These last 2 days I’ve felt the worse. Really struggling with constipation and feeling bloated.
Where are you in your treatment @rosa1? I felt the same after my 3rd cycle of EC - days 8-10 were the worst but then day 11 which was yesterday, woke up and felt much more normal. I also had really bad heartburn this cycle. I have one more EC to go and I’m absolutely dreading it, it feels like my insides are struggling to cope so much.
Thank you so much for your reassurance @hopefulheart and I was sorry to read about your personal and family history of cancer, I hope the genetic testing is able to give you the answers you need. Thanks also @specialk2 for your advice too, I’m just really nervous about it but it sounds like it definitely makes things easier. Feels like I’m constantly weighing up the lesser of 2 evils all the time… there’s never an easy option is there 
picc appointment is booked for 9am on Thursday with 3rd round of EC to follow immediately after so won’t even have time to adjust before I’m tipped into chemo rollercoaster!
I hope you both enjoy your birthdays when they come and you get out for a meal. I’m actually out for one tomorrow to celebrate daughters graduation 
Hello everyone! I am so late to the party but only just found this thread!
Im 28 years old and I started chemotherapy on the 3rd of May after being diagnosed with triple negative on the 7th of March.
I have had my 4 rounds of EC (every 2 weeks). After my first round I went into my oncology appointment and cried because I felt so ill and said to her “I cant do this!!” Had a short visit to the Acute ward due to blood clots on my arm where the PICC line is! But I’ve managed to solider on and so thankful its over as everyone has said to me that EC is the worst out of the two drugs I’m having.
This friday I am moving onto the next drug for 12 weeks (I always forget the name). Im really scared for this as I feel when you look at it, 12 weeks is such a long time! I keep telling myself it will go quick but I’m scared it wont!
I hope everyone is okay and enjoying the lovely weather we are having! 
Hi @glitteryrainbow, well done on getting through your EC cycles, that must have been tough every 2 weeks. I’ve also got a follow on cycle of 12 weeks when I finish EC, paclitaxel for me. I’m finding it daunting when I think about how long that it is and it will be nearly the end of October before all the chemotherapy is over and I move onto radiotherapy. I have been trying to take it all one step at a time but it’s hard when people try and make plans and I just have to wait and see how I will be feeling.
@kiltie I hope you have a lovely meal celebrating your daughters graduation and I hope your 3rd round of treatment goes well with the pic line
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It was hard but luckily for me, the first week was always when I felt the most side effects and by the second week, I was able to get on and do things because I felt more ‘normal’. My last chemotherapy date is the 13th September but I feel the exact same, I feel like I cant plan anything out of fear that on the day I wont be okay but also dont want to shut myself off to the world! Ive already missed out on so much and had to cancel so many things that I had booked prior to being diagnosed! Im having a lumpectomy after chemotherapy aswell so feel like I cant even plan anything in for after I finish chemotherapy as I dont have an operation date yet 
Along with all the treatment there is so much waiting in this process!!
I started off with surgery - a lumpectomy and then needed a full lymph clearance. It has just felt like one thing after another after another which is why I’ve tried to keep focusing on what’s happening right now rather than looking too far ahead and then dealing which each bit as it comes.
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@dragonk I have my third EC this Friday. Then I’m having 1-2 more before a break until I give birth. Not looking forward to this as my hair is so much thinner I’m worried the cold cap will really hurt. I was shedding less until today when the largest came out similar to big shed. My hair was a bit matted so had to separate the hairs by hand and then a large amount came out. Think the hair that was shedded was mixed in with the intact hair. It’s so upsetting.
Sorry to hear this. Perhaps speak to your breast cancer nurse to see what they advise re the cap. Mine said they can place wet gauze on the bald spots to ensure good contact without hurting your scalp. If you want to continue cold capping I’m sure they’ve seen this before and know a way.
I know it’s so tough when the larger sheds come, big hugs 
So far I don’t have any bald patches so I think the gauze is only when there’s patches to protect the scalp. I’ll have to see and hope it doesn’t hurt this time.
Good point, she likely said that to me as I very much do have bald spots, and i wake up looking like Doc from back to the future after he’s been electrocuted!
I’m sorry you have bald patches. How do you find the cold capping with the surgical gauze (cap).
