Donna, HAPPY BIRTHDAY :-D, hope u have a great day
Harryduck glad u had good weekend, mine was quiet but good, I’m gonna get out in my garden this week, try and make most of sunshine 
got lots of weeds that need evicting, I’ve got an appt to c wig lady on thurs and will take my daughters with me so we can have a laugh, all the best to all x Toni xx
HI Anni
I am off for my first session of FEC today and am trying the cap - I will let you know how it goes!
Langdon
Langdon. Hope it all goes well today. Imsure you will be fine. Looking forward to a full cap report later x
Bikerchic. Hope the weeds dont put up to much of a fight. Just noticed my first Iris’s are out they are the sented ones. Will go and give them a good sniff later. Wig shopping sounds good. x
Hello all,
I haven’t posted on this site before, I usually post on the bone mets site. I am due to have my first lot of chemo on Wednesday, 6 rounds of Docetaxel, as I didn’t have it after my initial treatment and the BC has progressed a bit. I know the treatment hopefully should knock everything back and keep it all managed, I’ll then go back on hormone therapy after, but am still scared all the same. I have my pre-chemo meeting this afternoon, see the ONC tomorrow morning and as mentioned have treatment on Wednesday. I was wondering if you do get side effects when do they start to happen? Also I know my hair will fall out, how long does it take to get a wig etc?
Claire x
Hi Claire and welcome. Im having Docetaxel. We are all differant but mine started the same day with a runny bum…! Lovely. Hope your meeting goes well later and they can answer your questions. Let us know how you get on. x
Hi Claire, I’m on dif chemo to u, but I think SEs r pretty much the same, feeling/being sick, taste buds don’t exist, headache, everything is also an effort, so tired, lasts for about 1 week ish, then things start to get better, hair may start to fall out at about 2weeks after treatment, but everyone is dif, I had my first FEC on 14th may, and got my appt to c wig lady through on the 18th, and appt is 24th, so it’s all quite quick really, hope all goes well with pre-chemo, and onc tomorrow, and all the best for weds Harryduck I luv Iris’s, they used to be my mums favourite as well, bless her, guess that’s where I got it from, the weeds don’t want to put up a fight I’m a bit emotional right now so may have to so them who’s boss lol 
*show
Hi Clare
I am due my first chemo on Wednesday, Im haing FEC. Good Luck. I have my wig appointment Friday. My daughter is coming with me.
Good luck Langdon for your first session. And to everyone else who is due.
Hope you all had a good weekend, I spent yesterday in the garden trying to tidy it. First time I felt up to it since mx.
Gillian xx
Hello buddies,
Bikerchic- Glad you are feeling better- you have timed your recovery and garden plans beautifully as the weather is set to improve!! Gillian , you have too! It’s very therapeutic! Julie - your weekend sounds great fun and hard work too!
Happy Birthday Donna!
Harry duck- that is a lovely picture of you and Elizabeth.
Myfanwy is a great welsh name! Like Harry, I am on docetaxol too. As Toni said, lots of similar side-effects but the runny tummy (nice and delicate of you Harry) is a bit more unusual on the EC/FEC/T where the opposit problem is more common. As I have experienced both now, I will soon be able to answer any essay question tittled ’ compare and contrast the SE’s of FEC/T with carboplatin/docetaxol’ !!! I found the taxol and docetaxol more achey and tiring whereas but although I did feel sick, it’s not as bad as the EC (for me anyway). You do hve to remember that everyone is different so try not to worry. It is hard for a few days, and then gets better (please remind me I have said this when I am feeling miserable over the weekend!)
I have been digging deep to be brave for the next chemo. Cleaned the bedroom, got some flowers, radio set up. Got a box-set to the ready and stocking up on boilied sweets and mashed potato.
I read an article in the paper today by a woman whose fiancee was undergoing chemotherapy. They bought a one rubber duck for each cycle (apparently they were called toxic ducks and were black with green skull and cross bones on them) lined them up on the mantle piece and basically each time a chemo was finished, gave one of the ducks the chop… Amused me!
Sending lots of love to you all.
Rattles, xx
Hello everyone,
Thank you for your words of advice. I’m setting off soon for my pre-chemo appointment. I suppose I’m very lucky as the hospital is just down the end of the road. What should I expect at this appointment?
Claire
Hi Claire (Myfanwy) I had my pre-chemo appointment last week…had a quick blood test and height / weight measured…BP checked and temp…Doctor asked me what I knew about the type of BC I had and I asked her all the questions I’d taken with me…She told me what chemo I would be having and the prognosis for survival rate with and without it…Then I had to sign a consent form to say she had told me all the possible SEs…She also gave me a prescription sheet for a wig and info on how to get one …Oh and told me I would need a heart scan…Also got sheets with types of chemo and SEs…Was there 1pm till 5pm but was kept waiting 1 1/2 hours… I must say I did feel better after I had had the appt as had been working myself up about it. I also got told date and time of start (but you already know that) and that I had to go two days before start to see her again and have more tests - not sure if I will be having heart scan then as she said I would get a letter - but all that came was a list of appoinment dates for chemo and blood test dates (2 days before each session.) Hope yours goes well.
Oh and I rang up more or less straight away and made appointment for wig, went along and brought one home with me…depends if they have the style and colour you want in stock it seems. I know I am jumping the gun but just want to get as much as possible sorted before it all starts.
Langdon… good luck with your first chemo and the cold cap and will look forward to hearing how you got on.
Harry duck - lovely picture of the two of you. She’s a beautiful baby!
