Cancer Support #70. Please post on this thread, not #69, If you have cancer or are undergoing tests for cancer. Rant, rave, scream, cry – whatever helps. Supportive lurkers for Leslie welcome on #69.

[TwitterQueen1]

Thread #69 is filling up with messages of support for one of our own who is very seriously ill. Leslie told me a few weeks ago that she didn’t want any such messages to get in the way of those who need support through their cancer treatment so we are starting a new thread just for those who do have cancer or who are having tests. Could we respectfully ask lurkers and supportive posters to confine their comments to thread #69? Thank you.

We normally start with a brief introduction to our cancers – I’ll kick off. Ovarian cancer dx March 2017. Now on third-line treatment with a trial providing targeted and chemo drugs taken orally.

@2018SoFarSoGreat I am so glad you got your results x

2018S. So pleased for you

What an enormous relief for you 2018 - must be quite something to be told that the expert has never seen it before! Well done for your courage this week and I hope the surgery deals with it quickly and easily.

Apologies TQ, what is CA125 and is it good to be going up, or otherwise?

2018s - so pleased for you :)
I was told to take the steroids at 9am and 9pm - ish. I'm having a much better day today xxx

Brassica (tx for asking) I'm the only one on here with ovarian cancer - though Purple is a close with cervical so I don't expect you to know .
CA125 is a protein marker in the blood. It's an indicator that the body is fighting an infection of some kind - could be fibroids, cysts, endo... many other things. And it's not reliable. But my cancer is confirmed and the fact that it's still going up isn't good.

TQ - that sounds scary.....
I feel crap tonight, and so petty, dh cooked made the house stink, that made me vomit which hurt my scar so much. Cleaner came today and I felt like his lack of care had undone her cleaning and I feel useless to not be able to do it myself. I should not have got upset with him.
He has done so much and I feel awful.

I hope tomorrow is a better day, BlueEyed

2018, I am punching the air for you- thank the heavens!

persephone - it sounds as if you’re being very hard on yourself. This is tough, you’re vomitous and everything hurts.

Have you had a chance to tell him what you posted here - that he’s doing do much? Sounds like he wants to look after you - even when the bloody disease makes hitherto desirable foodie smells into the worst possible thing ever

Glad it’s good news 2018

I had two lots of good news this week - main one is that bloods are all normal - so continuing stable and next monitoring tests in 3 months.

And colon is officially normal too - biopsies clear, no disease seen. Occasional inflammatory symptoms can be fairly described as IBS. Referred (routine queue so could take months) for dietary advice for symptom management. I nearly got all weepy at the consultant - he was saying how the bowel can be a funny sensitive thing ‘and you’ve been through such a lot recently’ (niceness does me in, every time)

That is great news ivampire. So pleased to hear that.

My first day after two days of chemo and I have woken up full of beans and raring to go to the drawing class I have planned for this morning. My DH wants to know what they put in the drip, he thinks it must be liquid Duracell. I suspect it might be the steroids and that I am likely to crash at some point! So far so good though.

Actually, quite a lot of it might be relief. When no one can really tell you how your body will react there is a lot of apprehension . I don't need to tell anyone here that.

I hope you are all about to have a lovely day

Good news there iVampire, must be a relief to hear.

And glad you are not suffering ill effects meercat! Three days after my first dose I am pretty good but still resting lots. I washed my hair this morning and zero hair came out which is nice for as long as it lasts! This morning I am taking my wig to get it trimmed ready for use, think my hairdresser is quite nervous about doing it though .

Sorry about the concerning score on your bloods then TQ and thanks for explaining rather than telling me to google which I could have done to be fair! Do you expect a further call today?

I am still awaiting my HER2 result which will tell us if I’m triple negative or not. This has been outstanding for 2.5 weeks since both onc and breast consultant have been away and despite calling their clerical teams no one gets back to me. I have an onc appt next week so I suppose they plan to tell me then but it is a bit aggravating and tbh I’m assuming the worst.

Did you get to have your ice cream yesterday purple?

Hiya, I have lurked here the last couple of weeks, and don't know whether I'm in the right place or not especially as I may actually be making a whole load of fuss over nothing, but I think it would help me to just type this down somewhere. I had a skin abnormalities on my last mammogram ( had previously seen GP about this, she couldn't see it) and skin samples were sent off by the breast unit at my local hospital on the 10th April. They told me the results would be back with me in about two weeks, I phoned this morning, the consultant hasn't reviewed my results yet, I should hear by the middle of next week....I don't know whether I'm just a terribly impatient soul, but waiting is proving very difficult...I'm going to quickly post this, will be happy to delete it if it's not appropriate for this thread.

