@naughty_boob @carrie5 @caz591 @bellbert thank you all so much for your kind words of support, it means a lot xx
@fairycake I have just completed my chemo, docetaxel, carboplatin and phesgo injection. I did find chemo quite tough, but don’t be afraid to tell your team about side effects, treatment can be tweaked. I’ve had good results, my tumour has shrunk, i know everyone is different but you will get through it. You’re stronger than you think!
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I did try the coldcap for at least 2 chemos but i was shedding still in clumps and just found it very stressfull to maintain so i decided to shave it off instead and go for the wigs… which tbf i totally enjoyed and still do now even though my hair is back! I finished chemo in November. I did cut my hair into a bob style anyway as i did have long hair so i did not find it as shocking when it came out… i did get upset the day it started coming out as you know to expect it but its still quite emotional time… however hair does come back 
and i literally thought to my self its a small price to pay considering this is your life we are talking about… i had a lil cry that day and then got over it and realised i had a cute lil bald head 
i got some lovely wigs that did not break the bank either if you want me to send you the website i can do.xx
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Hi, I’m also having the same treatment as @jeml I’ve had 2 of my 6 sessions so far. But same as Jeml, my swelling went in the first session which was amazing to see and feel. My side affects have varied so far. With this second session I’m having a lot of hot and cold sensations up and down my arms and armpits which come and go. I’ve had to take immodium but found that it’s been better the second time around. Eating little and as often as I can and drinking as much as possible. Hope this helps x
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@sassy3 I will be thinkinh of you tomorrow. I am now 10 days after the lumoectomy and honestly I was so scared of the day but as @bellbert said it is very busy and once there the anxiety passes. Going to sleep is weird but easy and really you just wake up next minute with no cancer in your boob! That was what was holding me that the sruff I found and that brought this nightmsre will be out! I ate so much in the recovery I was starving:)
@naughty_boob and @salbert thanks so much you are my protective angels. I had a bad week post surgery but I am out of that tunnel and onto a gracious wait for the final report. Fingers crossed for clear marfins and the continuity of clean nodes!
I feel stronger now, I go out and about every day. I had a coupke of days when I pushed myself too much and went out of breath but getting there now. I am.doing my exercises and they help but I still have to take Paracetamol by the clock and the armpit pulls from time to time, did many of you got that cording after lymph biopsy? I alsonreached my 10 days mark when I did not wet my steristrips - I have a bit of anxiety around taking the plasters out and seeing my new boobie. I think my exoerience was mainly bad because my wound bled when I arrived home post op. Other than that let’s see what treatment will I have. I set myself.for chemo radio and hormones but still hopefull that chemo will be spared oh dear.x
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So pleased to hear that you are improving day by day. Yes I had cording after the SLNB, it took a good couple of weeks to fully loosen, I did the exercises 3 x a day, but didn’t start on the harder ones until 10 days or so and then only gently and stopping if it hurt. Mine has completely gone, so it will improve. 
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Thank you for responding x
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@fairycake i had docetaxel and carboplatin and phesgo 6 cycles every 21 days, i had 10 bad days and 11 good days. It was knowing that the good days would come after the bad days that got me through it. I lost 2 stone in weight coz i got sore mouth and tongue i could not eat solid food, i lived off strawberry milkshakes custard rice pudding and soup. It is tough but i got through it. My hair fell out on second cycle you can wash and go lol. Saved money on hairdressers and hair dye x
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And what do you know, it’s Monday again and I’m back at my desk.
Hello @chakakhan, I’m sorry to hear that you are so unwell and now have the added frustration of medication errors. Your body has been through so much. I trust Dr Liz implicitly so that video that @sooz1 has posted is very reassuring. You need to eat and sleep. How are you today?
Good luck for today @sassy3. By the time you read this, you will be out the other side and feeling relieved and happy that you are over this hurdle. As others have said, once you’ve done it once, it never holds the same fear for you again.
