Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hi Joodymoody, hope your going to try the cold cap,the three ladies that i went through the treatment all saved their hair using the cold cap, no one could believe i was having chemo,whatever you decide,i send you love and hugs. Libby12xxxxxx     ... View more

Hi yes i did try them,and they were very good,but expensive ,the boots one also was good but not sure if they still make it. Paxman shampoos were tested on the hair o n women using the cold cap,so if you dont mind the price go for it,when does your chemo start and which type are you havingxx   ... View more

Hi I used the cold cap in 2012, and although my hair thinned I did save it. My hair now is past my shoulders and is lovely and thick . I know you love your hair as I did,but for the cold cap to be successful,you should have your hair cut perhaps to shoulder length as the weight of your hair could stop the cap from working properly. Make sure you wear the cap for the correct time,each chemo regime requires different times. I had 3 fec and 3 tax,your hospital should have a chart,if not do as I did and call paxman coolers direct,they were so helpful. Also after using the cold cap,don't wash your hair for about 3 days, know it sounds horrible,but it reall5 helps. Don't use baby shampoo,use a low ph one,I used boots special care one. Before u place the cap on,spray your hair with a mixture of conditioner and water. Make sure the cap fits tight to your head with no bubbles in it. Hope this helps a bit,I also drank barley grass from Holland and Barrett,loads of vitamins in it.Pope all goes well for you. Take care elainexxx   ... View more

Just thought I would check in say big Hi to Big M and Ambarose. Hope Big M you are ok, I really enjoyed our evening in Birmingham , I would of text you but unfortunatley lost your number. Sending lots of love. XXXX ... View more

Hi Mary good to hear from you and so sorry that you are still having problems, that must really get you down. Well I have a check up with my breast surgeon next week which I am dreading, still think they will find somthing else also have to have another mam. Anyway just hope all is ok. Love to Sammlee also hope 2013 is great for you. Lots of hugs Elainexxxx ... View more

Hi Sarabee I am also seeing Surgeon in January then I think I am due to have a mammogram after that, which I am not looking forward to. I will be seen quite regulary as I am also on a trial.As Margie says it does depend on were you live. Have a good day Elainexx ... View more

Hi everyone having a Bunny down day again. Pains in my back and legs on BC side are really worrying me, had them for a few weeks now, and my mind has started working overtime, I was very stupid and looked at bone mets and other things I should not have looked at. Having Herceptin tomorrow so will ask to see onc , will the worry ever stop. Anyhow had a lovely lunch with Southpool , it helps so much to be able to have a good talk to someone who knows what I am on about , especially about our SEs. really enjoyed meeting up. Pixie slow down and look after yourself . Big M hope you are feeling a bit better sounds horrible what you have been through, and I hope your son is ok. Anyhow just put up the Christmas tree looks really lovely ,i have been collecting crystal ornaments for the tree over the years , and it really sparkles. Off now to Mums to help her with a few jobs. Love to all Elaine xxxx ... View more

Hi all, sorry to hear that a few of us are feeling down, Mary sending you a big big hug, please take care of yourself. Christine hope your lump is ok and nothing to worry about, I had one just after chemo, it turned out to be a gland, so hope yours is too. Wendy hope you get some joy from the BCC, It must be hard coping by yourself, you too look after yourself only wish I lived nearby to give you a hand.Well week 3 on the macmillan Hope Course, today we discussed body image, emotions, deep breathing and I find it is really helping, and its so good to hear that everyone else has the same fears, feelings ect as myself, really good course if anyone is thinking of joining up for it. Still have really bad joint pain and now this has gone to my back, hopefully the acupuncture will help on Thursday, so keeping fingers crossed. I would love to do the walk, I will be back at work then but hopefully can get some time off. Anyhow love to all that I have not mentioned I think of you all daily. Elainexxxx ... View more

Hi all good to read the posts. Pixie thank you for your lovely post , and yes you are right I am a Bunny and I am not going to listen to anything negative anymore, and I will surround myself with positive people like yourself (and other bunnies) so onwards and upwards. I have been referred for acupuncture next week for my neck and shoulders, so will see if makes a dfference, I am in quite a bit of pain , so I hope it helps. Course is going well, last week we all had to say a bit about ourselves and our different cancers, it was very emotional , but also some of the stories were funny, they were fascinated by our Bunny club, we are so lucky to have the support of each other.Some people have been through it alone. Little Chick sorry to hear about your neuropathy, I the doctors can help you in some way. Southpool look forward to seeing you next week, will send you a message to arrange time and place. Meet up in April sounds good and something to look forward to, we won't recognize each other with hair. Anyhow thank you for your support , check in tomorrow . Take care Elainexxx ... View more

