February 2025 chemo starters

@sparkleandshine sorry you’ve not been sleeping well, hope thats the only side effect you’ve had to ensure. I’m really lucky that my neighbour is a beauty therapist! She recommended switching up moisturisers to get the best out of them, so I have an expensive Medik8 one from her but also use Vaseline Advanced repair, Nivea and Aveeno body oil spray that has oat and jojoba oil :heart:

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@zoemac
Morning

Thanks for tips on cream. I will pick some up.
I’ve been using an ice pack & it has helped.

I called red card about it today, as I’ve got an appointment with my oncologist at 3pm they said let him see it & they may do a ultrasound scan.

At least not sent me back to A & E again.
Let you know how I get on.

Sorry about your hair. I just had a number 2 in the end as was distressing me with all the shed. It’s so upsetting. Stay strong :muscle:

I had a good first 4 weeks but everything has hit me at week 5 :open_mouth: now. Like you feel down about it all,

Sending hugs :hugs: x

@zoemac
Have no idea what did on last post :roll_eyes:it may have gone on twice!

@wba my rash is red and slightly painful to touch, hot to the touch but not itchy. Antibiotics not made any difference yet. You mention you are getting an ultrasound. Is that for the rash or something Ive missed on these threads? I was told not to put anything on my arm like vaseline or creams. Just wish i knew what was causing it. Bringing my fragile mood down!

Hi @dkc66

Just back from hospital again🙄

My picc line arm is also swollen that’s why they doing scan but got to wait for appointment he requested it as urgent.

He has put me in anticoagulant (blood thinners) precautionary at moment incase there is a clot.
He told me that’s how it would be treated anyway if outcome of scan finds this.

Rash both on both arms & feet he has given me Zerobase cream which is red & inflamed skin

Antihistamines

Dermacool to cool skin as mine can get hot especially at night

One thing after the other isn’t it.

On the plus side he is happy for me to
Preceded with my next chemo on Thursday

I understand how it must be making you feel I’m the same.

Perhaps see if they will give you some cream

:smiling_face_with_three_hearts: x

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@wba thanks for the info about creams. Do they know whats caused your rash or speculated? Its so annoying not knowing what has caused it. I hope you get the picc line swelling sorted soon. Im sure youre like me and hate being given more pills :pill: to take. I know youre like me with sleeping, however the piraton is helping me, hope its helping you too.

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Dear Ladies, hope you are coping okay with your treatment, it is a tough journey. Please can I ask if any of you have suffered with hair loss yet. I am on day 13 after chemo and expecting it to happen any time now. Sending lots of love and hugs to you all xxx

@sparkleandshine i think there are quite a lot of us who are losing or lost our hair. I have had 2 ec cycles. Despite using the cold cap I estimate ive lost 90% of my hair. I was extremely upset about it to start with, but now, although I still hate it, i walk around the house without scarves or my wig, and have accepted it is only for a short time. I lost my best friend and sister in law in their 50s in the past few years abd tell myself they would love to be here with no hair.

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@sparkleandshine hope you are doing ok? I have just had my 2nd treatment on Monday and am cold capping but my hair is shedding very bad not sure if I will keep any I was really hoping so. Are you cold capping?

Xx

Thank you so much for your reply, and I am sorry to hear that you hair is shedding very bad. I decided not to cold cap but it was a tough decision. Please can I ask did the hair loss start before you started your second treatment. I am tempted to go and get mine buzz cut so hair loss will not be so traumatic. Sending lots of love and healing hugs xxx

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I am so sorry to hear about you losing your sister and best friend. Sending love and healing hugs xxx

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Hi yes it started about a week ago now and still ongoing. So that was about day 17 I think. It’s horrible the hair everywhere mines a short bob but I wish I had had it cut short before really now

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Hi there @sparkleandshine,
I started to shed hair exactly 2 weeks after my first lot of Doxcetaxel,It has gotten progressively worse in the space of 4 days,Coming out in clumps rather than shedding,I am literally leaving hair everywhere I go!
I had an unfortunate incident whilst trying to wash my hair yesterday,It all seemed to get matted up and the only rescue for it was to cut the matted parts out :woman_facepalming:t3:
I have decided enough is enough,So it is being shaved this evening :muscle:

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Hi all and newbies,

Have been lying a bit low as wasn’t feeling too great after first EC. Second week was much better than first and sitting here dreading round 2 which is tomorrow.

