Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hi Everyone,   😁 Just checking how you girls are? As for me, I am doing ok phased return's nearly over on my main job but I also have a tiny WFH gig too. As you know with the pandemic and recession, the construction industry is quiet atm hence hubby's sort of into switching jobs after a year of taking care of me (I feel like it is now my turn 😀 to look after the family)  I still have left arm weakness and cording  from surgery and radio which is my fault really as i am too lazy with exercise:( I have physio appointment next Tuesday so fingers and toes crossed they can crack this ropelike  💩 . I still have my bad days but in all fairness I just get on with it now. I had been discharged from my Macmillan Counsellor and I'm ok about it. I am still taking my happy pills but just a baby dose. How's things with you ladies? ... View more

Hi Daisy D, So sorry to hear about your furbaby 😢 And that you have had to have additional chemo. like Lisa and wolvesgirl I am also TNBC. Hang in there and keep your chin up, and just listen and be kind to your body. I thought I was doing fine until I’ve found out that my friend who dragged me through treatment giving me encouraging words all the time, she was rediagnosed a month ago that and finding out another Lady from the BCNow meetup has caused mental blip. They’re mothers like most of us and straight the indendication that this could be me was hard to fathom. Never took antidepressants not until now 😕 ... View more

Hey All! Sorry it took ages for me to reply,  I am trying out different avenues to bringing more cash in the household as hubby works in the construction industry which has been pants lately especially for self- employed people like him. And with my shielding, I can only get a flat wage and Wolvesgirl will know that unless you work overtime NHS pay isn't that awesome especially when you have a daughter who's attending Uni and a teenage boys who seems inhale the fridge in one go lol!  My mate and I decided to start up an ebay shop, also selling Scentsy and the most recent addition to my WFH gig is a 5 day contract as a call centre agent lol! Anyway Lisaloo, I know a few ladies from my facebook group who had residual cancer and had to have chemo post rads and they're doing well. One lady had residual cancer post cancer treatment like 1999 and she is way over remission and is just getting on with her life! And yes she's TNBC Stage 3 during diagnosis and back then there was less treatments available. Wolvegirl well done on your Mammo! So pleased for you JulieMe not long now:) SpottyCotty I hope they Breast Unit will be able to accommodate you real soon P.S. Had a bone scan midJune and it was all clear too. Also has anyone watched the BBC Panorama last night?   Anna x   ... View more

Good Morning All! First off good luck with your mammo today, Wolvesgirl! Shi, my onco said there are no drug trials yet for someone who had PCR like me and the  Capecitabine is for people who did not have a full response to neoadjuvant treatment? Although she did say she will let me know if there will be any trials I could participate on as soon as she hears from the grapevine. Well done, Lisaloo for getting into a trial tho, hopefully it will help them find another treatment pathway in the future. Spottycotty it is nice hearing from you too I know what you mean with shielding with kids tho, mine are 14 and 20 and I still feel the same and food cupboards are always bare. I have always been following the August group post as you lot are very positive and reading positivity got me through treatment. Recurrence I guess is one of biggest fear I have, I had bad joint pains 3 weeks ago and phoned my BCN whether its still chemo related, she contacted my Onco and they requested an xray and a bone scan which scared the crap out of me. But, it's all clear so I am well happy. I have started having weekly sessions with a MacMillan counsellor via Zoom two weeks ago and it is helping me realise my fears are justified but it is not a reality and to stop acting like a nurse lol. I will be 41 this Saturday and grateful to alive and cancer free, and taking each as it comes 🙂 Have a lovely day people! Sorry to hijack your thread lol ... View more

Hi I had a lumpectomy and Axillary node clearance they took 12 nodes out and all are cancer free cells, I had pathological complete response to chemo ❤️ But because I had lumpectomy and initially I had 3-4 fluffy nodes, and being TNBC, they recommended rads for 4 weeks but compacted into 3 weeks due to COVID. So they zap my boob, axilla and supraclavicular area which is the bottom of the neck x I am still fatigued it’s day 10 post final rads today.  ... View more

I’ve finished all my treatments thanks for asking. Any side effects? And what was the name of the trial? As I will mention it to my Onco xx ... View more

Hi All I’m from the Sept 20 group also following Lisaloo and Wolvesgirl as they are both TNBC like I am. And I find it awesome that you keep updates on here ❤️ Lisa, how comes you need to have extra chemo?  ... View more

