Ladies… have any of you heard of Watermans shampoo & conditioner? A friend of my sister used it when she had chemo. It’s supposed to help with re-growth.
Not heard of that one no. Lots of people on here talk about Phillip Kingsley fragrance free (quite spendy) or Faith in Nature. I think the main thing it is as plain as possible, no fragrance, silicones etc.
On the topic of chemo hair and regrowth - Hair reborn charity offer advice and some free hair styling/cutting appointments at participating salons who have been trained to manage post chemo hair. I contacted them 2 weeks ago and after speaking with them and sending some pics for advice I had a haircut yesterday through them. Here’s the link:
I used Green People shampoo and conditioner during treatment, it was fragrance/silicone/fun free but I’m not sure if it made any difference to anything!
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Hello, smashing, splendid, lovely buddies
I’m back from 12 days in the back of a camper van and it’s back to reality. I’ve hit the ground running and the misty Isle of Skye and the peace and tranquility of the Highlands seem a very long way away. Still, at least I have hair styling products and make-up again!
@Linda_Corinne - Apparently at the PET-CT scan, the nodules didn’t light up and hadn’t grown at a follow-up scan 6 months later. They were also in the lung that I had pleurisy in about 12 years previously. I have my next scans booked for August. I hope the steak and Prosecco went down a treat. You deserve it, dear lady.
@sooz1 How are you doing now? I also bawled every time I called the BCN nurses. I think they are very used to it! And @sassy3 how are you feeling now? We’re all here for you.
@cruising - hello to you! You are very welcome to join us even if you’re not HER2+. We are a super friendly bunch and don’t discriminate. 
Welcome back @arty1 - There’s a lot to catch up on! I’ve only been back at my desk since 9am this morning and I feel shattered too so you have my empathy. Mind you, I think that it didn’t help that on Monday morning our dog woke my husband up at 2:30am and he decided to drive home from Keswick. We had to go to sleep at Birmingham services for an hour and I felt jet-lagged all day yesterday. Another reminder that you can’t just automatically go back to how you were before bc treatment. I definitely still get tired more easily. I hope you had some quality time with your mum.
@shannon27 - Brilliant news that you had an excellent response. Hooray! 
@jayveebee I love the affirmations book. My sentiments exactly. I choose to believe that we are kicking cancer’s butt so hard that it will never come back. Thank you for that.
@jobieejo Well done on going for a holiday and getting back to you. I’m thrilled to hear that girt gristle has been sent packing and that you are sounding positive. It’s a lovely turn around and it feels so wonderful, doesn’t it. Thanks for sharing. It gives everyone hope.
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@jeml Sorry to hear you are having a horrid time with wisdom teeth extraction. I haven’t had it done myself so I’m glad others have experience to share. It’s more crap but another bit ticked off and I hope you recover quickly.
@sn25 Hello and welcome to you. Sorry to hear that you’ve had some horrid experiences so far. I had exactly the same treatment regime which was 4 x EC followed by 12 x Paclitaxel and Phesgo (Herceptin). How many ECs have you had so far? Is there a suggestion they won’t continue with it?
@maria1970 - YOU LOOK FAB!!! I love your attitude and the way that you have faced this and taken control. What a wonderful family you have around you. You embrace that look because I think you look beautiful. Well done on ticking off that first EC. Cheering you on. I am currently using Plantur 39 shampoo for regrowth and have the thickest head of dark curls imaginable. Think Michael Sheen!
Now I have to face the weekly food shop. Oh it’s back to reality alright!
Love to you all,
Salbert
xx
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Hi @jeml . When i get mouth ulcers its always a sign I’m run down. Eating enough bananas definitely help lessen the frequency! I think its the potassium?. Also i suck on zinc tablets when i get them or a sore throat or cold, often helps fight them off. At the moment its every 3 weeks a few days after Kadcyla. Having my dodgy wisdom tooth out next Wednesday so I’m now thinking i might even have some zinc in preparation!
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Hi, sounds like you had a lovely break! I’ve been to a ‘Look good feel better’ workshop today, that took my mind off things for a bit, also had a chat with some lovely ladies all at various stages of their journey which was really good. I’ve got my MRI next Monday, still not heard anything about scout or from oncology! Trying to contact breast care nurse, to see what she says x
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Hi everyone also Her2 + and ER. Had 6 rounds chemo then mastectomy with expander, surprise 2nd op to remove all lymph nodes in arm and am due to be starting kadcyla 1st May with hormine injections/bone injections and letrzole tablets at the end.
How did everyone get on with it? I usually work in a very full on school. Haven’t been in work since last September though throughout my treatment.
I was hoping to go back September even if part time to also start my teaching degree pgce salaried route which was postponed a year, all uni would be paid for and I would be training whilst i earn but 14 cycles of kadcyla has out me off and I dont know what to do? Seems like a huge opportunity that I am unable to defer again but also not sure how I would manage. Any experience or advice would be amazing. Thanks x
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Ah back to reality with a bang @salbert but your trip sounds like it was lovely 
I’m an emotional stress fest, my surgeon called me this morning saying he doesn’t want to wait to do my surgery and I’m now booked in on Thursday this week - which is stressing me out as I haven’t had time to prepare myself, although maybe that’s a good thing 
but also means I’m not able to travel up to Edinburgh to see my friends and family. I’ve also not had time to go buy a post surgery bra! It’s all happened so fast and I’m so worried about this spot on my spine. My psychologist is in for a treat tomorrow morning…!
