Cancer Support Thread #71 - here to help if you’re dealing with cancer in any shape or form, come in and say hello.

[Brassica]

Hi again everyone and welcome to the 71st new thread for cancer support.

All those who are currently being treated, have been treated in the past, have worries and concerns and/or are having tests are very welcome to pull up a chair and chat, vent, rant, pour hearts out, share milestones and anything else! We are a very friendly and all-too experienced bunch on here and there are no questions too small or silly to ask.

Our previous thread is here .

Anyone with any type of cancer (female or male) 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've got a loved one with cancer then your best place for support is probably on the Life-Limiting Illness board.

Please can I invite current members to reintroduce yourselves below for latest situations and stories so far.

bridget thanks for your kind and honest words....means a lot.

Morning all (evening to Snows) - Hedley so sorry you are in this worrying situation, you will get great support here and I hope having investigations now means that any treatment you need will happen promptly.

Much sympathy to Brassica re food tasting horrible, it's the worst side effect for me (of course I'm lucky not to get anything worse). Poor DP racks her brains trying to think of something I can eat. Far from showing British stoicism (!) I feel like a right moany cow, when I'm feeling rough.

On the plus side, it's a beautiful morning here in London. And I might manage a little outing this afternoon. Sending affectionate thoughts to everyone! Glad you have a date with the psychologist, Snows.

I am on the bus ! I walked 1 mile to the bus stop and will have a coffee in town . I have a lift back . I feel like a teen age runaway !
Armpit still disgusting and have had a reaction to the plasters so even more sore .
Results tomorrow .
Thinking of you all.

Trumpton. Sorry you are still having problems with your underarms. That really is such a difficult place to have soreness. I react to all kinds of plasters too and that makes it even worse. Hopefully you will be able to go without the dressings. I hope the results are all that you would hope for

@meercat23
Let’s hope so . The best case scenario is 15 sessions of radiotherapy which means 3 weeks away from the island .
I am not even thinking about any other possibility at the moment !

redspook If you have an understanding employer then dipping a toe into work sounds like a good idea.

snows Your wobble is absolutely understandable and I know what you mean about online support groups, they can be valuable sources of advice but some are best avoided when you feel fragile.

Bridget how are you on day 4?

Brassica I presume you were not post menopause before. I had horrendous hot flushes with the menopause and for what it's worth here are some of my coping strategies.
Wear layers. Sounds obvious but I never used to as I find it uncomfortable.
Hot drinks and moving from room to room were always triggers.
Get one of these beauties for your handbag.
I bought two single duvets so DH could snuggle under 15 togs while I had 4 togs all year round.
A fan on the bedside table.
Have a cotton sheet under the duvet. Bizarrely when you wake up in a furnace and fall asleep you then freeze. The sheet helps.
Wear a thin strappy nightie that can absorb sweat and be thrown off / changed in the night.

HedLey Hi there and welcome. No magic answers here but you can say things you might not want to say out loud.

I went down a cancer rabbit hole the other day. I came across a good website and a blog post which I think is brilliant called Advice to the person I was two years ago
Point three is one for me to remember. There is a fine line between (a) reading and researching in order to be well informed and able to advocate for yourself and (b) going down a Google rabbit hole of despair. Try and stay on the right side of that line (it isn’t easy).

Hi Hedley sorry you find yourself in here. I've not been confirmed Lynch yet but have been told very likely. Think the colonoscopy is a good first step. Then do go to your gp as the risk of bowel cancer in women is 40% (80% in men) but the risk of endometrial and ovarian cancer is 80%- so you need to have a plan to keep an eye on that side of things. I'm much older than you (45) and if confirmed I'll be referred for a hysterectomy as my family is complete. In your case I don't think they would advise that but I would push for regular scans and whatever else they can offer.
Remember though that you have the "luxury" of being diagnosed before having cancer which means they will keep an eye on you, and if it does happen it will be caught early. My oncologist a shall told me that the prognosis for Lynch cancers is better than non-Lynch. So try not to panic.

