Cancer support thread #73 - come in, we're here for you.

[Trumpton]

Welcome to the new support thread for anyone who has cancer, at whatever stage of treatment, is worried about symptoms, or is waiting for tests or results.

This is the place to worry, moan, ask questions, share experiences and good and bad news, and celebrate milestones!

If you've got a loved one with cancer then your best place for support is probably on the Life-Limiting Illness board.

Our previous thread is HERE

Current members, please do introduce yourselves smile

@MiniCooperLover I'm so delighted for you!
@Skap ditto for you, three cheers for last chemo!
@digerd hope the assessment goes OK tomorrow.
And very warm wishes to everyone else, hoping for some good things for all of us in 2020.

Another word on steroids. They don't make you put weight on, they increase appetite. I'm not used to the sensation of feeling hungry in between meals, I never normally snack. On steroids I find I'm constantly hungry and I developed a sweet tooth which I've never had before.
They also have an unexpected side effect. I have Rheumatoid arthritis and all my autoimmune symptoms have disappeared while on chemo even though the oncologist stopped my RA drugs. It has been a great bonus. This last week I had a week off chemo and lo and behold my joints hurt....

Hi everyone

Sorry for disappearing for a while - I was trying to forget it all over Christmas. But I’m thoroughly back on the cancer treadmill now

I don’t have a second mutation, so could have any of the three second-line meds. We chose based on the side-effects profiles.

Written up and consented at last outpatients, then sent for an ECG (possible cardiac side effects, so not to be prescribed to anyone with irregularities - thankfully that bit of me is normal, so glad to be normal!). But then sent away for a week taking no meds at all, before returning today to get the new ones. I’ve being weeing for Britain most of the time - maybe the weight gain was partly fluid retention. Unfortunately the pointer on my scales continues the whizz round to Far Too High a number, so the Xmas cheese must have settled in for a while,

Just to make the day a little more complicated, they’d lost the ECG results, so had to go back for another one - still normal. Then a massive wait for the drugs themselves. They cost a frigging fortune so it’s strictly 28 days only, dispensed from haem day unit. Nice reminder of all the (terrifying) potential side effects, and I start investing them tomorrow.

It feels like it’s back to the very beginning. How will I get on with this drug? Weekly bloods and 4-weekly review/resupply. Not feeling confident any more.

And only 16 weeks to the London Marathon. I spend the ages waiting for the drugs writing my training plan into a new diary (separate one, got gif that purpose only). I really need minimal/no side effects just so that doesn’t get cocked up!

I left, feeling like a major criminal dealer, with thousand of pounds worth of drugs in my handbag!!

Hi All - back in Christie's with another high temp and throat infection. Hope to get home tomorrow. Feeling very sorry for myself.

Aw Zorgo that’s harsh for you!
Sending you a hug for speedy discharge !

Any change you can smuggle in a bottle of fizz for tonight, zorgoth ?

Hope the infection is seen off soon

They're going to let me go home 🙂! Just waiting for the pharmacy to send up my medication then I'm on my way. Hope everyone has a great new year 🎉🍾

Oh, good news, Zorgoth.

Hope you are nice and cosy at home by now Zorgoth.

Found around a 5cm lump in breast at the top 30th December. It is pulling the nipple inwards. Went to the gp and got a referral. Now waiting until Monday for my appointment and going stir crazy. Huge family history including aunt that died 7 weeks after diagnosis. Somebody please give me something concrete rather than "think positive, it'll be ok" ...I know he means well but it's not helping

My bugbear ! Think positive ...fuck off !

The wait will be horrible for you , there is no doubt , stay with us until you don’t need us . The system is slick and you WILL be looked after .

I hope you will be back to tell us you are skipping off happily but if not the support here is amazing .

I will stop whittering at you now

Thank you. I've just read the whole thread and now feel like I'm whinging. You are all legends and I wish you all the best. I will be loitering here and soaking in all your wisdom.

