Hi I am joining the October thread as I start chemotherapy next Thursday (24th October) the plan for me is 6 rounds of chemo 3 weeks apart. I am having 3 EC followed by 3 Docetaxel. I was diagnosed the 18th June with grade 2 invasive ductal ER/PR positive & HER2 negative. I had lumpectomy & bi lateral breast reduction on the 14th August. I am going to try & cold cap but I’ve been told it’s not the machine that I’ll be offered it’s a gel cap that’s kept in the freezer. Has anyone else had this type of cold cap & what are the results like?
Hi all. I’m reading your thread and I have so much admiration for you sharing your experiences. I was expecting to be starting in October. I had mastectomy in august 65mm spread of er/pr + her2- dcis. Lymph nodes showed 2 out of 3 taken positive for metastases. I was told in 2nd of October after 2 reviews of my case by MDT I’m having chemo followed by radiotherapy followed by ovarian suppression as 47 and not gone through menopause then versenios for 3 years and letrozol and goselerin. After 2 reviews they have graded the cancer as grade 2 and told me slow growth no changes in anything in my lymph’s and instead of lymph clearance which I was offered firstly now changed to chemotherapy and radiotherapy to clean up. My chemo now pushed back to November but I can’t help worrying that while cancer traces present in the lymph Would lymph clearance be better. Lots of you warriors on here have had it and peace of mind is that it’s removed. My breast cancer consultants are sure chemo and radiation will have same clearance without the invasive surgery of removal. What are your thoughts xxx
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I’m day 3 following my first EC and I’m so tired and have such little energy. I hoped I wouldn’t feel like this, it’s horrible. I’m going to try to pick my children up from school this afternoon but I don’t know if I’ve got it in me. This is so much harder than I thought it would be. Any tips to boost my energy or make me feel less tired? I don’t want to nap but think I might have to.
Sorry to hear you’re feeling so rubbish Coll… it really is the pits.
I’m 10 days post first EC and have felt totally back to normal this week. It’s nice to know that we’ll have some good days before it starts again.
I found last week that taking a short walk, literally 15 mins round the block, plus a nap did help me. Your body has been through a lot and needs some time/TLC to recover. Sending lots of love xx
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day 3 onwards are hardest, I really would take the pressure off yourself. My husband had to do the full week of school runs after my first session, there’s no way I would be able to. If someone can help you, let them 
You’ll feel better next week I’m sure xx
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This is similar to mine, I’m 39 and they’ve started my ovary suppression now though. I had lymph node clearance but mine was fast growing. I wasn’t happy to have the clearance as the long term consequences aren’t ideal, but I have to trust they know what they are doing. I don’t think they do it unless they think it’s necessary, and I’m sure they are right that the chemo and radio will clean anything up. I hope the treatment goes well when it starts next month xx
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Thank you Tracey and Phebe, it’s really kind of you to respond. I’ve got plenty of help with the children, everyone is being so nice and helpful, I just don’t like feeling so rubbish and out of action. I’m hanging on to that magical day 10 you mention Tracey, hopefully I’ll feel more normal then. Naively, I thought I’d sail through this but chemo is its own beast I’m learning. Thanks again. xxx
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Hi ladies, just jumping in again from August starters group. Wanted to help with sone of your questions.
Picc lines…you can sleep on that side. I can’t even tell mine is there anymore. It’s like a part of me. I toss and turn all night. Picc line is fine. Put your arm out with a pillow on top if it helps.
EC…first one was the hardest for me. I had 3rd last week. I feel very tired but the side effects seem to get less on each cycle. As someone else said, taking a walk each day really helps boost energy.
Sleep when you can during the steroid phase. My husband did all the school runs for week one of cycle and we asked friends to help too.
Keep going. It gets to be more of a routine and that helps. X
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Thank you so much!! Really appreciate that advice xx
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Hi everyone. Im starting chemo on friday. I have 4 cycles of docytaxel & another beginning with c and 18 rounds of phesgo. I had mastectomy and lymph node clearance july.
Ive been in an amazing mindset and positive. Tonight im getting a little nervous of the unknown but will try to embrace everything but absolutely dreading it. Good luck everyone x julie
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Hey Phoebe - same boat here but now developed lymphoedema in my boob!!! Your picc line arm is fine to sleep on apparently xx
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Hey BlueSatsuma - thanks for your wisdom! I’m due my second round of EC next Monday and can feel myself getting anxious! I was pretty chilled about the first one and, to be honest, didn’t have any ghastly side effects, so I think I’m convincing myself that the next one is going to be worse! Good to know that wasn’t your experience though!
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Hello all!!
Hope your all doing okay. Not sure if Im to join October or Novembers as I start chemo on 31/10 (yup on halloween!)
Im 36, married, mum of one. I got diagnosed on August 2nd - Stage 2a grade 2 multifocal IDC (25mm 20mm 6mm) with a sprinkle of DCIS, negative SLNB. Left side mastectomy on September 4th. Im now having 4 x EC followed by 4 x Taxol fortnightly then possibly RT.
