Breast Cancer Now Forum

hi Ruth , hope all is well with you, i think it's because most of us are on FB . I had a bone scan a couple of weeks ago and evrything was ok so the oncologist has discharged me now into the care of the breast clinic.I have amammogram on 12th March so really that will be the crunch time for me. I went back to work 3 days aweek on 12 th January and am making the most of long weekends. Less money ,less stress and looking forward to the future now. All the original group who are now on FB hope to meet up in London in May ,no fixed date as yet so it would be great to meet you all. My email address is edited by mod so if you want to stay in touch . This thing won't be over for many of us for at least another 5 years when we get the all clear and after all the support we have had from the NHS and each other we are now on our own . All the best to you and yours xx Jan ... View more

Hi Ruth . I found most of the staff to be great at Mt V. How are you getting on now that you've finished. Are you on tablets too? I don't see my onc until 9th January as they are so busy. I have numb feet still from the chemo but that could be a permanent thing as a friend who had the same tratment still has them 2 years later. Ihave very stiff sore fingers and knees but it could be worse. I hope you and all the other ladies have a good Xmas.It will be very strange without my mum (3 months since she died )and son who is working away this year so not really celebrating. Will save that for the New Year when we've all finished treatments and can look forward to the back of 2014 xx ... View more

Hey Gill ,I should mention that my GP is from Egypt and his name is Dr M I found out about 3 years ago his first name is W! ... View more

Hi Girlies! Ruth your urge made me laugh .The trip is the worst bit I think. Just watch out for the burns, mine seemed ok then after 3rd week just got very sore. I can't see my onc until 9th Jan as they are so busy,she is based at Mt V a lovely lady called Dr Ah-See (be weird if we had same one !)  I'm resigned to my numb feet as having spoken to a lady who had treatment 2 years ago still has them too. Linda glad you are getting counselling,I've been quite tearful these last few days,it's only 11 weeks since I lost my  mum and I haven't really mourned her yet too. Plus our son is away until end of January so it'll be the first Xmas without him  Gill how are you getting on ? Hope your results are good. I'm not really contributing much on here now as tend to use FB .Must get my act together .  Sheryl don't give in to the housework yet! Hope your rads continue well Best wishes to you all xx Jan ... View more

Hi Ruth, I got my appts changed at Mt Vernon as my husband works nights . Make sure you get the parking discs (£1 each) you'll often find people leaving will give you their car park ticket. Also ask the reception for a booking in card ,this'll save you lots of time when it's busy . I was in LA9 for most of my treatments and they were all lovely. I finished my treatment on 10th October and it took a good two weeks for the 'burns' to heal. You tend to meet the same people in the waiting room  at all different stages and different types of cancer- really brings it all into perspective,but we found them all to be upbeat and friendly . I'm now on anastrazole and didn't start it until afer the rads. I thought I had enough going on without needing more side effects Good luck x ... View more

Hi Linda , I know exactly how you feel.If I hear one more person say ' you can put it all behind you now and get back to normal' ,I'll either deck them or go into meltdown! It's the same when I go out with wig and makeup they'll say 'You look so well!'  I know it's hard for some to understand but it is frustrating as we don't know if we are cured or not. I've had some really down days recently ,it's been a month since treatment finished , having to face going back to work with people I've heard nothing from since I left in Feb and losing my mum 2 months ago ,I just want to pack it all in and go and live in France ! Hope your scan goes well and chin up (in my case since the weight gain it's 'chins'lol!) AS long as we have an outlet for our fears and frustrations we'll get through one way or another.  That reminds me of a song,no not Blondie,but Benny Hill...     Now if you're feeling miserable, if you're feeling blue, Here's a little ditty that'll help to pull you through, All the clouds will disappear, the grey skies turn to blue: Just stick your finger in your ear and go ting-a-ling-a-loo. Now suppose you've got the fell pest, the gout and goose's cough, A severe attack of hiccups and your kneecap's just dropped off, The surgeon says "We'd operate, but the anaesthetic's gone," You just look up and smile at him and say "You carry on." "I'll stick me finger in me ear and go ting-a-ling-a-loo, Me finger in me ear and go ting-a-ling-a-loo, I'll just be like Nelson at the Battle of Waterloo, I'll stick me finger in me ear and go ting-a-ling-a-loo. "   love and hugs to us all xx   ... View more

