That’s really helpful info, thank you. I’ve been for my pre-chemo appointment today. My first session of EC was due to be Thursday next week but is now Friday. I’m also trying the cold cap as my brother’s friends used it and it worked for her but we’ll see. I know it doesn’t always. My friend chopped my long hair into a short bob for me this morning in preparation for next week. One thing I would recommend to everyone is checking out Little Lifts charity. My chemo treat box arrived today and is so lovely, full of little treats and things to help get through chemo.x
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Hi @emammi … took me ages how to figure out how to post as well 
Glad to hear your first session went well and great tips … I’ve also stopped googling/ reading loads cos one thing I’ve learnt so far from talking to various woman at my many appointments is that everyone’s treatment/ journey is so different it’s nearly impossible to compare!
It’s so hard with kids isn’t it? I have 14,13 and nearly 3 year old … the older two are coping so differently … my eldest boy asks lots of questions and wants to know specifics, my daughter makes jokes and my youngest just thinks mummy has a poorly booby and a poorly arm … he looks at my PICC line and says aww mummy poorly and then shows me his little scraped knees and says he has poorlys too 
Good luck with the cold cap … it’s nice to hear you found it manageable!
Take care x
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Hello ladies! Just a note after my first round of chemo, which may or may not be helpful for others.
I’ve been a ball of anxiety all week before my first (of 12) weekly Paclitaxel sessions yesterday. We were in for 6 hours, even though the chemo infusion only took an hour of that. A lot of blood tests, weight height, waiting on the lab/chemist to send drugs, pre-med injections, and I’m cold capping too using a Paxman cold cap and I’m also using the Daniel Field hair products so time adds up. (Side note: I found out about Daniel Field the other day, had a free consultation, and they ordered me some gorgeous hair and skins products to the hospital with one day’s notice - don’t know if it will all work with the hair but figured it’s worth a try).
The ice cap was the worst bit - oddly it wasn’t as cold as I expected it to be when I first put it on, as time went on though the headache got quite bad. In hindsight I should have had more paracetamol half way through as I took some before we went in but was a little while on from then.
Chemo itself was all ok. I didn’t feeling it circulating through or anything, I felt quite nauseous - even despite the anti-sickness drip but the nurse told me to just take another anti sickness pill and it helped. Both the headache and sickness cleared up as soon as the infusion was done & I took the cap off.
Feeling a lot better now (end of day 2), steroids helped today - felt like I could run a marathon or at least attempt it! But quite tired now and scalp feeling a little burned.
I think part of my tiredness is my nervous system relaxing a little - now that we know what to expect every time, and it’s not horrific like I had imagined. So hang in there anyone who hasn’t started yet - no doubt your anxieties will be far worse than what it will actually be. And you’re all so bloody strong and resilient! 
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Hi everyone
I have been looking at your posts and felt it may help to post as although I am a March starter, some of the comments made by you all hit home. So here goes, I hope it helps…
I had a mastectomy and full lymph node clearance on my right side and a lumpectomy on the left. The left was pre cancerous cells and the right stage 3. Surgery was a day case and although the two drains were a pain I looked forward to losing, the surgery wasnt painful and was far easier than i thought. After nearly 5 months, I still have numbness, to be expected, but I can use the arm as before and the scars have healed well. I didn’t have reconstruction and am embracing my half a flat chest with pride! I had the genetic test which came back after 6 weeks, thankfully negative.
I had 3 x 3 weekly EC starting the 1st March. I didn’t cold cap as I didn’t want to add an extra 2 hours on to my treatment and, as someone said, there is no guarantee. I cut my hair short before I started and after my second session I got my husband to shave my head. I am currently low in numbers with my eye lashes and I have about a third of each of my eyebrows. A small price to oay for chemo and they will grow back soon. When I’m out and about, I wear a head scarf but around the house not.