If Im meant to be in Novembers chat then I wish you all the absolute best lovelies xxx
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Hi @rambleon
I’m waiting to start my chemo was hoping it would have started allready bit not yet so I’ll fall into Novembers group. Hope it all goes well for you. I’m just waiting and waiting and waiting for a start date 
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Hi @louisea77 I’m just on here from the September starters group for a wee nosey and happened to see your post. My first cycle was 25th Sept and now my second one is delayed due to bloods so I’ll probably be alongside some October people anyway. I had 2 of 6 nodes involved and they did then proceed to giving me a full node clearance, but I think it was to do with the extent of the cancer in those 2 nodes, and the fact that it was escaping out of one of them into the surrounding tissue. The Drs said they sometimes do radiotherapy instead and it gives a lower risk of lymphoedema but in my case they recommended the surgery. So I’m sure your team have fully evaluated your results and decided on the best outcome for you. I believe in the USA the radiotherapy is more commonly done and there are ongoing studies about it.
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Hi @louisea77 July threader here 
I had 1 of 2 come back macromets too and I didn’t have a clearance
I read the AMOROS and Z11 trials to understand why I was being given the option
I also have a friend who is a BC onco & I asked her how to they decide which node route was best
She said progressive surgeons / radios don’t overtreat when poss & the studies mentioned are showing less aggressive surgery paths work
And worth noting in the US ONCOTYPE testing has extended to age 50+/post memory too with 1-3 nodes +
Science is moving all the time
Best of luck
Hi all
I have joined the group today! Still was t sure up to yesterday afternoon whether i was starting today or not. Had my 1st of 12x weekly paclitaxel then 3x 3 weekly EC. Had a reaction after 5 mins so the nurses jumped into action to stop the infusion and give steroids and i quickly recovered. After 40 mins break with just a saline flush they tried again and it was fine, think my body was just like WTF are you doing 
Home now and just a bit tired so going to have a nap
Hope everyone has been doing as well as can be expected
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Hi,
I found the first 3 days were my worst. Thankfully no nausea but no appetite and not being able to sleep made me feel weak. From day 4 I got stronger everyday. I’m just starting to lose my hair now which is affecting me mentally. I feel very low and dreading my next chemo next week.
I hope you’re feeling better!
Harriet x
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Hi Birdie, Trish and everyone,
Hope you are all hanging on in there. This treatment is affecting us in so many ways physically and mentally. It is tough and not for the faint hearted - so it is good that we are brave and can also share here what is happening in our lives and support one another 
I am back in this world after leaving hospital. And I am seeing that as a blessing, actually.
Thank you, everyone for your kind thoughts and wishes.
Please forgive me for not writing earlier. I have been taking some time off to reflect and take it easy after my week in hospital.
I have thought of you all and I’d like to share my experience in case it can help others.
I started my first cycle of TC on the 8 October - was ‘ok’ the first few days, some heavy borne pain and nausea. Then on the 11.10 I was admitted to hospital with fever and Diarrhoea after calling the cancer treatment emergency line and them advising me to go to A&E straight away.
At hospital they found that my CRP infection marker was high, they did not find a bacterial source of infection though. They kept me in and started to treat me with a course of antibiotics.
Two days later I was neutropenic and treated with 2,extra white blood cell booster injections. These did the trick thankfully and I was discharged Thursday after completion of a complex program of antibiotics.
I spend four days in hospital in a Side room and isolation - and the first two days in a cubicle on different wards which was somewhat unerving.
What I learn from this experience is that we can all hope that things go ok/well and for many women they do.
I think there’s also around 20% of women who will experience severe neutropenia like me at some point of their treatment. (Neutrophils were 0.09)
I have now packed (and recommend to everyone) a hospital bag for any issues of this kind with clothing, wasgbag, phone charger, wet wipes, antibacterial hand gel, Kn95 masks and lip balm. Makes sense to have your medicines bag handy to take with you. I suggest to also take any regular medicine you are taking with you.
If you do get neutropenic you will want everything to be clean,knowing that your defence system isn’t working.
I was moved between different wards and felt concerned and wore my mask when possible. Staff are lovely and helpful, but some staff will be wearing gloves and PPE while others might not. So it is a good idea to bring some good masks with you to minimise your exposure to germs and protect yourself as well as possible.
The experience has been exhausting, they took around 10 is rounds of blood samples
And felt like being hit by a brick.
I’m ok again now and grateful for the help I received and glad they did not find a bacterial infection.
And so glad my neutrophils are now back to more reasonable levels too. I really didn’t like being ‘very vulnerable’ in the worrds of the oncologist.
I am taking it easy now before meeting my oncologist next week to review the cycle and plan the next one. Will have to say sorry for this pathetic first effort. 
a bit of a car crash really. 
really determined that the next one goes better which shouldn’t be too difficult given how low I set the bar…
. it’s funny I feel like making jokes about it maybe because I cried quite a lot actually.
Will do, just thinking about it all.
I also suggest that you take your favourite music, or book and earphones with you . when things got really tough and I couldn’t sleep. I listened to my favourite music and that keep kept me sane and helped me escape from all the trouble for a little while at least.
Time in the hospital was intense and lonely and I felt quite shaken and helpless.
I’ve been missing my family and son so much.
I felt also Inspired by some conversations I had with nurses and other staff and thinking about writing a blog actually about my experiences once things feel a bit steadier…
I’m re-focusing now and trying to regain some energy for the second cycle. Telling myself when that is done, it will be 1/3 down off my six 3 week TC cycles.
My love and best wishes for everyone, hope you are all ok
Rose 
xo
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rosegarden1:heart:glad your back home now 
Shi xx
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