Breast Cancer Now Forum

I had my radiotherapy during July and wore my usual bra throughout - although I didn't have any real burning effects until after treatment had finished and am now in a soft crop top until it's all settled down.  The only advice about bras that I got was to wear an old one, as the nurses used marker pens on the skin around the tattoos to help them line up the machine, and it came off on to the material afterwards! ... View more

No problem with reflux for me since I finished chemo. I was avoiding any food and drink that was remotely acidic. ... View more

Hi Chrissy, I don't have pain in my nails but they are quite discoloured and the thumbnails look as if they might break off so I'm trying to keep them moisturised and avoiding catching on anything. They also feel really weird if I try to do anything that I need to use them for - like opening a ring pull can or trying to undo a knot! I'm on tamoxifen now and getting some flushing but it's manageable so far. Last week I started on the Breast Cancer Care Moving Forward Course. It runs over 4 weeks. I found the first session really helpful and am looking forward to the next one on Thursday. If you can go on one of these courses I would highly recommend it. It was good to meet and talk to other women going through the same experiences in the same way that it's been great to have you the support on the forum. ... View more

Happy birthday Bibi! Good news !- hope you're recovering well from the surgery. ... View more

Miss Green, so sorry to hear that the doctors misadvised you.  Hope they have a firm plan worked out for you by Friday.  Hopefully there is something they can do that doesn't prolong the treatment for too much longer.  Sending hugs and wishing you luck.   Bibi, hope you are recovering well and get a chance to enjoy the wedding at the weekend.  Keep persevering with the exercises, they really do help!   I finished radiotherapy treatment today, so no more trips to Glasgow for a while.  They have advised that the after effects will probably peak in about 7 - 10 days' time.  I have invited some friends round for a celebratory afternoon tea on 10th Aug, so I just hope I haven't been overly optimistic about my energy levels by then!   Off to visit my parents tomorrow - and to celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary with them.  Looking forward to the break.   I have signed up for the Breast Cancer Care Moving Forward Course starting on 9th August which I hope will be interesting and informative.  I need to think about getting back to work and I'm hoping the course will have a few pointers about coping with that!   Keep well everyone x     ... View more

Hope everything improves for you Macneech and no need for interventions. Sounds like a lot to cope with after the chemo. I've now had 10 of my 19 radiotherapy zappings. Compared to chemo it's a scoosh so far although a friend who went through it last year has warned me that the worst of the effects are about 2 weeks after the treatment. But I think for anyone who's been through chemotherapy there's nothing to worry about in coping with the radiotherapy. I am getting some more hair on my head and arms now but still no eyebrows! I've taken off the nail polish now as my nails were flaking so much. Not looking good, trying to keep them in as good condition as I can manage. Energy levels still fluctuating - a combination of the early starts, travel to Glasgow every day and the hot weather as well as the radiotherapy. I've started on tamoxifen now - has anyone else been put on it and are you having any side effects? ... View more

Fantastic news Miss Green! So pleased for you. Onwards and upwards! ... View more

I asked today about the  nail varnish when I was in to get my herceptin - the answers varied from 3 - 4 - 6 weeks! Looking on the internet, I couldn't see anyhting specific to answer this - only that any discolouration should go away in a few months.  I am now 3 weeks on from my last dose and was thinking of giving my nails a breather when the current polish starts to chip which will probably be within the next 2 or 3 days.  One of the nurses suggested cleaning it off at night and reapplying during the day but that sounds like more effort than I can be bothered with! ... View more

Hi Chrissy I haven't been given any more appointments for blood to be taken after the last cycle. I was slightly anaemic too but was just advised to eat plenty of iron rich food and as far as I know I am okay now as I'm a lot less tired. I had a phone consultation with the oncology pharmacist yesterday and she asked about the side effects from cycle 6 and confirmed my appointment for my next herceptin injection next week. I think that's about all the input I will have now. She certainly didn't mention any future blood tests being done. I hope that you are feeling better now that you've been taking the iron. Just be careful not to let it bung you up! ... View more

