My oncologist told me to paint mine in a dark colour, which I’ve done.
I use OPI Nail Envy anyway to strengthen my nails, so that’s my base coat.
Never thought about remover 
I’m still grotty today, awful night sleep too, but I’ve had a warm shower and got dressed which already feels better 
I hope you’re all coping ok and have as good a day as possible 
Dark varnish…Thats interesting 
. Perhaps so long as we are caring for our nails that may help 
.
Sorry to hear youre feeling yeuk @alannah172 .
. It definitely is a tough/grim week. I slept/dozed/rested for most of it. . But 8 days on, I feel much less toxic. 
My worst side effects were “feeling” toxic 
, and extreme fatigue. . So drink loads to swish the chemo out. They say 2.5 ltrs. Lots and lots. 
Make sure you eat light meals. Fruit/veg smoothies help me alot. I can have loads of good stuff quickly and easily, without having to trawl through a plateful of food I may struggle to eat/look at.
I bung anything in them. No recipe. Nothing complicated.
Mainly: milk, “dash” of beetroot juice, banana, mango, strawberries, blueberries (fresh or frozen), cooked apple/berry compote, cooked rhubarb, (chard, spinach, mint chopped finely first). Mix and match. Anything goes. Even tinned peaches.
Green smoothies need a fruit eg banana or apple/ juice base. Otherwise they taste of grass. 
. But I mainly add chard and spinach to fruit smoothies which are yummy.
Ive craved Protein. So had fish at 4am one nighttime. 
. They say our bodies need lots of Protein to repair from the chemo effects.
I think…half our body weight ( lbs/kg,) in grams of Protein. Eg 150lbs needs 75g Protein a day.
Use this week as a pamper week. Just go with how you feel. Dont push yourself. Xxx
Thanks @poppy261 I’m a smoothie lover over here 
I have them a lot in normal life, so they are a saviour thank god
I like soup too, proper poorly food from childhood
I’m just going to ride it out, rest and keep very hydrated until it subsides. I know what you mean about feeling toxic, that’s a very good analogy. It’s a strange feeling, but it’ll pass 
@alannah172 great to hear you are a smoothie fan. They have been a life saver.
Sending you a huge hug of encouragement. .
Same to @drella74 as well .
For me its taken a week. So dont rush. Pamper. Xxx
Really hope yesterday went well for you @daffodil_dream .
Sending you a huge hug 
xxx
Hi everyone. I’m a bit late starting to introduce myself. I’ve only just found this and what a lovely thing to do and support each other.
I was diagnosed Feb 2026. ER/HR+ HER2-
Had a mastectomy march 19th and 1 lymph node involvement.
Chemo started 7th May. First 7 days, the only way I can explain to what I’ve experienced previously is like having covid. Out of body experience and wiped out. I was very lucky not to have nausea but I took everything as stated on the chart. I experienced a little bone pain in lower back yesterday, but much better today. This was a side effect of the injections I had to take for one week for the white blood cells xx
Lovely to have you on board @maystarter . 
Welcome to our cheerleaders 
Your treatment was a day before mine. It was grim but manageable. So you will be finding some light at the end of the tunnel this weekend I hope. Its a tough road to navigate.
My R mastectomy was 19th Feb. LBC 13cm. 5+ lymph nodes.
Please feel free to share anything good or bad. Everyone’s experiences are seriously welcomed. 
xxx
Hey @alannah172, this was my approach exactly after the first cycle on the Friday and I was much better on the Monday and totally back to normal on the Wednesday. Hoping it passes quickly for you. x
Hi, Maystarter and all you lovely gals. Just reporting back after my first chemo on Wednesday. Agree with you about the covid-y feeling of utter tiredness, spaced-out, vague and vacant, woozy. Not nice. Frightening, in fact. After I gave myself the belly-jab yesterday I had an almost immediate reaction and thought I was going to black out, so I got down on the carpet rather than risk keeling over and braining myself on something hard! Stayed there for ages, until I felt I could get up. Felt bad all evening but am putting it down to panic more than anything more sinister. Went to bed and slept for hours, with wee-breaks. See what happens after tonight’s jab.
Just had a bath, so feel more human but completely energyless so reading your posts about how you are coping is a big, big help. Roll on next week when we might all be feeling more human, eh? Anybody noticed mood changes? I was like a bear with a sore head yesterday, short-tempered, sharp, monosyllabic even with the cats, let alone the poor husband!