Good luck to everyone else having treatments, getting wigs etc…Hope you are enjoying the sunshine. I have been doing an Art & Design Foundation course this past year and have an exhibtion coming up mid-June so am inside sewing (specialism Fibre Art) as I don’t know how much chemo next week will slow me up:(
Hi Buds,
Good luck to everyone having their first chemo this week. Looks like the weather is warming up so cold caps might be tempting!
Onc department were not answering their phone as usual this morning so I went to the hospital to try and sort out my apppointments etc, got passed from pillar to post and back so many times I lost count, and eventually partially sorted some of them. However, everyone I spoke to was very friendly and apologised that I had to turn up in person to sort all this out myself while undergoing treatment.
1. Future FEC-T appointments - They had booked all my FEC-T treatments and onc appointments but forgot to send me the details. Luckily I haven’t missed any appointments.
2. Herceptin - There is nothing on my schedule for any Herceptin. I think Herceptin needs a longer appointment especially the first time as they monitor you in case you have a reaction. I showed the receptionist the email from the breast care nurse saying I am meant to have it, and I know its on my computer file because the breast doctor showed me the entry, but the receptionist can’t do anything as it needs to be authorised by the onc. So I will ask the onc about it at my Monday appointment. I thought it was meant to be given at the same time as chemo - I don’t mind if its later in my treatment if that’s what is supposed to happen for medical reasons but would like to see it somewhere on my treatment plan. Will be 
if I miss out because I think it will affect my prognosis. No-one knew anything about PICC lines for me so will ask the onc.
3. Wigs - The chemo nurse should have automatically referred me to orthotics (wig people) at my first appointment (10 May) but this didn’t happen. I managed to get the contact details of the wig people but I can’t have the wig appointment without the referral so managed to pursuade the onc’s sec to refer me as all the chemo nurses were busy with other patients today. If I haven’t heard from the wig people by Thursday with an appointment they asked me to follow it up again. The wig people were appalled that its now 11 days since starting chemo and its only happening now because I turned up in person to chase up the supposedly automatic referral myself - apparently this has happened to several other patients recently and the wig people are making a formal complaint to the onc people.
Luckily I am feeling good today with normal energy levels otherwise I just wouldn’t have been able to cope with all this!
I also came away with some nice little turban-style cotton jersey hats that I can wear until my wig is sorted (can’t be bothered to faff about tying a scarf!), and loads more booklets etc.
Hope everyone else is having a better day.
Squeakymouse xx
Just seen your earlier post Harryduck - what a gorgeous baby! 
So I had my widget (marker coil) put in today - not too bad at all. The mammo afterwards to check it was in the right place was more painful! Harryduck - love the pic of you and your gorgeous girl!! Squeakymouse - I’m glad you’ve got you appointments sorted now and I hope they clarify the Herceptin treatment for you. i’m sure Ive read on this site that some ladies have it following chemo…Good luck to all you buddies having chemo this week, may your SEs be minimal! I have been enjoying the sunshine and topping up my vit D levels this afternoon. Hope you all can make the most of the improving weather this week, Em XX
Hello all,
Just got back from my pre-chemo appointment, thought I was going to have Taxotere but now I’m having Paclitaxel (Taxol) is there a difference, apart from Taxotere being a 60 minute infusion and Taxol 3 hours? Appointment made with the wig girl for Monday. The only problem was the nurse said to me to contact them should my temperature be over 38, she then took my temperature and it was 38.9! I’m feeling fine but this is a worry, has anyone else had this happen?
Thank you to everyone that has given me advice. It sounds like a lot of us on here are starting our treatment this week.
Claire x
Hello all.
Claire glad your app went ok. Cant help with the drug change but sure someone will be able to. Glad you got your wig App. I have no hair and no wig until Thurs. How know whats happening with your temp what did they say?
Em The markers arnt a prob are they. Mams are better when your not preg god that was tricky lol.
Squeakymouse Glad you got them all sorted at the hospt. You must feel better now you know where you are with it all. Thank you for baby compliment we think she is lovely too x
Anni sounds like a long one at you app. That must be the quickest wig on here maybe you should call her speedy.
Donna happy birthday
Rattles hope your ok and not to worried about Wed and keeping busy. The rubber duck idea sound great.
Gillian hope all goes well on Wed you and Rattles can face it together x
Bikerchic did you get out in the garden? Mine is really growing and looking lovely thank goodness for my lovely neigbour who has been looking after it for the last 8 weeks. I am gonig to have so many people to thank when this is all over. OH is cooking curry tonight and im hungry shock horror… Hoping for more sleep tonight as miss E was awake from 2 this morning and its not easy to ignore your own baby!!!
Hey Harry duck , Georgous profile photo! presume that is you and Elizabeth…beautiful :-).
My daughter is named Elizabeth, she’s 17 and is the sunshine of my days and great support with everything i’m going through.
Much love to you and your Elizabeth!!
Viv x
Bless ya harryduck, my days of babies r all finished, I leave my children to that now, but I do feel for u:-)) , I sort of went out to the garden to have a look to see how much has to be done, and decided to start tomorrow as I’ve not much else to do, it will keep me busy, but being out in the sun will be great :-), hope the curry turns out ok,my OH is a great cook, not that he would admit to it, lol, I’ve just put a rhubarb crumble in the oven, and really looking forward to it luv to all Toni x
Hi All,
Lovely posts and heres to the chemo buds this week . Gillian, giraffe and bikerchic - I am having 2nd FEC on the 23rd too so here we go.
I did manage to write a few words each day in a diary which I read today. And I started feeling OK on Day 8-i@m glad I did that as its now hard to remember what it was like after the sickness stopped. It was the tiredness and metal mouth taste and furry palate which were annoying but a distant memory now. Its strange to think that will be back again in a few days. Got to keep in mind that it is the magic medicine working well !!.
Love to all
sarah