Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hi Judith, I had a bilateral mastectomy last June 15 and am due for my reconstruction op in May 16. I didnt have any kind of skin sparing operation and my surgeon has said I am having expanders (with the mesh I believe) straight away for end results.  The expanders I'm having can be kept for up to two years if I wish then he said would replace with implants.  So as I understand it the mesh is going in straight away as he said it will hold the expanders/implants therefore not over stretching the skin and giving them a better shape.  I am seeing the Breast Care Nurse on Monday for a chat about it all so I will double check.  My surgeon and the nurses here in Worthing, West Sussex have been wonderful!! Hope this helps and good luck xx ... View more

Thank you so much for the advice I will look them up and give them a ring.  I've taken the plunge though and phoned breast care nurses, so have an appointment next Wednesday to meet with my breast surgeon re reconstruction so advised to speak to him re rib problem!! God why is everything now so scary!! and the waiting for appointments and scans is just torture!! Anyway will check out that site for hopefully some peace of mind, thank you for your time all the best xx ... View more

Hi there, hope noone minds me joining in. Was diagnosed in may with left breast triple neg 15mm and right breast oestrogen positive 16mm no lymph node. Am in middle of chemo as told only treatment for tn was chemo! It's amazing how everywhere seems to treat with different treatments!! Just makes me wonder where they get there statistics from and how they make their decisions on best possible treatment. Obv interested in talking to you JLL as am so pleased that I don't feel so special I. Having two different cancers acting differently!! I've got to have tamoxifen also and I guess you will have herceptin!! Good to talk to anybody with all this rubbish. Much support and love on these sites good luck to all xxx ... View more

Oh for goodness sake am really not getting the hang of this posting thing!! Just realised Lyndseyloo I was reading your first post back in 2014 lol!!! what a nutter I shall blame it on chemo brain!! Well you don't need most of the advice ive given you as youve been there and got the teashirt so to speak!!  Any advice greatly appreciated lol!!! xx ... View more

Hi lyndseyloo again, just to say with regards to the period/ovaries they dont definately start working again in everyone just in some and the younger you are the more chance of them working again, so you only being 33 there is definately hope, hope that makes sense xx ... View more

Hi Lyndseyloo, I know your post was a month ago but im new to these forums and finding my way around them so still thought I would reply.  I had (i like to say) TNBC grade 3 15mm IDC in one breast and Oestrogen positive 16mm in other breast (I like to be different not!!).  I felt personally no other option but to have double masectomy but fine with my decision.  Im older than you a young 46 but still pre-menopausal.  As I understand it from the periods point of view yes chemo will stop your periods putting you through menopause but the younger you are the ovaries will kick in again and start working.  Also my understanding of TNBC is that as all three receptors are negative the only medication given is chemo! as you don't need Tamoxifen or the herceptin drug.  I will of course have the Tamoxifen drug as one of mine positive to Oestrogen so guess will join some kind of trial I think. So basically although Chemo a challenge I personally took everything offered to give myself the best possible outcome.  Its such a flippin scary road and each new hurdle brings its own stress and anxiety but we all going through the same thing and are all here to support and give comfort to each other, much love and hugs your way BB X ... View more

Thank you again folks am taking all the advice on board, so praying next lot will be easier!! I think different regions etc do do things differently.  I'm in West Sussex which is Worthing Hospital they all been fantastic up until my recent down below problem then nobody seems to be coming up with a solution! but feel will get on top of it now with all the advice given, many thanks again XXX ... View more

Hi Purpleclare, thanks for replying.  They basically gave me the anti-sickness via my portacath (have had a double masectomy) half hour before chemo ( presumed everybody had that) but not sure what that is, then sent me home with Metoclopramide Hydrocholoride tablets which i did take but still didnt help.  I have written down the two you have suggested and will mention to my oncologist, he should be phoning tomorrow re seeing him before Thursday. Unfortunately im diabetic as well, yey!! so lucozade things out of the question for me but thanks for the suggestion. Have added crackers to my shopping list, thanks again and lots of positivity sent your way xx ... View more

Hi Marli, golly just seen your post and I know I am an emotional wreck but it bought tears to my eyes, I am sending you a virtual hug as its such a relief to hear someone else experiencing same and thank you for the advice re cream invaluable! Am so sorry this is your second time around what aload of crap it all is!! these forums certainly seem to give strength and hope to everybody so am sure you will find that again too.  I have actually kept a dairy and am so glad I did as realised need to be prepared for each round.  Wishing you all the luck in the world too. Much love X ... View more

Oh I forgot to say am also diabetic, insulin dependant just wondered if anyone else out there diabetic but actually thankfully managed diabetes ok except for first three days on steriods so had very high readings but managed it!! XX ... View more

