Hi, just thought I would start a thread to support each other through chemotherapy, whoever is due to start in May.
I have an initial oncology appointment on5th May, so should be starting shortly after. I have been told I will definitely lose my hair, so my daughter persuaded me to look at wigs! I went open minded but didn’t think they were for me and thought I would never be confident enough to go out in one. Wow, was I wrong. It looked so good and so like my own hair, I asked them to leave it on for my day out and lunch. My Hubby didn’t even notice it was not my own hair!! So glad I went.
Hopefully there will be a few May Chemo starters out there to join this thread.
You can also ask the nurses on this forum if you have any concerns. In the meantime, the top tip is always to stay well hydrated throughout chemo, aiming for 2 litres of water per day and get a thermometer and check your temperature every day.
I finished my chemo in October 2017 and doing very well again now. Here is my story which has some chemo tips on how I coped which were collectively shared from others who had gone through the same from this forum:
If you decide to set up a private group its good to stay on here also during treatment as I know from experience there are some people who watch but don’t immediately pluck up the courage to join in. Your conversations can be a real comfort to others.
If you’re new to the forum, here’s the “Getting Started” advice:
I hope you don’t mind me joining this thread as I am starting 4 cycles of FEC chemo on 29th April so May is a better timescale.
I must tell you that I am also on the December 2020 thread as I started 4 cycles of Docetaxel chemo which finished in February. I then had a lumpectomy and sentinel node removal on 25th March.
Unfortunately for me, it has been decided that I need further chemo as the tumour that was removed still had 4mm of residual disease.
I tolerated the first lot of chemo quite well but don’t know how FEC will be. I’m hoping it will be no worse than I have already experienced.
Maybe I can contribute some useful tips in exchange for mutual support.
I hope it is OK that I join this forum as I am not in the UK. I live abroad and get treated there.
I am starting chemo on 3 May: 4 cycles of EC every two weeks followed by 12 weekly paclitaxel. Not really what I had in mind for summer holiday plan;-)
So far so good, I have managed and recovered quite well from two conservative surgeries removing three tumours and two lymph nodes.
I have even been able to train again. I love trail running and I have just came back from an ACL surgery in October 2020 (2020 and 2021 are not really my years on the health front but it is the same for the rest of world with COVID-19). Running in the forest kept me sane the last two months since I got to know that I had BC.
I am hoping that I will somehow be able to run through chemo and I am looking forward to starting chemo, despite being scared. Each passing day will take me closer to the end of it but I am scared because it does not matter how trained and healthy I was before the BC, I don’t know how my mind and body will cope with chemo. The list of side effects seemed never ending when I got through it with my nurse. But I try to stay positive and enjoy all the positive moments for now, like spending more time with my kids, cutting my hair short, my first wig fitting ever on Wednesday.
On Thursday, I will get my PICC-line and things will start to be real.
hello I will be starting my chemo pacximetal hope spelling is right weekly next week . Just scared if I can tolerate it . Nerve pain is my big worry. Should I use cold treatment for ties and handed during chemo will it help? Lots of things running on my mind
I am hoping to join your ranks, I have my first oncology appointment on 19th May. Was diagnosed with IDC grade 3, ER/PR/HER2 + on the 1st March and told had small 12.5mm tumour close to the nipple, so had WLE with nipple removal & SNB on 22nd March, results on the 7th April showed tumour was actually 42mm and had a 14mm metatastes in one of the nodes so was scheduled for ANC on 15th April, got my results on 5th May which showed further 2 nodes positive so 3/15 and now am going to have Chemo including targeted therapy (Perjeta I think) then Radiotherapy and will go on to have hormone therapy after that oh and I will have biphosphonates too! Apparently I am being treated as a “young woman” and given “the full hit” was the way my surgeon described it (quite right I am only 62 and think age is just a number, in my head I am still in my forties).
Was having an emotional day yesterday after processing the info but then had a real meltdown when I received an Oncology appointment date for 23 June 10 weeks after surgery, decided I could not take waiting in fear of spread for that length of time so long story short several telphone calls to various departments later, they rearranged the appointment with another oncologist who could see me on the 19th May. Can I just ask has anyone else had to wait that length of time between treatments? Was I being unrealistic expecting the appointment earlier? Went from meltdown to feelings of guilt that I have had my surgery and maybe there would be someone else who would have to wait longer for appointment because of me.
So the outcome being that I have decided to join you in the hope that my treatment will now be started in May.
@noodledoodle just want to wish you luck for your first session tomorrow too.
@TicTok good luck with your first appointment too. I hope your wait for treatment will not be too long either.
@worriednow hope your first session went ok this week.
@Karden@Purpledaze@Love running @Poacher65 Ladies good luck with your further treatments you are all inspirational in the way you are sharing your information.
This is amazing that you started this! I will have my first chemo on Friday and I am terrified. I will be getting AC every 2 weeks 4 times. Anyone had this drug before? What can I do to reduce side effects? I heard that 3rd day is the worst once steroids run out and white cell injections cause bone pain… The more I listen the more scared I am… Hope you have some tips for me and share some of your first chemo experiences…
I will go and try to choose one wig for myself as well. Lets see how it will look on me
