Hi everyone, I was diagnosed on 13th April with grade 3 invasive breast cancer, had a Mastectomy and lymph node removal/biopsy on the 9th May, on the 25th May I was told that they seem to of got the cancer in the breast with the mastectomy, but it has spread to the lymph nodes so have to have another op on the 6th June to remove them, tomorrow I have to have a whole body CT scan and a radioactive bone scan to see if it has spread anywhere else, I have also been told I will have to have a course of chemo and go onto hormone therapy. Is anyone able to tell me how long a course of chemo is, how often will i have to have it, how long after i finish chemo should i wait to travel, had plans to go to Bali at the end of July. Sorry for the essay lol, any advice etc will be very much appreciated..... Thank you in advance...

@Schwen if your veins are already crap, get a portocath. It's a monster idea, having a creepy little box under your skin, but it works. Well, they usually work. No stabbing or jabbing and you have both hands free during treatment. This stuff sucks, but some technology can help. Marg xx

The things I've used are: anti-bacterial wipes (large & small) for fingers, trolleys, public toilet seats, etc..., hand sanitiser, coloxyl with senna (constipation), gastrostop (diarrhoea), paracetamol, Mylanta double-strength, little kids really soft toothbrush, Biotene mouthwash, sorbolene (for dry skin). The Maxalon they give you may not be strong enough. I have been prescribed Ativan for nausea throughout and Somac and Nexium for reflux.Try to get yourself on a Look Good Feel Better session. If nothing else you get free make-up and maybe to try on some wigs. Regardless, make sure you have a good eyebrow pencil (the lack of hair I can live with - lack of eyebrows, I can't). And if you see some pretty scarves around in the op shops, go for it. I'm not sure what Bunbury has, but many places have wig libraries - they can be hard to find, though. Try asking at the local hospital. The wigs are so expensive and you only need one for a few months - maybe someone else from WA may be able to help, here. I mix it up a lot - I wear beanies and scarves for the most part when I'm out and about, but wigs when I want to look a bit more "normal". At home and at exercise class, I don't bother unless my head is cold (or earlier in the year to protect from the sun). Oh, and when your hair starts falling out, you may want to go for a No. 1 or 2 (or straight for a shave) as it's not only messy but can hurt. The hair is the one thing you can have some fun with!

Hi @Schwen, Firstly, welcome to this site - you'll get lots of info and support here. Treatment isn't a one size fits all and your oncologist will tell you more when you have your first appointment. For me, chemo didn't begin until the surgeon cleared me as recovering from ops which was approximately 1 month from second surgery. I had grade 2 lobular carcinoma, a partial with sentinel node biopsy, then a mastectomy with axillary dissection ( 3 out of 8 nodes positive) - OR/ER+, HER-. I am currently going through chemo 4 X AC 3 weekly, then 12 X paclitaxol weekly, then it will be rads and hormone therapy. Your treatment might be similar or might be different. Talk to your doctor's about your planned holiday. It may be that you can fit it in between.

Hello and welcome! I am sorry that you find yourself here. I hope you find it as helpful and supportive as I have. You never have to apologise for any question, length or otherwise. Yours wasn't that long anyway!Your chemotherapy will probably be about six months long. As @Sister says there's no one size fits all, so we can't be definitive. Some people have some types of chemo once every three weeks or every two weeks. Other types are weekly. Your oncologist is the doctor in charge of this though your breast surgeon should be able to give you a good idea.My chemo commenced about five weeks after my lumpectomy, though it was somewhat delayed by Christmas. Mostly they like to crack on with it, especially if you're in reasonably good health otherwise.Let us know how you get on. Hang in there, K xox

@Zoffiel I totally agree! Best thing I ever did was have the portacath inserted. After having an axillary clearance as well in my left arm and then a cellulitis infection which meant four days in hospital on an IV drip, I had four cannulas inserted in four days. It was so very painful as the veins kept collapsing. The portacath makes blood tests so much easier too @Schwen. Good luck. M

Nervous about next step | BCNA Online Network

63 Replies

Kiwi_Angel
Member
8 years ago
@Schwen glad u finally got the first one out of the way. I had the mouth thing to. I liked soft drink cause of the bubbles and the sweetness.
Giovanna_BCNA
Member
8 years ago
Hello @Schwen great to hear that all went well with your first treatment of chemotherapy. Make sure you keep up your fluids and rest as needed. Great that you have been checking your temperature regularly. Take care of yourself over the next week. All the best.
Schwen
Member
8 years ago
Well finally got have my first dose of Chemo....went well I think, got this really weird taste in my mouth and my mouth constantly feels dry, I have not alot of energy and no appetite at all, have to make myself eat, thankfully there is no nausea or vomiting... was worried about my temp though, cause it was staying under 34...but now is up around the 35 to 36 mark... my next treatment is on the 9th august, so hopefully all will be the same as this time, as i think i am handling it well....

Thanks all
Wendy xox
kezmusc
Member
8 years ago
So annoying to have everything delayed again and again. It takes a lot to psyche yourself up for the first chemo and then to change the plan twice is just awful. I can totally understand your thoughts. If it makes you feel any better, I went through all my chemo without getting any bugs, I work in a public hospital and I refused the Neulasta needle after the first one! So you just never know. Hopefully once your over this hiccup you'll be able to get on with it and back on track.

Hope everything goes to plan next time lovely.

xoxoxoxox
Zoffiel
Member
8 years ago
Don't get ahead of it too much Wendy. I've had post op infections prior to chemo and have not had any neutropenic events during treatment. The pus isn't the problem, that shows you are fighting infection. The problem is where the infection is coming from in the first place. Having had surgery in two regional hospitals (one I not so fondly call the Reject Shop) I do wonder about their infection control and the quality of the post-op care. I haven't had similar issues in Metro chop shops.
It's a strange world where we fret about not being poisoned. You will get there. Mxx
SoldierCrab
Member
8 years ago
oh Schwen what a crook of poop.... no wonder you are frustrated with it all. During my treatment they worked for the whole nine months trying to get this area to heal more..... In the end it was a VEIN so it couldn't heal as it was healed.... it had caused my chemo to be delayed and it was frustrating.....
ITs ok to vent and be annoyed by these delays.... but you know some of the ladies go through chemo with minimal side effects.
It might be worth asking your Breast Care Nurse about this delay and likelihood of you ending up in hospital on chemo?

Hugs and energy to deal with this
soldiercrab
arpie
Member
8 years ago
SO sorry to hear of the speed humps @Schwen ... hoping things get better for you xxx
Kiwi_Angel
Member
8 years ago
@Schwen hang in there. This whole BC thing can be so demoralising. We r all always here for u. I can completely understand your concerns and frustration though. Big hugs xoxox
Schwen
Member
8 years ago
Hi all, you all will never guess in a million years......

Yup Chemo cancelled until next Thursday the 19th....now the thing i am most worried about is what happens when I start my chemo, i had it cancel last week because of an opened wound, now I cant get it done this week because of an infection, I have had an infection after each procedure i have been through, now they are going to pump my body full of poison, suppose i will end up in hospital with that also....so sick of all this, am now really contemplating just throwing in the towel, and saying stuff it, i am well at the moment, why push my luck how about i just live my life and carry on without any more treatment.....just soooooo fed up....sorry everyone, just how i am feeling at the moment....
Kiwi_Angel
Member
8 years ago
@Schewn - hope you feel better soon - what a pain - once you have a plan you just want to get on with it. Sending you big hugs xoxox

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