Tamoxigang thread 50 with summer sun, sangria and maybe even some sand

[foofooyeah]

Welcome to thread 50 .... Yes FIFTY.
Lots of us are rising 50 so rather apt!

Elporto, you must be so pleased to have finally had your first treatment. That sounds very wrong but I hope you know what I mean. I hope you don't suffer too much.

Wee, I've a friend who had the operation you are having, after elective bmx. She has a huge web of bc in her family and was very relieved afterwards to have done what she could to protect herself.

Marshy, when you're up to reading all this, I hope your op went well today and you have a very speedy recovery.

Elporto I'm glad you've had the 1st one and I hope you get few side effects, though if you are ever worried about anything do ask us and we might be able to help

Wee sorry about the surgery but Copenhagen sounds fab

Marshy I hope you are ok

Just re read and you're happy about the surgery, sorry. Need to go to bed night all

Hello all, I just want some quick advice from anyone who has had FEC. I am 24 hours since leaving the hospital now and absolutely no side effects yet. I am guessing they will hit in the next few days right? I am beyond happy that the anti-emetic seems to be working of course but it feels odd, I was expected to be laid up in bed by now. Or maybe that will be tomorrow...

hi elporto :) so glad you're feeling ok today! I'm on EC so almost the same, my SEs start within 3-4 hours of treatment but I'm sure there's someone on here who doesn't get affected until a few days later.

would be great if you could get away with no or minimal SE but I guess the best thing is take each day as it comes. sounds like today has been a good one!

just bear in mind that some of the anti sickness drugs can cause constipation so really try and keep your fluids up over the next few days.

fingers crossed you don't suddenly get struck down by awfulness

Elporto I remember being the same just waiting for something to happen ! I would say that if you've not been sick yet you won't be, I never was. Never had to take to my bed either, felt grotty after a few days but never so that I couldn't see the kids off to school, potter about the house, make tea etc. Also bear in mind that the side effects do build up each cycle. Enjoy feeling well and long may it continue !

Thanks minty and malt, I was beginning to wonder if they'd just had me on saline all yesterday! so it's good to hear this 'feeling fine' thing is not uncommon. I do feel a bit light headed but nothing else yet, though the nurse did say I'd be pretty wiped out by the weekend so just taking each day as it comes.

Minty, thanks for the tip about constipation, I am feeling so thirsty all the time, have been drinking gallons of water all day so fingers crossed on that front!

Elporto, I mostly felt ok. A bit tired and really really thirsty but mostly ok. Still managed the school run and stuff.

Hello All, just checking in after completing my last chemo treatment - yay! Not feeling great but I'm just ticking off the hours before I come through the other side and don't have to (hopefully) ever go there again. Didn't quite go as expected, cough cleared up but the chemo nurse spotted that I had mentioned my finger and toe numbness (neuropathy sp?) on my questionnaire. Apparently still having symptoms of this at the end of the cycle isn't good. After consultation with oncologist they decided to cancel the last dose of taxotere. I had the other 2 drugs ( I am on TAC) but I felt a bit glum as though I had ducked out before completing the course. Oncologist gave me lots of reassurance that I had enough drugs to have done the job and I have already had 5 doses of taxotere and I know a common regime can be 3 FEC and 3 FEC/T so should be poisoned enough - just don't want any what ifs in the future. Anyway, numbness might be permanent but it is really only an irritation doesn't stop me doing anything. Feeling a bit more positive and no T drug meant no nasty injection in my stomach, less steroids, less limb pain and no 10 day course of antibiotics that restricts mt dairy intake - still feeling pants though!
Hope you are still feeling okay elporto, my drugs slightly different, although, SEs much the same and doesn't really kick in until night of day 2 for me. Good advice about the constipation, I really suffer with this and so go for proactive laxatives from the off. Never had sickness, I know I am a lucky one and would take my rectal tear (TMI) over nausea any day of the week.
ssaver welcome and I'm sure you'll find this forum a lifeline, please use us.
wee good luck with the next stage of your treatment. I am very much in awe of anyone who has gone through this with little ones - I hope you are getting lots of support. It is a good job my DDs are older as with a pretty useless DH and the problems with my mum, support has been a bit thin in the ground from immediate family - friends have been fab, though.
marshy hopefully all went well with your op.
speedy glad your DS is better, and that you are finally having some nausea free time - I have felt for you and your poor tummy so much. I'm very hoping that in a couple of weeks I will also feel I am coming through the other
side. The accumulative exhaustiong has been tough the last couple of cycles.
Hello to all the rest of you lovely ladies who make this forum such a great place.

Hi all
Quick check in from me. I was discharged home yesterday afternoon so only in one night. Felt grotty yesterday but much better this morning after a better night's sleep. I have 2 drains but they are looking a little less...err...productive this morning. Just waiting for the district nurse to give her verdict but I think I'll have them for a while yet.

Today I'm going to enjoy relaxing and letting dh wait on me

New boob is looking perkier and more puffy than the other one but I'm hoping it will settle down into something more matching after a while. I think they got my sentinal nodes through the same incision so that's good. Results a week on Tuesday I think but trying to put that out of my mind for now.

Hope everyone is ok. Haven't a a chance to catch up yet.

Hi marshy, lovely to hear from you. I'm pleased you're feeling more human this morning and enjoy being waited on. If they have got your sentinel node through the one scar you are lucky, I found that wound the most painful. Hopefully you will even up too as the swelling goes down. Are you a touching shade of blue too?

