Hi
I’m starting my first cycle of EC next Friday 15th x3 three weekly then x3 3 weekly docetaxol. I’m having my PICC in on Wednesday. Does anyone who had a PICC inserted know if it was ok to drive home after insertion…
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Starting chemo next Thursday 14th and PICC insertion next Wednesday. I’m having 3 x 3 weekly EC followed by 9x weekly Paclitaxel, radio, 6 monthly bone infusion for 3 years and hormone therapy. Just terrified about how I’m going to cope with it all tbh
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Hi I had a PICC last September and yes they said it was ok to drive but they also said some people can be a bit wobbly afterwards. My husband took me and I was grateful for the support but also not having to drive. They did numb my arm and make a small incision. It didn’t hurt just felt some pressure.
I think it’s an individual choice.
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Thank you for the reassurance on the PICC line -I am very squeamish and suffer from medical anxiety so everything is whirring around in my head 24/7 and has been since my diagnosis 23rd November!!
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Hi everyone, I’m due to start chemo on the 19th! Starting with 3 x EC then 3 x Docetaxel. Really hoping side effects are minimal…I’ve got my port being inserted on Monday…just looking into whether to cold cap or not and/or whether to get my hair cut short beforehand…i most likely will but all starting to feel quite real now. I’ve got very fine hair so not sure my hair stands a chance!! Will just have to embrace the hair loss and hope the other symptons are manageable… Hope everyone is getting on ok. Sending love to all…hopefully we’ll all be out the other side soon! xx
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@Shi Thanks for this it’s really helpful. I am so incredibly anxious about it all and cry at the drop of a hat 
one of my phobias is dentists along with anything medical and I’m struggling to get a check up booked this week and my chemo starts next Thursday and PICC line Wednesday. I don’t want anything to delay the start because I already have had a lot of additional waiting because my oncotype test was not sent until after my follow up appt on 31st January (3 weeks after my surgery on 9th January) so only found out I needed chemo on 26th Feb and no mention of dental check up until this week. This is just adding to my anxiety and sleepless nights even more!! Is it essential at this stage? X
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Hi @greenie
Sorry you have found yourself here, but from experience these groups are very supportive.
I cold capped for 12 weekly chemotherapy and kept most of my hair, two small patches above the ears, possibly from pushing glasses under the cap in stead of wearing them over! I had a short bob and cut it into a pixie, I probably didn’t need to. This website www.cancerhaircare.co.uk is really helpful and they liaise with wwwlookgoodfeelbetterco.uk for their hair loss courses. Also Paxman www.coldcap.com there is a link for you to check your chemotherapy and the studies on hair loss percentages.
I would highly recommend the look good feel better courses for hair loss, hand and nail care and skincare. You get some nice goodies, some face to face but also available online and they post the goodies.
I wish you the best on your journey.
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Hi @kate68
I had a change in dates for chemotherapy from before until after surgery. As I’d had a dental checkup 2 months before initial consultation they said no need to worry, but then chemo was 3 months later so said to get another check. I did and they were worried about a shadow under a cap, I ended up having the dental work after chemotherapy and delayed the Zometa (Zolendronic acid) infusion as it may been invasive root canal. Luckily it was ill fitting and was replaced without a problem.
You can still have a check during chemotherapy if you feel well enough but nothing invasive due to infection. I would go back to the dentist and ask again mentioning chemotherapy, they may be able to squeeze you in.
Be careful with oral hygiene, soft toothbrush, gentle floss and I used a salt water rinse. Later I needed Corsodyl but it can stain your teeth.
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Kate68:heart:tell your dentist receptionist you are starting chemo they will get you in 
take it one treatment at a time, trying to process it all in one go can send you into orbit remember your teams have seen it all before and your treatments are tailored specifically to you it’s not a one size fits all keep posting on here 
you will get each other through and believe me you will share laughter, chemo made our oct17 gang crazy 
we still speak each day the friendships you find here are always and something that is trying to harm you can result in the most beautiful friendships be kind to yourself bcn has got you 
Shi xx
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Thank you so much xx
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Thank you so much and I will do - my sister in law went through this 11 years ago and found the forum a massive support too xx
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Dental check up booked for tomorrow 
no treatment to add to my anxiety - have a good evening everyone x
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Thanks so much for this. I have looked at lookgoodfeelbetter website, looks really good. It’s the eyebrows and the eyelashes which i think i’m more worried about?? Thanks for the websites - super helpful. Can i ask what chemo drugs you had?
