Newly diagnosed

Dear @pollytps,

from jennyss in Western NSW

@Julez1958 thank you. Totally with you. It is heartbreaking to see our loved ones cried. My hubby is a nurse and I’ve never seen him cry before. Thank you for the suggestions, will listen to the podcast. ❤️

Hi @pollytps
Your comment about our carers is important - they are going through a slightly different roller coaster to us  - one of the most heartbreaking things for me following my diagnosis was when my incredibly stoic husband cried .
I was initially very selective about who I told but I did suggest my husband tell his closest friends so they could be there to support him and to take him out for some “ me time” for him.
Also Consider seeing a psychologist who specialises in cancer related distress - I had a couple of sessions that were quite helpful.
 Also I found the podcasts on here from Dr Charlotte Tottmann - “What you don’t know till you do” on here excellent - she is a psychologist socialising in cancer related distress who got breast cancer and talks about the  fresh insight it gave her.
Take care and good luck with the petscan.🌺

@Paris_24 thanks. PET scan is done, now just waiting to see my oncologist on 13th and find out the results.  All the best with your treatment.

@pollytps hope you have some more answers after todays scan and good luck for the 13th.

Thanks @Paris_24  I will have my PET tomorrow and oncologist booked for 13th.  Hopefully will have an idea of my chemo plan then. I will definitely ask about the cold cap, hopefully it can help reducing the hair loss. Agreed, knowing people out there are enjoying lives and we're waiting for chemo to pass is a challenge. I also think our carers are also going through the emotions too.  All the best with your treatment.  

@pollytps there are many different chemo regimes tailored to individual circumstances, generally based on the size and type of cancer.  As the other ladies have described there is plenty of medication that can be taken as the different side effects occur or as a preventative ie, nausea. The chemo I am on they said I was going to lose my hair, so I didn’t bother with the cold cap process. The treating team work and support you being as healthy as you can be so you can get through your treatment.  The fatigue is real and I just sleep as much as my body needs after each session.  I find it can be a mind game too knowing that chemo day is coming up, that people are out living their lives, holidays etc while I am in the phase of “waiting” for the weeks of chemo to pass and then onto radiation.  The experiences of others currently in the same circumstances helps.  How did your scan go and have you seen or got a time for your oncologist appointment?

Howdy @pollytps researching things is so dangerous in our situation best advice is if you don’t know ASK a living breathing person who will have the answer or find out for you. There should be a big sign at all cancer centres. That says. DR GOOGLE is information over load and often outdated never rely on it for accuracy 

Thank you @JenD for the info. Great tips, every little bits help. Just by reading info about side effects on the web has probably given me the anxiety and worry about chemo which I didn't need. But by hearing the experiences you all shared here, it definitely helps calm me down. I'm going to do pet scan this week.  Will see my medical oncologist after that.  All the best with your treatment.

Thanks @Katie46 I’m glad you are coming to the end of your chemo and the side effects you’ve got are manageable. I’m waiting to see my oncologist and my breast care nusre has offered to come with me to support me, which I’m very grateful for. Hopefully the side effects I’m going to have are manageable too.

It’s so wonderful to have this platform to share and hear other people’s experiences.  Knowing that I’m not alone has helped me a lot mentally.