thanx Finty,
will certainly give the cap a go,hopefully with similar results to you.I feel better now ive made a definate decision,maybe i`ll get a good nights sleep at last,if the old man dont snore too much!!
Di.xx
Di
Yes you can still enjoy a drink or two. Thats if you can stomach it!
Thanx buzzy,you have to have something to look forward to,dont ya.
going to a local beer festival this afternoon,then home for a chinese,will enjoy it as it will be my last for a long while.
cheers everyone
Di.xx
Hi,
No I still haven’t reached a decision yet 
I’m at oncology on thursday 30th sept to see them and have to make a decision by then as they want to start it on the friday if I go ahead,
I’m so pleased you have decided and feel better for making your decision 
When do you start, ? hope all goes well for you
Belinda xx
Hi Dib and other ladies
I found myself in the exact same conandrum: to go for chemo or not. I had a 37mm grade 1 tumor with one node affected (hence I needed second op to remove all nodes, which mercifully turned out to be clear). According to the stats, chemio would have only added 5% to my survival rate. Not a huge amount and I was seriously debating whether I should be putting myself through that particular mill in view of such a low percentage. Like yourself I wish the decision had been taken off my hands too, but no. They give YOU a choice to make you feel in control… If only!
Anyway, after a series of long soul searching sessions and reading what other women were saying on this site (including Jane 72. Thanks Jane!)I decided to go for it. In for a penny in for a pound, so to speak. 5% is still 5%. PLUS I would have never forgiven myself if a few years down the line I found out it had spread. Ok, there is no guarantee it won’t happen even with chemo but this way I can’t blame myself.I will have done everything in my power to stop the b*****d cancer.
The onc described it to me as an added life insurance…
So I went for it. I just had my first EC treatment on Wed. 22nd Sept (I’ll need 6, then rads, then Tamoxifen for 5 years). I must say I feel a lot better I thought I was going to feel. A bit of nausea and feeling a bit below par for the first couple of days but that’s all.
Like you, Dib, I am petrified at the thought of losing my hair (but which woman isn’t in truth?)so I have tried the cold cap. Won’t know if it has worked until 2-3 weeks down the line. I will report back.
In the meantime I have bought scarves, went to Headstrong session recommended by my BC nurse and, like Buzz, I am taking more pain with my general appearance. People are surprised how well I look.
I have been signed off work too as I am a teacher. My students are for ever going down with all sort of bugs and diseases. Not a good idea to expose myself to unwanted infections…
So never despair!!There are loads of women in the same boat and it’s a great comfort to know it!
Big hug to everyone
Lulu XXX
Hi Ladies,
Belinda,hope Thursdays visit to oncology helps with your decision,its certainly a tough one but I thought having the chemo isnt gonna kill me but not having it might!!So the very best of luck whatever you decide.
Lulu,You seem very similar to myself ,and made the same decision.Ive decided to have my quite long hair cut very short,in preparation for the cold cap,but if the cap doesnt work then it wont be such a shock when the fallout starts!Did you find the cap uncomfortable to wear? I cant imagine what it feels like.Im glad your not suffering too much from the chemo,hope you stay well through it all.I start mine at the end of the week I think,waiting for my appointment.
Good wishes to you all,
Di.xx
Hey Dib
no, the cap wasn’t too uncomfortable. Definitely bearable. Go for it. What have you got to lose but your hair? Ha ha…
I am hoping that it works for me but if it doesn’t I’m mentally prepared for the fall out (I think. But I can see myself having a jolly good cry when I see my curls being washed down the plughole), and all thanks to reading other women’s posting on this website!
It really helps to know you are not alone…
Good luck with your first chemo. What are you having, by the way? FEC?
Lulu X
Hi Lulu,
Yeah,FEC. Glad your facing this with humour,its the only way to go.Keep those spirits up,gel,lots of luck and my very best wishes,
Di,xx
Hi Dib
Not sure which cap you are having. With the one I had they change it every 30 mins or so. The first 5 or 10 mins are the worst, when it’s coldest - after that it’s ok. Take a paracetamol if they let you - helps with the brain freeze. And make sure it is in good contact with your scalp - pull it down as much as you can. It’s the top of the head where most people get the bald patches - I think I was lucky because my head fitted the cap well. It took getting bc to find the one advantage of having a big head - just as well I didn’t need a wig as most of the ones I tried on sat on top of my head like a dead bird!
finty x
Haha Finty,
When i joined this forum I thought it might be a bit too gloomy being as we are all big c sufferers,but now I come on it not only for the valuable information but also the great sense of humour that most of you have.It`s priceless! Keep it up ladies,
back soon,
bless you all,Di.xxx
Thank God the chemo doesn’t destroy our collective sense of humour then,eh? To be truthful it’s the only thing that keeps me sane sometimes…
Lulu XX
Hi Ladies,
Tina,Thanx for the websites for hats etc,the bohemia site is fabulous and ive just spent dosh I cant afford on there,they are so good.I can wear them even if I dont lose my hair,when I get it cut really short that is.Thanxagain.
