Hi last fec yesterday!!! Don’t feel ad at all this morning so fingers cryostat usually day 4 when I crash so we will see! The only thing going I am dredding is constipation! So eating weetabix for breakfast in hope it helps 
can’t war for week two when you start to feel normal!!!
So everyone enjoy your day I’m going to box set binge on think!!
Hey everyone day 3 and feeling tired so just going with it managed to drink loads of water yesterday but today seems like I’m having to force it down 
need to keep myself hydrated though as I don’t want to end up in hospital again on fluids!! Every day feels like a week when it’s like this so annoying for someone who was do active before all this but I will just go with it!!
Can’t wait for this week to pass so I can start feeling normal again!!!
Hope everyone is well today x
Thanks Annie feeling a bit better today keeping up with the fluids! Having 5 mins in garden getting some fresh air! Hope you are doing well too!
Morning ladies. Hope you’re all well.
8th weekly session done yesterday, only 1 to go then onto EC!
Doc bollocked me for doing DIY as ended up with he thinks is cellulitis on one arm. Got a course of antibiotics and told to go to A&E if it doesn’t start to clear. I didn’t argue but at the same time I can’t sit around doing nothing all day, I’ll go out of my mind!
Flat valuation all done with at least now so renovations are very much in the planning stage again.
Did a Look Good Feel Better session at the Maggie centre near the Christie this week. Fab goody bag of fancy make-up to take home and nice to chat with others going through the same thing.
Morning everyone day 6 and feel a little bit more normal than I did yesterday! Hoping this cycle is free from infection Temp etc! Just want to have a couple of weeks where I feel relatively good!!!
Yeah would be careful with the DIY atm! I’m so bored atm once you get over the feeling ill bit of the chemo cycle I find boredom really sets in, I am beginning to worry about how I’m going to manage when I do eventually get back to work as it’s so full on my job, I will probably be useless for the first few weeks!
Got some more really upsetting news yesterday about my dad, he is being rushed in to start chemo on Tuesday as his onc team have said without it he only would have a few weeks left, feel numb, but all he wants is to get me through my treatment and get out the other side BC free, also wants to be here for his first great grandchild who is due in just over 6 weeks, I am just praying he will be able to meet her I now have to battle this horrible thing even more head strong than before as he is being so brave for me and my family, my mam is devastated a daughter and partner both having a cancer diagnosis at the same time xxx thanks for letting me get this out on here I feel if I say it out loud I will fall to pieces but I know you can’t xxxx
Really sorry to hear about your dad Mishy, hopefully he responds well to chemo. You know that we’re all here if you need to get ou off your chest. X
Thanks, I feel like we have been punched in stomach by this awful illness, I’m lucky all my anxiety about BC spreading out of control at the beginning is now gone as I have realised I’m so bloody lucky I found my lump and getting everything thrown at me to keep me around to see my family grow, my poor dad has just gone down hill so fast I really admire him for choosing to have chemo and be around for as long as possible he says he has too much to live for, he is so brave, me getting through this has to be his legacy as he has said he just wants to see me get through my treatment and it be a success I really can’t imagine what he and mam are going through atm, I can’t wait to meet my little Grandaughter a Ray of sunshine and light at the end of this very long tunnel I have found myself in, I’m never going to look at life the same again it’s to precious to waste a minute of, and want to live it to the max sharing it with people who are important to me xxx
Hoping you are all well today fellow fighters, we are all bloody stronger than we know (sorry for swearing)
Michele xxx ??
Hi July ladies, what a lovely day been shopping with mam and daughter this morning been to see dad bought another plant (I’m sure I gave a problem!!) just relaxing now on sofa didn’t sleep much last night! So it’s catching up now gonna enjoy garden this eve when it cools down a bit! Really excited for Game of thrones tonight!!
Going gaga over baby clothes bought some more things for my baby hamper I’m making I’m doing a dumbo theme! Just need to order some ribbon and get the rattle then I can begin to dress it! Got a lovely white linen basket to make it!! I couldn’t believe how much some places charge for the baby hampers this one would have cost a fortune if I had bought it from a company it’s keeping me busy!!
