Breast Cancer Now Forum

Jellytot I wish there was a group like that near me, i'd jump at the chance of meeting people in the same area as me and around the same age. i'm due chemo next Tuesday so think i will ask at the hospital if there is anything similar in my area. Maggie is right, the women there will understand exactly what your going through and how u feel so your wig will be the last thing they look at. I hope everyone is feeling as well as i do at the moment. x ... View more

Hi Revcat. I'm in my early 30's. I am happy with everything else in my life but all my friends are coupled up so i feel like the odd one out. It would be nice to have some company not necessarily something too serious especially now. I have been asked on a date recently and feel like i need to go asap so the guy sees the real me before my hair loss etc. I know i'm being silly as the right person would accept everything and like me for who i am and not what i look like but its still doesnt change the way i feel now. I have got a leaflet about the look good feel better sessions so will give them a call. I have the opportunity to go out with my sister this weekend to see a local band play in a pub. I am feeling perefectly fine at the moment and am not due chemo untill next week however If i go i know i need to be carefull around groups of people and also i probably wont drink very much if at all so i already have to make changes to my normal life and all for this stupid disease that none of us want. ... View more

Hi ladies i'm from the July thread and just wanted to let you know that there are some links to videos on youtube on page 2 or 3 of that thread all about different ways to wear headscarves of buffs. I have only had 1 dose of FEC so far and am due number 2 next week. My side effects have been minimal- nausea and sickness the night i had chemo, mild nausea the next morn, a little constipation, strange taste in my mouth on day 3, i felt achy and tired on day 6. had a headache on days 8 and 9 but from there on i've been absolutely fine. I would reccomend you drink a lot of water and take all the medication u are given and u should be ok. If u still have symptoms then call the helpline and they should be able to help you. I think we put up with enough with all the tests needed and drugs we're given so side effects shoul not be tolerated. I forgot to talk about hair loss. I am on day 16 now and my hair has started to shed over the last 2 days. I have very thick hair so its not noticeable yet and it is early days. If i run my hands through my hair i'm generally getting about 10 strands each time and have noticed it falling on to my clothes more often today but i'm not phased by it at the moment. I have a picc line in which hasnt been too bad either. Occasionally my arm aches or is a little painfull but it doesnt last long, I forget its there a lot of the time. Well i wish u all good luck with your 1st treatment and hope your side effects are as minimal as mine have been. x ... View more

Wow the lady in that video is amazing. So positive and she makes it look so easy. 🙂 ... View more

Morning Coachk. I know what u mean about depending what your head looks like. I have put on weight in the last year or so and am terrified that with no hair my face is going to look like a big round ball or that compared to the size of my body i'll look like a pea head lol. I dont feel confident wearing my wig but as i've said i need to get it trimmed and once i've lost my own hair maybe it will feel different. I didnt realise having cancer would bring with it so many other issues. ... View more

Daysy-OMG thats funny but i wonder if your friend saw it that way. Maggie-i am having 3 fec and 3 t too as are a few people on here so we can share experiences of se. Smudge- I have my wig already. I havent named it and to be honest i'm not keen on it. I need to get it trimmed as it is not quite to my liking just yet, maybe then it will become my friend. I also have a picc line in and am so glad i dont have to have any more prodding with needles. My blood test is due on 6th and all being well chemo 2 will be on 7th so i'm only a day ahead of u. Coachk- thanks for the recomendations on scarves. I still havent got my bum into gear at having a look at what i like and ordering some. Must do soon though so will have a look at your suggestions. Hi to anyone i havent mentioned an hugs to everyone having treatment or suffering se this week. Will need the favour returned next week. 🙂 x ... View more

Hi all hope you are all well and not suffering too badly with se. I'm on day 14 and have been feeling great the last few days. I dont feel ill at all which is a total suprise to both me and my family. I think we all had visions of me being in bed for days on end and being sick every 2 mins. Thank god fantasy hasnt met reality. On the hair front today is the 1st day i've noticed my hair is starting to come out. Every time i run my fingers through it or brush it i'd say 7-8 strands are coming out as apposed to 1 or 2 normally. I assumed it would be coming out in huge handfalls by now but maybe thats to come. For now i'm happy with how i look and feel and long may it continue although i know its a downhill spiral as chemo session 2 is only a week away. Not looking forward to that. ... View more