Hi all just catching up on all the posts. Thank you Campo for yours I found it very uplifting, the last few days I have been feeling very down, Keep expecting something else bad is going to happen to me , sorry to be such a misery but thats just the way I have been feeling. It all started at the hospital when I went for my Herceptin, a lady was talking to me that her cancer which was stage 3 grade 3 like mine, had a high chance of coming back within the next two years, it really upset me and now Its kind of stuck in my mind. I know its stupid and I am sorry to sound so miserable especially as everyone seems to be getting on so well, maybe I will chat about this at the Hope course next week with one of the advisors. Margie the Hope course is ran by Mcmillan just type it in to google and it will bring it up. Anyway sorry once again for sounding so miserable, just off to get a takeaway with my daughter,love to everyone Elaine xxxx ... View more

Pepihorse so glad for you on such a great result, just wanted to post that as off to get my hair done. check in laterxxxx ... View more

HI all, firstly Vanns hope you are ok please give us a wave, and Pixie good luck with the scan results. Well I had a fab Spa day at Hurlston Hall and met some lovely ladies, some in the middle of chemo, some like myself on the Herceptin and others who have been clear of cancer for a very long time, it was so good to chat and share experiences with them. Two lovely ladies start Tax in the next couple of weeks after having fec. It was good to be able to tell them what my side effects were, and also those of us on the thread, hopefully they will have a look at the forum tonight as I said its a fantastic support if you need it. Teabelly good to know you are ok sorry to hear you about your infections look after yourself. Southpool don't do too much its not worth it, and it will only set you back. Big M I am having my hair coloured tomorrow, had a good chat with the hairdresser, who said it would be ok, her sister also had bc and knows all about the effects of chemo on the hair, be sure to do a product test before you use the colour, to make sure you don't have a reaction. Soooo looking forward to having my auburn hair back again. Off out again tonight so will be back tomorrow. Love to all Elainexxxx ... View more

Hi everyone , back on line now I have had terrible problems with the broadband and have had no connection for four days so catching up on posts. Pixie glad you were ok having the MRI , I hated it as I don't like being confined, hope the results are ok. Vanns hope you too get good results, I have been thinking of you the past few days, hope your ok. Margie yes I still have a blue boob I am quite attached to it now lol. Sara and Sammilee sorry to hear about your itching ,maybe your doctors could give you something stronger, be careful not to break the skin as it may become infected. Anyhow now feeling too bad, legs still feel like lead weights, 5th Herceptin tomorrow and they usually get worse after that, oh joy!!!. My breast care nurse sent me an invitation for a pampering day at Hurlston Hall Golf club in Lancashire on Wednesday so looking forward to that, its a really lovely place and its a whole day of treatments, I know two other ladies who had the cold cap with me so should be quite a good day. Also started my physio, its made so much difference to my veins, they feel so much better, the physio has also been treating my shoulders, apparently I had loads of knots in them, and she has worked wonders on my back, I feel so much more relaxed. Sorry if AI have missed anyone out, brain still not too good,actually its really bad cannot retain anthing. Southpool did you get my message re meeting up. Anyway love to all, sorry if I have missed anyone, big wave to Big M and Campo Elainexxxx ... View more

Hi all just catching up on all the posts, my broadband is causing problems and is driving me mad. Anyhow, Vanns, I am sending you a massive hug and hope that everything gets sorted out on Thursday, I also keep getting pains in my bc boob, but I was told this could happen for a good few months after rads, as its the scar tissue healing inside, but its always best to check everything out, I will be thinking about you. Sara dont worry about the house work, do it a little at a time and one room at a time not the whole house you are only just getting your energy back, so look after yourself. Christine I know that low feeling, felt like that over the weekend, and don't worry we will organise another BF for you to come to. Well I attended the Hope taster session course today,ran by Mcmillan , some of the things we will be looking at are muscle relaxation, unhelpful thinking, setting goals etc, it was quite good. There were sixteen of us, all different ages, men and women, some living with cancer , and others still having treatment, it was good to chat, and they were amazed when I told them of the BF last week, this got them laughing. The next session is next week so I will be going along. Hilary I hope the parents liked the house, you are so organized, but please don't tire yourself out or you will be back to square one. Pixie hope you have got over the jet lag and that the dogs were ok. Also Hi Big M hope your ok. Love to everyone else sorry if I have missed anyone but you know I am thinking of you. Take care Elainexxxx ... View more

