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.

@FlatandFabulous love the name!

@Lubballoo just to add I also chose to have a double mastectomy (July 2020 - so still very recent!). I have no regrets at all and am really happy with my decision. I did speak to my DA who did the same 18 years ago and looked at a lot of stuff on (I think) ‘living flat’ on the internet. I had magnificent 32G breasts (sorry if I do say so myself!) but I do not miss them at all. I do wear my (A/B) prosthetics bra daily and love these too! I know I should say I now don’t have to worry forever about cancer in the other breast - but honestly I knew I didn’t want reconstruction and just love the symmetry. Sorry how shallow am I - so not sure if this is any help!

I found one of my old stick-on chicken fillets yesterday, and I'm going to start wearing it to make my manky breast balance up with the other one, which is about five inches lower .

New treatment day today! Fulvestrant, Goserilin, and Denosumab. I just hope I can cope with the Denosumab- last time I developed a weird reaction and ended up losing five teeth...

Love to everyone- here's hoping for a positive day!

Crossing fingers all the drugs are kind to you this time, @BitOfFun.

Hi all

It's been a tough few days and I'm still dealing with daily temperature spikes (6pm on the dot practicality). But my neutrophils are rising! Which is my indicator for escape. Once they go up a bit more the temperatures should subside. Doctors suggested Sunday (if the weekend team agree) to go home. So the end is in sight.

All the little bleeds are also slowly stopping - though I have been having daily red cell and platelet transfusions. Mucositis is lingering a little but I'm able to take pills. I'm finding soluble paracetamol and fizzy drinks help keep my throat moving.

That's pretty good news, Otter! Well, relatively. Small victories!

I am seriously impressed that your bodily thermostat can tell the time!

That seems like really positive news **Otter fingers crossed for a great escape on Sunday.
I had my pre op yesterday, I have a massive bag of fortisip it seems if I have to do the prep over 2 days then I also have to fast over 2 days! The nurse is checking that with the surgical team as it is unusual.
I had a lovely birthday on Tuesday I had been dreading the day since diagnosis but it turned out to be perfect.
I hope everyone has a lovely day. X

@Lizdeflores

What flavour is your Fortisip? I had nothing but Fortisip for 7 days after surgery, and they only had vanilla. NOT my favourite. (Vom) St Thomas' had a coffee one which wasn't too bad. If I'd been at home, I'd have added a bit of the Camp coffee essence I use for coffee icing. Shouldn't think it would hurt. You're allowed black coffee when you're on the liquids only stage.

I think the prep/fasting thing depends on where your tumour is. I may have forgotten, but it was definitely different from the prep for colonoscopy. The big thing was nothing on the day of surgery. I remember being told about some absent-minded soul who'd had her usual early cuppa and had to be sent home.

@InOtterNews Fan-tastic that you're so close to climbing the wall. I'd feel like kissing the ground on the other side if I'd been incarcerated as long as you.

@BitOfFun
Another one wishing you luck with the chemo. At least they'll know more about its effects on you than last time. And if it can knock out teeth, just think what it'll be doing to itsy-bitsy cancer cells.

Oh @InOtterNews, I do wish you luck for getting out soon! As long as you feel confident about it, of course. And presumably they're not expecting you to need transfusions once you leave? Will you have a nurse coming to you at home?

@Lizdeflores glad you had a good birthday. Hope the Fortisip goes down OK and everything goes smoothly before your op.

I went to my GP practice to get the stitch removed, the nurse took one out but said there seemed to be a second one that didn't have a visible end; she tried tugging but it didn't shift so advised me to call the ward. Which I did, had to go there and two nurses worked for quite a while to remove it with the aid of forceps and a scalpel! It hardly hurt, and they were both very nice. A tiny bit remains inside which apparently will work its way out in due course (yuck). But now I am patched up with steri-strips and can't shower for five days.

