I keep thinking before my chemo starts they give me my cocktail of tablets. I know one is nausea and I’m going to double check one is an antihistamine it was on the first day , I had chemo rash on my back fell asleep hot water bottle moved so back was ahh. Took antihistamines and it eased . I have sensitive skin fair skin so neck with come up even if I used to put fragrance soap or perfume. Tuesday a small rash appeared on arms from the weather, i showed them on Wednesday before my session but I didn’t put any moisturiser on as I didn’t want to annoy the skin.
Double check with the team what medication they give you, oh I also take at home paracetamol before cold cap but must take temperature and I take a photo.
I hope everyone is ok and getting through cycles as well as you can. Im in tomorrow. Will be week 10. So halfway there. Finding weekly taxol more tolerable than AC. Thank God!
One positive about chemo in summer is being able to meet people outside! Got to cling to the positives
Halfway there is no small thing at all. Holding on to those little positives really does matter, and I’m so glad weekly Taxol is feeling a bit more manageable for you
I was fine for about three weeks after my first round, then about 5 days before my second I started to shed (btw I’m having TC every 3 weeks). A week later my hair was obbiously thinner and headscarves have been used daily since then. I got my wig yesterday. It is weird and I’m v self conscious with it. I’ve just come home from my first outing in it. It was ok but I bumped into a male neighbour on the bus and he didn’t recognise me!
Hello everyone. Week 6 for me now. Been a bit of a whirlwind. I’m a Mum of 2 older teens, diagnosed in April with stage 3, grade 3 TNBC. Despite a mammogram in 2024, by the time I found the first lump and had a referral within 2 weeks, I had a 105mm tumour and another one 98mm. There is lymph node involvement but it is all on one side. Got 28 weeks of chemo lined up, followed by surgery, radiation therapy and possibly another round of chemo. I am on pacliataxcel, carboplatin and immunotherapy. Halfway through this 28 weeks I will switch to epirubicin and something else I can’t pronounce. My question is how many of you have elected for a PICC line at this stage. I’ve sworn not to have one, but yesterday I was told im going to have to think that through as the veins are protesting.
Hi @priscamum just popping over from the March starters as I saw your questions regarding the picc line.
I just wanted to say ive had mine in from the begining and I am extremely grateful for it. The only minor inconvenience is for baths/showers where you need to wear an arm band type thing to keep it dry. I got used to this pretty quickly though. Having the picc can save you an awful lot of time sitting in the chemo chair as they just hook you up and go. No discomfort at all. I posted some pictures in a thread called… Picc line help
Im TNBC I on same med as you, 12 weeks once a week , i also have immunotherapy every three weeks. then on Ec every three weeks, I wa supposed to have a picc line but they changed it as I had BC in the other breast in 2019 so have had a port fitted. not going to lye it is a little bit deeper because of muscle in that boob. the picc or port helps your veins, the only thing i have notices from other ladies make sure its flushed out.
Im half way through my 12 weeks , 6 was last week, Im eating alot of anti inflammatory food.
Im cold capping hair is thinning. got upset but its the treatment. I have leanrnt to sip fluid while having treatment as the salin goes through you anyway. As soon as I get home Im sipping around 2.7 - 3 ltrs if I can , drink from a drink bottle sipping not gupping down. I take injection for two days for white blood cells, Its ok,with the weather Im trying to avoid going out in the heat.
I havent been out due to being anxious of getting infection this is me . I have spoken to some ladies who have said they have been admitted and went shopping popped into a supermarket on the way home. I have also seen how they are when carrying out the blood test before the chemo day. But saing that I did go out the other day to a garden store with a mask . even nurses have said If I do got out go early or late and try to stay away from busy public spaces.
Hope you are doing well, Ive got my Bridget Jones knickers on, Not too sure about you but have you had any other side effects now from week 2, I have had no sickness,naisea, have rash on arm after treatment. Tingling numbess in fingers I tell the nurses I can still feel cold ,hot water do buttons up.
Good morning @priscamum I’m popping over like @foxgem from the March starters group!
I am TN too, same regime … I finished the first phase of weekly infusions along with Pembrolizumab (immunotherapy) the week before last, and started EC plus Pembrolizumab Thursday just gone … I’ve never been offered the PICC line, but I do have ‘juicy veins’ as the nurses have called them … and I switch hands every time for the cannula of which is possible because I’ve not had surgery yet …. so I can’t help with the PICC line question, but anything else TN-based as I’m onto the next phase of chemotherapy drugs … feel free to ask away
Hi @priscamum I have a PICC line and I think it’s a wonderful thing frankly. This is my second time round with breast cancer and the first time, 25 years ago, there was a lot of faffing round, taking blood tests, fishing around for veins et cetera and now it is so easy. I live way out in the country and the District Nurses do the weekly check on the dressing but I’ve never had any problems with it. I do have a tip though, which is that they give you usually a piece of stocking bandage to cover it up and that gets all frayed and is a bit sad. You can get a little soft, stretchy cover that’s a bit more cheerful. Annabandana for example does simple ones in nice colours for £ 3.40.
Did you get the awful metallic taste in the first phase. I am really struggling to find food I like as it all tastes so foul. Part of me wants to know if the next stage is easier on side effects, but i guess the problem is that who knows what side effects we will individually get.
Ive had the rash on my arm, but with plenty of moisturiser that seems to be getting better. Around week 6 I started to get stomach ache and that hasn’t gone yet. Quite a few days of an upset stomach. I just feel in the scheme of things its not too bad.
I ended up getting medication from the GP as I was advised not to get over the counter stuff. It’s complicated because for me I believe Pacliataxcel is causing inflammation in the stomach. So I’ve switched to the BRAT diet and I’ve upped my fluids. Ive also bought specialised drinks with magnesium and other salts in them, otherwise I am at risk of being delayed for chemo due to low salt levels. It’s such a personal journey, so there has to be plenty of trial and error to get it right for you. I hope you are doing okay
@priscamum i am just being prepared ready so i know what to do if this does happen. i didnt have any problems on my 1st cycle but u never know going forward
I move on from 4 x dose dense EC to paclitaxel next week and am absolutely dreading it, as lots of you lovely ladies seem to be having such a terrible time
I’ve actually been ok so far on EC, all the side effects but more moderately.
I’m 3 rounds in on the Pac and have been ok so far @kawan. I did have a reaction on the second dose, which while obviously a bit scary at the time, was dealt with very quickly by the nurses. They’ve just put me on a slower drip for subsequent rounds and it didn’t happen again on the third round.
I’m popping over like 
