Thanks so much for telling me. That sounds an improvement then, in terms of nausea and tummy pain so it’s great that you reviewed the medication with your team. The brain fog/speaking thing sounds like a challenge. How long did that last? My side effects just lasted for about 5 days and then they mostly disappeared. I have worked (part time) so far and I’m hoping to continue to do so - brain fog would make that difficult. Do you work? Best of luck for Tuesday. Sending hugs.
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Also bought myself some Polybalm too!
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Hey there
Yes I’m a social worker for adults. I am now home based doing paperwork. There are certainly points I can’t scramble words together and I’ve been very forgetful.
It was at its worst for around 2 to 3 days where it was quite prevalent and I had to just sit quietly.
I didn’t like it at all but I’d still take it over feeling sick lol
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@athletics2025 my second round was Friday and I have found the side effects worse over the first 3 days, than the first round. Feeling more human today though. I can’t even put my finger on what the side effects were - I just didn’t know what to do with myself, couldn’t get comfortable, couldn’t bear to watch tv or read a book or even speak to my family. Also found that I couldn’t think of basic words but that also seems a bit better today.
Was also traumatic on Friday as they couldn’t find veins and I was nearly hypothermic (cold cap) by the time they managed to get all the drugs into me. So am having to get a PICC line before the next cycle.
In other news I went to a Look Good Feel Better workshop today which cheered me up no end - can strongly recommend. You get a lovely bag of free goodies which have been donated by skincare/cosmetics companies.
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I’ve been lurking on this thread, but am finally jumping in and posting because I just received my chemo start date - Thursday, July 31.
I’ve got triple negative stage 2 IDC, so treatment is chemo first, then surgery. I have an appointment on Wednesday to go over all the chemo details, but it looks like I’ll have 2 weeks on followed by 1 week off based on what’s showing in my appointment portal.
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Welcome @thecn - you’ve just made it into the July club (that no one wants to join…!). Hope your first infusion goes ok on the 31st.
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Hello! Thanks for letting me know how you found your second round. How you describe this second round seems similar to my first time for the first few days - I could not get comfortable due to constipation, couldn’t sleep (albeit no brain or communication issues) but once this passed I felt pretty much back to my normal self. I’m glad to hear that you are feeling more human though now. That sounds scary about your last treatment. I’m currently not using a PICC line - I turned it down but I might reconsider if I experience something like that. Wishing you well for the remainder of your cycles - how many cycles are you going through?
I’ve got one more EC then going on to 3 x docetaxel. Am trying to stop myself from looking up what the side effects of that are - I find I have to take it one step at a time in order to handle it mentally. I’ve got an ultrasound coming up on 8 August to see if lumps are shrinking but they don’t feel like they are to me. Hope so, otherwise all of this chemo cr*p will have been for nothing!
How many cycles do you have left?
Hiya - so are you HER2 positive like me then? I have a total of 3 chemo (1 down) and then 4 PHESGO/ Docetxel. I totally agree with you about taking one step at a time. I’m concentrating on getting through the chemo and will then worry about the next steps! That workshop you went to sounds good. I might try and book myself on that
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Yes - I keep forgetting that I will be having phesgo too alongside the docetaxel. I’m er/pr- and her2+.
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Hi there, I’ve also got triple negative BC - there are a couple of this thread!
How are you finding it so far?
Ask me again after I start chemo (haha). So far it hasn’t been a huge issue, thankfully it hasn’t spread and the whole process has been a lot of hurry up and wait, which seems pretty typical. I did manage to end spending 2 nights in the hospital for a completely unrelated intestinal infection while trying to get through all my pre-chemo testing so that was fun!
How are you making out?
Hi to everyone on this group. I started weekly Paclitaxol this month and it’s been a rollercoaster. Previously, I had EC which was very tough so personally I’m finding this easier but still have some difficult side effects, such as red painful rash on upper arms and shooting pains in abdomen, they think it’s peripheral neuropathy. Anyone else experienced this? Also got neutropenia and ended up in A&E. I have lost most of my hair but some is hanging on - the strange thing is that these hairs are all grey and some have turned white. I was expecting to be bald (for 2nd time round) so seemed unusual - will see what happens. Anyway, sending hugs to you all 
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Hello, finally joined after lurking for a while! I had my first round of chemo on 24th July ( Im having neoaduvant EC x 4 rounds, 3 weeks apart, then on to Phesgo and Docetaxel, so 7 rounds in total) Diagnosed in June this year with 22mm grade 3 invasive tumour, HER2+. Hopefully the treatment will shrink the blasted thing. Possible lumpectomy or mastectomy later. I had high grade DCIS in my left breast in 2018, resulting in a mastectomy + sentinel lymph node removal. Then another high grade DCIS in my right breast resulting in a lumpectomy and radiotherapy, so I cant have radiotherapy this time. First time chemo patient, side effects so far bearable until last night when the bone pains started - ye gods, the pain! Shocking! Thankfully Ive had my seventh (and final for this round) GCSF injection today, so the nurse advised the pains should pass soon. She also advised heat as a pain soother and I cant recommend it highly enough! New electric throw arriving tomorrow…best wishes to all, we will get through this xxx
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Hi everyone, how are we all doing?
@hedgehog- only one more EC to go that’s great! Those little milestones are good to recognise I think.
How are some of the others getting on? @trix1 @here.we.go @rach49 @tripleloaded ? I’m trying to catch up with the trail so might have missed, but I wonder how you all are? And everyone else who has been journeying on?
