Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hearty - you've obviously experienced it from both sides.  Sounds as though the skill of the 'linesman' is as important to the whole process as channelling through  a suitable vein. Thanks for this.  ... View more

Hi Cinderssarah, sorry I almost missed your late night post yesterday cos it’s been so busy on here today. So you’ll be having chemo with the rest of us, much better that they throw everything they can at it, and as you say it means you get to stay with us lovelies! xx   Jo, thanks for all your tips especially the one on checking our temperature at different times of the day BEFORE chemo starts so that we know what's normal for us - brilliant idea!  No I'm not dunking  just yet, hoping it will be 24th September but still waiting for confirmation.   Nikki - good luck on Monday with your onc appointment and scan results – hope the seroma is behaving itself now? Also Samjs - hope you can squeeze a week away before your start date – my onc was fairly flexible with me as long as further treatment started within 12 weeks from surgery.  Bonnie, you too – I’m Grade 3 TN with large tumour and high nodal involvement and my scans came back clear, easy for me to say but please don’t worry xx   Hello Kate, welcome aboard!   PTB have fun hunting for those unicorns tomorrow.   Thanks Lulu for all your tips on possible side effects – fresh pineapple always makes my mouth sore so will be interesting to see what chemo and fresh pineapple does to it, ho-ho xx   Looks like a starry night tonight, sleep well all xx   ... View more

Hi Rachel, glad to hear it went well. Thanks for all your tips especially on meds and making notes. I asked about taking supplements and was told that some supplements (sorry don't know which) can interfere with chemo and that a healthy well balanced diet was the best way to go. xx ... View more

Hi Barbs, my BS suggested a picc line because my veins can be temperamental so I was surprised when onc didn't - had to ask, but she thought cannula was the easiest option. If I do go for a picc it has to be fitted before chemo starts.. Seems that some hospitals actively promote lines, others don't - mine doesn't so I'm still undecided but will probably go for cannula and see how I get on - distance from hospital is also a consideration for me unless they can do it at the same time as heart scan xx ... View more

Welcome back Gold,, so relieved all went well for you yesterday - take things nice and easy xx ... View more

Well done Pips, sleep well xx ... View more

Jo43 - YAY! well done you xx   ... View more

samjs - my onc showed me a typical benign liver cyst - perfectly smooth and round, and definitely hairless 😄 xx   ... View more

Hazey, pas the boss, and sarahsomething - thanks for the feedback on picc lines, etc.   hegv123, great news that you've no se's, hope it continues.  Oh and thanks for the line info.   Thinking of all the Stars who are dunking, scanning or onc-ing today xx       ... View more

Hi Lulu ... you found us! xx   ... View more

Hi Lulu, sorry if I got my wires crossed - notice you've managed to find the September thread so I'll catch up with you there, bless you  xx   ... View more

Lulu, so sorry and shocked to read your post. I’ve heard that carboplatin is very effective in treating lung and other types of cancer and I’m sure it will work for you again if the biopsy confirms that it is cancer.  Had my Onc appointment yesterday – clear results for bone and ct scans apart from several benign cysts on liver.  Will be having 6 x FEC-T followed by rads with a start date towards the end of September.  Naturally, I’d rather you weren’t with me and the others in September, but if it is positive then it goes without saying, you’ll be more than welcome.  Will be thinking of you over the next two weeks – let me know your biopsy date, and PM me anytime if you prefer. Elma xx ... View more

Hello Stars   BonEllie and Pips64, we’re all here to share info and support each other over the coming months so welcome aboard!   Nikki, glad you got your seroma drained – Onc isn’t worried about mine either so nature will just have to take it’s course - was told it does go quite hard before it’s reabsorbed into the body so I’ve no need to worry.   Avonlady, hope you’re ok?   Barbs, thanks for the list.  I’m having FEC-T x 6 and will let you have start date as soon as it comes through.   Hazey, thanks for your cyber thoughts!  Like you, had my Onc appointment yesterday - scans all clear apart from a few benign cysts on liver.  Will be on FEC-T followed by rads. Also having pre-chemo Echo heart scan and blood tests.  Good luck with your bone scan today!   Beam67, I feel guilty about all the hassle I’ve caused despite telling myself it’s not my fault.  My son is home from Uni at the moment and was keen to know what was going on through dx and surgery but resumed normal service when I appeared to be ok about a week later (meals were on the table, washing was in the tub etc - what's not normal!) – pretty sure it’s a ‘man thing’ and as others have said, probably a means of coping.  It’s also normal behaviour for them if they’re anything like mine – they think I'm always fussing about something, but I know they love me to bits really! xx    General question to all Stars - still undecided about whether to have a line fitted as my Onc wasn’t very encouraging. Why have so many of you decided to go for a line and was your Onc ok about it?   Thinking of everyone who has to do something this week!  Elma xx   ... View more

Thinking of all the Stars who start their first round of chemo this week, and those who have Onc or scan appointments - will be rooting for you!   Thanks Nikki - yes that sudden warm feeling sent me into a momentary panic too, as did the alarm when the scan sensors picked up the hospital locker key which I'd accidentally left in my gown pocket!    Samjs - fantastic result, don't know how you do it with everything else that's going on for you at the moment!     ... View more

Hi Bonnie, just read your post. We have a few things in common (apart from the obvious) - I had ct and bone scans earlier this month (results tomorrow), live in West Sussex (near Chichester), and have an undrained seroma which is just starting to wane (not that painful but restrictive).  Good luck with your scans this week!  Elma xx   ... View more

Hi gold63, and welcome to September Stars!  Thanks for the seroma advice - I'm concerned that my chemo will be delayed if it hasn't dissipated but I'll know better when I meet my Onc tomorrow.  Think I'll go for a picc line, like you, as it seems to be the least hassle.  I had ct and bone scans 3 weeks ago but decided to wait for results until Onc appointment in case I needed to discuss any negative findings.  Great news that you got the all clear in the end!  Looking forward to many exchanges as we all move through this together.  Elma xx   ... View more

Hi Nikki, as you know I'm 5 weeks post surgery with my seroma which started after the drain was removed but my BS was reluctant to drain it because of infection risk - it's getting smaller (very slowly) but it's also quite hard now and no longer goes flat when I lie down.  I find that sleeping on my back throughout the night is really uncomfortable so I start off sleeping on my good side.  I place an extra pillow on its side (lengthways) in front of me and hug it with my good arm so that it engulfs the wound site, I then lay my bad arm diagonally across the top of the pillow which helps to relieve pressure on the underarm and side swelling - I still wake up on my back every morning but I'm getting a solid night's sleep now.  Good luck with the scan tomorrow!  I should get my scan results and start date on Wednesday, here's hoping ...  Elma xx   ... View more

Hi everyone, I have a meeting with Onc next week to discuss further treatment but have been told chemo will start sometime in September.  I had MX and ANC on 18 July - 5.5cm tumour with node involvement - Grade 3 IDBC Triple Negative.  Hoping to share this unexpected journey with others and exchange useful tips and advice along the way.  Thanks, Elma ... View more

Hi Jaxg, Great news that your nodes are clear! I think there is probably a risk of recurrence with every type of breast cancer and whilst TN ladies don't yet have the back-up of something similar to hormone/targeted therapies, it doesn't necessarily mean that we will definitely get a recurrence - there are plenty of TN ladies out there who haven't. The waiting (as always) is the worst part, hope all goes well for you too. ... View more