Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hi everyone   Hope you are all okay.   Had my 2nd chemo yesterday and was told that my bloods are Gold Star. Also given pre-emtive anti indigestion tabs to take every day as I bad indigestion so no rennies taken today. Nurse said that acid in the stomach is not good for us. So ask your nurse if you are having acid reflux.   Been putting off shaving off the hair as I'm wearing a nice turban all the time. When I do take it off I look a bit mad and the hair is all over the turban. So before I go to bed tonight it is coming off. Might put it out for the birds to make nests!!!   Any newbies we have a facebook page which you can find by looking for Julie Owen on the Broseley totally Locally facebook page. Send me a friends request and I will add you to the group. We are calledthe Fab February Girls but it is a closed group so you have to find it via me.   Lots of Love Jules 1 ... View more

Hi everyone   Hope you are all okay.   I have my 2nd chemo (FEC) tomorrow!   I've been okay after chemo 1 and my oncologist said I was likely to feel the same after chemo 2 & 3 so tiredness and indigestion but I can cope with that.   My hair is falling out at a great rate!!! Still trying to decide when to take it all off. I've bought a nice grey turban and I'm wearing it to get used to it and it stops me covering everything in hair!!!   Any newbies please come and join the facebook page. Find me Julie Owen via Broseley Totally Locally and I'll add you to the group where we share photos and other bits and pieces.   Love Jules1 ... View more

Hi everyone   Hope you are all okay. It's been nice seeing so many of you on the facebook group. 11 of us on there now so lots of photos being shared.   Good luck to anyone having chemo tomorrow or Thursday.   Jules1 ... View more

Morning everyone   Welcome to Sarah (if welcome is the right word!!!). None of us want to be on here. We have been planning for about 10 years to put our house in Shropshire on the market in 2017 (when I got to 60) and move to West Wales (to the sea). With some money from the sale we were buying a campervan and having a gap year all around the UK. All that totally put on hold.   I haven't noticed any hair loss yet. I use a non SLS soap to wash my hair (have done since May - not connected to BC at all) and I've stopped using a blow drier. I have a nice wig ready although I haven't taken it out of the box since I brought it home! I must try it again and get used to the feel of it.   Hop on to facebook and join our group if you do FB - find me Julie Owen via Broseley Totally Locally.   Love Jules 1 ... View more

Hi everyone   How are you all?   The facebook page has eight of us on there and it's lovely to see photos of you all with your families, dogs and cats. It won't replace this page but will be useful to add stuff and be able to private message if anyone is feeling really low.   I have a bit more energy today so feeling happy.   I'm reading a book by Sian Williams (Breakfast TV etc) about her double masectomy and dealing with all sorts of stressful situations. Some of it has been hard going and I was wondering why I was reading it but now I'm finding it good. I've been bought about 4 colouring books and pencils and there were times when I thought I should be doing  that instead LOL.   Keep strong girls - we are the Fab February Girls!   Anyone new please find our facebook page by looking for Broseley Totally Locally where you will find me - Julie Owen   Jules1 xxxxx ... View more

Morning everyone   Hope you are all okay today. Sunday so no appointment and no fecking fec going on!! Hope you are all able to spend a nice day doing whatever you love best today.   I've set up the facebook page so look for me via broseley totally locally - Julie Owen   Jules xxx ... View more

Hi everyone Sorry - been a bit absent for a few days. Hello to the new 'girls' too.   I've just been achy today and I'm tired but okay.   I can set up a secret facebook group but you will all need to Friend me so i can add you. Find me (Julie Owen) via Broseley Totally Locally   Jo your friend request seems to have gone - can you do it again.   I'll set a group up and we can all share photos and maybe some fun stuff too. Ann sent me a great email which i'll share with you on there.   Zena - I'm loving the badge idea. I must admit it is nice being waited on. Going down to my Mum's next weekend for more!! LOL   Love Juliexxxxx ... View more

