Cancer support thread 63 for a handhold or advice and anything in between

[purpleunicorns]

Continuation of the lovely Leslie's thread here as it was nearly full

If you're worried about symptoms, waiting for test results or just need a safe place to vent then pull up a seat, we're a friendly bunch and we don't bite too much

There's quite a variety of cancers on this thread so hopefully one of us will have some advice and hopefully you don't need to stay for long.

I'll start with my story:
Diagnosed with stage 2b cervical cancer in October 2017, 25 lots of radiotherapy, 4 internal radiotherapy and 5 lots of chemo. Was told last week that it's spread and is incurable, palliative chemo starts on 16th July

year hopefully the biopsy was more of a completing the investigations thing, rather than that they were actually worried about cancer. I think that’s what they would have been most concerned about but if they think you can wait 6-8 weeks that must be a positive sign? Will keep my fingers crossed for you

Anyone around for a handhold? Newbie hear and scared!

I found a lump in my neck (on a Friday evening) and managed to get a GP appointment on the Monday. She took one look and feel and said she really wasn't happy with it at all and referred me under the 2 week referral to ENT. An appointment came through for 12 days later and they were initially checking for throat cancer. Had a camera up my nose and down my throat which the consultant said was clear and showing no signs of cancer. I don't smoke and don't have any family history of this type of cancer so nothing is pointing to it being this. The consultant didn't know what the lump was so requested an ultrasound and needle biopsy - this was done 10 days later (I had a family holiday for a week the day after the consultant apt) I now have the appointment tomorrow (today - Thursday) for the results. It's been a long 2 1/2 weeks since the biopsy and I'm worried. The consultant said she couldn't rule out anything sinister until the results are back.

The glimmer of hope is that I had a cat scratch to the back of my head that didn't clear up and I also mentioned this at the initial gp appointment when I went about the lump. The Gp doesn't think they are connected and gave me antibiotics and the cat scratch has cleared up but the lump is still there

Excuse my typos didn't check before I posted

Handhold here for you KT, I know the waiting around is tough but try to keep in mind that 9 out of 10 lumps are completely harmless. Have you had any sort of cold or virus lately? Lymph node nodes can stay swollen for weeks if you're fighting off infections

Good luck today and let us know how you get on

Welcome KT but let's hope your stay here is a short one :) I have no useful experience but I'll hold your hand. I hope you managed to get some sleep. What time is your appointment? The waiting is nearly over now and that's usually one of the worst parts of the whole experience. Is anyone going with you to your appointment? Take a notebook so you can jot down what they say as however much you think you'll remember, you probably won't :)

penguins you're up early - trouble sleeping?

I'm awake, sort of, and getting ready for today's chemo. Not sure I really slept much last night. It was so muggy! At least I can hopefully snooze at chemo instead.

Waving to everyone.

Good luck KT and fingers crossed for good news. Waiting is no fun...

Up since 4am here - need to get more sleeping tablets I think! Had a glass of champagne and then half a glass of prosecco and think this interferes with my sleep - I have become so sensitive to this it’s annoying!!!!

Hope today’s chemo goes smoothly Leslie!

I’m off to a wedding with DH leaving the DCs behind for 2 nights - first time we have done this so am very nervous!

to everyone!

KT best wishes for your appointment today, the waiting is awful as you overthink everything, you are nearly there and hopefully it is good news

Have a good chemo day Leslie I hope you manage a doze whilst there.

Addle enjoy the wedding (& the peace of being child free for 2 nights) in my experience I think it will be very odd for the first -5 minutes- half hour or so, then you will completely relax. Enjoy!

(Posted too soon) Hello to everyone else & have a good day in the sun (again!)

Thank you purple. He didn't mention infection but asked about cancer in the family. I have a feeling the nurse said a couple of weeks and I'd get a letter with the results but I'm not sure. Some of it is a blur.

Thank you WWLKD. I feel sore today but it's bearable.

addle thank you. I'll have a think what to do. But accept I may have to just wait. I'm scared but not letting it take over as no point until I have somethjng to be scared about.

Welcome KT.. Hope you get good news.

Thank you everyone for taking your time to send good wishes. It's really appreciated - I didn't sleep much as expected but I have to take my daughter somewhere this morning so no time to sit and dwell thankfully.

I hope everyone's day is as good as can be and sending positive vibes to anyone having treatment today

How did you get on KT?

Hi purple

Thank you for checking - it's good news. All bloods clear and biopsy showing a reactive lymph nose due to an infection but not cancer. I still need further bloods and another biopsy which is being sent to a specialist microbiologist to analyse but they think it is car scratch disease (I told them they over a month ago ) but until the bloods and further biopsy is back they can't confirm. It's likely that I will need the lymph node removed but would need a scan to confirm how many other ones I have in the area to protect me from future infections.

Thank you for your support and allowing me to post here when I was worried. Sending you all my very best wishes for your ongoing treatments x

Brilliant news, I'm so so pleased for you. You're welcome here anytime but hopefully we won't need to see you again

Fantastic news KT what a relief for you

How did you get on today Leslie? Did you manage to snooze?

