Breast Cancer Now Forum

Morning everyone,   Feels like we are collectively making progress this week.   Abulafia, try and rest up today if you've overdone it. I watched a bit of Wimbledon yesterday and found it a great way to pass some time on the sofa. Your son certainly sounds like a scientist already! Fantastic that he's going to Cambridge. My step daughter is about to start a job in Cambridge so we'll no doubt be down there to visit at some point. It's a city I've never been to.   I definitely feel better emotionally and the nurse confirmed that it will be a post steroid crash that did for me. They are going to keep an eye on it for next time but there's not much they can do. I just need to watch out for it and let it pass, I guess. Still dealing with a very distant and emotionally unavailable husband which isn't helping. I suggested a trip out at the weekend and he was about as enthusiastic as if I'd suggested a trip to the dentist.    Does anyone else else in this group have young children? My daughter is 12 and I'm 46. Just wondering what kind of age range/set of experiences we have between us.  ... View more

Hi Anniej,   Sorry to hear you had that. Sounds nasty. I'm pretty sure mine wasn't fatigue as I was still able to function physically. Crying all the time and feeling hopeless when you're going through this treatment is really unpleasant. Unfortunately my husband isn't being very positive either which isn't helping. I'm sure me being in the depths of despair is hard to put up with so his response has been to clam up, retreat into his shell and stay there. I'm not sure either of us is going to make it through 6 rounds of chemo at this rate. ... View more

Velvet, poor you! What a nightmare. That sounds really dramatic and not something you want to repeat. I don't have any experiences of it, I'm afraid, but I really do feel for you. I'm sure they'll sort the drugs out for you next time and you won't have to go through the same ordeal. You sound amazingly strong, even though I'm sure you feel wiped out, so give yourself a huge pat on the back. I'm one day ahead of you (26th) and just starting to come out of the fog. I haven't had side effects as bad as yours but I'm hopeful we'll both start feeling more like ourselves this week.  Have you got good support at home to help you through?   As for the wig question, I've done nothing about a wig either and really don't think I will. I've used the cold cap and am hoping it will work but, if it doesn't, I'm prepared to go au naturelle. I'm sure I'd look like a drag act in a wig so I'm not going to bother. I might regret it but, if I do, I'll go and buy a bright purple one or something equally outrageous.   i really hope you feel better soon. Keep us posted on your progress this week. I've just been for a very slow 20 minute walk with the dog which feels like a major achievement. Considering I was running half marathons a short while ago, I'm learning to adjust my goals.   Abulafia, a son at Cambridge! That's definitely worth hanging around for. What's he studying? You must be extremely proud of him and your husband sounds great. So glad you're getting well looked after.         ... View more

Abulafia, do you find Metaclop really wipe you out? I turned into a bit of a zombie after one of them so haven't taken another. ... View more

Morning everyone,    Abulafia, glad round 2 has gone smoothly so far. I'm hoping that once I'm through this first cycle, I'll know what I'm dealing with a bit better.    Yesterday I really hit rock bottom emotionally. I spent most of the morning crying uncontrollably from my bed. Husband and daughter just had to keep going around me. God only knows what they thought but they stuck with it and were very tolerant. I think my husband is beginning to realise he can't fix this and just needs to be generally supportive and encouraging rather than distant and worried! A friend came to visit and I was still crying. Felt truly wretched and then, pow! It just lifted. I have no idea why but it has to be the drugs leaving me. I felt almost normal all evening and I've woken up today feeling as if there might actually be light at the end of the tunnel which is not how I was feeling yesterday at all. Totally weird! I'm going to speak to the hospital today and tell them what's gone on and see if it can be avoided next time.    Hope everyone else is doing OK. Big hugs to anyone having treatment this week xx ... View more

Well done, Tripletmum, for tackling it so positively. I'm sure that's the way to go. I bet you'll look fab.   quick question: anyone else experienced the post steroid crash? I'm an emotional wreck and not sure whether I need to tell someone about it at the hospital.  ... View more

Thanks for that, Glamkaz. I really need to hear that I'm going to turn a corner soon. I know all the reading tells me it's going to happen but I still feel so foggy and spaced out, I can't quite believe it. I've managed to get an appointment for a remedial massage at 12.30 so hoping that might help my back a bit. Hopefully I'll cheer up by the afternoon otherwise I think my family are going to get proper fed up with me! Xx ... View more

Morning everyone and thanks Tripletmum for the positive reminder that we are one month on.   I need all the positivity I can get today.  Now the steroids have worn off, the back pain I had prior to chemo one has come back with a vengeance. I can hardly move. This coupled with brain fog makes me feel totally useless. Husband isn't coping too well and just looks sad and distant all the time. I feel quite disabled and have gone from a fully functioning member of the human race to a bed slug. Really hoping this mood lifts soon  as I don't think I'll make it to chemo two at this rate.    Have te the rest of you experienced this fogginess and when did it lift? I'm on Day 6 now and getting impatient x ... View more

