Eye health changes
Hi all, wondering if anyone else has experienced deterioration or changes in eye health? I’ve recently been diagnosed with early macular degeneration and a slight worsening of pre-existing glaucoma (a condition in my family). But on a day to day basis I have noticed my eyes (over the last five months) have been consistently red, sore and very dry, even after sleep (Hylo Forte drops relieves them) and even when I take a break from Letrozole, the daily Aromatase Inhibitor medication I use. I wondered if weakening eye health is one of the longer term side effects of chemotherapy treatment. It’s about a year and a half since I completed the 17 month TCHP chemotherapy and immunosuppressants, surgery and radiation treatment for triple positive invasive lobular cancer (ILC). I’ve seen a couple of posts on this topic dating back to 2017 or 2018. I am conscious my mother developed macular but she was in her early 80s when it presented and it compounded her sight issues from glaucoma so she effectively couldn’t drive or see faces and images. Whereas I am about to turn 64 (happy days!) this weekend, I’m still in the active workforce and I hope to have more of a runway with my eyesight to enjoy the environment, the arts and the beauty of family and friends.
All set for chemo and suddenly a no go!
How does one cope when you’ve hyped yourself up to face up to your first round of chemo only to be stopped in your tracks and sent to hospital? I fronted up to the hospital to start the next stage of my journey and I knew I had a bit of a red mark on my left side scar, but didn’t think it would be an issue. WRONG. My chemo nurse took one look at my chest and immediately called the ward Doctor, he ordered lots of bloods and cultures to be done and then sent me over my surgeon’s rooms for her advice. The breast nurse took one look at my red and now puffy scared area and drained quite a lot of fluid off the area, my Surgeon came in, took one look and ordered me off to hospital. so now I sit in hospital receiving a broad spectrum antibiotics while we await the results of all the tests. How ripped off I’m feeling but I can also count my blessing that the infection popped out just before chemo and not a day or so after. just another part of this damned emotional roller coaster ride I’ve been battling I guess.
More information about Elle MacPherson's breast cancer treatment
For anyone who wants to know more about why Elle may have decided not to have chemotherapy. https://theconversation.com/elle-macphersons-breast-cancer-when-the-media-reports-on-celebrity-cancer-are-we-really-getting-the-whole-story-238231
National Press Club of Australia was on cancer & immunotherapy/chemotherapy & genome testing
On the ABC TV On Wed June 26th was a discussion by an Oncologist talking about more recent chemotherapy 'specific tumour targeting' with the newer chemos/immunotherapy. Given by an Oncologist who is Stage 4 Metastatic. You should be able to watch it here below on ABC iView if you didn't see it on TV https://iview.abc.net.au/video/NC2411C022S00
microblading - eyebrows
Hi Ladies, i hope everyone is having a lovely Wednesday. Just a quick questions, I have been told I need Chemo before surgery as I have TNBC. I just wanted to ask about Microblading eyebrows as I have been told I will lose my hair (which I knew anyway) but also my eyebrows will go. My oncologist appt is next Wednesday to organise my regime and then presume my first session will be shortly after - again not sure what to expect or timelines ect. the reason i knew about microblading is a good friend of mine has a sister that specialses in this and especially works with cancer patients that are going through chemo so she has recommended her to me. Has anyone had this done and if so is there side affects, should i do this before chemo starts and i lose the hair ect. appreciate your adivce. x
Lymph gland behind ear has lump
Hi there, I’m currently on 4th round AC, after my 3rd round, the lymph gland in my neck (Surgery side) behind ear swelled up and was painful, it has slowly gone down, but a hard lump has remained behind my ear. Got an appointment w GP on Friday, but wondering if anyone else had this as well.....Anyone had to stop their chemo ?