Hi there, thank you so much for your replies.  Lisa53 am sorry you too having been suffering these horrible side effects.  Can I ask were you on FEC100 to begin with? Mines FEC100 x 3 followed by Tax x 3 also if you dont mind me asking what was your diagnosis?  I have spoken to chemo nurse and she has emailed my oncologist all my side effects and she has said they will probably reduce it but definately give me extra anti-sickness tablets so am relieved there. My only fear is will it get worse at each session but I guess if they reduce it hopefully not.  My only worry is one of my lumps was triple negative and I know only treatment is chemo (the other lump was oestrogen positive) so a little bit different i'm afraid!! But I guess they will leave the decision ultimately to me so will have to way it up.  Feeling quite good today and can't believe 2nd round is only a couple of days away!!  I went out today with my wig on for the first time aargh felt so vunerable!! Popped into Boots to speak to pharmacist about down below and suddenly felt ok, you can do this, so another hurdle ticked off the list, there really is too many in this flippin club lol!!!  Thanks again both of you XX ... View more

Hi to all thank you so much for your replies already a comfort and support!! Well hair today and gone tomorrow lol!! I couldnt bring myself to shave it when my friend came round so she gave me a short pixie style but sadly only for night as was still too much coming out all over the place! So next day my brother bless him shaved my head (my husband just couldnt do it) and even my youngest son had a go with the clippers!! Well what a huge relief!! Do feel fine with it, didnt cry (yet) and realise the anticipation is so much worse my fear and anxiety have gone away, well for this bit of the mission anyway!! xx ... View more

Hi again, its such a relief to know that everybody feels the same and of course many different side effects affecting people differently.  I hope like you my body does kind of adjust its self then hopefully won't be quite so awful second time round!!! although like I said they talking about reducing it but as I'm sure you aware the only way of treating the triple negative one is chemo!! So guess the decision will be up to me.  As I'm sitting here typing this im waiting for my brother to come round and shave my lovely hair!! I had it cut really short last night, pixie style but most of it on the pillow this morning!! How old are your boys? mine are teenagers so thankfully very supportive telling me i will still look lovely etc bless them although I know it must be terrible for them, as my youngest used to play with my hair to fall asleep when he was younger, makes me cry just thinking of it. If your children are much younger it must be hard trying to explain it all!!!  I will have a look on the cancerucan site, thank you, had not heard of that one.  You too sound so brave and your lovely words mean so much as knowing we all feel the same gives hope, strength and bloody determination to get through this!!  I was thinking recently I wonder who invented chemotherapy, could they just not leave out the bit re losing your hair lol!! surely thats just another big kick in the teeth when you at your lowest anyway!!! saying all that if it was just losing hair and no side effects I guess i'd choose losing hair!!  I'm going to do a new thread as this horrible soreness down below awful.  I tried cystitus sachets, cannistan cream, a pessary and on antibiotics but it aint shifting!! Ive read re vaginal sores lovely!! but doctor and chemo nurses have not mentioned this once to me!!  Anyway ditto to a happier, healthier place we CAN do it!!  Much Love XXX ... View more

Hi there Crystals, I just joined these forums today as was feeling I was going mad as so emotional and crying, not the positive being everybody says I should be!! Just saw your thread and it struck a cord.  I started my first round of Fec100 Aug 13th.  I too have triple negative, well was in one breast and the other breast Oestrogen Positive, as I said before I like to be different, so to me my only option was to have a double mastectomy, which I had in June and surprisingly havent felt too bad about!! Its the losing the hair bit which is coming out in handfalls, which is once again making me stressed and emotional.  Hairdresser round tomorrow night as I know the inevitable has to happen!.  Have read through so many posts on this site and its given such comfort in a way to realise we all feel the same! We all go through the fear, dread, feeling sick, scared and alone! and then you read posts where women are so far on and they've done it!!! So just gives me that hope that I can do it too, so so can you.  I am meeting tomorrow to have a generic consultation all adding to the worry for the future.  I have two children but are teenagers 16 and 19! think that was almost worse telling them than alot of the other rubbish thrown at me.  How have you been with first treatment?.  I hate to say it on here as don't want to worry anybody but ive been bloody awful.  Felt terribly sick for 3 days, bowel cramps diarheoa, cystitus and now on antibiotics for urine infection!!! Anyway today on second lot of antibiotic and feel much more like me.  They talking about possible reducing my treatment and giving me more anti sickness.  Sorry didnt want to finish this on a downer note but just wondered if you or anybody else had experience such rubbishy chemo! Knew it wouldnt be a walk in the park but flippin nora didnt want all that!! It must be doubly hard looking after small children as well, I hope you have good support to help  you.  I also hope you havnt had many side effects and are feeling a little less lost, a big hug sent your way x ... View more

Hi, was lovely to get a reply sazza38.  My minds all over the place at the moment so didnt notice what year the posts were lol!! Anyway will take your advice and tweak it and repost! Hope you are feeling well whereabouts are you on this rubbishey path!!! X ... View more