Cancer support thread # 75 - come on in!

[Bloodybridget]

This is the new thread for anyone at any stage of cancer, from noticing a possibly warning sign, through tests and scans, diagnosis, treatment and beyond. Come on in for advice, sympathy and support.
The last thread is here.

If you've been on a previous thread, please come and say hello and introduce yourself!

If you are a relative or friend of someone with cancer and looking for support, there are other threads on this topic - this one is for cancer patients ourselves.

Bloody hell @BitOfFun - such shitty news. I've no words to offer, just my thoughts. 💐

@BitOfFun - Thoughts, hugs, love, all coming your way from me xxx

@BitOfFun. So sorry. That's rubbish news. Too right you'll take the treatment options. When do you start?

Bollocks. Despite quadruple dose of injections, and the immense pain that goes with them, I haven't got enough stem cells to harvest today. They're going to give me something Mozobil tonight at 5.30. I can take it home and do it myself because apparently it's worth £7,000 - do they think I will sell it?

Well that sounds rubbish @InOtterNews - how long before Expensive Stuff does it’s stuff and they can try again?

My meds arrived by courier yesterday, but only 2 boxes not the 3 I was expecting. So the specialist nurse is investigating with pharmacy what’s going on. As it’s nearly £3500 per box, I guess they’d be a little concerned! The costs of the newer treatments are eye-watering

I’ve had my breast results. I’m OK. They got a good amount of tissue out and there were no cancer or pre-cancer cells detected in the aplasia, so I go on to annual mammograms for 5 years

I suppose that makes me one of the ‘over treated’ group - as aplasia does not necessarily lead to precancer, but I’m so glad I was treated and am ‘in the system’ for a while for monitoring, because the leukaemia treatment can make it rather complicated to treat anything else, so getting it dealt with before it even happens is a good outcome for me

So sorry to hear your news @BitOfFun. I hope you can start treatment soon. I've really admired your attitude in previous posts, and hope you can hang on to some of that optimism.

Good news @iVampire and @gillmoregirl!

Hope everyone else is doing ok. I am halfway through an enormous pile of ironing - beginning to wonder how I managed to get it all done pre-cancer and shielding and being stuck in the bloody house all the time!

Hello thought I’d let you all know that my journey on this thread has come to an end today. The doctor called and I had something called a complex scelorising lesion of breast, non cancerous and fully removed at second biopsy. No further follow ups required.
Thank you everybody for the most amazing support you have given me and the best of luck for your upcoming treatments.

@**BitOfFun that's horrible news I hope they can offer more treatment and I send all my Love x

Thanks guys, I feel so much more positive this morning. Treatment starts in two weeks, and sounds pretty good.

One in each buttock!!

I hope you have a chaise longue

@TreeWitch - excellent news!

@BitOfFun crap, crap, crap! But good news about your treatment commencing soon, so keeping absolutely everything crossed for you and thinking of you.

Waving back to @ElaineMarieBenes! I have struggled with the headgear, most scarves scream so obviously chemo, so I have found a really good source here. I also keep wearing my wig when going outside, it keeps my head amazingly warm under the turban.

@iVampire and @InOtterNews good luck with injections!

@TreeWitch fab news! I hope (in the nicest way, of course) that you never have to come back to this thread again.

Hi ladies, I've recently come to notice a small bruise on the underside of my left breast. I'm not sure what it might be and would like some advice. It's been there for around a month. I wanted to see a doctor about it but they only have phone appointments right now so can't have it checked out. Any insight would be much appreciated!

@iVampire I'm back again tomorrow at 8am to try again. Apparently they want more of my cells so that when transplant happens it will minimise the risk of infection. I've just met with the transplant doc - apparently I have a 5-10% of being admitted to intensive care. So now I'm trying not to think about that. Having already developed sepsis with my chemo I'm fully aware that I will not "not" develop something while I'm here. I just have to hope that my cells take as they should and my levels recover quickly.

Ice cream will be on tap too

Happy thoughts people, happy thoughts (I am talking to myself)

@BitOfFun I'm very sorry your liver is now affected, but hope the treatment will be effective for a long time. And that the injections aren't too ouchy!
@TreeWitch that is terrific news, congratulations!
@iVampire good news from you too, yay!
@balkanscot glad to hear the mouth ulcers have been kept at bay this time. I'll be thinking of you re ultrasound, and hope you have significant shrinkage. Have you got some hats to keep your head warm as the weather gets colder? I needed one pretty much all waking hours till I had a reasonable amount of hair again.
@ElaineMarieBenes hope your infection responds to ABs and that your chemo can go ahead on Sunday.
@gillmoregirl, finally! Scary times for you, but at least you are progressing towards treatment.
@InOtterNews I am so sorry they couldn't harvest your stem cells, and sincerely hope the new drug does the trick.
@Apocalyptichorsewoman, welcome to the thread, that's really horrible to be dealing with investigations as well as having a nasty fall from your horse. Did the person doing the ultrasound say anything? The comment "Wow, that's big!" from the radiologist doing mine was a heavy hint that something was up! If there was something to be seen, you should move on very quickly. Sending good wishes - and for heaven's sake, don't feel guilty for asking for a handhold here, that's exactly what the thread is for!

I don't have any news except that I am enjoying lovely weather in London, and I went rowing for the first time in 6 months yesterday (going again with DP tomorrow) - it was just lovely.

