Tamoxigang thread 49 when Sumer is y cumen in and we get out the Pimms

[Lilymaid]

New thread!

Feline, always good to ring the helpline, BUT, I had squeezing pains in my chest on FEC (breathless; painful) that they said was acid reflux - and they expected me to have it on tax too. It's common. I only got it once but got given lots of stomach medicine. Rashes seem to be common on tax - I got a contact dermatitis thing. Again, always good to check as rashes can have different causes.

Mummywheel, they said 3 or 4 weeks gaps chemo to radiotherapy. I'm being needy and wanting 3 weeks, but pretty certain it'll end up at 4.

Sorry, I'm on my phone and only saw the bit that said they were side effects not what followed - I'd do what mom suggests.

Meant to add, I had tightness in my chest after each chemo. But I think a pain that is cramp level should be checked out.

Tax has risk of allergic reaction. That is why we are pumped with steroids. I would be worried that the rash may signify an allergic reaction.

I say this as a person who thought I just had a bad cold when I was hospitalized with severe neutropenia... Even though I couldn't move from my chair or eat anything.

Can I ask about holidays post-chemo and/or post radiotherapy?

I'd love to book something now for October half term. That should be 8-9 weeks after final chemo (6 x FEC), which allows time for delays and for 3 weeks of radiotherapy. Is this realistic?

I am expecting to be pretty fatigued, at the very least, and of course all kinds of things could happen, but subject to getting some travel insurance, I want to give us all something to look forward to.

Feline I agree with ringing for some advice, it's probably fine but best to be safe

Traviata you should be fine but things do get delayed sometimes and you might end up with more rads than you expect, mine was increased from 3 weeks to 4 on my 1st day. So if you had a 4 week break after chemo and 4 weeks rads it could be a bit tight.

thanks malteserzz. it's hard to know which way to go, a week here and a week there makes a lot of difference.

re the TAC question - my onc uses TAC but not for ER+ HER- Breast Cancer - he keeps it for TNBC or HER+ (can't remember which but he did run through all the possibilities with me). I had the impression that he didn't think it was necessary for ER+ HER- so goes with FEC or FEC-T depending on nodes.

I always booked holidays ages in advance before this but at Easter we only booked 3 weeks ahead and it was lovely. All being well we will do the same in the summer holidays. I do miss something to look forward to though

Evening ladies.

wee, ouch indeed to the seroma. Serena has been drained four times, most recently on Friday morning, and she's already burgeoning again. Zombie will no doubt be back at the clinic this Friday as well.

Re the discussion on hair loss, the first time on the chemo treadmill Zombie lost virtually all her body hair - eyelashes and brows included. The only stubborn hairs were on her head! There weren't a lot of them but they hung on. For her the most annoying thing was the loss of nasal hair leading to a perpetual dripping nose.

traviata, Zombie had a holiday booked for the following August/September before her diagnosis in November 2011. She had chemo between January-May 2012, rads between late May-mid June 2012. She was then due to start Herceptin and the hospital was great at making sure that the Herceptin start date allowed for the cycles to incorporate her being away for that fortnight. Speak with your team. Her team are being equally helpful now so that she can have a week's holiday before starting Docetaxel.

Sending ZombieHugs™ to all.

traviata I advise checking how many weeks Rads you will have, including Boosts. I will have total of 33, which is taking 7 weeks. I had a 3 week gap between chemo and Rads. I believe standard practice is between 3 and 4 weeks gap.
And I had a one week delay on chemo, due to neutropenia.

My experience with travel insurance is that you won't be covered for existing conditions, so won't be covered for any delays caused by your cancer treatment.

Since you are cutting it so close, I would advise to hold off booking until you are on your last cycle of chemo.

But start researching and planning where you want to go. I booked our July holiday back in early chemo days, so I would have something to look forward to. I'll be finished Rads about 4-5 weeks prior.
HOWEVER, if I had waited 2 months, Ryanair added flights from my closest airport (15 min drive vs 3 hour drive) wHICH are CHEAPER than what I booked... So early booking not always the best.

Thanks wine I'll ring help line if it oesn't subside.

Zombie, your seroma just doesn't take the hint, does it? Good luck with it subsiding.

