can’t sleep. If u join the private secondary group and look under the meditationfor sleep board you will find a lot of ladies there that don’t sleep too and u will feel not so alone .
It’s a hard task we have all been giving to live with this but there are loads of us here the same.
Hugs xxx
Hi Marie yes insomnia seems to be part of this illness…the nights can be long sometimes…i do take zopiclone.it helps.my theory is I’m already on meds and it cant hurt to become addicted to a sleeping pill…the herbal ones sound worth a try though.take care Sharon.x
Hiya Nicky .yes the private forum is quite active at the moment with our sleeping ideas!!
Hope u have found it now.
Hugs xxx
Hi M, I to have had my diagnosis with primary bc and mets to liver today. I’m due to start FEC on Monday and like you I’ve been reading posts for the last couple of weeks. I’m absolutely numb at the moment and quite unable to take in the enormity of it all. I believe that all the lovely ladies on here will help us both through the coming months/years. Allibee xx
Thank you Maria for replying so quickly, I’m practically paralysed with fear, I can’t believe what’s happened in 4 weeks. I know I’m supposed to be positive but it just feels so out of reach at this moment in time. I’m sure when I actually start treatment on Monday I will start to feel like I’m killing the vile thing. I’ve had a mastectomy which is healing well and that’s all the treatment I’ve had as of today. My onc is positive that the chemo will zap it. I’m going to take a sleeping pill tonight as I just need to sleep. I’m having my pic line in tomorrow, again thank you, it’s a huge comfort just talking. Huge hugs. Alli xxx
Hiya allibee. Well u should have got your picc line in by now. I had mine for five months back in 2004 and it certainly made life easier for chemo as there is no need to hunt the vein ! I think if I remember it did ache for a few days and I was given a heat pad to put around it…but a hot water bottle will do the same job.
I just can’t imagine what u r going through with primary and secondary all in one fair sweep …nothing prepares u for that and u must scream and shout and let out all the anger and then concentrate on the chemo.
Hugs xxx
Hi Carolyn, yes your right the line is in and it’s a little sore but ok. I’m enjoying the spring sunshine today and I’m going to take out the bonkers beagle for a stroll . I’ll get the hot water bottle out this evening. I’ve had a really good chat with my onc specialist nurse this morning who has calmed me down and told me we are all wanting the same outcome, ridding me of the liver mets, keeping them at bay, possible surgery etc. I’m starting FEC on Monday for three cycles then an MRI. All I can do is hope that FEC does it’s stuff! Thank you for your message, it means a lot to talk and not bottle up feelings. Xx
Hiya allibee. Well stage one …picc line in so life will be easier for treatment. The FEC chemo is the most used one and probably 70% of us ladies here have had it at one stage. Everyone deals with it differently so any queries …post here and someone will have answers and similar symptoms . Are u cold capping? There r a lot of threads on the forum too to help you through that .
Anyway hugs and all the best xxxx
Hi Carolyn, I’ve decided against using the cold cap, I really want to make sure that the chemo goes absolutely everywhere and kills all the cancer. I’ve had a lovely day walking the dog and cooking with my beautiful daughter. I’m feeling a lot less anxious after our meeting this morning. I’ve got myself a basket for all the things I might need during treatment. I’m going to freeze down some fresh fruit to suck on, apparently this helps with ulcers according to my onc nurse. Thank you for talking to me, it definitely helps with the awfulness of this situation. Big hugs to all of you. X
Hi Maria, hope you’ve had a good nights rest and are feeling ok. How’s the runny nose? My onc told me about the issues of can’t go to the loo or can’t stop going to the loo, what a thing to share on a public forum!! You have to laugh. I’m off to see my counsellor today to help deal with my thoughts. I’m sure that this will help. I should start my chemo on Monday, can’t say I’m looking forward to this but I desperately want it to start killing my liver mets, I’ve got 4, the biggest being 25mm, so fingers crossed the toxic mix does its stuff, for both of us. Are you getting MRI after 3 courses? Keep busy Maria, and stay well. Xx
Hi Maria, hope your well today. Just thought I’d let you know that my counselling session went well, I was shown some breathing techniques which allow you to focus on now, not the past or future. I think that it’s something I will carry on with as it had a calming effect, if only for a short while this time. Hope to hear from you soon. X
Hi Maria, glad you got a good nights sleep. Hope the weather is as lovely with you as it is here. I’ve got yet more appointments this morning to check everything is healing well to start FEC next week. I do hope so as it scares me to think of my liver mets getting bigger. Trying to stay as focused as possible on the here and now. Do take take. Xx
Hello Allibee and Maria .
Just thought I would check in with you and send you both enormous hugs and its good that you are both similar in treatments and can give each other the heads up with problems … but you will both probably sail through it all as you are both so positive.
(Ive been online shopping (birthday pressys ) and so dipping into these threads has saved a bit of money for a half hour or so! )
Hugs xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hiya Maria. Not much of a role model for any sensible advice but just to let u know there is someone thinking of you.
Yes, sisters pressy bought and a few bits for my grandchildren …they r eleven soon and twins. One pink and one blue one so different things needed! Although they want money to choose their own things.
Hugs xxx
Ps . We took our grandchildren to zoo a few years ago and the admittance cost…Well my hubby said " I only want to visit not buy the zoo" and had to switch from cash to credit card !
Hey Maria, yes FEC starts on Monday, any and all suggestions welcome on any aspect of what to expect. I’m just so glad that it’s starting as I want to feel that the cancer is being killed. I recommend going to see a counsellor I’ve felt a lot calmer just doing 10 mins breathing exercises, it might not last very long but it brings you back to now this moment. Still have dreadful anxiety and like you I WANT my home to feel happy again, I’m sure we will both achieve this and have our houses laughing again very soon. So glad to have this site to voice my thoughts. Massive hugs and healing love. Xx