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

[BetsyBoop]

throws some hot cross buns on the trolley

I did all my FEC through veins but they have given up now and I have a PICC line. It makes administering drugs easier and quicker. Also it was becoming impossible to get blood so that is a lot easier.

Hugs for speedy. My arm got really sore too and a hot water bottle and resting it on a cushion did help. This will pass and you will start to feel better honestly

My veins are tiny so didn't cope well with chemo, it was rather sore and it took lots of attempts to get blood, get cannulae in etc. I did find that a hot water bottle or a hot wheat bag helped a bit with the aching after chemo. Oddly, touch wood, my veins seem to have recovered as my last blood test worked first time! Everyone had said they would be damaged for life so that was a nice surprise :) if you are offered a PICC line then I'd definitely go for it. Of course there are drawbacks but might be worth it to protect veins for future and also to relieve some of the pain.

mildmay do your unit give you a hot wheat bag to warm up your veins before they try to put the cannula in? I found that that helped a bit. In later cycles it took longer, once over an hour, but they did always manage to get one in eventually! Sorry I'm not up to date with the thread, do you have many cycles left? If so, it might be worth mentioning it to your onc, as they may recommend a line or portacath or something if it's going to be a problem.

greeneyed I've had a couple of similar procedures, the join from my pouch is quite tight so has been stretched a bit to ease things. It was under anaesthetic and I didn't have any problems with it. I don't know how similar it is for people with normal plumbing, but if I can be of any help, let me know. Though of course it's better if you can manage without it and avoid risks :)

BishB also second greeneyed's suggestion of hot water bottle. It's amazing how quickly you forget things, but I spent months sitting on mine. At first it was good for the soreness from the surgery, then when I started having skin problems and nerve pain. Not sure if it's particularly advisable but I found that almost burning it distracted me from the other pain! I used to feel a bit guilty as my hot water bottle has a little person on the cover and I felt bad putting her on my (clothed) bum

Been wondering about Tadaah and difficultpickle not heard from them lately,hope they are ok

RahRah and greeneyed thanks for the suggestions. I will hunt some cushions and a hot water bottle down. I'm on co-codamol which helps some. I'm really praying the chemo and shrinkage will make a difference. I told my DH the other day I'd happily live with a permanent ostomy bag if it meant I'd never have to use my bottom again (actually - a strong possibility anyway as tumour is lower sigmoid/upper rectum).

speedy big hugs from me too. I start second chemo cycle this week so I'll be joining you in the fog!

RahRah thanks for the reply .yes have used heat bag at unit but has not seemed much help and im only on second FEC.So one FEC to go then three of T,will speak with onc nurse before next chemo.Thanks again for advice.

I've seen Tadaah around and she's fine, not heard anything from pickle though

mildmay, my PICC line is not a thing of beauty but it makes chemo and blood tests very easy to do. I'm grateful to it. My veins managed one go of FEC and then the nurses were keen to get away from cannulas.

BishB my tumour was sigmoid too 30cm from my bottom apparently, but I could vaguely feel a pressure from it. They whipped my colon and rectum out and I did have a temporary ileostomy but now have an ileo-anal pouch. At my diagnosis appointment I was not bothered by cancer diagnosis but told my nurse that I would not consent to surgery if they were going to give me a permanent one I can see how it would appeal when you're in so much pain though! If the painkillers aren't helping, there are much stronger ones they can give, don't suffer in silence as there might be lots they can do. I hope it feels better soon and that it soon shrinks

mildmay I hope they're able to come up with a solution :)

So today, while feeling like shite with sore feet and sore mouth and just feeling crap ..... My period decides to make a re appearance after 8 months. Can really do without this. I am 49 for gods sake!

I'm a bit shocked to hear about people getting FEC without a PIC line! I had a PIC line put in before being allowed to start FEC and I was told that it was necessary because the drugs could damage your veins. The PIC line got the drugs near to the heart where they could be circulated more quickly. It got taken out after FEC 3 and I'm getting tax straight into the vein.

Foo you could do without that :(

Updating I wasn't offered one but my veins held up ok, it is strange how everywhere has different practices

I'm shattered, had 2 classes to look after at school today but we did a mass minibeast hunt on the field this afternoon which was fun !

Foo are you taking Tamoxifen? I reckon I am getting my period too - last thing I could do with as well. My onc did think they would re-start so I shouldn't be too surprised (I'm only 46 and no sign of menopause before chemo) but grr . Still got hot flushes too, although not been so bad the last few days.
Sorry you are not feeling rubbish - fingers crossed you feel better soon.

Thanks lovelies, will be on tamoxifen once this last bit of chemo out the way. Yes, I had had no sign of the big M before chemo.

My Onc mentioned them restarting and I thought, Oh don't be silly!

Night time posting Foo!! Is that the Tax effect ?
I still had mine through FEC but they stopped after the first Tax so it's yet another thing that can vary.

Hi, I hope it's ok for me to post here, i could do with a bit of hand-holding/guidance.

I found a lump a month-6 weeks ago. The more i poked and proded it, the more i convinced myself that it was nothing, but i made a dr appt. When that came round my period was due so he asked to see me again the following week. He said he was reasonably confident that it was normal breast tissue, but because my auntie had breast cancer in her 40's (i'm 33) he was going to refer me.

The appointment at the hospital was yesterday. I really expected to be told that everything was fine. The doctor doing the scan said it looked like i have a benign fibrocystic mass (at least that is what i think she said!) and she wanted to do a biopsy. I didn't realise they did them there & then! So that was done, but i was a bit shell shocked by it all, and didn't really ask any questions. I am now kicking myself for going on my own, DH would have been asking all sorts! I have to go back for the results a week today.

