Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hi Marina,   sorry to to hear about your further op, that's bad luck.  You sound upbeat though and that's the best way to be if you can.  I am doing ok apart from severe hot flushes and night sweats!   My hair is coming in thick and fast now and have all of my nails back.   You take care and keep intouch   gillian x ... View more

Hi,   I finished my chemo in March and also had FEC T.  I found the at much harder to deal with than the FEC and my fingers were so painful and was so tired.  They reduced the dose of my last session by 20% which is quite common and it did help.  Make sure you tell your oncologist how you have felt and my tip is to rest as much as you can although with a two year old that is not easy.  It won't feel like it now but it will soon be over.  Gillian xxx ... View more

Sorry should have put yr name in Marina xx ... View more

I've often thought about you and we hadn't heard from you for so long.  I hope all is ok, please let us know xxx ... View more

Hi girls,    I finished my T in March.  You know it isn't very nice but hey you get thrum it.  My best advice is only do what you feel up to and no more.  The last one feels great, you only have the side effects one more time. Gillian x ... View more

Hi Tina, Amanda,   I had same treatment as Amanda and agree entirely that you need to wait and see how it goes.  It only takes a little hiccup like an infection and your dates can easily move.  Important thing is to get the darned treatment out of the way.     I finished he'd rads on 26th April and have just come back from a week in Dubrovnik where I felt almost my normal self.  My hair only just started comin back mid May so is half a centimetre now and I have eyebrows and eyelashes again albeit short ones.   My advice for chemo especially the T is to give in to it and don't try to plan too much or you get frustrated when you can't do it, oh and avoid people with any infection at all.   Good luck, and hope you are well Amanda xx ... View more

Well done to all of you who are finished.  Be patient and don't be too hard on yourselves, it takes a few weeks to get your stamina back.  I am trying to walk 5 miles a day now and even managed to cycle 10 miles on Monday!     Off to Dubrovnik for a week in the sun next week and thinking about not wearing my wig in the day, my hair is coming back very slowly but it is thickening and the wig gives me even more hot flushes.  Have a nice cotton hat though to keep the sun off,  Gillian x ... View more

Hi girls,   I am from Dec 15 thread and just saw you June starters, I can't believe it is six months for me and that I am all done now.   It is a bumpy road you will go down but it is doable and it is great to share your worries and tribulations on here.  I will keep popping by so ask anything you like.   I had breast cancer back in 2008 and was fixed but unluckily got a new primary in 2015 which was unrelated.  It was caught early so I have had a lumpectomy, SNB, chemo FEC T and radiotherapy and feel almost myself now.      Best wishes Gillian x ... View more

Hi Amanda,   I had FEC T and suffered with really aching fingers.  Since I have stopped the new nail is growing fine but about half of each nail near my fingertip has gone white and is lifted from the bed.  Eventually they break off and leave the attached bit behind.  To be honest they don't hurt, are just unsightly but a bit of polish makes them look better and I am told they will grow out.  Gillian xx ... View more

Hi ladies,   I had my tattoos removed the first time I had rads.  There is a Laserase clinic in Newcastle who are private but they remove cancer rads tattoos free of charge.  The advice at my unit is you must wait six weeks after rads to have them removed and have your oncologists consent.  I was told that when I rang them just yesterday   It hurts for a few seconds, bit like being twanged with an elastic band.   Seems like each area is different but in general nhs units don't have the machine or resource to do it.  Look up Laserase there are others.  Oh and as for might need them, they use the scans to work out where they treated, my onc showed me on my previous scan Fromm 2008 and this one how they made sure they didn't treat the same are twice.   how are you all feeling? Anyone losing their nails?  I have lost 4   Gillian xx   ... View more

That's great Nadz, you finally got there 😄 ... View more

Hi ladies    I am from December thread and was just reading through all of your posts.  I had my first chemo on 1st December and have now finished my chemo and radiotherapy too which feels great.  I had 6 FEC T and 15 sessions of rad following a lumpectomy.  Now on Tamoxifen.  It is a long bumpy road but you will all get through it.  Make sure you ask for help from your unit with side effects and never Rory about asking them too many questions that's why they are there.   keep strong ladies and ask if you have any questions I can answer   Gillian x ... View more

Hi everyone,   last rads today, can't believe it, what will I do tomorrow?   It has been ok, just be prepared for it to take time out of your day.  It is really totally painless and I have easily tanned skin which helps but apart from a little tenderness around the scar have had no skin reaction at all.  I have been tired but then I was when I started it anyway so hard to tell if if got worse.   All I have used on my skin is QV cream that they gave me on the unit.   For those of you with healthcare cash plans I have been able to claim as a day patient for each radiotherapy.    All I want now is my hair back it is taking ages to grow.  I am also losing two finger nails due to the Taxotere. 😟 Xxxx ... View more

Hi Vicky my head is ok but my hair is growing in really slowly.  My friend who had six sessions of FEC has a sore tingly head and she has more hair than I do.  Maybe it's the hair coming in.   Are you finished your chemo now? X ... View more

Hi    Hot flushes keeping me awake, is anyone else having these?   Vicky, the tattoo removal is a bit like being twanged with an elastic band, it stings but only for a moment.   Tina, I am losing my thumb nail but there is a nice new one sat underneath.   Gillian ... View more

Hi Vicky,    i have tattoos for my rads. Not sure if you recall from forum but I had rads in 2007 for a previous primary breast cancer.  I had tattoos then and had them removed at Lasrase free of charge.  They could not be seen at all and it hurt but only for a second or two.  I will have these ones removed as well.  You have to wait six weeks to after rads.  Gillian x ... View more

Hi girls,    I have every sympathy with you all.  My chemo ended on 15th March and I will have my last radiotherapy next Tuesday.  During my chemo I was paranoid and didn't go far in case I caught an infection.  People telling me I looked really well really got on my nerves and I was sick of feeling ill and knowing I had another chemo to come.    Believe me me though you will feel better and the radiotherapy is so much easier?  Hang on in there and support each other, you will get to the end. Xx ... View more

Hi everyone,   session 10 of rads today, 5 to go.  My skin is good so far I am using QV cream that they gave me in the unit.  That said I tan really easily in the sun and I think that helps. The girls on the unit are really lovely. I am quite tired, slept from 10 till 8 apart from waking with hot flushes!   I am not sure if any of you are running out of SSP sick pay but if u r u should get an SSP1 form from your employer.  You use it to claim Employment support allowance, you just ring up and if you have cancer it is a given so long as you have enough NI paid.   Nadz don't fell a failure re rads, I was no where near as bad as you were and did not have the energy to work, you should be proud for persevering. Xxx ... View more

Hi everyone,   Rads no 8 today, half way yippee.   So far only tired in the evenings,  my skin is absolutely fine up to now, using Aloe Vera gel.  I drive myself the 20 miles there and back each day and so do most others I see there, I haven't heard about not being able to drive with the rads we are having for breast cancer.   Each place is different but I find I am there about an hour all told by the time u wait for your turn etc, the girls are lovely on the unit. Compared to T it is a pleasure to go.   As for going back to work, remember you have had chemo as well as rads so make sure you are ok before you go back, my oncologist said at least a month when you have had chemo and rads. Xxx xx ... View more

Hope all goes well today Vicky, let us know how you get on.  Off for rads 12:20 today so will head off 11:30, best get up as it takes me a while to get going 😊 ... View more