Australian Sisters
Comments
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Kate - I found 2 weeks out of 3 were not so good, but then I had TCH. I didn't work at all during treatment as it turned out I had income protection insurance with my Super Fund and I didn't know it - thankyou Suncorp (that's who I work for)
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Kate - sorry you are feeling like crap :-( For me days 4 and 5 were the worst on FEC, just go to bed and sleep or rest, it's all you can do.
Jenn - I can go one better - I tried (on more than one occasion) to pay for things at the supermarket with my medicare card. I was so used to getting it out. Couldn't work out why it wasn't working. lol
Kate - we are all sending you healing thoughts and hoping your next few days go very, very quickly
Trish
xoxo
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Oh I'm so sorry Kate!
Make sure you are keeping up the fluids and rest. Day 3-4 were the worst, and we are on the same FEC...
Hugs from Jenn0 -
Kate, sorry you are feeling yucky. I do recommend trying to sleep through it and, when awake, having the small meals and lots of water helps. I didn't push myself during chemo but was gentle with myself. You will be back to feeling better within a few days.
Jenn, glad everything is as close to normal as possible (with BC) for you.
Pommygal, I am very much hoping you get good news today.
Sue, I didn't know till just now that you work for Suncorp. I do most of my financial business with them and find them to be very good and the staff are always friendly and helpful. I hope they are good to you too.
I have done Pilates and a bit of time on the treadmill this morning and will be returning to the gym this afternoon. I am a convert to exercise and am really enjoying it. It's exciting to see results in terms of improving my strength and endurance after only two weeks. I will be trim, taught and terrific in no time.
I am ready to go back to work. Can't justify sitting at home being a lady of leisure any longer after 16 months. I am in the process of negotiating with my employer. For those who know Brisbane, I will be working at Chermside, which is about 20 minutes drive north of the city centre. It will only be short term though until I resume full time work.
Talk to you all later.0 -
Ok guys i have my results back and it says
A well circumscribeddenisty lies within the axillary tail of the right breast with benign appearence and probably reflecting a l lymph node. So doc has given me antibotics for infection but why do i feel that there is something there. Anyone else had these results but it's been worse than what it says ?????
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Pommygal, they are great results but if you are not happy, ask if there is anything there that you can have biopsied then your mind will definitely be at ease. I'm sorry, I know it's hard to let go of the worry but good luck with the anti-B's.
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Thanks Chrissy will be ok in a bit just read to may web sites lol anyway he has put me on a 3 month wait for my next scan and mam he said just to make sure thanks again xx 0 -
Pommy, it's good that he is going to follow up so that's a good thing and not much can happen in that time period. Yeah, we all have a habit of using Dr Google too much ....lol..... but it's so tempting!
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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I'm really happy for you Pommygal.
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Racy - I've worked for them for nearly 5 years - I was put on a special return to work program starting with 2 mornings a week and gradually increasing until full time. They are really great to work for. I didn't find out about the income protection insurance until after I was diagnosed - wow what a relief. Of course my super has been paying the premiums, but it was still a nice surprise. Steve doesn't earn a regular income, so we would have been totally stuffed if I hadn't had it. I work on the Insurance Claims software.
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Pommygal: that's a good result! I wouldn't worry too much. Just make sure you go back at the right time for the follow-up.
regards Jenn0 -
Hi Gals. I have had a rough day, but (knock on wood) I am feeling a bit better now. I have been in a stupor all day and slept off and on. Can't really describe what is wrong. I haven't felt sick, but have almost felt like I've been out of my body all day - maybe I'm going nutts! anyway its definitely been all in my head and a funny tight sort of headache too. Gosh this sucks!! and I am very emotional - which isn't like me at all, so all in all I've not liked myself today at all.
Hope everyone else is doing OK and is having a good start to the week. It's so hot over here. Thank goodness for aircon but it's going to be 40 on Thursday - yuck!
xxx
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Oh and another thing just because I want to RANT (warning - don't read if you don't like cry babies) my breast infection is starting to come back. They are sore and swollen again, just like before, not as bad but I think they are my barometre of my general health. After so much hard effort and antibiotics they were feeling practically normal. I thought that that problem was behind me.