Hi all , firstly Nat, sending you a massive hug and lots of love, sorry its a bit late but just catching up, take care. Campo thank you for the email addresses, but cannot find pics, I will take another look in my inbox a bit later. Pixie glad to know you are ok and are having a good time, although sorry about the mojo!!!, I feel so sorry for all those people who have lost their homes, it must be devistating for them. Anyway I have now developed sore joints and my legs ache all the time, I am only on Herceptin and nothing else, I saw doc this morning as I had to have blood pressure and routine blood tests, but he said he had never heard of Herceptin causing joint pain. Have googled a few sites ( I know) and it seems alot of women do have joint pain with Herceptin, Pixie I know you are suffering with this, do you think its the Herceptin, or the other hormone treatment you are on,it just seems one thing after the other. Sara please could you send pictures to me, that would be lovely, I have forgotten names already. Check back later, love to all Elainexxxx ... View more

Hi everyone feeling down myself, we do need another date to look forward to, I feel very deflated if you know what I mean. Anyway started back at the gym, was quite fit before all this, but was really out of breath after a couple of mins on the running machine, one of the trainers in there said I would just have to build things up slowly, but I have no get up and go at the mo. I saw physio on Monday, she was really good and gave me a massage treatment on my neck and shoulders, she also massaged my viens, felt so much better afterwards, going next week for the same, she said that she could feel the knots in the viens which is caused by the chemo, I was so grateful that something is being done about them ,they are really sore. Big M have not been able to look at sausages since the buffet breakfast they have put me off for good.lol Sarah was the Day after Tomorrow the one were everything froze in New York!! Pop back tomorrow love to everyone Elaine xxxx ... View more

Also echoing others. I had a great time with such amazing funny ladies , thank you all for such a wonderful day, and Pixie for organising everything. I found my false eyelashes on checking out,, they were stuck to the bottom of my purse when I went to pay for my drinks last night, the chap behind the desk must have thought I was a nutter, as I stood there trying to seperate them and put them back in the box. Hilary thank you for my lovely fan and sorry again for calling you Wendy all the time , I really hope that your idea for a spa becomes a reality.I will be first in the line to book a place., and a big thank you to whoever bought my fab bunny pressi they will have pride of place in my kitchen. Just going to have a hot bath and then an early night, have to be up early for physio in the morning. Love to everyone ElaineXXXX Forgot to thank Southpool for helping to organise Feste, and another wave to Big Mxxx ... View more

Morning all, well woke up yesterday with sore throat, earache, and a cold great!!.Then managed to slice my hand open while washing the dishes , a glass had broken in the bowl, so not feeling too good. I have instructed everyone today that i am staying on the couch to make sure I am fit for Saturday , you will have to put me in the corner when I arrive so I won't spread germs. Have not got a instrument as yet, but will phone a few friend today and see what I can do. Pixie so sorry things are tough, just make sure you are looking after you, and you must rest. Hilary have a safe flight and see you all on Saturday. Will try and post later if I can lift my head off the pillow, feel rotten. Love to all Elainexxxx ... View more

Hi everyone, Hilary I also get pins and needles on both sides, but mainly on the side where the chemo was infused. I am also suffering achy shoulders and top of arms are sore, I spoke to the doctor about this and he did say that the pins and needles could be because of the cording I have from the chemo, I am seeing physio on Wednesday so will be looking hopefully to have this sorted out, as its painful, and waking me up in the night. My joints are also sore and I feel about 80. Only four days to go before we finally meet up really looking forward to meeting you all, what a day its going to be!!! Try and pop back later Love Elainexxxx ... View more

Forgot to ask,does anyone know what time we can check in at the hotel in the morningx ... View more