Thanks Nicky, I was just reading the discussion when you bumped it up for me. It was a bit of a shock especially as I was originally told that it would probably not have spread because they caught it so early (it wasn’t even a lump it was what they called a distortion of cells so I wasn’t expecting to have Chemo). I guess I will just have to wait and see what drugs they will be giving me and discuss it with the BCCN. Its all very scary but I can see there is so much support out there. I will be reading. I have already had a laugh with my step daughter about wigs, think I might go Red or Blond…
Not looking forward to the ‘extra’ surgery I am having, going in tomorrow providing they’ve got a bed as the hospital is so far away from me and I need to be there by 7am Monday. I live in the sticks or so I’m told.
Hi Laurel1
How are you doing are you thinking about having the cold cap? I am going to try it when I get my new dates for chemo.
take care.
Ann
xxx
Hi everyone,
thanks for all the information on the cold cap (such an awful sounding name like some instrument of torture!) I am due my first lot of chemo FEC this wednesday and I am going to give the cap a go! not looking forward to the whole event but will give it a go first time around and see how it goes. I will report back! very useful info though regarding the cooling of head and possible connection with difficulty in finding viens. Should I ask them to place the needle in my vien prior to the cap being worn and from reading the above it appears a good idea to put conditioner on the hair prior to wearing the cap. It was so much easier having babies and I thought that was hard work! Be in touch soon.
xx
hiya
the doseage you get on just epi depends on your wieght ie-: iam 10 stone so i get 170ml if i put on wieght then i would get more the reason for less in fec is it is 3 different chemos in one like CMF. I didnt bother with cold cap as i had really fine hair anyway. So iam now totally bald and you really do get used to it but strange thing is i gave it a mach 3 when it started going and now i have after 3 dose of epi a nice fuzz growing all over also the hairs on my other bits although not coming in as fast are still growing so yes iot does still grow but at a slower rate roll on CMF my friend says her hair is now coming in really quick/
Joanne
Hi all, just picked up this thread…I had 6 x FEC 5 yrs ago, onc nurse said then, it only worked on 10% of patients, but I thought, what have I to lose, other than my hair, which is short and blonde, well, now coloured. I desperately did not want to look like a cancer victim and am retired so the time span for the cold cap was not a problem. The onc nurses were absolutely brilliant, wrapped me in a duvet, put a hot pad on the arm where the chemo was given, brought me all the hot drinks I wanted, and as my treatment was over lunchtime, brought me a picnic type lunch on a tray - I couldn’t eat it, but my long suffering gorgeous husband did. I literally fell asleep for most of the treatment and had to be woken up at the end. I did have the newer treatment then, with a motor cycle type helmet, different sizes as I have a small head (hubby would say differently methinks, connected to a freezer unit by the side of the chemo chair - gosh, sounds like the criminal electric chair…it was fine. I did lose a lot of hair on the top of my scalp, but none of my freinds were so tactless to remark on it. My hospital gave me an NHS voucher for £120 to get a wig before chemo…so good my husband said: “Liz it looks better than your normal hair do!”. Slapped wrist for him.
I think we have to go with our own instincts and was so grateful that my chemo then was suitable for the cold cap treatment.
Liz.
Hi,
had epi 3 on 1st July and still ok to wear just a hairband to cover the monk’s bare top to my head, although it is looking fluffy so must be growing already!! Last epi on 22 July then on to CMF so can give up the cold cap. I would still recommend the cold cap if you think that saving your hair will help you cope better, the added bonus is that it saved my eye lashes and eye brows too. I think I was most worried about the eye brows as I am hopeless at drawing them on.
Good luck with your decision and treatments this week
Lily x