Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hi ladies I've not been on here for over a week so sorry I've not kept up with you all. I went back to work on Monday and so far so good. I'm pretty tired by 5pm most days but otherwise it seems to be going ok. My eyes are still constantly watering though so my eyes are red and puffy. I swear people must think I'm crying all the time! I've still got tingly/numb fingers and my nails are horrid but I guess they will get better eventually. I'm just down to Herceptin now and will have that on Wednesday, just 30 minutes this time and I start my Tamoxifen on Monday (I've got them but I wanted a few more says pill free) Teresa and Judy, glad you've now had your ops and feeling ok. Clare, good to hear you're back at work too and your rads are underway. I know what you mean about time going quicker. This week has flown by. I'm now on count down to my holiday. Hope you have a good time with your Mum Simone, good news about the hair 🙂 Lulu, good luck for your rads on Monday Libby, hope you're feeling better Hope the rest of the gang is ok. Lizzyxx ... View more

Linda, yay for your last chemo :)hope the SEs are ok I'm beginning to get over my last TAX. Still got the horrid mouth but the aches have finally stopped. My fingers are now permanently numb so I hope that goes away soon. night night lovely ladies Lizzzyxx ... View more

Hi ladies, sorry I've been a bit quiet this week but have been hit by the final TAx truck. I think I'm coming out the other side. I spent most of Monday in hospital with a temperature but my bloods were ok so they let me go. My mouth is still horrid but hopefully it will improve by the weekend. I'm hoping to go back to work next week (need the money) so hope I won't be too tired. Clare, glad you've had your line out but sounds painful, ouch! Good luck with your DLA app Sue, my eyebrows are very spartan...I have to fill them in but can't be bothered most of the time Simone,you always make me laugh...Dolly Parton! Libby, glad the op went well. You are amazing. I had two nights in hospital after my MX. Gentle hugs Teresa, hope you have a lovely break in Cornwall, you deserve it I would love a meet up and Birmingham is good for me:) I've finally booked my holiday. I've booked a ski holiday in Austria for the last week in March. It's in a resport which is a spa town so if I am too tired to ski I can just go for a massage and relax by the pool. Think I will have to re-arrange one of my Herceptin appointments though...oops! night night Lizzyxx ... View more

Hi ladies, I'm still knocked out from the final TAX and ache like and old woman but am so pleased the chemo is over. I even managed a short walk in the sunshine today as I just had to get out the house. I feel shattered now though. Libby, hope you sleep better tonight. Last night I took codine, ibruprofen and a mug of Horlicks and slept for ages which hopefully should make up for the last few nights. Lulu, hope your aches are getting less Teresa, you have made me laugh with your wig stories. One of my friends walked straight past me when I started wearing mine! Dizzy, congrats on finishing chemo too, it certainly feels great. Hope everyone else is ok and hope you've all had a good weekend. Love Lizzyxx ... View more

Hi Rachel I am 34 (33 when diagnosed in August) and I froze embryos before I started my chemo and a girl I know froze her eggs. When you've had your MRI and know more about what treatment you will be having (will you be having chemo?) please speak to your breast care nurse as mine referred me to Liverpool Women's hospital to the fertility experts there (as I live in the north west) and they contacted me and saw me straight away. I had my fertility treatment a month after my mastectomy and 3 weeks before I started chemo. It only delayed my chemo by a couple of weeks which my oncologist said was fine. Hope that helps Lizzyxx ... View more

LFW, what a lovely dream though! You did make me chuckle. time for a spot of baking? Lizzy xx ... View more

