Hiya I’m after some help and advice, Had mx 2 weeks ago and going for chemo in approx 2-3 weeks. Chemo is for 6 months and then Herceptin for 12 months.
Just bamboozled by it all, really worried about losing my hair, I know about the cold cap and I am going to give it a shot. Worried about it all to be honest, been reading on here about a picc line or something, sounds scary!! Just any advice about my hair, best things I can do beforehand, during (if any) healthwise and hairwise. Thanks so much for replies.
Hi Flutterby, if you use the ‘search the forums’ thingy and type in cold cap you’ll find lots of useful threads. From your avatar it looks as if you have gorgeous long hair and obviously you’ll want to do what you can to keep it. I has waist length hair (even at my advanced age of then 47) when this started and was advised to get it cut before starting chemo - in fact that exactly a year ago today. I had it cut to chin length in a bob and it loked great for the two weeks till it fell out - but I had opted not to use the cold cap. Some people advise getitng layers cut in to your hair so you can brush it over any thinner bits that may arise even if the cold cap works well. I knew two girls who tried the cold cap when I was having chemo, one kept her hair the other lost it, but both were glad they tried it. Practical advice - buy somehting like Simple shampoo, buy a baby brush and comb (kinder to tender scalp) and make sure the chemo nurse knows what she’s doing in preparing your hair before the cold cap goes on.
Can’t comment on PICC ir portacath as I didn’t have either. Despite 3 FEC and 3 T my veins are still good, so not everyone has the worst experinece in this regard.
Hopefully others will be along with good advice soon.
You can do this, you will do this - and soon you will be helping others from your acquired wisdom.
Take care, gentle cyber hug
PS sorry about my typing - it’s worse than ever these days!
hi, I am sure somebody will be along soon to answer your questions. But have you seen the post Starting chemo in September. You might want to join in with that one–i will bump it for you
I started chemo at the end of June and tried the cold cap - it didn’t work for me but it might for you! I had a picc line fitted before chemo number 3 because my veins are very fine and it was beginning to cause problems for me. It all sounds very frightening doesn’t it!
To prepare for chemo I logged onto this forum a lot! And I read other people’s posts on how they had found chemo. I cut my hair to a chin length bob as I thought losing shorter hair would be less traumatic. However, when my hair started to fall out I was still very upset and it was a very emotional time for me. I wear a wig now and I am okay with doing that and so is the family.
What I have learnt along the way (and I am halfway through chemo) is that everyone’s has a different story to tell about their cancer, their treatments and what side effects (if any) that they had. So, if you read that someone was sick constantly - it doesn’t mean to say you will be. I have only been sick once during chemo and I put that down to a dodgy food.
Good luck with everything - and come back often and tell us all how you are getting on.
I’m so sorry that you are having to cope with all this at such a young age xx I am a good bit older than you are (in fact my daughter is your age), but I think I had the same treatment as you are getting, FEC x 4, TAX x 4 and then a year of Herceptin. Yes I lost all my shoulder length hair,and the hair everywhere else too. I didn’t use cold cap because my oncologist didn’t agree with it, saying chemo should reach everywhere, including the skull! It is a traumatic time, but you must do absolutely everything possible to beat this cancer, and if you lose your hair, so what? It will grow back the same as before.
It is almost 5 years now since my diagnosis, and although the treatment for it was hard at times, I am still here and living life. It won’t be easy, but it probably won’t be nearly as bad as you think. You will have plenty of good days whilst on chemo, so organise lunch with friends etc. on those. Get some funky hats and scarves look at the website for Buff headwear for the colder days, and sock it to 'em baby!