Breast Cancer Care Forum

Hi Louise,  I also had a huge swelling on my wound site One week after surgery. It was a seroma hard and squelchy. That mostly gone now but I still have three hard lumps under the skin. Looks like a deformed boob but no one seems worried about it. They say it will go on its own. I just wish it would hurry up. Im also on Zolendronic acid every 6 months for 3 years. However I’m still having targeted therapy for her2 until August. 18 in total. Hope all goes well. Best wishes to everyone x ... View more

Hi Sunnybear I started Herceptin last July. Some people have flu like systems to begin with but for most the flu like symptoms get less severe or just go away. I also couldn’t stop eating but didn’t put on any weight. I did go walking everyday (2-3 miles) which also helped I think. Good luck BOD ... View more

Hi Louise We all seem to have slightly different treatment but I’m sure they know what they are doing. I had my first of 12 post op treatments today. Much better than docetaxol. My seroma is starting to shrink but still quite huge. Seeing Physiotherapist on Tues for help with cording. How are you getting on.  Has your daughter decided on her preferred uni. She’s done really well. You must be so proud  Take care all x ... View more

Hi Lucy good luck with the radiotherapy and anyone else who is having it. I was told yesterday that I don’t need radiotherapy. I’ve had 29 nodes removed and a full mastectomy. I am having 12 more sessions of Herceptin and  Perjeta. Anyone else having similar?  Good luck to everyone used almost finished active treatment.  ... View more

Will think about you tomorrow. Best wishes, BOD xx ... View more

Hi Louise,  Saw breast Care Nurse who confirmed I had large seroma  and cording. All very natural response by the body following surgery. The Doctor checked me too but decided against aspirating as it was likely to fill up again almost immediately. Also it could increase the risk of infection They will see me next week when my results are back. I am to go back if it gets hot and inflamed. I have been advised to continue massaging and doing the exercises to encourage the fluid to dissipate. Sure hope it starts going down soon.  I felt it was well worth getting them to look at it and I feel much happier now.  Best wishes xx ... View more

Hi Louise. I had exercises to do and saw physiotherapist 7 days after op. I was discharged as I found the exercises very easy to do. Not now though as I too have swelling spread to lymph area, back and upper arm.  The community nurse (phone conversation) advised me to massage to encourage the fluid to reabsorb. I am also using a cut off ankle sock as a makeshift compression bandage on my upper arm.  Best wishes x ... View more

Thanks Louise  will keep you posted  ... View more

Hi Louise I had my surgery on 19th November and have the same problem as you. My surgery wound is so swollen it’s larger than my other breast. I also think that I may have the beginning of cording. I am seeing the breast care nurses tomorrow but I would be interested in any information that you get about swelling on wound site.  Good luck and Best Wishes BOD  ... View more

Hi Zed51 I had my last docetaxol a week ago and my eyes are sore too. I find it very difficult to focus for many minutes but just glad to be on the next phase of this journey. I have my surgery on 19th November.  Good luck ... View more

Hi Lucylump, I have my last Herceptin, Perjeta, Docetaxol and Carboplatin due on 13th October. The rest of my treatment seems to be the same as yours. Good luck x ... View more

Hi Lucylump,  I’ve been on Herceptin, Perjeta and Docetaxol, along with Carboplatin from the start of my treatment andnoticed an almost immediate reduction in my huge lump. Herceptin and Perjeta are wonder drugs. good luck xxx ... View more

  Hi JulieME My original diagnosis was a mirror image of yours. I also am Her2+. I am currently halfway through my pre surgery treaty of  Herceptin, Perjeta, Taxotere and Carboplatin.  I have steroids the day before treatment for 3 days. I have loads of energy then when I finish the steroids I go very flat and tired. I  manage to go walking everyday as that does lift my tiredness briefly. I have 5 days of injections to target white blood cells. Then on about day 10 I start getting more energy back. My body’s fighting back.  Also my motions vary between constipation and diarrhoea so I try to manage that through diet ( not always successfully). Lots of vegetables, chicken and fish. Yesterday following a family get together where I ate beef burgers. chips etc and very little veg I spent a great deal of the night with the trots. Back to simple fair for me. Also the day before chemo I try to keep my food intake light as previous threads have indicated that an empty tummy helps stop the sickness.  Look at the targeted therapy threads. Good luck. message me if you want to ask anything else BOD ... View more

Frozen pineapple works too. Now trying grapes. Thanks.   I take clarity daily or rather supermarket loratadine which is the same drug but cheaper. I knocked it off last cycle and had bone pain. Don’t know how it works   Hope your liver stays good x ... View more

