Hi all
Feeling ok after chemo yesterday. I’ve got a district nurse coming today to make sure I’m doing my filgrastim injections ok.
@tigertot are you cold capping . I’m on EC but every 2 weeks. I’m day 16 now. I’m just waiting for hair shedding. I’m cold capping but I know you still shed and your result is unpredictable. I’ve got a wig fitting on Monday too.
@wba glad you feeling ok after your chemo.
Good luck to everyone who have started chemo and waiting to start.
You feel so much better once you start
Xxxx
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Perhaps I should wait to type this when I am more upbeat as on a downer today. 2nd chemo yesterday went ok though i came out in hives again and needed double amount of piriton intravenously to get rid of them. Didnt sleep a wink. Even though Ive cold capped, about 70% of my hair has gone. I will get my head around it but for today theres been many tears. I think its because I suddenly look like a cancer patient. I didnt get this upset when I had a masectomy, which is crazy. My scalp is so sore at moment that dont want to put wig on. Ill get a scarf from amazon today to wear tomorrow. After 1st ec I felt fine next day but this time feel weak and am just watching tv though concentration is rubbish. Tomorrow Im sure I will be more positive, I have to remember the bigger picture!
Im near Horsham by the way. Is anyone else close by?
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@dkc66 sending you much love it is truly hard and I haven’t even got to the hair shedding part yet. It will break me I know. Is that 2 you have had now? I know how you feel it helps me to know that everyone on here understands. I hope you feel a bit better tomorrow xxxx
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@dkc66 same here had Chemo yesterday and didn’t get to sleep till gone 5am! Feeling really low today too I think its the anticipation of another weekend of side effects especially the upset tum, only just got out of bed as can’t face eating/doing anything (4pm) but needed to take my meds.
Glad you’re all feeling ok @pineapples123 @wba @tigertot another one down 
@sparkleandshine I think the pre-med steroids make sleep difficult too for a couple of days. Really good you’ve had a positive first time.
@misha The Look good feel better hair, brow and lash workshop online was really good for tips on brow stencils and products to use to get a natural look, along with some great tips on scalp care, like silk pillowcase and cap to protect delicate/sensitive skin. The head caps that can be jazzed up with hairbands where not too expensive when I checked out some of the link websites, around £3-6 for scarfs etc… and I think the fringe piece to go under a cap/scarf was £18 and comes in a variety of colours. Ladies Hairpieces & Addons » Fringe » Wigs4U
So grateful for this forum, makes it much less lonely 
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Sending massive hugs 
Wish I was near Horsham to give you a real one.
It’s so hard, I cried I still do when I’m battling to get my wig on or look in the mirror.
I think sometimes a good cry & a soppy movie is what’s needed.
just let it all out.
It’s a big thing when our hair goes.
You’re not alone, we will all here for you & we will get through this.
Hopefully your hat will arrive tomorrow.
I’ve got a bamboo one off Amazon that’s nice & soft, putting a scarf on top of it.
Hope you will sleep better tonight 
This insomnia is horrible.
hope you feel better tomorrow. 
x
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@tigertot thanks for update hadn’t realised about using mouthwash all the time, was just waiting to see if I needed to. Did you brush after ever meal??
Day one post chemo nearly over for me. Haven’t felt too bad today. Been out for walk and cooked for me and my kids. Had afternoon nap as pretty tired. Worst thing for me at 50 years old is the night sweats which I had pre HRT but are now back with full force. Anyone else having this immediately after chemo.
Hope you’re all managing and thanks for your responses. You’re all doing so well so one day and a time ladies xx
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Hi @dkc66
I’m sorry to read that you have had a down day. It is entirely normal and to be expected. What we are going through is a lot and if I didn’t have days when it all felt too much I’d be worried!
I felt really flat earlier in the week and sad for myself. Hearing about friends holiday plans when aside from cancer related appointments, I feel unable to plan anything as I don’t know how I’ll feel. No pleasure in eating as everything tastes horrid. Little energy to anything aside from potter about the house. My world feels very small. It’s reminding me of Covid.
When I washed my hair on Sunday I was left with very little so husband shaved what remained off. I look at myself in the mirror and I don’t look like the me I know, nor do I feel like me.
Today my chemo acne has returned so I’m bald and spotty. Was going to put on some foundation but with no hairline wondered where I should stop! Visited a friend and whipped off my hair and she said being bald suited me. Not sure if I’m bold enough to go bald outside but I am indoors if the heating is on!
Are you under the care of ESH or UHS? I’m not too far away from you. Could meet you at Camelia Botnar, I’ll be the one in a bouffant wig! X
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@dkc66
Sending hugs to you, sorry to hear you’re not good at the moment, but don’t feel you have to wait to be more cheerful to share your feelings. 
x
We’re all here for each other , through good and bad days.
I know what you mean about your scalp feeling tender , mine started feeling like that today, so I know that at some piont my hair will begin to shed any time now. I’m cold capping too and keeping fingers .
