Cancer Support Thread 84 - gently crunching our way into autumn

[mowly77]

New thread as old one about to be full. As those who have been around far longer than me have said: Welcome. Pull up a chair, help yourself to a biscuit, a large gin, or a detox tea. Or all three. This is a supportive thread for anyone with cancer to discuss how things are going, ask for advice etc., vent, scream, or discuss life in general.

Please feel free to join for support if you are going through tests as well, hopefully they will come back all clear, but if not we are here to hold your hand through the journey.

Hi
Thank you to all those who gave advice to give PALS a call re no results from my urgent liver MRI scan, after almost 3 mths of waiting
I called PALS and they were quick to respond and very helpful.
They are going to give the radiography dept a push to report my MRI, as they said it shouldn't take this long for an urgent to be reported on.
I will get a call from them once this is done and things will go forward from there.
Thank you all again.💐

Fantasea

Dont blame you for speaking up ! It does get to you sometimes, although on the other hand when sporting a chemo head scarf I got fed up with the pitying looks.
The dog thing does worry me, When I ended up in A & E last time I didnt know I would be kept in, and dog had to be rushed to kennels, which she hated. I also spent 5 days in hospital with no clean knickers or clothes or any nightwear and it was during Covid and no one had access to my house, that was a bit yucky!

Ive got an appointment for a PET scan on Saturday after my night shift. Im trying to tell myself its just a box they have to tick before they meet with me on the 7th but i know im lyong to mysf ☹️

If I lived anywhere near you I would help you out anyway I could. And I’m sure anyone else here who’s well enough would also.

Absolutely! I actually have no idea where we’re all based. I’m in South Wales. Any fellow Welsh here?

I have a UK home in South Wales.

Sorry. 10ish minutes from Swansea.

That’s a coincidence! That is further west than me, I’m about 20 minutes west of Cardiff.

Hi everyone - did anyone here not have a truly terrible time with their filgastrim injections as I’ve just done my first one and now I’m panicking that I’m about to feel awful and doubled up in pain unable to move 😢

Ooh I like this game; wish I could help re: dog too. And I really wanted to catsit @silkie ‘s floof when she went on holiday!

I’m on the Kent coast.

It’s weird getting to ‘know’ posters on this thread fairly well but you have a completely wrong picture in your mind of who they are! @AGreatUsername I simply can’t imagine you with a Welsh accent! But I shall now read all your posts with one … unless you don’t have a Welsh accent 😐

@mowly77 I don’t! I’m from a fairly middle class area, we have a pretty neutral accent. The same as Ruth Jones when she’s being Ruth Jones and not Nessa 😅

Ha! I shall check out Ruth Jones’ accent. But then you will be Ruth Jones in my head …… god what a minefield … this is a bit like seeing photos of the actors on The Archers, which I try & avoid like the plague because they don’t look at all like the characters do in my mind.

Thank you everyone, I’m glad it’s not just me that feels a fraud.
My stairlift died today so I’m on the sofa unable to sleep. I’m binge watching 1899 and eating too many malted milks!
By the way, whoever mentioned Borrow my Dog I got someone through them earlier in the year. She loves my dog almost as much as I do. We now cook for one another, swap books, and have a laugh.. She also helps me in the house. So it’s worth a go and hopefully you’ll be as lucky as I am!

I love Nessa and I'd borrow someone's dog! I'm in the Midlands - whole range of accents there, but I'm from a bit that doesn't have a pronounced accent either.

I've woken up this morning flopping back to not having my sixth chemo. I've got three more days to decide! I think I'll see which way the oncologist falls. As well as general cardiovascular concerns I have been getting migraine auras, which he didn't think was connected to the chemo, but I haven't had one for five or six years before this. I suppose it could be connected to the oestrogen in someway, it's not making me feel great anyway. I had a whole week of them in a row.

Other than that I am going to go to the gym when it opens. I'm really looking forward to being able to swim again at some point in the next few weeks, was it Silkie who mentioned that? The main reason I wasn't swimming was because of my hair and cold capping and not wanting to lose anymore, but even if I do have the chemo, I'm not having the paclitaxel, which is the one that makes my hair fall out so I feel a bit safer going now. I used to go to lovely outdoor pool, but have had to shift just to the local leisure centre because of costs and distance after getting cancer, and the hours aren't so good and it gets busy. I miss the upper arm strength though! Then later today, I'm off out for two breakfasts!

@WorryMcGee , I felt exactly the same after my first filigrastim injection, but it was fine really, more a gradual creep that hit on pax, but was then put on gabapentin which sorted it.
I even photographed the possible side effects and sent them to my best friend!🙂
I can’t say it will all be fine, but no, not everyone feels awful . I think it’s something to do with sticking a needle into your stomach that’s really scary too, but again, you get used to it.

Im in Scotland, by the way…Edinburgh.

Thanks @Podgedodge. Just a headache so far and the nausea/heartburn I had anyway. Plus a seven month old with a streaming cold 😩 not much sleep obtained last night. DH tried everything to settle her and usually he’s brilliant at it but she was having one of those nights where she just wanted me.

Mowly Im in Kent too!
Gilead
Ive just had a look at Borrow my dog site and it could be an answer.
Thanks for recommending

@Gilead
Do you have to contact a suitable borrower or do they contact you if they see a dog theyd like to borrow ?

thereisonlyoneofme You can do it either way round.

Hi Alayna12345 welcome to the club no one wants to join. A friend of mine was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer whilst pregnant, she pulled through after surgery, chemo and radiotherapy. The baby is now 16 years old and friend is doing very well.

I was diagnosed in June this year and have undergone bilateral masectomy, will be commencing chemo next week if all goes well. I am not happy that it has taken this long to start Chemo but there was lots of investigations being carried out not to mention a move to another part of the country in the middle of everything which had delayed things. But hey, onwards and upwards.

I hope everyone else is having a lovely evening.

@WorryMcGee the filgrastim are bearable but I get the weirdest sensation like a swarm of bees in my chest. I have noticed that the more side effects I have then the higher my white cell count is so they obviously work well.
I am in the West Country but I usually sound like a dead posh Radio 4 announcer unless I am out with my local yokel buddies. I would be Jennifer Aldridge in the Archers probably. I never understood where her posh accent came from.
I had a lovely evening out, no wig tonight though but lots of make up and dangly earrings. I’m having a character change I think and make a real effort instead of quick brush and go. I am compensating for the lack of hair!
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I’m having a character change I think and make a real effort instead of quick brush and go. I am compensating for the lack of hair!

This is happening to me too with clothes, I feel as though I have to compensate and DD says I've become very fashionable since starting chemo! I always wear my wig though if going to work or out for brunch / lunch.

I have also been making more of an effort clothes wise, and wearing more dresses since I shaved my hair off. I do think it's easier in winter - can just pull on a beanie if out for a walk. I have never worn much make up as I have an odd skin tone and have never been able to make it look right. But I have a Look Good Feel better workshop coming up, so maybe that will the the start of a new approach.

Also meant to say re the Filgrastim injections, I have had no pain or other odd sensations. But I have taken them with antihistamines, which is supposed to help. And also I seem to be on quite a low dose - only 300 micrograms, and the BNF recommends 5 micrograms per kg, which would be the dose for 60kg, and I weigh just under 80. Now I've checked that I'm worried I'm not getting enough!