Hi @louise15, yep the thought of cording & lympodema is really worrying, so something I need to discuss with the healthcare team. I just feel they are pushing for full node clearance 
Thanks for the tips & advice on products for hair growth. I’m not using anything yet as still going through treatment, but I will look into these to start trying, especially the lash products. Thank you xx
Just caught up with all of the thread comments since October, I’ve been awol as my laptop expired and just back online. I’ve had other stupid chemo related nonsense to deal with too, much like the rest of you.
It’s been quite the journey finishing EC, I found three and four pretty hard going. Fatigue was heavy going and I was so glad to get it out the way and finished. I developed eye problems and some double vision due to weakening muscles, degraded veins so no driving and feeling pretty sad and stuck in a tiny world with no freedoms. I live rurally so rely on cars to go anywhere and do anything. Hard times.
Moved onto PaCx and had horrible joint paints for a week and peripheral tingling for the full two weeks between the doses, then infection and a delay to chemo for two weeks whilst waiting for a chest infection to clear up. It was a nice reprieve for a while but back on PaCx yesterday. Thankfully not a ton of pain yet for the second one.
Glad to be back to check in with your progress folks. It’s been a hard journey but we are absolutely grinding it out and I wish for some relief and good times for you all.
A quick question, has anyone had alcohol whilst going through treatment. I have stuck to no alcohol all the way through but just fancy a sneaky G&T, will it be OK?
@dianne3 i have enjoyed the odd glass of wine with no issues at all.
@schwartzwald that sounds really grim especially the vision. Do they expect it to recover?
@toad happy to hear that chemo is finishing earlier than expected but sorry it’s because the side effects have been so rough 
But how nice knowing you’ll be done with it all by Christmas! 
That sounds awful I had some eye issue at points but it was around taking the steroids, my team told me the steroids could cause temporary issues with my eyes. Have they said whether it may recover? Sorry you’ve been feeling sad, think that’s a totally understandable way to feel given the circumstances. Hopefully from now on there won’t be any further delays and you can just knock out the remainder of your treatments
I’ve had a few wines over the last few months @dianne3. Just when I fancied it (tbf rarely) but always made me feel more normal in the moment so enjoyed them. I reckon anything you fancy is okay cos there’s enough joy-sappery with everything else! X
Hi @louise15 it was very bizarre to be honest. I’ve been struggling through last 2 days with lack of taste and fatigue but waiting to confirm up the other side. Oh wow, yes really are on a similar journey. How are you feeling now? Have you had your pre op appointment? All mine seem to be happening around my birthday but so be it. I just want to get it done now. Thanks for the Yukka app recommendation. I’ve downloaded that now. I’ll use that UK Lash one for now but will look at the others you recommend. I did cold cap and my hair has thinned a lot but hung on so just wondering now when I can start using the serum really. Will have to do some research so as not to go too soon.
Ah @toad I hope you’re doing ok. The side effects are grim. I went from going to the bathroom a lot to the complete opposite and in pain! Your oncologist sounds great and just what you need to hear.
Hi @pg92 thank you. I think I need to see if I can find the hair care course online as not sure what to do now. My hairdresser gave me a massage brush to use but not just yet as my scalp is still quite sensitive to touch.
Hi @dianne3 I haven’t had alcohol since July, my taste buds have put me off pretty much everything other than ginger beer/ginger tea or milk. At the moment I can’t even face water unless it’s in glass as the texture of plastic makes me gag! My mate who went through this said she actually drank more (mostly wine) following her diagnosis which I get. I’m hoping to regain my taste for at least a glass to toast my birthday and Christmas. Otherwise it’ll be ginger beer in a fancy glass for a change 
Sending huge hugs 
Hi @emma-jayne, I’m.the same, my taste seems to have gone completely awol, & I’ve only completed 3 weekly Paclitaxel as yet. Nothing tastes right, not even water, so have to put a splash of squash into it. My mouth lining is also pretty distrusted, so continuing with mouthwash rinses. Like you I’m having a lot of ginger based drinks! I’ll be sick of it once I’m through with this. I just feel as if I’m eating because I need to, rather than because I want to, as nothing tastes right.
Sending big hugs xx
Aww @toad so sorry that you’ve been quite bad with the side effects. Hope you doing better, and I’m sure the pre Christmas finish has lifted mind & body!
I think the pain & muscle weakness with the Taxane us a common SE sadly. Experiencing the same on Paclitaxel, and sadly it seems to be lasting a bit longer after each round. Would really like a weeks break ftom it all to recover, but I think my Oncologist will say no, ,& plus it means everything gets pushed back by a week, when I’m already counting down to the end.
Sending hugs xxx
Awww so sorry to hear the bad experiences with it all @schwartzwald - quite a trial! I hope you are doing bit better now. Just to say I struggled with 3 out of my 4 EC’s and had vision problems, which I reported to my team. Similar to @louise15, they told me its temporary & should revert to normal once chemo done. I’m not having the same issue on the Taxane, bit my eyesight does seem weaker. Biggest issue on taxane is muscle aches, shooting pains in legs, arms, such that it can be difficult to walk.
