Breast Cancer Now Forum

It was so awesome to meet with my darling friends, who I cannot thank enough for helping me through this awful experience. The laughter we have had and the support has been so wonderful. To think how scared we all were last year and look at us this year, we never thought this day would arrive. ... View more

Hi Meesh,   I had my last radiotherapy at the end of July - I had 15 sessions.  Everything is all finished now, so it's just about getting back to normal which is getting easier everyday.  The radiotherapy did cause my mx site to become hard and lumpy and tender, but I'm learning to get use to it and voltarol 12hr works wonders.   My eyebrows were the last to go and unlike you,  I kept putting my makeup on (I had to go to work). This helped me as I had to fill in the gaps, so by the time my eyebrows went I knew which line to follow to draw them on.   I didn't cold cap as I researched it and it didn't have a very high success rate with FEC.  I had waist length curly hair - now my hair is about 1" 1/2 long and very curly, I look like I have a granny perm. Once I shaved my hair off, I was o.k. with being bald and had great fun opening the front door to delivery men with my bald head 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂   I got heartburn pills from the hospital to combat the acidey feeling and I am still taking them now.  I also, felt dizzy and nauseous for the first couple of days on each cycle - I just laid on the sofa until I was better, although I loved Saturdays as this was my steroid day before I crashed & burned.     Working was my focus - I loved being able to go in and have a normal life and I always treated myself by going to the cinema on the Tuesday before chemo on the Thursday.  ... View more

I didn't notice this thread when I answered before.  I did lose all the hair on my body including eyelashes, eyebrows and nose hair.  I was so pleased when my eyebrows grew back (about six weeks after my last chemo) as I was fed up drawing them on.  It's so nice now, not having running eyes and a runny nose.  And it was such a delight to put mascara on again - eyelashes were back after about 8 weeks.   My last chemo was on the 1 June, but my hair still fell out 18 days later, it only stopped falling out after this time. My normal routine was for my head to start aching around day 18 aching and then it would fall out.   I had all the horrible SE's to begin with, but they actually got less and less.  I would still have them, but they wouldn't last very long, maybe hours.  The worst was the achy bones, my body hurt and by the last chemo I was in bed from the Saturday until the Wednesday.  Then I got up on Thursday, exhausted but feeling normal.   The strange thing was that on day 21 after my last chemo, my nausea built up again, it was like my body hadn't realised I wasn't having another chemo.   I haven't bothered with wigs - I have about 20 different coloured scarves.  ... View more

Hi Lunat1c, I just wanted to say that I had my mx last December and I have lumps on my mx site. I went for a US on 3 October and they are just scar tissue. One of the lumps feels like a little ball and even though I know they said everything was fine, I still don't like that they are there. My lumps are quite high up as well. ... View more

Hi Ladies,   I have worked through chemo and radiotherapy.  I am now 4 weeks since my last rads treatment.   I managed to work 8am - 4:30pm and then have rads in the evening, I also drove myself.  I found it was the driving back and forth that made me the most tired, but I would come in and snooze on the sofa in the evening.   The worst thing about evening appointments was that I was never seen in time and could end up waiting 2 hours!   ... View more

Hi Michelle, I have had a mastectomy and have just completed 3 radiotherapy, with 12 more to go. I was told that as I had had a mx that they would target the whole chest area as well as my scar. So far, nothing has happened, although I was told it could get sore a lot further on. I was advised by the Nurse to use E45 to keep the area moisturised as the skin can get dry. But to make sure it wasn't on when I got to them. I have four tattoo's - 1 either side of my torso, 1 in the centre of my chest and 1 where my bra strap goes. I hope this helps. Susan   p.s. I have no idea what a shell is ... View more

