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Original poster

**Tamoxigang counting down to Easter eggs- thread 48**

998 replies

BetsyBoop · 21/03/2014 20:05

throws some hot cross buns on the trolley

OP posts:
foofooyeah · 28/04/2014 11:06

Just had a call from wonderfully efficient chemo nurse.

So my diary for this week is

Tues. cat MOT and DPs birthday
Wed. 10.00 RBH for picc line and second blood test (not enough blood from first one)
Thu. Lunch out!
Fri 8.30 chemo at BB unit
Fri 2.30 CT scan at WPH

Let's just hope car passes mot!

ConsiderablyBiggerBuns · 28/04/2014 11:08

wren will happily send book to you, if you PM me your address.
Another one down really. Hope the rest if you are okay. I was a bit down this weekend, no reason. Managed to straighten my hair (might as well make the effort while I have some) and put on a bit of make up this morning. First time since op and I feel and look a lot less like wurzel gum midge. Friends coming to take me out to lunch although had difficulty finding anywhere in rural Cornwall open in a Monday lunchtime, gap in the market.
Anybody who has had full node clearance - have you got full movement back in your arm and how long did it take? I think I have under estimated this part of the process and the restrictions get me down a bit - has only been 3 weeks.

ConsiderablyBiggerBuns · 28/04/2014 11:14

Not a cat MOT then - disappointed face. That is a hectic week foo, hope you have passed your MOT for it as well. Happy birthday for your DP tomorrow, was my DH's last week - he was more poorly than I was so didn't feel too guilty about not being the life and soul of the day.

Wren48 · 28/04/2014 11:16

Glad your rads were on time, really - it does make a difference.

Foofoo, I honestly had to think for a moment about your cat's MOT, before deciding on a typo.

biggerbuns, that's really kind. I've actually already ordered it from evil amazon! But thank you. On the node clearance, of course I now can't remember clearly, but 3 weeks is early days. It's now 4 months for me (oh god is it really that long - too much treatment), and movement is excellent, but my arm tightened up again last week as I was very hunched and inactive with chemo lethargy. A few days of exercises have loosened it up again. Give it six weeks I reckon.

foofooyeah · 28/04/2014 12:12

Full node clearance was end of March. Painted all the coving in the lounge several times yesterday so I would say full movement back. You must do your exercises though. If I miss mine for a day or two I notice it.

Honeybear9 · 28/04/2014 14:42

Biggetbuns - I had full node clearance too end of January, took till end of March to be able to use arm as I used too, still doing exercises every day too. Today is day 13 after first chemo for me - se have not been as bad as I was expecting, did manage to get emend as hospital made so many mistakes with my treatment! Did anyone start losing their hair by now?

malteserzz · 28/04/2014 18:07

I had node clearance in December and haven't done my exercises in ages, must do some ! Didn't take long to get full movement but it's still quite numb underneath

Trying to lose some weight ( again ! ) starving !

ConsiderablyBiggerBuns · 28/04/2014 18:07

honey, foo and wren thanks for the reassurance. I haven't been as dilligent as perhaps I should be with the exercises but just gave them a go and, actually, there is definitely more movement than last time so must be improving - I am just being impatient. I go back to work next week and although working in IT for a utility company hardly requires me to be swinging my arms above my head, I had imagined being fully mobile by then. Must get used to re-assessing my expectations.

ConsiderablyBiggerBuns · 28/04/2014 18:09

And thanks malt. Weight gain - now that is a whole other topic I need to discuss at some point!

malteserzz · 28/04/2014 18:35

Bigger buns when I went back to work I said to dh do you think they're all expecting me to be thin now I've had cancer Grin

weebarra · 28/04/2014 19:07

honey - think I was about day 17.
Reassuring about the node clearance, it's the bit I'm least looking foward to. I know we are all different but how long do you think before I can do a mile long (round trip) school run while pushing DD in the pram?

reallyreallyworried · 28/04/2014 19:58

wee I took 2 weeks off work after having node clearance. But then was back to doing school and nursery runs! So long as you keep up with the exercises, it really isn't that bad! I recall hanging my mums washing out on the line, approx 10 days after surgery!

BiggerBuns Exercise exercise exercise! You really do have to follow the exercises that you have been given! Also keep an eye out for cording! That can affect the movement in your arm, but it's easily sorted.

foofoo sounds like a busy week! Couldn't help laughing at the cat MOT. Good luck with everything!

malt I think the whole weight gain thing, is one of the cruelist things about Breast Cancer. I have been quite lucky so far, in that I haven't really gained anything. Although I am overweight and have thyroid issues to deal with too. So I honestly don't ever see myself getting down to an 'ideal' weight. But I am happy so long as I don't put on!

Hi to everyone else. Hope you all had a good day!

