Just picked up this thread and wanted to say hello. I have just come home after my 2nd FEC, had lumpectomy and node clearance 7 weeks ago and I cant believe that’s number 2 down already, 1 more FEC and then 3 Tax!
I shaved my head last Thursday and even though there were tears I’m feeling relived that I haven’t got to worry about that now, I have a gorgeous wig and have bought some very trendy hats from H&M which were so cheap!!
Anyway just wanted to say good luck to everyone with chemo this week, am off for a lie down although I’m surprising feeling ok at the moment.
You sound as if you are being very brave with the hair shaving “thingy”, did you do it yourself ? I have told my partner he’ll have to do it for me but to say he is reluctant is an under-statement !!!
Have a good lie-down and congrats on your second FEC - well done, take it easy
I went to get my wig fitted and it was starting to come out in clumps so I asked my wig lady to shave it off, she did a grade 4 first and I cried, then she said ‘sweetheart it will still fall out so I think you should go for a grade 1 and get it over and done with’ so here I am with a grade 1 and its thinning as well, I think I will have absolutely nothing on my head soon but so be it! To be honest my wig is so beautiful I cant not smile when I put it on!! I actually look like me! I made the mistake of cutting my hair short in preperation for chemo and I wish I hadn’t as those 3 weeks leading upto it I looked in the mirror and didnt recognise the person looking back at me, strange that I do now though in my wig!
I cant sit still at the moment, i’m trying to rest but not doing a good job!
I had a mastecomy on 3rd October and my first FEC on Thursday 15th November, got to have 4 x FEC and 4 x Tax, also had 3 lymph nodes taken. Sounds like you have had a good experience with the “wig” thing I am so pleased to read that you can look at yourself and like what you see, what a refreshing change. I feel very out of sorts at the moment, clothes don’t look right due to surgery, skin, face and hair don’t look right - I am sure you know what i mean, think I need to find a new image !!! Tee hee.
Have you had your surgery, are you having surgery ?? Whats your background, do you have children, signifivcant other ? tell me about you ?
I am at about the same stage as you all, I have completed 2 FEC and on the up to the next treatment on the 29th Nov. I was recommended a website for headscarves, you can choose 3 cotton plain or patterned scarves for £11 plus p&p, if you Google ‘the india shop’ it will come up.
I get a lot of compliments when I am out wearing my scarves but to be honest I would rather not have to be going down this route to get the compliment! The wig I have looks great but I find I get very hot wearing it and it gets a bit uncomfortable after a few hours, I tend to save it for going out on special occasions.
What can I say about the sickness? Takes me back to the morning sickness I suffered with my two (now 3 and 6) when I was best friends with the toilet bowl! I am learning to take it easy, eat little and often and accept all offers of help.
Caroline - I agree with the morning sickness, my two are 3 and 5 and seem to remember it being similar. What is your regime? I am having 3 fec and 3 tax - next fec 30th so a day behind you. I agree about the scarves - I wear bandandas and have had lots of compliments - would still rather have hair thought. I too am learning to take it easy - fined that hard.
Jackie and Mel - Hi hope you are feeling ok.
The positive about all this BC is that I have made some awesome cyber buddies who have given me support and encouragement along the way, through the good and bad times.
Well,need to go to bed - do find I am in bed early these days - not sure if it is my age 40! or the treatments.
Hi everyone, just joined in the thread, and very glad to have found it!
Had my first FEC two weeks ago, and the second one next Thursday.
Sickness was vile but lived through it, still got all my hair, and washing it in cold water with babyshampoo to try and keep it longer.
Worse thing…my digestive system stopped digesting!
Am getting a bit low now, wishing i could just go back to feeling normal, and am dreading the second treatment which is a silly and useless thing to do, but i am so bored!
Does anyone else feel like that they shouldn’t be going out to the Cinema/Theatre or into very crowded busy places due to fear of infections? I am finding it hard to see myself being this anti-social for the next five months.
