Breast Cancer Now Forum

I had the injections for 7 days after each round of EC. Was delighted when my needle phobic hubby offered to do them for me as I didn't want to bother District Nurses/ wait in for them wondering when they might be able to pop in. We got it off to a fine art which included me holding the part of my tummy still with a tissue over my face! This way hubby couldn't see me grimace and I couldn't see him brace himself! Hardly ever hurt thank goodness and was therefore a positive experience for us both - hubby glad to be able to help and also pleased with all the praise he got for being so brave!  ... View more

So far so good. Had Herceptin jab and Paclitaxol today and so far so good. By now on EC I would have taken to my bed not to surface for days. Hoping it continues.    Tried the icy mitts and slippers but not sure what they achieved as there was a marked temp difference in the three I had from painfully icy to just chilled. I imagine the former is what is needed throughout. It was also impossible to get the mitt comfortably over the cannula so my left hand didn't benefit. Hopefully next time will be better.    I have been finding the blood taking and cannulation increasingly stressful and think the nurses have enough to manage finding a decent vein without me being wibble. I also have two sore veins so have asked for, and am booked in for, a PICC line. Not looking forward to living with this but feel I have no choice if I am to cope with eight more weeks, then radiotherapy. Such joy. Whilst I really appreciate the NHS and the wonderful staff who work within it I am completely exhausted with interventions and hospitals. Going to have to find some inner strength!!  ... View more

Thanks Bookworm, that's really helpful. Relieved to hear you have had no sickness as I have had enough of that! Not so good to hear that it is taking nearly the week to feel ok. I am having 9 lots so guess I just need to face up to writing off the next nine weeks.   Do you use the icy mits and socks to try reduce perpheral neuropathy?  ... View more

Hello everyone   I can't believe summer is 'over' as the children go back to school. It has been good to be off over summer rather than have to bear chemo through winter. Our garden is looking pretty good with the extra attention it has received from me, little but often.    I am still sporting my crazy ginger fuzzy hair and have braved showing it in 'public' at a family weekend. Also still have reasonable eyelashes and brows so maybe there is a connection with enough stubborn wiry hairs surviving the poisoning to see me through?    I am halfway through, having had ECx3. Moving onto Paclitaxol, Pertuzumab and Herceptin this week - anxious about how I will be but very glad not to have any more EC. Main concern is my veins coping with all the bloods and cannulas that weekly treatment will require. Had a couple of hours on the ward last weekend and found the whole needle thing quite stressful, which is unusual for me as I am normally pretty stoic.    Has anyone started on weekly Paclitaxol? Would love to hear how you are getting on.    Hope you are all doing well as we bravely go forward. X ... View more

Hi Alex I have had Emend each time, plus Ondansetron and Metoclopramide. The first two do bring relief from the worst sickness- I get a few hours after taking each when I feel grim but not nauseous or retching. I certainly notice when they wear off. You only get enough for two days so after that it is just the Metoclopramide, which I didn't find much use. On day 1 now and hoping for an easier time. If only!    Hope everyone else if feeling ok and enjoying the sun x ... View more

I was all braced for EC3 at 5pm yesterday, even braving Miso soup to plump up my veins (as recommended by those on the June thread). Had my bloods done then went to pick up my Emend from the chemo unit so I could take it an hour before. Was gutted to find out that, although a chair was booked for me, my treatment hadn't been prescribed. Too late in the day to sort it too. So today it is.    Hope you are all feeling much better. ... View more

Thanks JenJen - I will hold onto that hope x ... View more

Loving the idea of you two in matching wigs! Mine is firmly nestled in it's little box and quite probably will stay there for the duration- though I do try it on every now and then just to see if by some magic I can bear it.   My clever planning has been scuppered. I asked the scheduler a while ago if I could move from having treatment on a Friday (thereby ruining my weekend) to a Monday. He checked with the team and said that was fine so my EC3 is now on Monday instead of tomorrow. At my request he also made my appointments late afternoon as it is so quiet there is hardly any waiting about and my hubby can join me after work. So I thought all was set for this new pattern. But no. I wanted additional anti sickness meds and spoke to the breast care nurse last week. Mentioned that I hadn't had any confirmation of appts and she said she would follow this up. She phoned yesterday clearly having worked very hard to get all my appts for the rest of my plan sorted. I just wrote down the dates then checked the calendar - yes all are on a Friday and all are in the morning. So from when I start weekly Taxol at beginning of September to early Nov every weekend will be ruined. I am gutted.   On on top of this she said the doc was keen that I persevere with anti sickness meds already prescribed or she said I could ask my GP. Am deciding on whether to just brace myself or to give into panic and build an arsenal of meds for the impending dark days post EC3. Oh for a simple life! ... View more

Bookworm it seems we are both in a bad hair place - we could set new hairstyle trends - the orangutang and the Friar Tuck!   I have full respect you for managing fortnightly ECs. I am on 3ECs then go onto weekly Taxol for 9 weeks, plus i will start Herceptin. I have been told that SEs are less on Taxol so I am banking on this and hope for us all that this will be the case. Maybe weekly doses are smaller therefore more tolerable? Will be very pleased to stop EC as am dreading no. 3 already. Still feels like a long haul ahead but on a very positive note so good to be off work in the summer rather than the winter. Also good to be about more for the children, not that my independent teens need much from me, and have their company.  ... View more

