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General health

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Original poster

Mutual support thread for breast cancer patients. All welcome including non-cancer patients who want to chip in!

558 replies

anorak · 14/03/2008 21:25

There seem to be quite a few of us now so I thought we might like a place where we can congregate to laugh, cry, share, compare notes and give each other a bit of support.

OP posts:

TheMadHouse · 10/06/2008 21:01

Huff Puff - just wanted to add my sympathies to your feeling unwell. Listen to the wise lovley ladies

I have the date for my ovaries and tube remove as the 21 July.

BlaDeBla · 10/06/2008 22:09

I hope you are getting lots of support in RL, TheMadHouse. Dh is just getting information to fill in a form about genetic councelling for cancer. This thread is a brilliant source of information and encouragement.

ThingOne · 10/06/2008 22:48

Congrats bladebla.

TheMadHouse · 10/06/2008 22:50

I am really lucky or not lucky to be going through this with one cousin - she is having her mastectomy first through, I would rather do the other way round.

I also have a really good DH who would move the ends of the earth for me if he had too That sounds too soppy, but I am feeling really blessed. My youngest (2 this month) spent the afternoon with his granny, so just me and DS1 (3.3) after Preschool and we really missed him. I am so glad my boys love each other and they gave each other the biggest hug when DH brough DS2 back in. DS1 doesnt remember life pre DS2 and so is not jelous of him

How are you feeling?

pigleto · 11/06/2008 16:59

Congratulations Bladebla, we all know what you have been doing this summer .

Oh Huffpuff, you sound fed up.

I am on EC which is completely different from what you are having. I just had my third treatment and am feeling sick and tired. The steroids and anti sick things make me depressed and I am starting to feel really guilty for imposing on friends and family all the time. The dcs are playing up and the housework is just out of control. I have another 22 weeks of treatment and it just seems so long and horrid that it makes me miserable. I played a lovely game of collect the side effects where I went down the list ticking every stupid box, I am mostly functioning though.

I had a lovely day on Sunday at a family barbeque, I laughed and everything.

BlaDeBla · 11/06/2008 19:06

Well, I have lymphodema appt and EPU appt on Mon, so I expect they will tell me then whether it is a viable pg. Perhaps it sounds as though I should be excited, but I really hated being pg the last 2 times and although I have thought it would be lovely to have another one, there are sooo many things against the idea.

I'm glad you've had a good weekend, pigleto!

Original poster

anorak · 11/06/2008 19:23

pigleto hang in there. It's so horrible but it will come to an end. Sod the housework. Let someone else do it. And if your friends can't stick with you through this they are not friends. I bet they are nowhere near as fed up with it as you think they are.

BlaDeBla I'm sorry you have so much to consider, I wouldn't like to be in your shoes. The lymphedema made me more fed up than the cancer did - but it does get better I promise.

OP posts:

beep · 11/06/2008 19:36

hello everyone

haven't been on for abit as I've had computoor problrms.

I had my 8th and final chemo (hooray!) no more searching for veins for the canula,took 3 goes yesterday and I really hate it.

Had to go into hospital for intraveinous antibiotics as I was neutrapenic and had an infection.

I sem to get differrent side effects each time this time it is feet and ankles swollen up so I can't get shoes on,I have to spend half the day with my feetraised above my heart.

Most people I have met have found the radio therapy easier to cope with does anyone have any experience. I'm hoping I wasn't to rash booking the campsite from about halfway through it will be a 40 mile drive.

huffpuff · 11/06/2008 20:44

thanks for your positive replies everyone!

The last few days have been much better - not feeling so vacant, bit more energetic and just feeling semi normal!!

Pigleto - how do you manage to stay so positive through all of this? I am trying my best but on a bad day all of this just seems so long and hard. I have decided to book a mega holiday for us all next year so we all have something to look forward to.

BlaDeBla - i hope your appointments go well - i cannot imagine how you must be feeling atm.

Beep - i bet you're relieved to have finished your chemo. It must be such a great feeling. I have only had one cycle and am already wanting it to end. Must get some staying power!! Any tips for getting through the next few months of chemo?

Anyway, i hope you are all doing well and have smiles on your faces XXX

Original poster

anorak · 11/06/2008 20:52

Good to hear from you beep. I have been wondering what had happened to you.

There's no doubt that chemo sucks. It's certainly much harder than I realised before it happened to me. All I can say is that it does come to an end.

Whenever I feel moany about it (which is often) I try to think about all the people who have to go and have it just to buy them some time, and how much they would like to take my place.

