Breast Cancer Now Forum

Ah Bev, I didn't realise you were Welsh too!! Which part are you in? I'm from South Wales 😄 Oncewild, have been thinking of you and hoping everything has gone well today and you are feeling ok so far. Nellie, I've been having lower back/pelvic pain the last 2 days, along with funny knees. Much better today than yesterday though thank goodness. I only had the one gcsf injection though, the day after chemo. Thinking it is just coinciding with the time my cell counts will be at their lowest and hoping it will continue to improve as they do over the next few days. Madhatter, I'm sorry your chemo has had to be put back. But definitely better to get yourself sorted before starting. Fingers crossed those antibiotics do the trick for you quickly. Hope everyone else is having a good Friday and has something to look forward to this weekend xx ... View more

Welcome Bevvers. Sorry you have to be here, but glad you have joined us. I think most of us on here so far have not suffered as badly as we anticipated. As Sue said, treatments have changed such a lot since your dad went through chemo. There is a real focus now on dealing with the side effects to minimise them as much as possible for every individual. Let us know how you get on with your appointment. Hopefully you will be reassured from it as I think the waiting for news and plans is the hardest part. Nellie, your "food ordering service" made me laugh. I'm so glad it's not just me coming out with these things at the moment!! Sometimes it feels like I can't even string a sentence together. Other times the sentence is there but one of the words is complete rubbish so it still doesn't make sense. Quite funny at the moment but at some point I'll probably do it with someone who doesn't know and it will be slightly more embarrassing!!! AngeNut How is the hair situation? I'm day 11 now and still waiting. Starting to get paranoid it will all start falling out when I'm on the boys' school trip next week!! 😂 ... View more

Hi everyone, good to see we are all getting by ok with the side effects so far. Bookworm, I had the pink face too! Looked like I'd been sat in the sun for hours on end despite the fact it had rained for 2 days!! Has settled since stopping the steroids though thank goodness. Sue, I love that quote too. Words can be so powerful at times like this. I really feel like I'm almost normal again. Except today I have developed very strange weak knees and an achy lower back. Seems a bit random but hopefully like everything else it won't last too long! Alex, I'm glad you're feeling ok about the wait to start chemo now. You'll be much better off starting it when you are infection free so will be worth the wait. I know it's awful when you get a date in your mind though because you are all psyched up for it!! Hope everyone is enjoying Wimbledon today! xx ... View more

Well done Bookworm!! So pleased it has been a positive first experience for you. The next one will be completely different for you now you know what to expect. Fab!! Pookie, the hypersensitivity is awful isn't it!! My bcn said the only way to get rid of it was to touch it. She recommended rubbing epaderm cream into it vigorously for 5 minute spells every day. I started doing that even though it felt so painful at first. And I got some emu oil after reading about it on the forum and started using that before bed. Between it all I found a massive difference really quickly, so would really recommend giving it a go if you have a lot of hypersensitivity. I think the epaderm is good for massaging the cording too. xx ... View more

Bookworm and Alex, how has it gone today? Hope you've been reassured that chemo day itself is not bad. Did try go ahead with yiur chemo Alex or was the wound a problem? Welcome to the thread Pookie, although sorry you have to be here with us. Better to have company for this though I think!! I was also diagnosed with triple negative IDC in may, but had 4 positive nodes on clearance. How are you recovering from surgery so far? Hope it's been problem free for you. I'm feeling ok today. Quite well actually. But bored now of the way nothing tastes good with this horrible mouth!! xx ... View more

Hazel, I'm glad it all went well for you and that so far side effects aren't causing any problems. Fingers crossed for a good sleep tonight and a decent day tomorrow. How is everyone else doing? I had a really grotty day yesterday and felt very sorry for myself. Ended up keeping my eldest home from a party because the birthday girl's brother had been sick overnight and I didn't want to risk it. Felt really guilty he was missing out because of me, but now today she has been off school with a stomach bug so I'm really glad we didn't go!! Anyway, after a horrible day yesterday I have felt much better today. Feel a lot more normal so not sure if I'm over the worst of round 1 now, or if there are more aide effects waiting to hit me tomorrow. But for now I am just grateful for a good day. Still really tired though so will be another early night for me! Good luck to tomorrow's starters. It really will be fine, and you'll soon be coming out the other side so keep thinking that xx ... View more

