Hi girls, 

Hope your doing okay? 

Lesleyanne, Wow, what a Xmas present! I'm so happy for you! You must be over the moon, I know there is some way to go yet but go you! And gl with the radiotherapy. May I ask you how you found having chemotherapy,? And do you have any tips? 

Phili,

I'm so sorry about your news, im 32 too! Seems we have more than age in common (sorry bad sence of humour?) I havnt had a CT scan but I did have an MRI, its not so bad, just very loud, but I'm sure you'll be more than fine. Xmas was good but I suppose its always there in the back of my mind and I just can't shift it so I totally understand when you say you want to move forward now and it will come round soon enough, I guess waiting is hard since I'm a very impatient girl lol. 

Hope you had a good Xmas and I'm here if you need to chat. 

Sending lots of hugs 

Gina x

Hi Ruth, 

I'm not sure how I missed your comment earlier, but I am very sorry to hear about you news, just take it one step at a time. You got this! 

I'm here to listen, good luck!

Gina 

Hi Gina

Sorry for the delay in replying, I have only just seen this post.

I do hope you managed to have a good Christmas. Seems ages ago now.

Yes I still can't believe that I had that fantastic news, keep thinking I'm going to wake up and it will just be a dream.

My journey was firstly 3 cycles of E C chemotherapy, 2 drugs (Epirubicin & cyclophosphamide) given via a cannula in my hand. I had these once every 21 day's.

I did start to lose my hair between the 1st cycle and the 2nd. So after the 2nd cycle I decided to remove it all. It has just about started to show signs of regrowth now.

I tolerated these drugs not too badly, a bit tired, lost my taste, some sickness but not bad. 

Then I had 3 cycles of a chemo drug called Docetaxel and 2 targeted therapy drugs (Trastuzumab & pertuzumab), the targeted therapy one's were because my cancer was HER2 positive.

These were also once every 21 day's via a cannula.

I did have a few more issues with these one's, a bit of sickness, tired, loss of appetite, numb fingers and toe's. Change in nail appearance.

My nails on my hands and feet are not brilliant even now, and some of my toe nails have come off. My hands and feet are still experiencing numbness/pins and needles.  When I looked on this forum about it, quite a few people have had this experience. They say it is the Docetaxel.

So if this is a drug that you are going to have please ask them for some advice regarding nail issues.

They should give you all the information regarding the drugs you will be having and the possible side effects. 

Please don't be scared, I was at first, because it was the unknown but the team at my hospital were absolutely brilliant.

I have a phone consultation this Wednesday with the oncologist, so I expect they will be discussing my next plan of treatment regarding the radiotherapy and further targeted therapy.

Keep strong and positive you lovely girl, I will be thinking of you

Love and big hugs

Lesleyanne

Hey Pip, my appointment was fine, they explained which chemotherapy drugs they are going to give me and explained all of the side effects, they were all lovely and kept asking if I had any questions. I have had a heart scan today, and I start treatment on the 27th. It might sound strange but I cant wait yo get started. I'm just concentrating on fixing me now :) 

How are you getting on love? Hope everything is okay with you. 

Sending hugs 

Gina x

Oh good! It’s nice to get things moving. What type of chemo are you having? 

Does not sound strange at all! I’m desperate to get started :laugh: people are right when they say waiting is hard! 

So I have had the CT, MRI and echo. A few bits have raised questions, I’ve got quite a few lumps elsewhere in my breast but they aren’t worried (I am because they said the same thing about this one) so I need to ask some more questions about that and I have a nodule on my lung which they will rescan in three months to see if it’s changed.

  The results from my HR2 still haven’t come back but the plan has changed and my surgeon thinks she can get it all out first then chemo. This could change but at the minute we are planning for surgery on 28th jan. I’ll be having a therapeutic mammoplasty and sentinel lymph biopsy. 

Like you I’m just pleased to get moving!! 

Hugs 

Pip xx

Hi Gina,

I found a lump in October (I am 42 and mum to a 7 and 9 year old who i breast fed) and following my breast unit appointment mid Nov (the wait seemed forever) it was confirmed i had grade 3 cancer. As well as the lump i felt there was another larger mass. I then had a MRI, CT and another biopsy which showed it was in my lymph node but thank goodness no further. As well as the 2 large masses i have a total area of the breast of 8CM which is dodgy. I have remained positive throughout this whole experience and was pleased to hear whilst in the lymph node it has not spread further. I have FEC-T chemo first and had my first infusion last Friday. I'll be honest the nausea on day 1 was not fun however i have been pretty ok since (3 o'clcok i hit a tiredness lull and i am dizzy if i look up?). I am continuing to work full time from home, homeschooling the kids and treating life as normal as possible. Following my chemo i need a mastectomy and lymph removal and will then need radiotherapy too. My experience of my nurses / doctors is great but i wont lie it is daunting. I was the youngest having chemo by about 30 years i reckon!

I wish you luck with your treatment

gosh i wish i was so positive ive got myself into believeing moderate alcohol has done it and i need to be punished

hi gina

I was diagnosed in december why dont you look at the breast cancer now website