HI jackie
I’m a bit behind on this thread now but the place I got my wig from is called Hair to Ware on the high st in ware. They have a website
but call as its appointment only. I was pleased with the service though as the range of wigs out there is overwhelming so I let her do all the suggesting and we tried on until we were happy. they also have a hairdresser who will do any additional cutting if required.
Well second fec tomorrow (tuesday) and sods law i have been really well until today and now I have a sore throat and cough coming on . I dont know if that will warrant a delay , anyone had experience of that ? just want to get it over with.
Wore my wig today for the first time on the school run and by the sounds of it my daughter has told everyone in the class! I wasnt sure if I’d be a hat/scarf person or wig but think I am falling into the wig camp. Maybe its because its been on all day plus my 6 year old said last night could I wear my wig when i give her a bath . Its better for her to see me more ‘normal’ so will take my lead from her .
Got lots of good comments , except one one saying its darker than my normal hair , well thats because its a WIG and I had to pick a colour that was closest ! my haidresser said it was fantastic (when she came today to correct my self inflicted crop !) so overall people have been great.
Well off to bed Also had a few low points today after feeling so so upbeat about everything . There were a few articles in the sunday papers about cancer patients and wish I hadnt read it now. Its set me back several weeks mentally . I think I’ll just have to ignore any articles like that . Feel annoyed about it really , shouldnt let it get to me . rambling now
night all x
I’m up early this morning, unfortunately I had my first sickness in the night although I felt back to normal straight afterwards, I hate the first few days after chemo!! They had trouble with getting the needles in yesterday so on my next FEC (my birthday) i’ve booked some reflexology an hour before so i’m hoping this will make me relax.
I live in Birmingham, have been with my OH for 3 years and have lived together for 2, we were starting to plan getting married before all of this but that’s been put on hold for the moment, my feelings are that I dont want our happy day over shadowed by all of this so when I finish treatment we will start to plan again! I turn 31 in Dec and have no children, i’m hoping that I can still have children in my future but I know that this wont be for a long time as on Tamoxifen for 5 years! And then no guarantees about being being kicked into early menopuase, they tell me because of my age this shouldnt be in issue.
Tell me about you? Where do you live etc? I’m so glad to have found you all on this thread and we can share our chemo journey’s together, it wont be long before we are all saying we have finished!! I’ve read a few threads on people that have finished and find so inspiring!!
Hi to Anne , Caroline, Cally good luck with 2nd FEC today x
Welcome Jmarsha - I am just being careful where we go,but did do the cinema with the kids at the week-end. Trying to make the most of my well days to be honest. Trying to come up with some ideas for this week-end to entertain a 3 and 5 year old. I find it hard enough not working not alone not socialising - miss the adult company and being me not mum (do not get me wrong would not change the kids for anything but just some me well time. I think it is called normalitiy!!!
Cally - hope the 2nd fec goes well today. sounds like you are going to be a wig lady - you have to do want you feel most comfortable in.
Mel- Sorry they had trouble with your veins. Me too - five attempts last time. Reflexology sounds good to me.Hope you are resting now.
Sorry to hear you’re not feeling too good today, take it easy and try and chill out babe. They had troube with my needles as well and had to result to calling the ward doctor, they have said that if they warm up the veins this normally helps, maybe you could try some gloves or a hand-warmer. I also had some reflexology just before they started my chemo, it was lovely, best I have felt for ages, actually felt almost human again, it was noce to do something just to " relax" rather than a “treatment”.
I live in Bedfordshire and am 45 years young, far too young for my age. I have one son who is 14 going on 25 and have been with my OH for nearly 4 years. We were also talking about marriage before the dreaded bc but I think things will be on hold for a while, although part of me wants to get it done, I want to be his wife, not his partner. We have rather an unconvential set up as we have two houses 50 miles apart so have spent a lot of time travelling between the 2, although since my chemo he has insisted that I stop with him so he can look after me - ahhh bless, he’s been a diamond, my rock.
What do you do for work, have you been signed off at the moment or are you managing to work through ?
