Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hi ladies, Sorry I haven't been in touch for quite a while. Lots of side effects and additional problems... Had to see gynae several times due to extremely heavy bleeding for over 12 weeks... further tests showed cysts, fibroids and thickened lining but he doesn't want to do invasive treatment until cancer treatment finished.  This didn't help bloods...severely anaemia so had to agree to overnight stay in hospital and blood transfusions (or chemotherapy couldn't go ahead...levels were very much border line). Week later, district nurse wasn't happy about chest pain I was experiencing...go came, rang 999 and I had a ride in an ambulance.... diagnosed with blot clot in lung...so now on daily blood-thinning injections for 6 months. I thought the FEC was bad enough... but T is by far worse....seem to have all side effects going....nail pain, eye sight deteriorating, awful taste in mouth, ulcers, headaches, sickness, constipation for a few days after treatment followed by diarrhoea, piles (very sore due to diarrhoea.Sorry!)etc... And the bone pain is awful....worse and lasting longer than last time... on morphine liquid -takes a while to stop/ease the pain but then it returns after only 40 minutes. Up until this week I have always tried to be really positive but this week has been so bad...I have questioned whether I can actually continue like this...and now I have oral thrush!  My last cycle is on 24th November( hopefully)... and I am dreading it! Radiotherapy to follow  Also, read on another site that if you are on thinners for clot, they won't do reconstruction...Had left mastectomy before chem started so lopsided still... any one heard that on here?  ... View more

I may have been a little too hasty. Not had a good night last night, or day today. Bald head is cold and clammy, shivers and bone pain in Lower legs. Not felt like eating...which is so unlike me-I love my food.  Hoping tonight and tomorrow I start to improve. X ... View more

Hi. Firstly an update. No pain in chest and finding it much easier to breath. Heparin injections for 3-6 months but hey-ho.  Not sure if I mentioned last time but I have my mri scan in November on right boon to check for changes in 'dodgy looking area' on last scan. Surgeon did bring up double mx last time we spoke.   Had first cycle of T yesterday and the sickness hasn't been nearly as bad as with the FEC, thankfully. I had taken just 2 anti sickness pills...just in case but fingers crossed, I seem to be ok. Taste has gone off quicker though compared with the FEC.    No other side effects at present. Hope everyone has a better week/cycle this this time. X ... View more

Hi Ladies.   Yet another rubbish week. Woke up last Thursday with excruciating pain in left side of chest and difficulty breathing in...so painful.  Tried relaxing and shallow breathing. Waited for district nurse to flush picc line. She was worried about temperature and called for go to visit. GP came and rang 999, querying pneumonia, leukocyte sepsis or pulmonary embolism. Spent rest of day and evening in hospital. Xrays and bloods done and to stop the tranexamic acid as it causes clots-after almost 12 weeks of bleeding, I stopped 6 days ago (Hooray). CT scan to be arranged. Sent home with more injections to thin blood... just in case. Had CT scan this morning. Confirmed it is a blood clot on my lung and told to inject heparin for 3 months. Just worried now that I will start bleeding again because I have stopped taking tranexamic acid. ... View more

Update. Only just managed to have 3rd cycle due to bloods. It did go ahead but I needed admitting overnight for blood transfusion.... obviously, the constant bleeding doesn't help. Monday and Tuesday am spent at the hospital. In small overnight ward with 3 other women-one of who did nothing but cough all night. Needless to say, I have now got a bit of a chestnut cough. Could d Mr see doc today-no appt even though I rang at 9.30am. Got one for Monday (usually only allowed to make appt in the morning for that day). Hoping it doesn't get any worse. Temp up and down-37.0 to 37.8 yesterday.  Ended up back at gynae clinic and told to remain on the tranexamic acid until further notice. Also got appt to discuss next steps, the week before my final cycle starts, so I am hoping that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Worse week yet for feeling exhausted. Hope it's not as bad on the T cycles. On the plus side, I am half way through now... 😁 ... View more

Hello again. Quick update-oncologist said I could go ahead with round 3 but that I would have to have a blood transfusion within next couple of days (have to stay in overnight) due to plummeting hb levels. This is due to having 10 weeks of bleeding. Had to see gynae and have ultrasound scan - results a week later-informed I have cyst, fibroids and thickened lining. He doesn't want to do any further invasive investigation due to possible infection until chem has finished in December so it looks like radiotherapy and further investigations in January...oh the joys! Feeling like it's never going to end. X ... View more

Hopefully, 3rd cycle of FEC tomorrow - half way mark. To be followed by 3 cycles of T. Are the side effects/nausea the same for T?  ... View more

Hi ladies. I am having 6 cycles -3 x fec then 3x t. Had first cycle 11th August, followed by 2nd cycle on 1st Sept. I can stand blood and guts no problem but absolutely hate sickness. Needless to say, the nausea is my biggest problem. First cycle made me very sickly for about 6 days before I started to improve. Hair started falling around 17. Had signed up for Macmillan Brave the Shave but ended up having to have it shaved off a week earlier. Up to yet, raised around £700. Second cycle, sickness lasted round 8 days. Feeling much better now. Just hoping that the nausea doesn't last longer each time.  I have bloods taken the day before I am due the chemo by the district nurse. She comes round every Thursday to flush and change my picc. Round 3 due on 22nd...I will be half way through then. Should finish in time for Christmas but then having radiotherapy afterwards (proba bly in January-lovely birthday present, eh?).   Looking forward to my 'good week' now... x   ... View more