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

[Lilymaid]

New thread!

pickle it is great to hear from you, sorry to hear you have such a rotten time.

foo any anyone else who has had Herceptine injection, please talk to me about SE's. I have my first on Wednesday.

Hi foo I'm on TAC. I'm guessing the achiness is the T bit. Is tramodol just a painkiller or is it a sleeping medicine as well? I might need the latter, if bad nights continue. Have rallied a bit this evening, managed a 20 mile round trip to drop girls at drama club, it was good to get out of the house, spent far too long listening to Phil Collins next door and feeling sorry for myself today.
speedy thinking about you and your tummy but great news on shrinkage.

Thanks biggerbuns. Tummy ok today. I hope you get a good night's sleep tonight.

CBB, if you haven't had tramadol before, be careful as it can make you sick . Hope the constipation has sorted itself, if not kiwi fruit is meant to be good, as well as lots of water and walking around as much as possible.

Good news that the lump has shrunk speedy hope you had a nice lunch.

A friend had herceptin mummy and didn't have any side effects except for tiredness.

Day 5 of the tamoxifen and am feeling a bit sicky but also have had a upset stomach since Saturday, possibly a coincidence.... Also have been feeling very teary (very unlike me) - still have planning meeting for rads tomorrow so that should take my mind off it.

Mummywheel I had a years worth of Herceptin... The first dose is a "loading dose" and larger (double?) amount than the infusions that follow. I admit that I had a bit of a 'turn' with about 15% of the loading dose left, so they stopped it, gave me some IV benedryl and then ran the rest of the herceptin with a nurse supervising. For the following infusions, it gave me a bit of a headache/fluey feeling, but I would travel home on the subway and have a little nap before I did school pick-up and I was fine. No-one else I talked to seemed to have SEs, so i am obviously just a bit weird in a very minor, tolerable way... I also had the impression that I smelled of herceptin, especially the few days before the next dose, but according to DH that was in my imagination. I guess "imagined SEs" are nothing to complain about either
You'll be absolutely fine!

pickle Awesome to "see" you! I have been thinking about you and sending you good vibes. Sounds like you have had a rough time of it though, so I hope that the worst is firmly behind you now. I also hope your DS has some exciting plans for the summer even if you are stuck in a hospital bed.

foo 10/10 on the liver front! You are a walking miracle Keep it up!

Hugs to everyone else - I am struggling to keep up with this thread as work is severely cutting into my internet browsing time. If Really is around I am thinking about you too, and hope you are keeping well.
Ruby I know that the news about knitting must have been a shock, but I hope you are okay and getting ready to enjoy graduating and the beginning of the rest of your life.

Summer has arrived in the great white north at last, and I am enjoying some horticultural therapy. I am not very good at it. I bought lots of random plants off of a couple of internet garden-site-places (ugh! chemofog!) and stuck them in the ground. However, I have found watching dry, brown roots burst into recognizable plants very inspiring and puts me in a hopeful mood. The neighbours think I am seriously mad though because I go out and talk to my plants

Hello all, a few of you seem to be struggling with the chemo at the moment but I don't have anything useful to contribute I'm afraid, I just wish you all well and hope you get through it without things getting worse.

wine how was your planning meeting? I had mine yesterday, it only took about 15 minutes. No advice about skin care, that will come at the extended first appt. but it would have been nice if I'd been advised what skin care they recommend so I could have had it ready. I've got the three tattoos, I'm already wondering if I can get rid of them afterwards. They seem like an additional reminder. Felt a bit down and angry yesterday and stupidly started reading the prognosis sections of certain websites.

I think I understand what you mean about feeling a bit tearful. Don't know if its me or the medication but I need to give myself a talking to. Moan over, sorry everyone.

Well, that's me done. Rads are finished, bags are packed, getting the seromas drained at 3.30, drive to Newcastle tonight and fly to Spain at 7.30 tomorrow morning.
Mrsrhod - I never did get any skincare advice apart from: use I perfumed shower gel and don't use deodorant. I used moogoo obviously but didn't tell them I was! Skin is red and itchy but unbroken.

Wee yay for finishing and have a wonderful holiday, you deserve it :)

Hi wee I've been thinking about you. I hope you have a fab holiday. Are you planning to use sunscreen over your rads area or just keep it covered? Pleased to hear you have unbroken skin, is it like sunburn? I'll have exactly a week after I finish before we travel. Are you feeling any other side effects still, how is the nausea and tiredness? Sorry for all the questions, just want to be prepared for 7july when mine starts. Have a lovely time.

Yes, just like sunburn. Can't use sunscreen, they emphasised that the treatment will be working for two weeks after completion. I will be covering up and staying in the shade (tbh, I have a ginger child and a baby so suns not good for them anyway).
There was some discussion re swimming, but it was concluded that would be ok.

UKsounding glad you're enjoying your garden, it is lovely when everything starts to come alive again in the spring. I do talk to my strawberry plants sometimes

It was terribly sad to hear about knitting, sometimes life seems so cruel. But I hadn't really thought about it from that point of view, I tend not to remember that I've actually had cancer and we are all so different so I try not to compare.

