Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hi Jay - I've heard this theory and yet my toenails which were in socks and shoes the whole time (it was winter) were badly affected but my fingernails which saw the sunlight (no varnish) were unaffected by the paclitaxel - go figure! The joys of chemo.  ... View more

Hi Karen - don't panic, you'll be fine. You'll probably feel a little bit under the weather and will get tired more easily but I can't see that it would stop you working altogether if you want to carry on.  It is good to do things that make you feel normal. There may be days in your cycle when you don't feel up to it, but other days when you feel fine.  Chemo can damage your nails.  Some people will have no problems, others may lose some of their nails.  With EC, my nails were ok but showed "rings" (white lines across the nail) for each cycle I had! With paclitaxel, my toenails were painful and some lifted off the nail bed so I got infections underneath. Easily treatable with antibiotics but it has taken 8 months for them to recover. There are v different opinions on whether to use nail varnish during chemo.  I would advise against because I think it dries your nails out a bit making them more susceptible to damage, plus you need to be able to see them to check you are not developing any infections.  Other people, however, believe you should paint them to strengthen them! Do what feels right for you. ... View more

Neither - Doublebase is much better! Available at the pharmacy counter without prescription. Or you could ask your GP whether they can prescribe it so you can get free with cancer medical exemption certificate. ... View more

Sorry you found your visit to the GP upsetting.  He was obviously trying to empathise with you and reassure you that your reactions are normal but it came out wrong somehow! Oh dear, they try but I am amazed at how some medical professionals are talented at inadvertently upsetting patients.  But Oncologists are really good to talk to in my experience. I have anxiety esp medical phobia.  Not great when you have cancer! I have found counselling very helpful.  I also recommend yoga and reflexology - neither of which I would ever have tried before the BC.  Even a walk in the sunshine can be a tremendous mood lifter. Although I confess that on bad days I also buy shoes .... The anxiety will hopefully lessen for you over time as well. Take care xx ... View more

Hi Diane - sorry to hear you are going through this. There is a section of the form called Living with Secindary Breast Cancer which has threads on bone mets and lots of ladies who have the relevant experience to share with you. You might get a quicker response there. Sending you all best wishes. Xx ... View more

Is it lymphoedema you're worried about?  Your risk of getting it with SNB is extremely low indeed unless you are over-weight, much more over-weight than you are! Main risk factor for developing it is getting an infection in the arm.  Exercise and staying a healthy weight have been shown to reduce your risk of developing lymphoedema.  However, don't do repetitive training with weights after surgery without consulting your surgeon and BCN or Physiotherapist. Hope you can have the lumpectomy as that is a relatively simple op with not much down time afterwards. Xx ... View more

Don't worry about it but do make sure your onc team are fully aware of your lifestyle circumstances. They can prescribe drugs which bring your immune response back up again (Neulasta etc). They also give you emergency antibiotics to keep at home. My onc said the biggest infection risk for most people is themselves! So you can minimise the risk with good hygiene etc.  I travelled on crowded tube trains, went to the theatre, busy shopping centres etc all the time and I was fine. I have cats but was careful to wash my hands after touching them.  On the other hand someone else I know treated with a different type of chemo for a different type of cancer did suffer with infections but she already had asthma and other relevant health problems. Just make sure you also tell the onc team your full medical history, even things that may seem irrelevant to you. Worth asking your GP, Macmillan helpline, etc what other help you may be entitled to or can access locally? For the majority of people the chemo is merely a bit unpleasant - a bit like having jet lag all the time. Sending you all my best wishes xx ... View more

In case it is any reassurance, i finished chemo in February and now have lots of hair! Very curly, but lots of it - about 3 inches. And i have just started bleaching it with no problems. It's a tough time but you will come through it. Remember chemo also affects your moods and often causes mood swings and depression, which lifts when the chemo ends. Hang in there lovelies.  Xxx ... View more

It's a fun game this isn't it?  I am so sorry you are suffering these distressing side effects. If the hair isn't caused by chemo but def by Tamoxifen, then i think you should speak to your oncologist about it. Maybe there are other options for you. Sometimes you can get free laser hair removal at the hospital for medical hair over-growth issues.  I hope you find a solution.  Take care xx ... View more

I had that too after chemo.  It is definitely a thing - and they don't warn you about it!  It should resolve itself. If the dark hair persists, i would recommend laser hair removal but do go somewhere reputable not a beauty salon.   ... View more

Hi - sorry to hear you are going through this. I had mx and full node clearance in April and am also petrified of getting lymphoedema. Unfortunately i can't offer you any advice but i would be really interested to hear what the specialist advises after you have seem him/her if you are willing to share this info. Do you think it was caused by the flight to Jamaica - did you wear a sleeve on the flight?  I have had conflicting advice on this. Hopefully even if it is lymphoedema, it has been caught quickly and can be easily managed. I have been told by my surgeon that exercise and weight loss help prevent and keep under control so keep going with that. Thanks for sharing your experience. Best wishes xx ... View more

