Cancer support thread 62 - here comes the sun (hopefully)

[WhatWouldLeslieKnopeDo]

Good evening

Our previous thread is here

If you've got cancer, this is the thread for you. Introduce yourself and feel free to ask any questions. We also welcome anyone who is waiting for cancer tests. We know how scary it can be. So don't be shy. We will happily hold your hand and hopefully wave goodbye when you get good news :)

Fabulous news chase .

Petalflowers would you like to see your GP and be checked? It's natural to feel worried.

Chase that's fantastic, such a relief! Radiotherapy is so much easier than chemo.

Dulce baileys makes everything better, that's definitely my drink of choice 🍸

When do you start your new and expensive treatment Addle? Fingers crossed it'll work since it's new

I've just got out of the doctors, she had a squeeze and prod all over my sides/abdomen and although she doesn't think it's a kidney infection there's definitely something there so she's given me antibiotics. I've done a wee sample but won't get results until next Thursday

Yes adle I had a bronchoscopy on Tuesday and my lungs still hurt so when I see doc next week he should hopefully have the results. He said depending what comes up I might need radio or even surgery. I'm trying not to think about it though.
How are you feeling on this round? My fingers still tingle with the cold and it's been almost two weeks. I hope it's not permanent.

Addle I find I'm ok just after the oxaliplatin but then progressively more symptoms after a few hours. Fully expect to be feeling rubbish later today and over the weekend compounded by not being able to sleep due to steroids (have retreated to bed now with Netflix). Then it gets better progressively and the capecitabine side effects kick in. Very thankful is last time - my treatment calendar has next time seeing doctor as 8th August . You sound like you react really badly. Are they dropping your dose next time? Hope the fancy drugs work.
dulce hope the tingling gets better soon. I find mine last about two weeks. Good luck with the test results.
Purple glad you got sorted out.Hope you feel better soon.

I’m feeling way more exhausted this time round and nausea for a full week - that’s now mostly settled. Still got tingling - I think I had that for nearly 2 weeks the first time round so not expecting that to settle for another few days at least! My oncologist said sometimes it doesn’t go completely between cycles but shouldn’t be permanent.

Yes I think I must be quite sensitive so they are going to drop the dose a little bit - just hope it is as effective... next cycle a week on thurs...

Good luck with the bronchoscopy results

My tiredness has built up through the cycles too. Was convinced I was really anaemic again but got them to check my blood today and haemoglobin 8.9 so while anaemic nowhere near transfusion level so much better than last time. Guess it must just be the chemo then. Might try and take some time off work this week.

I think the theory with chemo is they start high and then drop to the max you can tolerate. Sure will be effective - anyway with stage 3 really just a mop up and surgery should have got most of anything that was there.

Thanks tayto - I hope that’s the case too. Feeling a bit miserable about it all today as I want to be able to do my normal level of activity and it’s frustrating to be let down by my poor poisoned body...

I also feel exhausted most of the time. Am I the only one off work? I plan to go back next month but have been off since March. Time flies!

Hi folks, chase that's fantastic news!
As usual I have a question- any mastectomy ladies, did you have arm pain on the side of the removal? The back of my left arm, top half and opposite of bicep (tricep?), is both annoyingly numb in parts and very painful in parts ..... any thoughts?
I can't even lie on it .....

Sorry I’m no help mrsp but could it all be due to swelling after the operation? Sometimes that takes about 4-6 weeks to settle - or were you lying in a weird position during the operation?

I’m off work dulce - no plans to go back til I am COMPLETELY back to running around without almost fainting but work told me to stay away and luckily I have been working at it long enough to get a few months sick pay...

Thanks addled, I've been googling it and apparently it could last forever! But since I'm only a week post op I'm not going to borrow trouble! Just take the painkillers!
Glad your able to not work, one less thing to worry about, I'm in the same position- but am getting a bit tired of daytime tv - can't do much else at the moment. Have been out a bit for the last few days but boy I'm paying for it now!!!

I also have a fairly good sick pay and have been told not to go back until I'm ready. So I'll see how I feel when I start the last cycle. But I'm also bored of being at home and feel that going back to work would give me a sense of normality!

Thanks for all your comments. Haven’t spoken to gp or breast nurse yet. I plan to give my boobs a proper feel on Tuesday, and then maybe contact someone then. Why Tuesday? Because dh is away, and I can phone in confidence (although have mentioned in passing they are sore, then blamed hormones!). Part of me wonders whether the bra I was wearing caused the pain, and by changing it, the pain will subside.

I sent back because there was a conference and some training I wanted to go to mainly . Also work were putting too much pressure on my deputy and I was worried she was going to get too stressed. Plus sick pay a bit rubbish here. I'm not very good at resting either but trying to make myself - there are days I leave work at lunch to nap. Luckily my work is very flexible and I can do that and work from home too. Getting tired though this cycle....Is nice to be back and feeling more normal but finding people seem to think I'm 100% fit now which I'm obviously not. Horses for courses I think.

Hello to all,

I have been lurking as discovered a lump under my armpit a couple of weeks ago today. I got a docs appt the following Tues am and was referred to the breast clinic, then I attended the clinic yesterday. I just wanted to say thank you as all the positive stories have made me not panic too much, so have been reading the support threads rather than googling.