Sorry, Daffodil,   Just read your message properly. Doh! Good luck for round two! You can do this!! Xx ... View more

Hi Daffodil and QueenBee,   Well done for getting through the first one. I had my first EC on Monday so I'm now 5 days in. Sorry to hear you were let down by a friend. It's definitely easier having someone with you but it sounds like you managed by yourself so big pats on your back. I found the cold cap difficult but had my husband to coach me through the first 15 minutes, otherwise I would definitely have caved in.   My first 5 days has felt like a monster hangover. I've felt dizzy, spaced out, foggy and tired but it's all manageable. The hardest thing at the moment is trying to help husband and daughter come to terms with what's happening but I guess we're muddling through.   Take it easy over the next few days and rest as much as you can. Keep us posted with how you are feeling and gentle hugs to you both xxx ... View more

Just for reassurance, I had first session Monday and today I managed to spring out of bed when I realised I hadn't woken my daughter up for school. I helped her get up and dressed, sorted out some washing, answered a couple of texts,  had a bit of a heart to heart with my husband and waved them both off to work/school. I am still functioning! (might have to spend the rest of the day on the sofa though!) x   ... View more

I was wondering what the injections were too. I haven't been given any but I'm pretty glad, tbh. Stuffing down anti biotics and steroids is enough for me.    Ive spent most of the day in bed dozing. Feels like a bad hangover to me too. I have very little energy and a slight headache. Definitely have 'foggy' brain too which is the most annoying. Just really want to be left alone.   Drinking pints of water which I hope will help.    Hope you all all get a restful night tonight, ladies xx ... View more

Thanks for clearing that up! I feel like I've learnt a whole new language over the past few months. X   ... View more

Hi everyone,   You might be right about FEC meaning four EC. I just asssumed the F was another drug. Doh!   if I were you ladies, I'd wait until the July monthly starters thread starts up - or start it yourself if you can. That way anyone else who begins in July can easily find you and join in. On our June thread we get new starters every week and also some ladies that just join in later when they have the courage. It's useful to know where exactly on the forum to go and also you'll find people from other months pop in to say hi and offer support too.    I cant quite believe my first one is over and I'm sitting up in bed dishing out instructions to family before they go off to school/work! I don't feel too bad - no nausea, bit tired, legs achey, in need of rest but nothing more than a night on the tiles would induce. Hope that gives some of you waiting to start a bit of hope that whilst it's not pleasant, it's doable.    Hugs x ... View more

Morning, Jintz. So sorry to hear you've been in hospital but good to know you're getting good care. Any ideas where you picked it up? Was it the good old temperature taking that alerted you? Really hope you start to feel better soon.    Abulafia, you're son does indeed sound like a sweetheart. Kids are always more resilient than we give them credit for, I think. My daughter was positively full of beans when I returned from hospital yesterday. Think she'd been imagining the worst too. She even volunteered to make her own packed lunch for the morning!! I ended up going to be before her last night. That anti sickness pill turned me into a zombie almost straight away. Hoping I don't have to take another.    Chilling in bed this morning and trying to get over the feeling that I am going to look like a whale by the time this is all over. I managed to gain 4 lbs in a day yesterday despite eating very little!    By the way, is anyone else in our group on EC only?     ... View more

Hi everyone,   I'm back from session one and it wasn't as bad as I'd imagined at all. My imagination can be a bit - ahem - over dramatic at times, shall we say!   I'm tired and a bit spaced out but that's about it. I've taken an anti sickness pill as a precaution but doing ok on that front. Whatever drugs they've pumped into me seems to have sorted my back out - every cloud etc etc.   I tried the cold cap and stuck with it. The first 15 minutes was unpleasant but I pulled through it with the help of meditation and a husband on stop watch duty.    Feel like I'm going to be endlessly monitoring for side effects now but need to try and think about other stuff too. Going for a bit of rubbish TV to compensate!   Hugs to you all. One step closer, eh?      ... View more

Hi ladies,   I'm back!! Apart from a little quiet sob in the waiting room before I started, it all went well. The cold cap stayed on the whole time - I even impressed myself. The first 15 minutes are really not great but I used meditation and a bit of encouragement from my husband to get me through. Once you've gone through the 15 minute barrier it's pretty plain sailing. Leave your mirrors at home though! Not the most glamorous head gear I've ever worn!    I'm tired and a bit spaced out but nothing else to report apart from relief that it's started and the first one is out of the way.   Hope everyone else is doing OK.    Xx ... View more

I'll let you know how the cold capping goes. I'm sitting here is a boiling hot conservatory with a hot water bottle on my damaged back - might. It get through the first five minutes! I'm a total wuss with the cold!   ... View more