hi i found out yesterday that i need chemo then radiation treatment dont know much at this stage would welcome feedback xx
hi marieb,
I had WLE followed by chemo then radiotherapy now on tamoxifen.
I was petrified of the chemo…I was given a mild sedative…Lorazepam…at the chemo unit prior to treatment to help me relax quite a few people had the same tablet.
I remember my breast care nurse telling me to look on chemo as your friend not your enemy…so all through my first treatment i kept telling myself it was my friend…i went home waiting for the dreaded side effects to start…fortunately i did not have any severe one’s…i was on FEC…anti-sickness medication can be changed if it doesn’t seem to work too well for you, i had a tablet to take every morning for heartburn…which i started suffrering with after the first treatment…a mouth wash to use as my mouth became sore…it’s important to tell them of any side effects your having as they will do all they can to try and help reduce these.
As for the hair loss…i wasn’t that bothered about losing my hair…once i’d accepted i had to have chemo i cut my shoulder length hair shorter…myself…this was my way of saying…ok i’ve accepted its going to go…but i’m not waiting for it to fall out i want to be in control of this…after the first treatment i cut my hair down to grade 1 and wore my head scarves…didn’t want a wig.
After going through the chemo the radiotherapy didn’t seem any where near as bad.
If i can answer any of your questions in anyway i’ll try.
Take care
karen xx
Hi Marieb
Hope you are OK. Just wanted to tell you that chemo is doable. Think we are all so terrified at the thought of it, and get worked up about it, but just wanted to say that it is not as bad as we all fear and you will get through it. My session started with an anti sickness table by mouth, then a steroid anti sickness tablet intraveneously. This was followed with saline which cleans the veins through and then the chemo started, one part is done through intravenous and then I have 4 syringes with the rest of the chemo which are just inserted in the cannuala (splt wrong) and non of it hurts. I am on FEC x 3 and then taxotere x 3. I sit in an armchair, with my feet reclined eating sarnies and drinking tea. I go with my OH for company too.
Luckily I have had no side effects really, I take the anti sickness tablets that I am given and have had no sickness either. But if you do suffer, you must tell the chemo nurse or your onc, or someone and they will try a different set of antisickness tablets, until they find one which is good for you.
I have lost my hair. It happened about 18 days after first treatment and I decided to shave it off, as was coming out in clumps and I could not wash or comb it. I did have a wig ready, which I bought the day after my first chemo session. It is a very emotional hurdle to have to cross, and one which I found so very hard. But once I had had my hair shaved I started to feel a bit better, although I hate looking at myself in the mirror. I wear my wig everyday, and then hats at night. Everyone thinks my wig is fab, and I am slowly getting more used to it.
I hope this helps too, but remember you do things at your pace when you are ready. Don’t let anyone rush you. If you need anymore questions answering let us know, cos everyone will help you.
You will find heaps of support on here too.
Good luck and let us know how you get on.
Take care
Love
Dawn
x
Hi everyone
did anyone try the cold cap, due to begin chemo soon and wondered what it was like.
Thanks Caty
Hi Caty
Sorry the cold cap was not an option for me, but others will help you with this one. Good luck with your treatment though and let us know how you are.
Take care
Love
Dawn
x
Thanks everyone for your replies they really help i’m a bit of a wus but i will get there
Take care
Love
Mariex
Hello marieb
You are not a wus, you are just normal like the rest of us( although my OH says I’ve never been normal so how would he know) Chemo is a frightening thought but I can only agree with what the other girls have said, it is doable and we do get through it, sometimes with help from others, sometimes by actually offering just words of support as they really can lift your spirits.
The staff will look after you and please do ask as many questions as you want to, it doesn’t matter if it feels silly asking as it’s all new to you. You will be fine and we all look forward to hearing how it went, bet it won’t be as bad as you imaging.
keep in touch
Helen
Hi everyone i dont know when i start my treatment yet but thanks for all your encouragement i will definately keep in touch
love
Mariexx
Hi
I’ve just read this thread as feeling anxious myself. I get results from Mast and aux clearance on the 27th and then onto oncologyist for my treatment plan. Very very nervous about chemo as surgery has been plain sailing really. I need to swot up on chemo really. Do you get options or do you just take what they give you?
Ermmmmmmmmmm
Vanessa
Hi Vanessa and Marie
I’ve recently finished chemo, and believe me, if I can do it anyone can ! My tumour was quite large (5.2cms x 2.5cm) so my Consultant suggested chemo first,followed by mastectomy and aux clearance, then rads, then herceptin (phew!). Vanessa, in answer to your question, you do get options to a degree - my Oncologist suggested the NeoTango Trial (Treatment B1). She explained fully all about it and answered all my questions, but at no point forced me to take part in the trial. Before this, I was under the impression that there was one type of breast cancer, and one sort of chemo - how naive of me !
