This thread is for anyone due to start chemotherapy this month. I’m sure others will be here soon but please introduce yourself and you can all help one another through this phase of your treatment. If you have any questions please post away on here and others in the community will watch over you whilst you are getting started. Once you are into it you’ll be pretty good at helping each other. You can also ask the nurses on this forum if you have any concerns. In the meantime, the top tip is always to stay well hydrated throughout chemo, aiming for 2 litres of water per day and get a thermometer and check your temperature every day.
I finished my chemo in October 2017 and doing very well again now. Here is my story which has some chemo tips on how I coped which were collectively shared from others who had gone through the same from this forum:
If you decide to set up a private group its good to stay on here also during treatment as I know from experience there are some people who watch but don’t immediately pluck up the courage to join in. Your conversations can be a real comfort to others.
If you’re new to the forum, here’s the “Getting Started” advice:
Hi, I don’t have a date yet but I’ve been told I’ll be starting in 2ish weeks. I will be meeting my oncologist on Wednesday to discuss details. I haven’t had surgery yet so this is the first step for me in terms of treatment so on that sense in eager to get started. Looking forward to building a support network here to help each other through this difficult time.
I have grade 3 invasive ductal carcinoma that has spread to my lymph nodes. I’m her2+ so having chemo first starting next week followed by surgery and possibly radiation
I am due to start treatment on Friday next week (9th). I have been diagnosed with triple negative her2. I’m waiting on brca results which will determine what type of surgery I will need after chemo. The treatment plan is 4 x EC every 2 weeks then changing the drug and having it weekly. After chemo I will have surgery then radiotherapy.
I’m having the picc line put in on Wednesday.
It all still seems surreal. I went for a mammogram as I was concerned about my left boob., that was fine but a shadow was picked up on my right one.
I’m planning on trying the cold cap but have been advised I will inevitably I will lose my hair.
I hate the thought that I cannot have anyone with me whilst having the chemo
Am starting chemo on Friday 16th. Proposed FEC-T. Waiting for old records. If can’t have, it will be TC. Had portacath Insertion yesterday, still in pain at jugular, base of neck. Why such a tricky place, have to move neck just to eat!
Well yesterday at 12.45 was my first chemo session having EC, unfortunately they were running late but I didn’t mind.
When I was called through a lovely nurse led me to my seat. I had decided to try the cold cap so we tried on all the sizes for the best fit. Medium was the size we went for. The nurse sprayed my hair with water and put conditioner in yet. Once all was set up it was turned on. You need it on 30 minutes before chemo starts. I was also given anti sickness tablets 30 minutes before hand. After 10 minutes I called a nurse over to check the cold cap was working as I didn’t find it unbearable like I had heard from others, it was working. Another nurse came over after the 30 minutes and realised one anti sickness pill wasn’t given to me so I had that as well. The nurse was with me the whole time pumping the chemo through, it only took about 30 minutes. The cold cap still needed to be on for another hour to hour and a half.
Quite quickly I felt wheezy and the room was spinning and felt very nauseous. I was given another anti sickness tablet.
With 20 minutes left to go till it had been another hour and a half I had to take the cold cap off due to feeling unwell and I was starting to feel claustrophobic.
The nurse helped me to the loo, remember if you are having EC your wee will be very red.
I then left the hospital. Dozed on and off a few minutes at a time as the nauseous kept waking me. 2.40am husband called the beep number as I wasn’t getting any sleep. I so wanted to be sick but wasn’t being sick. He was told to give me some of the anti sickness tablets that I had brought home to settle my stomach. Within 10 seconds of taking them I was sick. Wow I felt so much better and then managed to sleep.
Today I am very tired, can’t say if it is due to lack of sleep or chemo or both.
Not sure if I felt sick due to one anti sickness tablet being given late.
Tomorrow my husband has the pleasure of injecting me in the stomach which is part of the medication I brought home.
I start chemo tomorrow, and am off today to get a PICC line inserted.
I have rubbish veins at the best of times and this isn’t…but hey ho.
I am Her-2 positive and ER positive so am starting with chemo, then surgery further down the line. Tips and hints on these forums are fantastic as I have no clear idea of what to expect and a lot of anxiety. Thank you to everyone taking the time to post their experience.
I am planning not to try the cold cap because I’ve been told that EC causes your hair to fall out anyway - so opting for a buzz cut later this week and have ordered two wildly expensive beanie hats (my husband bought them for me in fact - he desperately wants to do something to help. I have suggested getting his legs waxed so he can share the pain…)
Look forward to sharing my journey too, in hopes it will be helpful for others
I have been following this group in recent weeks and finally had the courage to join. I was diagnosed IDC which is ER-positive and Her2 negative. I had a lumpectomy with full lymph node clearance in June, followed by second surgery for margin clearance.
The port a cath was fitted yesterday and the first chemo session is next Monday. I will be having 3 x EC and 3 x Docetaxel. To tell the truth, I’m anxious about the next stage of my treatment.
Thank you all for sharing your journey, it is really helpful.
Hi, I’ve just returned from my pre assessment, was given steroid tablets and told will be starting TC tomorrow afternoon. Not FECT as previous chemo was ECMF, and have had my lifetime dose of that Epirubicin. Relieved to find out at last, even though so close to the day!
Hi, glad I found this thread! It’s nice to go through chemo with others but at the same time so sad that we have to. I have a mixed cell metaplastic tumour HER2 positive, the cyst was 5cm when I finally went to my GP. Reason for leaving it late is in another post I started “mixed feelings”.
I started EC at the end of July, have had the 3 prescribed rounds, last one 2 weeks ago. The side effects have been variable - bone pain from the Filgrastim was awful! I have fibromyalgia too and those symptoms worsened too.
I was supposed to start 3 rounds of Docetaxel on weds but due to various reasons I’ve declined. Instead my mastectomy has been brought forward and getting that done Oct 14th. After that the histology will determine my next treatments. My consultant is a lovely man but my oncologist sounds strict and cold (we’ve only had phone contact), the BCN has been adorable!
Anyways nice to meet you as we venture on this unwanted journey together.