Hi, just had my sentinel node biopsy, feeling better today, slightly sore arm pit.
Will be sratring chemo a week tomorrow , visited the chemo suite at the hosp, had the wobblies when you are actually there and realise you will be a ‘cancer patient’. I am a mental health nurse so find it difficult being a ‘patient’
Will be having either FEC or TAC depending on results of biopsy.
Any advice for choosing wigs, hoping to sort one out this week in readiness for the kojak look, easy to joke about in now, i am sure it will not be that easy in afew weeks.
Take care all
Welcome.
I am a paediatric nurse so know what you mean about being a patient. We know a bit too much but not really enough as it is out of our area. I have found the experience to be good (if you know what I mean). Everyone has been fab - and it is not that I am a nurse because not many people know. I have been treated excellently from GP to now.
I had 3 fec and supposidly 3 taxotere but had an anaphalytic shock to 2nd tax, so now having 2 cmf. Have had one - onle one more cycle to go.
The fec is doable - make sure you take all your meds including the dex!!! I can honestly say I have had many more good days than bad. It has been much better than I can ever of anticipated - the hardest for me has been not working due to my immune system and where I work - bit honestly feel I could of worked weeks 2 and 3.
Let us know how you get on with your sentinel node biopsy - good luck. Have you had any other surgery?
I had mastectomy in November 07, and am just about to finish 4 x fec Have to then have radiotherapy before commencing 4 x taxotere.
Just wanted to say that there are several threads in the Undergoing Treatment:Chemotherapy section about people undergoing fec - think the titles are ‘Anyone starting chemo’ and ‘1st Fec’ - you may find these useful, I know I did.
I had six doses of TAC from May to September, prior to Masectomy. It wasn’t too bad just take any Meds they give you. Had my last Radiotherapy this morning so no more treatments.
I had the mother of all hangover after my first FEC but after that apart from a few mouth ulcers it was plain sailing- even kept my hair with the help of the cold cap! I got increasingly tired on the Taxol(I had 4) but still managed to carry on as usual.I must admit though that one more Taxol and I would have been floored! Oh yea… I lost all my hair on the Taxol, every last one of them!
Didnt have too much sickness on the FEC, I had 6. I had cold cap & kept some hair, tho wore a wig when going out.
On the wig side… at my hospitalI had to choose one from a catalogue, a cople of weeks after diagnosis ( i had my chemo first) when I was still in a state of shock. When it came it was vile! I ended up buying my own. if yiu are offered a catalogue decline & ask if there is somewhere you can go to be fitted.
Cheers, good luck with it all
Mand x