I'm feeling a bit sorry for myself. I have skin peeling under my breast, and itchy red skin to the side of my breast. Plus a really sore collar bone area! Which is being constantly rubbed by my clothes! It's so uncomfortable and I know it's only gong to get worse Sad

malteserzz · 28/04/2014 20:21

I would say a few weeks too wee but been a long time since I pushed a buggy so not sure !
Really the weight gain is all my own fault for eating what I fancied on chemo and having a sod it attitude to food !What are they giving you for being sore ? I had to see the nurse a few times towards the end of rads and she gave me gel and some pads a bit like sanitary pads to put on the sore areas and to stop it rubbing. Worse was under my boob and that really helped. Do ask at hospital if they haven't given you anything like that yet

Honey my hair didn't start coming out till about day 15, how is yours doing ?

Wren48 · 28/04/2014 21:00

My hair hung on for a bit; didn't start falling out till after my second chemo. I finally washed it on day 28 and the whole lot lifted off. Hair soup. Not pleasant.

Wren48 · 28/04/2014 21:03

And really, sorry to hear your skin is so sore. Have you got any good creams? I've been stockpiling in advance of rads, but realise that multiple creams aren't necessarily going to be better....

Lilymaid · 28/04/2014 21:23

Oh .......!
I've got cystitis. Only the second time in my life. One of those things you can pick up when on chemo (oral chemo at present). Off to the hospital tomorrow for urine test and possible antibiotics ... And this is the week my temporary assistant leaves and I need to work. Truly p...ed off!

Honeybear9 · 28/04/2014 21:25

Malt - no change to hair on head although scalp has felt like its burning, elsewhere it's going fast!!! Did have the cold cap for hours & trying hard to leave hair alone

reallyreallyworried · 28/04/2014 21:42

Thanks malt I will ask to see the nurse tomorrow. All I've had from the radiographers is "oh that's looking sore" Well yes it is, and the more you zap the worse it gets! But they haven't offered any solutions/help! One did say to stop using the aqueous cream on the really sore bit, and to stop wearing a bra! Haven't worn one for the last 2wks! I'm actually finding the collar bone area more painful and itchy!

wren make sure you check with your Rads team before using creams! They are a fussy lot and they like to know what you are using. That way IF there's a reaction they can deal with it!

lily sorry to hear your not well. Bloody typical to happen when you need to work. Hope it's sorted quickly xx

foofooyeah · 29/04/2014 06:03

lily poor you, cystitis is yuk. Cancer .... Keeps on giving eh?

foofooyeah · 29/04/2014 06:07

Couldn't sleep so started reading the stuff about my next lot of chemo and got quite depressed about the thought of losing my hair AGAIN! It's got to that looking quite sharp and funky stage. Oh well, new chemo unit has electronic head coolers so shall give them a try and see how I get on. I know its trivial.

reallyreallyworried · 29/04/2014 07:06

Morning foofoo ((((((((Big Hugs)))))))) losing your hair again is NOT trivial. But as your hair is still short it might be worth trying the cold cap! My unit had the electronic ones and some ladies with short hair, seemed to keep it! Although I don't know what drugs they were on! Can't remember what Chemo you are having, but if it's just the Tax, my hair started growing back when I got to the Tax part. It was the FEC that caused my hair loss?!

I'm dreading Rads today! Tube strikes here, so a very small part of me is hoping that they don't have enough staff! But knowing my luck that would just cause delays and not get my treatment cancelled!

foofooyeah · 29/04/2014 07:43

That's interesting really I'm only having the tax part so fingers crossed.

Hope Rads are not too bad, think of it as just one hour out of 24 .... A tiny portion of your day, and have a treat afterwards. X

malteserzz · 29/04/2014 07:50

Morning all

Lily hope you get it sorted soon

Really hope you get seen quickly today, remember to ask for some gel

Foo foo my hair was much better on tax too, be interesting to see how you find the new cold cap. No more googling in the middle of the night ! The hair loss is not trivial at all.

Honey the tingling, tight feeling can be a sign something is happening with your hair but I hope yours hangs on. Even if you do lose some it might just thin so don't despair

Didn't sleep very well then when the alarm went off I was fast asleep and having a nice dream typical !

Speedypenguin · 29/04/2014 10:29

Lily- hope the antibiotics sort you out. Not nice!
Foofoo- I thought I would be ok about the hair loss but now it's happening it really is rubbish. Hope the head coolers work.
Really- hope rads go well and no delays.

Have just come back from my first pre-assessment and come back with emend (hope that works). They also can't feel my lump anymore but will have scans to check what is happening. They said I might get 4 lots of FEC instead of 3 if it is going fast. Does anyone know what FEC does differently to the T?

wineoclocktimeye · 29/04/2014 12:03

Hello everyone, sorry not been around, had some intigestion/ heartburn/sickness thing going one - don't think it's the chemo cos finished that a couple of weeks ago, but still yucky. ( not lost any blasted weight through it tho)

FooFoo, my hair has been growing back all though the tax, again, it was the FEC that made me lose it.

hope your collar bone feels better Really, can you try double base cream, works on Ds2's sore skin?

hope everyone else ok. Xx