@nastynork Yes I’ve heard the antihistamine can cause drowsiness. Maybe I’ll take a pillow
I’m also a bit apprehensive about how well I’ll tolerate the Suzipads. Maybe I’ll do what you did and do 10 mins on, 10 mins off if it gets too much.
That’s awful about the cold cap leakage! Poor you. I’m sure it won’t have a detrimental effect on the overall hair preservation though. I’ve also heard that Paclitaxel is gentler than EC. In fact, I’ve read that some people actually have hair start to grow back while on Paclitaxel.
What meds did they give you to take home? Anti sickness? Steroids? Filgrastim injections?
Hi @poptart, they have given me steroids, but a lower dose (4mg once per day) for 2 days and anti sickness for 2 days. I am also on omeprazole daily which I take throughout as I am prone to acid reflux at the best of times.
So far I I have no nausea. I usually get headaches for a few days which I thought was from cold capping but no headache this time after my head warmed back up so maybe the headaches were a EC side effect.
Oh, and no filgrastim injections. At my trust they only give them on weekly paclitaxel if your neutrophils drop below range. Mine were within range at my prechemo.
I was just having a little smile to myself, as we all joined this group in October (thanks @dilly ), all very apprehensive about our futures and starting chemo, and what we were going to experience, and the potential side effects, and we’re now all experts, but ONLY in our own experiences, because if we gather ANYTHING from all our posts, it’s that chemo is SO individual! So many of us have had the same drugs, the same cycles, yet we’ve all had MASSIVELY different experiences. What a bloody mad journey hey
I’m rather jealous (but happy for) of all of you who are coming to the end of your chemo soon. I’ve done 7 cycles and still have 9 to go. Feels like forever, but it feels better now they are weekly as thry are counting down quicker. I’m coping well with the Abraxane and even managed to go to the gym today. I looked a bit ridiculous wearing a woolly hat to cover my bald patches, and a face mask for protection, but who bloody cares
@Mairead_49 I will be here for a long time too. Today was 5 of 16 so I still have 11 weeklys to go. Good to hear you managed to get to the gym. My step count has been suffering recently. I am hoping to build it back up a bit more or at least not let my average get any lower. I am no gym goer but I do like a nice walk in nature.
Yep, it’s a mad journey. I am glad I found this forum. Our experiences are different but it’s so good to have this group to support each other through. x
Well, I’m late to the gang, but despite doing so well with the cold cap though Docetaxel, EC has finally seen me baldy on top! I’m going to see my hairdresser tomorrow about having it all taken back to maybe 1cm or whatever she suggests. I’m thinking regrowth is going to be easier if everything is all very short as opposed to trying to hide the baldy top.
@Mairead_49 So jealous you are being able to go to the gym. Today has been tough, the pain was too much and got sent home from work and been in bed all afternoon, need to request stronger pain meds at next clinic, paracetamol and ibofane doesn’t even touch it.
3 weekly Docetaxel sounds good having bigger breaks but seems to be a longer recovery, I guess its a higher dose.
A very low day week this week.
@dilly sorry to hear that, I was a baldy top too, and felt so good to get it all off and then it’ll all grow back the same length instead of feeling like a monk lol
Another day ticked off, one day closer to the end of Chemo
Hello to new people been reading since the new year posts. A very late happy new year to your all. I did enjoy your gif @lumpybyebye about making sure you saw the back of 2025!
I’ve stayed off social media to reduce the noise and focus on getting through the days as I’ve felt all over the place this cycle emotionally However this last cycle of nab-paclitaxal has been the easiest physically- I think it’s got my ovaries this cycle .
Had my consultant meeting yesterday which was a tough meeting, it has wiped me out today along with all the snow chaos and schools shutting . I did ask about why I had to have Abraxane 3-weekly instead of weekly @Mairead_49, he said it was how it’s licenced . Glad you are still feeling well and going gym. I’m looking forward to going running next week, staring couch to 5K again.
Been having a cuddle with my son’s weighted panda he got from Christmas (thank you @lumpybyebye for the link)
I finish my active Chemo window on Wednesday next week, and thought I would feel relief or something, but I seem to have the same anxiety about something new, as I was prescribed tamoxifen tablets to start next week (and will be on for 10 years ). Anticipation of unknown again I guess.
But… I got the green light about booking a holiday☀️ so hopefully can re-book the one we had to cancel over Christmas and New Year @tessie86 wise words you posted recently
I know right, of all the things! I’m going to be scraping every last little bit I can out of it still And there he is sat here looking like butter wouldn’t melt x
@poptart thank you, now that I’ve finished this lot of injections the pain has eased right off today. So will get them requested for the next round of chemo when I have to go through the injections again. I hate them so much!!!
So, my hair: I had a no. 4 yesterday, and felt such a sense of relief! The loss on top is even all over and even glowing pinkly under the light it looks much, much less baldy than when it was a longer pixie.
Now, in my head I thought I might look like one of those older, chic models as I’m 60 next month. A high cheek bone, a bold lip, a statement earring…
I hadn’t factored in my greeny-grey complexion that pairs nicely with my brown under-eye swags, my half eye brows that make me look permanently slightly surprised and my disappearing eye lashes which hint at a startled rabbit
Ehhhh, bollox to it all!! I treated myself to a £4.50 eyebrow pencil with a wee brush thing on the lid and now I just need to dig out some earrings and find my lone lipstick last seen at the bottom of an old handbag!!!
@dilly thank you for making me smile with the hair madness and it’s ace you are dealing with it with humour. I’m currently sporting a ridiculously thin ponytail with a mostly bald crown area, and just leaving it whilst hoping I’ll get some regrowth soon as people often do with Abraxane/Paclitaxel. Thankfully it’s winter and I can wear a bobble hat when I leave the house.
@poptart from what I see, people on the weekly cycles experienced some regrowth from cycles 6 onwards of the weekly Abraxane/Paclitaxel. A friend of mine who went through the same cycles a few years ago got regrowth through the weekly Paclitaxel cycles. I would just like the bald patches to fill in so it’s less obvious. At the moment I look like I’m doing a very bad combover job!
been reading since the new year posts. A very late happy new year to your all. I did enjoy your gif 
However this last cycle of nab-paclitaxal has been the easiest physically- I think it’s got my ovaries this cycle 
.
. I did ask about why I had to have Abraxane 3-weekly instead of weekly 
(thank you 
). Anticipation of unknown again I guess.
x
,
And there he is sat here looking like butter wouldn’t melt 
and it’s ace you are dealing with it with humour. I’m currently sporting a ridiculously thin ponytail with a mostly bald crown area, and just leaving it whilst hoping I’ll get some regrowth soon as people often do with Abraxane/Paclitaxel. Thankfully it’s winter and I can wear a bobble hat when I leave the house.