So I am doubly miserable at the moment. I hate myself so much for being such a baby and complaining when I think, hearing from others, I've had way less SE's than others, so I feel a fraud for bellowing, but I am just over myself at the moment. I want to run away and hide out somewhere but can't. Maybe that's why I'm posting here.
Thats all for now (sorry)
xxx
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Don't be sorry Kate, you have a right to rant. It's not fair and it sucks...
Hugs and tissues from me... Jenn0 -
Kate, IMPORTANT: You need to keep on top of any infection as it can become serious even without chemo, and being on chemo is an added risk. I would immediately start taking antibiotics again if you have them. If not, call your onc or the doc who treated you for the infection or go to the ER.
Also, take your temperature to check whether you have a fever. If you do, call your onc and take paracetamol to bring your temperature down in the meantime.
We all try to be brave and cheerful but the truth is that having had a cancer diagnosis and being on chemo is emotionally very hard. I felt sorry for myself a lot even when my side effects were minor.
I started taking an antidepressant after I finished chemo but wish I had started earlier. They help a lot. You have a lot of emotion provoking events coming up with chemo and I think an antidepressant is worth a try. You don't have to continue feeling so bad.
Be assured your emotions are normal.
Please get the infection checked and we want to know how you are day to day. You will survive this experience.0 -
Kate, PS do something nice for yourself or have someone else do something nice for you.
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((((((((Kate)))))))) - sorry you feel like crap
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Oh for heavens sake...
A blood blister (?) just popped up on the inside of my cheek this evening. Out of nowhere - it was just suddenly there. Just when I thought the SEs were over for this first cycle...
I have been sooo good with brushing my teeth and using the mouth rinse :-(
It doesn't hurt and I did a search on here and found several people on the boards who had posted they had this, so I'm not going to panic tonight - maybe I should panic in the morning?
Jenn0 -
Jenn - are you using Biotene? I found it to be really good.
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I don't think a blood blister is a problem Jenn, but it's good that you are vigilent. I hadn't actually heard of that as a chemo side effect. But then you say others have it...
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Susie, I've been using the biotene toothpaste but for mouth rinse I've been using the one provided by my centre (baking soda basically). My mouth has never been cleaner so it's disappointing this has popped up :-(
Jenn0 -
Kate, about where you have been today was where I was at the same time after my first treatment. I was swearing I wasnt going to do any more chemo, was sitting at home wanting to cry and a friend rang up out of the blue. Just talking to her made me feel life was worth living again and I never reverted back to feeling that bad for any of the other treatments. That awful feeling of being sick as a dog, fatigued and just generally not yourself. Its natural and believe me if I had known this forum was around at the time I would have been pouring my heart out in the worlds largest rant. Hopefully when you wake up in the morning you will be over the worst and can start building yourself up again. Also like Racy said, dont let the infection get worse. The drs and nurses all made it very clear that with immune systems compromised when doing chemo, all infections are to be taken very seriously.
Jenn, I get blood blisters whenever I eat chocolate and have been getting them since finishing chemo. Havent thought to ask if theres a reason cause I dont eat chocolate that often. But I doubt its serious, they dont hurt. Its mouth ulcers I was told to look out for during chemo - the ones that go down the throat and thats what the oral hygiene is trying to stop before it starts. Least thats my understanding.
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Pommygirl, the report you got was from a mammogram and ultrasound? They didnt fine needle biopsy or core biopsy the area? Youd know if they did, its where they stick a needle of whichever size and remove a sample to biopsy.
If the report and advice came from a qualified breast specialist or breast cancer care clinic, Id stop worrying and forget about it all for the 3 months. If its from your local gp or someone who doesnt deal with breast issues as a full time job, then I'd recommend contacting a breast care clinic ( whatever the equivelent of Breast Screen Queensland is in Adelaide) and having them peruse the mammogram, ultrasound piccs and report to confirm that they agree with the findings. Dont be alarmed btw, I personally just feel the professionals in the breast cancer industry are dealing with all kinds of breast issues (not all cancerous) all the time and have a much higher degree of knowledge than a dr or nurse who doesnt specialise.
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Pommygal - it is good news and Lyndal has given you good advice if you are still concerned ... but YAY!
