Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hi I finished 6x FEC in february and used every type of anti nausea going. I did use the wrist bands, which I had used when pregnant, and found they helped but not on their own. There are so many anti-emetics on the market and not all work for everyone so it is worth trying different ones to see if they work for you. My GP (fantastic man!!) wrote me up for every one available so I could try different ones if the ones the hospital gave me didn't work. The other thing you could try is concentrated ginger capsules (Hoffells is the best brand) Good luck Love s X ... View more

Hi I had chemo first and would definitely recommend it! As mentioned before, just being able to monitor what is happening the tumour is great. For me, the tumour disappeared to such an extent that I didn't need the op and went straight on to the radiotherapy - this was unexpected for everyone but what a bonus. I also felt that I had the chemo 'out of the way'. I am 37 and the tumour was 4cm to start Good luck with whatever you decide xx ... View more

There are so many anti-sickness drugs out there that should help to minimise the nausea. I was on ondansetron for a couple of doses and then metoclopramide three times a day. The GP wrote me up for more of the ondansetron (they are expensive so the hospital tend to be a bit tight with them) and the oncologist said to up the metocloprmide to two tablets four times daily. Before ondansetron came ontot the market they used to give enormous doses of metoclopramide. I also used domperidone suppositories. All of that helped but the side-effect of those drugs is constipation which I found more distressing so it was trying to fiddle around with the drugs until I got a decent balance!!! I hated the taste and soreness of my tongue which is why I have put on weight since I stopped chemo - everything tastes wonderful! Hope the rest of your treatment goes well Lots of hugs xx ... View more

Alendonic Acid can not be crushed or chewed and they are not available as a liquid. They have a coating on them which makes them easier to swallow. They have to be taken 30 minutes before food, preferably breakfast and you have to sit upright or stand for 30 minutes after. They have to be taken with plenty of water. The reason for all of this is that the can be very corrosive to the food pipe. I would give them a go before you dismiss the idea - you may not find them too bad to swallow, just a bit of a palavar!! The alternative usually prescribed is called Stontium which are ganules - usually given at bedtime as you have to avoid food for 2 hours either side of taken the dose. This tends to have more side-effects than alendronic acid and has to be taken daily rather than weekly. Hope this is of some use - its been some time since I put on my pharmacist head rather than my BC patient head!! Calcichew are ok to swallow as the are chewed but apparently have a horrible texture. good luck Siobhan ... View more

I started tamoxifen in may after chemo the rads and definitely have "chemo brain". I went out for lunch with a friend who is at the same stage as me and it was hilarious - the poor waitress was getting so fedup as we kept forgetting to chose from the menu. I'm hoping it improves as I don't feel ready to go back to work yet. I find it very frustrating but as long as no one tries to hurry me or guess what I'm trying to say I'm ok. I'm only 37 so this menopause thing has been a bit unexpected!! SiobhanX ... View more

yes, flying to ireland next weekend to surprise my mum for her birthday the person below me has a child who looks like an elf (chosen by my 7 yr old who looks like an elf!) ... View more

All the staff that I had were lovely but I did make a complaint about the guy that stank of cigarettes - not the best at close quarter when you are having treatment for cancer. I also didn't like when they talked over you as if you weren't there! Thankfully that was only a couple of sessions out of the 5 weeks. I work in the health service and find that things only change if complaints are actually made - maybe I'm just bolshy - but I refused to feel worse in an already vulnerable state! On a more positive note, I took great delight in letting my mum (mrs bucket clone) know that I now had tattoos to go with my skinhead! SiobhanX ... View more

Hi Sarah I was diagnosed in october and had chemo first. For me the respose was so good that the op was cancelled as there was no sign of the tumour - this all happened 1 hour before surgery due! Went on then to have 5 weeks of rads. In a way I felt it was good to get the chemo out of the way!! I'm now on tamoxifen and because of my age (37) and the fact I had no op, they are writing the rule book as they go along... I couldn't recommend it more highly!! Good luck SiobhanX ... View more

Yes, the last time I sang properly was at my brother wedding 3 weeks before diagnosis when life seemed so simple and I had lovely hair! the person below me likes football ... View more

Hi Mary, I found rads emotional as I had time to think. Normally, you try to keep as "active" as possible but suddenly having this thinking time imposed on me was hard. I also felt that it was such a strange position to lie in and the blisters etc were uncomfortable, but overall easier than chemo. BUT, I think we put such pressure on ourselves that it is easier, so what are we complaining about, and so I felt more guilty at being emotional during that time - OR it could just be the menopause kicking in!! Take care, SiobhanX ... View more

My husband and I now laugh at anyone who says the "you're so brave" line - but my personal favourite is "I wouldn't be able to do it" which we translate as "I'm glad its you not me!!" Even my 12 year old son says it to me to try to make me laugh, with genius comic timing! I had someone today say that my hair, (which personally I think is wonderful now at all of 1 cm long) could look ok if I "did something with it"!! She was very lucky that my hands were in my pockets at the time! SIobhanX ... View more

Hi Irene It could be that you are just doing too much, could be just a 'blip', could be a virus (tend to last weeks these days rather than days), could be heat, could be medical. I think the best thing is to have a general check/blood test at GP to rule out last then eliminate the others. Be gentle to yourself, one year isn't that long! xx ... View more

I didn't lose my hair until the second FEC although it did go thinner. Then I woke one morning and looked like Don King with it all matted so just kept brushing until it was nearly all out. My hubby cut the rest of it as it was quite painful - it felt like my hair was being pulled. I still had some hair left throughout and my kids named me 'peach' - which turned to 'coconut' when it started to grow back. Refused to have my head covered in my own house, unless I was cold, so delivery drivers faces were a picture! Women would look and automatically think "she's having chemo" but men would look in horror, obviously thinking "BALD WOMAN!!" Finished chemo in february and it is just beginning to look like a normal haircut now. All in all, I found the constipation more distressing than the hair loss, though I'm glad it is coming back!!! Look on the positives, I saved about £200 on haircuts/dyes over the last 6 months so spent it on handbags and shoes instead! SiobhanX ... View more

I finished chemo mid february and I had the first comment yesterday by someone who I had never met that they thought I had a very trendy haircut! I could have kissed the person!! Found it hardest about 5 weeks ago when I lost the "chemo look" and looked like I had possibly chosen this hairstyle and got some strange looks from people. Best thing is having eyelashes which are now long than I have ever had in my life! Now find the cropped hair quite liberating... ... View more

I'm a pharmacist - never thought that I would ever need the drugs that I made up in my very first job all those years ago! ... View more