@fairycake it’s interesting to hear that your oncologist told you that you would feel quite unwell. Mine was the opposite. Both he and my Advanced Nurse Practitioner were really upbeat and encouraging and told me that I should still go on shopping trips and even to the pub! I didn’t expect to hear that but it meant I went into chemo with an entirely different mindset. They told me that most infections were caused by bacteria on the body rather than from other people so although I chose to distance myself from people in general, I still went shopping with a mask on and I do remember going to watch an England football match in a packed pub towards the end of chemo. I was lucky as according to my onco, I sailed through and I realise other people don’t have such a smooth ride. However, I wanted you to know that it is possible and you might not feel so bad. I had EC first (Epirubicin and Cyclophosphamide) which used to give me a sofa day 2 - 3 days after having it but after that I had 12 x weekly Paclitaxel and it wasn’t as gruelling. I could largely get on with life as normal, but I just didn’t feel as well as I do now. Just a bit bleurrgh. I honestly think the worst bit was not being able to taste savoury food which got me down as I remember. I was so nervous before my first chemo that I got given a Lorazepam which chilled me right out. I could have carried on having it but chose to stop by the third one as I realised I didn’t need it as I wasn’t scared anymore. You can always run things by your team, the nurses on here and also on your Chemo Starters thread or by us lot. It’s a well trodden path. As for hair, I cold capped but it didn’t work brilliantly for me, if I’m honest. I started shedding after round 2 of 4 x EC but my hair started growing back on the Paclitaxel. I was dreading losing my hair but loved wigs more than is healthy and I also found that having a shaved head (when I finally did it) was both liberating and empowering and I didn’t feel anywhere near as bad about it as I thought I would. You’ll be ok, our fairycake. We’ve got you.
Hey @boobitis - sorry to hear you had a bad week post surgery and everything crossed for good results. I did get cording but just belligerently kept stretching, stretching, stretching until it subsided. It’s still a bit tight but it’s fine really.
@jeml My ex husband used to have mucous with bowel movements which was an IBS symptom. I got IBS after chemo which settled down only recently. I was told the gut microbiome can take a while to get back to normal. At the Moving Forward course, my first question was ‘Will my bowels ever get back to normal?’. They did and I’m wondering if something similar could be going on with you. I say ring the BCN nurses and check.
We went to Hartfield in our camper van over the weekend and I entered my beautiful Bella in the Best Rescue Dog category at the Hartfield Village Fete Dog Show. She was second. Drat that Labrador!!
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Bella is gorgeous! ( my Bella is the diabetic one eyed Border terrier :)) Thank you for all your positivity for everyone.
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@salbert thank you for your words of wisdom, I do feel so relieved tonight xx
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@salbert Your post has helped me so much I am on round 2 if 3 EC and then have 9 weekly Paclitaxel. I’m already stressing about the Paclitaxel but have tolerated the EC fairly well up to now. Cold capping and starting to shed more but will carry on. Encouraging to hear that your hair started to grow back during Paclitaxel. You have a very positive outlook which I think helps us get through this.
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Morning All,
Am just back from seeing the oncologist…My path results still aren’t back!
So another appointment that I had built myself up to for no reason!,I will be going back in 3 weeks!
I also thought on the way home that I have had no active treatment since I finished chemo in June-So my mind is racing with thoughts of potential spread etc!
I feel so fustrated and mentally and emotionally exhausted at this point!!
It really feels never ending 
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Hello @rainbowbrite10 it sounds like you’re not getting the best communication from your hospital, first the unhelpful responses from the surgery nurses and now delayed appointments/ results. That drop into nothing, when you thought you would at least have some feedback and the next bit of the plan is horrible. Try not to go dark places regarding the lack of active treatment just now. Surgery plus chemo is pretty effective cancer intervention and also draining on you physically and you need to be recovered for whatever is suggested next. Lack of plan is the worst. Hope you got your daughter off to uni ok and that’s going well (hope I remembered that right!)
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Thank You @carrie5 ,
I have remained positive most of the time from diagnosis up until now,But I just feel all the positivity has drained out of me,And I am exhausted by it all!!!
My Daughter is moving on Sunday,So the distraction of that will kick in again after today! x
Hi @rainbowbrite10 that’s so awful and frustrating for you another 3 week wait! I know how you feel about not having active treatment I finished my chemo end of May then surgery July am awaiting radiotherapy now. I rang my BCN again yesterday as I was getting in a bit of state about the length of time but she assured me like @carrie5 has said surgery and chemo are effective and they have to allow us time to heal. They even stopped my phesgo as I’m going onto Kadcyla after radiotherapy.
Hope you are ok sending love xx hope your Daughter gets moved and enjoys uni xx
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