I have been signed off till end of Dec but I can’t see me going back until my chemo had finished. I am a Sales Office Manager and work for a large organisation in a open plan office, not the ideal location.
It is so wonderful to have someone to talk to and share with.
Hello also to Anne, Caroline and good luck today Cally I’ll be thinking of you
Know what you mean about not working, not socialising sometimes feel like I am under house-arrest I know its for my own good but my OH won’t let us make plans for anything at the moment and it makes me so mad !! My outings have consisted of a trip to Asda late last night when there are no crowds !!! Made a good discovery though, they stock a post-operative bra with pockets for prosthesis, quite comfy and not bad for £8.00 !!!
A little special note for you today, hope its all gone OK and you managed to have your second treatment even though you have a sort throat, sounds like we all need to be careful to avoid the lurgy’s that are around at the moment.
I tried to get hold of the articles from the sunday papers but had no luck, after what you have said I am glad I didn’t - sod’s law I suppose.
Sending you lots of love and luck, hope it all went ok, catch you later babe
Hi all
second fec went fine today after a second attempt at the needle , had to lie down as I was getting black spots in front of my eyes. I’m even getting the cream to numb the area so I shouldnt moan too much ! No jackie , dont read the sunday papers supplement !! it was a feature on people who leave notes on a website for loved ones after they’re gone and unfortunately some of the examples were quite relevant if you know what I mean. Interesting thing to read if you’re well and not going through this.
Interestingly my white cell count was better than before my first chemo so all was fine to go ahead.
feeling so much better that its another one crossed off
Welcome to this thread, its nice when a few of us get together and start conversing, makes it all a bit more personal. Not too sure about the outings thing, as i have said earlier I am not “allowed” out at the moment, my OH is being very protective, bless him. But he knows I’ll get stir crazy, I think you have to do what you feel is right, just be careful. Maybe we should all invest in Michael Jackson type face-masks then we could go wherever we want to !!!
My digestive system has also been playing up - not as active as it used to be, try nuts, seeds and fruit juices might get things “moving”, anyway welcome to our crew
Sorry I haven’t been in touch for what feels like ages…second fec completely knocked me for six. 2 hours after they administered the drugs I got the awful shakes, and temp went up to 38. Luckily we were still at the hospital so stayed in overnight with antibiotics. Sickness has been awful this time and now I have completely lost my appetite. Still feeling pretty rough so will be taking it easy!
So pleased you all sound like you are doing really well…looks like there are a lot of us at the same stage so we can hopefully support each other.
I must say the cup of tea and slice of cake sounds good…
Good luck to everyone with forthcoming treatments, may your side effects be minimal,
Welcome back, sorry to hear you have not been well, that must have been very scary, good job you were still in hospital, I hope they took good care of you !
Hope you’ll pick up soon, take it easy and look after yourself babe
I know what you mean about going stir crazy in the house! I also work in a large open plan office and am a Branch Manager for a big recruitment company, my surgeon signed me off until December but I have been in work doing part time hours! Some people think i’m mad but I miss a sense of normality and find that going into work keeps my mind occupied. I love my job and my boss has been brilliant, i’ve had a few days that i’ve said i was going in but never made it and they have been so supportive.
My OH has also been my rock! He has been such a tower or strength that sometimes I worry about him too, he doesnt seem to let off steam to anyone but he is the strong silent type so I think he is coping well. Last night I just sobbed on his shoulder and then I was fine again! He just takes it all in his stride, I dont know what i’d do without him. I worry about the ‘intimate’ side of our relationship as its the furthest thing away on my mind at the moment but he reassures me all the time and says he will wait as long as it takes for me to be comfortable again, what an absolute wonderful man!!! Ah just writing this makes me realise how lucky I am :o)
How many sessions of chemo have you done so far Jackie? I’m not looking forward to the Tax as I think alot of people suffer with bad side effects on that one, think I have scared myself silly reading other threads
We had so much snow yesterday was lovely!! Just to sit in my lovely warm house and watch it was great while everyone else was struggling to get home from work ha ha, sorry thats my mischievous side coming out