I saw my oncologist for the first time yesterday and I told her I wanted to stop chemo, I only had two more Doxy left but I just felt like I couldn’t take anymore. I’ve had my picc line removed and slept last night like a baby for the first time in ages.
Because of my lung clots I’ve got to wait for my node clearance and second mastectomy, and of course radiotherapy; but that’s fine. Hopefully it will give my body the time it needs to recover and get ready to fight again in the New Year.
It didn’t work for me ladies because of how my body reacted, we’re all so different. Don’t let my bad experiences put you off at all, I’ve had 4 out of 6 of my cycles so I’m glad about that.
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My onc said last week lots of people drop out of dox and it’s fine. I’ve done 2 out of 3 dox and not sure I’ll manage the last one . Evil stuff . You have to do what’s right for you and your body
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does sound like Trish mouth, they can give you drops or tablets, I had fluconzole tablets each round of chemo for it, I know it’s Christmas but don’t leave it, ring your team and get meds for it 
Shi xx
Thrush mouth sorry typo Shi xx
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@pod123 yes I have this issue too, my next chemo is 4 x days prior to my little one’s 4th birthday party! I’m dreading it even more than I’m dreading Christmas tomorrow! I asked for more dexa for my next cycle to get me thro it as based on last cycle I will be broken! They obv said no but said I can reduce my dose to make it last longer 
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I need to do something about my eyelashes, left eye has sod all left, right eye is fine 
I’ve ordered some clear glasses in the hope they’ll protect my eye because it’s sooo sore (guess that’s all the dust and shit going in it from lack of eyelashes). It’s that or an eyepatch!
Does anyone have any recommendations for false eyelashes?
@magl @sez I had terrible adult acne before bc and found benzoyl peroxide (acnecide 5%) that you can buy in the chemist was a big help. I had used it in my teens and for many years could only be bought on prescription. I eventually got to see a dermatologist who prescribed Epiduo (benzoyl peroxide 2.5% and Adapalene) which improved even more. Then moved into a maintenance with Adapalene ( which is a synthetic retinoid type product and can be anti aging).
I was told to stop the Adapalene during chemotherapy as they couldn’t guarantee the interactions. My skin hasn’t broken out since starting chemotherapy or being on Letrozole, makes me think mine was hormone related all along ( had been told sensitive, avoid essential oils, fragrances etc but still broke out)
Please check with your team or oncology pharmacist to see if you can use any of the above. I remember a couple of ladies on my chemo group last year really suffered with breakouts and antibiotics worked for them, I suppose it depends why you have the spots. I did years of antibiotics in my teens and they never worked well for me.
I hope they get better soon, I know from experience it knocks your confidence in your appearance.
Hopefully you’ll still be living it up on the steroid wave! Maybe some of the other mums can help out with the party. Is it Docetaxel? I had my first one on Thurs and I’m still feeling a bit ropey. Quite a lot of pain and I’m shuffling around like a penguin as my feet are sore and feel a bit weird! I really hope the next cycle isn’t any worse.
I had dreadful acne until about a decade ago when it started improving a lot (or I stopped caring as much). It started recently because I have dodgy hair follicles that refuse to just grow hairs. They love to produce ingrown hairs and get infected. Since I started the lymecycline my gp prescribed my scalp has started clearing up again. I’ll be on it three months so hopefully my hairs will have started regrowing by that point so they’re not in the too short so they end up ingrown again.
My leg hair started to grow back and there were two ingrown hairs that I plucked and hot damn did they get infected and not heal for weeks (I think because of my low neutrophils). They’ve scarred pretty badly.
I think I tried that peroxide stuff when I was a teenager, and wow did my body refuse to cooperate. Topical things on their own just don’t work for me. Thank you for the suggestion though (my hormones are just too strong for topical I reckon).
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Although I’m not on docetaxel anymore my feet have felt like they’ve been buzzing for over a month now. Luckily the bone pain after cycle 5 only lasted 9 days but the weird buzzing/vibrating never stops. Is yours like that? Makes me feel unsteady walking, like they’re too weak.
