CANCER SUPPORT THREAD 66 for those with cancer or awaiting cancer test results. Rant, rave, laugh, cry, joke, scream - whatever gets you through the day.

[TwitterQueen1]

Welcome to the new thread, and the club that nobody wants to join. Our previous thread is here

Anyone with any type of cancer is welcome. And we will hold your hand if you're waiting to find out whether or not you have cancer at all.

If you have a loved one with cancer you can get support on a different thread here

For old and new posters it's very helpful if you (re)introduce yourself in your first post with a summary of your diagnosis (chemo brain is a real thing and my memory isn't what it used to be!).

Hi all

Just back from hospital seeing Consultant so will catch up with all the posts properly later as there seems to be a lot happening.

KnickerBocker. Consultant has given tentative date for my surgery 14/01 - so it's becoming more real in my mind now that it's going to happen. I had been told from the beginning that I would have a mastectomy but he has now brought lumpectomy in as a possibility but he did say that there is greater chance of recurrence so I think I will stick with the mastectomy. How have you found your recovery so far? You mention having a drain in - how long does that stay in for? Sorry for all the questions. Also where do you get the breast form things from to put in your bras? I just saw some in M&S but don't know if there are better ones out there.

Oh and thanks to everyone re the information about Picc lines. Hopefully I only have 3 more chemo sessions to go and veins seem to be holding up so far so may not be worth it for me. I did have pain down one arm and chemo nurse did say it was chemo irritating the vein but that seems to have settled down now.
xx

Thanks everyone. Turns out it is sepsis but not neurophenic (sp?) so not as bad as it could have been. I'm on 4 hourly IV antibiotics and should be out late tomorrow hopefully. I'm feeling slightly better already

Knicker feel free to grumble! Honestly I've grumbled about a lot less. Do you know when you'll get your histology results?

Aw Miri I was hoping you'd feel a bit better by now. Have they given you any antibiotics incase it's an infection?

Ah sake @purpleunicorns that's pants

Glad you are improving already purple if the anti-b's are I/V 4 hourly, does that mean you will be disturbed during the night or can they be administered whilst you sleep?
I hope you are not in too long, manage some rest & feel better ASAP.
Another enforced kindle read by the looks of it...
Will they see you 2mo for the scan too now (whilst you are there) or is it a different location?

Thinking of you x

mrstraveller I am having a lumpectomy, the opinion must vary between the consultants as my surgeon said as long as I have radiotherapy afterwards, the chance of recurrence is the same as if I had a mastectomy.

I was advised by the BC nurse that I need to get front fastening bras for after surgery. M&S do them & their post surgery bras are vat free apparently. She also recommended going to a supermarket as there are cheaper ones around that do the job well enough and she said I wouldn't need it for that long, so to save a bit of cash & buy a nice bra or 2 after it all settles down with what I saved...

I haven't looked for any yet, but Asda & Sainsburys were mentioned by her...

I got a front fastening bra from M&S for after my liver op as I was struggling to reach round and do up normal ones. It is not super attractive but I am addicted to it now!

Hi Mrs lumpectomy plus radiotherapy is meant to be as effective as mastectomy according to my surgeon. Mine wasn't a recurrence but a separate primary on the other side and I chose a mx as I wanted to be damn sure of if removing it all! Recovery is similar so far tbh but I really won't miss the radiotherapy this time.
I was sent home with a vaguely size matched stuffed breast form for now, and will apparently get a proper silicone number later on.

Purple 2 weeks apparently. Sepsis sounds terrifyingly serious! Glad you're peeking up already. We are so lucky with the NHS!

Noodles make sure your bra is seam free too. It really helps for during radiotherapy.

Hi. Thanks for the info. Maybe the type of cancer I have has a higher chance of recurrence anyway? Think it is a more aggressive type. As the oncologist told me early on, with breast cancer, everyone’s diagnosis is different in some way and Individual to them so am sure for others chance of recurrence could be the same for mastectomy/lumpectomy - hope I haven’t worried anyone with what my consultant said.

The surgeon said take some time to think about it and he won’t know for definite whether lumpectomy is possible until I have another MRI at the end of chemo..

I’m one of those people that when I have a course of action in mind I fine it hard to change later. Inflexible thinker! I think because I’d heard mastectomy was the only option early on I am kind of fixed on that but maybe I should look at lumpectomy a bit more closely and not dismiss it out of hand. I don’t know whether I will have radiotherapy yet.

Miri and purple - hope you both see some improvement soon and purple hoping you get out of the hospital tomorrow

ranout. Hope chemo was ok today and you are back home on the sofa. I’ve got a 9am appointment tomorrow for my chemo plus herceptin. Not sure how long it will take as last time it was spread over 2 days. I’m preparing myself that it could be all day.

emily if you’re there, I hope you are able to get some sleep tonight and that you have had a reasonable evening. I am thinking of you

purple I hope you are home now and the antibiotics are working their magic

waves, hugs, cake and crochet (I bloody wish) to everyone else

Aw thank you Namechange, that is so lovely of you to remember when you've got so much shit to cope with.

