Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hello Felippe hope you’re doing ok. I had my ovaries removed (BRCA2) in July and for the first 6 weeks was awful with hot flashes and at night was worse. I have the bedroom window fully open and just have cotton flat sheet over me instead of the quilt (I push it all onto hubby 😂 ). But now my body has found it’s balance and I’m much better, they’ve not stopped but manageable. I do know you can have anti-depressant that deals with hot flashes instead of hrt because I was offered these, although not what they are meant for but one of the benefits of them so maybe mention this to your GP. I just waited a few more weeks instead of more meds and it’s finally subsided for me. Hope this helps and good luck 💕 💕 ... View more

Hi I know what you mean it’s as though everything we feel is a reoccurrence. I’ve a bone scan scheduled next Friday following aches in collar bone and back so feeling the scanxiety with you. But we should stay positive because it’s going to be good news after our scans. Good luck be thinking of you 👍 💕 ... View more

Hi yes I contacted PreScan about a body MRI, at first they said no because I’d just had recent breast surgery etc. Then I spoke direct to one of their Dr’s and explained I want a screening programme he suggested bi-annually or every 3 years. I don’t want to rely on ‘maybe or maybe not’ missing a sign of reoccurrence then waiting 2-3 months for a scan if I can get past the GP receptionist and then convince the GP!! I understand my GPs thinks it could throw up other concerns, but I’m the one who feels like I’m a ticking time bomb! And I’m only interested in cancer. So I don’t really care what they think tbh, I’m doing it knowing I’ve done all I can.  Re the bone injections I thought for me was easy compared to chemo no side effects and I’m due my second in October. Good luck and take care and do what you need to do 👍 💕 💕 ... View more

Hi Clare I've just read your post and I’m at the same stage as you and discovered no screening for high risk etc. I’m BrCa 2 and realised there’s no screening, even for the other cancers they know BrCa can bring🤷‍ ♂️ . Although I have managed to source in UK a body MRI bi-annually privately which I know will help me mentally that I’m doing all I can to catch anything early. The Dr said it won’t find anything less than 7mm but he’s ok with setting up a screening programme for me every 2 years and completely understood the dilemma we face in UK.  At the end of the day it’s the cost of a holiday abroad that I’ve not had for 2 years 😜 . It could throw up other issues but i can handle other issues as long as it’s not ‘C’.  I hope you manage to move forward with finishing treatment and completely agree it’s the sit and wait that is the hardest journey 💕 take care xxx ... View more

Hi Ladies  sorry for not posting for so long it’s been full on! Long story short I had my ovaries removed which was a blessing because I was fed up of having monthly zoladex injections and tbh I’m 55 now so really didn’t need them anymore 😂 . I’m also having bone infusions every 6 months but if it keeps those pesky C cells away them I’m good with that. I agree with lots of you it’s mentally trying to process what we are still going through! I’ve really struggled with it, I keep thinking it’s still growing somewhere and can’t move on. I’m seeing the oncology phycologist apparently every unit has a phycologist attached to their centre. Apparently the biggest concern when finishing treatment is the fear of it returning. I’ve been coping ok with chemo weight bc I’ve joined slimming world again just to get me back on track. It’s been great nobody knows I’ve gone through treatment it’s a different circle of people so I can just be normal and I’m sat with a wig on 😂 !! Hair has been slooooow growing but I could get away with a curly ‘Mavis Riley’ 😳 . Anyway I’m going for a Sharon Stone pixi in November look it up it’s ideal for growing chemo hair according to my hairdresser who specialises in cancer hair growth and wigs etc (who knew this was a profession). Anyway ladies I’m going to keep coming back on here because we haven’t finished and mentally it’s a challenge and probably our hardest part 💪🏻 👊 keep posting bc I love to read updates and speak soon 🥰 💕 💕 xx ... View more

Hi All I agree with MayC radio can run over especially if they bring patients down from wards this can have a knock on effect through the  day so tried for morning slots! I’ve finished rads now, just had 5 high dose boosters on new programme instead of 15 so was over quick. I found over the past 6/7 weeks my breast skin has got tougher and the breast itself slightly smaller. I use E45 cream at least twice a day, I get this on prescription now on repeat not sure if you ladies use it but my GP prescribed for my slight lymphodema to protect the skin from cellulitis if you’ve had axillary clearance. I’m just waiting for bilateral MX with DIEP recon due to BrCa 2 which was found after lumpectomy but I’m cancer free which is great. Had my ovaries and F tubes out yesterday as BrCAa preventative and feeling good just taking plenty of pain meds. I see every procedure as a doddle compared to chemo. Hope everyone ids doing good and starting to feel a little bit more normal. This time last year some of us didn’t even know we had the C!! Amazing how far we’ve all come 🥰 💕 💕 ... View more