Hi Everyone   Zena - sorry you are feeling so bad. Ann - hope it goes well tomorrow - I will be thinking of you. Jo - I've had a Friends Request on FB from a Joanne Coward - is that you?   I've had a bit of a mare today - despite so much fruit and veg etc and plenty of water I have been in so much pain with constipation. I had a Beauty/Pampering session with a group of new ladies and although it was good I felt so bad. Going to seriously take steps to avoid any more! Today is Day 7 so I will be taking stuff from now on! OH bought me some Aloe Vera Juice so will have some before bed along with tabs!   The abrupt oncologist I met a few weeks ago (a locum) has left! So my 1 week appointment is now next Wednesday instead. Hope this one will be nicer.   Hope you are all okay.   Julie ... View more

Re: Facebook - Ann and I have already hooked up and I think it's a good idea but not to replace this forum as some people don't do facebook. So as long as we also post and support on here but also share stuff on Facebook too.   I wouldn't want to leave anyone out. maybe we can create a private group - how can we find each other though? I run a comminity page called Broseley Totally Locally and you should be able to find that easily. If you search for Julie Owen you will find a million!!!   Let's see if we can hook up - I'll create a page and see who joins up.   Julie ... View more

Hi everyone   Still feeling okay apart from a bit of an odd feeling. Appetite is low so just eating the smaller healthy meals my OH is making. We are both feeling a bit emotional today but trying to do small sorting jobs and listening to music together.   I'm originally from Port Talbot, then lived 7 years in Brighton and now been in Shropshire for 30 years. I actually work as a Victorian woman in Blists Hill - the open air museum at Ironbridge. I'm off work for the duration though as there are too many school visits and the general public. I'm being treated in Shrewsbury at The Lingden Davies Centre which is very new and the team are very good.   I see my oncologist on Thursday to see how how I've been after week 1. He was very abrupt last time and upset us (and the nurse) but I will be ready for that on Thursday.   I've been talking to Ann (Cardiff) on Facebook as she hasn't got internet but is able to use her phone. She's got her first chemo on Thursday so is one week behind me.   Lots of love to you all   Jules ... View more

Hi Everyone   Still feeling okay but have a slight odd feeling today which I can't explain. Just a bit wobbly, I suppose. I also have indigestion all the time and going through Rennies like sweets!   Still keeping my charts going so feel in control and getting better at the steroid injections.   Just had a weight watchers chicken soup for lunch which was just enough and good for my soul. Spent most of the morning laying on the sofa listening to a CD of sea sounds and it helped.   Hope you are all okay today.   Love Jules xxxxx ... View more

Hi everyone   I'm finding this forum really helpful. It's good to read your tips etc.   I made myself a spreadsheet for my temperature, water intake, each drug and injection, excercise and bowel 'activity'. I keep it in a small basket with all the tabs and theromometer and I feel in control.   I've also done a spreadsheet of all the appointments and colour coded low immunity days etc. So I'm planning a few days at my Mum's on my 'green' week - she lives by the coast in West Wales so maybe some nice sea air will do me good.   Hope you all have a reasonable Sunday and are ready for appointments this week.   Onwards and upwards!!!   Julie xxxx ... View more

Hi I'm still feeling okay - no sickness and I managed my first steroid injection which I was dreading. It was okay.   I've been out for a 40 minute walk but now I feel a bit odd - not sure how to explain it.   I wake a lot at night and sometimes read and I nap during the day a little. Managing to do some family history research and watching all the DVD's we haven't got around to watching. OH is still making healthy meals and I'm managing small portions. I hope to have lost a few pounds but I'm worried about the effect the steroids will have. Does anyone know if they cause weight gain? I hope not.   Hope you are all okay.   Best Wishes   Jules ... View more

Ann   I am also 60 years old and have just had my first chemo (yesterday) - I know it's early days but I feel fine.   I was 60 in December and our plan for 2017 was to sell our house and move to West Wales. We are both Welsh and want to live near the sea and in Wales. We also planned to buy a camper van and take a gap year once the house was sorted. So all that has been put on hold as I had the recall letter 3 days after my 60th (family party at St Fagan's!).   I suppose what I'm saying is that we have to deal with what is thrown at us. I've never been ill so have never done the whole medical thing/waiting rooms/specialists etc.   The chemo was much easier than I expected and I hope it will be for you too. My email is julieowen@uwclub.net if you want to keep in touch more easily. We can get through this together.   Love Julie xxxx ... View more

