Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hi ladies, Thank you so much for wishing me a happy birthday you are so kind. I have met some lovely ladies on this site that I hope will be friends for years to come. I’m having such a lovely day and are glad you my virtual friends are part of it xxxx   💓 love to you all xxxx ... View more

Hi Everyone, Thank you all for the birthday wishes, it’s kind of you x Cecilia, don’t sit there in pain, make sure you ring your unit, like the other ladies have said they will be able to help you.  Now my mum orders are over, hope everyone has a nice day, weather not too brill here but never is on my birthday so will make the most of the day anyway. Have a lovely day! Tara 😘   ... View more

Hi Cecilia, I am so sorry for the late reply, my phone did not alert me to your message for some reason. I too get tummy cramps and also pulsating in my bottom and lower back the day after my injections stop for a couple of days. I don’t know if you have children, but it reminds me of the early part of labour.  I take paracetamol and sit with a hot water bottle l, not too hot just tap water and this eases it. If it’s too bad might be worth ringing the unit to ask if you can use a gel like ibroprofen gel.  Hope this helps Oh check your temp before having pain relief in case of infection!  Love 💕 Tara xxx ... View more

Hi ladies, Butler, thanks for the birthday wishes. Sorry to hear you have not felt so well this time. I worry about that myself as some people say it gets harder the more you go through. I have detaxtol right at the end for 2 rounds, which I am a little worried about.  Cactus queen, My husband told me I would be a third if the way through when I had my last treatment and when I have my next one I will be half the way through. He keeps me positive and focused that way. I am quite young to have breast cancer but unfortunately it does not discriminate and there are men and women a lot younger than me that get it. I just tell it that I am not going anywhere. I have made it my mission to see my boys grow up and to look after my grandchildren. I will be happy with that! I w as talking with my mum about things the other day and I said that although I had cancer I would rather have it than my children have it and she agreed with what I said. Although I am young I have still had 36 years of life, some children don’t get that. My wig felt too hairy at first and most of the time I wear my bald head with pride but when I go out I do put it on and then as soon as I’m home take it off again. Maybe if it does not feel quite right your hair dresser could cut it for you?  Hope everyone has had a nice evening  Sleep well love Tara 😘           ... View more

Hi AmyC cheers to you. I’ll toast you with my vomit squash. I will pretend it’s wine. Love a glass of rose! This ain’t going to beat you either I will carry you with me!  Enjoy your evening the hammock soundS amazing! lots of 💕   Tara xxx ... View more

Hi Amy, I read about your diagnosis and could not go without responding. I have jumped in from the June chemo starters.  I have been diagnosed with TN breast cancer and are having 6 rounds of FEC-T. I am not going to lie I don’t know anything about secondary TN breast cancer but do know ladies that have weekly treatment for more advanced cancer and can say that from what I have been told the Se are not as bad. I think you may feel tired but as far as I am aware the sickness and nausea does not happen as much.   I can’t imagine what you are going through, but like Kate has said you have to trust your team. They are doing everything they can to ensure you live as long as possible. One person I have met in my journey is terminal and has children. They live their life to the full and to be honest if it wasn’t for meeting them on the chemo unit I would never have known.  I want to say that you have my support and I will be with you all the way holding your hand. You got this girl! You have to your a mum. So stick your middle finger up to it like I do and tell it your not taking me away from my child! I know that this is what all us mums do.  Good luck for Wednesday and for the other ladies that have chemo this week. Remember you are all warriors.  Lots of 💕   ... View more

Hi Horseylass and other ladies,  hope everyone is feeling okay today! Well done you on the 3 mile walk, wish I could do that. I get breathless just walking around my garden. Not sure what to suggest about your itchy head. Now that mine is almost all out I find coconut oil soothes it. Maybe you could use this now, but check first with your team.  Your tight it has been quiet in here for a few days hasn’t it? I have not been in because I had a really good day on Thursday, even managed to go out in the car and choose some new bathroom tiles. With a mask on of course and then Friday I was so tired, it was like it had knocked the stuffing out of me.  It’s my birthday tomorrow and had a few members of my family over yesterday for a little cream tea in the garden. Also for a couple of days I had forgot about the cancer. Being distracted was lovely. Sounds weird but ever time I think about having chemo again I get nauseous. It’s not that I am finding it bad just the thought of how I feel for the first couple of days after. Sometimes I think feeling sick is actually worse than being sick.  I found out last night that a friend of mine found a limo around the time I was diagnosed that was not cancerous but they were concerned from her ultrasound that there is tissue in her breast that could change to an aggressive cancer. I’m she had a mammogram Friday and is waiting for results. She is 39 a few years older than me but how common is this bloody disease?  On a brighter side the weather is beautiful here today so I have been in the garden, which makes me feel happy. Hope everyone else is enjoying the beautiful weather!  Lots of 💕   Tara xxx       ... View more