I have been running daily this week and that has helped with the anxiety. I am not looking forward to tomorrow but relieved to have my appointment within the fortnight because apparently the list is running slightly longer than 2-weeks in my local area at the moment. I guess by about 5.20pm tomorrow (2.20 appointment and letter says to allow 3 hours for tests) I should know more one way or the other!

I hope your day has been OK? do you have any fun plans for next weekend?

Ah, not at all. It sounds weird but actually if you’re in the swing of treatment it all takes care of itself. It’s waiting for results and news that gets me and I never manage much sleep the night before. Exercise is such a great help though I find, so your running sounds like a great strategy (and bloody impressive too!). I had chemo today so will be working from home (ok sofa more specifically ) so if you are finding tomorrow morning tough then post away. I’ll definitely be around, as will plenty of other people I’m sure.

3 hours is a little intense! Is someone going with you?

Oh and weekend plans include puppy school, a car boot sale, a bit of catching up at work and some incredibly random stand up. Might even go nuts and put some of the piles of clean washing away! No one can say I don’t know how to fill a weekend!

Good luck Emily

I had a terrible night last night. I try to keep busy during the day and not think about the cancer too much but at night I have nightmares about it nearly every single night. I guess all my fears and anxieties come up then

Aw how did it go today Namechange? I hope it wasn't too bad. Thanks for being there! Puppy school will be fun! my dog was great at initial puppy training and then we started 'Adolescent dog training' and she just decided not to play along! Random stand-up might be good? Laundry woot woot lol, who has time to put piles of washing away anyway!

I hope you're OK Simm1, that sounds so horrible with the nightmares. I don't know if it would help but my cousin has recently had treatment for lymphoma and found writing her concerns down each evening helped with the nightmares - sometimes unprocessed worries pop up more during dreams.

Hi Emily

I don’t think I will be sleeping much tonight. Blimmin’ Steroids.

I’ve got everything crossed for you tomorrow that you are given good news.

Xx

Thank you so much MrsTraveller! I hope the steroids don't stop you sleeping too much tonight. Thinking of you with your decision over surgery too. xxx

Morning all.

Chemo was ok yesterday, been up since 3 with the steriods but last lot this morning so fingers crossed tonight should be better. Have to start the injections for my blood count tomorrow but needs must!
@Mrstraveller you've probably seen the breast cancer book by Liz O'Riordhan, I've found it very useful. I think I'll end up with a mastectomy but it gives you all your options and how they can operate.
Just on the school run; then a quick potter then I'll go and get my feet up!
all round!

Morning!

Glad chemo went ok ranout I have been sleeping randomly since mine, despite lack of steroids now! I fell asleep last night at about 6pm and woke up just after midnight. I was awake until 5am ish and then managed to doze off on the couch with my book & tea until everyone started to get up. It may be worth having co-codamol in just incase you get the joint aches & pains once you've started on the injections, that is what I was advised to have just incase needed and I have had some on each cycle.
My 1st injection to boost white blood cells was the worst (prob took me 15 mins of dithering slowly with it) but Leslie gave good advice of not being timid when doing it which def helped. I have had to do them with every lot of chemo, I only have one syringe in the fridge now which is a nice feeling.
Enjoy putting your feet up for a while when you get back from school.

Thanks for the bra tip Minnie I haven't felt like hitting the shops yet since chemo, but will bear that in mind when choosing.

Good luck today with the docetaxel mrstraveller I hope it goes smoothly, in my experience they give the first 2 over a longer time incase of reaction, then the ones following are quicker.

Best wishes too emily for your appt today. Let us know how you get on...

I hope you are a lot better now & are both ready to leave hospital soon purple & Leslie thinking of you both

@ranoutofquinoaandprosecco I meant to buy that book because I saw it before my confirmed diagnosis and haven't gone back to get it.

Flu jab, bloods and smear this morning. As Wednesdays go it hasn't been my favourite lol

Wig fitting this afternoon so DH taking me for brekker this morning after we drop the DCs at school. They're running a little late after getting their flu jabs too.

Good luck for today emily. I hope you get good news.
ranout I have that book and have found it to be very useful. Has really helped me to understand the treatment more.
Hope all is well for leslie and unicorn in hospital.
Best wishes to everyone else. I’ve not been keeping too up to date with the thread as DH and I have gone away for a few days to relax and have some fun before my surgery next week.

@Ginisatonic I struggle to keep up and I haven't been away! Hope you had a lovely time