Hi All 👋 Just wondering if anyone has travelled a similar road to me ? Had ILC Oestrogen/Prog + HER2-ve Grade 2, Stage 3. Infiltration into 2 sentinel lymph nodes. Axillary clearance with remaining nodes clear. Tumour 6.5 cm. Margins not totally clear after two surgeries (wide local excision followed by mastectomy and ALNC). Will have 5 weeks of Radiotherapy after chemo. Commenced AC chemo early Jan 2020. Became Neutropenic after 3rd cycle requiring admission to hospital. Responded to A/B therapy but then became extremely short of breath on mild exertion post discharge and generally unwell with intractable headaches. Head CT performed and was clear. Diagnosed with a UTI, pneumonitis, exacerbation of existing sinus tachycardia and a Troponin leak. Readmitted for 5 days under care of my Onco, a Cardiologist and a lung specialist. Had a Bronchoscopy with lung washes performed whilst in hospital. A/B's via Port. Echocardiogram appeared OK but all concerned re my Troponin leak. Discharged on sliding scale Prednisone for breathlessness. Began to improve once home but my Troponin level continued to rise. Had a rigor on the evening of 13th March (Friday the 13th !!) the evening before our daughter's wedding 😢Spiked a temp of 40.2 Readmitted to hospital. Blood cultures unable to determine source of infection. IV A/B's given with effect. I was not Neutropenic. Discharged after 3 nights and have been OK until now 🤞 Troponin stabilised. They felt the Doxorubicin was responsible for the elevation in Troponin. Am now on two Beta blockers for sinus tachycardia. I was unable to have the last round of the AC chemo, therefore only got 3 rounds in. My Cardiologist does not want to risk permanent damage to my heart with any more Doxyrubicin. Had to have 10 weeks in all off chemo after 3rd round of AC. Re started chemo (Paclitaxel) last Tues and have my second session tomorrow (12 weekly cycles in all). So far so good 🤞 My worry is the extended break between my two chemo cycles. How will this affect my overall prognosis 🤔 Can't seem to get a straight answer apart from "these things happen" "can't be helped" I know this, but these comments are not an answer to my question 🙄 And also....how does not being able to have all 4 cycles of the AC impact on my prognosis 🤔 Would appreciate any feedback from anyone who has experienced similar. Much appreciated xxTake a seat, Lois.
THANK YOU for all the absolutely beautiful messages of support and encouragement that you all sent to me regarding my post "tears in the dark". I know it was a pretty profound bit of writing that may have stirred up some memories or given some, the shivers and shakes of what is to come. One thing, I have discovered from being a prolific reader is - sometimes, you just need to close the page and let the unknown be exactly that - the unknown. I had been amassing information in preparation for probabilities, outcomes, goals to achieve, resilience measures and trying to prepare myself armed with a million different weapons mentally - when in fact, I should of just stood quietly and actually let myself "feel". That was something I had not allowed myself to do since the diagnosis in February. I had just stopped 'feeling'. I didnt want to feel the utter terror, the fear of losing what I had around me, within me and the potential of the future. I realised the wall I had built around me was a protection against the continuous onslaught of what if's, maybes, could be's, never going to happens and the inevitable - will I ever breath slowly again? I had been warned repeatedly that my 'matter of fact' behaviour was disconcerting to the nurses and doctors and I know they were waiting for the meltdown that would inevitably come. Which of course it did. Thank Goodness!!!! it was a bloody relief and yes, I can now slowly breathe slowly again. This week, I woke with a new found sense of confidence. Wonder Woman was still having a nice holiday on a tropical Island but Lois, ME, had been walked freely from my self imposed cage and I walked confidently into the Inner Sanctum with a sense of purpose, happiness and each day, each week that will come means one step closer to whatever will unfold and I do not need to be full of fear but merely acceptance that there may be hiccups, milestones to tick off and of course that time when life will not be full of endless maybe's, could be, hope-not's and the rest of the shit we all tolerate. I can report this week, no reactions occurred and I finished my 2nd treatment with a smile, a happiness of my soul and dare I say - relief that for once I have NOT opened up any books, websites or research to arm myself once again. It is merely what will be will be. I took the same seat like last week, placed my arm out for the needle and contently sat back and spent my time chatting, eating the delicious lunch supplied and thinking quietly that all of us within that room, had inevitably become historians of our own destiny and we were all free to guide it to the best of our abilities - one day at a time. To those who have championed themselves through the days, weeks, months and years - I am in pure awe of you. Truly, in awe. YOU INSPIRE ME. My admiration for your resilience and encouragement that one day the endless hospital appointments, surgeries, specialists will soon fade to merely living life as it comes - living life to its fullest, is an incentive to breathe slowly, relax and acknowledge this is just a bump not a endless road to nowhere. To those who have like me, just begun the bumpy road - WE WILL ENDURE. WE WILL FIGHT. WE WILL BREATHE!!! As to what song has been playing through my head - Pearl Jam "Alive". Why - because I am still Alive!!!!!! That is the feeling, I had locked away, way back in February! I AM STILL ALIVE - I am NOT a walking death sentence! Oh, I, oh, I'm still alive Hey, I, oh, I'm still alive Hey, I, oh, I'm still alive, hey, oh. Big Hugs, Lois.