Hi Hazel, I haven't slept properly since I had my chemo on Tuesday. Today is my first day without steroids so I wait and see if tonight is any better. Having said that, I would have slept fairly well the last couple of nights if it weren't for one or other of my children waking during the night. Very unfortunate as they are normally good sleepers but seem to have had bad nights at just the time I needed good ones!! Typical I think. I am hoping for more success tonight!!!xx ... View more

Bookworm, how's that pain now? Hope it settled for you to get some sleep. If it's still causing lots of problems today then give the hospital a call and get it checked. Even if it's just to put your mind at ease and they say it's fine, better than worrying. Hazel, you don't sound at all vain. That sounds like a terrible experience you had. Shame on them. I was so lucky with the ladies fitting my wig, they were lovely. Told me to come back for a free shave when I start losing my hair, and then they will adjust the wig if necessary as fit might be different once there's no hair under it. I plan to do the big shave at home but it was lovely to have the offer and I'll definitely feel happy going to have the wig adjusted. I want to get something done with the fringe on it anyway as it's a lot fuller than I'm used too, especially since having the big chop a few weeks ago!! Welcome AJ! I'm only 5 days into my first cycle so still learning the tips and things myself. But Sue posted a really good list earlier in the thread if you have a look there's lots of fab things on there for you to try. Hope everyone else is doing ok. My first day without steroids so I'm a bit anxious I'm going to feel rotten but we'll see!!xx ... View more

Ooh yes Sue, strawberries. And pears. And porridge. I'm hoping my appetite returns to normal tomorrow now the steroids are finished or I'll be piling on the pounds!!! Belle, I'm so glad they got the nausea under control for you. Hope you are still sleeping through most of the grotty today xx ... View more

Mmmm...now there's a thought. Sure I have some branston pickle in the cupboard... 😁 ... View more

I am keeping a close eye on the tongue Sue in case it develops into oral thrush. I've started the difflam today to see if that helps but keep checking for white spots every time I pass a mirror. I must look quite ridiculous!! Will give the pineapple a go though. Could quite fancy some actually. Bit like being pregnant again with all these random cravings!!!xx ... View more

Oh Nellie, that all sounds so miserable. I hope it improves really quickly for you. And make sure they adjust your meds for next time to hopefully keep on top of it from the start. Bella boo, glad you are doing ok and managing the injections. I just have one neulasta the day after chemo so all done for me this cycle. Wasn't too bad, just a bit achy after it. Hope it's done the job!! Today has been another ok day. Bit icky to start but nothing major. Then biggest complaint of the day is a really sore tongue which is making eating unpleasant, but I have forced myself to eat. And hurrah, water is going down well too which is good because I usually drink gallons of the stuff!! Apart from that it's the tiredness still, but I did sleep a bit better last night so fingers crossed I will again tonight. Hope you are still doing ok Sue xx ... View more

That should have said you can't have your life turned upside down and carry on as normal. Sorry, my phone deciding what it thought I meant and getting it wrong as usual!!x ... View more

Oh fluffymittens I really feel for you. The whirlwind of the beginning of this journey was almost too much for me to bear too. My mother openly tells me now I was awful and a nightmare!! But I tell her that it was allowed and only to be expected. You can have your life turned upside down like that and carry on as normal. It will take a good while for you to process all the information they have given you, but once you get on the road of active treatment you probably will feel better just knowing you are heading the right way. How old are your children? I have 4 ranging from 3 months to 5. It's the hardest part, worrying about them and trying to carry on as normal as possible for them. Do whatever you need to get through this stage, and once the initial shock settles it will get better xx ... View more