Hi Teresa I would agree with Kitty that as long as the finger is clean and not sore then probably best just to leave it uncovered. I've managed to keep all of my nails although some of them look as if there's a new layer growing underneath the existing nails. I am enjoying the feeling just now of increasing energy levels and the knowledge that I don't have to put myself through any more chemo. Beginning to feel that we might get our lives back soon after so long on hold. We have booked ourselves into a gastropub with rooms for 2 nights this weekend as a Little treat before radiotherapy starts next week. And I haven't escaped the chemo ward entirely as I'll be back there next week for the herceptin injection. But there's an end in sight at last. Hope your next scan shows positive results. ... View more

Hi everyone! It's been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster this week. I was feeling so devastated last week by the vein access problems and anxious about the delay in treatment. I went to my oncology appointment yesterday and saw the pharmacist who had access to all my blood results from last week. She said it was all okay to go ahead with treatment (scheduled for today) provided there was access to a vein. If they couldn't get one then they would just terminate the treatment on 5 cycles. So the chemo nurse had a look at my hand and arm. I think she must have been trained by vampires as she got a cannula in successfully! Once they knew it had been done the drugs were prepared and I got my last docetaxel there and then - a day early! I also got my herceptin so everything is still on track. Feeling ok and the steroids are kicking in so have been wide awake since 5am listening to the dawn chorus (and some snoring! ). I've been having diarrhoea a lot - it was bad enough with the last round of chemo but the antibiotics have made it worse. Hoping that will settle a bit but not go to the other extreme as I had very bad constipation last time round. I still have hair on my head, no eyebrows, very few short eyelashes but no hair under my arms and barely any on my arms, legs or pubes. Looking forward to seeing it come back again although I have enjoyed not having to shave anything. My nails are still okay. I don't know if the purple nail polish did the trick or if I just didn't get that side effect. My nails are actually looking better than they usually do! I am determined to be fit enough to sing at my choir's annual concert on 22nd June as I have managed to get to all but one of the rehearsals although I have put on too much weight to fit into my posh frock and will need to find an alternative outfit! I have today free from treatment and my younger son is home from university so that's a bonus. On Thursday I go to Glasgow for my scanning appointment for radiotherapy which starts on 4th July and I have my first pack of Tamoxifen to start at the same time. Progress! Keep well everyone - we're all reaching the finish line for chemo at least and what a struggle we've had at times. I'm not looking forward to the inevitable dip but today I'm feeling so positive that I'm just going to enjoy it! ... View more

Hi ladies, I got home from hospital today with oral antibiotics as the bugs were finally identified along with the drugs to tackle them. Frustratingly nobody could tell me today what the plan is now for my final docetaxel cycle as the oncologist was on holiday today. I have been told to go to my oncology appointment tomorrow and fingers crossed that someone will know what's happening. I'm assuming that nothing will happen until I have finished the antibiotics, although I am wondering if I will get the herceptin as I don't think that affects the immune system. Fingers crossed for some progress! ... View more

Hi there everyone it's good to see so many people reaching the finish line. It looks as if I am going to be cheering from the sidelines for a bit. The Hickman line was taken out this afternoon and I've been getting IV antibiotics through a cannula in my arm. However the same problems with my veins that resulted in the line have happened again and the cannula has now been removed and I don't know yet what's going to happen next. When the doctor this afternoon just couldn't get a vein to take a blood sample it hit me that there's no way I will get chemo in my arm next week. The only way to stay on track is to have a new line in place by next week but that seems pretty unlikely especially if they can't check my bloods to see if the infection has cleared. In the meantime I am still in hospital but at least I have a private room (Infection control) with my own toilet and shower and a functioning tv as well as the WiFi password! I also have a nice view of trees and the Ochil hills and swallows and swifts flying up to my window. So although I have spent most of the afternoon blubbing, especially when the nurse tried again and failed to get some blood, I know things could easily be worse. I am alive and mostly healthy, the medics will find a way to complete the treatment and although everything will take a bit longer I will get there in the end. And my mum and dad will just have to have an additional late wedding anniversary celebration which I will enjoy all the more for having come through this setback. You never know, maybe I am being too gloomy and it will all work out! Thanks for the support everyone. I'm genuinely inspired by all your experiences that you've shared and it's really helping me through mine. Love and hugs to everyone - don't let the treatment grind you down - we'll come out stronger xxx ... View more