I know it's likely to be fine, but the more i think about it the more i am worrying. I wish i had asked whether all lumps are biopsied, or can some lumps be conclusively diagnosed as benign from ultrasound alone? If the doctor was worried that it might be cancer, would she have been able to rush the results through? (she told me they have a results clinic, always on a thursday morning)

Sorry to be waffling on, when everyone here is going through much worse than me.

Hi onlygirl, of course it's okay to post here! Sorry you need to though

I've not had breast cancer so can't be of much specific help. But I expect most lumps are biopsied, just to be on the safe side.

I would think they couldn't get the results much sooner than Thursday, and it's better to have a proper appointment to discuss them so that you can ask any questions you have, which is probably why they have the results clinic. As it's a breast clinic, I would assume all the biopsies are to rule out cancer, so unless something was obviously very wrong I don't think they would be able to rush one biopsy through, if you see what I mean.

It's often quoted on here that 9 out of 10 lumps are harmless, and I would imagine the doctor wouldn't have mentioned the other diagnosis unless she was pretty certain. But of course you will be worried until you get your results so stick around and we will all hold your hand while you wait :)

Hi onlygirl - my experince is that if they think it is cancerous they will tell you up front.

No, they don't biopsy everything as with some lumps it is clear that they are cycts etc. But clearly many of those that they do biopsy come back clear.
I had to wait for a Thursday results clinic so I think that is standard and no indication of how concerned they are.
Did they ask you to bring someone with you to get the results?

I've been reading this thread for a couple of weeks now as I have a lump. I hope its ok to post, even though i have no news yet, i dont have anyone at home to talk to this week. I went to the breast clinic last week, not too worried. The lump I presented with was ok but the mammogram and ultrasound picked up changes to a lump I've had for about 15 years. It was checked over back then, I can't even remember what they called it and two mammograms since have been fine. It's more of a thickened area, quite big, 4-5 cm.

All I remember hearing from last week was that there have been changes and a core biopsy was required. He spent some time scanning my armpit too. I get my results tomorrow afternoon and I am really struggling to remain sane. I keep trying to remember what else he said but his manner was so very serious, as if he knew.

My DH has had to work away this week, I'm trying not to scare dd1 (20) and just can't say anything to dd2 who begins her AS exams on Monday. I'm so scared, I'm getting chest pains which I know are down to anxiety. DH will return tonight and come with me tomorrow. Not sure how I'm going to get through the next 26 hours.

Thanks Rahrah & kitkat, that's quite reassuring. I wasn't expressly told to take anyone with me, but it is on the sheet of paper they gave me with info about after the biopsy. DH will come with me. Just got to try not to think about it until Thursday now I suppose. I keep going over what was said, and I can't remember the exact words which is annoying. I'll take comfort in the fact that the doctor must have been quite sure it looked benign otherwise she wouldn't have said it!

Mrs - good luck tomorrow.

Hugs to onlygirl and to mrs. I really hope you're with the majority who have nothing to worry about.
mrs, we all over interpret what the doctor says. His manner doesn't mean anything - honestly. If he was reasonably sure it was cancer he would say (I was told straightaway). It's important to know, so they are finding out and you are in the system, which is good.

Waiting for results is completely horrible. Offload here; talk to one of the helplines; DON'T google; remember to breathe. Good luck...

Thank you for replying and I am sorry your diagnosis was obviously positive. The radiologist just said changes and he was going to call for my mammogram pictures that were taken in the mobile unit about 18 months ago, apparently they don't get added to your hospital notes. That was my first 3 yearly check at 48. I just assumed that it wasn't his job to tell me and be was leaving that to whoever I see tomorrow.

Remembering to breathe is very valid, I think I might be hyperventilating in the waiting room tomorrow. I've been here twice before now, this time it's more scary for some reason. Maybe because I've been ok before.

Hello everyone. It's been a couple of years since I was here.
2011 WLE/ILC/Radiotherapy and Tamoxifen. Clear nodes.
Name changed since then, no particular reason other than the former Driftwood 999 struck me as inappropriate.

Just a query as to other's experience please.

Once all the arm pain had gone > about 12 months post surgery, I was still aware of wandering pain in the affected breast and on my ribcage. This has come and gone since but it has recently flared up. I was warned that Radiotherapy can have this effect but I now feel as if I have a broken rib. It's like cronic indigestion but in the wrong place. It's a burning pain/ache that can wander all the way to my side and to nearly under shoulder blade.

I've been checked out by the surgical team very recently on a routine check - they have reassured me it's a side effect of the RT. Have you any experience/reassurance you can share?

Hello mrs and only, another one who was told straight away here that mine was cancer. I guess there are a percentage that obviously are, and a percentage that obviously aren't and, some like you that they think might be okay but need to check. I would take someone with you, just in case, you can have a celebratory hospital coffee if it is all okay. I just thought I was going for a mammogram and was by myself and there was a lot to take in. This is the right place for hand holding while you wait and don't be surprised and upset if all sorts of possible symptoms manifest while you are waiting, they will all disappear as soon as you have some more information.
I am back at work in the interim between op and chemo. This 4 day week already seems to have lasted an age. Thought I was coping fine on Tuesday but have steadily got more tired. Had to travel to reading for a meeting (from Cornwall) today and am shattered tonight. Never mind, I have a couple of days away with old school friends planned for Sunday and Monday - was booked before my DX and conveniently fell in the weeks that I am feeling fairly fit. Luckily the weather is pants as I do not exactly have a bikini body at the moment!