Breast Cancer Now Forum

Fec-T cycle 4 (TAX 1, day 1- Herceptin day 2) Well that's over with and feels so good to have just 2 left, I know I still have long journey with op, radiotherapy, year of Herceptin plus tamoxifen 5 years but getting through it now. I don't feel at all like I did on FEC when I had to retire straight to bed feeling very sick. I feel quite good, hope it lasts!! Was much quicker too - about an hour and so much better through my new port. Mungo's mum - I've driven past that garden centre on way to see friends - we always say we must stop and take a look but never have. Speak soon, have a good evening x ... View more

I'm pleased to say hospital food had been good - veg crumble, potatoes and cabbage for lunch and veg & lentil stew with dumplings, croquettes and peas just now. Not bad. Now I'm sad that I chose yoghurt over cheesecake as I didn't trust that!! You can tell I'm on steroids as obsessing about food! Herceptin going in right now, portacabin behaving itself. I have to stay in 6 hours afterwards so won't be able to go home until about 12 tonight 😞 ... View more

Portacath just fitted, all went well and not as bad as I feared. Now waiting for Herceptin to use shiny new port. Nipinuk I need a nickname for it. I'm hoping hospital food is ok today - chosen veg crumble, hopefully they can't do anything too bad to that. I've been put off hospital soup and sandwiches permanently now! See you soon xx ... View more

Fec-T cycle 3, day 22 – Portacath fitting and Herceptin tomorrow, TAX Thursday Hello there, So much to catch up on! I’ve been making the most of my pre-chemo days and the sunshine and been busy getting out and about, but also cleaning windows, filing and gardening. Went to a lovely English Heritage house and gardens yesterday. Roadshow thanks for the tips on the portacath fitting (and Suzy too), still nervous about it but glad you’re getting on ok with it. Glad your spirits are up even if you’re stilling feeling pants. Angela liked the joke! Hope house selling going ok, don’t envy you… Shelley looking forward to less nausea on Tax but not looking forward to taste buds going – will have to eat more spicy food J Have a lovely time with your sister. Pammy I’ll let you know how I get on with Tax and Herceptin! Hope the course went well today? Woolfie I love Whitby too so sorry Shelley you had to miss out. Hope everything is ok with you and OH? Suzy glad you’re starting to come round after shot of Tax. I feel like I’m a bit more prepared to have a few days in bed and being generally useless as got a lot done in last few days. I’ll look out for the red face. Mungos mum thanks so much for the good wishes tomorrow. West Wittering sounds lovely, a friend of mine goes there a lot and recommends it. Good luck with the garden. Nipinuk glad you got to see the bluebells, but sorry they weren’t as good as usual. I’ve visited our bluebell wood a couple of times in the last week now. Good that you’re starting to feel bit better – hope your boys give you lots of needed attention. Jude glad you’re getting the portacath done on Friday, will let you know how I get on. Sorry to hear about Whitby but hope you’ve been enjoying your garden. Mrs B love your profile pic! Hope you’re feeling ok. And hope everyone else is doing ok. See you in a few days… ... View more

Just a note on sun cream (now sun finally here) - Soltan Invisible was recommended to me from Boots as non-greasy and good for us baldies as sun can still go through the head scarves and burn. ... View more

Scottydog - that's fantastic news! ... View more

Fec-T, cycle 3, day 16 Nipinuk – ha! No I’m married with one daughter – so no new man! My mum has been staying although only just staying now for the bad chemo week. Good luck today with your son. We took my daughter to the doc a few weeks ago as she was complaining of pain around left breast (this started before my dx and comes and goes) – turns out that her breasts are starting to develop and it’s very common for pain, I had no idea, but glad I checked it out – I don’t mess around now either. Photobucket sounds good – I can send you my email address. Roadshow – hope you feel better really soon. Choccy – lovely pic of you. Chemo party bag is an excellent idea. Relaxation class was good, was shown how to do breathing exercises and visualisation - I came home and slept a few hours so must have been relaxed! Have been really tired this third cycle. Scottydog & Daffodil – I’m having scan a week before my 5 th (really nervous about it). Have a lovely time in Cornwall Daffodil – you’ll feel much better for it. I’m going to see a friend today who is going to paint my nails in prep for Tax next week. Have a fun and SE free day everyone. x ... View more

Glad you like the profile pic - was eating chocolate fingers last night and noticed how similar the fingers on the packet look like me! Will write more after school run. Nice forum lady noticed that my account was not quite right so fixed it and hopefully my posts will be ok now. My normal day job is dealing with website issues so was funny to be on the other side for once. ... View more

Feeling frustrated that 2 of my posts didn't show up yesterday. The only thing I did differently was to write it in word then paste here - does anyone have that problem. Will try and add my post later. Off to a relaxation class this morning - although have to drive back on m25 so defeats the object a bit! Take care everyone today x ... View more

FecT, cycle 3, day 14 Hello everyone, I’m going to try posting again (but save it in word this time!). Think I said something about the fact that several of us are feeling low and whether this had something to do with being half way – when we should feel pleased that we’ve reached that milestone but at the same time still have a journey ahead. Today my daughter had a Greek day at school and they could dress up if they wanted, so she suddenly decided at 7.30 this morning that she wanted to dress up after previously saying not. A good friend helped me out and rustled up a toga in the short space of time, was so grateful as it was the last thing I felt like doing. Shelley – I’m getting lots of strange pains, but not in leg, and think the injections could be responsible, again I’ve just been told to take painkillers Nipinuk – sorry you’ve been feeling low, I had terrible pmt with last p. Hope you enjoy your evening with friends. Jlr – sounds really sore your mouth 😞 Not sure if this is helpful at all, but a doctor once told me to gargle with soluble asprin for a very sore throat – no idea if that would work with your ulcers. Roadshow – those smoothies sound great. Hope you feel ok over the next few days. Any suggestions for an easy knitting project I can do as a beginner. Pammy – interesting what you said about people’s reactions. I met a friend today who I haven’t seen since diagnosis and I could tell that she was finding it hard to talk to me, at first avoiding talking about what I was going through. Good luck with next chemo Wednesday. Suzy – my oh would love that Spanish pork recipe! Woolfie – so sorry to hear about your oh, hope you get lots of support over next few weeks. Mungos_mum – that craft website looks good, thanks for the link. Hope everyone else is ok. I’m off to bed, feeling very tired today. x ... View more