Hi Ladies I’ve not been on here for a while I think life just took over. It looks like we’re all finally seeing the end of treatments, it’s been a journey I wouldn’t want to do again. I’ve finished my radiotherapy I had 5 intense sessions instead of 15, apparently it’s a new study that the benefits are the same but over a shorter period of days. I’ve also had my first Bone infusion every 6 months for 3 years, all good apart from major bone aches for the first week so with that and the Letrozol I felt about 90 🤣 . But now apart from taking a while to loosen up in a morning I’m feeling great. It’s great to hear you’re all coming to the end and starting to slowly live normally again. I’m due to have a mastectomy with DIEP later this year, not to treat the cancer as I had a lumpectomy but to reduce my risk because I’ve the BRCA gene so it’s by choice. So I’m getting fit and ready for it. Hope you’re all enjoying the new covid freedoms and getting out and about 🌞 😃 xx ... View more

Sadly it’s a rollercoaster we can’t ever get off! Ask questions and pin your Onco down on treatments moving forward. If you have any unusual aches or pains anywhere not just in the breast area that you can’t explain ask for a CT scan your Onco or GP will arrange usually on a fast track. Your team will be super vigilant now so don’t ever think you’re wasting their time 💕 ... View more

Hi Marblecake22 sorry to hear the chemo didn’t work as well as you’d expected. I’m also a high risk for reoccurrence with 10 positive nodes out of 22. I’m just doing my radio to neck and chest the 1st one was today (Im actually pleased to be started on my rads which is super sad 🥴 🤣 ) then Bisphosphonate infusions for 3 years to ward off reoccurrence in the bones along with the lovely Letrozol 😫 which tbh I’m managing ok with.  My Onco said although I’m higher risk she’s personally had many ladies with heavy lymph positive go way past 15 years!! Bc we’re high risk they tend to throw everything at us. I knew with 10 lymph’s it’s not the best diagnosis but I’m glad they’ve found them and they’re out!! I hope you don’t have a 3 hour round trip but remember those rads are super strong and it’s zapping anything still lurking around! It’s hard now but come summer ☀️ we’ll look back and think physically it was tough, but really how did we get through it mentally because we all think the worst, especially at the 3am hot flush or 4am wide awake club 🥴 Keep us posted on your rads you can do it - I’ll be thinking of you 💕 ... View more

Sorry Aqua76 you’re feeling rough on taxol it’s a beast I thought the same that FEC would be the worst! It completely wiped me out and took a lot longer to recover, my Onco reduced my dose slightly for my second cycle, I still had side effects but not like the first cycle 😩 . I hope your next cycle is kinder 💕 💕 ... View more

Hi Smiledon Hope you’re doing ok with the nausea, just a word of causation on the Ordansetron it can make you constipated. My Onc stopped this med in favour of Metoclopramide which I could take ‘as and when’ I started to get the nausea feeling it was great and no side effects 👍 . Hope your mri went ok 💕 ... View more

Hi Feline friendly hope the funeral goes as well as can be expected 💕 . I lose my taste mid chemo cycle for about 4 days. I eat plenty of fresh pineapple it’s one of the only things I can taste it’s also really good for sore mouth because of the enzymes in it, my oncologist recommended it. Also with your fruit if you have berries etc cut small and Crush a merengue nest on top with some vanilla ice cream and runny honey. It’s a sweet treat overload but you can just taste it 👍 . Stay strong 💕 💕 x ... View more

Hi Felippe Im on day 9 and the horror bowel cramps came again so it looks like it’s a taxol certain for me. It was manageable with rocking and deep breathing but it literally wiped me out afterwards and my temp is on the increase my face looks like a Oompa Loompa. I know though now it’s done my body will balance itself back to normalish! Sorry it’s not better news but you might process this cycle better, otherwise get prepared you know it’s coming and you can do it. We’ll get through this, each cycle throws things at us and we bounce back 💕 💕 🥰 ... View more

Hi Felippe sorry to hear the Taxol is being a beast. I’m now on day 8 of the 2nd cycle, but the Onco did reduce the dose slightly which seems to have worked for me, she offered weekly chemo but I prefer the 3 Weekly the less I’m in there the better. The stomach cramps have not returned yet!!! But I have been taking movicol constantly twice a day to try and move my bowels little but often since day 1, I’m hoping it’s done the trick. Like you the cramps last time to empty my bowels was horrendous but once done was like I’d detoxed 😳 I know I’m at ‘Nadir’ now because I can’t taste anything, I’m just sleeping and I’m constantly applying moisture to my hands and feet and searching the fridge for something to taste!! Once I reach day 10 Felippe I’ll let you know if it returned 👍 if it doesn’t then movicol is the ‘go to’  I’m hoping the next 2/3 days are kind. Take care and stay safe 💕 💕 ... View more