Hope you are all well today and not being bothered too much by side effects xx
Morning mishy. I’m sorry to hear about your dad. I hope he responds very well to the chemo.
It’s so exciting waiting for a baby to arrive. My granddaughter was born a week after my mastectomy. Her arrival made me determined to get back to normal as soon as possible.
We spent last week in Keswick then took our 3 yr old grandson to Northumberland for a few days. He’s absolutely gorgeous. He’s a bundle of energy so I was knackered by yesterday.
On Saturday night he stroked my face and said ‘please granny don’t become a ghost’. I’ve absolutely no idea where he got that from but I had to fight off the lump in my throat. ?
I think I may of over done it painting three bedrooms (three coats on each). My back went last Tuesday and only naproxen gave me any ease. It’s so hard to take it easy when you’re living on a building site.
I can’t wait for next Tuesday to have the first of my three T. I feel like I can actually see the light at the end of this very long tunnel now.
Hope everyone else is doing well. X
Hi Feelthefear,
I’ve been reading your posts about cold capping and trying to hold on to some hair to the end of our BC journeys… I’ve only had one FEC chemo so far, next one is Mon 4th Sept and have used the Paxman cold cap at Northallerton Friarage Hospital where I’m getting my treatment…although I live in Guisborough near Middlesbrough…!!
I think your from the North East also ? And mishy and Anniej ? Have you lost any hair at all either thinning or small individual hair loss (shedding) and if so from what part of your hair/ head ? My scalp is a bit tender and sore. I’m on day 19 but still have a good covering if hair on my head…hope your all doing ok…your about a month ahead if me I think…xx. Sue
Hi sue.
I’m being treated at Gateshead hospital. I’ve had three fec so far and haven’t lost any hair at all. In fact it’s growing and I’ve got new growth coming through. Although I’ve lost all of my body hair apart from eyebrows and lashes which have thinned, so at least I know the treatment is working. ?
I think the key is to have your hair thin around the whole scalp. I had my cut from long into a very short / thin layered pixie before treatment so I get a really tight fit with the cap.
There’s also another lady being treated locally who doesn’t come onto the forums much anymore and she hasn’t lost any hair after three fec either.
I’m due to start T next week and apparently that’s not as tough on hair so I’m really hoping it’s going to stay in place now.
I did have some very slight scalp tingling with my first fec and thought i was going to lose it, but thankfully didn’t.
Have you had any loss so far?
Angela x
Hi Angela…
Your not far up the road from me. 50 miles…lol… my first Paxman cold cap ,the nurse just put conditioner on dry hair. I said are you not suppose to wet the hair first and she replied no you just need conditioner…!! ,I had read up about paxman cold cap, so I knew they recommended dampening hair first. But I didnt want to demand it…I thought well there the professional ones and should know what the procedure was…I have later rang Paxmans and they confirm hair should be dampened first. So on monday that’s what I will do…Paxmans said it shouldn’t make too much difference…but I am shedding a small amount of hair at sideburns and on top of head…but none from the back… the cap felt tight…my sister and the nurse both checked it…and my hair is short and layered already but is thick and strong…lol…no bald patches at all…no large clumps…just a few stray hairs…and a tingling itchy scalp at front towards the crown…!! I know it is normal to shed a few and thin a little…just hope it can all hang on to monday…lol but I am very pleased with the results so far…just wanted to know if any other Paxman user had similar shedding after 2 and a half weeks from their first chemo session? Thanks Angela hope the T part is good to you. I’ve heard that hair does slightly better on that regime… it grows back !!..
Yes, the water is important. Quite unbelievable that the nurse hadn’t been given the proper training for something that’s so easy for them to do and so important to many of us. Make sure they wet all over your scalp and you only need a coin sized amount of conditioner. Apparently any shedding slows down after your first infusion, so hopefully you’re going to hang on to quite a lot of hair. ?