We have a week in a cottage booked for the end of the summer. Just needed something in the diary; it's very low key. If treatment finishes in good time we'll do additional short trips away. Not sure i can face international travel, though.

How are you feeling today feline did you phone ?

Wren a cottage will be lovely I'll keep my fingers crossed that you get some nice weather

Raining here today, don't think we will be going to the beach today

Holidays expert here - only because we went away every chemo cycle and have 5 trips planned/booked for the summer.
My Onc doesn't want me to leave the UK whilst I am on oral chemo but will take me off later in the summer when we are going to Italy. We are off to Guernsey tomorrow (thought it would count as UK but doesn't really - there's no reciprocal health agreement with the UK and no EHIC card use so you need travel insurance).
I got insurance online via Pink Insure to cover everything except my bone cancer. Cost was around £11 per day. But I haven't had surgery, in patient treatment or rads and my brain nearly boiled trying to set it up online. Price covers Europe excluding Spain for 5 days. Probably a waste of money but I thought It might be useful for broken ankles and the like!

I have holiday booked for 1 day after I finish rads, therefore incorporating no wiggle room whatsoever! They were booked with the idea that rads would be post holiday which was fine with original onc but not with new one. Rads planning people thought it would be fine though. Lets pray for no equipment malfunctions...I need this holiday, but mu DCs and DH probably need it more!

feline how are you today

I have decided to get very pro active in my treatment so am compiling information. It's interesting more than scary .... And I am up for it.

On a TMI moment, did anyone get sore lady bits on Docetaxol? Seem to have a couple of small lumps?

So far, touch wood, have kept my eyebrows and lashes .... Head hair is disappearing fast.

Hi. Thanks for all your concerns. I decided to wait overnight to see what happened to and today I am pain free and the rash seems to have settled down.

Thanks for all your advice.

Glad to hear you're feeling better, Feline.

Hello everyone. I hope you don't mind me crashing in but I could do with some hand holding/calming down.

I have posted in general health but not many responses.

My mum has an appointment at the breast clinic tomorrow and I'm absolutely terrified.

She has had itching of the areola for a long time now. Nothing to see on the actual nipple it's self, but a patch of skin on the edge of the areola which is quite flaky.

She has seen a dermatologist a while ago who said it was eczma. She has has a clear mammogram in the last 18 months and lots of blood tests in the last week for thyroid, plus a full blood count, which came back normal.

She saw the dr who did a visual and physical examination and didn't see anything of concern. No palpable lumps, no discharge from the nipple, no redness, crusting or oozing. The dr also checked collar bones and underarms.

She got a call the next day saying that another Dr had suggested a referral to the breast clinic.

I have been so anxious and with tomorrow's appointment drawing nearer I'm worrying even more.

Obviously I had to google and pagets came up.

I'm so sorry to come on here and ask for advice when you are all going through so much yourselves, but any advice on what to expect at the clinic tomorrow would be great.

Lily hope you have a lovely holiday

Feline glad you are feeling better today

Foofoo I've been thinking about you lots, glad you are being proactive. How's your DP now is he coping any better ? I had thrush on chemo which made my ladybits sore could it be that ?

Anon cross posted with you. Your mum will probably have an examination and a mammogram and depending on what they find if anything they might do an ultrasound and biopsy. She should get some answers by the end of the day. I hope it's all fine sounds like they're just sending her as a precaution

I think Zombie had Pagets?
I am just back from hospital where surgeon drained 650ml from right boob and 800ml from left.
Have to go back on Thurs.

Hi Anonbutregular, welcome and sorry to hear you're in the middle of a cancer eek in the family.
If it helps, 93% of people with Paget's go on to live a perfectly long life, from the standard statistics for it. So that's pretty good starting odds.

And most people who go for testing will not have it at all. Only about 1 in 10 test positive for it, to my knowledge.
Let us know how things go tomorrow?

Thanks for your replies

I'm an anxious person in general but my anxiety has been through the roof for the last 2 weeks, I've hardly eaten and feel constantly sick.

All I can do is hope I guess, that it's nothing serious.

It's hard anon but if you've had a read through the posts on here you will see that even if it is bad news life carries on though in a different way. Were still looking after children, working, going on holidays etc