My surgeon said you really shouldn't have implant recon before radio.  I had DIEP (tummy flap) recon followed by radio.  There is still some risk of damage but much less - mine seems fine at the moment. It got a bit "sunburned" by the radio but recovered in a few weeks. I didn't want to go through more major surgery in a year's time so opted for immediate recon.  But if you prefer implant recon i think you'll have to wait. Best wishes.  ... View more

Hello - the cold cap tends to be more effective with paclitaxel than with FEC. I would say do try it - the first 10 minutes are unpleasant but after that you get used to it and it didn't really bother me. The main issue is that it will increase significantly the length of time in the chemo unit which is a pain if you have to go every week.  Paclitaxel also has somewhat different side effects from traditional FEC chemo. They administer it with steroids and anti-histamine so when you have the infusion it usually knocks you out for about an hour - i used to just sleep through it!  You should take a magazine to read because she may be out for the count! And your mum may feel drowsy for the rest of the day. But it doesn't usually make you feel sick and many people taking paclitaxel feel absolutely fine following an infusion.  Over the weeks, it makes you more tired as your blood count goes down.  It can give you an upset tummy.  You can get some bleeding in your nose and gums. The main problem is nail damage - which grows out eventually - and the risk of nerve damage in the hands and feet. She needs to avoid extreme temperature changes - no washing up in hot water, wear gloves if it is cold outside etc. The chemo can make your skin drier and more sensitive. Use plenty of hand cream, a plain unscented brand is usually best. Best thing is to come home from chemo to a bowl of home-cooked soup or similar. And lots of love makes the biggest difference.  Take care xx ... View more

I was lucky enough not to have any serious side effects with EC and could do most things.  However, i had much less energy than usual and i felt emotionally vulnerable. It felt a bit like being permanently jet-lagged or hungover.  I carried on working but part-time and often working from home.  Actually i think working can be good for you mentally if you are up to it physically.  It is good to feel normal and useful. The thing to remember is that if you have less energy and can only do e.g. 5 hours activity a day not 10, use those hours wisely!  Don't waste them on lengthy commuting etc.  Working from home is great because then you can take a rest if you need it or go for a walk to recharge batteries. Fresh air and exercise does help to maintain equilibrium.  I also found yoga helpful. As for office politics, i think cancer puts that **** into perspective! Best wishes for your journey.  Xx ... View more

Hello Megzy - so I have been told there are surgeons who are happy to do DIEP before radio and surgeons who aren't. To some extent you are where you are - you've had the DIEP and now radio is recommended - just try to go with the flow and don't let people scare you. I had DIEP at the beginning of April followed by 3 weeks of radio starting 20 June which was always planned. My surgeon thought it was an acceptable risk. I had "sunburn" on the DIEP "foob" for a few weeks and eventually some painless skin peeling in the crease underneath as new skin came through but nothing worse than that. The radio doesn't hurt and didn't make me feel ill at all.  The foob seems fine to me now. Seeing the plastic surgeon to have it checked over next week as routine but i haven't noticed any problems so far. Hopefully all will be well for you and you will have the added reassurance of knowing you had radio to mop up any rogue cells.  Best wishes. Xx ... View more

Ed - what a caring person you are. And also v sensible to ask the "experts" in having BC! Great advice from Mary. Unfortunately BC treatment can make you feel v unattractive, esp if you have mastectomy and/or chemo.  Continuing to make your partner feel attractive and loved during the treatment process (as I am sure you would anyway) is a massive help.  Don't shy away from looking at surgery scars etc and be clear that you still think her body is beautiful.  Try to still do romantic things together.  Dinners, flowers, trip to the theatre/cinema, maybe a night in a nice hotel. If she has chemo, she may feel emotionally fragile as a side effect of the chemicals. Understand these moods are chemical-induced and cannot be controlled by the patient. Do not let anyone tell her to "be positive" or other such "cheer up love" statements. If you can give or get some help with household chores that would be excellent.  Since having BC I get my shopping delivered and have hired a cleaner. I know not everyone can afford that but if you can I would recommend it.  I have also found counselling and yoga invaluable.  Best wishes. I am sure you will come out the other end stronger than ever.  ... View more

Hello Sib - as others say the good news is your type of cancer should respond to various drugs, greatly improving survival rate. If you have one node affected only, you will be a stage 2 (not stage 3 which is at least 4 lymph nodes affected) which is still early stage - maybe your tumour is grade 3 (which is a measure of how fast the tumour grows)?  If you do want to look at some bald statistics on prognosis, you can view the NHS's Predict website. You put in basic info from your path report and it gives you 5 and 10 year survival rates. Hopefully these are much better than you fear! Obviously statistics are a v blunt instrument and should be viewed with caution.  But this information might help you to have a further discussion with your consultant. Best of luck xx ... View more