I started weekly P x 9 weeks in the middle of May and have now completed 9 chemos in total with 3 to go. I read horror stories about chemo and I can safely say it is nowhere near as bad as I expected. With EC, I was tired on the day and on and off for the rest of the week. I had a dry mouth during the beginning of the cycle but this passed. With my current chemo, I am tired on the day but fine the rest of the week. I am currently walking 12 miles a week, walking so much more than I ever did before chemo. Not bad for a 53 year old! The only down side is I’m steadily putting weight on after initially losing some when I lost a breast (a small perk there). This is the joys of steriods for you but still this is something I will address post treatment. As my chemo nurse says, is is better to gain weight than lose it during treatment.
In the middle of July, I start radiotherapy for 15 sessions then it is monitoring and tablets.
I hope this post has been of use to you all. Your posts reminded me of my worries and, although I know everyone is different, I think we all focus on the negatives.
Good luck to you all
Shaz x
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Hello.
I am 34 with a 20 month old toddler and a horse to look after… absolutely petrified to start treatment whilst juggling everything but wanting to get started to take action.
Due to start chemo Friday 14th but I haven’t had my appointment with the oncologist yet (Mon) so not sure on what my treatment plan is. The possibility of weekly treatment which I see some people are doing seems so intense. Had hoped to do fertility treatment but it would take at least three weeks and I have triple negative so worried about delaying.
Just wanted to pop in and say hi and hope everyone is doing as okay as we can be! Thank you for this group as there’s already been so many reassuring messages 
Good luck everyone xxx
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Hi @emammi
Thank you for your post. It was so uplifting to read. Could I have your chemo bag list please and also your info re products?
I’ve decided not to have the cold cap as my hair is already very short and so it shouldn’t take ages to grow back. It’s also very fine and I don’t have a lot so nothing worth saving 
. I’m hoping it grows back thicker. I hope the cold cap works for you. I’m looking forward to reading your future posts and hope that we all get through this with as fewer side effects as possible.
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book onto your look good feel better sessions at your MacMillan centres in your trusts ask about your wig vouchers too and complimentary massages etc you are entitled too get your teeth checked before chemo your dentists will get you in when you tell them you are starting chemo, get a thermometer so you can keep check on your temperature at home. I did graph charts so I could not my temperature and also put when I’d taken meds too, it helped when chemo brain fog sets in always get your overnight bags ready so if your team get you in you can get there quickly, use your rapid response cards, nothing during chemo is a daft question and if anything doesn’t feel right even without high temperature ring your team, keep eye out for uti and thrush mouth they will need antibiotics not just a do it yourself remedy you got this 
you’ll get each other safely through 
Shi xx
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@loala welcome … hope you’re doing ok and are feeling ok about next week. We have a couple of young ones in our group!! I was told I was young for BC and I’m 51 !!!
Hope everyone is doing ok … especially everyone who’s started. I’m ok. Had no plans this weekend which was good as I’ve felt wiped out a bit. Still managed to potter about and stroll round with the dog but not much else. Luckily my 12 & 14 year old have no interest in me so no mummy guilt there - I feel more guilty about the dog getting a rubbish walk!!!
We’ve got this … we can do it. Keep posting and reaching out. We’ll be at the top of our mountains before we know it (I have become a new motivational speaker in all this ) xx
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Hi I am cold capping had my first one on Thursday just gone. Two panadol extra the red box its paracetamol with caffeine about ten mins before. The first five mins I wasnt sure after that nothing. I know everyone is different but I found it fine. Good luck x
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Hi Donna
How did it go? I had mine Thursday and tbh I felt I sailed through it. When I got home it was a different story feeling very sick. I think the secret is to make sure you take the “as and when” sickness tablets faithfully before the yuk feeling starts.Ive done okay but ended up back in hospital yesterday with a high temp. I have a very strict traffic light system of symptoms to adhere to so they brought me in and done bloods. They showed a very high white cell count which apparently is a good thing as my oncologist said it means the chemo is working. Got home a few hours later but have struggled to eat. I am going to speak to them tomorrow with a view to changing my regular anti sickness tablets. Cold cap was fine although not holding out much hope but its good for re growth apparently too so will stick with it. My sons have had a shock as I dont think they’ve ever seen their mum “sick” Ive told them we are all on this journey not just me and not to worry and to ope up and talk about its making them feel. Us mums have to make sure everyone is okay.