Hi Bella boo, thank you for asking, I am doing ok. Managed a little half hour nap this morning while baby slept. Didn't feel massively better for it initially but have improved as the day has gone on. Hoping to stay awake later this evening to then hopefully not wake in the middle of the night! But we'll see if the plan works!! My biggest problem today has been that I've struggled to find a drink I find palatable despite being thirsty. But otherwise it's another pretty good day for me. Sue, that sounds like a nightmare for you!! And sadly highlights the impact of the referendum on people's feelings. I'm glad you recovered from your wobbly though. Not a good time to be made to feel so vulnerable on top of already being anxious about your veins etc. And really quite rude for someone to judge a person on their accent/appearance. But hopefully it won't happen again. And at least that is another one down with a successful cannulation! xx ... View more

Just catching up on here a bit. Have given up on trying to sleep after lying awake the last 2 hours again. This is going to be a vicious cycle I think . Was so tired last night I was in bed early, but then wide awake at some ridiculous time. Luckily other side effects still seem quite mild so far. Have done aches from the neulasta injection yesterday (which is also making it fairly difficult to get comfortable to sleep) but apart from that and the tiredness nothing major to report. Nellie, I really hope the nausea has settled for you but if not get onto your unit tomorrow for them to prescribe something else. They really drummed into me that noone should have to put up with nausea/vomiting these days. A few tweaks to your meds should hopefully make a big difference to you. Sue, thinking of you today. Another one crossed off very soon! xx ... View more

Hi Oncewild, I'm glad you feel better for just writing it all down. Sometimes the biggest challenge is protecting our loved ones from our fears and emotions. Because we still want to be strong for them, even when our world has been turned upside down. And that's what is good about this place... you can say all that stuff and not have to worry about upsetting the people around you. I wholeheartedly agree, it is not the treatment that causes me the most distress, but the uncertainty of the future. It is something I try not to let my mind focus on too much. Although sometimes it does take over. Luckily I have been blessed with some amazing friends to turn tonin those dark moments (some only met since embarking on this journey). I'm really glad you have great support around you, I couldn't manage without mine. And I doubt I will ever be able to thank them enough. But to echo Sue, you can always private message anyone on here to chat if that would help. Sometimes you need to speak to someone who is going through it, no matter how wonderful your friends and family are. xx ... View more

Hi Bella boo, the red face is probably the steroids as they can cause flushing. I remember having the same when I had steroids during pregnancy. Hopefully will settle once you finish taking them. I have got a wig ready but I'm not sure how much I'll wear it. It looks quite nice but I'll probably just throw a hat on most of the time and save the wig for best!!! Bookworm, good luck for the port today. At least once that's done you can relax a little bit that it's sorted. Alex, you are right. Hair will grow back. Hopefully cancer cells will not!!! And it will all be worth it. I refuse to let hair define me. Or any of us. We are so much more than our appearance and must never forget that in all this xxx ... View more

Now Bookworm, let's have no more of this "letting the side down" talk. Because I don't believe there is anything anyone can do to let this side down. Even if they drag you in there kicking and screaming (which they won't of course!!) and you spent the whole session in tears (which you won't - the nurses are well trained at putting people at ease and making conversation), but even if this is how it went then who is to say that is not the right way to act. In fact, that seems a perfectly understandable reaction to the whole thing to me!! But I do believe you will be overcome with a feeling of calm acceptance as it approaches. Anyway, I had a fairly restless night but have woken up feeling pretty good. The headache I had overnight seems to have eased, and the anti sickness meds continue to do their job on that front. To everyone worrying about hair loss. I'm sure it is the aspect of treatment that worries us all. It is the only side effect we are guaranteed to get after all. And the one that has such a huge impact on our self esteem. I didn't cold cap so am waiting for the inevitable then. I'll report back on how it all goes when it happens. Just hoping I don't freak out in front of the boys, as I'm trying to stay really upbeat about that aspect for them so then don't get bothered about it!! Good luck to Nellie and anyone else starting today. Let us know how you get on xx ... View more

Thanks Sue. You are the fount of all knowledge to me!! At least until I find a question you don't know the answer to, and then I'll be very disappointed 😞 😉 ... View more