Hi  @lisaloo79 wrote:   Hi Annagabanna   No need to apologise! We’re all here to help each other. Iv had mine the other way around. So Iv had 4 cycles of EC and just had cycle 2 of paclitaxel yesterday.  I don’t know how often your having your Ec? I had mine every 3 weeks. I found that I had a week we’re I just didn’t feel myself then 2 weeks of feeling ok. I was pretty lucky in that I didn’t really suffer with sickness and still haven’t so far 🤞🏽 Just drinking  lots of liquids and trying to make sure I eat properly. I found in the first week after EC I had a bit of a fuzzy headed feeling which I’m not having so far with the paclitaxel. How have you found the Paclitaxel? 12 weeks seems such a long time. Has it gone quick for you? I also still have surgery to have after chemo.  Lisa xxx Hi @lisaloo79 with weekly Paclitaxel I seem to have different sideeffects every week but manageable once I.e. joint/muscular cramps but is controlled by pain relief I normally take paracetamol first Day 3 before joint pains starts to show it’s ugly head. I barely take antisickness at home tbh so far maximum of 7 since week 1.  I am now on chemopause so hot flushes aren’t fun 🙈 But I still do yoga and walk dogs to help my WBC count. Cumulative fatigue is a pain but once you manage to get yourself up and crack on withstuff class it’s as winning. I also have surgery after lumpectomy if my gene test comes out not BRCA. then rads ❤️ You’re the second person this week on EC that I spoke too who said it didn’t bother them.  P.S. with Paclitaxel keep an eye on tingling of toes and fingers and always let your nurse know. I had a day of it last week on 3 fingers but it went so they were ok on the dose. Xx Anna @lisaloo79 wrote:   Hi Annagabanna   No need to apologise! We’re all here to help each other. Iv had mine the other way around. So Iv had 4 cycles of EC and just had cycle 2 of paclitaxel yesterday.  I don’t know how often your having your Ec? I had mine every 3 weeks. I found that I had a week we’re I just didn’t feel myself then 2 weeks of feeling ok. I was pretty lucky in that I didn’t really suffer with sickness and still haven’t so far 🤞🏽 Just drinking  lots of liquids and trying to make sure I eat properly. I found in the first week after EC I had a bit of a fuzzy headed feeling which I’m not having so far with the paclitaxel. How have you found the Paclitaxel? 12 weeks seems such a long time. Has it gone quick for you? I also still have surgery to have after chemo.  Lisa xxx   ... View more

From September 2019 group Like what Shi said I admire how everyone is so positive here ❤️ @lisaloo79 also TNBC diagnosed 21st of August. Approaching week 10 of Paclitaxel and last cycle of Carboplatin ❤️ I plan to go back to work after the last cycle of EC before. Surgery but my Oncologist seems to be unsure it’s poss. I’m a scrub nurse but my work will put me on admin duties.  I am dreading the EC which I start on December 😓 any tips? Sorry for hijacking your thread 🙈 @lisaloo79 wrote: Thank you Shi 😘 😘 and Spottycotty I Hope you enjoy your party and that your not to bad after your final one on Tuesday!  I too haven’t had any alcohol either. I’m sure it will taste all the better for not having any for so long!   take care everyone and I hope you all have a lovely weekend. Lisa xxx   ... View more

Hi All   Week 7 of Paclitaxel and Cycle 3 of Carboplatin last Friday. Side effects that I have had are minimal considering joint pains day3-5 and this week increase in fatigue and nausea. I am still able to go to my yoga classes, housework and take my boy to cinemas  but today I feel like meeeehhh so just on the settee feeling sorry for myself l. So sorry to hear that some of you had a few hospital stints xx ... View more

Hi Debbie   Sorry you find yourself on here. I was officially diagnosed 20th of August and started my chemotherapy September. I am on my 4th week now and so far doing ok. I also have my pants pulled so high attitude that it gave me a wedgie, but like what Jaybro and Mai said it is ok to have a blip. Mine came yesterday when I finally caught the dreaded throat infection 🙈 but my bloods are fine and no temp so chemo tomorrow is still ago 💪🏼 It made me upset as I felt like I let my body down but we’re all human afterall 😊 And when you’re diagnosed there are lots of help out there, you’ll be surprised how quick your GP sees you for every little concern.  And when you start chemo, chemo nurses are there to help you manage sideeffects and with any concerns.  Your breast cancer care nurse is also there to support as she will be your main key worker. I missed the microblading slot but managed to have my hair cut into a bob and was able to donate 2 braided 9” hair to the little princess trust. I am cold capping just experiencing a bit of shedding but I still have my hair 🙈   Cold capping is when they a saloon cap type on your head (-4 up to -15 degrees) in the attempt to preserve the hair follicles. It’s uncomfortable in the first 15 minutes but eases off afterwards.  an Stay away from Dr.  Google and try to look up Breast Cancer Now, NICE Guidelines for Breast Cancer (this is what our medical team uses as standard for treatment) and Macmillan Website too. Lastly trust your medical team and be kind to yourself when you hit a 💩 time ❤️ Anna xx ... View more

Good morning everyone! Had a busy end of the week. I attended the Young Women Together Event up in London and I have to say it was brilliant. Learnt so much from the speakers and met really lovely people. But I think the paclitaxel is catching up on me as woke up this morning with sore throat 😩 No temperature tho. I will have to chase up that difflam that I have asked for last week. I have a blood test this morning as it will be my carbo/paclitaxel dose this week. Hopefully LFTs should be ok. Have a great day people ❤️ ... View more

@Trijo I feel fine today. thank you Steroids 😂 So I am still coming as planned ❤️ Kath I'm from Basildon      Regards, Anna ... View more

@pinkflamingo I was actually looking forward to not having a period as I suffer from dysmenorrhea and abdo pain postmenses 😭 Saw my onco today and told her about my periods, she said to update her on my next chemo how I get on but she also said some women have multiple periods during chemo then premenopausal. As long as our FBC is fine especially the Hb ct it’s ok. I did ask whether I could supplement it with ferrous sulfate as suggested by one of the chemo nurses this morning (I had chemo AM, Onco PM), she said it causes constipation and black stool so not advisable.  But if you are passing numerous  clots via heavy period make sure you mention it to them as they will need to refer you to gynae (still sccdg to Onco). ... View more

Hi @Jencat I’m 40 so far I had 2 periods this month 😓 Chemo this morning then onco afternoon. I will ask her tho x ... View more

@trijo I’m the 2nd oldest but at the earliest part of my treatment 😂 My chemo is tomorrow I really hope I can make it as I’d love to meet you and the rest of the ladies ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ... View more