Saw the oncologist today. I have stage 3 cancer and I am starting chemo on Friday afternoon. 4 courses of Taxotere and then 4 courses of 3 different types of chemo, then mastectomy then radiography. Each chemo will be 3 weeks apart. He’s also given me some steroids to take, what is the reason for this?
He told me I will lose my hair, and said I must paint my toenails and fingernails with varnish, anyone know why?
Does this course of action sound pretty familiar to what normally happens in the UK?
This doctor could see the cancer straight away from the mammogram and ultrasound, unlike the other diagnoses.
I’ve also been given some tablets to calm me down.
Your comments have been very encouraging for me, you helped me to stop being in denial so I want to wish everyone else bon courage with their treatments.
Don’t worry about being in denial, 5wks down and I can still hardly believe it, but somehow we just get on with it and try to understand that it is for our own good.
Sorry can’t help you with things about chemo but have you looked at categories ‘undergoing treatment chemo’? I’ve looked there out of curiousity and there are some helpful hints there.
Keep you chin up.
Hi
Have read a bit about the fingernail thing I think the chemo can make them fall off, I don’t think it’s that common though, not sure about the varnish it might protect from infection?
Please try to stay positive, it’s a long road we have to travel and we are just setting off.
I understand about denial, I think it’s just starting to sink in for me ( had my mast 8 days ago ) I feel like crying all of the time, and am really scared for the future.
Hope Friday goes ok most of the girls say it wasn’t anything like as bad as they thought it would be, I hope you feel the same afterwards.
Lots of love
Ann
Hi Peacocck
I think that the steroids are to help prevent sickness it is these that caused me to take insulin. The annoying thing is that when they took me off them I felt no different from before , they are just part of the package. I also remember reading that some chemo can make your nails light sensitive and so you varnish them to create a barrier, but ,I haven’t experienced this. My Chemo was different. I am sure if you search for fingernails you will get more infromation.
I have now finished my chemo but am still in denial. I can’t face the whole thing yet. Sometimes it hits me and I cry and cry, but most of the time I sort of amble along and only tackle what faces me immediately.
Please don’t worry about being in denial perhaps this is a coping mechanism for us.
I wish you well and do hope that yout treatment runs smoothly. It is all do able even though it doesn’t feel like that at the moment.
Margaret