I know it’s so surreal. I started my journey in late June, had double mastectomy with implants in Oct and was hoping to go straight on tamoxifen but why found more than they thought so it’s chemo, ALNC and then radiotherapy. I just want to get started and put this behind me.
But yes, weight gain. It really is the gift that keeps on giving. I’ve recently gone plant based and I’m avoiding sugar so hopefully I can manage to a certain extent. Fingers crossed 
@jnra I didn’t purchase the wig.
Silly I know but I am waiting to find out if I need one as I am trying cold capping.
It was about £360 but you get nhs voucher and they refund the VAT. So quite affordable
you need to ask your trust about a wig voucher, also your MacMillan at your trusts usually have a good selection of pre loved wigs that you can purchase for a donation, these are usually either real hair ones or synthetic and wigs have come in so far, people truly can’t tell. Also if you are in a big city there are shops that sell big range of hair products and wigs on high street so do and have a look, they too will help and are used to assisting and being kind and understanding of you tell them font forget if it’s not quite right your hairdressers are usually able to give it a trim to suit, try lots on and go with the one you feel confident in, you’ll know when you put it on or do what I did, one for treatments, one for going out, then chemo steroids kicked in and steroid shopping finger took over and it was coloured bobs, tinsel wigs, the lot. 
Shi xx
thanks @Shi great advice. What side effects did you get from steroids? I’m so dreading this, am I going to be bed ridden for weeks or is there a chance I can carry on as normal, feeling like I had a couple of Proseccos the night before? 
Very reasonable @jacsm im happy to invest if it makes me look normal 
and yes good idea about not purchasing just yet! Hopefully the cold capping will work. I heard you should buy a headband as it hurts the front of your head, take a paracetamol an hour before and have a blanket, then afterwards be really gentle with hair, don’t wash it straight away and use really gentle products…
Hi everyone and great that you are joining the crowd @jnra 
There is great information all over this forum, the search facility is pretty good if you relate it to all categories, all sorts of stuff comes up. I have found as long as you can search the woods from the trees and be balanced about scaring yourself to death, the info, tips and tricks are so helpful. Some people don’t agree but I think it’s natural for people to desperately seek advice, off load their negative stories and enquire about the more difficult subjects. Yes there are far few wonderful experiences posts but at least we are all in it together! Personally I think that’s what a forum is about, trying to keep an open mind. What does everyone else think?
In recent weeks I’ve had surfing breaks to help reduce my anxiety and try and get out of the breast cancer zone and it’s really helped. My wife now trawls the pages and notes down tips and tricks and important information. So we now have a saddos little bcn bible the contents of which have cost a small fortune! 
How are the chemo starters fairing after yesterday?
@puglover56 my reference to ‘quarantine’ was really my effort in not bumping into too many infections so chemo won’t be delayed and I suppose staying away from folks for a while.
Jnra:heart:take it a treatment at a time, go with the flow I found keeping a chart on my temperature readings and writing down on it when I’d taken my meds helped a lot so I could check which meds I’d taken and when. The steroids can have you bouncing off the walls a bit but again everyone has different experience I drank lots of water 2-3 L a day during chemo to flush stuff through. And yes I had an arsenal of a bag that I got from all the tips and tricks that have been passed down the forum too, Biotene mouth slosh, anosol and baby wipes for blocked botty caused by the steroids, senokot and movicol so it didn’t happen again, Imodium for hurricane bum on docetaxol, life Mel honey to try help keep neutrophils up, black nail polish so I kept my finger nails you do what you need to do for you, you get through your way that’s all any of us have done who’ve been through chemo there are no right or wrongs you give it your best shot and hope for the best. If your antisickness meds don’t work, ring your team on your rapid response card and tell them they are not working they will tweak till they get right combination more often than not they get it right first time if your wee burns but no temperature ring them it’ll be a uti that needs Antony just over the counter stuff, if you get thrush below or in your mouth, yes chemo can give you thrush mouth, ring your team and get fluconzole don’t get fobbed off with drops hang onto each other and you’ll get each other through with 
yes there will be plenty of this as you. Navigate each other through, wobbles and so much more inbetween - unbreakable friendships that last forever our oct17 gang still speak each day and we go away together each year and hire big houses so we can all stay together. We had our first meet up in London when everyone had got safely through and had. A 5 star afternoon tea at the arch, Marble Arch in our own private room as our treat to ourselves. Lots of other threads have remained in touch and have meet ups too bcn is here for everyone and be kind to yourselves and step by step you’ll get each other safely through Shi xx
@Shi your support on these pages is amazing, thank you.
Do you know if you can transfer wig vouchers? I’m braving the shave with no plan for wigs but it seems a bit of a waste if someone fancies a really nice one and could use my voucher. 
I’m not sure about transferring a wig voucher, you will need to call the number on here and also speak to your trust to see if this is possible what a beautiful idea to do that for someone else Shi xx
Ok doke I’ll do that Shi thank you.
Just seems a bit of a waste and they can be so expensive.
Im now on the hunt for funky fleece hats to add to my collection! 
@jnra have you seen the beanie hats with fringes and you can buy fringes to stick to your own! Whatever next
@indigo2 yep I take breaks from surfing. I find myself going down rabbit holes and getting more anxious. On the whole though I have found great tips and really inspirational stories. It’s just knowing when to stop, have a break and stop obsessing over the illness - which I find I am pretty good at 
. Love the idea of transferring the wig voucher - I’m going to brave the shave as well.
@Shi thanks for the brilliant tips and advice - amazing . My Amazon basket expands by the day . Definitely going to get a journal to keep track of temp and meds.
That’s incredible your 2017 friendships are still going strong - just proves how invaluable these forums are
Hi. Due to start my chemo on 6th Jan. Finished work today (work in a school) and have no idea when i’ll be going back (i snuck out as couldn’t bare the good byes). Its been such a quick roller coaster ride. Diagnosed at the end of sept. Mastectomy and sintial node biopsy in oct. I’ve asked to try the cold cap (my 10 year old is struggling with the thought
i’m going to loose my hair) but am having ET-C so will wait and see.