Morning all,
Alison- What is your treatment, are you just having Taxol and herceptin? I’ll be having those on my 4th but every 3 weeks for 3 cycles.
Ellie- Good luck with getting line fitted and head shaved. My husband did mine on Saturday night, I’m starting to get used to it but still get a shock when I look in the mirror!!! It is quite liberating though. Wearing a wig in this windy weather has been a challenge too, atleast it’s an excuse for having your hood up to hide it!! I’ve had a few people asking if I’ve just been to the hairdressers!!!
I’m iff to the doctors to get my bloods taken this morning, then tomorrow I have an MRI scan, then Friday its cycle 2. I’m feeling quite anxious for Friday, I don’t want to feel rubbish again! I know I’ll be better than 1st cycle as I’m on different anti sickness but just got to think we are getting closer to the end!!
Have a good day everyone.
D X
Well done Jan, another step closer to finishing!! Hope the side effects are manageable 
Take care xxx
Hi All,
Jan- how are you feeling? Hope you are doing ok. How many EC are you having? I’m preparing myself for Monday. Have you side effects been about the same both times. Think I’ll get some pineapple too, a lot of food just tastes of nothing!
Sissy- did you see your students when you popped into school? I’d love to see some of my classes, not sure what they’d make of my hair as they are secondary and mostly girls! Can you recommend any box sets? I’m thinking of starting the good wife?
Alison- how are you feeling after weekly taxol? I’ll have this after fec. What do you teach?
MummyB- I’m in two minds whether to get my hubby to shave my hair as its really shedding. A part of me wants to believe that miraculously I will keep some hair! ? Think I need to face reality- it’s going to go! Good luck for you chemo on Fri.
Ellie and sissy- how are you both feeling about 2nd chemo? I think I feel ok…
Hi Kim- hope you are having a good week.
Sorry if I left anyone else out, hard to remember what everyone has been up to!
Off for coffee and cake tomorrow. How is everyone doing with eating and being healthy?
Joss xx
Hi joss, I’m a police officer and not a teacher, though I would have liked to be a teacher however I don’t have a degree. I’m a bit nervous about FEC 2, I don’t know why as I know what to expect and that if wasn’t as horrendous as I imagined.
I met with a friend today who has been through all this and finished her active treatment early last year, she said she felt slightly worse at each treatment, which has made be apprehensive. I just keep telling myself that this time next week will be day three and I’ll be a third of a way through it!
I picked up my wig yesterday, ended up going for a shorter one than the wig I’d originally chosen, I think it’ll be easier to wear. I’m off to London tomorrow for the gene testing, am going to combine it with a trip to the Westfield shopping centre at Stratford and some late lunch and a glass or two of wine. I’m trying to cram in as much as possible before I go out of action!
I hope everyone else is doing okay xx
Hi Pop78 I had terrible ‘tax trots’ & I have a very useful e-mail from the help desk nurses advising you of various things you can do to stop it. They were miles better than my chemo team who just said you’ll have to just put up with it. Happy to PM it to you if you are set up to receive that. The essence was that there are 3-4 drugs you can take, eat very small amounts often, cut out fibre containing foods & there are certain foods that often stop it like pasta, bananas & white rice. My onc offered to reduce dose by 20% but I was very close to the end of treatment at the time. She said it wouldn’t affect outcome so don’t worry about that. All the best. x
Hi Mechele yes received & sent the nurse’s e-mail back x
Hi All,
What a day…feeling v hormonal, got my period and to top it off half of my hair fell out! Am upset. I knew it was going to go but it is still a shock! Ellie- I think I need to shave my hair but too scared. Did you feel better once you’d done it?
Janv-hope you are doing ok, is always good to pop out for a walk.
Sissy-not sure why I thought you were a teacher ? Hope the London trip was fun. I got the results of my genetic tests today-both came back negative. I think I’m relieved but part of me thinks why did I get breast cancer this young? I guess we’ll never know!
Mechele- hope you are feeling a bit better.
A couple of friends popped over for a take away and a catch up this eve. Really good to see them. Trying to catch up with people this week before the chemo next week.
Hope you are all doing ok. Finding this forum great, is so good to hear from others going through similar experiences.
Joss?
Morning all, my hair is really coming out now, it’s all over my pillow and getting all in my face and mouth, yuck. I think i may have to sort it today and go to a grade 2 or 3.
Joss, my period arrived on day one of my first FEC, which is something I could have well done without at the time.
