Hi all, I was diagnosed with grade 3 breast cancer in November, I found a lump in my right breast in August but lots of biopsies and scans later I was finally diagnosed. The NHS has been absolutely amazing to me and this journey isn’t as scary as I initially anticipated. I’m a single mum to a 2 year old little girl, have a partner but we don’t live together and my main support are my mum and dad and him I’m on my 4th cycle of carbotaxol tomorrow and it’s the double bags that seem to knock me rather than the taxol alone (tbh when I have just taxol I don’t even feel like there’s anything wrong with me! I forget) I move on to EC for 4 cycles every other week after this last cycle of carbotaxol. I just wondered whats everyone’s experience with this as I’ve heard awful things I’m cold capping and have kept 90% of my hair so far. I was told that I may lose it with the EC I’d be gutted if I’ve kept it for 4 months then lose it on the last 2. How is everyone getting on with this drug? It’s also boxing day so I wanted to wish everyone a merry Christmas I hope you’ve all had a lovely time xx
Hi
I just wanted to say how I love the name you’ve chosen. It says so much. It must be very hard to hold it all together.
In terms of the chemo, you’ve got your age on your side. EC can be harsh. I recall red pee on day 1, just to remind us we are highly toxic. Then fatigue, a lot of mouth ulcers, loss of taste and poor appetite (I lost a lot of weight) and, of course, hair loss within a week or so. However if you’ve managed cold-capping so far, it should still work with EC. BUT weighing up hair against being cured to me is a no-brainer. I had a buzzcut 2 weeks after my first EC and loved it. I managed to hold onto it right to the end of chemo, though it was a bit sparse by then. And it felt incredible as it was regrowing. Then there was the fatigue. And more fatigue. But I was in my 60s so maybe that’s why it hit hard.
The important thing is to be aware of the possibilities but not think of them as certainties or even probabilities. We are all different. Make sure your thermometer is accurate and check your temperature daily. Stay alert but not neurotic. I only had a runny nose and ‘a bit of a temperature’ (faulty thermometer!) so I ignored it for much of the day. Then I had 4 days on drips. If I’d been more alert, it wouldn’t have got to that stage. It’s just important to know that the slightest change, accompanied by a 38+ temperature, has to be reported immediately as it doesn’t always sort itself out without intervention.
Well, that was bleaker than I intended! The essential bit it that the SEs are only possibilities and each of us gets our own combination and degree of severity. Just stay alert and take every change seriously. Keep your overnight bag ready - and hopefully you wont need it. If you do, it’s great being taken care of for a few days!
Jan x
Hello Strong Mummy !
I don’t have experience of your drug cycles (there are threads on the specific treatments part of the forum that might be useful to you), but just wanted to welcome you to the forum particularly as its Boxing Day and you are a single parent…so times must be tough for you. I know you have your parents and your partner, and its sounds like they are doing a fabulous job of keeping your (already) positive spirit boosted - but please do take a look around and post all you like amongst people who understand and have been where you are. Wishing you the most Merry Christmas right on back ! x