Forum Discussion
Information Overload!
Hello lovelies,
I was diagnosed just over a week ago with invasive breast cancer in my left breast, after finding a lump. I went for a mammogram 2.5 weeks ago where they took core biopsies. Since then it has been an absolute whirlwind of appointments, questions, information dumps and just trying to find a minute to breathe and process it all. Of course, all while managing 2 littles on school holidays, home and work.
I am just reeling from all. How do you even begin to work through it?
Not much of an introduction, I know. Not really sure what to say, other than Hi!
46 Replies
- That’s outstanding news @lorns so happy to see you’re past that phase. I encountered the finger nail issues (basically a few actually fell off and my toe nails!) but they do grow back. Mine came back within a couple of months but they are brittle and a bit prone to chipping so that’s a good tip @Katie46
- Congrats @lorns on getting to the end of chemo 🥳 it's a great feeling.
My nails suffered on paclitaxel, they went brown and several lifted from the nail bed, a few of them more than half way down. I managed to hang on to them all, kept them as short as I could and used OPI nail strengthener. They grew back, and six months after chemo even the worst ones look normal again. - Woohoo - well done @lorns xx. Wishing you all the best for the radiation - just keep the lotions & potions up to it 2-3 times a day after each treatment ..... the 'anticipation' is worse than the actual treatment, I found! ;)
I hope your nails & eyebrows & eyelashes come good too xx.
take care - I'm done with chemo! Yay :) I got through the full suite of Taxol and am out the other side. I have a short break before starting radiation next week. I will be done before Christmas - best present ever.
I'm still super tired and feeling very "grey". The hair on my head is growing back - interesting to see my natural colour after so many years being other colours. My eyebrows and eyelashes still give me away.
The last few weeks were rough on my nails - so incredibly sore. The nail bed seems swollen and quite a few are brown & lifting. You never quite realise how much you do with your nails! I expect it'll take some time for it all to grow out.
Feels weird to be out the other side of chemo. - Thank you
- I hear you @lorns totally relate to your beach swim anticipation/apprehension. Sending you positive energy and lots of virtual hugs as you press through!
- Terrific that you can claim on the Veoza thru Bupa @lorns xx
take care & all the best - Thanks @arpie!
I'm in Brisbane - I'll add it to the profile :smile: I'm thinking it might help to connect with a local group - I've been head down getting through treatment so haven't really felt up to it so far.
I loved the Look Good Feel Good workshop - I'm also not a big makeup person but got some great tips - especially how to draw on eyebrows and using elastic hairbands to tie scarves!
The Veoza is working for the hot flushes. My oncologist put me on the Oxybutinin to start with but I was soooo dried out that it was uncomfortable. I mentioned it to my GP and it was she who recommended Veoza. Fortunately I can claim it through BUPA and my oncologist was happy for me to try it. - Well done on getting thru the AC @lorns - and wishing you the best on the Taxol xx.
Bummer about the cold and a middle ear infection - I hope you've got them under control now. There may be some 'ear bugs' going around too - one of my buddies up here has a bad ear infection too - and his balance is all off whack & he has major dizziness as well & currently not allowed to drive! :( He'll be on the antibiotic drops for ages, I believe!
Your weekend with the girls sounds AMAZING!!! Well done you!!
re the hot flushes - is the treatment working for you? Apparently, an incontinence med (called Oxybutynin) also works on mitigating Hot Flushes! It is on PBS. Ask your Onc/Gp about that one?
Putting on the weight is a real pain :( And I hope you DO go to the beach & enjoy your swimming ... just putting on a swim cap should make you look more like a triathlete xx. SO funny how swim caps were 'old fashioned' until sportsmen and women started wearing them again!! If you head is cold, wear x 2! (A triathlete trick!)
Where abouts are you? Looks like it is either northern NSW or southern Qld? You can add it to your 'profile' and others in the area may be able to point you towards local groups that may benefit you xx
How did you go at the 'Look Good, Feel Better' Group? I attended one last year in Vic when I had a weekend retreat ... I've never been a make-up girl - so it was quite fun, getting glammed up for a change ....
take care, let us know how you go with everything - and always remember - rants are good xx - Time goes by so quickly!!I'm done with the AC part of chemo (yay, no more red devil). I'm on my 5th dose of the Taxol which I'm finding a lot easier on the system. Frustratingly, I've managed to pick up a cold and a middle ear infection so have had to delay today's treatment. The week goes by so quickly between treatments, I'm mainly tired and that's starting to accumulate over time. I'm also now menopausal - yay for me. The hot flushes were awful - I'm now on Veoza (fezolinetant) for them. It's newly approved here in Australia and specifically targets the receptor in the brain that causes the hot flushes. It's not yet on the PBS - so it's $60 for a month supply, claimable on some private health insurance. I'm finding it great for the hot flushes - still have some but they aren't as intense or as frequent. I do have a dry mouth though which is a known side effect.Very annoyingly I am putting on weight - thanks to the dexamethasone which makes me soooo hungry. It wasn't such an issue when I was only getting it every 3 weeks (and the nausea put a cap on the appetite) but now it's weekly and with no nausea it's "hello appetite!". So I have to add weight gain to the list of what's f*ked about my body - hard enough adjusting to the baldness and one boob without adding extra jiggly bits. I've always fluctuated in weight thanks to growing up a 90's girl (anyone here remember the heroin chic of the time?). I had managed to get to a mostly good place with it before being diagnosed. Of course, I have no energy to actually do the exercise I need to get rid of it. I'm *trying* to be kind to myself on that front - but not having a great deal of success.Currently trying to keep the kids occupied through the holidays. Had a wonderful treat over the weekend with a sleepover with 2 of my oldest friends - we hired an apartment in the city, had a lovely lunch and then watched movies and hung out. It was so lovely to just hang out, no kids, no partners, no restaurant time-limits, no chores. I wholeheartedly recommend this as a treat.We're off to the beach at the end of the holidays and I'm working up the courage to get into some togs and into the water. I love, love, love swimming in the ocean. I recently went to Burleigh Heads and seriously struggled with getting togs on & getting into the water - especially as the place is full of stunning women with luscious hair, slim bods and both boobs. I was the only one boobed, bald chick on the beach and felt very conspicuous and very self-conscious. I sat there watching my husband in the water with the kids, arguing with myself to just get in the water. I eventually got his attention so he could come and accompany me to the water because I just could NOT do it on my own. I've got myself a swim prosthesis now so hopefully that will help a little - can't do much about the hair or the fat but maybe one less thing to worry about will help.Now that I'm recovered from surgery and feeling a little more human on the Taxol, body image really is something that I'm struggling with. My clothes don't fit right any more. I can't wear a bunch of my favourite dresses because I haven't been able to find a bra with straps that sit right. Why oh why do all the straps come straight up from the nipple??? They are also a totally different shape than I'm used to wearing so nothing sits the way that I'm used to.Sorry - this has been a bit more of a rant than an update.
