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Hi, And i thought herception was going to be straightforward ! Got two choices today from oncologist on herceptin that I didnt expect as I thought it was standard three weekly intervals by IV and interested to know what anyone elses experiences have been?. Have option of weekly administration rather than three weekly and and also can participate in a trial which administers it by injection which takes 3 - 5 minutes. It apparently does not impact on efficacy and they are reviewing the tolerability of injecting under skin in this manner. I have looked at the research done but would love to know if anyone else is receiving herceptin by injection? ( or weekly) Thanks LL

Well I can't believe I finished chemo a year ago today it has flown by.17 months ago I thought I'd never see the end or normality again.But here I am done and dusted first mammo clear and starting to find myself again.I have learned so much about myself on this journey and of others that I might not have had it not happened and for that I'm grateful.Thank you all who have supported me here through my rants and moans(and there was a few!!)the support here has been fantastic and I would have been lost without it so thank you again. Today was certainly not an anniversary I thought I'd celebrate but you know what we are bloody fantastic for going through and coming out the other side of this disease and its treatments.Can't wait till the 1st may for the new boobs 1st birthday. So tonight ladies I'm having a glass or two I celebration of myself and for all of you that are finished,going through or just starting. There is light at the end of the tunnel Cheers to us Xx

Hi girls looking for your comments. I'm finished chemo since end of dec and am on herceptin and started rads on 19th march. I'm not on any medication oestrogen negative. In the last week my joints are paining so much especially my fingers, and my elbows are sore. I'm scared that I'm getting arthritis or something. My leg is paining me but that's the leg I broke 5 years ago. I just feel I'm on the home stretch and now I've got these pains I didn't have before. Has anyone else experienced this? The skin on my hands is very sore too. Please say this is all temporary. As regards the rads I've an itch rash between my boobs miles away from where I'm being treated, has anyone had this . I said it to the nurse but she said that's not near where we are treating it could be the E45 cream!!!

morning all,hope it has been a good easter for everyone ,well i had my second chemo last tuesday and it went much better than the first one ,i just want advice on a nasty cold sore i now have under my chin ,i missed it coming up ,just thought it was a rash ,but it is a cold sore ,itchy and sore ,horrible to look at ,i normaly would let it alone and not put anything on it .i covered it with a zinc codliveroil cream so i wont spread it ,are these normal durning chemo ,also should i take a vitiman supplement ,thank you all i find your advice to be real and very helpful .My small problem today lol..,

Do any of you have any advice on waxing following chemo and radiation? I'm 10 weeks post chemo and 2 weeks post radiation. It's still too cold at the moment to go with bare legs but I'm optimistic that the weather will pick up. Is it safe to start waxing again or should I wait a little longer? I've been having my legs waxed for more than 20 years and do not want to start shaving them. Many thanks. Roseo

I had prostate cancer diagnosed last year and posted a note here because I had difficulty deciding which treatment to go with. I was offered surgery and radio treatment of various kinds. I was lucky in that it had been diagnosed before becoming a problem. I had no symptoms. It showed up on a PSA blood test and then was put forward for biopsy. The results showed a Gleason scale rating of 7 with 2 out of 6 on one side and 5 out of 6 on the other. I pondered long and hard and asked here for help which produced no suggestions and no help. Look at the lists of posts with number of hits reading and then number of answers to a number of different cancers. Men with cancer want answers but are not prepared to talk. There were a number of things worrying me. First that I would lose my ability to have erections and a normal sex life after and second that I would lose control of my bladder and worse case scenario my bowel as well. It would have been my second cancer operation. 5 years ago I had a kidney removed at St Vincents. I saw the same consultant and team this time and had great confidence in them. They told me that they could make no promises as to the after and side effects of the operation. This was hard. The other consultant also said the same. The crucial piece of information that decided me was that with surgery all the damage, side effects and after effects of the op would be up front and be there when I woke up and that would be the worse it could be. There after it could only get better. And it did. With radio therapy in all the different options the effects are not apparent until sometime later and cannot be measured before. You have only to wait and see what developes later. This can take up to a year or more. The initial effects apart from the inconvenience of attending the clinics regularly over maybe a 6 week period are limited. After the end of their treatments you might feel great and cured with no ill effects. They can arrive later. The other crucial information I gleaned was that with radio therapy if the cancer came back there was nothing a surgeon can do because of too much soft tissue damage to the area This would leave only chemo. Whereas with surgery all three options are still there. More surgery, chemo and radio. I chose surgery and am delighted with the results. Because of the location of the tumour all the prostate had to be removed including the nerves controlling erections. I followed advice and did lots of pelvic floor exercises before and after and am convinced it did a lot of good. I still do them once a week for couple of minutes. I take viagra now and things are almost normal again with sex. Not quite but hey I don't have cancer anymore. I have no problems with incontinence in the bladder or bowel. This took maybe 5 weeks to come back but it did. Positive thinking and exercises worked. I hope this helps someone out there not able to make up their minds. I know none of us have the same problems and lives to lead and in other circumstances I might have chosen differently. I am 65 now with lots more life to live. Good luck.

The marathon continues, but I can't believe I only have 1 to go. So to all those starting off- it us a rocky road, and it does get a bit harder with each blast, but there are good times too, and the finish line gets closer all the time!!! Only 1 more.......

[color=#8000FF:b7sy0so4]Hi all....another question. Had 4 x AC then 12 x Taxol chemotherapy. Finished a few weeks now and in middle of radiotherapy. Had menopause symptoms big time with moods, hot flushes etc. On Saturday,Sunday however, I felt very premenstrual and lo and behold it was that. I've been told periods can return but then when I go on Tomexifen in another few weeks I'll probably go back to menopause again????? The joys![/color:b7sy0so4]

Found out yesterday that I won't be needing chemo so I can ask for my reconstruction referral to be out in. After research I'd really like the diep reconstruction if I was a candidate for it. Can anyone tell me please where they got theirs done and by whom. I know they do it in Beaumont but is it done elsewhere? If anyone has some recommendations about their own reconstruction diep or not I'd also love to hear them. One last thing, did u have it done on the public or private system? I have health insurance but they won't tell me if its covered without a procedure code. Anyone have theirs done using their health ins or is it even covered? Thanks xx

Hi, not the worse part of chemo but I am already dying to taste food properly again and am only on day 10 of first cycle. Would be something to look forward to next weekend if normal taste resumed before cycle no 2?. What normally happens during each cycle or does metallic taste laste for all the treatment period? And any top tips for dealing with it please ? Thanks LL?