CANCER SUPPORT THREAD 60! Here we are again... join us if you have any sort of cancer (or if you're waiting for cancer test results)

[WhatWouldLeslieKnopeDo]

Welcome everyone to a shiny new thread :)

It's a club nobody wants to join, but if you need us, you are more than welcome. If you're waiting to find out if you have cancer or not then pull up a chair. We hope you won't need to be here long, but we are here as long as you need us. And if you do have cancer then this is the place for you. Swear, rant, scream, laugh, cry... someone will have at least an inkling of what you're going through!

We only have one rule, which is do not Google. Though perhaps we should update that to please Google responsibly as few can resist completely!

I hope this thread will be a source of support for all who need it

Our previous thread can be found here

@likeazebra thanks , I will take it easy, still waiting for surgery date to come though.

Anyone else have awful dreams? They're obviously stemming from anxiety but I'm waking up with awful dreams of life threatening chases ,husband leaving me and other alarming things..I'm exhausted !

Leslie thanks for asking. I'm ok although one can never really be sure what's going on on the inside
Dare I ask you about chewing? I've been thinking about her recently.
Mrs hoping all's well your way.

In September chewing sent a message to freddie that her liver was failing and she didn't have much time left

ggirl I have been having weird dreams too. Though I think it's because I have a new mattress topper and I keep overheating I hope yours calm down soon. It's not very restful!

mysilly Sorry you are here again, I'll be thinking of you tomorrow and hope that whatever it is can be dealt with asap.
I was thinking about chewing too, such a tough journey.
Love to all.

Is this normal for chemotherapy?

I'm on day 6 after my second cycle of EC. I feel sick and drained, I can't get of the sofa to do much. It was the same the first time except that was over Xmas so I had lots of support around so didn't feel it that bad.

I am ringing the hospital this morning to talk about my headaches which are getting so much worse, I think it's the daily injections that are causing it because last time they tailed off after I finished the course.

I just feel like I'm letting everyone down and I should be able to cope with it better than this.

Sharp there's no such thing as 'normal', 'letting everyone down' or 'should be able to cope better'. Have some .

I'm sorry you're feeling so rough. I don't know what EC is or what you have been told about side effects but chemo affects us all in different ways.

You should certainly ring the ward and get some advice, but don't be too hard on yourself. You need to rest. I know I felt terrible after my first chemo - like the worst flu ever. It did get better.

I agree with TwitterQueen - Sharpandshiney everyone responds differently to chemo and some sessions hit you harder than others. If you need to rest, that's what you should do. Everyone will understand. I've just come off the back of 18 weekly sessions of chemo where I felt fairly normal but started a new regime last week where today, I feel like absolute crap and making lunch, having a shower etc is a real effort. It normally doesn't last long, so hopefully you'll be feeling a bit more like yourself very soon. x

I've been thinking of you today Mysillydog I hope your appointment went well

Sharpandshiney that certainly sounds well within the realms of normal for chemo reactions. I'm not sure we have anyone else on EC at the moment. I hope the hospital can help with the headaches. Also please do ask for more antisickness medication if the ones you have aren't helping. There are lots of different ones they can prescribe and different ones work better for different people. You're not letting anyone down. You're being pumped full of poisons so it's not surprising you aren't able to do as much as usual

nicky sorry you're not feeling good today. I hope it passes quickly

Twitter how are you feeling?

Hi leslie and royal I'm still about but not had too much to report, thanks for asking. I've been struggling on with gynaecology since September, I won't bore you with the details but it's been like a French farce. I finally saw the consultant two weeks ago, he must have been about 12 and we have agreed on ovaries and tubes out in April. The full hysterectomy seemed a bit like overkill and he agreed. The zoladex injections aren't too bad, a few warm rather than hot flushes. It's like doing menopause for the third time, I'm just hoping the operation doesn't throw up anything more dramatic.

Life in general has been a bit difficult, dh was made redundant in December, not totally unexpected but never nice. He's worked from home for 4 years which has been fantastic through this. I think we might have to face him being away Monday to Friday which were both dreading, he's got until about November to find a job though so I'm trying not to panic.

I keep thinking about chewing, so sad, she had a really rough ride. I should be grateful for what I have. leslie I know you've been in hospital recently, I hope you're feeling stronger. royal how's the new house?

mrs so good to hear from you. That's a mixed bag you have there! I hope the decision reached to relieve your gynecologic woes will work and put an end to the trouble you've had.
I'm so sorry about your Dh. Let's hope he finds a new job soon enough and you're spared the stress to do with all that.
New house is fine. DC love it and I get more space now( not sure if that's a good or bad thing!)
I started twice a year prolia injections following my dexa scan results which suggested some osteoporosis. They're also recommended to help deter cancer spreading to the bones so I'm reading.
Chewing, I pray you find pain free peace. you will not be forgotten.

