Hi, I too had 1st of 3 FEC and day 6 now. Def feel more like myself now. 1st 4 days manageable and just like hangover but could still go about my life pretty normally. Woke day 5 and felt like I had been run over by a bus. Really bad headache and pains in stomach radiating to my back. Felt dizzy and nauseous too. Slept pretty much the next 36 hours on and off then felt better. At least will know what to expect next time. No glad I found this forum as great to hear similiar stories and don’t feel we isolated. Thanks
Thanks for that, Glamkaz. I really need to hear that I’m going to turn a corner soon. I know all the reading tells me it’s going to happen but I still feel so foggy and spaced out, I can’t quite believe it. I’ve managed to get an appointment for a remedial massage at 12.30 so hoping that might help my back a bit. Hopefully I’ll cheer up by the afternoon otherwise I think my family are going to get proper fed up with me! Xx
Hi AliOG,
so sorry to hear u feeling so bad. I felt like that on day 6 too. Very achy and slept loads. Hubby probably not sure what to do poor guy.
It gets better. A friend bought me ginger beer from Waitrose which helped with nausea if u are getting it but otherwise I just took paracetamol and slept ! Hang in there !! X
Jintz
Hi everyone
I have started a Facebook closed group call Breast cancer care July 2017 chemo starters, if anyone wants to join please do. Cover picture has pink roses.
Day 16 after first treatment and my hair is falling out in clumps!!! Feel slightly relieved that this is happening as I have been dreading it for weeks. Dug out my turbans so time to ‘rock the look’!?!
Well done, Tripletmum, for tackling it so positively. I’m sure that’s the way to go. I bet you’ll look fab.
quick question: anyone else experienced the post steroid crash? I’m an emotional wreck and not sure whether I need to tell someone about it at the hospital.
Hi AliOG. Can they give you something to pep you up a bit? might be worth mentioning.
I am on Day 2 of 2nd fec. So far, more manageable than first. Nystan helping thrush and Metoclopramide helping with sickness. 6 injections to go.
Trying to rest and exercise in balance.
Paracetomol and ibuprofen helping sundry pains, and zopiclone helps when taking 8 dex a day!
.I try to take the dex early… and DN advised taking metaclop at least half hour for eating.
Asked about injections and Nurse at hospital said it goes in 180° pinching fat…
My hair is pretty much all gone now… relief really. I have a couple cheap wigs and one really good one with a monofilament top. It’s cool and comfortable. I use a little tape by the ears and it stays on even in windy weather. Nice to take off at the end of the day.
Morning everyone,
Abulafia, glad round 2 has gone smoothly so far. I’m hoping that once I’m through this first cycle, I’ll know what I’m dealing with a bit better.
Yesterday I really hit rock bottom emotionally. I spent most of the morning crying uncontrollably from my bed. Husband and daughter just had to keep going around me. God only knows what they thought but they stuck with it and were very tolerant. I think my husband is beginning to realise he can’t fix this and just needs to be generally supportive and encouraging rather than distant and worried! A friend came to visit and I was still crying. Felt truly wretched and then, pow! It just lifted. I have no idea why but it has to be the drugs leaving me. I felt almost normal all evening and I’ve woken up today feeling as if there might actually be light at the end of the tunnel which is not how I was feeling yesterday at all. Totally weird! I’m going to speak to the hospital today and tell them what’s gone on and see if it can be avoided next time.
Hope everyone else is doing OK. Big hugs to anyone having treatment this week xx
Abulafia, do you find Metaclop really wipe you out? I turned into a bit of a zombie after one of them so haven’t taken another.
Not really Ali0G. They keep the sickness at bay. I also take Sertraline for hot sweats, so maybe they ameliorate the effects, not sure.
So glad you feel more lifted today. 
My husband is an engineer, I think he missed his profession as a doctor. He would have been good.
Despite my dx of inflammatory, micropapilliary and dcis, he has looked at the latest research and with zero node involvement and zero secondaries, my chances of coming out of this with good survival odds are up in the high 90s. I have to keep reminding myself of that, and that I have a rare response to two rare cancers. It gives me hope for the longer term and that I will see my son graduate from Cambridge. So proud of him. Want to cuddle grandkids when I get them. I am just not ready to go yet.
Hi ladies hope you are all doing OK.
Well I had my first FEC last Tuesday 27th June and what a week it has been!
I had decided not to cold cap, but then had a last minute panic attack about an hour beforehand so changed my mind and decided to give it a go. I didn’t find it too bad at all, but it was later that day that everything went downhill.