Yippee! Well done Ruth ,have a good rest after this . The radiotherapy is nowhere near as tough. Just the journey (50miles round trip for me ) and the sore patches. If your skin does blister badly and break ask your doctor to prescribe Actform Cool pads they work better than the Polymem that Mount Vernon give you as they are a gel pad not just a sponge and obviously more expensive . My doctor had never heard of them ! My feet are still numb 10 weeks after last taxotere and i need to lose the weight I've put on but my hair is coming back and I had a great time in France last week  Good wishes to everyone on here it seems we are seeing a bit of light at the end of the tunnel x   ... View more

Morning girls , Ruth -hope your last chemos go ok but I agree with Sheryl ,talk to your onc first. I still have numb feet amlmost 7 weeks on. Sheryl I too have put on loads about 10-12lbs since Feb, I was doing well on SW too. I have been eating everything you can't on SW.cheese , butter ,bread more cheese etc so not too surprising. Will make areal effort after rads end next Friday, 3/4 's of the way done 5 more to go. xx ... View more

Hi Girls,  Sheryl so glad your op went well and nodes were negative, Ruth ,my feet are still numb and my left ankle keeps swelling up Gill good news about your scan and hope your op goes well  The 50 mile trip is ok we can do the lot in 2 hours dep on traffic on M25 ,I'm halfway through my 20 treatments (last one is on my birthday!) and left boob is a bit tender and very pink ,have put on so much weight though that my clothes are tight .am wearing those bras with no wires or fastenings which are a beggar to put on as they twist but very comfy . Hope the rest of you ladies are getting through ok ,I'm planning my trip to France for the week after last rads and I can't wait to get there  Hope we do have an indian summer .enjoy the weather ,not looking forward to the cold x ... View more

Hi Ruth, I finished my chemo on 20th August and am about to set off for my 4th of 20 radiotherapy sessions at Mt Vernon, if you bring your letter with you ,you can buy £1 tokens for the car park and if you park in car park B it's nearest the reception .plenty of space . Just hard to find from the postcode they give you.  My appts are between 2 and 3 as my husband works nights and this way we miss the rush hour (coming from Luton jct9 and then M25) request a time that suits you if you're not going on hospital transport. We've done the return trip from2 to 3 1/2 hrs dependent on traffic . My fingernails have all gone and toes going same. Nail underneath is very ridged and thin so they'll probably have to grow out twice .Everything seems to be returning to normal except my feet are numb still  and sore knees. Not looking forward to taking Anastrazole for 5 years as causes brittle bones and menopause side effects. Been there done that already,but now wondering if me taking black cohosh for it then instead of hrt could have contributed to cancer.Just found out my great grandmother died from it and my 2nd cousin on her side had it too. Hope we all get through the next leg relatively easily x Jan PS to cap a crap year so far I lost my mum last week. ... View more

Pain on 2nd taxotere not as severe this time so reduction is working.Off to Edinburgh tomorrow to see the fringe and my son's show 'Divallusion" . It's me who's the hoarder in our house 'cos younever know when it might come in handy! We recycle lots of junk in our garden but I am getting better. If it's broken it now gets thrown straightawy!  Hope evryone has a good week as possible. x ... View more

Hi Sheryl and girls,we are bound to feel crap as we're nearly there. 5 down and the amount of alien stuff we have in our bodies is bound to affect us more as the dose builds up. I had a 20% reduction of my taxotere yesterday and I'm hoping it works as I'd never felt so bad with the last one.  We'll get through it and if we need to feel sorry for ourselves and have a good moan on here and Fb why not?  I'm sure you are all as guilty as I of not letting on how rough we feel and down ,tired and depressed to friends and family.I think we are coping better than our nearest and dearest most of the time and we need this outlet to let off steam  I'm going to share a link posted on FB by Lucia which she found. It makes really interesting reading and actually tells us what to expect later after treatment ends . Try and have a good day xx Jan   http://www.cancercounselling.org.uk/northsouth/extra4.nsf/WebResClient/1761049276601BD68025735B00604834/$FILE/article3.pdf ... View more