I hope your are okay x
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Morning… well it’s all odd tbh!! So many different sensations in my body yesterday and last night… I finished my last anti sickness yesterday morning and I think my body is just adapting. Nothing scary at all but feel a bit hangover like mixed with menopausal flushes and weird food cravings or disgust towards food. Also strange dreams when I’m sleeping or having a doze … I guess you can’t shove this many drugs into your body and not expect something!!!
But I’m up eating a normal breakfast for me and reading the paper… going to stroll round with the dog later so it’s ok 
@smt at least one is down now … sorry it was bad for you but definitely wise never to take any chances and always get stuff checked out! Hang on in there
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Uh it definitey wasnt bad for me I sailed through thursday. Im not a good sleeper anyway but even with the prostrap injections to shut down the ovaries and chemo starting Ive still not had a hot flush lol! dont know whats going on there. Just the high temp yesterday was a bit of a worry but glad it was all okay. Like you I finished my anti sickness large tablet as I call it yesterday and steroids too but I have every day anti sickness three times a day to take but they arent great. Considering whats going into our body its not too bad. Hoping it continues like this.
Great to have this to talk to people in the same boat x
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Hello all, joined this club, treatment starts Thursday, hardest part so far was telling my children (23 and 21). My long hair is being chopped tomorrow to be donated to a charity that makes wigs for children with cancer. Some good has to come out of this. Feel very alone but I know so many of us are going through this. Trying to adopt the approach of “keep calm and carry on”! Xx
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I think that’s a fantastic idea, I’ve read that others have glammed themselves up for chemo sessions, let’s face it we won’t be hitting the town soon!!! Xx
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Welcome @jane13 … it’s nice to support each other through this summer. I’ve been classic ‘out of sorts’! all day but I guess that’s doable … keep going, keep going, keep going is all I can tell myself x
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Hi, hope everyone is doing ok. I have a random question 
I had my pre-appointment Friday and start my first session this Friday. I have to have a PICC line fitted. Has anyone else had one of these? I’m also trying the cold cap and they suggested layers clothes wise, but if I have a PICC line I’m thinking I probably need to leave my arm free of clothing?
I’d also be interested in hearing what things you’re packing to take with you. Sorry for the rambling, think I’m starting to panic know it’s getting closer 
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Hi @wjs … I’ve had a PICC line fitted … I’ll see if I can attach a picture of mine. I haven’t started my Chemo yet … it’s next week but yes I would keep your arm free, so maybe some blankets and warm vests if you are doing the cold cap? I’ve been wearing loose oversize T-shirts so far and had bloods taken from the line and they still roll the sleeve up. But double check with your nurse… I’m not going to do the cold cap so I haven’t really asked.
Sorry not sure if that was much help! x
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Hi @charlie22, thank you that is helpful. Although doesn’t look the easiest thing to live with for the next few months How are you getting on with it? They did say they have blankets we can use so I guess wrap myself up in those while cold capping!x
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@wjs … slowly getting used to it! it was a lot larger than what I anticipated!! Last week I was convinced I could feel it in my chest and I got myself so worked up and stressed my muscles in my neck and shoulders were so tight! 
That’s where I carry a lot of tension and stress anyway but this just made it so much worse I could barely move my neck… but I bought some Tiger Balm, heat pack and had a couple of naproxen and I felt much better For me I think it was psychological… after weeks of appointments it just all felt very real all of a sudden but I’ve relaxed a bit now and having a much more positive week this week!
Not sure about your hospital but I wasn’t given any covers for it, so I’ve had to buy a waterproof one from Amazon. This is the one I got … it’s NHS approved …
And then I ordered a couple of sleeves for when I’m out if I’m wearing a short sleeves and on a night in bed. The website is picc-me.co.uk
Good luck with it 
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