Hi buns, well done on completing the course. You just have to trust your team when they say you've been poisoned enough. Is that it for you now? I'm a bit lost as to who is having chemo pre and post surgery although I know you are post surgery. Do you need rads? I hope you feel a whole lot better very soon.

Elporto, how are you doing today?

I just can't seem to keep away from here, it's still all very much on my mind and I don't know how long that goes on for. I'm trying to lead my old life again and have even managed to get to the gym a few times. I can't decide if the tiredness I feel in the evening is because I'm still recovering or because I'm doing more and need to build up my stamina.

ConsiderablyBiggerBuns
I still have peripheral neuropathy and my last course (6 x Tax) of chemo was this time last year. I think it is better than it was, but it hasn't gone altogether. I was rather "meh" when I discovered that it was something alcoholics also have!

Buns well done on finishing chemo. Am 4 weeks on now and began to feel a lot better last weekend, with my energy levels improving and nausea going away. The exhaustion was beginning to get me down too but you will get there. Am sure if your oncologist thought you really should have the tax they would have given it to you. I have a couple of slightly numb toes but think they might be improving.

Elporto. Hope you are still feeling ok.

Marshy glad you are feeling a bit better and hope the drains come out soon.

Mrs. Well done on going to the gym, am very impressed.

Hi lily, nice to see you.

Have just got back from the hospital and seeing surgeon to go through last bits. Also had an ultrasound on fat leg to check for clots but there were none there so that's good. Next week I get to go and have pictures taken of my boobs! Do you reckon they'll let me have a copy to remember them by ?

Well done Buns on your last chemo! I can imagine that feels great if a little strange, hope you get your energy back speedily.

Marshy, so glad to hear you are home from hospital. Am I right to remember that you had immediate reconstruction with an implant? I do hope you are not in too much discomfort with the drains and they have you on some good painkillers for a week or so. It's hard but try to concentrate on your recovery and physio and not on the results if you can. Easier said than done I know!

I am still feeling basically fine 48 hours after my first FEC, although slightly lethargic and may have a nap in a bit. Also so so thirsty all the time! I got up early and sorted out the kids for school this morning, then down to the shops to do some errands, since then have just been lying around enjoying the peace and quiet. My mum has the kids this evening and a friend is coming round for dinner so I need to rustle something simple up later on. But happy to be feeling well - better than I hoped.

How are you feeling now elporto ?

Hope everyone's ok, I'm having nice weekend at posh hotel ( sorry ! )

Hi malt, I am beyond of your weekend in a posh hotel! Well deserved.

Well the fatigue has hit this weekend, I feel like I've left my brain somewhere, as I can't even concentrate long enough to watch Strictly on iplayer... DH is at work, DC are with my mum so am going to have a bath and go back to bed.

Good for you, rest when you can. Remember in a few days you'll be feeling much better
I couldn't have thought this far ahead last year when I was in the middle of chemo but there is light at the end of the tunnel

I was dancing at a wedding with dh and my dcs last night. They had a photo booth and I looked really good in the photos, not poorly at all. So long as stage four stays like this I can cope.

One of the guests had too much to drink and thumped the groom. The police came and everything. It was a cracking wedding. Classy.

Lily sorry to hear your nerves are playing up.

Elporto - just take a day at a time.

Sounds a fun wedding trice ! Glad to hear you are doing well :)

trice that made me giggle! Punch up at a wedding.

I didn't find FEC too bad at all. But docetaxol was tiring.

Been back at work over 3 weeks now.

Had repeat liver scan last week and all still looking ok. Hooray.

Trice that wedding sounds memorable!

Foofoo, that's great news

I am emerging from 4 days of more or less solid sleeping, but definitely turned the corner now. Does anyone else have just awful dreams? The term 'chemo brain' suddenly makes total sense, I am going to try and HUGELY enjoy the next fortnight before the next round starts.

Love to all and hope everyone's having a good week

Elportal, 6 months after last chemo I still have chemo brain. Tonight I meant to txt my SIL to say that I'm in the area tomorrow and sm planning to drop in, if it suits.

I pick up my phone, get comfy on the sofa, and could NOT remember who I needed to txt or what the txt was about!! Remembered 2 hours later..

Hello all you lovely people, I've been lurking for the last couple of weeks and you have all been a great comfort to me. I have got my diagnosis of cancer today after waiting two weeks for results of biopsy. To be honest I "knew" beforehand so I have had a couple of weeks to get my head around it, but still feel a bit wobbly.

I have one grade 3 cancerous lesion on one side of my (very inflamed, crusty and unhappy-looking nipple) and a grade 1 on the other. The initial lymph node biopsy was clear but they stressed they can't be sure yet if the lymph nodes aren't affected. They are estrogen negative. I have been offering a bewildering array of treatment options but haven't been given a copy of pathology report yet so I'm still a little hazy. I think I will opt for chemo first though.

It's such a help to find such an honest thread. I am being very upbeat around my kids (they are autistic, 6 and 8 and just settling down after the problems their dad has had - he has severe depression and this hasn't helped his stability). It's nice to have a space where I can just "be", if you know what I mean. :)

snowflake sorry you find yourself here but you are very welcome I found this thread a lifeline when I was diagnosed last year. Now finished treatment and back at work but still around as I like to keep in touch with everyone. Please ask us anything. Think we all found that once we had a treatment plan in place we felt a little more in control

Eloporto hope you have a few nice things planned now you feel a bit better

Love to all

Hello everyone.
Sorry not to have been about, my blasted iPad can't cope when a thread has more than about 700 messages and keeps throwing me out and not letting me post, s typing v fast!

Hope all well with all and will be back when thread 51 starts!