I have had another dismal day. I just cannot shake my gloom at the potential side effects of treatment. What is getting me down is the early menopause and the tamoxifen tablets after treatment which will apparently slow my metabolism whilst increasing my appetite. Brilliant. I feel old fat & saggy as it is, have had very little sleep since diagnosis possibly partly due to the heat too and am looking haggard & shattered. I think once I start treatment I will be dealing with it, rather than anticipating all the negatives which is what I am doing now. I have been like this since my date was given for chemo. Reality is beginning to bite annoyingly. Plus I feel very superficial as it is all the vanity stuff that is getting to me the most at the moment.

It feels very alien as I am usually more often than not with a half full glass rather than a half empty one, but I do feel down just now.

Oh well, hair cut still looks like it will happen 2mo and there is a family disco on 2mo night which I plan to take the kids to. I will def need a lot of makeup and a non teary night if I do that.

How are you doing purple? Has your wig arrived yet from Amazon?!

dulce is your bottom any better yet? And tayto I hope you are better again today too.

Waves to everyone

Hello noodles. I have been on tamoxifen for a month and am waiting to see when any side effects will make themselves known. Not sure how long it takes for that.

It's the not knowing how things will affect you that's scary isn't it. That and the waiting.

Purple that wig looks amazing

Noodles apologies for asking the obvious but is this the first time you have chemo? As usual I'm struggling to remember everyone's stories and don't know if you've had something before. I don't think you're silly at all and worrying about vain things. Every side effect is a reminder that you have cancer and that in itself sucks. I do however agree that the anticipation is worse than the real thing. At least it was for me. Hope you feel better soon!

My bum is still sore but better thanks. Trying to avoid metanium as I know it messes everything it touches! So far bepaden seems to be doing the job.

That is positive chase if no side effects after a month, I would have thought they would have appeared by now, so maybe you have escaped them

That's brilliant KT.

Fingers crossed! I have read weight loss can be a side effect too

Hi Dulce yes, this is my first round of chemo that is coming up. I do need to just get on with it really I think.

Glad your bum is improving at last

Noodles the chances are you'll only get a couple of the side effects, and worrying about the vanity side of things is completely normal. We're still women after all 😊
If you're not sleeping well ask the doctor about sleeping tablets, you'll probably need them anyway as the steroids from the chemo will keep you awake at night

Plus getting a decent nights sleep will help you be more positive during the day, I'm rubbish when I've had a bad nights sleep

I remember panicking at the thought of having chemo and how ill it was going to make me but it really wasn't anywhere near as bad as I thought it was going to be

No wig yet but it's been posted so hopefully it'll be here soon

Thanks purple I will have a word re sleeping tablets. I am shattered early evening around tea time, then get a 2nd wind as the kids go to bed & stay up too long, then wake up between 4-5am...
I need to get into better habits! It has coincided with me watching series 2 of Unforgotten after the kids are in bed, which is too good to just watch one episode at once!

noodles i didn't have chemo...so can't help...but nerves are completely natural....I was terrified at the thought I might need it...huge hugs.
I've been on tamoxifen for a year...honestly it's fine. I definitely prefer one brand over another (one gave me spots and acid)...but the brand I have now is truly fine..negatives are that I'm .possibly mildly less um "up for it"...bu still pretty keen!! I have some night sweats but not every night. I always take mine in the evening so think.thats why I dodge hot flushes (but that's me thinking it...no medical facts!!)
The weight thing is weird...I DID put on weight...BUT I think it was because I thought I would which led to me subconsciously esting more. It was about half a stone in around six months....I have since lost that and a bit more....I started doing pilates in January which gave me the boost to go back to healthy eating. And it wasn't significantly harder to lose than when I've dieted before
I hope so MUCH it will be the same or better for you.
Hello.to everyone else...thinking of you all...

Noodles it's only natural to worry about chemo particularly when they list all the possible side effects - the possibles for mine were everything from persistent numbness in hands and feet to mouth ulcers and foot skin peeling so badly you can't walk. I definitely only got a couple of those listed - ok the dire rear and cold sensitivity have not been fun but manageable. Here's hoping your side effects not too bad either.
KT great news!
Addled hope you have a lovely time at the wedding and get a long child free lie in in the morning.
Dulce glad bum improving.
Leslie hope chemo went well and you got a nice nap.
I think I actually had food poisoning yesterday so not chemo related. Much better now but did get incapacitating stomach ache after a BBQ tonight. Still trying to work out which foods I can eat safely with reduced colon. I know (through trial and error) I can't have oranges but no idea what the trigger was this evening hopefully not red wine as don't want to have to give that up!.

Morning everyone .

TMI too. Sorry.

I'm having a wobble and wondered if I could have a slap. I think I'm being investigated for endometrial cancer rather than ovarian going by bits of info I've gleaned. I'm on my period this week which apparently helped the scan etc. I've just been pegging out the washing and what felt like a lot of blood just poured out of me. By the time I got upstairs my pad was full and I was dripping blood everywhere as I tried to get my shoes, trousers etc off ASAP. Has my period just gone mad or is it something else? .