Breast Cancer Care Forum

@Shi wrote: Zed for rads see if you are getting 15 + 5 boosters, and ask which bits are getting the rads, it differs for each of us, they can do chest wall and under arm etc they will know what you need and exactly what to do. You might have 3 small dot tattoos done so they can line you up on the machine, not all trusts do this but yours might. During rads I just wore a vest top with no seams from H&M under clothing and a kaftan thing at home to get air to skin. Ask about creams to use and I kept one in fridge at home and one in handbag for slapping on while out and about. Ask about using deodorant during rads too. I still drank lots of water and did have a sleep most afternoons too. Try and get a time slot that works for you too if you can the trust I was with arranged around the same time every day so keep that in mind if you are going on your own and having to park 😘 hope that helps a bit 💕💕✨✨Shi xx Thanks Shi that is all really helpful. Just good to have an idea before embark on this next bit. Have been so so tired this weekend think cumulative effect of all this stuff. Keep having to concentrate on the fact that it will get better in a week or so!  ... View more

Happy weekend from me too. Had my final chemo yesterday! Bye bye docetaxel! Now just the side effects to get over. Still have 15(?) doses of herceptin & pertuzumab thru IV every 3 weeks so no bell ringing yet but no more bloody chemo!! Whoop whoop. Radiotherapy consultant next week. Any ideas what I should ask about? Hope everyone else doing ok. Zxx ... View more

Thanks all for cinema advice! Went, very empty, saw Ad Astra, enjoyed it (more than my 18 year old did who was the one that instigated it!)  last docetaxel this coming Thursday. Bit worried about it. Should be fine after having it twice already & three lots of FEC. Am going slightly mad. Wish was also last herceptin & pertuzumab but they continue for months. At least not as debilitating as chemo. Good luck everyone having doses this week xx ... View more

Thanks Ruby. Think was being a bit over the top. Have been out other places eg restaurant in last couple of days so why not cinema ! Thanks x ... View more

Hi all  re the gene testing thing. I’ve had it (Nottingham) - not got BRCA gene but slight possibility of the PALB2 but they need look further after I’ve finished treatment. If I did have that they’d only really monitor me as much as they would normally after having BC. I was offered testing as my mum and my dad’s sister both died of BC in their 50s (however this was in 1980s so treatment v different). Think they’d just offer others in my family test if I was positive.  Also a silly question maybe - I’m on day 18 of three week cycle, people have said don’t go places like cinema due to infections but I really want go with my family this pm & looks like others of you have been braving it?! Am I being too cautious?! Zxx  ... View more

Hi everyone  how are you all doing?  On a positive note I have had 5 out of 6 chemo treatments. Still have to keep having herceptin for ages through I.V. visits but at least only one more chemo. Still have a bit of cold capped random hair. Don’t feel too ill.  However really really fed up with the taste thing though. Almost everything tastes like plastic. Keep thinking can find things that will be ok then get severely disappointed. Realised how important nice food normally is in my life! ☹️ Hopefully after a few weeks 🤞🤞🤞 hope you’re all ok xx ... View more

Chicken I’m on same stuff as you. Think I’ve lost taste of some things but not others? Very weird. Can’t be doing with cheese which is normally my go to food. No sickness but external skin soreness has now replaced the burning mouth & throat. Has that happened to you? Also feeling more tired than with FEC but maybe that’s the cumulative effect....  Hope all of you are enjoying the sunny breezy first day of September. Had a gentle dog walk with my crazy spaniel which lifted my spirits!  Take care allxxx ... View more

Chicken81 I love the pic. I’ve had 3xFEC and last week first herceptin & pertuzumab on Wednesday IV for couple of hours then had to stay on ward til 7pm make sure no reaction. Then docetaxel on Thursday. So same regime as you nearly except this time over 2 days & I'm having 4 in total. So had it a week ago & felt ok but tired, achy bones for a couple of days. Have now got very sore throat & mouth which hospital have given me mouthwash for & I’ve decided my diet should consist basically of chocolate mousse as can swallow that. Also sore skin. I need ask if the herceptin can be injection after chemo bit over but I was given the impression that with pertuzumab as well had to be IV?? But not sure keep getting different answers. Will ask next appointment. Guess you’ve had yours? Was it ok? Z x ... View more

