Met with Onc today to hear my fate for the forseeable future. I’ve been told 3 X FEC/ 3 X T. Just in time for Christmas, but got to fit in a CT and bone scan before it starts, how lovely. I have three young kids 2, 4 and 6. Just don’t know how I’m gonna get through this festive season! Is anyone else starting treatment around this time?
Hi mjjje,
I hope BCC can help you a little bit while you are going through this treatment. I have put for you below links to three of BCC’s publications which I hope will be useful. First our leaflet which discusses younger women with breast cancer, and the second two publications are to help you with the children, I know a lot of the ladies who have obtained our newest publication for children ‘Mummy’s Lump’ have found this very useful when talking to young children about what you are going through, it helps them to understand in simple terms. All these publications are free, you can either download a copy directly or order them on line and they will be posted out to you. Don’t forget the helpline are also there for you if you need a good listening ear, the staff are all either breast care nurses or people who have personal experience of breast care issues, do use them. The number for the helpline is 0808 800 6000, lines open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm and Sat 9am-2pm
Younger women with BC: breastcancercare.org.uk/content.php?page_id=671
Talking with children: breastcancercare.org.uk/content.php?page_id=669
Mummy’s Lump: breastcancercare.org.uk/content.php?page_id=12221
I hope this helps, kind regards,
Jo, Facilitator
Hi
I am not starting chemo at that time but there is lots of support on this site.
I am on my 4th epi on the 19th and all i can say as everyone is diffrent is it is doable and any problems phone your ward as they can change tablets for sickness or anything else i fond on the chemo i am on that my first 4 days are what you will here alot of is fog.
There is a good thread tips for chemo.
Take care
Poppet
Thanks Jo for advise, have ordered booklets so hope that will help. Must admit am fumbling in dark a bit as far as kids are concerned! Also thank you Poppet for comments but as you say, everyone is different, so guess I won’t know till I,ve gone through it!
Hi mjje,
I started my chemo 3 weeks ago and have my second Tax on Monday so I am not too far behind you. I have just had results from bone and CTscan, they were both clear so I was very relieved as had hysterectomy 3 years ago for related cancer.
I would advise you to take small steps as far as the treatment goes,my first Tax was not too bad. I had aches and pains for a few days and thrush in my mouth,if you follow the ‘Top Tips’ and are prepared you will find it is doable. My hair has just started to come out and I thought I would be so upset but to be honest its more of a hindrance as there is hair everywhere so I think I will pay a visit to my hairdresser to shave it off next week.
I found this website my saviour during early diagnosis,everyone responds different to treatment but I have made some great buddies and the support has helped enormously.
My ‘kids’ are grown up and I can imagine it must be hard for you with three toddlers, take as much help as you can get with them. You need some ‘me’ time ,you deserve it!
Once treatment starts it is surprising how quick the weeks go, saying that I am going in hospital again tomorrow to have line fitted as had surgery on both sides. The nurses have offered me a ticket to their Xmas party!
You will find loads of support on this site, will keep my eye out for you.
Love
Brenda x
Hi mjjje,
Yey it’s not just me then ! I am starting chemo the same day as you ! 17th this Wednesady at 1.30 ( i think ? )
I have to have a CT scan too but that is not till 2/1/09 I am worried about the scan results though as I don’t know what they will find ?
I have my own thread under newly diagnosed hairloss started by AyoJoy1 come and have a look we have a nice little thread going on ! with loads of lovely ladies , at different stages of surgery / chemo / treatment .
It is a bit different with me telling my kids as they are older and I have been totally honest with them but it is different for you as yours are young .
you could say you are seeing the doctors to get rid of a lump ? ?
I have cut my hair ready ( it was heartbreaking as my hair was 31 inches long ) but it had to be done !
The 3x3 chemo your having is the same as mine only I am having 4x4 , are you having a mastectomy? they told me right away I was but I already knew !!
Write back come on mine newly diagnosed hairloss by AyoJoy! ok Love Caron x
Hi
I start chemo too on 17th… having 6 cycles of FEC… I’m 28.
I’m pretty positive about the whole thing. I’ve cut my long hair short and a quite like my new look, i’ve also been trying on wigs which has been quite entertaining and buying loads of different colour scarves and bandanas! Sounds silly but i’m now looking forward to my new image!
I had a mastectomy and a DIEP flap re-construction in Nov.
All the best for wednesday.
xx
Good for You Yasemin. wish I could think like you. I’m terrified about Weds and feeling ill when I feel so well at the moment and as for the hair loss well, that’s my biggest dread! I to cut my very long hair to shoulder length 6 weeks ago, then to a bob 2 weeks ago and am going for a posh on Thursday, if I can get out of bed after first dose of chemo! I had wide excision lumpectomy and sample lymph nodes removed end of Oct, they didn’t get clear margin so tried again 2 weeks later and removed remainder of nodes as IT had spread!
Sorry to all the other lovely ladies who have responded to my message but I really haven’t had time to check this in a while. What with Nativity’s and kids Crimbo parties and making cakes for the school fair and bone scans etc, it’s been a bit fraught! But Kids break up from school and nursery this week, all the dekkies are up, all the presents wrapped and food ordered, I wash my hands of Christmas! I’m all ready to start feeling poorly, bring it on!!!
Good luck to you all on Wednesday, it’s kinda reassuring knowing you’re not alone!! XX
My friend (she’s a hairdresser) cant wait to chop my hair into a crop! I on the other hand will only allow her to come near me again with the scissors when my hair starts to fall out.