Hi MayC i had my vax last Sunday but I had on PICC side then had my chemo on the Tuesday. Onco advised the week before chemo for me. We must all have different reactions because I’ve been fine apart from an ache where the injection went in and a bit tired on the first night.  I was worried if I’d get a late reaction after chemo went on Tuesday but it’s just the usual chemo after effects. Hopefully it’ll all settle down for you MayC it’s a lot for your body to process chemo and vax, but like you I’m glad I’ve had it. My top up is April so I’ll be out of chemo by then 💃🏼 🕺 . Take care 💕 💕 ... View more

Feline friendly sad news about your dad I hope you can stay strong and get through this. It’s a lot to accept in such a short time, everyone will be thinking of you stay positive 🙏 💕 ... View more

Hi all just a quick update now I’ve done 1st docetaxol and I’m now at day 17. The first 4 days was a doddle then it was as if I’d been run over by a bus worse for me than FEC. Sugarpiesan all the things you described was the same for me and I agree the WBC injection make it worse, but you’ll get through.  Then at ‘nadir’ when all your immune system has gone between day 7 and 10 my body just offloaded everything into the loo with lots of stomach cramps, but then slowly my own immune system starts to come back and each day I felt a bit better. I’m now on day 17 and feel normal I can taste my food and the pains have gone but it’s a lot slower to leave my body than FEC it’s a real beast. My next cycle is Tuesday but I know what to expect and I’m hoping they will lower the dose. We’re all nearly at the end of this crap that we can see spring time and sunshine, stay strong and make sure you eat nutritional foods to build your body back up after these wipe-outs - stay safe we’re nearly there 💕 💕 💕 ... View more

Hi ladies hope you’re all getting through this with as few side effects as possible. I had my PICC line fitted its amazing so easy I wish I’d had it done from the beginning and saved my poor veins crashing and now cording from the cannula but better late than never. I had my 1st cycle Taxol now the FEC is finished and so far so good. Although they’d forgotten to give me steroids for the day before the cycle, luckily I was having bloods done the day before so had to take 8 that day. It was all a bit confusing but the pharmacist in the hospital was great and explained it all. I’m on day 3 and apart from hot flushes I’m feeling ok but I have been doing 8 steroids for the past 3 days which keeps me active I start the dreaded 5 day WBC injection today which I find awful and days 5/6 are usually hard for me. But I was expecting to feel worse on T so I’m quite pleased onwards and upwards only 2 cycles left to go and apparently my friend says I’m not allowed to count the last one 🤣 . Hope your cycles are going ok and if any of you are moving into Taxol my experience (so far) early days has been good. Stay safe ladies and stay positive 💕 💕   ... View more

Hi Smiloden  Do some research on choices and be informed so you can make the choice that’s right for you. I first had surgery lumpectomy and full Axillary clearance of 22 of which 10 nodes infected. My surgeon was pleased I’d chosen lumpectomy but I’ve since realised I think this is more down to cost as there’s little reconstruction.  However since my Op I had a private genetic test after surgery for BRCA with color.com  (just a niggling feeling because dad had bc) and on nhs there wasn’t enough family with previous BC to warrant the test.  Anyway long story short I’m carrying the gene so after chemo I’m having double Mx and probably DIEP, I’m not taking any chances and my Onc Agee’s and has already told the surgeon who has just sent an appointment to see him 1 week after last chemo in Feb. I was of the same opinion as you originally to get this over with but since doing the research I’m going to take the long haul. But you decide and make your choice for you, your Oncologist knows this disease inside out and your BC nurse will want you to make sure your fully informed on your choices. Sorry to hear your wound is being awkward and not healing, things are so slow at healing when we’re on chemo. Good luck with your choices 🥰 💕 ... View more

Hi MayC sorry to hear about your experiences at the hospital, I also sometimes feel as though I’m just a number and a burden especially if they’re running late as if it’s my fault. Fortunately I’m starting to be more forward in my approach with the nursing staff and Dr’s  I don’t feel comfortable being like it but I really don’t care anymore. I’m finally having my PICC fitted on 13th after lots of calls and ‘stand offs’ with staff. I’ll be using your tights idea for covering the PICC, I’ve got plenty since not going into work for months now. Now you’ve mentioned about flushing I’ll have to see what they have planned for after it’s fitted, if it has to be done weekly I’ll probably just drive to our cancer centre it’s only 10 mins away so that’s ok for me.  Stay positive although it’s really hard at times, considering there’s a pandemic and we’re all battling this illness I think we’re all super warriors. We’re doing covid, cancer and chemo the 3 C’s that’d overwhelm most people!!  stay strong a few more miles to go 👍 💕 💕 💕 ... View more