Welcome to all the other new joiners too 
I finally got to second dose EC this week after a delay because of a mess up with appointments but that’s 2/4 EC done. I did manage to push them to switch me to Pegfilgrastim as a single injection because the bone aches and headaches I had from the seven days of Filgriatram were awful. @hollyhock63 I don’t know if that’s something you can ask about? I’ll let you know how I get on. I did the single injection yesterday.
I’ve been losing a lot of hair around days 21 too. Was thinking of your cheetah pattern @trix1! I’ve still got enough to not have needed/decided to go completely short but I started with a lot of hair. My scalp is getting quite sore though and I found the cold cap much tougher this time. I think with it being closer to my scalp? We’ll see how long I stick with it. I did find the second round harder on the day 1 @athletics2025. I’m waking up early (steroids and small children!) to day 3 today so expecting a slow couple of days.
I’m hoping to get away for a few days next week to a cottage for my birthday and to give the kids a bit of a summer holiday, and I also have Oasis tickets that I am clinging onto hope of going to see end of next week…! Maybe madly, but you never know!
Anyhow, hope you are all finding the moments of goodness in your days and weeks in amongst the crap that comes with chemo 
It’s definitely not the most fun is it?! 
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Hi, thanks for the update, I’ll be really interested to hear if the single injection has less side effects.
Goodness it must be tough going through this with young children - Im an old lady of 62 now, so mine are grown up. Have a fabulous holiday and fingers crossed for Oasis x PS happy birthday 
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Thanks @hollyhock63- I’m banking on the fact that we all deserved to be spoiled even more than usual if it’s a chemo birthday? 
Extra cake all round!
It’s definitely different with young children I expect, but I think there are probably some things it makes easier, as well as the tougher stuff. It sort of forces routine and distraction, and I’m a big believer in there being a lot to learn from where children get their happiness- so I’m trying to grab onto that too! I hope you’re doing ok? I expect there are different challenges with older/grown up children to hold in mind?
I’ll let you know how I get on with the single injection over the next few days 
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Hi everyone,
I’ve not caught up on here for a while so just trying to go through all your posts!
Welcome to all the new joiners, sorry you are going through this too but hopefully we can all support each other.
@thecn and @brightsky how did your first cycle go?
@teenie87 thank you so much for asking.
I’ve definitely found it harder than I thought I would to be honest. I just found that it was one side effect after another for the first couple of weeks. Finally feeling most of them have resolved but now got a cold (inevitable with the nursery bugs), just hoping it doesn’t turn into anything else.
Sorry to hear you had a delay but I bet you’re glad to have the second under your belt now (despite probably being in the thick of the side effects now). That’s great that you managed to switch to a single injection and I hope that helped with the aches this time. Huge happy birthday, I hope you managed to celebrate a little at least, enjoy some cake and make it away with your family. And also really hope you manage to make it to oasis 
Thank you to those who have recommended the look good feel better course, I’ve managed to book on for next month.
Has anyone lost eyebrows yet? Or have any tips of what to do for them once they do?
Good luck for your ultrasound @hedgehog, keeping everything crossed it shows the chemo is starting to work.
Sorry about the rash and pains @ruthb37, is it any better at all? I hope it’s starting to improve. I haven’t had that (yet!), I did get a red rash all over my face and chest which was as though it was badly sunburnt which they think was the steroids but it resolved after a couple of days.
Sorry about the brain fog @peapoddon, that sounds tough alongside everything else.
For those waiting for phesgo alongside the next chemo I’m having it at the moment and it’s pretty straightforward in comparison. Just an injection that they do over 5 mins and I just had a red patch on my leg for a few days after.
Sorry to anyone else I haven’t responded to but am thinking of you all and wishing you all the best of luck for your next cycle. We’ve got this 
xx
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First infusion was 7/31 and I’m feeling okay. Today is my last day of steroids though, so the nurse warned me that starting tomorrow that might change. Mild fatigue, woke up with a raspy voice the following day (it’s better now), had some facial flushing (no fever) yesterday, but other than that, it’s like if you didn’t know I had chemo, you wouldn’t know. I know that’ll eventually change, so I’ve been trying to enjoy the calm before the storm!
Went to a wig shop yesterday and all of them made me look like Karen asking to talk to the manager, so I didn’t purchase anything. I need to check the boutique at the infusion center and see what they have and find out what, if anything, my insurance would cover. I’m thinking of forgoing the wig for scarves and calling it good enough.
I’ve set 3 daily goals for myself during treatment (and I will 100% give myself grace on not meeting them when things get rough) and that is: 30 min/day movement (walking, yoga, whatever feels good), 30 min/day of a creative hobby (I’m a professional photographer who won’t be working, so creativity is important to me), and 30 min/day of something to stimulate my brain (I’m learning Italian, so possibly studying).
I was painting last night and my goofball kitten managed to dash through the paint palette, making it anything but a relaxing hobby. It was good for a laugh though and I know that funny memories like that will be precious and something positive to remember during this wild time.
Hope everyone is doing well today and gearing up for another week of kicking cancer’s bum!
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Hi, I hear what you’re saying about the wigs 
I visited my wig salon before my treatment started as I wanted any wig I wore to look as close to my natural hair as possible (naturally messy, shoulder length). The shelves were full of Karen wigs but thankfully the Assistant got out some brochures with more natural, messy styles. I chose one and bought it with my nhs voucher. Its not something I may wear very often but Im glad I got it. In the meantime, Ive got some scarves which I will probably wear most of the time when I do lose my hair. I also bought (don’t laugh) some fringe hairpieces as Ive had a fringe all my life and I think Ill just feel better with scarf/cap and fringe. We’ll see.
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