This too will pass.

OP posts:

huffpuff · 11/06/2008 20:56

Anorak - wise words....... thank you.

beep · 11/06/2008 20:59

top tips

enjoy the good days,

book that holiday (i have a weekend away in the autumn at a posh hotel with 2 best mates, one has breast cancer sher is a couple of months ahead of me and has just finneshd radiotherapy,the other one son has had thesame multi level surgery on his legs that dd1 had 21/2 years ago),

accept all offers of help,

beingpositive · 11/06/2008 23:29

Hiya Beep. Yes I found the radiotherapy way easier than the chemo. Glad to hear you have finished your chemo. I remember counting down each and every day of my chemo. The radiotherapy was more of an inconvenience IYKWIM.
Lalaa. I had my genetic testing done. I had a report by letter sent to me.I dont really understand it , i must make an appointment to get it explained. It said that I didnt have the gene but that it doesnt rule out the fact that i could have a gene that currently is unknown to them. They also said that because of my family history there must be some pre-disposition to the disease. OMG So confusing!!!!!!

Original poster

anorak · 11/06/2008 23:40

beingpositive I would guess that that remark about genes that are unknown to them is probably something they say to everyone to cover their backs. If you don't have the gene they know about then I would assume you're free of cancer predisposition as far as medical science can tell you at this point.

"accept all offers of help" - absolutely!

OP posts:

beingpositive · 11/06/2008 23:48

Having so many females in my family getting BC, I set my mind to the fact that I def' had the gene (my nan, my mam, my sister, cousin ). Being told that i dont, confuses me. I was looking for a cause to blame it on.

Original poster

anorak · 11/06/2008 23:50

The explanation appointment is a must isn't it? Why not write down all your questions and take them with you?

OP posts:

beingpositive · 11/06/2008 23:57

I know i have to but I have put it off for a while as i have wanted to forget the whole episode. To now get days when cancer isnt even mentioned is a good day. I will go tho and get it sorted.

BlaDeBla · 12/06/2008 10:15

I think I've mentioned about dh being offered genetic councelling. We spoke to his sister about family history, and frankly it's pretty grim. His sister has been treated for both breast and bowel cancer, and there's a lot of bowel and prostate cancer along the male lines. Dh still hasn't sent the form off, and I think he's very frightened about doing it and he is definitely procrastinating.

It's not something to look forward to, and under present circumstances, although it will make things easier in the long run, it looks a bit grim from here. Perhaps I can persuade him to come with me to the cancer support centre with me when we are in the hospital for EPU.

TheMadHouse · 12/06/2008 11:35

Being positive and BladeBla. The way the testing was explained to us, is that they look for specific spelling mistakes within certain genes at present. The cancer back up site exlains it better here

It does not find everything, in fact is limited to a small number of cancers and an even smaller number of genes

lalaa · 13/06/2008 18:49

My chemo side effects were:
dry mouth
nausea (obviously)
salt craving - first cycle
acid reflux
fatigue
general aching - kind of like having flu
headache from time to time.

Radiotherapy was an absolute non-event after chemo, for me. My skin gave up about three weeks in (I had five weeks worth) but the radiologists gave me some gel to help with that, and that passed within a couple of weeks of the end of treatment.

pigleto · 13/06/2008 19:19

I am really looking forward to the day when I can not think about bloody cancer for 10 mins at a time let alone a whole day. It has made me so self obsessed and boring that I can barely stand to be around myself.

I have booked a romantic night out at the crab and lobster next week for my dh's birthday. We are staying inRaffles with a hot tub and sauna and a roll top bath all in the room. Mum's got the kids and I will be mostly having a lovely time.

Original poster

anorak · 13/06/2008 23:33

pigleto that sounds lovely. I hope you really enjoy it.

OP posts:

TheMadHouse · 14/06/2008 19:26

Pigleto - not far from me, well about 40 mins. It looks lovley, let me know what the food is like.

I am feeling really sorry for myself, minor compaired to chemo etc, but had to have a tooth extracted and I have dry socket

And even worse my lovley step neices little baby died unexpectly yerterday. She had a really truamatic birth (he was depreived of oxegen). I can not imagine walking in with child and leaving without one

Tickle · 15/06/2008 19:22

hi all - hope everyone has had a good day.

So sorry to hear about your stepniece's baby, TMH. So awful.

pigleto · 16/06/2008 11:57

that is tragic news tmh, your family must be in shock.

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