Sorry for the spelling errors. Fat  fingers and chemo brain lol xxx ... View more

Hi Sharon, Im Tara, I’m 36 years old with 2 boys 9 and 7. Youngest has Asperger syndrome. I was too was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer in the 20th March. Right at the start of lock down 😝 I had to have surgery first as it was not safe for me to have chemo with the virus. Had a lumpectomy with uplift on the 9th April, 19mm Lump removed and 2 lymph nodes, both clear. I am having 6 cycles of FEC-T every 3 weeks. I have had 2 FEC, have my third in the 23rd July. It’s been manageable so far!  Like Shi has said defiantly join the relevant threads as there is lots of help and support and you het to meet some lovely people which had been my saviour in all of this.    If you need any advice please let me know!  Tara XX  ... View more

Hi Ann, Sorry to heat about your treatment. I know how you feel just want to get through it as quickly as possible. Suppose it has to be sage to do so though. I myself feel really tired today. It’s hard gong but we will get there! Think a couple of other ladies had a delay which was gutting for them too. Hope everyone else is okay?  Lots of love  💕 Tara xxx ... View more

Hi ladies,  sorry have not been on much over last couple of days. Step son is driving me 😠    About the smell. I can smell it too. I put bio oil on my scar after a shower or bath and coconut oil in my head, but it’s not like sweat but a funny smell. My family say they can’t smell it either. Perhaps we are just sensitive to smells.  Hope everyone is okay today. Weather is nice.  Lots of love  Tara xxx ... View more

Hi Helen, Glad you have not been sick. That is like me I felt nauseous but not actually been sick.   My second infusion went well. My husband said I looked more well when I came out this time. A tip I learned this time. If you suck mints as they are giving you the chemo then the metallic taste is not as bad. My taste buds so far are not too effected touch wood. Last time I did not suck mints and the taste was awful for nearly 2 weeks afterwards. Just a mild mint, I had Murray mints. Also I took a paracetamol half an hour before I went to chemo and the sinus pain was not half has bad. I had the headache before I went to sleep on Thursday night but not half as bad as before. I have wretched a couple of times but not been sick.  I feel well to be honest. Hope it continues like this to be honest. I’m on FEC-T. Have 2 more infusions of FEC and then 2 T. Hope the side effects of this are not too bad.  Have a nice day!  Tara xx ... View more

Morning ladies, Ceilia and lam I have to agree with the other ladies comments, you go look beautiful. Isn’t it funny how perfectly round our heads are? I never expected that! Also how much we think we look like other members of our family?  Lam, I don’t know how you are working at the moment. Fair play and well done you!  Jo, I am sorry that your veins collapsed that must not have been a nice experience. I think the PICC line is a good option. Hope you start to feel well soon. Ann, you could be right about my step son as every time we have a dilemma in our house he can’t seem to cope and it’s like all attention has to be on him. It’s hard to try and ignore it but that is what I have to do. I have taken him to a councillor in the past who has told me that although he is really close to me he will do anything he can to try and get me to push him away like his mum did. He will get there in the end, but at this rate probably when he is 30!  Cactus queen, glad you are feeling better now. The first week can be a bit iffy with sickness.  Sun is shining here today Which is lovely to see. Hope everyone has a lovely day.  Sorry if I have people names or replies to your posts incorrect I am trying to remember who has said what they have and reply to all but chemo brain does make it difficult 😝    Love to you all 💕  Tara xx   ... View more

Hi Anna, I am also sorry to hear that you were sick. I have emend to take for the two days after chemo and steroids 3 times a day. I also have domperidone not sure that is spelt correctly. I take these 3 times a day if I feel sick.  It can be hard with the children. My hubby is here but he too works so you are doing a fab job! My two are oblivious to how I feel and still have their arguments etc. Just shows we are doing a good job at keeping things as normal as possible. My 18 year old step son is the worse. Very mouthy and he has just got himself a 24 year old girlfriend which has been a challenge. He disappears off and is not back when he says he will be so I worry he might have had an accident on his moped. My husband has told me to lock him out now, but I won’t do that. He also speaks to his girlfriend til 2 in the morning and it keeps me awake. Although we had to have a heart to heart on Thursday because he was sacked from work due to being tired in the job. He had a lot of issues from his mum abandoning him at 9. She did not want him only his sister. He does not have much respect for women. Feel like I do all I can for him and he could be a bit more courteous. But hey ho. Like I said things can’t seem too much different to them or they would behave more should we say?  I am so glad we have each other and can share our problems and experiences whenever we like. I have made some lovely friends on here.  thank you all  Tara xxx ... View more

