Oh goodness @ake you’ve really been thro it haven’t you. I wondered where you were. Glad you are feeling more normal & that they are willing to resume with your next dose 
- clearly you will be dreading it but there’s certainly a benefit to ticking them off. 
I was wondering about periods too, I’m due on on Tuesday when i have my next chemo - I had assumed chemo would make my periods do one but I don’t think that’s always the case 
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@ake sending you a big virtual hug, sounds like you have really been through it. I hope next round is much kinder to you. Take care
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Omg, I feel just the same. I dont know what to do with my hair. Sick of seeing it everywhere, on floor clothes, in my food, can’t seem to get to grips with scarves etc as as soon as I touch it more falls out! I’m terrified to breathe! Should I just get it cropped short and be done with it? Will they still let me cold cap? So many questions, I’m driving myself quite mad. 
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Hope you feel beeter soon. I wondered why you are having Carboplatin as that was mentioned to me as a possibility? The onc said it’s if you’re triple negative usually but I wondered if it was as I have lung nodules and it will depend on my CT in November.
Oh my gosh, you’ve had everything and the kitchen sink thrown at your feet. Lets hope the next stage is easier to tackle and symptoms less, sending a big hug x
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Thanks @Shi - how did your next rounds go after being admitted in the first cycle?
Thanks for the encouragement!
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Well I had a grade 2 on Thursday and I’m just like you fed up with it being all over everything and it’s coming out in handfuls still. I’ve got bald patches and stripes I just look awful so I’m going to shave the whole lot off I’ve had enough and I’m tired and feeling sorry for myself. I’m going to be the best Kojak I know how. But I’m buying hats this afternoon.
I don’t know about cold cap maybe ask your nurse. Best of luck with what you decide x
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Thanks @sunshineandunicorns - been thinking of you too. Sounds like you’ve had a pretty awful time of it, and @luckyduck1 too. I’ve got my PICC line going in tomorrow - feeling pretty nervous about that, but hoping there won’t be more complications on top of what I’ve already had.
The periods thing is really weird - I had a normal-ish period and since then I’ve been on and off bleeding tiny amounts. I mentioned it in hospital but no one seemed that concerned.
Agree, better to keep ticking them off!
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Thanks @sharlou - you look bloody amazing with your short hair, though I’m sorry you went through that so quickly. You did cold cap too didn’t you? Really unlucky - sorry.
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Aw poor you @luckyduck1 - I think when I get to that stage I’ll just want to chop it off but it’s really hard to predict. I think they should still let you cold cap because it is supposed to promote regrowth too right? Sorry you’re having such a nightmare, one thing after another.
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Haha I could have written this. I am even basing what I’m wearing on how easy it is to get over my head so I don’t pull too many more hairs out! 
bloody ridiculous right!
In for bloods tomo so going to ask the question about cold capping too, seen many posts on here about a surgical cap to protect your head if needed but also seen posts of people being told they can’t, so like a lot of the different things we are experiencing I fear it will be down the the individual trusts.
But the cancer hair care website says:
Gauze or a surgical cap may also be used to protect your scalp if needed. For example if you have an area of thinning hair/baldness.
Surgical cap
Bare skin should not come in contact with the cold cap. Therefore a surgical cap or gauze might be used to protect the scalp.
So that’s what I’ll be going with x
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Good luck @sunshineandunicorns
let me know what they say. I know Paxman say you can, but as you say, individual trusts. No one has really spoken to me about cold capping other than to ask if i am. There’s been no advice or particular support. I’m supposed to be having a care plan meeting phonecall on tuesday. You’d think they would put that in place first!!!
Headwrappers mentioned a charity called Hair reborn which offers a service for your first 3 haircuts after chemo free. They are dotted around the country, I can’t remember where you are but they may have one near you. They will also advise so I’ll call them tomorrow. If i do decide to cut short, I’m a bit scared that a normal salon won’t know what they are doing with chemo hair. I mean I’ts going to fall out as they are trying to cut it. Bloody nightmare. I’ll let you know if I get any clarity.
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@Linda_Corinne I have HER2+ and ER- breast cancer, which is one of the more aggressive types (as is triple negative) - docetaxel and carboplatin with Phesgo or equivalent is the standard of care for HER2+ I think - as is having chemo before surgery, which I’m having too. So I don’t know for sure about spread but so far they haven’t seen signs of spread on ultrasound. I have CT scan results next week though I think.
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Ake 
my oncologist reduced my chemo so had 2 more fec then went onto docetaxol, unfortunately had a reaction on 2nd docetaxol (this has happened to a few of us on the threads over the years and your teams have seen it all before and know what to do so just wanted to reassure you all as you go through treatments) I did want to run for the hills but wanted to see chemo through and with support of Oct17 gang I was part of got through and had another fec for my 6th chemo. I was tnbc so ended up having 3 fec, 2 docetaxol and then another fec. Others who’ve had reaction to docetaxol went onto abraxane and were fine with that. So just wanted to reassure anyone reading this I did make sure I’d got fluconzole in my goody bag each round as chemo gave me thrush mouth each round. I also took life Mel honey after that first round too. I don’t know if it was reduced chemo or the life Mel honey or combination of both but luckily stayed out of casa nhs for my remaining 5 chemos so please take it one treatment at a time hang onto each other, you’ll get each other through plan a meet up or something for when your all through, us Oct17 gang had a weekend in London when we were all through chemo, ops and rads 
gave us something to look forward to lots of other threads have done the same too (do over pm if you do as the threads are open to the world do keep safe) 
Shi xx
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Strange as I am triple positive 2nd time round and on Paclitaxel (as had docetaxel before). I was told people usually have docetaxel. Maybe it depends on size etc too.
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I was triple negative, everyone’s treatment is tailored specifically to them and also treatments have moved on a lot since 2017 it’s never a one size fits all I know this is your second time round were you triple positive first time? As one of our gang from oct17 had recurrence within 2 years and it was different type to their first diagnosis. Happy to say they are doing fine 
Shi xx
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Sounds like an amazing idea @Shi altho RN this feels like a lifetime away! Nice to have something to look forward to though
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I was hormone receptive and now it’s also HER2 so more aggressive. Michelle had another lump after 2 years in the other breast which was triple negative and was hormone and HER2 first time. Also OK still. My cousin had the same as me after 14 years.
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Well we were Oct17 gang and we had out London weekend the aug18 but gave us something to look forward to we still speak daily and still meet up few times a year and have a weekend away together at least once a year our beautiful friendship came from something that tried to harm us and the bcn threads 
was our safe space to 
and everything inbetween hang onto each other you will get each other through Shi xx
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Spoke to the lovely lady who did my bloods this morning, she said how long to cold cap is up to us & they have people doing it with no hair - she said it definitely does help regrowth & they do whatever works best for that person to protect the scalp.
Thanks for the link on hair reborn - I had actually seen that but didn’t know what it offered - I’m in Cheshire & actually one of the places I looked at for wigs is part of the scheme
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