Hello all
snows, I know my dad used to find the end of treatment a really difficult time. He always felt back in limbo and unsure of himself.
For him the right choice was antidepressants and this did help lift him.

hedley I am new here too. Wishing you the best for you colonocsopy.

brassica, hope you sleep better tonight. I'm going to the GP tomorrow as my sleep is so all over the place. I'm fine in the day and my mind just races all night.

trumpton will be thinking of you tomorrow. Well done on your outing in spite of the armpit you managed it!

I'm still in limbo, apparently there will be a MDT meeting tomorrow but my CT was only Friday so I wonder if the results will be in.
It's kind of weird, as in the day I'm at work not having to worry about appts and pretending everything is fine. Then like skaps article I seem to drop down the wrong rabbit hole in the evening.
Best wishes to you all

@Skap
I have just been on the” ticking off breast cancer “website that you mentioned above and agree that “Advice to the person I was two years ago” is a good read as is the rest of the website .
Her book is published on the 26th September and I think I will buy it .

Hello all
I posted a couple of weeks ago because I have a lump under my collarbone.
I had my blood test last Tuesday and ultrasound on Friday. There was a round dark shadow on the scan, but I don't know what that means. I've not heard anything back since. I don't know if its normal to wait this long or if it even has been a long time. I wasn't worried but just feel anxious with the waiting now.

I think I am just posting here again because I find it hard to speak with my family and DH as we lost my aunt and his dad in May, both to cancer. So I don't want anyone to worry more than they need to.

Anyway thanks for reading and letting me be part of the thread. Hugs for all having treatment and waiting for results 💐

@AhJaysusHowaya
The waiting is so horrible and harsh on us .
I get results tomorrow from my second operation that was 2 weeks ago . I can’t deny that I am frightened and DH is being great but is frightened along side me .
I think that the gap between tests and results is one of the hardest things I have ever had to do and am sending you all good wishes and to anyone else who is suffering the dreaded wee small hours worry .

AhJaysus and Trumpton, crossing fingers your results are as good as possible - and well done for getting out on the bus, Trumpton! Sorry your underarm is so sore though.

I'm still struggling with post chemo stuff, constipation even though I'm taking senna every night, very tired. Left the house for the first time since Friday yesterday afternoon, DP drove us to a local park and we sat in the sun.

I was reading a thread just now about people hating autumn and winter, I'm really looking forward to winter this year because I should be feeling well! Although maybe also anxious/depressed . .

Hope most of you are asleep!

It’s the little things Bridget ! A quiet sit in the sun a change from the 4 walls . Cabin fever !

Wishing you best possible outcome today trumpton and crossing everything that s crossable!

ahjaysus is there anyone you can ring to find out when you get some clarification? I think not knowing when you're gonna know is almost worse than having the results day circled in red on the calendar. Hope you get some answers soon any way, and goes without saying that were rooting for ya!

bridget were you prescribed the senna by tbe team? I wonder if yiu might need something with a bit more oomph given your previous issues? I was given movicol when I had this problem and found it helpful ....obvs no need for it now lol.
Get some more help before it becomes really troublesome.....don't want a repeat of last time!

Trumpton. Thinking of you today and hoping for the best results. I hope they are able tp give yopu a different type of dressing. The reaction to the plaster on top of the other problems you have been having with the wound site must be so uncomfortable.

Ahjaysus. Waiting for results is so hard. It sounds daft but once you know what is what, and what treatment you may need it seems easier to get on with getting through it. The phase of not even knowing what to think is the very worst.

I am off for my 10/18 Herceptin today. There don't seem to be any serious side effects with it except a few days of tiredness but the last ten days has been so hectic and stressful that I doubt that I will see the difference.

meercat that's reassuring to hear about the herceptin.....that'll be me soon!

Did you have to have the immunity boosting injections after your last chemo? There seemed to be some difference of opinion amongst the nurses on the unit on Monday as to whether I'd need them after my last chemo in October. Guess the doc will decide when I see him just before. My bloods were really good this time which I was surprised about as had been feeling very yuck.....think I may have shared that with you all

Day 3 of penultimate chemo and my taste buds are vanishing. Nothing else so far though....I know it's coming however. Lovely day today. May go out for a walk whilst I still can.

