Hi
I’m waiting for my post op results but at biopsy stage 2 lymph glands were cancerous, so I’m thinking I may need chemo.
The fear of chemo is really upsetting me and I have an anxiety disorder. Please can anyone reassure me that it won’t be 5 months of being really poorly x
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Hello, waiting for results is really hard. Your mind goes to all sorts of places. Keeping busy helped me. If you do need chemo, it is daunting, but you won’t be poorly for a the whole treatment cycle. You will have good days, some rough days and lots of sort of average days. The drugs to manage side effects are really good now. I had chemo years ago, an old protocol now, but I worked throughout my treatment. I had some rough days, but managed overall ok. My Mum, age 80, had chemo for the same cancer was really well throughout. If you do need it, you will have lots of support from hospital and on here. I wish you all the best.
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Hi again @stafford22 . I think you replied to my post earlier. As i said, chemo is quite doable. I was terrified. Its the fear of the unknown. Movies and tv shows make it look a billion times worse. You will walk in and leave feeling pretty much the same.
I too had positive lymph nodes, just 2. Your onco will probably use NHS Predict to ascertain how much benefit you’ll get from chemo. For me, being in my 40s and premenopausal, the benefit was 4.8%. I was advised to have chemo, but only needed 6 cycles at 3 weekly intervals. I was hormone positive, her2 negative, grade 2 IDC.
If you do have chemo, the staff at hospital are amazing. Its relaxed and friendly. They are some of the best nurses you’ll meet. Once in your comfy chair, the drip is started and personally, I never felt any difference. It would hit me a few days later like a bad hangover. I didn’t coldcap and i did lose my hair. I shaved it off for a charity beforehand. Worst side effects were the occasional upset tummy, aches in my bones and damage to nails, hairloss and tiredness. I was never sick and for 2 out the 3 weeks of each cycle, i was perfectly well and went out for meals, walks and shopping.
If it needs to be done, post again on here and I’ll give you some tips. Im the meantime, relax and enjoy some time with friends and family x
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hi lovely!! although I don’t suffer with anxiety I know exactly how you’re feeling right now. I started chemo Nov 7th!! and I can tell you that the waiting beforehand (I haven’t had surgery yet) with the scans and appointments etc was 100% the worst part. I didn’t know if I was coming or going and I hated having scans after scans and not knowing what the outcome would be. But once the chemo started I felt strangely a lot calmer.
It is definitely the fear of the unknown, no one knows how they’ll feel and we are all different and will handle things differently and not just our bodies but our minds too.
Chemo really isn’t that bad. Especially if you look after yourself well, eat well if you can, exercise, drink loads of water (or any fluids) it really does help.
My expectation of chemo, was I would be spending 6 months feeling poorly and most probably in bed…… I’d be sick, not eat much etc etc.
The reality of chemo, in 4 months, I haven’t spent 1 day in bed, I haven’t been sick once or even felt sick, I’m eating completely normal (actually really hungry all the time), my sleep schedule is the exact same, haven’t been tired, I’m going on 1-2 hour walks a day, still cooking, cleaning, shopping…… I’m the same me, just bald (but no-one would know as I always wear a wig. The side effects I’ve had, some acid reflux, my nails are quite sore, dry skin, a little diarrhoea some days and that’s about it. But they will give you things to help with any side effects, they don’t want you suffering.
You know the one thing that really got me down at the beginning, and the only thing I’ve cried about was not being able to go to work…… I work in retail, so because of germs ect, I can’t go right now and that routine of not going and being with my friends really got me down, the boredom was bad but I got through that and now I’m use to this new normal for a bit. 99% of the time I forget I’m going through this because it’s every 3 weeks I go for treatment and the rest of the time, I just keep myself busy and enjoy life!!
If you have to do it, you can totally get though it, it’s very doable. Like someone else said, it’s not like they show in movies or tv shows. Or even when celebrities post about it, it doesn’t have to be this big thing with the shaving of hair and everyone crying and hugging etc………. my sister cut mine into a pixie cut and then I just dealt with the falling out of it myself, and like i said, I’ve never shown my bald head, I don’t look at it myself, I just constantly wear a wig or headscarf. Also, you could totally do coldcapping, and keep most of your hair!! they’ll talk you through all of that anyway.
If you need or want to speak more please message me!! this page was a godsend at the beginning for me, really helped a lot.
Sending alllll the love and positive vibes!! big love!! Xxxxx
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Hi
Chemo is different for each of us as our bodies are all unique. However, I went through chemo and though there were bad days and OK days, I usually had a week of good days in each three week cycle, On here you tend to hear about the people who are experiencing problems as they are looking for help and advice. But there are also the ones you don’t hear much about, and there must be more of them
.
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Hello stafford22,
The fear of the unknown is horrible. I am presently going through radiation treatment for BC but 2 years ago went through Chemo for 6 months due to lymphoma. I was petrified . I found once starting Chemo I felt relieved and supported. The Chemo made me very tired for 2 weeks then one week of feeling pretty darn good. Everyone is different but I believe staying on a positive train mentally is the best medicine. I encourage you to try to get a walk in everyday, however that looks for you. I would put my favorite music on and walk, some days much slower and shorter than others but it helped me feel like I can still be me! I had some great advice from a holistic oncologist o be sure to get at least 20 grams of protien in me for breakfast to start my day and that really helped . I did lose all of my hair and when it starts falling out its very daunting but once I shaved my head, I decided its who I am in my life right now and embraced it. I did buy a wig but never wore it. You will be okay. I promise. I was given anti nausea meds but never needed them. Im not saying its a walk in the park. Just give your body what it needs and if you are having symptoms and have questions or need suggestions for relief always ask your Chemo team or on here! I am wishing you the very best , my heart goes to you girl, its a lot. You will get through this!
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Thank you so much for your replies. I feel much calmer reading your messages x