Hi lam, You are not being morbid at all it’s just nice to feel close to people when we are feeling poorly ourselves. I totally get it! I too gave my hat on at the moment as my head goes cold. It’s like you have brain freeze when you get out of the shower 😝 I sometimes wear it to bed but have to be careful my head dies not get too hot. Sometimes when I lie my head on the pillow it is like stinging nettles. Mind you I think silk pillow cases are supposed to help.   I had a chemo pack off a  local charity called ‘balls to cancer’. In that there is a gel pillow in there as well as other goodies such as a disabled toilet key, not that we can use it at the moment and am travel sick hands. I might try the pillow later!  Tara xx ... View more

Hi  Horseylass, did you cold cap? Because if you did you may not have any hair loss. Mine started to come out bad at day 14. Like other said I suppose at least we know the chemo is working.  Lam, it would be nice if we could all live around the corner from each other wouldn’t it? It would be lovely to meet up for a cuppa and even something stronger when we are over this 😝    I totally understand what you mean about people not really knowing how you feel. People care so they have nice things to say to encourage us, but until your body feels it you realise that all you have ever been to people that have had cancer is a person of kind, positive words. I said to my mum the other day I don’t think I have had it too bad, especially not as bad as my Nan 26 years ago but I wonder how long it will take after the treatment for me to feel like me again.   I tend to work myself up before treatment which doesn’t help. On Thursday when I had my 2nd round it was 12 months to the day that my mums partner had a brain bleed and died at the age of 57. I was really dreading going to chemo Thursday but asked my mums partner to hold my hand in my mind and this really helped. It was not too bad. I know everyone has their own beliefs and I do not go to church and do not think that I am highly religious but I feel comfort in knowing I have the support of people dead and alive.  Sorry to be morbid but what I am trying to say is that if we grab strength from wherever we can get it we will get through this. You ladies are give me so much positivity and I truly thank you for this!  Tara xxx     ... View more

Hi Ann and Lam, Sorry I have not posted until today my head goes a little fuzzy after chemo and I find it hard to look at screen on phone. Hope you are okay Ann? It has been quiet in here hasn’t it?  Lam, it is hard when you have to shave off your hair. For me it was a relief because it just kept falling out and it was so hot on the day I did it I couldn’t stand it anymore. My husband was reluctant to do it as he thought I might cry. We have a funny relationship though and always tease each other so he laughed at me like he does and that mad me feel better. He said I look like my grandad Barry and calls me big, bad Baz now 😝 , however I can appreciate how it may have upset you. But remember it will grow back. It’s just hair! In the grand scheme of things it’s small with how strong you are being with your fight! You go girl x  My dad just came over to drop off my birthday cards and he said he would not be able to go through the treatment that I am. I told him I want to live so this is what I do. I sent my auntie a picture of my shaved head and it upset her my dad said. She has not spoken to me since the text but that is her problem not mine. I just wanted to let people see I’m good and feeling quite alright. I can do this! It is nice that you have your sister for support and I’m glad you feel you can chat to her.  Hope everyone else is feeling okay.   Tara xx   ... View more

Hi ladies, Hope everyone is feeling okay today.  I had my second round of fec Thursday. Side effects not too bad just feel a little nauseous, but sick meds seem to be keeping it at bay. Think my eyebrows are coming out now as my mum said they looked like they are thinner this morning. Not too worried though as I h Ac be big bushy ones normally 😝    I have got a slight rah on both arms, little round brownish dots that look dry. I have a similar rash in my belly and have had this before when I have been away on holiday. It looks like a sweat rash. I have no temp but will ring the unit to find out what it might be to see if I need some cream. The weather here is much cooler but it seems to help when it is cooler especially with sleep.    Have a good day all Tara xxx   ... View more

Hi Butler,  That is fantastic news. It’s the right way forward.  I have another 2 rounds of fec and then go I. To dotextol or whatever it is called. Fec se not been too bad so I hope the dotextol is the same.  Good luck and best wishes  Tara xx   ... View more

Hi Claudia, I know what you mean about children but used to you being away for so long. Mine are the same.  I just tell them that mummy is going to get her strong medicine so that the lump does not come back. It’s unfortunate that they have to be part or out journey but they will be so strong at the end.  Hope everything goes well with your treatment!  Sending lots of love 💕  Tara ... View more