My oncologist sort of just brushed by me mentioning it do I assume it’s normal, but I didn’t have it the previous 4 cycles and it seriously disturbs my sleep some nights.
My eyes are too sensitive for false eyelashes (mine are either barely hanging on or miniscule regrowth so really itchy) so I cheat with eyeshadow (soft brown so from far away it looks like more) and eyebrow pencil (darker brown/black to draw wisps if someone is close).
I probably shouldn’t be giving advice though, while it makes me look less ill I still suck at makeup.
I’m hoping the makeup workshop will give some good tips when I go mid-Jan. Maybe someone on here has been already?
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It’s not really a buzzing feeling. More like a slight decrease in sensation. I’ve had problems with cracked skin on one heel since the summer and I’m a terrible picker so it hadn’t completely cleared up before chemo. It seems the chemo does go for your weak points as now that heel feels stranger than the other one. I’ve got urea cream which helps but it’s like there’s too much thickness of skin now and I presume at some point it might peel off 
I did go to a makeup workshop but I don’t think they mentioned false eyelashes. The tip was just to use eyeliner and it does make a difference to me anyway as I’d never used it before. It defines the edge of the eyes even without lashes. Mine are still hanging in there but a bit more sparse. I got loads of lovely free stuff too - nice Tropic cleanser, expensive moisturiser, and a good eyebrow pencil with a wee sponge thing on one end plus a load of other stuff. Met a few nice girls who were good to chat to as well and I’ve seen one since at the chemo unit so that’s been nice.
Maybe I’m alone with my buzzy feet (I hope so, it’s awful and I hope others don’t have to deal with it too)? 
I wish it’d stop soon though (even if it’s not painful at the moment, I’m sure it will be after my final cycle this weekend), it’s driving me mad.
My body’s always behaved weirdly, even before my diagnosis.
You’d think they’d focus a lot on places with hair loss that can so drastically change a person’s appearance (I really miss my eyebrows, they weren’t the best but now I only have about 5 max eyebrow hairs per side and I look bloody awful (and am crap at drawing new ones one).
I’m glad you got to go to a workshop at least, I know some areas it’s quite difficult finding any.
Hi @janie3
I am glad you were able to get the right outcome for you. I am on paclitaxel, so a bit different but my oncologist said he would be happy with 9 out of 12 cycles.
Benzoyl peroxide sounds interesting. I’m willing to try anything and if I can buy it myself without a prescription that’s good because I feel more in control. I’ve got over being careful. I’m fairly pleased with the creams I’ve got from The Skin Shop. The spots are no longer pustules, mostly flat red and fading, although they’ve suddenly appeared in a line where my eyebrows used to be so they haven’t gone away completely.
I’m only on Trastuzumab and Letrozole at the moment and I don’t know if it’s one of them or the chemo that’s caused it. . I’ve just refused radiotherapy and have 9 weeks to change my mind if I want to. I feel as though I’ve got off quite lightly so far and I don’t want to tempt fate by taking any more risks of permanent damage.
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I tried eyeliner after you suggested it but sadly it didn’t work for me - too dark and dramatic - so I’ve reverted to brown or grey eye shadow when I need to go out. But I try not to go out. I’m becoming a recluse.
Just catching up on all your posts.
Docetaxel made my temp spike every cycle. To avoid a&e, i just ignored it on last cycle.
Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas and hoping those still having chemo can enjoy it as much as possible.
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Let me know if you try it and it’s works.
Sending love
Docetaxel people - please tell me this fatigue will eventually lift?? I’m 7 days after my first D and I’m soooo tired. I feel like an old woman. I’m going up stairs one at a time and if I get down on the floor it’s a real struggle to get up. With EC I felt pretty normal by day 7 but this is another level 
@pod123 it does lift. I have docetaxal and carbaplatin every 3 weeks. I am day 10 and still exhausted but it will be better in. A couple of days. I normally have about one week really bad, one okay week and one good week. Sorry you are suffering xx
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