Cancer support thread 91 - don’t borrow tomorrow’s worries

[LemonDrizzle10]

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@isaxx so very sorry to read your update and thinking of you Xxx

Ha @HohiyiKozbevi I heard the same thing about the chemo I was on...

So I decided before treatment to splash out on a £200 a head tasting menu with matching wine flight on the grounds that nothing would taste nice for a while.

Sods law, I got lucky and my taste and appetite wasn't affected whatsoever 😂 in fact, as the chemo centre is in a different city we got into the habit of going out for a nice meal every time after chemo.

The range of reactions and side effects for chemo is so great you just have to take it as it comes I think. My cancer nurse said to me not to sit around waiting to feel ill just because it's chemotherapy. For me, a bit of fatigue was probably the worst I got and there does tend to be a pattern as to when you feel worse so you can plan your life a little. Good luck with it all.

@EachAndEveryone fingers crossed for the immuno and surgery.

@isaxx very sorry to hear that. I'd take comfort that the sonographer didn't think it was suspicious - surely if the wider than tall thing is indicative she wouldn't have been that sure? It's so hard when there's something that might be something. I hope you get answers quickly and am keeping everything crossed that it does turn out to be nothing.

@isaxx just wanted to say feck feck feck and so sorry that this is happening. Sending all best hope

Oh @isaxx that sucks! I know only too well the despair of thinking you might need more treatment BUT it may still be a thyroid nodule so wait for the biopsy before you write off your recovery and the holiday. We are all here to listen if you want a rant. Courage my friend! It will be okay xx
also props to your DD for supporting you.

@isaxx I'm so sorry to read your update. @TopOfTheCliff has given you some very wise advice.

Sorry I haven't been on this thread for a couple of days, but just wanted to wish everybody all the very best

Welcome @HohiyiKozbevi and I hope your first chemotherapy was uneventful. How many will you be having? It takes a little while to work out what suits you to eat and drink. I hated coffee and tea but drank lots of Robinson’s cordial.
Denial is my favourite coping mechanism. It works well for me.

Oddly I have a mouth full of ulcers now even though I finished treatment a week ago. I guess my body is trying to reset and will take a bit of time.
Sending strength to all
Top

Hi @TopOfTheCliff - the drip has about 15 minutes left to go before they can start the process of getting me out of here. I feel ok at the moment. Just tired, bored and a bit achey from having been sat in one seat for the past 5 hours apart from a few loo trips. Not hungry at all - was instructed to have a hearty breakfast to prevent against nausea so that will probably see me through till supper time. Feeling generally ok at the moment.

@HohiyiKozbevi hope you finished ok and are free of the chair.

My latest ailment is a metallic taste in my mouth. Thought it was due to menopause when I had it in the past but it’s worse than previously at the moment. Just rang the doctors for blood test results and it says doctor needs to speak to me: my mind is obviously now in overdrive. Anyone else had this?

Please can I join?

Lemons I've not had that but can be caused by meds or something like B12 deficiency, not an expert but not normally anything serious.

HohiyiKozbevi All the best with the chemo. I didn't have taste affected, I took a coolbox like from a camping shop with me each time and ate ice lollies and think that helps with keeping taste and not affecting teeth (though lollies aren't the best for teeth) and the ice lollies taste nice though not the weather now. My chemo unit was always about 30C.

So sorry Isa I really hope its not more cancer and that the person was right. I also have a 17 year old, is she your youngest? I have a 17 and 16 year old and 17 year old has coped brilliantly, 16 year old went into crisis and its so hard. I hope you can still go and enjoy your holiday.

Love to everyone else.

Of course you can join BBQ1 and anyone else who maybe lurking, its for anyone with cancer or doing tests for cancer.

@Bbq1 of course you can join. Sad you’re here but welcome to the most supportive group of people I’ve ever met.

@Silkiefloof my money is on b12 deficiency- hopefully simple to sort, I’m exhausted- another symptom!

@isaxx So sorry you’re having to go through this. Hope things get better for you.