I felt OK when I got home from the hospital, but during the evening I started to feel so ill and then started to vomit, and continued to do so on a regular basis which resulted in me spending the whole of Wednesday back on the unit having IV fluids and drugs to try to stop it. I was much the same on Thursday but it did start to slow down and I have improved slowly over the weekend although I feel completely wiped out. The support from my local oncology unit has been amazing but I have felt so sick. I’m terrified that it will be the same in the next cycle but they tell me that they have stronger drugs they will give me so I’m hoping it won’t be as bad? Just wondering has anyone else experienced anything like this and did they manage to get it under control?
Also, I haven’t done anything about a wig yet and was also wondering how soon others sorted this? I’m kidding myself that the cold cap will help keep a reasonable amount of my hair but really I’m just scared to sort the wig out in case I look awful and its really obviously false. I do have some scarves but its the wig I’m finding difficult to deal with.
I have always been such a confident person and now I can’t even make the most basic of decisions.
Hope you are all fairing better than me and hoping it will pick up from now on.
Velvet x
Velvet, poor you! What a nightmare. That sounds really dramatic and not something you want to repeat. I don’t have any experiences of it, I’m afraid, but I really do feel for you. I’m sure they’ll sort the drugs out for you next time and you won’t have to go through the same ordeal. You sound amazingly strong, even though I’m sure you feel wiped out, so give yourself a huge pat on the back. I’m one day ahead of you (26th) and just starting to come out of the fog. I haven’t had side effects as bad as yours but I’m hopeful we’ll both start feeling more like ourselves this week. Have you got good support at home to help you through?
As for the wig question, I’ve done nothing about a wig either and really don’t think I will. I’ve used the cold cap and am hoping it will work but, if it doesn’t, I’m prepared to go au naturelle. I’m sure I’d look like a drag act in a wig so I’m not going to bother. I might regret it but, if I do, I’ll go and buy a bright purple one or something equally outrageous.
i really hope you feel better soon. Keep us posted on your progress this week. I’ve just been for a very slow 20 minute walk with the dog which feels like a major achievement. Considering I was running half marathons a short while ago, I’m learning to adjust my goals.
Abulafia, a son at Cambridge! That’s definitely worth hanging around for. What’s he studying? You must be extremely proud of him and your husband sounds great. So glad you’re getting well looked after.
Hi Velvet,
Poor you. You really have had it tough ! Have you tried anything with ginger on it ? I found go her beer and a ginger and apple juice helped me. Also ginger biscuits. Hope that helps.
My hair started fallin out on about day 15 and I was very upet so just shaved it off. Beforehand I had visited a wig place that had been recommended and they were super. Very patient and honest. I found they were very expensive so ended up buying cheaper one from wigs4u.
It hadn’t arrived yet but will let you know.
2nd session on Wednesday so here’s hoping it will be an easy one.
Good luck x
Morning everyone,
Feels like we are collectively making progress this week.
Abulafia, try and rest up today if you’ve overdone it. I watched a bit of Wimbledon yesterday and found it a great way to pass some time on the sofa. Your son certainly sounds like a scientist already! Fantastic that he’s going to Cambridge. My step daughter is about to start a job in Cambridge so we’ll no doubt be down there to visit at some point. It’s a city I’ve never been to.
I definitely feel better emotionally and the nurse confirmed that it will be a post steroid crash that did for me. They are going to keep an eye on it for next time but there’s not much they can do. I just need to watch out for it and let it pass, I guess. Still dealing with a very distant and emotionally unavailable husband which isn’t helping. I suggested a trip out at the weekend and he was about as enthusiastic as if I’d suggested a trip to the dentist.
Does anyone else else in this group have young children? My daughter is 12 and I’m 46. Just wondering what kind of age range/set of experiences we have between us.
Having a really low day today - day 6 post chemotherapy no.2 and I was hoping to feel much better. I need to kick out of it as I am depressing myself!!! On countdown already to no3 but next week seems like forever away. Think today I have the chemotherapy blues!! Xxx
Sorry to hear that, Tripletmum. I know what you mean about depressing yourself. I sometimes feel like my world has become very much smaller since diagnosis and it’s difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel. However, day 6 is still early on in the cycle and you’ll start picking up soon. Just keep telling yourself this will pass. You might be having that steroid slump that I had. I didn’t pick up properly until half way through day 7. Get someone to make you something nice to eat or drink, have a bath or a sleep, do whatever makes you feel safe and cosy and hopefully things will feel better soon x
Hi Triplemum,
It is probably the steroids too hun. Be kind to yourself. It gets better.
Hang in there x