Hi ladies, well a better night's sleep than the night before, I only woke up every two hours and gave up at 6am. the night before I was up til 4am. I now feel starving like I could eat a house. Damn those steriods! Well done Judy for finishing chemo, congratulations! Good luck for your lumpectomy. I had all my surgery pre chemo. Looking back it was ok. I know our brains have a habit of forgetting stuff but it will be ok and you will get through it. Libby, good luck for your lumpectomy too and I hope your rads go well. Just think of it on another step on our journey. Yes I've booked a week off work for the last week in March. I'm hoping I will have more energy by then but I know I won't be overdoing it. I've just got to book the holiday now and decide what to do about insurance as I'm not sure whether to declare it on my existng joint policy or just get one for me for the week. Lulu, sorry to hear about your tongue. I know mine will start next week but I am so pleased it will be for the last time. My nails look awful, like I'm a smoker and I've not smoked in 14 years! My toe nails look even worse but on a positive side my hair on my head has grown a couple of mm. I'm so pleased they let me have the chemo yesterday as my WBC count was very low this time. I'm looking forward to getting the aches out the way. I know they will start tomorrow but my oncologust told me to take codine this time and have more laxatives! Looking forward to 3 weeks time when it will just be Herceptin for me. Simone, you made me laugh out loud re your boobwatch! take care girlies Love Lizzyxx ... View more

Hi ladies, Teresa, your wig looks great. I know what you mean though about it not feeling like you. I'm used to mine now as I wear it at work. I love taking it off when I get home though! I had my last chemo today, yay. Looking forward to 3 weeks time when I will just have Herceptin. I'm hoping to get some sleep tonight as I was awake til 4am with the steroids. Simone, glad your rads are going ok take care everyone Lizzyxx ... View more

Evening ladies Well last chemo done today, yay :)Feeling shattered as didn't get to sleep until 4am last night due to steriods. Debbie, I like 'Pointless' too! Liz, good luck for your chemo tomorrow x I've not had time to read all the posts so hope everyone is ok Love Lizzyxx ... View more

Hi ladies Alice, I have tingling fingers and toes but I think that's from the TAX Better get back to work! Lizzyx ... View more

Hi ladies Teresa, glad you're ok, enjoy your coffee Judy and Lulu, yay for your last chemo today 🙂 I hope the SEs are not too bad but just think of three weeks time. Libby, you made me laugh re th duvet! Dizzy, that's great you still have eyebrows and lashes. I have to fill my eyebrows in with an eyebrow pencil and have loads of eyeliner on (at work) and then I forget and rub it everywhere! My oncologist has said that she does not think I need rads as apparently I am at a very low risk as I had the MX and my lymph nodes were clear. Apparently this is the case even though my tumours were grade 3 (which is why I had the chemo). I hope everyone is doing ok. I'm having an easy week at work as I've hardly got anything to do and can't take much new work on with being off all the time. I guess I should enjoy it as I'm sure the work will pile back on when I come back to work properly in a few weeks. Take care everyone Lizzyxx ... View more

Hi ladies, I've not been on for a couple of days as I've been back at work! Sorry to hear everyone has been suffering with TAX. I am really hating TAX compared to the FEC so am pleased to be having my final chemo and TAX no 3 on 15 Feb. Now my nose is constantly running but I am not sure whether it's another TAX SE or the Herceptin. Night night lovely ladies Lizzyxx ... View more

Saskia, good luck for your last chemo tomorrow. I will be joining you next week. Can't wait for three and a bit weeks time. I too am concerned about how long the TAX is going to take to get out of my system as I would like to get back to competative running by the summer. Joy and Clare, hope your tastebuds recover soon. My mouth has recovered this week and now it's only water which tastes funny to me! Simone, hope your rads went well today. Teresa I have been using bio-oil on my MX scar. Shame you have to have your rads over Easter. I should find out about whether I need rads when I see the oncologist tomorrow. Libby, on the hair front I think my hair is starting to grow back even though I've not had my last chemo. However no sign of nose hair which is annoying as my nose just keeps running and is so sore. I've been back at work this week. So far so good but I've got a very light work load. Night ladies Lizzyxx ... View more

Christine, I have found that keeping myself dosed up on ibruprofen and paracetamol took the edge off the TAX aches. I also found a hot bath helped. I'm back at work this week as the TAX truck finally went away and I am feeling ok again...just tired. Lizzyxx ... View more