Hi Melia,   The PICC lines goes in your arm vein and the tube goes up and around near your heart.  My chemo nurse told me the same that I had good veins and refused a PICC line.  I had my first chemo in my hand and it all went well.  But over the next 21 days my hand still hurt and my veins were purple.  I also saw pictures of ladies arms where the veins had collapsed after the 2nd chemo.  So I came on here and was advised to get one a.s.a.p.  I went to my Onc at the next meeting and he said yes straight away, I didn't even have to tell him why.  It was too late to book the PICC line so they had to use my hand on the side of my mx as I refused to let them use the one that was hurting.  They took 3 attempts to get it into that hand. After they put the line it, it has been a doddle and they can take bloods from it as well.     I didn't cold cap as when I researched it, it seems that cold capping doesn't work very well with FEC and I didn't want to stay there any longer than necesssary.  I was a bit emotional when I got my first bald patch, but when it came to cutting it short and shaving it off, I got hubby to do it, although I had to watch him do it in the mirror, I needed to see it come off.  We actually had a laugh while we did it.  My hair was down to my bum and curly.  I don't even bother with a wig, I just wear colourful scarves when I go out.   i have put a stone on, as the steroids make you hungry and you need to eat for the antisickness as well.  But like you I'm not bothered.   ... View more

Hi Melia,   My treatment is the same as yours - 6 x FEC.   Tomorrow is my last one, I had my first one on the 16 February.  I'm a sicky person at the best of times and I was really worried that I would have my head in a bucket.  But, I take 3 antisickness pills, + steroids + heartburn tablets and the chemo is doable.  I will feel queasy tomorrow and Friday, but it is manageable.  The steroids allow me to clean the house on the Saturday (I love the steroids, apart from the bright red face you get). Then I crash and burn on the Sunday.   After the first chemo, I was working from home on the Monday, but after the 4th one I couldn't work until the Tuesday and after the 5th it was the Wednesday.  My bones ache and I'm just so tired and dizzy I just can't get out the bed.  But, I have managed to go into my office on the day 12 until my next chemo day every time.   I did suffer from bleeding gums, swollen face, aching bones, sore mouth where it feels like sandpaper and really foul tastesbuds.  The hospital gave me a mouth wash and so far I haven't suffered with any ulcers.   The strange thing is that the side effects have got slightly better each time, they happen on day 5 and are gone by day 7, it's just the tiredness that has kept me in bed.   Some of my friends have had no side effects at all on FEC, one lady has even been ripping up carpets in her new house the day after.  My other friend went about her normal life as well.  We are all now finishing our last chemo's this week and can't believe we have finally got to the end.   I do have rads starting on the 5th July, but I was told that after chemo, rads are a breeze 😂 😂 😂   The one piece of advice that I would pass on that I got from the ladies on here is to ask for a PICC line as not many ladies manage to get to the end of FEC without having to have one.  I had one after my 2nd chemo and it was the best thing ever.   I hope this helps allay your fears - best of luck and I hope it all goes well for you.   Susan x     ... View more

Hi,   I had a mx, my lump was mobile, so not attached anywhere, so very clear margins. I had clear lymph nodes and no vascular invasion.  So I am cancer free.  But, I still had to have 6 x FEC (just had my fourth yesterday) and willl have radiotherapy afterwards, not sure how many yet.  This is all preventative treatment.     Everyone is so different.     ... View more

Hi Ladies, How different each hospital is? I was told to only take my temperature if I felt ill or if I needed to take paracetamol. I've had 3 FEC so far and have only taken my temperature 3 times as I needed to take Paracetamol for my bones. I have the Boots one. ... View more

Hi, I got a headache on day 14 after my chemo, it got worse through the day. I had shoulder length hair. I'd had enough by the evening and shaved it all off. It was amazing the pain went away immediately. Now my head gets tender and hurts if the odd bit of stubble gets too long, so I shave it off and the pain relief is immediate. The Onc told me that this was quite normal. Susan x ... View more

HI Laww3, I never felt ill, I couldn't believe I had BC. I worked right up to the day before my mastectomy. I then went back to work just under 4 weeks later. I then worked up to the day of my first chemo (6 weeks later) and now I work from day 6 - day 21 in between chemo's, my next chemo is on Thursday this week. I'm planning on working through radiotherapy as well if I can. I was never ill with the cancer only with the treatment. Susan x ... View more