We do long forward to being poisoned don’t we. Well done x ... View more

Hi JulieMe,  my story is very similar to yours. Lumpectomy and reconstruction but following second biopsy show grade 3 lymph node involvement and a HER+ tumour as well as a large area of DCIS everything changed and I am now on pre surgery chemo and targeted therapy TCHP ( tacatel carboplatin Herceptin and Perjeta) . I had my 3rd cycle this week So half way through primary treatment before op and radiotherapy and more Herceptin for 12 cycles. Long road but worth it. As to your question about each treatment being similar mine have  have all been different. First cycle I was violently sick when I came off steroids. 2nd  time I changed tack with my prep. I had my last meal the day before by 6 pm and avoided all processed carbs. I also missed my yogurt and fruit as well as cereal the morning of chemo but did have a small homemade cup a soup as I needed food with my steroids. I think this cleared my tummy more quickly. Reading other threads a empty tum helps the waste  chemo to leave your system more quickly which helps with the sickness. Be aware of Constipation It can be much more difficult to treat than the trots. I try to keep regular with prunes etc but on chem day I take Dulcolax before bed which helped me. If I get bad trots I take a pill but also drink Lucozade sport the one that replaces the lost  electrolytes in your system. It worked so well I was able to go for a bike ride an hour later without being worried.  I do mainly keep everything in check by eating healthily. Oh and I also try to going walking as much as possible as that also makes me feel less shattered. I come back pleasantly weary and have a better rest. Gets rid of the feeling bad for me anyway. If I can’t get out I do some gentle dancing around but slow to how I was. Because of a computer crash at my Hospital I couldn’t se my Oncologist before my 2nd round of treatment but I have been given better ant- sickness drugs this time. They seem to working so far but I’ll see once the steroids leave my system later today.  I think our bodies all react differently to our personalised treatment but chem nurses and this marvellous forum have loads of help. I have many of the possible SE but very low grade as I try to preempt them by taking the prescribed pills and creaming well before the SE gets underway.  I seem to be doing ok but I am getting slightly more weary each time.  Hope your experience is not too bad best wishes BOD x ... View more

Hi chicken, Zed, Alviego and all,  Your treatment won’t be too bad ( I hope) Ive just had my 3rd cycle trastuzamab, pertuzamab and docetaxol which I have been on since the start of my treatment. I didn’t have EC . My chemo is Carboplatin. The targeted  drugs don’t seem to given me any horrendous side effect. Docetaxal seem to make me feel very nauseous and sick. I-have been on Ondasetron but on my 2nd cycle I felt nauseous for 10 days. I told my Oncologist who prescribed Emend ( tells your brain not to feel sick lol) for my 3rd cycle yesterday. It’s expensive so they don’t automatically prescribe it. I still take Ondasetron as well as that works on your tummy I think. So far I don’t feel too bad.  I also take steroids that cause constipation. Other drugs give me the trots. I do try to manage the effects with with diet, not always successfully so then the pills. If you get bad diarrhoea my chemo nurse advised drinking lucozade sports drink to replace the electrodes immediately after an episode. It seemed to work with me. Stopped the I’ll feeling very quickly. When I started the treatment I was told that they drip the drugs slowly so they can pick up on any adverse  reactions and sort it. You have a long break before the docetaxol so they can determine which drugs you react too. I dad my treatment over 2 days to start but Iwas still therefor nearly 7 hours. But if you seem okay they will let you leave earlier as long as you have someone with you just in case. Also I feel very lazy at times but if possible I try to go for a walk. It definitely makes me feel better for a while and then I have a better rest ( don’t feel soooo rotten just pleasantly weary.  Anyway Good luck with your new regime. I hope it goes as well as mine but just remember all these Nasty poisons are necessary to get rid of the nasty invaders Best wishes all, Bod xx ... View more

Hi LucyLump and all,  I have had 2 cycles of Taxotel, Carboplatin, Herceptin and Perjeta for HER2 tumour and I felt my lump stop growing after the 1st treatment and shrinking rapidly thereafter. It’s at least half the size it was 6 weeks ago. I have my 3rd treatment tomorrow and hope I won’t be able to feel it soon. Good luck with your treatments.  ... View more

Hi Lucylump,  I also have 3 days of steroids but starting 24 hours before treatment. I’ve had 2 rounds so far and each time I went from full of energy to very low and tired when I came off then. This time I felt more nauseous so am having Emend anti sickness next week.  Best wishes everyone  ... View more

Hi Kaytee, I might trying asking for different anti sickness. Have felt nauseous for 5 days now but no vomiting. Not nice  take care all  ... View more