Someone mentioned nails…..I did buy some of that ludicrously expensive cuticle and nail stuff, Polybalm but I really can’t see any justification for the price. Two teeny containers of a gritty substance you have to poke and prod to get out of the tubes. I’m going to follow the Sally Hansen Vit E plan, I think! Thank you for the suggestion, whoever it was suggested it, sorry, I’ve still not worked out how to use this forum. Useless with technology.
Try to have the best weekend you can, and remember there WILL be better ones ahead.
So sorry @bea4 that you went woozy after the injection .
Woozy feeling is awful. Thats been my worst side effect along with fatigue. Its a lot of meds over a few days, for our bodies to cope with. Normally I dont take any meds. So its a huge shock to our systems.
Make sure your husband is always near by re: injections. Just incase.
Also, ring 24/7 for advice. ALWAYS. They are lovely. No problem is TOO small. They can change things round. Give advice etc.
I got abit irritable around day 5/6 i think. Short lived. But aware I was abit “edgy”. So I went to bed and slept it off. Drank loads to swish chemo out. But that results in lots of wees.
Rather that though, than high concentration of chemo soup.
I think everyone is finding we all need to rest rest rest. 
@poppy261 thank you so much for the welcome
I am feeling better but still very tired.
I was told just to paint my toenails and hands so that’s all I’ve done. I tried cold cap but my hair is very thick and didn’t feel it much 
. Nurse thought I was crazy! But saying that, I’ve never had brain freeze either. I’m waiting for my hair to fall out 
.
Have a good weekend all. We’ll soon be at the end of this xxx
@bea4 thank you for the welcome 
@poppy261 how was the picc line insertion? I will have to have one too xx
My PICC was unusual in that it took 2rhs due to staff being trained up in new equipment. So I think normally it would only take around 30 mins?
It makes treatment/bloods easier, saves cannulas being fitted each time we have treatment etc,. But we do have to be careful with it. There is a thread on this Forum. PICC line. Personal Experience. Worth reading.
MacMillan etc have info on PICCs.
If you scroll through these May posts I also gave more detail of my experience.
We can’t swim, nor submerge our PICC in baths. 
But we can use Limbo cover/other options on amazon for waterproof arm sleeves/cling film etc in the shower.
I dont like having it, but hey ho that just how it is.
Mostly I forget about it. But Im struggling to sleep on my back due to back problems. But I have slept. Some have found sleeping easier. We are all different so good to read other ladies experiences as well.
One lady on this Forum has had a Port Fitted.
We have to remember we are all so new dealing with this. So ask ask ask, share share share. Ring 24/7 oncology if not sure. I do. Always.
My PICC keeps bleeding slightly. I was told yesterday at the cleaning session, It can take 3/4 wks to settle. It does pinch me, at odd times, due to the part of the PICC that secures it under our skin. But its not a needle, as I initially thought . Phew.
It needs syringing weekly with saline to make sure there are no blockages.
If you get any aching feeling, swelling etc you must ring 24/7 to avoid DVT. So dont feel bad about asking for help. In my record book it tells me clearly to RING EVEN for SMALL stuff. They want to avoid bigger problems later. So I ring them 
Generally, as always, there are pros and cons. But my veins refuse to play ball with needles, so the PICC is easier.
Xxxx
Hello everyone, sorry for delay replying, finding there is so much to do, and I am much slower at doing it all!!
I had my first chemo session on 13th. I thought I was just having paclitaxel for my first one (which I have weekly), and then the carboplantin and immunotherapy (Pembro) every 3rd week, but they started me on all three!! With the cold cap and infusions I was in the chair for 7 hours! And that was after a biopsy of a new node 30 mins before the chemo started! So it was an intense day!
The cold cap wasn’t anywhere near as bad as I thought. And after about 20 mins I didn’t even notice it. Going to add in the cryro mitts/socks on the shorter weeks to try and ward off any neuropathy 
Worst bit I found was the first insertion into the port as it was still very tender from being put in, and the pre-meds! They made me feel terribly woozy. But thankfully all the infusions went through fine and the staff were all amazing.
The steroids prescribed for the following 3 days have done the trick and largely kept nausea at bay. They run out today so hoping i am ok tomorrow! Then bloods Monday and chemo again on Wednesday! So feels like they will be coming fast and furious!! That said - i think my lumps have already started to shrink in size which is amazing!!