It does get you down sometimes, we have enough to contend with at the moment without hurting as well.  I have a PICC line in and my skin has just blistered this morning underneath the dressing - this has really pissed me off 😂 😂 😂 😂 .  But, I keep reminding myself that this is only temporary and it will all get better and fade into memory.   I only had paracetamol after the op as the codiene upset my stomach so much, are you taking any painkillers Tracey?  ... View more

Hi Ladies,   I had a mx and SNB on 13th December last year and my SNB is still very painful and I still have a seroma.  I have told the Onc and he just said it wasn't unusual for it still to be hurting this far along.  My mx scar is a combination of numbness, tingling and tenderness, but I was told that this was normal as well. It also hurts more on my week of SE's during my chemo. (4th one next week).    Susan x ... View more

Hi AnnieA, I am triple negative and have had a mx. I didn't have any cancer in my lymph nodes or in my vascular system, so currently I am cancer free. I am having 6 x FEC (3 of which I have completed, the 4th is next week). Then I will have radiotherapy - all of this is preventative treatment as I will not be having any of the hormone drugs afterwards. This can be a plus, as there can be quite a few side effects whilst taking the hormone drugs which I will not have to contend with. My lump was 4.7cm and grade 3 (most TN are) - which I have been told responds very well to chemo. My Onc said that although there can be a high reocurrence in the first 5 years, after that it is rare that it returns. I don't worry that it is TN, who knows what the future holds, right now I am concentrating on getting through treatment, although luckily I am still able to continue working which helps me cope with all that is happening. Susan x ... View more

Hi Melia    I had a mastectomy on the 13 December and went back to work on 4 January.  I had a lot of bruising and slept sitting up for the first 3 nights, but I was only on paracetamol as the codeine hurt my stomach.  I was walking around doing chores on the 3rd day and like Alex I had a little heart shaped cushion under my arm which really helped.  I did get tired quickly to begin with.  I'm not having a reconstruction, as it doesn't bother me and I have a lovely false boob, which I don't bother wearing. I'm quite happy going around with only one boob. (Although I currently have a bald head as well as I'm going through chemo 😂 )   It is totally manageable and not as painful as I thought it would be.   Big hugs   Susan x ... View more

Hello Ladies,   I just wanted to let to let you know that I went to see the Oncologist today and asked him for a PICC line as I didn't want my arm compromised, as I am still working. He said yes straight away, which was lovely.   They don't have time to do it before tomorrow chemo, so it is going in before the next one. He is also allowing them to do the chemo tomorrow on my mx arm as the veins in my hand have already started to collapse on the other and are still painful. So, even though he had already said yes, when he looked at my hand, he said I would have needed one anyway.    Without the advice given here, I would never have thought to push for one - so again thank you.   Susan x ... View more

Hi Aine & Sue, Thank you both for your advice and support. I'm going to go in and demand a PICC line, cause as you say Sue, it's my only arm as I had a SNB. I have managed to work for the last two weeks and I don't want my hand or arm compromised. I have now order 4 hats and 7 scarves and watched loads of videos on how to tie them. I'm quite enjoying myself. Susan ... View more

Hi Sue, Just wanted to let you know that I am as bald as a babies bum now 😂 😂 😂 I had a dull headache start on Tuesday morning, it gradually got worse. It really hurt in the evening and my hair was coming out everywhere, so we had our pancakes and then cut and shaved my head. As soon as hubby had cut my hair off, the headache started to fade and by the time I had finished shaving, my headache was gone. Yesterday, was my best day since my 1st chemo. I was pain free, no side effects and no worries about my hair. I tied my scarf successfully and today I took the dog out for a walk and even though it was windy, my scarf stayed on 😂 😂 😂 Hugs Susan ... View more