New and wanting to say hi 🙋‍♀️

Donna1974

Hi 🙋‍♀️ 
I have trolled on here since being diagnosed triple positive in October 2020!
I had a bilateral mastectomy and left axillary clearance in November in which they found a 2nd lesion!
so I have invasive lobular and ductal 🤦🏼‍♀️

Anyway I started AC chemo last Friday fortnightly for 8 weeks then taxol for 12 weeks.
25 doses of radiation and herceptin 3 weekly for 12 months. Then all going well 10 years of endocrine treatment!
I just wanted to say Thankyou I have found this network a wealth of information and feel so grateful 🥰
Of course I knew nothing when I first started and felt like a deer in the headlights so to speak. 🦌 

JennyD78

Welcome Donna.  I'm in Newcastle too and happy to have a chat if you ever want.  I was diagnosed age 39 in Nov 2017 and did basically the same treatments as you, except I did chemo first.  I did all mine through The Breast Centre at Gateshead/Lake Mac Private.  Hope you're keeping reasonably well.  Take care xo

AllyJay

Hi there dear deer....welcome to the group that nobody really wants to join. I was also a "lurker" when I first joined as I always like to suss out the lay of the land in any new situation. I hope you feel a little less like you're that deer, frozen and dead scared, and that you realise you have this gang here who've really got the ability to say "we get it". No topic is off limits and there are no taboo subjects. Anything from "shiny ginies" (exfoliation of our lady gardens) to treatment and info...this is a true "hive mind" here. I hope your treatment treats you kindly and that you'll join us again for a natter.   Ally.

Locksley

Hi Donna welcome.   I liked your reference to a deer in the headlights as that is  exactly how it feels.  It gets better as we put one foot in front of the other.

Donna1974

Thanks everyone 
I was going through Lake Mac @JennyD78 but found my basic hospital didn’t cover it! Now I’m with the Mater and I really cannot fault them, everyone has been amazing x

Dory65

Hi @Donna1974,
I'm glad you are doing well and that this forum has helped.

FLClover

Hello @Donna1974 🙂
I think many of us were lurkers. I know I was 😄😄. 

It’s nice you finally felt comfortable enough to post. Glad you found help here. It really is an informative place and very friendly 😊. 

I hope chemo goes easy on you ♥️

PV123

Hi @Donna1974
Good luck with your treatment.  

ChezaH

Donna1974 said:

Hi 🙋‍♀️ 
I have trolled on here since being diagnosed triple positive in October 2020!
I had a bilateral mastectomy and left axillary clearance in November in which they found a 2nd lesion!
so I have invasive lobular and ductal 🤦🏼‍♀️

Anyway I started AC chemo last Friday fortnightly for 8 weeks then taxol for 12 weeks.
25 doses of radiation and herceptin 3 weekly for 12 months. Then all going well 10 years of endocrine treatment!
I just wanted to say Thankyou I have found this network a wealth of information and feel so grateful 🥰
Of course I knew nothing when I first started and felt like a deer in the headlights so to speak. 🦌 

Hi Donna, welcome and good luck with your treatments, and remember if you need information it is all on this site, I have found so much support and help here, there is always somebody that has been through or can give you advice as to what to do.  sending Hugs xx

Donna1974

I know everyone is different but does chemo generally get worse as you go along?

Afraser

Hi @Donna1974

Many people find Taxol easier than A/C. On the other hand, I had relatively few issues with A/C apart from hair loss, whereas Taxol had a number of irritating side effects, which mostly cleared up quite quickly after chemo stopped. It varies pretty widely! But I didn’t get nausea or fatigue with either. Best wishes. 

noosa_blue150

Have to agree with Afraser —- many find the AC chemo,harder than taxcel .   I had AC chemo first , like you. It was definitely the hardest chemo (I  had peaks and troughs in energy  ; a few days post infusion where I felt ok then I’d feel very tired and I’d be quite tired then I’d pick up at end before next; dose). I escaped nausea  effects , had a few mouth issues and it affected my nails badly.  Taxcel was easier to tolerate although I did get aches in limbs and it gave me some peripheral neuropathy issues which the medical staff monitor you  closely for. Herceptin infusions (a type of immunotherapy) are very easy I feel  , but they can affect heart ejection fractions  in some patients but again your medical,staff will be monitoring you with echocardiograms and my symptoms have been managed well with cardiac drugs. Not hard to,tolerate . I’m about to find out more about hormone treatment - no idea what effect they’ll have and again everyone’s different in how they react .
good luck with your treatment pathways , hope,you can manage the adverse effects and get through it all. 

Donna1974

Thanks everyone for your kind wishes and information. X