Happy Birthdaaaay! 
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Hi, I had my mastectomy done on 20 Jul and had the nasty surprise to have a 5mm tumour in my first lymph node which was undetected through PET scan. Received my Node DX test results and seems that I will have to do Chemotherapy. Waiting to have a chat with a second Oncologist to see what he advises. First one mentioned Taxol weekly for 12 weeks.
I am dreading Chemotherapy, mostly as the side effects are so many and I really am worried about hair loss and face hair loss (mostly eyebrows/eyelash) and peripheral neuropathy. Likely will start around mid-Sept.
Looking forward to get to know you and exchange notes.
Good luck to you lovely ladies.
PS just writing this post and I am already feeling emotional as chemo is not something I was expecting. Trying to be brave about it.
Question: did any of you have a hair cut? How short did you cut your hair?
My hair is waist length and I am not sure how much to cut.
And I am definitely thinking of using the cold cap to decrease any hair loss.
Thanks in advance for the advice.
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Happy Birthday
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Best wishes on your special day
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I watched it and thought she told her story with grit and grace. It was so strange to watch, almost like i was watching my own story unfoldā¦I found it quite cathartic.
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Happy Birthday! What did you do?
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Hi Uzi,
My hair was down to just past my bra strap and Iāve had it cut to my collarbone. Mainly so itās easier to manage more than anything else. Iām going to try the cold cap, but Iām not sure Iāll stick with it as I tend to get migraines. I havenāt been too worried about my eye lashes and eye brows, I wonder why??
Iāve been looking at various plan B options like a wig and head coverings just in caseā¦
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I just had a bad experience and as I have been on Letrozole 5 plus years my hair is worse than before I think and itās coloured so I went for a short cut to avoid matting. Prob my own fault as I left it 2 days without getting the loose hairs out. You may keep all your hair but I just canāt face a matt and having to shave it again. I hope to keep my hair short using the cold cap but have been undecided what to do for a while. You could just have a good trim and see how it goes. I coped with my hair short though in the end and just used headbands to cover the top where I lost most. I had a wig and other things to cover my head but didnāt use them. It was hot though in Summer 2018. It will be colder this time round.
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Mine is more for ease too. 1 less thing to think about.
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Thanks Sharlou. I will cut similar to you, dont want a shorter hair unless of course, it falls while in treatment.
Migrainesā¦gosh, this is not good. You have to lower the light in the room especially if you will be stressed and be in the room for hours. Try to see how the nurses can help. Good luck Lovely!
I hope to talk to a nurse soon so that I get a list of Dos and Donts. Want to be prepared for the D-Day!
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Thank you 
Iām actually really looking forward to my education appointment on Wednesday so that I feel a bit more prepared!
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Thanks my Lovely for sharing your details. Sad to hear of your bad experience. Hope it is not a repeat ever to you or to anyone. It must be heartbreaking to shaveā¦so dont again. Short hair will grow and it will take time, just like what we are going through.
Maybe the cold will be a good thing as it will be the right time to start covering the head.
Another worry for me is that I want to keep working through my chemo. Do you have experience in thisā¦ is this easy to cope.
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I share you excitement Sharlou. Good luckā¦and do share what happens 
Today I had my Lymphodema massage. This is something which I look forward to for 2 weeks now. Funny how small things like this make me happy!
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I just canāt face not being able to get a matt out and having to shave it again. Anyway I like my short cut (still over my ears). I worked last time in an office and just had afew days off when need be. You will have to see how you feel. I was lucky. Also it depends what you do. I tried to stay away from people with infections. I work from home now apart from going in to the office every week or 2 but I can get round that I think as discussed it with my boss so may not need to go in at all. I just know the office will be germ ridden and Iāve not told anyone there yet so may just nip in early if need be.
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We are on a staycation so just went to the beach. But feeling really rough so not the greatest! Itās not Covid so either a bad cold or flu. Really hoping I feel better by next week! 
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I will be having taxol weekly for 12 x weeks followed by EC. The 12 x weekly taxol seems to be the treatment they give to all pre menopausal women with IDC. Assuming thatās you. Itās called Dose dense chemotherapy just in case you werenāt awareā¦I mention this cos I was super freaked out when I found out Iād be having it weekly, having been told by my consultant before seeing the oncologist it would be 3 x weekly. But it is what it is.
I did cut my hair from fairly long to just above shoulder bob (supposedly so I can still tie it up but I bloody canāt it falls out and itās doing my head in!). I suppose from next week my hair falling out of my ponytail will be the least of my worries 
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I was planning on working thro my chemotherapy. Then at my appt with my oncologist (s) - 2 of them both told me I 100% wouldnāt be able to. So now Iām not. But when I had my pre assessment with the chemo nurse earlier this week she said some people do. So I donāt know anymore. But probably going to give myself a break at least for the first month to see how I am going
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My oncologist told me I was having dose dense but Iām having 4 x EC and then 4 x paclitaxel every fortnight! (Iām also premenopausal). Itās so strange the little changes from Trust to Trust and area to area. I had positive nodes but the decision was taken not to do a node clearance, whereas Iāve noticed other women have had the clearance as standard. I try not to think about the possible implications of why I wasnāt given it
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Thanks Sharlou for sharing the information. I will let you know my outcome of the discussion with my oncologist. From the little that I know, I think it is also differing from person to person. How one copes with treatment and with all the added on stress around us. Big hug full of care
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