Don't be silly Molly! Delete nothing!

Ugh what a few weeks you've had. It's always on your mind isn't it?

Ooh I hadn't even thought of pimping my wheelchair Miles!
*
2018 that's brilliant news! What a relief and you too IVampire*. People being too nice also sets me off too

I did have my ice cream, although not from Seaham as there was nothing there. We stayed for about 20 minutes then went to my local beach and took my 3 year old nephew too and spent a fortune on the 2p machines trying to win him toys

I hope they ring you today TQ and you get some answers

Welcome Molly, you've come to the right place so please don't delete anything. The waiting really is the worst part of all of this. Do you have a partner/family to support you?

Just been to the gym today and whilst I did 40 mins I was tired today. I walked home but I reckon that a nice afternoon on the sofa is in order :)
Yesterday was chemo day so I guess I should be a lot more kinder to myself and not put so much pressure on myself.

Hi Molly - waiting for results is horrible. Try to distract yourself as much as possible in the meantime, and don’t google!

I finally feel like I’m coming out from the cloud of my surgery- I’m going away for the weekend to visit my mum (another story!) and I haven’t needed to pack a load of creams and cotton buds for wound care.

The downside is I’ve now got my first set of post-operation scans booked, so the old anxiety is kicking in. Happy days!

Had a phone call this am, the main tumour has reduced by around 20%, which is fab news!
My nurse rang me, not the consult and we didn't speak for long but that's really all I wanted to hear - that the pills are working. My next appt is in 3 weeks' time and I will get more details then, but that'll do for now.
I can only think the CA125 is increasing because my body is fighting...

Bloody hell Gib, I did nothing but lay on the couch the first few days after chemo you definitely need to be kinder to yourself

I'm keeping everything crossed for your scans Toofar. Have you got a date for them yet? I hope your mums going to be running around after you so can relax for the weekend

TQ that is fantastic news!! I've been thinking about you all morning hoping you'd get some good news. I'm soo pleased the treatment is working. I hope you're going to celebrate 🎉

TQ - what great news! I’m so pleased that the treatment is working

Oh purple! You’ve just made me laugh out loud on the train! DM is in hospital with dementia and is subject to a temporary order to stop her discharging herself. If she runs around after me we’re all in trouble!!! Scans are 13 May so not too long to wait x

TQ that’s fantastic news, I’m so pleased for you, just a shame you’ve had so much worry in the meantime.

I’ve got my 5th annual mammogram on Tuesday and if it’s clear I’ll be off treatment and back into the general population. I’ve got very mixed feelings about it all. I can’t believe five years have gone by, it seems like yesterday when I was diagnosed.

Thank you all so much for making me feel welcome. I'm clearly feeling a bit wobbly right now as seeing so many nice replies brought a tear to my eye.

Purple I love your username, purple and unicorns are two of my favourite things! My husband and three sons are pretty supportive, given that nearly all of them are on the autistic spectrum it means that the support is mostly practical and sometimes a bit odd, but I do appreciate it.

There's a family history of breast cancer in my mother's family, she and her two sisters have all had it. She and I went to see a medical geneticist some time ago, as the breast cancer in our family is post-menopausal we're not that interesting to them, but the geneticist did say that in her opinion it would be more likely "when" as opposed to " if" I got breast cancer...I had though been hoping that the "when" might be when I was ninety as opposed to fifty-seven, but I've always been a bit of a Pollyanna

mrs I hope you get the all clear when you go for your mammogram. I can understand your mixed feelings state.

Hi royal, how are you, do you regularly lurk too? I don’t always announce myself anymore at the beginning of threads but if I can help I’ll shout out. When I was first diagnosed I used to love to see people pop up years later, it gave me some hope. I’ve been really happy to see amber posting again recently, she was so reassuring at the beginning with her scientific research. She calmed us all down such a lot.

TQ great news re the treatment being effective. So happy for you.

Hi mrs I lurk but not often. I'm ok thankfully and despite the dramatic incidents, am not bogged down by the cancer past. I struggle with some extra weight due to the anastrazole and try to keep active, but in general there is a life after cancer yes.
I still feel a connection to this place despite not contributing. It's like part of my life story and yes seeing people wholike were thete when I was clinging on to this forum for support, people like yourself and Amber means something special.
Please let us know re your mammogram.