Ah man I posted my longest post ever this morning and it's not shown up. Will try again later, can't remember what I said now though. Hope everyone has a good day today x ... View more

Fec-T, cycle 3, day 14 (I think!) Hi Marchies, Few of us feeling low, do you think that’s linked with being around half way – mixed feelings of having got half way through but knowing got half way to go still. Glass half full or half empty! Virtual hugs x This morning was interesting. My daughter has a Greek day at school today where they can dress up, but she showed little interest in this until 7.30 this morning when we had tears etc. A very good friend helped me out at such short notice and whizzed up a toga outfit in 5 mins and she looked great. So glad to have such good friends at times like these. Relaxed mainly this weekend but some friends popped over with a Coffee and walnut cake and a lemon cake which were yummy. They were very surprised when I told them how long the treatment takes and what side affects you get etc – they thought it was just a few weeks of chemo then everything would be sorted. I'm actually sat with a pc so can reply to more of your posts this time, rather than trying to type on my phone! Nipinuk – sorry to hear you’ve been feeling low - I too was very hormonal before P, much more than usual. Hope that now it’s come you will start to feel brighter. Shells – sorry you’re feeling low and in pain, I’m on Tax (and Herceptin) for first time next week so feeling bit anxious about that. Woolfie – so sorry to hear about your other half, life plays a very cruel hand of cards. Hope that you get lots of support in the weeks to come. X Scottydog – nice to hear you’ve been out and about in the sun. I’ve read that rhubarb is very good for bc – we’ve got lots growing in the garden. Roadshow – what knitting project do you recommend for a beginner? Pammy – my mouth started watering when I read about the lemonade and lime! Suzy – my oh would love that Spanish pork recipe, will try that – thanks! Best wishes to everyone else and hope you have a good day. x ... View more

Choccy - I too get really hungry in the early hours - was eating rice krispies at 4 am the other day - is that the steroids then, even a few days after they've finished? ... View more

Scottydog & Daffodil - I'm glad you are experiencing the same (well glad is prob the wrong word!) I get weird sensations the first week and then pain and that hardness you mention Scottydog mid-second week it seems, by 3rd week ok. ... View more

Oh and I bought some nail varnish in readiness for Tax - a dark redish black (as someone said it didn't have to be black just as long as it was a couple of coats). It's called Rubyfruit from max factor and looks quite nice 🙂 ... View more

Fec, cycle 3, day 11 Wish i'd stop waking up at 5 every morning this week not sure if it's the injections doing that - had last one last night thank goodness. Had a lot of pain from it this time I think. Also lots of breast area pain - bc nurse says it's the chemo attacking the tumour causing it (any of you other pre-surgery girls getting it?). - so I guess it's a good pain! Had a low day yesterday but felt better after phoning bcc helpline and bc nurse and a good friend who's been through it. Then I baked a cherry and almond cake (recipe was in the Macmillian Recipes booklet). We ate it while watching Masterchef and was yummy. Loved Masterchef last night 🙂 Roadshow I've started knitting after mum showed me how a couple of weeks ago. I'm still just doing lots of squares and can never imagine making anything other than a scarf but I'm finding it really fun and perfect thing to do at the moment. Got some cool wool yesterday. New tooth looking good! Nipinuk, I loved that link! Good luck all those in the chair today and wish you minimal se's xx ... View more

Roadshow yes I'm ER+, don't know rating, will have to ask that. (Still have tumour as chemo shrinking it before surgery - that's the plan anyway!). Really hope this is my last period. Good luck with tooth. Mungos mum sorry you've been feeling low, hope you get good nights rest. Lisag glad cold on way out Scottydog good luck for tomorrow Night all x ... View more

Roadshow, not sure if anyone has talked about periods here yet but I had one late one on day 8 cycle 2 and again 3 weeks later Cycle 3, day 7. The first was very heavy and painful with bloating before, this one is light but had lots of cramps and bloating at the weekend - and PMT x 100% !!! I'm 43 and presume thsee are my last ones. Didn't manage the lemon cake, ended up having a nap before school run! My energy levels up and down daily week 2 like you said. Heart scan all fine 🙂 ... View more

FEC-t, cycle 3, day 9 Good luck anyone having treatment this week. 3rd lot was worse for me this time but improved by knowledge of what to expect. Counting down to Tax now in 2 weeks - half way through! Roadshow, nice to hear about the Germany connection. I studied in Bremen for a year and love Germany. Nipinuk, I have many happy memories of Farley Mount as a child rolling down the hill 🙂 Karen, great news 🙂 Off for a heartscan (routine before Herceptin) this morning, one day I'll go through all your posts properly but find it hard to focus with chemo brain. i too am having lots of food cravings in my second week - spicy things and cakes! Thinking of making a lemon cake today. Xx ... View more

Roadshow - I forgot to say that Germany/ Austria plans sound great. We've stayed by Bodensee (Lake Constance) which had Germany, Austria and Switzerland on all sides - catching the boat to each. But there are lots of other lovely areas such as Munich/Bavaria and Salzburg. Happy planning... ... View more