I am too slow . . @ReiRiko when I had something that needed to be checked out with my GP, I emailed a photo, so do make an appointment, I'm sure you will be able to do that. Hope it's nothing to worry about!
@InOtterNews good luck tomorrow. Whatever happens in hospital, I'm sure they will take very good care of you. Obviously the idea of being in ICU is frightening, but the staffing level will be amazing and you will get all the support you need.

I've had my scan, and I'm cautiously optimistic! I have an 8cm cyst on my right ovary. The sonographer was lovely, she said there was some debris in there, but it looked a simple structure.

I have been referred to gynae, who will review it and get in touch, but I think it's ok!! I'm 5 years post menopausal, so I thought I'd left gynae behind me 🤔

I feel so much better! I'm going to keep lurking until after gynae have seen me if that's okay? X

Glad you had good news @iVampire !

Of course it's OK, Apocalypse! This is the thread that nobody wants to be on, but it's incredible 😍!

@iVampire my Dr said the ‘C’ drug is used to treat severe psoriasis. I only had it on my my arms and ears but very happy to see it gone! Also good to hear your news too.

@balkanscot I do have a couple of turbans too! I’m sticking mostly to my panamas and large sun hats, sunglasses and mask - In my head I’m rocking the 30s starlet look and DH hasn’t laughed yet. I did though bump into a friend/colleague (after a dusk stroll) and he couldn’t hide the initial shock on his face but this was the first time he has seen me post surgery and chemo chic isn’t a good look but hey it’s not forever!

I also think in a way we are all lucky with current treatments available - and @BitOfFun good luck with your latest one. Wishing you well too @InOtterNews.

@Bloodybridget glad to hear the sun is shining in London - I do miss home!

One last thing is to say a friend brought some scar cream back from the US last week and it is amazing! It’s called Merderma PM (and was actually made in Germany!) so I guess it’s available in Europe. No more sesame oil cream for me! I am taking daily photos as it does seem to work overnight!

Hello, I hope I am ok to post here, I have read the entire thread and the level of support is amazing.
I discovered a lump in my breast about 2 weeks ago. I left it a week and checked again to see if it was linked to my menstrual cycle, but it was still there and perhaps a little more obvious. I visited my GP on Wednesday afternoon, she agreed it needed looking at. She described it as been like a long, bean shape. I have no idea if this is good or bad. I'm still waiting to hear from the hospital, I am wondering if I should ring the breast clinic and just see what sort of wait I'm expecting, just so I can manage my expectations. I have 2 small children so obviously my main worry is leaving them without a mum (yes, I do tend to catastrophise!). I don't really know what I'm asking, I think I just needed to get it out. I don't have any close family to talk to apart from DH, he is firmly in the camp of 'it will be nothing to worry about'.

Ct scan done. Filling in tooth fixed. Now all I have to do is stock up in prep for another two weeks isolation before surgery. Fingers crossed nothing stops surgery going ahead. Covid starting to make itself felt here again and it's getting bit worrying.

Happy Friday all. It feels weird to say that when I'm not working.

The very expensive injection did the trick. Three times as many stem cells today compared to yesterday. So collection all done. Whatever they got today will have to be enough.

The injection though has given me an upset stomach as well as the standard pain. So I'm feeling wiped out.

I hope everyone is feeling ok. Sending you all a big hug

Hello, just a very quick update from me. One week after first chemo (EC), feeling ok, there have been ups and downs but generally feeling positive. I haven't lost any hair yet and feeling sick has been the worst thing. I'm guessing the cumulative effect of chemo will get harder but hopefully I can manage the sickness a bit better next time (different meds maybe? I'm seeing the oncologist on Tue so can ask). Sorry not to be posting more, I have read everything here, thinking of everyone, wishing good weekends to all.

@usernotfound0000, hello and welcome, sorry you have this anxiety with the lump. I didn't have breast cancer, but I think you should be referred under the two week wait rule - so you should get an appointment at a breast clinic soon. There are loads of women here with extensive experience who will add more, I'm sure. Good luck, very much hope it does turn out to be nothing serious.
@Lubballoo yes definitely ask your oncologist for something else to help with sickness. You might not be able to avoid nausea altogether, but there are lots of different meds they can prescribe.
@InOtterNews glad to hear they have plenty of stem cells now, and I hope your insides settle down soon. Are you sleeping OK? I got through a lot of the worst times by just dozing my way through!
@gillmoregirl don't forget to lay in lots of treats for yourself! Crossing my fingers too that you have no delay re surgery.
@ElaineMarieBenes your 30s starlet look sounds awesome!
@Apocalyptichorsewoman very much hope the sonographer was right - I think she wouldn't have said it unless she was very sure, they have so much experience
Wishing everyone a good weekend!

Wow lots happening here. @TreeWitch I’m thrilled for you 🙂 Great news!

@BitOfFun the treatment definitely sounds promising. The news is of course not good but this sounds like a decent option.

@Apocalyptichorsewoman wow, what a shock! When I had my CT scan (bowel cancer) a 5cm cyst showed up which they thought might have to be removed, but thankfully it shrank again of its own accord. Yours sounds more complex, but hopefully will be easily dealt with (if necessary).

@usernotfound0000 I’m sorry you’re here, but welcome. I can’t blame you for feeling worried. Hopefully it won’t be a big deal but the uncertainty can be terrifying. My mother’s a bit of a “nothing to worry about” type, it works for her but it can be a pain in the arse when you’re genuinely worried about something. Mindfulness is extremely helpful but we can’t all just turn our feelings off like a tap!