Di.xxx
Hi,
I also had a small grade 3 tumour with no nodes, removed by WLE on April 1st, and the feeling was that I didn’t need chemo until it proved to be sensitive to herceptin which makes it a little more malignant so they decided on balance that I should have it. So I finished my last course of FECx6 on Aug 24. To me there was no contest! It was doable, not pleasant of course, but I had great support from family and friends and got out the other side just fine, have just regained the spring in my step in the last week. And Di, yes you can drink on it if you feel up to it! I lost my taste for Sauv Blanc but everything else went down fine.
I was also scared witless of losing my hair, but in fact the anticipation was much worse than the event and I found getting head shaved was strangely liberating! The week before that when it all started coming out was death by 1000 cuts, so recommend go for it sooner rather than later. And we will be in hat season very soon too so you are lucky that way. I was in Rome in June and found the wig uncomfortable in the heat. But I found a great website in Scotland where I bought a fake ponytail which looked great poking out from my myriad sun hats! Will dig out the site if anyone interested.
All the best
C.
Anyway bottom line is I vote take everything offered, write off the next year and batten down the hatches!
Thanx weebuns,
Appreciate your insight ,im definately certain ive made the right decision,still waiting for my appointment tho,i just wanna get on with it,never been a patient person!And im prepared for the hair loss altho im gonna give the cold cap a try,ive still got to go from longish hair to very short-thats scary enough!But im ready with the scarves etc.Now im off work aswell,i dont know if I should tell anyone this,but im hooked on jeremy kyle-so,so sad!!!
Di.xxx
Hi all
I have an app on Monday 4th Oct to see if I need chemo or not.
6cm dcis,7mm grade 2 tumor,clear nodes amd margin HR++,left breast with reconstruction. I have a strong family history of BC. Sister died 2years ago BC and Sister BC 6 years. I am also waiting for brac 2 gene results.
Not sure if I want chemo,would like this all over. Only starting to feel normal after opp. I am realy hopeing doctor will make all the decisions as I am not sure if I will make the right one. Sisters all think I should get the chemo to make sure cancer is all away but is it not all away when I got my breast removed? No one seems able to give answers,so confused. I just want to be better. Will doctor take family history in to consideration when he is decideing. Not long to wait now but my head is melted thinking about it. What do you think?
Hi,
I posted abit earlier to say I have had picc line done today and start chemo tomorrow at 2pm, will be glad to get 1st one out the way ! I decided as has been said befor eto throw everything being offered at it just incase and to give myself the best chance
good luck everyone with your treatment and decisions,
Belinda xx
Hi All
Like most of you the decision to have chemo or not was left to me, in fact we thought the oncologist was trying to talk me out of it, but the breast surgeon and BCN had been so keen for me to have it that I decided to go for it. Guess the oncologist was just doing his job, but also wondered if cost was influencing his advice?
I am 55 and By having the chemo the chances of my cancer returning are increased by 4% , already at 90% by surgery so adding almost half of whats left. I would never have forgiven myself for not trying if it had returned in future and believe we have to do whatever we can to prevent it. I have had 1 treatment (out of 6) of EC 2 weeks ago today and feel fine at the moment. Just a few days nausea and quite bad diaroheaa. If all other sessions are as good then definitely doable, can only hope. I have been advised by my GP not to work as it is stressful job with stress of 32 miles to travel each way and risk of infection from others in office. as someone else said what should take 4 months could end up taking a year so not worth the risk.
Hair has started to fall out today so guess the shaver will have to come out at weekend! I am ready with wig,hats and scarf etc but still a bit apprehensive about that bit.
Best of luck to everyone
carol
Hi Ladies,
Its a tough decision Bellakate,but my theory is having chemo isnt gonna kill ya but not having it might!Also I spoke to one of the nurses on this site and she explained that having a mastectomy or lumpectomy and rads will kill cancer cells directly at the breast site.Chemo will kill any cells which may be present anywhere else in the body.Also if you dont have chemo and it returns,how will you feel? If you do have it and it still returns at least you know you`ve done everything you can.Its a horrible decision but I felt better after talking to the nurse,they also arranged for me to speak to someone who had been through it recently and that really helped.This is a great site and they will help you all they can.Best of luck with whatever you decide.Bless you all,
Di.xx
HI Deb,
I asked if I could speak to someone who had been through it and they said no as it was a confidentiality thing ! I have read so many posts on this lovely site, so many heartwarming stories and am starting my chemo today, hope you get your date soon, had a picc line put in yesterday after mentioning it, that was it straight up there, in and that was that !!! good luck everyone,
Belinda xxx
Dib, re your theory, my onc told me that 1% of people die from the chemo alone.