Hi All, I am writing this from a hospital bed. Woke up yesterday with a temperature of 39° and was told to come to the hospital. Of course by the time I got here my temp was back to normal! However the most likely reason for the fever was an infection in my Hickman line so was given antibiotics and they took bloods to do a culture. Got a phone call today to say there are 2 kinds of bacteria in the line and to come back for some intravenous antibiotics. The consultant has just told me that they probably won't use the line to do the antibiotics today in case it spreads the bugs around. Also that they may want to take the line out and do my last chemo in my arm. Just as long as there's no delay to the treatment at this late stage. But I'm terrified at the thought of having the chemo in my arm again. Wish me luck! ... View more

Hi All, yesterday was my 100th day since starting chemo. Have been a lot better this cycle since the dose was dropped a notch however yesterday forgot to do my filgrastim injection and have had a bit of a relapse today. Couldn't move this morning and have been flat out on the couch since I got up around lunchtime. Catching up on trashy tv! On the upside I have been sent my radiotherapy appointments and should be finished all treatment by the end of July - just in time for my parents' diamond wedding anniversary! The end is in sight! ... View more

Well done Daisy for making it through to the last treatment. You'd think you'd be laughing all the way but emotions are all over the place. Hope the side effects are not too bad for your last time on the merry go round. Hugs due big style for reaching the finish line xx ... View more

Hi All, Back on the treatment tricycle today. Saw oncologist yesterday and she has knocked the docetaxel down a notch in the hope it doesn't send me quite so low this time round. She was concerned I might not have recovered enough for treatment today but temperature check and second blood test were ok. My haemoglobin was bizarrely low but apparently possibly just a blip but good excuse to treat myself to a few nice steak dinners! Steroids have kicked in so am ravenous again although I also couldn't get a decent sleep last night because of them. Had my treatment today and so far feeling ok now that my brain freeze has cleared! Cold cap has been working pretty well for me. Hair still hanging on in there. My eyebrows have more or less completely gone now apart from one remaining hair and some stubble! Very few eyelashes too. I went out to a friend's wedding party on Saturday (not the one in Windsor 😂 ) and tried putting on mascara for the first time in ages. There was barely anything left to catch it 😃 . Hope everyone is coping and able to enjoy a bit of fresh air and sunshine. I'm making the most of it while I can as I'm expecting to be flat out by Saturday. Hugs to you all xx ... View more

I have started reading Les Miserables - a full translation of the original novel. It's over 1300 pages. Been reading it for 2 weeks now and have barely scratched the surface! Now thinking it was a bit ambitious to attempt this under the influence of the chemo brain 😂 ... View more

On my last chemo (1st docetaxel) I got really shivery at night and took a hot water bottle to bed. Had it stuck at the small of my back as it was the only relief I got from the shivers. I then found by the morning I was sweating but couldn't find any way to relieve the hot sweats sorry. It really only lasted about a day and a half like that before I started to feel a bit more normal again. ... View more

Camilla I had lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy. I couldn't get a front opening bra so ended up with a soft ( not underwired) one with a larger back and smaller cups than my usual. I didn't have any drains to cope with. I did have some swelling but it wasn't too enormous - basically just put my breast back to the size it was before the lump and margin were taken out. The sorest part was under my arm where the node had been removed. Putting the bra on was a struggle to go home that night because of that but my husband helped me to get dressed. After that it quickly became much easier especially after the exercises. The lumpectomy site gave me no trouble at all. But make sure you have plenty of good pain relief and I used a cushion at night to support my arm so that I could get some sleep. ... View more