From what i’ve read on these sites, everybody reacts to chemo differently. I’m trying not to think that i will definitely feel sick and if I do then i’m going to grab my ipod and go for a walk and get some fresh air… Well thats the plan anyway, unsure how realistic i’m being but apparently it worked for Trisha!
The thing i’m most worried about is putting on weight! So I will be stocking my fridge full of carrot and celery sticks 
I’m sure you posh do will look fab! Keep me posted on how you get on.
xx
Hi, I start my chemo on 18th December (today!). One month since I found the lump. Having to have a PICC line inserted, so more scary things. Had my hair cut yesterday, that was pretty heartbreaking as at 59 I am still a natural blonde (!). May go and look at wigs, but also have loads of scarves!
We were always going to have a quiet Christmas with my mother and she is coming for a couple of days (although she only lives about 5 minutes away). Havent got the heart to say I’d rather she didnt stay, but there we are.
Lots of best wishes and support to everyone at such a difficult time, especailly at this time of year. I can’t believe I’ve actually managed to put up the decs, tree etc., wrap presents and appear to be perfectly normal most of the time!!
Hi Mjjje
I had my first treatment 3 weeks ago…so not far behind. Just “be prepared” is all I can say! My GP was fantastic and topped up the antisickness drugs ( which weren’t very effective!) with injections and after 48hrs I felt great. My next treatment was meant to be on Tuesday 16th but has been delayed as my white blood cells are not up. Hopefully all will be better when I return tomorrow.
Try and get everyone to help with your young family ( mine are teenagers, so although scared they can help in the practical sense)… you may be tired.
I had the " cold cap" during the first treatment but am already, 3 weeks later , 80% bald!! Having said that I have a lovely wig that looks as though I have just walked out of the hairdresser!
BVest wishes and good luck!
Bethy x
I had also 3 FEC and 3 Tax & have just finished (last week.) I do so sympathise with you having to be treated over Christmas . I sailed through the FEC but have not been very wonderful on the Tax.- but everyone is different ( what a cliche!) Have lost nearly stone in weight which I well needed to do - so not all bad.I have had no fluid retention, no sickness and no joint pains, even although I already have arthritis My worst side effect has definitely been the gross distortion of taste so that nothing tastes pleasant and it is really hard to keep eating and drinking - and this lasts for up to 2 weeks after treatment; no-one else seems to say that this is their worst side effect - which proves my previous cliche point. I have also had a lot of trouble in sleeping, even though I dropped off some of the steroids - and I used to be able to sleep for England.
Good luck- and try to accept all offers of help! My children are all adult; I have 12 staying here over Christmas - and having done what I can in preparation- from Sunday it will be over to them!
PS have a hideous reindeer hat to cover my bald head if the wig slips- worried about frightening the youngest grandchildren!
Hello mjjje,
Like topsymo above I am not in your situation, but hope to give you reassurance and support. I finished my chemo yesterday (and broke open the bubbly with friends to celebrate), and although it probably seems impossible now, you will soon be there too! I had 4 EC then 4 Tax, and like topsymo found the EC fairly easy but the tax more of a challenge - but that was me. not you, and you may be quite different.
I found keeping a notebook/diary very useful, as in each cycle I could look back and see how I had been the previous time(s) and get an understanding of what was likely to happen. After one awful long car journey where I couldn’t get comfortable and was really tetchy and ended up losing my temper big time, it was at least comforting to look back and see - Oh yes, Tuesday after chemo, bad day - and plan better for the next time!
The sticky thread with top tips for chemo is great and worth revisiting when side effects strike.
Topsymo - I am definitely with you on the mouth! I struggled so much to find anything that I could eat, and even water tasted slimy and vile. I have of course got all this to look forward to again, right over Christmas, but I keep telling myself that each day done is one day less to go.
Chemo can be daunting, but as the other ladies on here will tell you, it is doable, and you WILL get to that lovely celebratory glass of champagne!!
Good luck,
Julie
x
Thank you everyone for your postive words. Had first FEC yesterday and really wasn;t prepared for how bad I felt immedeatly afterwards. Before i even got out of the chair I felt so drunk I thought I was going to fall over and as for the ‘ice cream’ headache, ouch what was that all about?, didn’t even opt for cold cap!. Wasn’t until i got home about an hour later and started puking for England, I just broke down and told my husband that I couldn’t possibly continue with this, I’m outta here!! I’b been led to believe that first few days you will be ok then dip about a week in, then get better again so I really felt terrified, I mean how much worse does it actually get?. What happens on the ‘down days’ that every one speaks of? Anyway had an early night, woke up every hour, ate a couple of ginger biccys, puked and went back to sleep, that was the pattern till 5am ish then got up had bath, pottered a bit, took kids to school and did a load of shopping, hairdressers etc, have felt absolutly fine today, just a bit hangovery!!!
Has anyone else expereinced this, as this is only day 2, it’s torturous wondering wot to expect next. I’m hoping that I’m ‘freaky uniquey’ and that my down day is my first day, wishful thinking I’m sure!
Looking forward to hearing how your other Pre Christmas girls got on?
Sorry to hop in on your thread.
I’ve finished 3 x FEC and just had first TAX yesterday (so new SE’s for me right now too)
Re your sickness Mjje…speak to your onc and they will up your anti-sickness next time. I know what you mean about the light headedness though! I had granisteron and dom peridone to help me and I never had one inkling of sickness. This was on top of what they put in with your chemo.
Don’t suffer in silence…though you seem to be coping really well. Good luck with it all.
I have used the cold cap and still have most of my hair…not sure what the TAX will do to it though!