Hi ladies After feeling ok on Tuesday I had a crap day yesterday and couldn't keep my eyes open. Today I'm much better and have walked to the shop and my mouth feels slightly better. Teresa, I didn't have full axilary clearance as when I had the sentinel node biopsy they found it hadn't spread. This is apparently why there is a question mark over me needing rads. Joy, good luck with your last chemo tomorrow, nearly there 🙂 Sue that's dreadful re your notes being left on a train! That's all you need on top of this crap Lulu, I know what you mean about finding the SEs more severe. The tiredness has been much worse for me this time round and I've felt worse for longer. If I feel ok on Monday I am going to work until my final chemo Clare, hope you are enjoying CSI. I am being really sad and now working my way through Harry Potter. dizzycloud, I hope you are ok after number 5. Are you having 6 in total? I have felt much more down with this one that number 4. I guess it's just getting harder. Joy, I'm going to try a curry tonight to taste something! Take care everyone Lizzyxx ... View more

Yes thanks Lulu for all your advice, you're a star. on the subject of reconstruction....I'm not going to think about it until year. At the moment I just want to get all this out of the way and finish the Herceptin and see how I feel. At the moment I'm not really bothered about my missing boob although am annoyed that there are some clothes I can't wear! I'm not worried about the weight as I am going to start exercising in March when I have hopefully got over the chemo. Lizzyxx ... View more

Teresa, re the MX it may sound strange but it wasn't as bad as I thought and didn't hurt afterwards like the lumpectomy and sentinel node boipsy. I was in hospital for two nights but only becuase I had a drain in and some hopsitals let you out earlier. The wound was glued together and now looks very neat (my surgeon did say he was very pleased with my wound and gave himself 9/10!)It was strange at first being one boob down and a bit of a shock when I first looked at it but I am used to it now. It still feels pretty numb but apparently it could be like that for a few months. My only problem is getting bras to fit as I am a 32A and there are not that many post surgery bras in my size! Libby, glad you had a good weekend away. Very brave going without your wig. I only do that for close friends and family as I am a bit of a chicken. Clare, yep I've got the TAX tongue today and although my aches and pains are much less I've now got the horrid taste buds. Oh well, hopefully I should feel better by the weekend. tired1, good luck with TAX 3. I know what you mean about TAX. I've felt far worse on TAX than I did with the FEC. I'm looking forward to saying goodbye to TAX on the 15th. That's oants having uncontrollable nosebleeds and breathlessness. Fortunately I've not had that but I do keep getting a temperature and have to keep having blood tests! I'm feeling much more awake today and even had a walk round the block to stretch my legs. Take care everyone Lizzyxx ... View more

Clare, that's great to have the last one ticked off. I hope the SEs are ok and you have not been hit by the TAX truck again. Teresa, good luck for Wednesday for your last treatment. I hope the MX op goes well. I had mine before chemo and it's all healed now. I didn't have a reconstruction but may do in the future. I'm having 6 cycles so my last TAX will be on 15 Feb. I've already started Herceptin and I guess the Tamoxifen will follow shortly after the chemo has finished. My oncologist still hasn't made a decision about the rads but apparently they don't think I need them. Judy, I'm pleased you are having the last one. I know it's not easy so big hugs. I'm looking forward to my last one and getting on with things. At the moment I am still suffering from chemo last week and am dead achey from the TAX again. I had to go to hospital with a temperature this morning but am not neutrepenic. Time for a nap as I am pretty shattered! Take care everyone Lizzyxx ... View more

Hi ladies, so many posts! I've not been on for a few days as I had TAX no 2 last week and have been in hibernation. I'm still feeling very achey and sore and had to go to hospital with a temperature this morning but apparently I'm ok and not neutrepenic. I think my hair could be growing back (it's very hard to tell but I'm sure the fuzz is longer) I've still got crap taste buds and a horrid tongue and the beginnings of a sore throat. I hope everyone is ok as I've not read all the posts as I'm finding it hard to concentrate Lizzyxx ... View more

Hi ladies, been ok so far today after TAX 2 but I know it will hit me tomorrow as I'm now feeling dead tired. Re Herceptin it only takes an hour and a half to go through and then a flush. I had that first but then immediately had the meds for the chemo and 2 hours of TAX and then a half hour flush and after that I had to sit there while they made sure I was ok. I left the unit after 5pm so a long day. They also did my obs after the herceptin to check my temperature and blood pressure. I'm feeling tired so off for a nap Lizzyxx ... View more