I'm glad to be finally finished at university, apart from my dissertation which I will work on over the summer, and I will graduate in December :)

How are you? Thank you very much for thinking of me xx (it's Ruby here)

wee finally finished! I hope the draining goes well and have a fantastic holiday

Considerably tramadol is mainly a painkiller. I'm taking it for my nerve pain while I'm waiting for a proper solution, it just takes the edge off so I can sleep/not scream! It may help with the achiness so definitely worth asking, and could probably take sleeping tablets alongside if needed :) sorry to hear you're still feeling so rough. My team are considering trialling a constipation drug on me (I don't suffer from it but may help with issues after my surgery) it's called Fybogel, it comes in sachets that you drink in water, then it draws water into the bowel and sort of puffs up I think, to make things softer, it sounds more gentle than some of the medications.

Afternoon, all. I've posted my update on my thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/2054889-Zombies-journey-with-breast-cancer?msgid=47880656

Apologies for not repeating it all here.

Thank you wine and UK for your input feeling a little nervous about herceptine tomorrow, don't know why as it can't be any worse than chemo!

Hope you have a wonderful holiday wee and hurray for finishing rads! Hope Moogoo does the trick for me too.

Mrs I didn't have any skin care advice at planning but told I will on first appointment. I'm not impressed with my tattoos either, I will probably be one of the few who requests to have them removed.

Can you request to have them removed mummy? It was wishful thinking rather than anything else. Maybe I'll stop seeing them in time.

The skin care advise seems to vary between hospitals. I've got my moogoo ready, I had a go with it this morning over my affected breast. It's quite thick and I was a bit nervous about rubbing it in over the scars and swelling. I've been told I can go in the sun but to use factor 50 over the area and a white cloth to cover it too.

zombie I've just read your post in chat. Sounds like you're having a thoroughly shitty time and I'm sorry to hear it. Are you allowed a G&T in your isolation fridge? Wishing you well and hoping all the readings start to go in the right direction. Take care.

Apologies if I'm being ignorant here,but what are these tattoos everyone is talking about?

Mrs- sorry you are feeling down. Don't read the prognosis websites!!! That was what I was firmly told when I started on here.

Wee- have a fabulous holiday.

Mummy good luck for tomorrow.

Zombie- fingers crossed for everything heading upwards.

Been out for lunch today and off to cricket in a minute. Making the most of the nice weather while it lasts.

Yay, congrats on finishing wee, will be thinking of you enviously at 7.30 tomorrow, hope you have a lovely, relaxing holiday.

Planing meeting went well thanks mrs, was there about 45 mins - anyone know anything about DBIH? Doing that cos my aorta was in the way! Apparently adds a few minutes to each session but otherwise. Didn't give any skin advice, also going to go through at the first one (also moogooing)

nelson the tattoos are small dots on the skin to line up the machine for the radiotherapy -look like freckles apparently ( can't see mine!)

Sorry to read your news zombie, hope you'll be out very soon.

Hi all.
Fantastic that you are all done wee have a fantastic time in Spain.
Best wishes to everyone embarking on rads or having a pants time with other treatment. I am feeling much better today, honestly, not a day over 70 ( I am 48)! Am hoping that is the worst over for this cycle, still a bit achy - ear and head today for a change and constipation still an issue but compared to the hell hole of yesterday feeling quite chipper and been driving kids around.
I had tattoos 30 years ago, first time round, I don 't notice them and actually quite happy to have that reminder. Not sure what they will do this time, if I am allowed rads - still up off debate - another colour perhaps. neslon they are literally little back dots. It does surprise me with all the other medical developments (I had my spleen removed as a test, for example) that they haven't come up with something less permanent but just as effective.

Yes you can have your tattoos removed Mrs on the NHS too!

I've been using my moogoo already too. I also bought some shampoo for DS2 as he has a flaky scalp and nothing we have tried has got rid of it altogether. However after just a couple of days using moogoo milk shampoo it's gone! I'm amazed

Glad you are getting out and about speedy

Thanks for clearing that up wine and CBB . I thought for a minute all cancer patients got "branded" with a big "C" .... ...

Thanks for thinking of me UKsounding I'm doing okay thanks.

wee we'll done on reaching the finishing line. Hope you have a great holiday.

Really glad you're ok

I don't notice my tattoos but then I'm quite freckly !

Thanks malt hope you are doing okay too!

I'm off to see Oncologist this afternoon, then hopefully no more appts til Sept

I have booked a holiday to Florida for Oct, a year after the one I had to cancel. Life is finally moving on. Liver is looking okay, the scans showed no growth, and the docs are debating whether the Chemo has done its job and actually killed all the cancer cells. They'll continue to check it. But right now I am feeling fairly positive about things. I can't spend everyday worrying about what might happen. I will enjoy each day and if things take a turn for the worse, then I will deal with it!

Sending best wishes to all of you ladies who are still on this long journey. I know the end of treatment probably seems a million miles away, right now. But I promise you, there is life after Cancer treatment. (6 months ago I didn't believe that) Keep fighting ladies xx