Day two and I've had a good day. Been for a walk in the fresh air, did some more family history, some household chores, a bit of telly and a cheeky nap in the afternoon.   The anti sickness drugs are obviously making a huge difference to how I feel. Opened the door this afternoon to two beautiful flower arrangements so that's five vases full over the last week. The ones this afternoon were from work along with a card with masses of messages. Great to know there are so many people rooting for us. I'm keeping up with a bit of facebook too.   Tomorrow I do my first ever injection into my flabby belly. Not looking forward to that at all.   I've been eating masses of roasted veg with either fish, chicken or haloumi cheese with tumeric and black pepper. I feel like I'm eating goodness. Also had home-made lentil and veg soup for lunch (also with tumeric). I have spicy green tea with a spoonful of manukka honey each day too. Oh and a very high fibre breakfast of all bran, apricots, raisins, linseeds and chopped walnuts. So I hope I won't be needing any Senna stuff.   Also had a phonecall from Macmillan to say I have a free 2 hour beauty/pampering session next Wednesday. Apparently I will come away with a goody bag too.   So I'm feeling positive and hope you are okay Zena and all other February starters. We are all having different treatments for different types of breast cancer but the NHS and Macmillan are looking after us amazingly.   Love to you all. Jules ... View more

Hi Everyone Had my first FEC-T chemo today. The nurse was wonderful and it was easier than expected. I have no sickness as I have tablets for that. Actually I seem to have tablets for everything (mostly sickness and bowel related!) and I have to inject myself from day 3 to 10. Never done that before so should be interesting!!!   I'm having 3 FEC-T and then a CT scan and then 3 more sessions (unless the scan shows something they didn't expect). Then I have surgery to remove the area.   I got the recall letter 3 days after my 60th birthday and have a few nice treats I was bought to look forward to. Really hoping I'll be well enough to do them all.   Our NHS in Shropshire provides a wig and has an arrangement with a posh salon. The woman there was fab and she has a whole top floor dedicated to the wig service. I tried on 4 but couldn't decide between two of them so she ordered both in my colour. I chose one (called Dixie) yesterday. She said they are about £250 but it was free for me so I'm hoping to look okay.   I also need to lose about 2 (oh okay more like 3) stone to be a healthy weight and I'm hoping the steroids don't make me gain. I eat healthy meals but I'm bad at eating extra at family events or in the evenings!!!   So I'm feeling okay on Day 1 and my OH is doing everything! I commented today that I don't know how all you women that have children or elderly parents to care for are coping. I hope you all have good OH's and friends/family too. It's enough to be looking after ourselves! On the other hand I dont suppose you have much time to overthink stuff!   Thank you all for being out there. I know each treatment regime is different but it helps to read your tips and thoughts. This is all so alien to me as I've been fit and healthy and not had kids so very little doctor/hospital action in my 60 years!!!   Best wishes to you all. Jules ... View more

I'm having my first chemo session tomorrow (thurs 26th) so I've joined this thread. I've tried to read stuff and all my family have been great so I feel as prepared as I can be. Collected my wig today too.   I've not really been ill throughout mt life (60 years!) and haven't had children so all this hospital stuff has been completely new to me. I'm hoping I won't be too much of a wuss tomorrow. My OH is being fantastic and we almost feel like we are preparing for a siege.   The Lingden Davies Centre in Shrewsbury is almost brand new and all the staff have been great so far (apart from one oncologist who was so abrupt) so I'm feeling positive. ... View more

Hi - not been on for a few days - now had the CT scan, a visit to the Chemo Centre and the breast marker thing put in. The locum oncologist was a bit abrupt but my specialist nurse was fab! Have my next visit (for intro and video etc) on 23rd Jan and 1st chemo that week.   A friend told me to look up tumeric - what does everyone think? There are tumeric capsules and some evidence that they are good for all sorts of stuff including cancer. Is this something I should consider?   I have been using a soap with no sodium laurel sulphate all last year (not connected to my cancer) but it is wonderful as my skin is no longer dry. My hair is also thicker and less fly away (at the moment, I have some!). It's sold by onevillage.co.uk and I use it instead of shampoo and shower gel 9and don't need conditioner). For women going through radiotherapy this may help as SLS are not recommended. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ... View more

Thank you - I feel your support Ladybowler. You will keep me strong through this xxxx ... View more