@bea4 i have the Polybalm too- it is tres expensive!! I’ve also just been putting cuticle oil on too…make it stretch further…
Managed a walk thurs and fri but think i need to rest a bit - which I’m not good at! I’ve been trying to drink as much water as possible and take the steroids as early as possible too - sleep is getting a bit better…
Overall - i am just pleased to have started and it all be demystified.
Thank you everyone and @poppy261 and @alannah172 for the well wishes. It is very much appreciated. I hope @alannah172 you are still feeling things are manageable 
The constant wooziness is hard work but ill take it!!
Hey @drella74
I was diagnosed with triple negative too and it sounds like you’re possibly on the same combo as me. I previously started on EC on 24th April but they’ve switched me to a new regime starting on 22nd May.
My new cocktail is Pembro every 3 weeks for 21 weeks together with Paclitaxel and Carboplatin every week for the first 12 weeks of that, then with EC every 3 weeks for the remaining 9 weeks. Took me a while to simplify the schedule as it was quite complexly laid out on my consent form!
I know what you mean about having so much to do. This cancer business really is a full time job!
Glad you’re feeling good about getting started and hope the rest of your treatment goes well. x
Wow cold cap, three infusions, meds .
One strong lady @drella74 
I certainly could not even begin to do that. Well done. 
Important note: Dont ever feel you need to reply to our comments etc. You must only do posts when you feel up to it/want to/ have energy to/have time to.
For some that may take days/weeks. Some, years. Thats all completely fine.
You are having life changing treatment. So go at your pace.
We are all juggling energy and side effects. There is no expectation from any of us lovely ladies, who are feeling very yeuk, to do anything other than what is right for them .
Number ONE is YOU. Xxxx
If you are too tired for anything, thats fine.
If you want to let us know you are ok, but too tired, just send a Heart.
We all understand. The good thing about this group is we are all in it together and we know what a garbage day feels like.
I have a quick surge of energy then I sleep for hours .
You take care of yourself over these next few days. They are a toxic soup of grimness, but with pamper times and rest, we get through them . 
xxx
Hi @poppy261 thank you so much for the well wishes for Friday 
Thankfully the slower infusion and slow drip of anti-nausea did help me a lot on my second treatment. I did have to keep my fluid and sugar intake up just to help my blood pressure along. Didn’t have as big a reaction, but did immediately get hit with nausea and a woozy/weak feeling while on the ward. That kept going all of Friday and yesterday - had to have a bit of a sofa surf day But did get out on a dog walk in the afternoon which did help my headspace a lot! Hoping to keep improving in the next day or two
Welcome to all our new starters in the forum - our merry band of cheerleaders will keep you all going. Just remember we are always near for some advice and support if you ever need
Hi @poppy261 thanks for that important note. I read all the posts and I dont seem to be able to retain much of the information in them so I find I have to re- read, maybe a few times, so I can reply to anyone or to actually remember whats going on with everybody
I think my mind is in a whirl since diagnosis with all the information from then onwards. Medication, side effects, so many appointments, hats, surgery, physio, exercise, nutrition, nails, wigs, house prep, meal prep, so much more. Its been a steep learning curve!
Hi Everyone! I’m a may starter too, started EC on 7th May but just getting round to posting now. I have four rounds of EC fortnightly then four rounds of Paclitaxel fortnightly to do for ER + 8/8 PR +8/8 Her2 negative IDC. I have been reading when I’m up to it and you’re all amazing!
All in all I think I was most dreading the nausea but i feel like that wasn’t as bad as I thought, seemed very well managed by the meds. Not keen on the belly injections (my first one I was so quick to do it before I lost my nerve I forgot to take it out of the fridge for half an hour first and just jabbed it in like a scene from pulp fiction 
) but I’ve got a few days off before my next chemo on thursday and I have to say I feel great today.
My main issue was constipation, not quite sure which med caused it but as I was feeling poorly I didnt realise I hadnt been for 5 days! I sorted it with senna and dulcolax but had a very grim couple of days with a very upset tummy. My fingernails and toenails feel super sensitive too!
My chemo is to try and shrink the tumour before a lumpectomy and radiation and I’ve had a PICC line done too which I’m still a bit squeamish about but getting used to it.
Its all a bit overwhelming but my sister has been amazing taking me to all the appointments, I’m super grateful for her. Keep going ladies xxx