I had 8 sessions of chemo - the first four being EC and the last four taxol and gemcitabine. There are side effects, but everyone is different and react in different ways. Please don’t worry though, the hospital are great - their aim is for you not to suffer, and they do everything they can to ensure you don’t.
Yes, the hair loss isn’t great - but you do get used to it. I never thought I’d say that at the beginning !
Please don’t worry - the chemo is hard, but do-able, and it works !
Lots of love and big hugs to you both
Julie xxx
I’ve just finished chemo 2 weeks ago - due to have rads next. Chemo is very doable, make sure you take all the meds that are given and drink stacks of water. my good days throughout chemo far out numbered the bad days - when I was first told I was having 6 months chemo I thought I’d be in bed or unable to do anything for the majority of it - that is so far from what I experienced. there have only been a hand full of days that I have had my OH cook as I was unable to do it. Just take one day at a time - good luck
Hi Marie B
Re your question about the cold cap. It worked for me! I have had the dubious pleasure of been bald in 2004 and with hair thanks to the cold cap in 2007. The cold cap doesnt always work but I felt it was worth a try and it wasnt that bad.
Going bald wasn’t that bad but having the choice this time I felt much better with hair (even though I have lost 1/2 of the thickness). For me it wasn’t necessarly down to vanity, it was because I could go about my business feeling normal ‘ish’ with no sympathetic looks from strangers.
Hope this helps
Sam B
Hi Marie,
just to echo what everyone else has said really, chemo is tough but defo very doable!!! To be honest, if I can do it then I think anyone can!
I started a thread on the ‘undergoing treatment - chemotherapy’ page entitled ‘top tips going through chemo’. I hope it helps you a little.
Do let us know when you find out what chemo you will be having and when you are due to start,
Take care,
Kelly
-x-
Hi Kelly
Just wanted to say thanks to you for starting the ‘top tips’ thread. Great idea
Katie
Moderator
Breast Cancer Care
Hi everyone having a feeling sorry for myself day today,workmates came up yesterday it really cheered me up but i wanted to go with them and be (normal) again breastcare nurse is coming out Monday to talk more about Chemo then i,ve got hospital on Thursday to discuss treatment plan . Me and OH go to shops and garden centres etc. to keep busy and pass the day on a bit used to being busy busy so its a bit of a change of pace!!
thanks again for your support everyone i will keep in touch
Love
marie xx
Hi Marieb and everyone,
Im having a down day today as well and Im really annoyed with myself for letting it get to me. I have had my first chemo last week and it wasn’t as bad as I thought, but I have had terrible heartburn. It was great to read Karens message and know this is normal and that I can get something to stop it.
I have tried the cold cap and so far have managed to keep my hair, but it is early days yet. It does feel quite cold at the start but once you get used to it its not so bad.
Take care everyone and thanks to you all for sharing the highs and lows
xxxxx
Hey Baileys
Just wanted to say Im sorry your down, you seemed very positive the other day replying to my thread, so i should roles reverse and say take each day as it comes. You do get bad days, but you also get good days too.
Just wanted to send you a big hug.
Lynne
Hi there marie and baileys ,
Sorry you are both feeling down but just remember you are on the biggest rollercoaster at the moment so just go with it and it will pass until the next time !!
I had my first chemo in march, and have my last one tomorrow ,you will be amazed how quickly the months go by and as loads of people have already said it really not that bad ,just do 'one day at a time ’ .
i did the cold cap and it worked for me .
love
sarah x
Dear All
So much we share.
Sarah Good luck and well done you on your last chemo ses. XX
Thank you Karen for pointing out that chemo is the friend not the enemy. What a way to put it. I have told my girls 6 and 5 that mummy is having meds so she wont get ill.(I had LBC full mastec and AN removal got 6 rx FEC chemo and radsto follow) to show meds are working on the inside I have to see on the outside…hey ho mummy is going to lose her hair. In all that has happened a positive approach has been accepted by a positive response.
Usually more upbeat than this. Did do the hair gotta come off thing and really glad. Also enjoying in indulging in hats and scarfs. Cor tho feeling the cold this week. Anyone got a knitting pattern for a balaclava!! Pink wth a pom pom might be nice! (mmmm not).
Missi -x-
Hi everyone just to let you all know i start my treatment on 4th October !!! Just want to get on with it now . I’ve got the hospital on Thursday to run through the plan will let you know exactly what i’m having . Well thats enough of that is’nt it lovely outside gonna go to the shops and see my Granddaughter later she always cheers me up . Speak to you all later.
Love
Marie.xx