After my first infusion I was paranoid even with normal shedding. Apparently we lose between 50 and 100 hairs a day anyway, but I was convinced I was losing more ( I wasn’t). I’m using the paxman shampoo and conditioner as well. It stimulates hair growth as well as being gentle. Good luck with the rest of the week. Let me know how you get on. X
Thanks Angela…that’s great …will let you know… xx
Hi feel the fear glad to hear you had a nice time in the lakes, I bet the baby and grandson spur you on I can’t wait for mine, I know what you mean about over doing it been shopping this morning then ikea this afternoon then a walk with the dog I’m knackered its a week since my last fec pleased to see the back of it it can fec - - -!
Was chatting to someone I know who had the Fec t she was great right the way through so fingers crossed for the T bit eh! It’s just avoiding infection I worry about but we can’t stay in for the duration of treatment so what do you do!
Keeping everything crossed for my dad’s chemo on Friday he is very poorly but he’s not going without a fight (his words)
Hi Sue I cold capped first fec and lost the lot almost by day 19 first treatment but others have kept theirs so Im convinced mine didn’t fit properly also it didn’t hurt much so I’m convinced that’s why I lost my hair so don’t be put off feel the fear has had loads of luck with it, I don’t think Annie cold capped yeah I’m from North East by the way good luck with it if you try it!
Thanks Mishy.
Sorry to hear about your dad hope he will be ok…x.
I’m losing hair on sideburns and fringe line…but the cap didn’t cover those as it was just a mm or 2 above there so I knew I would thin there…but so far no major shedding…just tingly scalp…lol I have wig and scarves ready just incase it does all fall out…!!
Hope the treatment is going OK for you. I cant wait to get FEC out of the way and be half way through chemo like you…xx
Me too, have you managed SE OK on fec my first two I didn’t but this one has been OK thankfully, the only thing I’m finding is the tiredness when not doing much catching up now, Angela has been really lucky through the Fec I suppose everyone reacts different to it! I honestly think my cold cap wasn’t fitted properly or wasn’t working the hair I lost within 5 days on my first good week was unbelievable it literally came out in handfuls till it was that bad I had to shave the rest off, totally used to being baldy now ha-ha! The kids call me baldi aldi cos my surname is alderson haha!!
Hi Sue, I’ve done 8 weekly treatments of Taxol and Carboplatin so far with the cap and whilst my hair has thinned a little it’s mostly stayed put along with eyelashes and eyebrows although body hair gone in earnest ?
Absolutely knackered this week, this infection is kicking my arse. Antibiotics have to be taken four times a day on an empty stomach. Trying to navigate around the drugs and the nausea had been a bloody nightmare. I suppose that’s just punishment for not looking after myself properly.
Friday will officially be the half way mark for me; I’ve got my last weekly chemo then onto EC!
Morning mishy. Good to hear your friend had an easy time with T. I’ve been so lucky with fec I’ve convinced myself I’m going to breeze through it. And if not, hey ho, it’s only 9 weeks. I’ll fight through any SE’s as much as is humanly possible and get on with it. Chemo is our friend. Apparently not so much constipation with T and really that’s been my only problem with fec.
Yes, having the grandchildren around definitely spurs you on. One look at their little faces and all of your troubles melt away.
It will probably make some toes curl, but I don’t really worry about infection (probably because I’ve been lucky). We obviously practice good hand hygiene, but hubby is a microbiologist and was pretty obsessed about that anyway. I never avoid going anywhere or doing anything, or eating anything I fancy either. Mussels are the only thing I’ve given up for now. I stayed away from fried eggs for a bit, but I was craving them so badly I decided my body must be telling me I need them so they’re even back on the menu now. My friend’s off work during the school holidays, so we’re off for an Italian at lunchtime. It’ll be gamberoni for me. ???
Here’s hoping T doesn’t bring me back down to earth with a bump.
Hi miss a, I can’t imagine the toll of weekly chemo. I bet you’re on a high that it’s nearly over. I hope EC is as easy for you as fec was for me. I think I read somewhere that it’s the F bit that’s really nasty, so hopefully just the EC won’t be too bad. ?
Annie, how absolutely brilliant that you’ve only got 8 rads left and you’re done. This journey of treatments seems never ending at the beginning but it’s amazing how quickly it passes once the ball gets rolling. It doesn’t even seem real that I’m at the half way mark. I hope you treat yourself to something lovely at the end of this. ???