Hi all. Thought I’d check in as my “time away” backfired massively and I’ve been in hospital since Sunday morning. Started with a high temperature so I was admitted and as they can’t find any source of an infection I’ve had to wait for blood cultures to come back and my neutrophils to increase. Still no sign of an escape 
Hope everyone else is ok x
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Oh no @tori123 that sounds horrendous! even though you know you’re being looked after it’s really not where you want to be, and I guess they will only let you go when they feel happy you’re out of the woods .
I had VERY low blood pressure this time (88 over 55) but with best of three the district nurse managed to get it to 90/60, and I convinced the rapid response team that I knew the danger signs to look out for. I didn’t feel dizzy or confused, but I think they would have preferred me to go in. Fortunately I didn’t get a temperature spike, if anything it was too low. All to do with a low white blood cell count, same as you. My BP seems to have stabilised a bit more today so I’m just hoping I keep out of trouble till day 15 or so.
Hate the lack of control with all this - we do everything right and still get caught out.
On a positive, I’m now pooing for England 
courtesy of a (surprisingly nice) prune and banana smoothie or two. Recipe on request 
@rosa1 if you’re still struggling
@kiltie I hope the PICC insertion went to plan and you’re feeling okay after today’s EC 
Keep your chin up @tori123 hope you can go home soon 
xxx
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@hopefulheart i just had my third cycle yesterday and my stomach is not right. Constantly feel the urge to go for a poo but the tiniest poo comes out. Sorry to be so descriptive but it feels horrible. Also feel a bit nauseas and so tired as hardly slept but toddler won’t let me rest much. Also getting pain under my breast. At least I have one more EC then will resume in September/October.
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Hello!
I stoppped scalp cooling after my 3rd round of EC because A LOT of my hair fell out after my 2nd round and I found the shedding process too distressing so shaved my hair off, which relieved a lot more bald patches than I thought I had. On the 3rd scalp cooling, it was very painful on the bald patches so I just stopped it. Not a lot of my hair had fallen out since and I still have a really thick bit of hair at the front of my head. Ask your team what would be best x
@rosa EC really messed with my digestion on cycle two and three 
I was the same, lots of gurgling but just little pebbles coming out! I did take just one senna tablet, but I didn’t want some kind of poonami 
so I tried to just eat things that might get my digestion going rather than rely on medication. When things did start to move after about a week, my goodness I thought I was never going to stop!! I really hope you find a way through and it’s not too uncomfortable. Do you think the pain under your breast might be more to do with your pregnancy? It must be so tough on your body, I can’t imagine.
Day 11 for me and this morning I think I’ve turned the corner - I’ve seen others say it feels like someone has switched a light on, and it’s exactly that. This cycle has been hideous, I can’t believe how grateful I am just to feel normal.
@tori123 how are you doing hope things have stabilised for you and you are back home and recovering after your hospital stay
Hope everyone is managing to find some positive moments and enjoying some family time, amongst all the challenges we’re dealing with xx
Tori123 hope you’ve managed to get home now from casa nhs 
Shi xx
Hello everyone,
I hope everyone is okay, Im sorry to hear about @tori123! I hope you are at home recovering but if not, I hope you are receiving the best possible care.
I had my first dose of paclitaxel & carboplatin yesterday and start the long 12 (now 11) weekly treatments. Side effects are very minimal compared to how I felt on EC, just mild nausea and tiredness but only had one nap today for about an hour! I felt so tired yesterday pretty much straight after they gave me the antihistamine at the hospital, I fell asleep for the whole treatment (2 hours) . They were concerned about my blood pressure as it was very very low but I felt fine in myself so not sure what was going on there!
Im feeling a little sad today as one of my close friends got married and I had to cancel going for obvious reasons, so feeling sorry for myself but said I will meet up with her soon and I’m cross stitching a really beautiful wedding scene for her so thats keeping me busy.
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@hopefulheart I’ve started taking laxido which my oncologist prescribed following my last cycle as I got really badly constipated. I’ve taken 2 today which hasn’t worked yet but I hope it’s better tomorrow. It’s awful how these drugs affect you. Yes the rib pain is probably due to that. My most recent bloods show I’m low on HGB which can cause breathlessness and fatigue which I have been getting but I’ve assumed it’s due to pregnancy and lack of sleep as waking up frequently to use the toilet. Hope yours is going ok?
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