Evening all.
I feel very bipolar this week as I am now feeling well again day 16 and have talked myself into going through round 5 chemo on the same dose as last time. The lovely kind oncologist listened to my tale of woe and reassured me it was all common side effects and hasn’t harmed me apart from the traumatic experience. So for better or worse I’m going back for the same next week.
I managed a lovely bike ride to see an Anthony Gormley sculpture and had a coffee on the quayside and felt like a normal person. People kept smiling at me which made me worry my wig had become a comedy hairpiece but DH reassured me it was just because I looked happy.

I have repeat scans coming up and a possible operation date and some idea of the time scale for the rest of the year.
Now I just have to talk myself into going for dose 5..
Regards to all. Thinking of those in hospital or having treatment today
TopO

@TopOfTheCliff I'm glad you were able to talk to your oncologist about the chemo. It is grim knowing you'll probably feel dreadful afterwards. Two more to go? Lovely to get out and have coffee! I never wore a wig and I remember once walking down our local high street with DP when a gust of wind took my little beanie and deposited it at the feet of a homeless man on a bench, I ran to pick it up, he looked horrified!

Oh while I think of it - this thread is filling up and we'll need a new one soon . .

Thought I'd pop on here for a bit of support and advice. Had bc in 2012 mastectomy with implant /rads/ chemo. I'm on aromasin plus gabapentin for the flushes, omeprazole for the heartburn .

Anyway my implant's beenplaying up so I'm having it out on Wednesday and a full mastectomy as I'm fed up with it. I'd like them both off ideally but I'll have to save up and pay for that later. Hate being wonky.

But anyway, I had some bloods done last week as I'm T2 now. I have gliclazide and Sitagliptin, plus diet and blood sugar is normal now.

However, I've been called back to have more bloods done in a month or so as my liver enzymes are raised and I have a bit of right abdo tenderness. I had my gallbladder out over 10 years ago so it's not that.

I'm a bit worried that there might be something going on in there now, even if they are happy to wait for new bloods.

I'm just hoping it's the drugs I'm in as I don't drink or smoke. Really worried as I've had 5 operations this year already (even with Covid) on my implant, bladder and kidney (congenital stuff).

Help.

Hi @Babysharkdoodoodood - waiting for tests and results is so hard, particularly with everything else you’ve got going on. I had raised AST and ALT for months last year, which was caused by my immunotherapy - eventually brought under control by steroids. So it could well be the drugs you’re on, and if they’re happy to wait a month or so that hopefully means they’re not too worried for now.

Good luck with the op this week

Hi all

Day 26 I think...still here. Hoping for release tomorrow. I'll still need transfusions I think but not daily anymore. I'm managing temperature spikes by taking paracetamol a good way in between obs being taken. I've not had a big one since yesterday morning. So praying the Drs look kindly on me tomorrow.

I've got 4 selfies I've taken each week I've been here as I've been documenting my stay for family and friends - the middle 2 look like I've been 12 rounds in boxing ring 🥊

Sugar Ray Otter - catchy!!

Really hope for your release soon

Hope you get out today @InOtterNews. It has been a marathon!

Day 27 - I can go home! If I had the energy I'd dance round my room. So I'm just visualising a little boogie.

🍾🍸💐

@InOtterNews

Congratulations! You've done it.

P.S. Any signs that King's are mobilising for a London spike? Last time, they virtually closed the PRUH for anything but Covid so they could take the overflow from King's. It was like a WW1 field hospital the day before the Somme. I have an appointment with my onc, plus scan results, in 10 days' time and it feels like deja vu (all over again!). I''m feeling a bit twitchy.

@Thymeout not yet - though it's hard tell from my little bubble. I'm back on Thursday for outpatient appointment .

At my request they'll send me to PRUH for twice weekly bloods - I'll just come to King's for the big stuff

@InOtterNews congratulations on getting out! Hope you are home by now, cosy and comfortable

@Babysharkdoodoodood sorry you have to wait a while to get more tests, hope you can manage your (natural) anxiety in the meantime, and that everything turns out to be ok.

@InOtterNews ❤️

Great news @InOtterNews