Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hi concernedmama how did you get on with your biopsys and results?   I also have a palb2 mutation and had a call back from an MRI  for a guided biopsy this week.  Waiting for results now. ... View more

Hi flamenco I have sent you a private message with my facebook name. Don't think the dreams are related to the stay in hospital.... Just generally I am around hospitals a lot at the moment xxx ... View more

Yes Bernie I have weird dreams... Last night I was running from police around a hospital and then trying to get away in a canoe on a river close to the hospital I had to drive he canoe like a car....?! Very odd xxx ... View more

Hi ladies Sorry have been quiet and not there to support you after your disappointing results flamenco. At least there is a clear plan of action now. Glad you tried the support group I know what you mean about the AA meeting style, sometimes its a bit cringey but its nice to hear other peoples stories. Glad the children's party went well, a couple of days before chemo I went to a 4th birthday picnic and was running around with the kids All day - couldn't do it now!!! I am very excited for Glastonbury 😄 I am getting everything ready. Hopefully weather will improve. Love the boob buddies banner idea he he. I have said to people look out for me I'll be the one waving a green wig around in the air haha. I had a look for the Facebook group but couldn't see it. I use a fake name on here in case people I know stumble upon the forum somehow (I have had a problem with cyber stalking/bullying before) so will reveal my true identity there 😉 xxxx ... View more

Meant to say flamenco I have been to some BC support groups they've been fab its good to meet other people and talk about your experiences. Also ask your chemo ward about your cough, its better safe than hospital xx ... View more

Hi ladies Wow flamenco dancing sounds fun thats great you made it. I struggle at the best of times to want to be active, now each time I look in the mirror I look more like a blob of mayonaisse!!! Flamenco the T part is really different many people online seem to tell horror stories of T its just all together different. Its all rubbish 😛 Bernie your ordeal sounds horrendous!!!! Are you feeling better now? Your daughter sounds like a star, I hope her school will apply for mitigating circumstances with her exam? I can't believe the hospital didn't have any beds. Shocking really. I've been released so was only in 2nights thankfully. I am on antibiotics and have been told to go back should I feel unwell again they said that they may have to lower my chemo dose next time. My OH was great she stayed with me entertaining me both days, but she is not coping well at the moment as she is carrying a lot of burden with the responsibility of it all. Shes on the waiting list for some counselling so I hope that can help. My manager even came to visit me in hospital with magazines and snacks, I really felt silly as didn't feel really unwell just a temp & sore throat - not something you'd usually be hospitalised for, and certainly sounds nothing compared to your SEs Bernie. I came home and my OH and housemate have disinfected the place - door handles and all. It was very sweet of them. The food in hospital has improved since I was last in about 4years ago though. Thinking of you Bernie xxx ... View more

Hello ladies How's the hair getting on flamenco? Lala I have had EC and tax too I am on the tax part now. How have you been finding chemo? Hopefully not as bad as you imagined. How are you getting on with breaking bad? I have been admitted to hospital with a temperature - one of my white blood cell counts is low so I'm on the IV antibiotics. Cannot sleep as the machine makes a whurring noise despite having foresight to bring earplugs with me & having my own private room! I have to pee into a jug to monitor input vs output.... My glamorous life everybody 😉 but honestly it could be worse so I'm taking it in good humour. Hope the chemo is being kinder to you ladies much love xxx ... View more

Hello Ladies glad you're all feeling fit and fabulous.  Flamenco it's great you're feeling more confident about the hair loss.  To be honest, I was so nervous at wearing wig out at first but no one can tell (even though I think it's so obvious) it makes you confident.  Quite a few cancer nurses etc have thought the wigs were my hair... I was thinking, this is your job you should be able to tell the difference!!! Haha.   I went to a look good feel better course it was great I would really recommend it.  I wear make up but have never been taught how to put it on properly and it has made me so confident, now on my bad days I can make myself feel  bit better about myself and know I don't look silly 🙂 and who doesn't like freebies!!  You get a sack of makeup to take home with you.   Had some sad news this week, my OH's brother in law's cancer is now secondary, there are a few options for treatment but no cure  feel like I should know what to do/say but I don't.   Glastonbury should be good thanks ladies, I will refrain from rolling around in the mud!! I have to have a blood test before I'm allowed to go.  But I'm staying in the disabled campsite so hopefully it will be a bit more sanitary and I will stock up on anti bacterial wipes and handgel!!!! xxx ... View more

Morning boob buddies! Good luck with your biopsy results flamenco its horrible to be in the waiting room again. Its disappointing to have plans change if you're planning a certain surgery in your head. Like the other ladies I've heard lots of people talking positively about their surgery. I'm sure your team will help you feel comfortable with what's best for you and lots of options out there for you. Bernie the Young Adult unit was ace they gave us (me & my mum) loads to do whilst having chemo it was so chilled I loved it. They've referred me for my free human hair wig paid for by the teenage Cancer trust which will be such a treat to get. Now I'm on tax I'm having nurses coming over to give me injections which is a different experience. I feel much more myself on tax (not spaced out, not depressed) but achey in the body... Going to Glastonbury festival at the end of the month, I'm seriously worried about my achey body whilst camping he he. Glad everyone seems to be having a fab response to chemo 🙂 congratulations ladies we're doing great xxxx ... View more