Hope you feel better soon. x
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Hi, I live in Plummers Plain and know Camilla Botner well. I would love to meet up for a coffee and chat. I had my operations at ESH and am having chemo at Crawley Hospital. Its 3am in the morning and wide awake again. There should be a night time coffee shop open for insomniacs! I am not working since all this so free most times except Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. Where are yiu having treatment?
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Thank you @anb1. Yes that was my 2nd ec chemo. I am devastated at the moment. Shed about 70% of hair since weekend. In the night I saw a huge black thing on my pillow and screamed out loud thinking it was a massive spider, but no just my hair! I have fine hair anyway so I will get it shaved off next week I think, if there’s any left that is! I am sure it must get easier day by day. Not there yet!
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Good morning ladies. Just wanted to say how gratfull Im to read all the messaged. To know what in this word we can support each other in this horrible journey non of us would rather not have to do.
Im sorry to hear that things are tough. I just hope im as brave as you are when week when its my turn.
Im in Dundee in Scotland. So its been raining a lot, so i cant go out much at the moment. But driving to my friends for lunch tomorrow to trwat myself before chemo on Monday. Ive been manic cleaning aorund the house yesterday, in preparation. I found out in theprapy that how I cope with anxiety and I think in scared I won’t be able to do it when chemo starts. I think self compassion is like a life lesson in getting to learn from scratch.
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It’s sooo good to read all these messages and to know that things are up and down for everyone else. Absolutely exhausted today with no energy whatsoever and yes like everyone else there is disaster in the head area. Beginning to shed which I find utterly tragic. Of course I knew it was going to happen, but I just wished it wouldn’t, and yes I did hope a little too that I wouldn’t lose too much! It’s sort of sets a sign for everyone who sees you that things aren’t okay. The thought of going bald I find appalling, even if I can cover it up with a wig it’s still horrifies me. But onwards and upwards I have booked a wig fitting this coming week….
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@kav50 im with you there on the night sweats but I’ve not started chemo yet. But having stopped HET on diagnosis this new symptom has gripped me with avengeance.
I hope they stop some day but I feel they must be there for a good while yet!
Hi all, started chemo this week EC thru PICC line, after a whirlwind of scans and hospital appointments since diagnosis the week before Christmas (great present huh?). All found via routine mammogram. Still learning all the lingo but have a large mass 10cmx7cm G2 IDC and it is HER2 3+. Also in 1 armpit node although they are still not sure on that. Have escaped relatively well symptom wise this week, just v tired and bunged up a bit. 3 more EC to go then T Paclitaxel for 12 weeks and Phesgo every 3rd week, then surgery and anti HER2 drugs, Zoledronic has been mentioned. Seems a long long way off til life is a bit normal again (will it ever be?) and the appointments are relentless. I found out a lot just by reading my NHS app letters which isn’t great. Luckily my oncologist and specialist nurse are lovely and more informative than my breast clinic consultant who is very clinical and just wants you out the door asap. Going to read lots of forums to gain some more personal rather than medical insight.
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Hi @jacx70 Welcome to the forum. These monthly chemo threads are a wonderful way to support and get supported by others who are having a similar treatment to you.
As you are HER2+ your treatment will continue after chemo and you may want to consider joining a thread that has been going for more than a year call HER2+ and need some buddies. Everyone is at a different stage of their treatment but it’s such a friendly bunch.
Here’s the link
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Hi @jacx70 welcome to the forum. As said before, everyone is friendly and we pick each other up when we’re not feeling so good. Plenty of support on here, and there’s no such thing as a stupid question 
How did you get on with your EC so far?
x
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Hi WBA
I haven’t a clue how to introduce myself, stating chemo today and so nervous
Thank you. I have had a range of symptoms after my first EC last Tues but touch wood nothing major. I was shattered afterwards and in bed by 9pm. Was badly constipated for a few days and then the floodgates opened once I finished the anti sickness meds 
, felt better though! 1 week on I am having indigestion problems and my sugars are dropping at night (T2 diabetic). Sleep is also broken, usually once or twice for a wee but I am drinking tons of water which I didn’t do before chemo. Round 2 next week…
Welcome @marymop
Entirely normal to be nervous about first cycle. It’s the unknown. For me, by far the hardest part was the waiting for appointments, more investigations then results which seemed to go on for months.
When the day arrived to start treatment I was relieved. I decided to turn my fears on their head and looked at it is a day out, opportunity to sit and people watch, a new experience and it felt positive that something was finally happening to address ‘it.’ For me it was a good experience, staff kind and I felt well looked after. The waiting for side effects was interesting as again it’s the unknown, they’ve so far been tolerable but a bit of a nuisance. It’s reassuring to read on the thread that others experience the same. I’ve had a couple of bad days, better days and this week feel nearly my old self, then on Friday it’s chemo etc again. Then I will be halfway through this stage of my treatment. Time is flying by and I am getting through it, as will you. We are stronger and more resilient than we know. Xx
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Thank you for answering I will hopefully feel less anxious once I’ve started
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