The hair or lack of musings are familiar to me. I am sporting a very odd look at the moment the saga of which goes like this:-    At my last pre-chemo hairdressing trip I decided to forgo my midbrown colour and instead go for a vibrant red - thought why not, as it was soon all going to fall out. Exactly 2weeks after EC1 I started shedding loads so hubby bravely clipped it to 1cm all over. Lots more fell out but I was left with a threadbare look. This has grown a lot and, even though 2.3 weeks after EC2, no more has fallen out. The end result is that I have a hairdo that a baby orangutang would be very proud of. Not a good look on me but I can't bring myself to shave it off.   I have a clutch of swag beanies and a couple of easy tie headscarfs (which are foolproof and stay on) which I live in. 'Blessed' with a large head I have had to look hard for headwear that doesn't squish my head, including a wig. The latter looked great when I tried it on but now it looks and feels very wiggy - wonder if it is because I am now used to having no hair? Too hot and too tickly and just not me. Can't imagine wearing it but maybe in winter I might appreciate it more........... no doubt more hair challenges to come but for now just need to keep remembering to don something before going out of the door and frightening the neighbours!   ... View more

Hoping everyone's doing ok. Thinking of you, Taran, as I think you must be near yout next cycle. Hope it goes well.  ... View more

Morning everyone,   hope you are all doing well. I am very pleased to say that I am. Even about to try my first coffee post EC2!   I have been pondering how I can best take care of myself over the next few months and wondered what you are all doing?   I was doing a lot of cycling and walking prior to diagnosis and want to keep these going as much as I can, at least walking the dog every day (excluding the dark days of course). But I feel I ought to do more. Had decided to start Pilates but now can't face the idea of being with a group of healthy lovelies as a uniboob bald person. So I have been looking into options in the cancer arena - Pilates/Tai Chi/Gentle Zumba run by physios/ Maggie's Centre/ Macmillan - but I am not sure I am ready to define myself by cancer either. Does this make sense?    Also wondering about eating better. I am still watching my weight and cutting out alcohol (bar the odd glass of prosecco!). We mostly home cook and have plenty of fruit and vege but should I be taking diet more seriously?    My final ponder is about socialising. I have always liked to have things planned and in the diary and find myself itching to do this for my good weeks but also being cautious about being in busy places or planning too far ahead. I guess I need to chill about it and seize the day more - accept a new modus operandi!    Would love to hear your thoughts and tips  x   ... View more

Correction to my post below needed as I have been reading up anti- sickness meds. Metoclopramide's role appears to be to empty the stomach, thereby hopefully stopping nausea, rather than stopping nausea. That's probably why it didn't have the effect I was hoping for. I will explore more with the docs.  ... View more

Good luck Bookworm and hope you are on the mend Pookie - sleeping in your own bed is so good after a stay in Hotel NHS.   i am cautiously saying I have turned the corner. Had a relapse yesterday en route to orthodontist for my daughter's long awaited brace removal and thought I might not be able to see it through but luckily managed. Her stunning white teeth, hidden for 2 years, are worth it. Anyhow had a few grim hours then started perking up late evening. Managed a light breakfast so hopefully on the up now. Have lost 6lb in the process (which is a good thing for me) - whoohoo!    Going to to talk to docs about anti-sickness meds as I don't think the Metoclopramide is doing anything. At least I will feel like I have tried to make EC3 better.    Hope you all have a good day.  ... View more

Hello everyone    Hope that you are all doing well. I have had a very grim weekend after EC2 on Friday eve. So nauseous despite the range of meds so I took to bed and stayed there for 48hrs.  Feeling marginally better this morning so hopefully I have turned the corner. The thought of another EC in three weeks fills me with dread. I hate this disease! ... View more

Wow Pookie, that sounds awful. There really are no straightforward choices. I was worried about cannulation yesterday but the nurse found a virgin vein I can't even see and popped it straight in.    Still lying in a darkened room but feeling better after a slice of marmite toast (what is it about marmite that makes everything better?) and a glass of tonic water - not sure this was such a good idea. Still feeling grim but apart from the two hours of nausea yesterday evening, touch wood, doing ok.    My coming home from holiday sadness was not lifted by the thing I was hoping for (the flipping holiday insurance company paying up for the two weeks in Cyprus we had to cancel) but by something rather wonderful - a knitted knocker!!! It arrived in a lurid pink plastic envelop with 'Knitted Knockers' all over it - well if the postie was in any way curious about why I have been at home, he knows now! Anyway it is BRILLIANT! So soft and light compared to my 600g prosthesis. The latter looks pretty real in situ but so heavy I can't wait to get it off. 'Made by women for women' my knitted knocker came with a little note from Carol, the knitter, along with a brooch she crocheted for me. Such a lovely, lovely thing to do, I feel really touched.  ... View more

Hope it goes well for you today Hazel, and over the weekend too. We can both tick another off after today! ... View more

Thanks Taran. Really appreciate the support. It is a tough deal isn't it. X ... View more

Feeling blue today. Think it is the build up to EC2 tomorrow and packing up to go home from holiday, which I always hate. Have had a wonderful week though the big C hasn't been far away, intruding into my thoughts and throwing up uncertainties about the future. Hubby and I have a long held plan to settle in the country once the smalls are independent and staying in this great cottage in a perfect location in God's own country has made us yearn all the more. A few months ago I could dive right into the dream but now I am so aware that I just don't know what the future holds. Sorry for sharing my blues but am guessing we all have dark moments. Will give myself a virtual slap and snap out of it and face the packing! And hoovering up all my sheddings!  ... View more