Good luck for the jab today, meercat, but sorry to hear that the family upset is so tough still. Can you get anything for yourself just to give a little relaxation, maybe a massage or meet up with a friend?

Also good luck for your results meeting trumpton. Let us all know how it goes, and I hope they will also take a look at your poor armpit and do something further to help.

Glad you escaped the house a bit yesterday Bridget and enjoyed some sunshine. It’s been so swift turning from summer to autumn this year so feels as if we need to grab these bits of sunshine while they’re here! Metaphorically and literally!?

I had a dose of horrible constipation last night so I empathise with you if you’re putting up with it. I was alright all day until suddenly I really wasn’t, and felt faint, sick and downright hellish. Had a warm bath and that helped, and tablets from the hospital, and eventually got some relief. It was acute but nasty. I’ve had constipation before for several days and the memory lingers. I hope you can get something effective for it.

Thank you Skap for the hot flush tips! Yes, this is my first brush with the menopause. I definitely have that burning/freezing experience at night and will look up your clever bedding tricks.

AhJaysus I think WTF is right that a call to ask for an ETA on results will help you. Did they not say anything to you at the scan apart from seeing a dark shadow? That sounds like a thoughtlessly brief description when they know what you are worrying about.

Thanks for your update too Dulce and I hope you’re doing well. Your wait for the Lynch results has been so long! What on earth is holding it up?

How are you doing since Monday’s chemo WTF? I hope you’re feeling ok and have your home comforts stocked up just in case.

Cross posted there WTF! “Whilst I still can...” you poor thing

Trumpton best of luck today. Have all your questions ready in case you forget. In my results appointments there has always been a BCN whotook me away afterwards to go through everything again. I still forgot to ask everything

Yes Brassica I've got all my smooth foods at the ready for when I can't stand anything textured in my mouth....tomato soup, eggs for soft scrambling, custard, and mashed potato in the freezer. So much for healthy eating. I have bought some liquid iron supplements though as, not surprisingly, my HB has taken a dip the last 2 cycles.

Also taking prophylactic Imodium on recommendation of the oncologist and hoping I don't get constipated now. Blimmin innards!

Hello again. Re constipation, yes senna on prescription, I have tons of Movicol but so far have refused to take it, I know it's stupid and ridiculous but I really struggle with oral meds, especially liquids, and I've had so much nausea and vomiting since this all kicked off, I just can't face swallowing it. In fact most drinks are pretty unpalatable for me at this stage post chemo. I think once I'm eating more normally it will improve, I'll try & have lots of fibre and green veg.

Much sympathy to Brassica and WTF re innards, and to everyone else with all your various issues.

I do sympathise with the nausea bridget. I had it quite badly for 1st 3 cycles, mostly the first one until I had it under better control. And the thought if eating/drinking something unpalatable is vile. Really hard to know what to do for the best! You could try putting the movicol in a smaller amount of liquid so there's not so much to swallow maybe? Just a thought which I'm sure you've already had!

I didn't have to have any immunity boosting. My chemo was weekly for 9 weeks. Some weeks my bloods got quite close to the lower limits and I worried that I would have the chemo deferred but I always managed to just scrape through. They were getting lower though so I think if I had had 12 weeks of chemo I would probably have had a delay.

The Herceptin is given as an infusion through the chemo portacath. They asked me to agree to leave it in until the Herceptin ends as it is easier for them than finding a vein each time.

Bridget I was really glad to get past the everything tastes rubbish phase but at least it kept my weight under control without any effort on my part!! I am having to work at it again now.

Ah....a bit different to me then meercat as I'm having 7 chemos every 21 days and self administer immunity boosting injections days 2 to 8. Just keen to cut out as much as possible and as soon as possible!
Ive requested the herceptin as an injection post chemo as I haven't got a portacath and my veins are looking a bit ropey thanks to the hardening effect of the red stuff in the FEC that I had on the 1st 3 cycles.

Hope trumpton is getting on ok....

WTF. That must be hard on the veins and you must feel like a pin cushion. They tried to put a line in my arm when I had the portacath put in and blew one of my veins so I am glad I didn't have that every week