Hi Ladies
This thread is for those of you who are starting chemo in May. Hopefully you can all help and support each other along the way.
I had chemo in 2016, so happy to help where I can.
Best wishes
Sue
Thank you for starting this thread. I’m beginning my first of 6 x Fec on May 14th x
Hi may ladies. I’m from the October thread and finished chemo in Jan. Any help or advice you need please let us know and we will try and help where we can.
Cassie x
What a wonderfully written blog Mai, I’ve made a note of the foods & drinks you found beneficial and glad you’re now doing so well. thank you Cassie for popping over to give us support too x
Hi melsy and Sarah
Welcome to the thread. Please ask if you have any queries.
If I were to offer advice at this stage, I would say prepare yourself for the first week when you don’t feel upto much. Stock up the fridge, get the washing done, and have all your meds at hand. I’m not saying that you feel ill, it’s just you might want to take things easy.
Hope this helps
Sue xx
Hi, I start FEC x 6 on 10/6. I wish there was a sort of shopping delivery service for people about to go through it because it’s hard to focus on reading lots and yet it’s clear there are things to be getting into the cupboard which would make things easier!! Hmmm do I feel a new business idea coming on or has someone beaten me to it?
Thank you! Hello everyone. I am having my PICC line in on the 2nd and then start FEC-T on the 3rd. Am anxious but BCC has helped a lot xx
Brilliant thank you! Just had an hour at the dentist and the worst injection ever - overshadows the mastectomy!!
Thanks Sue for more tips/advice.
Hello to everyone, I think we are all going to find this forum extremely helpful!
To introduce myself: diagnosed end of January. Sentinel biopsy 14th February. Nodes clear. Right mastectomy and DIEP in March (discharged on my 50th!). Not the best birthday present but recovery has been extremely good and now the next chapter is 6 x FEC. I’m under Broomfield hospital, Melissa x
I’m 51, diagnosed 5 days after my birthday. Same paths as Melsy68 but what’s a DIEP? In hospital dozing after port-a-cath insertion. Hoping it’s been worth the effort and saves my veins:)
Thanks Sue, that’s really helpful. My PICC line is now in, so I hope I get some sleep tonight x
To add a bit more about myself I was diagnosed in December and had a WLE in January which didn’t get clear margins. I then had a mx in late Feb and SNB which found it had spread to 1. It’s triple negative. So not wishing to have a 3rd op so soon I’m starting chemo tomorrow before then having a full clearance. To continue the birthday theme I’m 59 on Saturday xx
Hi. I’m having my first chemo session on the 7th and tbh I’m rather scared about what’s to come. I’ve had some reassurance by going through other people’s posts but it’s still worries me. I’m 46 and had a mastectomy with reconstruction on the 20th March. Good luck to everyone who’s about to start or has already started their treatment xxx
Welcome Jk.
Sorry that you too have found yourself here, but we all try and support as much as possible.
Please don’t be worried about the chemo. The nurses will look after you on the day and then just take it really easy for a few days after. I found that I felt absolutely fine a week later.
Please feel free to ask questions and share any tips you learn along the way.
Best wishes
Sue xx
@melsy68 oh! I had immediate reconstruction but with implant because there wasn’t enough of me to go around! @jk71 I’m also v anxious for some reason I think it’s that there seems to be so much to think about and so many things that could seemingly happen. I’ve got my pre-meet with the BCN tomorrow morning so I’m hoping that will help because I’m def overthinking it atm!
@melsy68 btw you sound like you’ve been amazing with the pain! I had my mx on 26th Feb and I had weeks of pain, really only weaned myself off ibuprofen a couple of days ago. I did have re-incision on 26th March to get clear margins but I couldn’t say I didn’t experience any pain! The surgeon was brilliant so I don’t think it was his fault I think I must just have a low pain threshold.
I also had diep reconstruction because after five kids there was plenty excess tummy skin lol. Sue thanks for the welcome. Hets67 I’m sure it’s not going to be as bad as we think. I will let you know how I get on next week when my first session is over xx
Beautiful, ???ladies, 
, keep focused and keep positive. Break each cycle down into 3 weeks, it’ll make it go quicker. A few tips as you start on your chemo journey, drink 2-3 litres fluid a day, soft toothbrush and biotinene mouthwash mouth hygiene is important, I used antiseptic wipes for injections and did my injections looking into mirror grab hand full belly fat and do alternative sides of belly button, you will be fine doing it, keep postits up in kitchen so you can keep track of taking antisickness meds, steroids, and ticking off your jabs, you will get chemo brain, also steroids make you go online shopping ???of you get thrush mouth ask your onc for fluconzole tablets and difflam mouthwash. If your antisickness meds don’t work ring your unit, they will swap you for not different meds. Get anosol bum cream and sudocream, botty can back up with the meds. Paint fingernails with black polish it protects nails from uv light during chemo and will protect your nails also vitamin e oil into cuticles. Udderly smooth with urea cream from amazon for hands and feet and also a body moisturiser, your skin can dry out a bit during chemo. For fec chemo, suck Ice lollies while they put the red one in, it helps preserve your mouth, when on t, Epsom salt baths. Thermometer to keep track of your temperature and a diary do you can keep note of temperature and time you’ve had meds and done injections. The most important thing is even with no temperature if you feel unwell phone rapid response number, if your wee burns, phone rapid response, anything you phone rapid response, you will get through this and it’s important to keep yourselves safe which you will and you will get each other through this and we are all here to And keep you ???through, get a shared journey to focus on which you’ll all be together on, we had a ?, November had a ?January are ?:female_sign:And are teaching the beach now. You are all beautiful and ???hope this post helps a bit ???
Shi xx
Thanks Shi, that’s really helpful, what a brilliant forum this is.
Thanks Hets too, all went well, I chose not to cold cap, and I went to bed once I got home. Very nauseous and then very sick a few times. Have taken all the anti sickness meds I was given though and this morning I feel better ? The anxiety beforehand was so awful, but I made it past the first appointment so I hope this helps xxx