Had a nice time in London, had my genetics meeting, went up the Shard, did a bit of shopping and drank quite a lot of bubbles. Have my pre chemo bloods at lunchtime today. Hopefully the champers will have left my blood stream, lol. I’ve tried to organise a nice day out for each of my good weeks after each chemo session. I find it helps to have something to focus on and look forward to during the bad days when I feel low and ill. Love to all, sissy xx
Hello all,
I have been quietly reading all of your comments everyday, hair loss, haircuts and wigs has really been the main focus. I hope you are all coping as well as it comes across. I am only on day 8, so way behind most of you. I have been experiencing fatigue like I have never before understood, although I feel a little brighter today. I hate the aches and pains in my bones, it is expected I know, so I shouldn’t complain! Good luck to all of the people about to start their second cycle of chemo.
Best wishes, Cassy xxx
Pre chemo bloods done today, got a bit anxious as they couldnt get blood out of one of my veins, tried the one next door to it which worked fine. Think maybe I had too much fun yesterday, so next time will make sure I drink a lot more water and no alcohol the day before.
My husband took me to his barbers today and they shaved my head to a grade 3, had a few tears at the time, however it doesn’t look as bad as I thought it would, my head feels very cold now and I’m a bit self conscious. Xx
Hi all
D - I’m having weekly taxol for 12 weeks with herceptin every 3 weeks. First week has been ok but expecting it to get worse as time goes on. We’ll see. Hope your 2nd cycle went ok today.
i went to choose a wig today and thought about your comments as it was blowing a gale in Newcastle. Choosing a wig was quite amusing. My daughter has decided that I need to totally change my hair when this is over. It does make you look at yourself differently! The ladies in the shop were so lovely.
Ellieb - hope your eye has cleared up.
Joss - I’m deputy in a large primary school so I don’t have a class. I lead on welfare, KS1 and maths in particular but jack of all trades like all teachers. It’s a busy fun place to work but challenging. I do miss it. Some of the year 6 children and parents have been fund raising for cancer research since they found out about my diagnosis. The naughtiest boys have been the force behind it. Think they are missing sitting in my room. Hope Monday goes well for you.
Hope everyone has a good weekend.
Alison x
Hi all, items great to read all your experiences of chemo etc so far. I had my first chemo on 20th Jan (T-FEC) to be followed by surgery and radiotherapy for grade 2 ductal with lymph node involvement. I’m an oncology nurse so a very surreal experience being on the receiving end. I’m happy to help with any technical questions about chemo and also share the some of the less than pleasant side effects of docetaxel (T)! Lots of luck and positive thoughts to everyone xxx
Hi Tina, I think some people find T easier than FEC, others the other way round! I found u wasn’t sick with T but due to steroids and only being 2 weeks post diagnosis I hadn’t slept for days and that fatigue was sooo draining, plus the joint pains described were actually all over bone pains- even eye sockets and cheekbones were tender! I took movicol for constipation and you can ask for codeine painkillers if the pains are too bad (I will next time!!). However, exactly a week after treatment I felt like I’d emerged from a fog! The T is given as an infusion over an hour. I didn’t react to it and I have 3 of these then 3 FECs.
Claire, I am being treated in my own unit by my friends at work. They have been super kind and supportive, but as I said - surreal!! Lovely to share with you all. Enjoy your weekend! Xx
Jolie, thanks for that information. I haven’t even had my second FEC yet and I’m worrying about the T! 13 days after my first T we are supposed to be seeing a band in Manchester and I’m just hoping I’ll be well enough to go - going to be so disappointed if I miss them 
Plus I’m worried about loosing my nails! Been putting Onicol life drops on them daily - think I can cope with hair loss better than nail loss!
Trust me to start worrying about this already!!
Xxx
Hi all,
Well my high expectations of Emend anti sickness was shattered, I got home from chemo 2 yesterday and just felt heady, then by 2ish was starting to feel nauseous, I went to bed at 5ish. I wasn’t sick like last time so that was good, my head and eye sockets were really painful. Maybe I’m going to be worse on FEC, I just wonder if the steroids are affecting me? If that’s the case I’m going to be worse on T!!! Worry worry worry!
Jolie- I bet it is weird you being on the receiving end, sounds like you are being very well looked after. All your tips would be greatly appreciated. Do you know what the reason is for having T first before FEC? I’m also having chemo first, then surgery, then radiotherapy, so we are in it together!!! I have grade 3 invasive Ductal. Hoping the chemo shrinks lump down so I can get away with lumpectomy, but bcn did say that there was possibly some calcifications there too, which chemo doesn’t treat so if that’s the case it will be mastectomy. I had an MRI on Thursday so not sure if this will clarify them or not.