Sounds like many of us are experiencing similar 
Sending hugs xxx
Hi all, another week gone, where does the time go!
@pollypox that sounds so scary, really glad it isn’t anything sinister xx
@amandas09 how exciting, so today is your last chemo!! that must be such a relief. I hope your peripheral neuropathy does improve - from what I’ve read you just have to be patient. Just about ready for the chaos of the new pup (Roscoe). Luckily we are getting him the day after my next chemo, so I’ll be wide awake all night to tend to him as needed, the joys and for once convenience of steroids 
xx
@emma-jayne will be thinking of you on 16th having your surgery - it’s my birthday, so a very quiet one this year, but at least I hopefully won’t be having to have chemo! xx
@outdoorsy yay for 2 chemo left! I’m able to join that club too now. After my 2 week delay I finally got chemo no. 6 yesterday! xx
@louise15 yeah the delays have been frustrating, but finally got no. 6 yesterday so 2 to go now. We went to visit Roscoe at the weekend which was just the best day ever. I’ll share a photo. The plan is to get him home on the 10th, the day after chemo 7 all being well. As I mentioned above, it will be ideal as I’m in the wide awake club all night!
My hair has remained quite fluffy on top after shaving it. I never went fully bald (although the sides have very little hair). The top seems to change often to looking like I hardly have any, to having a small covering. As it looks like it’s starting to grow back, the same amount falls out again. So will watch and wait as we get to the end of the year. I’ve got patches in my eyebrows, but they are very fine anyway so you have to look close to notice. I think most of my bottom lashes have gone, but still have a few on the top. I’ve given up worrying about that for now and will just see what happens.
@toad I’m sorry you’ve had such crappy side effects but happy that you get to finish chemo earlier - 23rd should be my last one too - feels nice to get it out the way before Christmas, not that we’ll be doing much, but going into the New Year with no more chemo feels like a big win after a shitty 2025 xx
@schwartzwald I didn’t even know eye problems were a thing, sorry it’s caused you to be stuck with no way of getting about - the gift that keeps on giving 
. I also had a two week delay after my first fortnightly paclitaxel for an infection and had the horrible joint pain. I’m really hoping now I’ve had the second one that it won’t be so bad - especially with two extra weeks to recover xx
@dianne3 I think it is okay to have a drink if you fancy one, although I don’t think you are supposed to on treatment day but no idea why. I did read something about not driving as well because there is alcohol or something in the actual drug, but not sure if that’s true. I couldn’t stomach it at all at the moment and I’m really toying with not drinking at all anymore - one because I probably won’t tolerate it and two I’m petrified my previous drinking played a part in my BC. I think as time goes on I may feel different, but in the meantime I’ve been testing alcohol free prosecco for Christmas so I don’t feel left out xx
Wow that was a long catch up! As well as my second Pax yesterday, I had my first Zoladex - is anyone else having that yet? My oncologist wants to start hormone treatment 3 weeks after chemo finishes so she’s making sure my ovaries are switched off. I’d already been having hot flushes, but omg since yesterday evening it’s been intense. I have an appt with gynae in January to discuss having my ovaries out as I have to have the Zoladex every 4 weeks, which is just another appointment to think about every month for 5 years 
. Hope everyone is doing well and has something nice, even if scaled back, for Xmas. Photo of me with new pup Roscoe will shortly be uploaded below! Lots of love and good wishes to everyone xx
How cute is that bundle of fluff, he is gorgeous:heart:.
Can’t believe we are all nearing the end of our chemo journey and Christmas is just round the corner. I’ve resisted the urge to drink, tried 0% Guinness yesterday which is nice. Think I’ll invest in some non secco for Christmas as my New Year will be Radiotherapy, went for my planning meeting yesterday and my start date is 29 December for 9 blasts.
Have to go back today to see Oncologist and Radiographer as I have an underlying skin condition called Scleroderma Morphia which causes the skin to thicken in plaques, as Radiotherapy also causes skin thickening I need to be fully aware of any potential risks Vs the benefit Radiotherapy will give me for the cancer. Once I know this I can sign the consent form.
Cancer is truly the gift that just keeps in giving.
Love to you all and have a good day everyone, let’s see what the budget has in store for us and how worse off we will all be 
He is super cute !!!
@sunshine-smile your puppy is just total cuteness
Yay to being part of the finishing chemo crap on 23rd Dec 
I may even treat myself to a Baileys on Christmas Day (the kids will finish the rest of the bottle )
Xxxxx
Oh @sunshine-smile he is just ADORABLE
That is one cute pupsicle! 
They can’t make any promises but think it may improve post chemo. I have been fitted with a prism lens for the forseeable which resolves the vision issue and it does seem to be better than it was a month ago but if I am tired or what not then the double double comes back. I can do close up stuff no problem but driving and distance is affected.
