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Hi, I was diagnosed with early stage breast cancer on 17th August. It was like a bolt from the blue. I am attending Vincent's private and I cannot praise them enough. Both my surgeon and oncologist are female and are wonderful people I will be indebted to their expertise for the rest of my life. It's all positive, got it early lymph nodes are clear. Does anyone know if the chemo side effects get worse the more you get. I've had three and have three left at three week intervals. The first two were ok just very tired but this one was not good. I felt sick and the feeling in my mouth was dreadful and tired and restless. I just feel its taking me longer to feel 'normal' again. I have my chemo in a Monday and take anti sickness steroids until Friday then on sat/sun I am out of sorts for a few days. Just read here that the third one is the worst and the remaining three may not be as bad. Oh please tell me they won't be as bad as the last one, I hate feeling like this. Can't wait for Christmas Eve which is my last one. Only thing I cold stomach last weekend was Bovril!! I will so appreciate feeling well again. Mary Diagnosed early stage breast cancer 17th August Have undergone 3sessions of chemo out of six every 3 weeks.

Hi there , I have just finished 4 sessions of the 3 weekly AC/5fU chemo in which I found the first 10 days pretty tough on and off .The side effects improved as I went along though I had to enlist help to mind my nearly 3 year old .On day 6 and 7 my balance used to get really bad and awful tension in my head . Anyway woohoo I am finished that cycle of chemo .....so next on to the weekly Taxol. can anyone tell me how they are getting on with Taxol . I believe it won't be as strong as the AC but could have different side effects .Also I have to take quite a few steroids the night before ...sleepless night perhaps?! first time posting ,have meant to for ages ...! Thanks Sandra age 38 Diagnosed in may 2012 Her 2 positive Low Expessive 2+ 2 xsurgery lumpectomy sentinel lymph node ,5 removed AC /5FU chemo x4 Taxol X 12 raditherapy 36 sessions Started chemo 3 weeks ago starting 2nd session Thursday

Ok, the sentinel node biopsy came back with micromets in what he took. Needless to say I am completely and utterly devastated. I think this is worse than the day I was diagnosed because the doc was so shocked. Now no immediate recon, chemo and rads for sure. I'm just so sick of this now. Just devastated.

The Irish Cancer Society's Annual Patient Conference "Supporting Men with Prostate Cancer" takes place on Saturday 24th of November 2012 at Croke Park Conference Centre, Dublin from 9am to 5pm. For further details and to book your free place [b:sw6ggz9h][i:sw6ggz9h](lunch is included)[/i:sw6ggz9h][/b:sw6ggz9h] visit http://www.cancer.ie/content/supporting ... ate-cancer or contact Valerie Abbott on 01 2310518. If you would like to speak to a specialist nurse about any aspect of prostate cancer confidentially please call us on the National Cancer Helpline freefone 1800 200 700.

Had a great day today so happy the way everything went. You can check out my Baldy Pics if you like http://kickingtheshiteoutofcancer.com/2 ... ld-photos/ My head is fecking freezing though Thanks all Dee xx

Hi all Anyone experienced secondaries to the bone? Have severe rib pain and have had bone scan today. Scared witless only diagnosed in March this year. Have done chemo (which didn't work), mastectomy and am about to start radiotherapy next week. Has anyone has bone secondaries Or rib pain post mastectomy Dane

Hi ladies Kind of feel cheeky posting considering I'm coming up to the end of treatment.but I'm so flat,confused,sad and angry!!!soo much has changed in the last year I am so apprehensive about leaving the safety net I've had hanging under me all the way through.what do I do now???who am I now?my poor kids deserve a mum that's not always tired or cranky what a childhood I'm giving them to remember!!cant talk to hubby he's on the 'your all sorted now' road can't talk to my mum as my dad not too well at mo so she's busy.sisters have enough going on to hastle them either.reslly feel like unwed to be on my own but also don't !!!i really don't like who I am now tears are streaming down my face as I realise this.its rediculous I was all held together and positive up to now why am I falling apart. Xx

Hi guys! Has anybody had a tissue expander fitted as a temporary or perminant measure?? Just was lOoking to hear some feedback as am being fitted with one next Thursday during my mastectomy! (eek!) Thanks N xx

Hi Ladies, Just finished my 6 x tch last Friday. I'm still struggling with it's effects but I know the end of this chapter is almost here !! yipee, can't believe it. My mind now begins to race to the next chapter for me which is Herceptin which I will be getting every 3 weeks until next July. What have been your experiences with this? what are the side effects like? Appreciate any info girlies, Shirls

[color=#800080:2vvxk0m2]I'm just wondering is anyone else finding the 'financial' end a little bit tough as a result of having a cancer diagnosis. I'm trying so hard not to worry about the 'money end' but it is a reality unfortunately. I have no entitlement to Disability Benefit but thankfully I do have an entitlement to Disability Allowance (which is means tested) but even though I have applied there is approx a 5/6mth wait for the claim to be processed. This means that even though I had my surgery in July I only got the paperwork completed in August and sent off so its looking like Jan/Feb again I will get that sorted. (My head was in shock from the diagnosis and it never crossed my mind to apply for supports, I was just doing well to deal with the news I had cancer). I'm not sailing through chemo as I had hoped and I am much more tired now and need my naps during the day. I also seem to be prone to nausea/tiredness and neutropenia during chemo. I had my surgery just before chemo (double mastectomy, immediate reconstruction and axillary node clearance) and still attend physio twice most weeks to work on my arm movement and issues with the breast scars. I can't imagine how I could work through this treatment. I know some people do and I wish I felt that level of energy and could. I am finding the delay in getting social welfare supports really really worrying and frustrating. It is making our lives so hard right now and we are trying to hold it together for the sake of the children. The heating is on a lot this year. I can't believe I'm a 'cold creature' as I used never feel the cold. I never even possessed a warm woolly jumper as I just never felt the cold. But since my mastectomy I am freezing all the time. I have even taken to wearing 'thermal vests' to try to keep warm and the girl who never owned a woolly jumper now lives in them along with scarves and fleece hats. In previous years we were very economical with our heat and we got used to it but this year is different and if we were as economical as other years I would be permanently frozen. I've looked into what supports are out there and have found out we have can't qualify for 'fuel allowance' as you have to be 15mths on a social welfare payment to qualify. Also found out we will qualify for support with heating etc. under the Household Benefits package but only when I get a decision on my application. So really no support available until then which looks like Jan/Feb. I look forward to getting back to working, I can't wait until my body is finished all treatments and I can get back to some sort of really good 'normal' as soon as possible. I'll never take the privilege of being able to go out to work for granted again after this. I suppose right now though I feel a little guilty that cancer happened to me and that its left us in a bit of a financial stress. I just wish there wasn't a 5/6mth delay in processing social welfare supports. I feel like screaming at them that I can't delay having cancer for 5/6mths I have it now. I know I'm supposed to 'relax', not 'stress' but its easier said than done when you have a young family and feel the responsibility of having to provide for them knowing if only I hadn't cancer I would have different options open to me now. In saying all that I'm so grateful to have found my cancer and had the chance to fight it with the hope of a really positive outcome. And I suppose that in itself makes me feel awful to be worrying about money when I know it could be a lot worse if I hadn't found my cancer when I did. Trying to stay positive and focused on getting a really good outcome from the surgery, chemo and radiotherapy but find I am worrying so much about the other stuff its starting to get me down now. [/color:2vvxk0m2]