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

[Lilymaid]

New thread!

Yup. A breast cancer lump can have several different sorts of breast cancer within it, and people certainly can have two different lumps at the same time, or get a different sort after their first one. Most people only have one sort, they think. They're all treatable - just with different combinations of potions etc.

calling amber;

what do you make of the latest from Prof Longo and the benefits of fasting in relation to chemo?

There has been news coverage, and a link to the research article here, although you probably have better sources....

FWIW my first thoughts are these;

• if the pre-chemo fast is 72 hours, what then? I would be concerned that breaking the fast directly after treatment is not good timing from the point of view of digestive side effects;
• why fast before chemo rather than afterwards, with the idea of getting white blood levels back up after they have been depleted? Wouldn't it make more sense to do it after the drugs have had their effect?

72 hours is a very long time. I thought Longo (and Micheal Moseley and the rest of the 5:2 people) all said that restricted calorific intake doesn't need to be in one go to be effective.

Speedy, the cancer in my right breast was hormone+ and HER2+. The cancer in my left breast was hormone- and HER2+.

I didn't really have any day to day side effects from Herceptin. I do think it prolonged the fatigue from chemo and rads as I didn't really get my mojo back until a couple of months after finishing Herceptin. It can damage your heart but they will monitor that with regular echocardiograms.

Traviata, good questions. We have no really long term data on this, so although they're seeing some interesting things going on in these limited trials, none of this has yet led to a longer life. It might - we just don't know. Other scientists have said they are worried about people starving themselves for long amounts of time whilst trying to cope with very powerful drugs, and would like to develop drugs that boost immune cells instead. So I think it's one to talk through with the oncologists and see what they reckon.

Havent read the article yet, but my first thought is, since I was unable to eat anything for at least 3 days after each dose of FEC, that would have meant 6 days without food which sounds a very long time for a body with all those powerful chemicals sloshing about inside it.

Good grief, I'm on oral chemo two weeks on, one week off. I'll never be able to eat again!

Yes, was thinking of you re that lily!

I have a chemo Facebook friend who tried the fasting (she first talked to the Mayow ((sp?)) Clinic people who did the trial) and was convinced it helped her SEs - she ended up neutropenic the one time she didn't do it. Of course there's no way of knowing at an individual level. I tried and lasted about 4 hours as I hate being hungry.

For what it's worth, I ate normally and took vitamins, minerals, curcumin, lactoferrin etc all through chemo, had no neutropenic bits and achieved a pCR (technical term for 'all the Cancer sodded off when they looked afterwards'). So I think it's very individual. Given that the newer treatments already have a 90%+ success rate for most forms, unpicking what was the treatment and what was one bit of someone's diet is very tricky.

wren that fasting research looks really interesting. I have successfully been on the 5:2 in the past and find it quite manageable, 72 hours is a long time, though. I have my first session of TAC next week, onc appt tomorrow with both nurse and onc so will ask if there is any benefit.
In other news, got my wigs yesterday. Hadn't realised before, what a long face and neck I have, as a result all the styles lost about four inches from the look in the brocure, as a result the sassy bob made me look like Wendy Craig in Butterflies. Chose two, in the end, that I hadn't even looked at in the brochure, one is totally inappropriately galmourous and the other is much shorter, but still past my looong face, and funkier than my current style - and I have gone with copper highlights. That combined with a useful session with a friend who works for Headstong (charity for hair loss patients) teaching me how to tie and style scarves has really made me come to terms with the anticipated hairloss. I also spent 70 on colouring and cutting a few inches from my own hair. A lot of money when it is likely to be gone in a matter of weeks, but really did't want to spend the interim looking like my mother!

No such thing as inappropriately glamorous, biggerbuns, especially when you need all the boost you can get. Go for it! I hope you enjoy them. Hair loss - dismal though it is - can definitely offer a different perspective on what looks good. Having said that, I would really like it to get a move on and grow now. Bored with bald, and with the light bouncing off my scalp.

Hi. Thanks for info. Glad I am not only one with different sorts; tis weird having them in same breast!