No no . Everyone will tell you that the waiting and the head spin is horrible . It doesn’t make it less real .
Hang around at The Patience Inn there is always a warm fire and company even in the wee small hours !

Hippiechick you are not whinging at all. You have just been hit by the equivalent of a ten ton truck and now have to face waiting for your appointment and then for results. As Trumpton says, hopefully you will be able to come back in a while and tell us all is OK but whether that is the case or not there will be people here to listen any time you want to talk through your experience or fears or worries or even just to let off steam.

Oh and I agree with Trumpton about people who think it is helpful to tell you to stay positive. They have no idea how much energy it takes to get through this stuff any way you can.

Funnily enough I have never been told to stay positive by someone who has been through it themselves.

Zorgoth glad you were discharged, hope you feel better soon.
IVampire good luck with the drugs.

HippieChick so sorry you have this hanging over you. Waiting for tests and diagnosis is horrible. We are not heroes here, just getting through stuff the best we can, as you will if it turns out to be bad news.

@iVampire I hope those drugs do the job and don't impact you too much with side effects. I understand your fears because it does seem the more powerful and state of the art the drug, the longer the list of SEs.

@Hippiechick162 another at the "stay positive" brigade. yes you mother.
If you've read the whole thread you will have seen posts about what to expect at the breast clinic. I have learned that there are many different kinds of breast cancer and treatments vary around the country but the breast clinc seems very similar everywhere. You will probably come away with some kind of answer on the day. Either reassurance or a provisional diagnosis subject to biopsy if they think its cancer. To get through the wait I kept manically busy.

Final chemo done. Herceptin 4 of 17 done. A dry NYE for me but I have both DC here tomorrow night and may have a glass or two of Fizz tomorrow.

@Skap
Oooh final chemo . Stuff of dreams !
I had a can of G&T and now in my bed with a hot water bottle and the most amazing Neom diffuser gently burbling with Sleep oil in it . Let’s hope for sleep tonight .

hippiechick that bit at the beginning, when you don’t know quite what you’re up against, is one of the most stressful times, you are very welcome to unload it all here, and we’ll do what we can to help

skap final chemo sounds great! Enjoy the moment!

I was going to lift a glass today to all Lacies, present and gone before us, especially to Leslie Aimlessly purple and TQ who left us this year

But the new drug has given me the most appalling dire rear so I’m still weighing up the pros and cons!

iVampire. I will raise a glass with you to those lovely Lacies. If the Dire Rear prevents you from partaking we can always raise a virtual glass

Wishing everyone the very best this New YearsEve and lets hope 2020 will be kinder to all of us.

Oh @Skap! It had slipped my mind that it was your final chemo - hurrah!
@iVampire sorry about your dire rear, I have just had an unexpected bout of it myself, after feeling under the weather after lunch, and having to visit the loo with increasing frequency. We are staying with friends, in a cottage with one bathroom, to make matters worse. Hoping to get through the night with no mishaps

I am off to bed, flicking V's at 2019.

I finally allowed the tears I have been sitting on since August to flow tonight, not for long DH is crap at support like that, so we watched Bond I sobbed a bit and then got on with it.

I have refused to allow anyone to wish me a Happy New Year....# narky

I have one more chemo left and then radio, I am hoping to feel vaguely normal by May/June. I bloody better be, we have plans to to hit the Ivy in Guildford for DS's 19th and my 56th.

At risk of your wrath Naomi , Happy New Year to all Lacies.

Here’s to the best ever club that no-one ever wants to join (yes, I’m risking it) and the hope we all go forwards, as well as we can be, into the next decade

Happy New Year, you lovely lot (yes, including you, Naomi). Onwards and upwards. Thanks for the support you've given me so far.

"Think positive" - not had that yet.

Had plenty of "there's very little chance it's anything bad", and "it's almost definitely nothing to worry about".