Hope you’re doing ok now. Have you finished chemo? Are you now on to radiotherapy? Hope you’re doing ok and thanks again for the reply! xx
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I had 12 weekly Paclitaxel Sept to Dec and then radiotherapy in January for bilateral invasive carcinoma ( grade 2 and grade 1 two separate tumours) I’m recovering, I feel so much better than I did. I’ve just had my Herceptin injection today. Taking Letrozole aswell as Zometa (Zoledronic acid) infusions which are due soon.
I lost 2/3 of my eyebrows mainly kept some at the inner eye, probably the same with eye lashes. They were the worst as my eyes kept watering and needed some eye gel (carbomer) to help soothe. I wear glasses and it was still a nuisance.
Different drugs and different people loose different amounts of hair. After chemotherapy I started using a clinique eyelash serum (used it on brows as well) and they are looking so much better 12 weeks on.
Ive had a good two weeks but expecting a few side effects over the next few days from my Herceptin. Letrozole increases menopausal symptoms, I had been on HRT until April 2023 when I found the lump and was advised to stop cold turkey, which wasn’t much fun. But being ER+ it’s was important.
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I did 10 cycles of Paclitaxel/nab-paxlitaxel with Carboplatin last year, but was deemed non-responsive at christmas. Had a double mastectomy with full node clearance in january, and I had my first of six EC treatments last week. I ended up with Steven-Johnson syndrome last year, hospitalised for weeks, no treatment for 10 weeks…it was rough. However, after my first EC last week I ended up back at the hospital 12 hours later, and admitted for 8 days due to nausea, vomiting, and dizziness. I’m so fed up with it. Surgery was a breeze in comparison, and I’m dreading the next 5 months now. Im trying not to think of the 20 rounds of double radiotherapy I then need. Will be glad for the reconstruction surgery next year 
sorry, think I just needed a rant.
Good morning Al,
After being diagonosed for IDC x 2 triple positive on my left breast on 15 January I have had to endure a long wait to be told yesterday I had 4 tumours not 2, 9cm of tumours altogether, and would start chemo on Monday. In 2 days!
No time to prepare, hardly any information given. I have 4 biweekly EC then 12 weekly phesgo, then mastectomy followed by radiotherapy and 5 years of endocrine treatment. Also trying cold capping so need to have my hair cut short over the weekend.
I asked to get a PICC line but won’t get one fitted as there is a waiting list. My oncologist has literally been sitting on MRI results for 3 weeks and decided to rush everything when she read the results on Thursday. No time to have a dental checkup or anything.
I really wished I had chosen another hospital. Commuting to hospital is going to take me 3 hours for each return trip and trains are so packed in London…
Any advice on what I should take with me on Monday? I have bought sugar free candies, a soft toothbrush, need to figure out how to bring ice chips - They will probably melt by the time I reach hospital and strat the infusion.
Thank you and good luck to all of you! We will go through this!
Hugs,
Marion
I start my first treatment on Tuesday. I’m unable to get a dentist appointment as there are no NHS dentists available at the moment and I can’t afford to go private right now. I think I’m as planned as I can be. My chemo ward doesn’t allow visitors and they have no freezer or ice provision which I will need to sort myself…it’s an hour drive to the hospital so I’ve got an icebox which will hopefully help!
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Oh @sb_01 you have had a bad time of it. You should be able to rant and here is a brilliant place to do so. My experience seems so straightforward compared to you. The only spanner in the works for me was that an MRI found another tumour in the other breast, so I was bi lateral. Lucky for me I found the first tumour earl so no node spread. I had surgery (lumpectomy), 12 weeks Paclitaxel, Herceptin 3 weekly for 18 cycles,5 days radiotherapy, Letrozole and Zometa infusions. Now waiting on genetics tests
The people on this forum are all so supportive and kind, those in active treatment and those of us that have completed ours.
I hope you are well enough for your next EC and you don’t have such horrible side effects. Have your team prescribed different medication to help with them?
Take care. We will all support you. You are strong.
Sorry to hear you can’t get a n NHS dentist appointment, it’s seems to be a big problem. I would mention it to your team, they may be able to arrange for it to be done in the dental hospital.
Sorry your chemo ward doesn’t allow visitors, I’m not sure how I would have coped without my husband, he did pop off for about an hour or so. You’ll have to take things to keep you occupied. I hope your freezing solution works, I tried but my ice packs and slippers had partly defrosted before arriving and didn’t last long. Such a shame the NHS doesn’t support this in all settings.
Take care🥰
Yeah it is what it is I guess so I’m going to make do as best as I can. I will mention the dentist thing thank you x
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