Zombie- how long did you have Herceptin for? I know I can be a bit paranoid but have been getting a few twinges in the chest so glad they will be checking my heart. Think it is probably stress as had it a couple of weeks after getting diagnosis and then it eased off.

Will read that article but as the only time I don't feel queasy at the moment is when I eat not sure fasting is the way to go! I was doing the 5:2 before I got diagnosed but didn't do fasting days together, no way I could have managed that.

Wren- thanks, I most definitely hope the new drugs help. Right now I really don't want to do it, but then I can't imagine anyone who does .

I had 18 cycles of Herceptin, Speedy. That lasted from July 2012 to July 2013.

They plan to start Herceptin again on either cycle 2 or 3 of my Docetaxel. Cycle one of Docetaxel starts on Monday. I'm having my baseline echocardiogram tomorrow morning. I next see the oncologist on 3rd July and find out then exactly when they will start the Herceptin and how many cycles I will have this time.

Herceptin is variable. There's good studies that show that for many people, it works in a matter of weeks and isn't any more effective beyond that. But it's also very good at 'holding' HER2+ cancer that is very rudely behaved, so can be used for ages for some people.
Traditionally to start with for HER2+ cancer it was given for a year, every three weeks.
A good study showed that it was about as effective over six months, too.
I was only able to take it for four cycles because of rare side effects, so I'm keeping everything crossed that four was indeed the right number for me. They definitely do a number of heart checks, because it can alter the firing pattern or how efficiently the heart works, in some people.

Hello all

Quick radiotherapy question, has anyone had radiotherapy just below their neck as well as boob area? I'm having both since although they only found one infected lymph node, as I had my chemo before surgery , it's possible the infection was in the higher lymph nodes but the chemo got rid of it, so they want to zapp just in case.

I've never heard of this before?

amber, I was in the Persephone Clinical Trial which was comparing 6 months v 12 months. I was allocated to the 12 month group. I hope to find out on Friday just how rude this cancer is.

Yes, wine, me and for the same reasons as you! I had my 7th rad today out of 15 so nearly halfway. Had to switch machines halfway through because the water cooler for the machine broke but it was fine!

Lots of good info here thanks. I don't know what my plan is; they said I'll find out after I have had this last lot of FEC. Gearing myself up for tomorrow now.

Thanks wee, reassuring to know its not unusual. Great news that you're nearly half way through your rads, hope the rest go really quickly.

I am HER2- Left and HER2+ right. I start Herceptine on 25th June for 12 months and have my prescription to start Tamoxifen on 1st July. My onc told me that although Herceptine can affect the heart it does repair itself over time. I was asked if I wanted to take part in the Clinical Trial but told originally that because I was bi-lateral I couldn't.

Had my radiotherapy planning today which was pretty straightforward although I felt a little emotional when I arrived for some reason but managed to hold myself together.

Evening all :) busy day, work and meetings, good to be busy though compared to last year ! Was a bit emotional when a little one at school stroked my name badge with old photo on and said oh I miss that look !

Wine I had that area zapped too, was borderline as to whether to or not as only 1 lymph node was affected too but they basically said they may as well due to my age ( 42). I did burn and peel a bit there but it soon healed

Oh I think that would have made me emotional too, Malt.

I start tamoxifen tomorrow; radiotherapy on Tuesday. Fingers crossed.

For those of you who've done rads, when did the peeling start? I'm red but no broken skin yet. Good luck Wren, I'm having a tough time with rads but it still beat chemo.

Wren good luck with the tamoxifen and rads, I always think it's strange how everywhere is different. I has to finish rads before I started tamoxifen.

Wee are the rads still making you sick ? I had 4 weeks and it was in the last week my skin started to peel, healed quickly when they gave dm the gel though

Hope everyone has a good day

Maltz, sickness has eased but I tried to sleep last night without a sleeping tablet and just painkillers for the seromas and had a crap night. I just can't get comfortable as they are huge. I don't want to rely on sleeping tablets but I do need to sleep.