Waiting for hair to go- nasal hair already gone. Anyone else had this - constant runny nose :sneezing_face:.

Random question but since first Chemo my cancer boob has almost doubled in size and is sore. Is this normal ???

You’re all doing brilliantly- remember every day is another day closer to it ending. Easy to say but hard to do … I know. Feels like you’re missing out on life which is hard.

X

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Hi @kav50

I had my second EC today and like you, I was dreading it. Right now I’m on the steroid high and I am now feeling extremely relieved to be able to say that I’ve done 2/4 EC’s. I’m sure you’ll feel same tomorrow once you leave the unit :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

I too had a rubbish first week and picked up on day 8. It’s the filgratstim injections that caused me the most grief

I haven’t had any hair to go yet. I’m cold capping too but I expect it’ll happen over the next few days. I think day 16 seems to be a popular first shed day. Got to say I’ll be happy when my armpit hair goes!!!

My boob has swelled but I did have an mri biopsy last week so that’s the reason for mine.
Will you mention it to one of the nurses tomorrow? Maybe an oncologist will take a look for you whilst you’re there x

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Good morning ladies. Hope everyone is ok. Good luck to everyone that is braving the shave. I got my friend and colleague to do it last Saturday at work. We all are being made redandant in the end of this month and I have been off on sick line basically since I got news it might be cancer. So I thought it was quite fitting to do it there. Got my wig fitting week early too, as someone cancelled. Plus it felt right to do it on 1st of March since last time I did it in lockdown exactly 4 years ago.
I decided it would make me more upset seing them going out than taking control and making it my decision. I cant complain, it suits me. Red lipstick for the win too. And I was even well enough to go to Feel Good Look Better pumpering session this Monday. Felt good few days now and so start with were dreding that I will jinx it somehow, but had to put fear aside. This tumor caused enough grief in my life, im not going to sit here and dread every single day (thats my peptalk to myself) and tried to get on with my life and business. Energy levels up and down, but noticed that as long as Im on point with my nutrition and walking plan, im ok.
And it might help someone…I have a calendar next to my bed and count days of my chemo jouyney, but instead of crossing days my bestie suggested to put heart around them. To show how long I have come.
Next EC is Monday, but i still have 4 days of feeling good, so EC is Mondays problem for now.

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Morning You lovely lot,

Brave the shave went well last night,I had my Girl Gang with me for moral support,
I feel so much better now its done!!:raised_hands:
No more dealing with the daily trauma of it coming out in clumps,Wondering how much will come out today,And no daily hoovering-Which is a bonus :rofl:

Although I miss my curly mop of hair,I actually really like my Buzz Cut,I may keep it like this even when it starts to grow back-My head is a little cold mind :snowflake:

Sending lots of Love and Positive vibes to you all :dizzy::heart:

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@sparkleandshine and all hair loosers !! I’m Cold capping and started to thin 1 week after my second EC. So around three weeks. It did slow down towards my third dose, But I expect it to start again this week. Still have Hair all over but much thinner. I am taking great care of it, Only brushing it as little as necessary. Sleeping on silk pillowcases, which really does seem to help because I don’t have any hair in my bed. And also Washing it as little as possible. The whole Hair thing I find dreadful. I have got a wig which my friends pushed me reluctantly to buy, But it still sticks in its box!! Good luck with yours I think it’s very different for different people. Xx

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How are you finding the cold capping. I went to the hair dressers yesterday and had a really short buzz cut to prepare. Sending lots of love and healing hugs xxx

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Sorry to hear that, how are you feeling after having it shaved off. I ended up having a really short buzz cut yesterday and feel better for taking control of the situation. Sending love and healing hugs xxx

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