Kim & Ellie- I’ve bought some onicol drops too, which I keep forgetting to use!! I was going to do dark coloured nail varnish but you use the drops on the nail surface so you can’t do both?
Claire- you are so right about most of use being below 50, does that mean we found our own lumps? What age do the NHS start mammograms? I’m 43, no history of breast cancer in family, consider myself healthy and fit, breast fed no1 son, then started breast feeding my twins but didn’t last long! Definitely a life changing experience and like you say the toughest thing I’ve ever done.
Alison- Did you go to the Natural Image on Low Friar St in Newcastle? If so that’s the one I used and they were very helpful. Where are you going for treatment?
Sorry for very long post! I’m in the bath, enjoying some piece whilst the kiddies are at a puppet show with my mum!!!
Enjoy the rest of your weekend, big hugs and keep strong. We are all heading in the right direction.
D x
Debbie, such a pain that Emend hasn’t worked for you. It’s the expensive drug too! I’ve been told to ring the chemo day unit the morning of my treatment to check my bloods were OK then they’ll give me the go ahead to take my first Emend of the next cycle. They said it’s too expensive to waste!! I was on 3 different anti sickness drugs including Emend, plus a 4th incase they didn’t work (they said I’d need to ring before taking the 4th) luckily I was OK. Hope you get through this rubbish time soon!!
I had the same thoughts about the nail oil - I’m using it during FEC plus loads of hand cream, then I’m going to paint my nails dark purple for the T cycles, Thought maybe once every couple of weeks taking it off, applying the oil, then repainting? Don’t know if that’s a good thing to do or not!
I’m 52 and was picked up from my first routine screening. As it comes round every 3 years I missed out last time. I often wonder what they would have found if they’d been round last year or the year before - would this have all started and been picked up? In our area, women have been called from age 48 (poss 47) this time around.
I turned 50, and in 2 years had a prolapse, a growth in my parathyroid and now breast cancer!! 3 operations in 16 months! Before that I’d only had my tonsils out when I was 6! I’d always considered myself to be healthy (well I have chronic kidney disease, but only found out about that by accident and that’s improved now - caused me no problems, I just avoid nurofen)
Well that’s enough of me rambling on! Sat on my bed surrounded by paperwork I’ve emptied to sort out - which is why I came on here, avoiding doing it!!
Xxx
Keep gently pulling at mine - day 13, still securely there. Seems such a shame that I’m about to go into my good week knowing the hair is likely to start falling out any day now. Worn my wig twice now when friends have dropped round to get a bit more used to it. Had good feedback, but then again they’re not likely to say it looks awful! Haha!
xxx
I keep pulling at my hair too Kim. Paranoid its going to start coming out. I am planning to go to work on Monday so I hope my hair is still intact then. Praying cold cap has worked! I can’t really believe j had first chemo 12 days ago. I feel absolutely fine now as if it never happened! Shame I’ve got to do it 5 more time.
I found a dent in my right breast. No lump. Eventually 3 tumours found one of which was 23mm bur didn’t show on any scans or mri only when boob taken off. Dcis all over left side so both gone now and I am pleased to see the back of them!
It’s lovely to have the support of everyone on here claire xxx
Hi debbie, I’m only on day 10 but I feel ok so hopefully day 13 you’ll be ok to see the band. Just be aware you’ll have lower immunity at that stage so steer clear of anyone germy and dodgy burger/kebab outlets!! I treated myself to a rare gel manicure (nurses don’t usually do nails, but with 8 months off work - why not?) so it may protect my nails but I haven’t addressed toes…
Regarding scalp cooling, I have seen it work successfully. Sometimes there’s thinning or patches wher the cap fit is not great, but a lot depends on the thickness of your hair and the type. I understand it doesn’t work as week on Afro hair as it is so thick the cold doesn’t reach the scalp. Paxman have info on their website I believe on hair care. I options against it as it is such a long time to be cold!! Collected a wig yesterday - still not convinced but the helpful man is happy to recut or thin it out if I’m not happy when I start wearing it. Hair loss day 13-15 I believe -eek!! Lotsalove all xxx
Meant to say,I’m 45. Found a vague lumpy area in August, thought I was being paranoid because of where I work so went to GP in December. Could kick myself now for not going sooner… Still even the breast nurse wasn’t convinced she could feel a lump. Scary stuff isn’t it?! Xx