Hi all,
I have finished my Chemotherapy for breast cancer a week ago. I was given adjuvant ,curative therapy.
I lost my hair, eyebrows , eyelashes, my nails have become discoloured and weak. These side effects are going to take a relatively long time to get better . I am really finding it difficult to cope now. I have to try and get back to normal precancer life now, but the way I look has completely changed. I dont think i am willing to meet people, or friends. I accidentanly bumped into someone(who does not know about my cancer) i know day before, and she asked if i am OK as i look very different. This did hit me hard.
How do/did you all cope during or after when you go out?
I am trying so hard to build confidence, but its really getting very difficult. Any ideas or suggestions will be very useful.
I did take therapy, but i did not anticipate that i will struggle so much after active treatment.
I still have radio to be done too .
Thanks and best wishes to all embarking this journey.
I am betting you feel like crap still, too, since chemo side effects are cumulative and normally take a few weeks after your treatment to start alleviating. For me it was four weeks before I started noticing significant lifting of fatigue and muscle pain and a good seven weeks before I could say I was pretty much returned to normal. But even after that I still had significant healing to do and it’s come in fits and spasms. But know physical healing does come. There’s a “look good feel better” course out there that might help with makeup advice and also of course hats and wigs to help hair wise. Yes you’ll look different but different doesn’t have to be bad.
But I’m so sorry to say to that returning to precancer days is well out of reach for most of us. Not so much physically. That actually returns relatively quickly and for me I used the time in transition to play around. I tried different types of eyeliner to mimic eyelashes, learned how to apply eyebrows, wore cute clothes that highlighted the weight I lost, etc. Three weeks after chemo ended started taking biotin which helps with nail and hail growth. But mentally, breast cancer changes everything. If you’re not in on going therapy I would highly suggest it as the mental battle is worse than the physical. I’ve been in it a year and will probably stay with it for the rest of my life. It’s a touchstone and talking to someone once a month (which is all I need) for an hour at a time about nothing but me and my issues is quite calming. And then just be patient with yourself. Breast cancer is nothing to be ashamed of. You did nothing to get it, it just happened and one out of seven or eight women join you. I wore the signs of my battle proudly because I was proud of myself. I did chemo and didn’t drop. I was the first one in my family to be diagnosed with a curable cancer. Everyone else, and we’ve had a ton, were diagnosed at stage 4. I was glad to show that successful treatment can be done for my children and other younger relatives. You didn’t drop either. You’ve survived and can return to a wonderful life. A different life, yes. But no less wonderful. I’m so glad you made it through 
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