They bleeped out a medical work! Meant to say: - a n a l fissue ... View more

Hi Bernie No question is too personal!! And yes I had the razorblades / glass sensation (I think I have post traumatic stress as a result as I am now scared to do a poo!!!!) it is because the meds make the poo very hard and its painful to pass and I had some blood when wiping & doc said it sounds like i have an **bleep** fissure (posh word for a cut bum hole) which reopens if I forget to take my laxatives. You can get some over the counter or from your gp. I asked mine about cream she said creams won't help and there's no infection risk. I know other ladies have hemmaroids from pushing too hard with constipation so that's another thing to consider but I don't have experience of that. Thanks for your kind words Bernie all you ladies have been wonderful to me too. Unfortunately not the best news today but not the worst either. EC isn't working so I am going straight to Tax & herceptin this week & scanned again after 2nd round to check its working this time. Onc said my boob tumour is not round its like a cloud shape and the main centre of it and the lymph tumour have stabilised/not grown but some of the nodules from the main tumour have grown slightly. Also CT scan showed a thickening of bone which they are not concerned with but have advised a bone scan to double check. In good news I now have a teenage cancer keyworker (I am 24 still considered a teenager by hospital terms!!) And she thought my £20 wig was my real hair which is great. I am going to try having chemo on the teenage ward to see if I like it better as there's WiFi, sky tv etc. Also a childrens cancer social worker (I keep getting younger!) is coming to my house to talk through any grants I can apply for as a young person and I can also apply for a free human hair wig. So there's been some positives from today too. Hope work goes ok flamenco I couldn't be at work during this too many thoughts & emotions going on... and I can't imagine how tired you must be I can barely manage retail therapy without needing to collapse on sofa in PJs after 😉 Xxx ... View more

Hi Bernie I sent my mum the selfie she said it helped and was not as shocking as she expected. I've had a busy weekend and my mum met my OH's parents for the first time today (we've been together for 2 years) which was nice and everyone got along! Knackered now. Seeing onc tomorrow I'm feeling anxious about it even though I haven't been worried until now. Have been thinking about prognosis a lot & trying to be realistic and not negative but I feel like realistically my prognosis is negative with my age counting against me, so it's hard not to be negative! Hi Jill sorry you have to join us here but the other ladies are fab I'm sure you will find lots of support. Lots of people have found out about me some people who I would have prefered didn't know but people talk which will never change (and I haven't been afraid to tell some people "its none of your business!").... Please don't keep it from those closest to you, you need your support network through all of this xxxx ... View more

I am in West Yorkshire xx ... View more

Hello ladies Bernie glad you're embracing your gollum look 😉 I look much better in the headscarfs than I do wigs but I wore a turquoise wig outside today its the first wig I've worn out!!! I have been wearing a headscarf with a clip in fringe and my friends have all said it really suits me and they all thought it was still my real fringe. My mum is coming to visit me & stay this week and requested a bald selfie before she comes so she doesn't get a shock!! The MRI was horrendous as they struggled getting the cannula in and even tried at the chemo site against my advice but they got it in in the end elsewhere. Found the actual scan awful too, I was trying to practice my mindfulness!!! Thinking of asking my gp for some meds to help with the anxiety next time as I came out feeling like I'd been tortured for 30mins. I get the results from that and my CT staging scan on Monday. I have found round 2 much more bearable than round 1. I had much stronger anti sickness I only felt nauseous for the evening after chemo and no days. I have managed so much better and been up and about every day... Bernie you should ask for some stronger anti sickness as I have had no problems with smells this time round and no problem with losing my apeitite. Flamenco glad you're feeling OK. I didn't even try the cold cap so you got further than me! Annabandana are great I've got some great buys from there. Lala have you started now? Hello Tricia and welcome xx ... View more

Hi ladies Second round went OK have had stronger anti sickness which is good but feeling a bit more depressed this time round. I am having an MRI today to check this chemo is zapping the lump but me and my OH both agree it feels smaller already. Looking like gollum in the mirror half and half look with my hair isn't the most motiviating and I am someone who usually has a lot of body confidence so its been weird feeling self conscious about my looks but this is the hand that has been dealt and just gotta get on with it!!!! Good luck tomorrow Bernie I was feeling great the day before my chemo so I hope you have a good day before the cycle of crap starts again!!! Mimelsa glad you're doing OK I had ulcers too they're horrid but glad you're managing. My energy levels were much the same just needed little naps here and there. Remember you can get prescriptions for free I got my gp to give me a big dose of bonjela on prescription after forking out a fiver for a tiny tube without one!!! Lots of love ladies xxx ... View more

Hi ladies how are u all doing? Xx ... View more

Hair loss starts *around* day 14 from first chemo but can take a number of weeks to lose it all. I shaved it after 3 days of it falling out in clumps as couldn't stand it anymore. It's annoying as hair gets in everything and painful. The fringe you can get them with clips on but theyre more exoebsive, you can just place them under hat if its close fitting or use a safety pin xx ... View more

Hi Jules, I got a clip in fringe on amazon they are about £2-£3 and look very real. They look good if you're prefering hats and scarfs to wigs as they look a little less extreme and help you feel less like people are looking. I'm planning on using a mixture of wigs and scarfs xxx Lala its worth having a see of the wig at least. I have got a one but need it trimmed to suit me. X ... View more

Hi I was told the main benefit of having chemo first is to see how the cancer reacts to it... If they do chemo after its a kind of 'blind faith' as to whether the chemos working, but having chemo first they can check how your tumor is reacting and change the chemo drugs accordingly. Also gives you more time to decide on what surgery you want and if you're elligable for gene testing to get those results. How are you all doing? I was driven mad by my head itching and all the folicules feeling really tender so I've shaved it, I'm feeling so much better and my OH loves it hehe xxx ... View more

Good luck ❤️ I'm sure you'll do great x x x x ... View more