Thank you so much @Silkiefloof and @LLemonDrizzle10 . I don't know where to start... I had lymphoma 12 years ago. It was awful as the cancer perforated my bowel and i almost died. Needed an illestomy for 7 months which was reversed. I had chemo after Op. So grateful I recovered but i have lived with the after effects of cancer ever since - premature menopause, digestive/bowel issues but coped. About 6 weeks ago i stared to experience upper abdo pain almost constantly which is unusual. Day and night. Signed off work as i can barely sleep or eat. I had a ct scan 9 days ago and the consultant called me earlier to say they have found swollen lymph nodes in my stomach and he's referring me urgently to haematology for further tests asap . I cried on the phone and have cried telling work. My husband is so lovely and supportive and has comforted me and keeps reassuring me and my elderly mum is there for me too. My ds was5 when i was ill, he's just 18 so we've talked to him today . I know it may not be cancer and that's what I'm holding onto. I'm praying it's not but it's terrifying when i had swollen lymph nodes last time and the consultant obviously said with my history they need to check. I understand but I'm so scared, all i am doing is constantly check my phone for the appointment letter. Sat here in pain. I'm not googling.
Sorry for the long post. Thank you if you've read it.

Love to all undergoing tests and treatment.

Sending lots of love and hugs your way BBQ1 I really hope its not cancer. Do you know when you will hear? I hope its not too long. I have a 18 year old DD and a 16 year old DS. I hope your son is OK too, my DS took it much harder than my DD. Boys and their Mums. Is he doing A levels now? My DD is in her second year of A levels. I wish I could say something more useful but I don't know much about that area, I had breast cancer. Feel free to PM me if that would help. There's a thread for secondaries as well on life limiting by the lovely Mowly but hope its not that and you are most welcome on both threads if it is. I would just try distraction for now if you can distract, which reminds me Below Deck med is out today.

@LemonDrizzle10 do your results go to your gp or straight to your oncologist? I was told that oncology have a much lower threshold for abnormal results than gps. My oncologist told me that GP practices often phone him saying 'mrsflores bloods are all over the place' and he replies 'well yeah, she's having chemo'

I know it's not for everyone but I choose not to know all the details of my bloods. I'm monitored monthly and if there is a problem they will tell me. If I knew all the details I think I would endlessly be obsessing which would make me a anxious mess.
I had low magnesium a few months ago and one of the magnesium rich foods on the dietary list was Dark Chocolate. I was very pleased with that ,tofu not so much! X

My bloods in chemo never went to my GP, they just get put on mycharts which I and the hospital can access. Our GP doesn't do any of the cancer treatment other than initial referral. Its really strange bloods done at GP can't be seen at hospital and hospital bloods cannot be seen by GP. But its a village and its about 1950 here.

@Silkiefloof the reason for the bloods only going to the person who requested them is that every test has to be read and filed and acted on. If all the hospital tests reached the GP they would never go home. I used to have to process about 100 GP generated results a day. If you added the hospital tests which I would have no context or information about my head would explode. Likewise the GP is doing preliminary or routine tests on patients who may have no hospital records so the hospital would have no idea why they were done. Hope that helps.

@Bbq1 Welcome to the thread nobody wants to join. Let’s hope your stay is short.

Here bloods requested by GP can be seen by the hospital but not vice versa, and you can have your bloods done at the GP but if the consultant requested them you won't see them either. What were the bloods for @LemonDrizzle10? Could be a lot of things.

I think the GPs are so understaffed I don't think they go home as it is Top without extra results. I generally prefer just hospital getting as know context. The only issue I had was once I went into GPs and they said we need to get your bloods as you've had none taken in ages and I said I had them yesterday at hospital and they said still need them. At hospital they once told me I had the world's biggest bloods collection though imagine you may now have taken that record Top They said mine were the most normal bloods they had seen. Ironically must have had cancer then.

👋🏻 @Bbq1

As if lung cancer isn't enough, I've now got bronchitis....
No wonder it was hurting more !

Thank you so much, Silkie, i really appreciate your reply. I don't know when my oncology appointment will be but I imagine soon from what the consultant said.
I hope your teens are ok. My son was 5 when I was sick so we just said mummy has a sore tummy and he accepted that. I think the older they are, the harder they take it. When he was 9 he asked had it been cancer and i said yes and we've been open about it ever since. We told him earlier and said they are checking what it is, and it's hopefully not cancer. He seems fine up to now but we have a very close bond. What is your daughter doing for her Alevels? My son is in his second year at Lipa Performing Arrs college studying Music performance and Productiom. He's a talented Guitarist.
Where are you on your treatment journey? I hope you're recovering.
Distraction is good, definitely. My son carved our Pumpkin earlier and it's now lit up on our wall and we've had some little trick or treaters which makes me happy!

Also thank you to a warm welcome from everyone. May my stay on this wonderfully supportive thread be short and yours too.

Aw, Tillly, that's rubbish. Are they treating your bronchitis? How's your cancer treatment going? Get cosy and stay warm.