Just googled Gelclair and you can get afree sample from them direct if they wont prescribe it  ... View more

Hi Cassa , i had my first taxotere on the 3rd and it took me over 2 weeks to feel better make sure you keep up the painkillers . I had injections too which made things worse. Look outbfor any red patches on hands and feet too . Hope you don't suffer too much . They are reducing my next dose and postponed it a week too  ... View more

Just been for blood test before 2nd lot of taxotere and my onc has delayed it for a week and will reduce next lot. I had such a rough two weeks after first lot, bad pains , blistering to hands and face and very sore heels .  Heel on left foot still bad but I can walk about now. Looking forward to feeling normal for a while . Glad you had a good time in Cornwall Ruth, hope they can sort your tummy out or you'll disappear on us!   Quite a few of us in the Fb group have had similar reactions to tax ,hopefully next lot won't be so bad. Hope the rest of you are coping well and stay out of hospital! Take care xx Jan ... View more

Well day 5 of first Docetaxol and I can honestly say I've never felt so bad.Every bone and joint aches and i feel like I've been run over .Just about to make it worse with second injection too. Stayed in bed since9.30 last night but too sore too stay longer, codeine not working either and massive indigestion . Sorry for the moan but i wasn't expecting it to be this bad so soon . ... View more

Hi Rith glad you enjoyed the concert , I'm looking forward to my next few good days, seeing my son doing a showcase of his own songs in London on Sunday then Monty Python on Tuesday. I hope your next lot isn't as bad and I start my 4th lot next Wed doxetaxol so we'll see how that goes. Hope you enjoy your holiday and are ok for it xx   ... View more

Well , i think the side effects are cumulative as I haven't feit like this so far. Did manage some sleep last night .I'm also very tearful(haven't cried since I was diagnosed on Jan 8th) eyes leak at anything, FB statuses and inspirational posts ,tiger cubs (weren't they amazing) even blooming adverts ! Hope i snap out of it soon. Am still getting strange sensations like tummy doing somersaults so am taking cyclizine 3 times a day ( i really hate taking any tablets) and those sodding injections are making every joint ache . It's day 8 of my last FEC so I'm hoping Tac will not have the same effects. THought things were going too well,but I'm still lucky compared to most of you ,  Like you Ruth I have no energy and the nasty taste is getting me down, mints,refreshers ,lime all only work for a short period. I've been prescribed Lansaprole for indigestion but haven't had that yet . 4 steroid tabs  to take twice a day before  my first Tac on 2nd July ,managed to delay next treatment so I can go to the Python concert at O2. Well onwards and upwards , the sun's just come out here , so come on girls all together now: ''Some things in life are bad, they can really make you mad Other things just make you swear and curse When you're chewing on life's gristle, don't grumble give a whistle This will help things turn out for the best And  Always look on the bright side of life Always look on the right side of life!''  Have as good a day as you can xx Jan  If life seems jolly rotten, there's something you've forgotten And that's to laugh and smile and dance and sing When you're feeling in the dumps, don't be silly, chumps Just purse your lips and whistle, that's the thing ... View more

Well 3rd night of no sleep ,got back from visiting mum in Lancashire at 6pm made Roy a nice father's day meal as he works Sundays and went up to bed at 9pm still waiting for sleep . Mum will be ok if they can sort her reflux out and she was glad to see us .Thought the journey would tire me out but only dozed for about an hour. Well back to bed with earphones and ipad .    ... View more

Hi Ruth, I'm on day 4 of round 3 too, no sleep furry tongue but no particularly sicky. Have to visit my mum in hospital as she's just been admitted for third tme with urinary infection and sickness. Not looking forward to the journey though 200 miles oop north, Hope things with your dad goes well and you enjoy MK ,it;s only about 15 miles from me but we usuallt just visit the theatre or Ikea! Only shop there at Xmas ,don't like huge malls xx Have agood weekend Jan       ... View more