Hey all. Such a hot day. Well done mini mad just read your post. Find it all so confusing all these different treatments we’re on. Ive just finished FEC & had my first herceptin, then docetaxel dose this week (and yes ended up chemo on birthday...) felt ok last couple of days but boy do my joints ache today! But only 2 more docetaxel then herceptin more long term but definitely feel over the hump! Any tips re achy bones apart from paracetamol??? 🦴  ... View more

Had two blood tests this week, neither were satisfactory so have been delayed on starting herceptin & docetaxel for a week. Don’t know whether to be pleased or angry! Think angry as if it’s exactly a week late I will be in hospital for my initial 6 hour Herceptin appointment on my 52nd birthday! What a treat  ... View more

Thanks for your kind & helpful words Ruby. Xxx loving the campervan. Ours is a newer T4 (still 20 years old ) but still got character & my husband, spaniel & I loved it. Kids too old / too cool to come with us! Looking forward to planning another spontaneous few days when we can next. Zx ... View more

Hi ladies. Guess I’m halfway through chemo as at end of round 3 of 6. Had a lovely few days away in Yorkshire with our newly acquired little campervan which was fab. Now back to the prospect of Herceptin on Thursday which means waiting 6 hours on ward afterwards to see if I have a reaction, then back on Friday for docetaxel (T). Feel ridiculously worried about it being new stuff after coping with FEC. Like starting all over again. Trying to concentrate on nice stuff tomorrow & Wednesday beforehand 😨 ... View more

Alvilajo - Nerja is beautiful- went a few years ago and is on my list to revisit!!  ... View more

Hi ladies. Think I’m a few days behind a couple of you so concentrating on remembering it is my down dip at the mo on day 6. Seem to have developed new SE of extreme clumsiness! Was already bad but now all over the place. Broke a dish already this morning 😱. Bad chemo brain. Feel very sluggish.  Interesting you are going swim class EnglishRose? I’d love to swim but been told pool too germy?? What have u been told I’d be really interested to hear. Feel like my face puffing up like a tennis ball 🎾 (not helped by hair loss) so anything active that I could manage would be nice to know. Thanks everyone Zoe xxxxx.    ... View more

Hi. Re hair: think am increasing my fetching bald patch after 3rd FEC. Still have lashes & brows 🤞  re constipation: dreading this again, have meds lined up, hopefully can avert it being as bad as last 2 times  re: proud of myself- went to @cancer5kYourWay in Nottingham today. Walked it only one loop so 2.5k but it was only 2 days after chemo! Met some lovely people.  Now on sofa planning a few days at seaside in my next good week. Happy weekend everyone x ... View more

hello everyone  just been dog walk at 9 and it’s boiling. Not looking forward to third chemo today in sweltering hospital  I looked up cheese the other day as wanted to know re paneer as my favourite curry. This was the most helpful thing I found:  https://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/resources/patient-information/cancer/diet-and-chemotherapy.pdf  And parmesan and paneer both on safe list!  ... View more

Yes Ruby I am. Docetaxel. Everyone pulls a face at that one. Haven’t read up on it yet til finished my FEC because just managing each bit at a time but have an uneasy feeling about the 3 lots of D!!! Zx ... View more

Hi all. My third FEC on Thursday so I’m trying cram in nice things again before grottiness sets in. Went Splendour on Saturday our local festival, met up with some friends I’ve known since I was 5 yesterday who are visiting on holiday, going Look Good Feel Better makeup session this pm. Being rubbish at applying makeup at the best of times it might teach me something after all these years of getting it wrong! My hair is cut to number 3 & seems to have stopped shedding but the sides completely gone so have been wearing hats etc when out. Also for sun reasons. Bought a turban type thing. Not confident in my scarf tying. Out for lunch tomorrow so shall wear that then! (Without the label hanging out the back though!)   ... View more

Chicken81 that is amazing well done!!  I might need some running tips. Was managing parkrun every week before this. Might try 5k your way cancer support group to get me back into it. Nowhere near your achievement- you should be so proud! Zx ... View more

EnglishRose I think we are experiencing everything at the same time. After a week pontificating about it my husband has just shaved my hair. Pillow was too full of it this morning. Baseball cap look at mo. 💖 xx ... View more