The lump turned out to be a lymph node which is on the edge of my breast. There was a lump deeper in my left boob with some calcification and the (lovely and straight talking) consultant who saw me thinks it is something and the lymph node is doing its job and stopping it going further at this point (hopefully)
I have had 2 biopsies done of the lump and 2 of the lymph node and await the results. The consultant tells me that at the very least, I will have an op to remove the node and the lump, even if not malignant. She said that it is all within the breast and very treatable. I don't think I will find out for sure what the plan of action is until the middle of the week after next as the consultants meet on a Monday to discuss biopsy results, so mine will not be ready by this coming Monday. She seemed very confident it was something and that it could be sorted. They may do a CT scan, she said it was a primary lump, not a spread, but she also needs to check no cancer cells have got past my reacting lymph node, she thinks due to the calcification seen on the ultrasound it is potentially slow growing.
I feel a mixture of tearful, weirdly calm & also like the news has probably not sunk in yet.
My armpit is throbbing and am nervous about what comes next, hoping I can join you lacies for some support, chat and hand holds.
I am 46 years old with 2 children aged 7 & 4 and my worries mainly centre around how they will be affected and what I should tell them and when at the moment, whilst still not fully sure exactly what I have yet.

Welcome noodles and sorry you find yourself here amongst us lovely lacies, but we are good for a handhold and some !

My children are the same ages as yours and the youngest has only been aware that I have been not well and am on medicine. The older one is very sharp, and I did tell him it was cancer and then read a book with him that the cancer centre lent me. He has been great and I have made it clear I am open to questions. He was slightly anxious that he had heard people die of cancer, but I explained my treatment is to avoid this happening!

But fingers crossed it will be benign and you won’t have to cross that bridge! Just make sure you feel ready and calm and ready for little comments that might make you feel emotional. The general consensus seems to be that they are aware of more than you think, and they can tell when we are hiding something!

Huge luck with your appointment for results

Thank you.
I think from the consultants reaction to the lymph node, I already feel like it is probably malignant. Thanks for reminding me it could be benign!
I am a single mum and currently have the kids 100% of the time, so am probably jumping too far ahead at the moment. Thanks for the advice re literature. I will ask at the cancer centre if any is needed. My 7yo is very switched on and sensitive, so I am sure I will have to tell her something as she will notice me going to appointments etc.

Hi noodles I second what addle said. Children are very aware and we do need to tell them something.
My dd is almost 5 and I was taken into hospital as an emergency so she had a panic about that and told me I was gonna die there. It was heart breaking but I had to smile and reassure her.
Since I've been home I told her I had a cancer bug stuck in my tummy and it was very nasty so the doctor had to cut it out. She asked loads of questions such as how did it get there, why it was there, could I give it to her, could it go somewhere else.
The Macmillan website has a section on what to tell children according to their age and I found it very helpful.
But this may all be irrelevant as it could still be benign so try and not jump ahead and tell them too much until you know for sure.
All the best of luck and hope you leave us soon!!!

Sorry bit poorly still so I will try and catch up...

chase that's really good news, but bittersweet that your dad didn't get to hear it

purple I hope the antibiotics help

Tayto yay for last cycle!

addle I hope the new nausea drugs help. Oddly I was almost euphoric on chemo days does your hospital have any alternative therapy type stuff? We have an aromatherapy lady who does massages and also mindfulness/meditation type techniques to help people with anxiety or just as a nice treat :)

Mrspotter I remember one of the previous mastectomy ladies having numbness but I can't remember the details. Hopefully someone with experience will be along soon :)

noodles sorry you've had to join us and fingers crossed it does turn out to be benign but we are here if not

Waving to everyone and sorry if I've missed anyone. I'm not quite with it at the moment and my eyes are struggling with the screen so I'm going to leave it there.

I was quite poorly yesterday and could only eat ice chips thankfully I can now tolerate small sips of drink now so onwards and upwards

Oh no Leslie what’s going on? Is it those pesky adhesions again?? I hope you feel better soon and (of course)

Yes they do have aromatherapy etc but it is so overscubscribed. I put my name down but no idea when that will come round! Probably when I have finished/given up chemo!

Oh no, that's a shame. We have a lady who comes round during chemo sessions and if there's anyone who is anxious or struggling she will bump them to the top of the list. Do you ever do mindfulness? I think I'd try and take a few home comforts, e.g. a snuggly scarf or blanket, cosy socks and then listen to some meditation or classical music and just try and zone out as much as possible

Yes, it's the adhesions. Pesky but harmless. I'm so thirsty in this weather it's hard to resist just chugging my drink down but then I throw up so partly my own fault. At least I can't chug the ice chips

to you too. Sorry you're finding the chemo so rough.

Hope you feel better soon Leslie I bought myself a box of these when I was craving cold things while having chemo. I love ice pops

What caused the adhesions if you don't mind me asking? Is it from the surgery? I've heard people on here mention ascites too, my stomachs so swollen at the minute I look 9 month pregnant and was wondering if ascites can be caused by radio/chemo?

Feel better soon leslie
🌷🌺🌸💐

Ooh I've never seen those ones purple but only last night I was reminiscing about the bright blue ice pops we used to have at school!

The adhesions are from surgeries, yep. It's where bits of bowel/other insides stick together. I'm not sure if it can be caused by other stuff. TQ is our resident ascites expert so hopefully she can advise. Whatever it is it must be uncomfortable

Thank you Mrspotter I hope your arm pain improves soon :)

Just tried to balance my tea on my left boob - the one that was removed!
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