Hi Clare no i'm Sian not Michelle lol. Glad to hear i'm not the only 1 with headaches. I didnt ring the hospital and only took basic paracetamol for it because I had asked my consultant about taking them before and she said it was fine but recommended i stay away from anandin or ibrufen as they can irritate the stomach. I'm single at the mo so no chance of a massage for me. I feel great today though and have decided to stay in out of the heat just to make sure it doesnt come back. ... View more

Hi there. I emailed for more information about this forum on 18th July and still havent had a reply. x ... View more

Hi all. I'm on day 10 of my 1st FEC and still have a full head of hair. I've chosen not to have the cold cap and i gather it should start shedding within the next few days. I'm not sure if i'm prepared or not, I feel ready but i might feel different when it happens. I'm feeling really good at the moment but i just wondered if anybody had been having headaches at all? The last 2 night i've had a headache not so much a banging pain just a real pressure in my head. The 1st night i manged to ride it out but last night i resorted to paracetamol and it took ages to shift. I didnt do anything too active yesterday, met friends for lunch then went back to another friends house, sat in the shady garden having a bbq and watched a dvd with her. Usually i get headaches if i'm a bit dehydrated but i am drinking water like its going out of fashion at the moment. I must have had at least 6 litres yesterday due to the amount of times i refilled the small bottle i carry around with me. I can only think its due to the hot weather and a bit or tiredness. ... View more

Hey girls i hope u are all enjoying the sunshine. Sorry to hear some of u are on the lower part of the rollercoaster at the moment. I'm doing ok but i'm sure its just a matter of time. Its day 7 today and i feel good. Tiredness took over yesterday and i spent much of the day on the sofa. I did manage to walk my sisters dog for an hour in the evening so didnt feel quite so guilty about lazing around all day. I think i have a mouth ulcer coming and my tongue feels a bit tingly but i'm still managing to eat. Had my 2nd injection yesterday and dont feel like i've been run over today so i guess i'm getting used to the meds slowly. I'm off to the hair clinic this morn to sort out a wig. should be an experience! well i hope u all have a good day. Chin up ladies we CAN do this 🙂 x ... View more

Its not too painfull for now so i think i'll be ok for but might have to take something if it gets worse. Yesterday was the 1st jab so i'll see how i go in the next few days. I'm about to soak in a nice hot bath and hoping that will do the trick for a bit. Thanks for reassuring me. I feel like i dont know what's normal with my body at the moment as i seem to be getting every side effect they mention with each drug i'm given. ... View more

Hi Doggirl. Great to hear you're from the same area. I cant praise the hospital enough, everyone has been so lovely and the care is excellent. Maybe we will bump into each other sometime. 🙂 Is anyone having injections after their chemo? I've got to have Ranocyte. 1 jab each day from days 5 to 11 to help my white blood count recover. I was told the side affects are that your bones can hurt and i'm sure i have it now. My whole body feels heavy and achy and i could do with an all over massage. Just wondered if this is normal or if i'm just a bit overtired. x ... View more

I had my 1st session on Tuesday too Donna and have felt more tired today but assumed it was just because i had a busy day yesterday. I'm glad i dont have to face the long trek to hospital for PICC line flush but if it works for u ladies then thats great apart from the petrol and parking charges of course. We were told to pay the minimum fee and it doesnt matter if u run overtime, if it gets questioned or u have a note on the car the oncologist said she would sort it out. I claim Tax credits as i'm a single parent and already get free prescriptions, free parking and my wig is free thanks god. The only problem for me is having to wait in for the nurses but once the 1st week is over they wont need to come every day to change the dressing it'll be done once a week alongside the flush. Have to start my injections tomorrow which i'm not looking forward to as i've heard it can make your bones ache. I can either have the nurses come out and do it for me each day or learn to do it myself. My sister has been through IVF and had to inject herself and is keen to do it for me as i dont feel confident in stabbing myself with a needle at mo so hopefully that will work out and the nurses said they'd show her how to do it and watch the 1st few times then let us get on with it. ... View more