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@brincat welcome to the thread. Sorry to hear of your diagnosis.
There are a few people on here who are on Kadcyla. I had Herceptin but am aware that it does have a chemotherapy drug as part of it so you will probably a more risk of infection than Herceptin alone.
I worked a a HLTA in school covering and teaching whole classes and haven’t worked since diagnosis. I took redundancy last August as with brain fog etc I didn’t think I could give the job my full commitment or do the children justice with my planning and preparation of the lessons I taught. I am now 56 and it was time to finish. I had experienced horrendous menopausal symptoms from 45 and was on HRT which improved significantly but with my diagnosis I had to stop. The Aromatase Inhibitors I take for 5 years suppress the oestrogen (ER) cause many side effects including aches and pains, fatigue, some brain fog.
If it was me I would talk to my team and see what they say. I was definitely no to working in a school during chemo and Herceptin. Like with everything we are all different ages, health etc and you may be ok on Kadcyla nd your team may say it’s ok re risk of infection depending on the ages you work with.
I know some on here work and run on Kadcyla but not everyone can. You won’t really know until you start.
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@salbert Skye and the Highlands are still there and will await your next visit
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Well done @maria1970 its a very emotional experience cutting the hair off but i felt very overpowered afterwards and in control of it too in a way. I did mine in from of my daughter who was 2 so i did not scare her, she helped by sweeping the hair up and i cried and she said to me ’ dont worry mamma your hair will grow back’ and damn she is right! Words of wisdom eh, also she said to me ’ mamma you look like grandad… grandad baldy ’ that made my crack out laughing… my dad is bald with a goatie… i was like ’ great ’ 
Remember its all temporary 
@salbert i been to emergency dentist today and he seems to think my ulcer inside my cheek is a bit infected so i been given more antibiotics and a antiseptic mouth wash that also numbs it… hoping they go quickly! Was a right joke trying to eat my easter egg other day 
it hurt a bit but was worth it lol
I just been reading about the hair comments, i use faith in nature shampoo… also i got a scalp scrub which i use daily as its meant to help keep the scalp clean and promotes hair growth and i have seen a big difference in this. I usually do it in the shower once i put my shampoo on. I have also been using pure rosemary oil along with head massages which i think has helped too. A lady told me about it who i spoke to from someone like me and said she had thickest hair from her group by using it… also a lady who gave me a massage told me about it too. I was using it daily but i keep forgetting lately so i use it when i remember… i have a full head of hair now and can possibly start styling it soon… how exciting 
still not brave to go out though i like my girly wigs! Here is my hair im in bath atm chilling out and this is my scalp scrub. Jemma 
I stopped Chemo in November and this is the growth since then.x
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Thanks so much for the reply.
Yes as soon as diagnosed last June I stayed in school until the summer hols but didn’t start chemo until August so I was lucky the way it landed and not been back since. I also had a PICC line in so even if I was feeling okay I couldn’t risk the infection with primary aged children. I have been advised I am not having one this time 
This is what has confused me my oncologist was just quite flippant and said yes course you can work it will be fine what you’ve had previously was worse. My 2 BCN’s wasn’t convinced and recommended seeing how I go.
I am 39 so still need to work at some point just struggling to figure out what the best thing to do will be and wether to miss the PGCE opportunity.
I also used to run an been desperate to get back to it so that sounds encouraging as couldn’t on last chemo x
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@salbert thank you! Annoyingly this is only chemo one under my belt, and now have tonsillitis so my poor oncologist tomorrow will get a moaning myrtle when she asks how round one went!! They haven’t mentioned stopping ec im just trying to think of as many questions and options ahead of my meeting tomorrow just hoping they have something magical up their sleeves to get my veins through all this treatment
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A little vent from team Kadcyla… just had the call from my treatment centre that they’re going to have to push my treatment back 1 week because of elevated liver numbers 
So bummed that the end date keeps getting pushed further and further into the future.
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@brincat I’ve actually coped really well with Kadcyla- I’m about to have cycle 11. I’ve lived a lot of “near normal” life for which I’m very grateful. I’m back running, doing Zumba, pilates,.back at art classes and choir. I do get some awful bone and joint pain and regularly have to take ibuprofen but movement helps the pain. Few days of nausea after each cycle, but well controlled with anti nausea meds. Good luck xx
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@brincat ive had one cycle of kadcyla which was alright. The third day i had what felt like a hangover i took a paracetomol and i was fine by the afternoon. Get second cycle on the 30th April. Im hoping to get back to work in August i work in a supermarket, i start radiotherapy in middle of May. Hopefully second cycle will be the same as first, going hill walking tomorrow x
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Oh this is good to hear glad your able to get on an do some of the things you enjoy again. Fingers crossed will be the same x
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Lovely to hear possitive things about getting back to normality a bit. I think I am going to be having 3 weeks radiotherapy too just waiting to finalise it. Hope the 2nd cycle goes well, keep me posted. Enjoy the hike x
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