H royal, my dexa scan showed osteopenia so I'm on delightful vitD and calcium twice a day. It was also recommended that I did as much weight bearing exercise as possible so in view of impending surgery I have started to go back to the gym. I'd like to lose a bit of weight and improve my flexibility, my joints have seized up on the anastrazole. I haven't heard of prolia. I hope it doesn't cause any issues for you.

It's been such a comfort to have dh working from home. There's always that thought at the back of your mind that it could come back and if he had to work away from home I'd really struggle. Anyway, enough blue Monday pondering, hopefully everything will work out. I'm glad you like your new house, certainly something to distract you.

I'm OK thanks Leslie. I'm only on Caelyx though, so I don't have the Carboplatin to deal with this time around. Bloating, constipation, a bit sicky etc but I've just taken DD2 up to Notts and coped well - though I find driving quite soothing actually. I just sing along to the radio and don't stress.

Sad to hear that George Alagiah has a recurrence.

Hello everyone. May I add to this thread. I was at the Breast Clinic today to get the results of my breast tissue biopsy and lymph node needle biopsy only to find they hadn't taken tissue from the correct area. I need to return on Thursday and then another wait.

Even if it is bad news I would consider myself extremely fortunate because I was called at age 47 randomly as part of a trial. I veer between confidence of good news then being sure of bad news. There sure is a lot of waiting - my initial mammogram was 6th Dec! Every member of staff I have come across in my 4 appts have been so wonderful. I am full of admiration for them.

mrsrhod sorry you've been messed around so much, but I'm glad you've got a final decision that you're happy ish with :) sorry to hear about your DH's job. I hope he can find an alternative soon

royal I'm glad about the house. Did/does it need much work? Hopefully nothing too stressful :)

Twitter I'm glad the side effects are not too horrendous

magbob pull up a chair and help yourself to some hopefully you won't need to be here long! How frustrating about the biopsy. I hope Thursday's goes smoothly and that you get good news

Thanks for you thoughts. Unfortunately it’s back in supra and infraclavicular lymph nodes. I will have a pet CT in the next week and a treatment plan once they know my receptors.

What a nice welcome, thank you. It is amazing how your mind can go through scenarios of perhaps and maybes, I can only begin to imagine what that must be like for people on the this thread that keep getting successes then disappointment or setbacks. I will keep reading and will update.

I've been joking that I will have so many metal markers in my breast that if I shake myself I will sound like a maraca! Good wishes to all if you x

Mysillydog so sorry you didn't get the news you must have been hoping for. That's just crap. Not a great way to start 2018. There's just no end is there?

Fuck Mysillydog I'm really sorry to hear that good luck with the PET CT

magbob yes it's a bit of a "rollercoaster" (what a cliché!) but it is what it is really. It definitely helps if you can find reasons to laugh! I'm "imagining you as a human maraca now

So sorry mysillydog. Sending you much positivity. Good they're planning on how to tackle this recurrence.

Sorry to hear your bad news Mysillydog I hope they tell you a plan soon.

Hi
I wonder if I can join?
I'm freaking out somewhat 😔😔😔
Been having on and off arm pit pain for 18 months
Had x ray and bloods...nothing found
Over Xmas it's got worse and into my right breast
Went to Dr yesterday - she said she couldn't feel anything and she's referred me to the hospital
She said i should be seen in 2 weeks but if i haven't heard to chase up
I've just got the appt through by post this morning for next Tuesday and I feel sick
It's says:
4a, 4b, 4c, 4d - cancer suspected
Jesus
I've got 2 kids
How in gods name do i keep it together til next week??

I'm so sorry MrsReynolds. You got a letter? Did no-one sit down and have a chat?

In terms of keeping it together - I would recommend reading the first few pages of this thread which will offer you reassurance and hope. Tell someone too. You mention DCs. Do you have a partner you can talk to?

And rant and rave away on here.

I have got a dh
Is it normal to have a breast clinic letter say that???
She said she couldn't feel anything!!

I have no idea MrsR. I'm ovarian and was dx in hospital after being admitted to A&E. Everyone has different stories and experiences. I'm just shocked for you that no-one mentioned the possibility of cancer to you in a conversation. It must be very hard trying to take all this on board when you have loads of questions you want answers to.