QUINNY how come u go to the hospital for your flush? I have district nurses coming out to me but the hospital is 40 mins drive away so maybe thats why. I had a bit of drama with mine yesterday. The nurse came out to change the dressing in the morn but in the afternoon i noticed there was blood in the line. I called the hospital and they wanted it flushed out as it could cause a blockage in the line. My doctors surgery is walking distance from my house and i offered to go there but nobody was trained so they wanted to contact a district nurse. As it was almost time for them to finish work they didnt know if someone was available and if not i'd have to go to the hospital which i really didnt want as it only takes 5 mins to do. Luckily 1 of the nurses came out at 6.15pm so it was sorted in the end. GMT its helpfull to know that yours followed a pattern, hopefully mine will too. I hate not being able to plan in advance as i just dont know how i'm going to feel each day. STIZ I felt rough and was sick after my 1st FEC on Tuesday so be reassured u are not alone. I had mild nausea the next day and have been ok since. I have a little constipation at mo but am still managing to go. The taste in my mouth is not as bad today. I do feel a bit tired today too but putting that down to a busy afternoon and evening yesterday so i've spent the morning relaxing and reading at home to make sure i dont push myself too hard. I'm having 3 fec and 3 t same as u. ... View more

You sound just like me after diagnosis and probably every woman ever diagnosed i guess. The more people i speak to the more i hear there is no history in the family, they dont smoke, they eat well and are fairly fit and healthy, all the things they say u should do to avoid it so it does make me wonder where the research comes from. The blog sounds interesting i'll have a look. I've decided to write a diary and started it from the day i found the lump. Its a4 page size and the day i got diagnosed is 7 pages long! I'm writing it as if i'm talking to someone whilst explaining in as much detail as i can what happened and how i felt. I thought it was a good idea to have something to look back on in the future and also good for my son to read in years to come to see if he remembers things the same as me. I've noted symptoms and side affects in this diary but actually i think i will write it all down on seperate paper to keep in my hospital folder so i have it with me when i next see the Onc. Have u found your side affects follow a pattern or are they different each time? I wouldnt say the taste in my mouth is metallic. Its more like i've been eating sweets and need to brush my teeth and thats before i had any obviously lol. I've always been a big water drinker during the day. I always carry a bottle of water with me in my handbag and take 1 to bed every night and thats certainly helping things. I tried apple and pear green tea today for the 1st time after a chemo nurse recommended it. She said not to dunk the tea bag for long and to add honey for a bit of flavour. I drank it but cant say i enjoyed it and definatley not as much as normal tea. No i'm not having cold cap, i turned it down as i didnt like the sound of it. I have very thick hair and read that it doesnt work for everyone so didnt want to torture myself with the treatment if it didnt work anyway. I have a free headscarf from the hospital i picked up this week and have an appointment at the hair clinic on Monday to sort out a wig. I feel like i have accepted the fact i am going to be bald but i think its going to br a struggle once hair starts falling out. I hated having to cut my long hair to a bob at the weekend as i felt so out of control and my son hates it now so its going to be a difficult period for us both. I am going to contact Macmillan tomorrow to see if they have any advice on how to handle this subject. Ps i'm always a night owl too 🙂 x ... View more

I'm already on there and think i may have spoken to u there already. Is anybody else interested in going to the forum in Liverpool? I have emailed for more info and am awaiting a reply. 🙂 x ... View more

Hi all. Jelly tot your having very similar treatment to me, chemo 1st (and same type and amount) followed by surgery and then radio. I'm on day 3 of 1st session and feeling really good today. I do have a very strange taste in my mouth. Its not unpleasant just strange and i've tried eating various sweets, friut and had different drinks but nothing seems to shift it so guess i just have to live with it while it lasts now. I wanted to ask how u coped initially with your diagnosis? I was shocked at being diagnosed at 33 so cant imagine how u feel at 28. Age is just a number i guess but as the statistics prove, this illness usually affects older woman,. I was very ignorant of cancer before this happened to me. There is heart disease in my family but no cancer whatsoever and i have barely checked my breasts over the years as i believed i was too young for breast cancer and thought it was not something i needed to worry about. ... View more

Hi Janet i am interested in attending this forum and have emailed for a more details but am still awaiting a reply. :) ... View more