Kate - you poor thing. You aren't going mad - I felt exactly the same way - not throwing up sick, but a bit queasy and the out of body feeling - yep exactly the same. Just go with the flow. Sleep as much as you can. Make sure you drink lots of water - that's really important all the way through the chemo, not just the day of and a few days after. I read a lot of books, easy ones that don't require your brain to work. You'll have forgotten everything you read within a day or so - so you can recycle lol. I found that I couldn't concentrate on tv at all. I'd start watching something and loose interest within minutes, so I'd either channel surf or go to sleep.
Being emotional is also part of it - remember I said chemo messes with your head. It's normal, so just go with the flow. Cry if you need to, sleep when you can. You do need to get your boobs seen to though - any infection for you at the moment is critical.
Hang in there honey - we are all with you.
Jenn - I never had a blood blister on my cheek before - until about 2 weeks ago! Didn't know what it was at first. Had DH look at it, and he said - "oh it's just a blood blister, I get those occasionally - they go away by themselves" and it did. Probably nothing to worry about and perhaps not chemo related.
I can't believe how tired I was yesterday after the big weekend. I wish I could retire too and join DH at home lol Feeling a bit less tired today though, so I guess I should go earn some money.
Trish
xoxo
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Oh - forgot to tell you all what happened on Sunday morning.
There were quite a few (actually lots) of the wedding party and guests staying at the same hotel. We went down for breakfast on Sunday morning, and I got my brekky and juice and coffee and toast etc from the buffet. Sat and ate it all, and talking with friends. When I'd finished I pushed my plate away and folded my arms. Straight away I realised I'd forgotten to put my false boob in! I was flat on that side. I was mortified. I don't wear anything at home and I'm comfortable with that, but not out in public. The top I was wearing didn't disguise the fact that one side was flat either. I wasn't particularly worried about my friends or DH (friends are all pretty close) but what the staff and other people were thinking!
Had to go up to my room and put it in. I'm always scared that I'll come to work without it in, and now I'll be doubly scared, it's happened once it will happen again. I can laugh about it now, but at the time I was very embarrased.
When will my brain come back???
Trish0 -
Good morning everyone. Trish that is just too funny about your lopsided foob mistake. I can imagine you were mortified. Probably no one noticed though - lets hope!
I am feeling my old self today. I can't believe the difference a day makes
. I don't want to count my chickens before they hatch, but I do feel just like my old self, just the slightest remnants of fogginess but only a touch. So far no mouth problems or poo problems (TMI??) and no being sick. I felt so much better reading all your posts last night and your reassurances that this was normal. Thanks everyone. And yes I am going to get boobs checked out and be proactive and not take a wait and see approach.
Have a splendiferous day all. xoxox
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Lyndal
No, no biopsy or anything just Mammogram and US. The report was what has come from having these done. When i went to GP he didn't have the results in front of him he had to ring them they told him over the phone but got them to send a copy though which he didn't see till i had gone. I don't know if anyone from a breast clinic has seen the results but we do have a breast screening. It's in the same place as where i got my mammogram done but a different area. I'm going to ring them today just for some advice then i will be happy.
Thanks for your feedback really appreciate it
Debs xxx
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Kate - boy you've bounced back quickly - kind of makes me envious - I remember lying in bed crying for over a week the first time.
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Suzie - I hope I haven't spoken too soon. I wasn't sure if i should have posted how good I was feeling.... just in case, but so far so good. xx
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Trish - too funny.
Jenn, I was thinking about your blood blister and then remembered I had a few spots on my arm that appeared during chemo and then went away spontaneously. There is a reason but I can't recall what it is; maybe something to do with clotting. Did they give you fact sheets on all the possible side effects? If so, it's probably covered under the topic of bleeding. Bruising is another manifestation of the same problem I think.
Kate, I'm glad you are feeling better and you will take our advice about infection. Unfortunately, you have to be prepared for mood swings. It's not just the chemo; it's a reaction to the whole situation you are in and the realisation that BC impacts on so many aspects of your life.
You saw a counsellor, didn't you? May I suggest another appointment. Also, I again recommend medication to stabilise your mood.
I do believe in nurturing yourself, not expecting too much. If you don't take the lead in this, others surely won't. So, have a self nurturing day!0
