Thanks for that SandyToes.
I did ask my doc about fortnightly but she has tried this before and feels it is too much. Shame you can’t just get it all done in one blast!
That is great news about your hair.
Have you finished chemo and if so how are you feeling about it all?
I’m really struggling with my emotions at the moment but doc says for some women it is at the end of treatment.
x
Hi everyone,
I got the go ahead to begin chemo next friday as the infection has all cleared up - I had two post mx, one was very nasty so chemo’s been delayed. I having a portocath fitted this thurs and I’m having a general as well. It sounds a bit major not to take anything while it’s being fitted!
I’ve been off work since mid July, I’m very lucky that my work had been so good about it, but yesterday was the first day that I’ve actualy missed work. I have to admit I’ve really enjoyed not working for a couple of months! Feels like such luxury. And the days fly by, how do we fit it all in when we re working as well? But it feels like an age til the end of treatment, after chemo I’m having rads and although I’ve said I can look at working part time, I’m not sure how it’s going to affect me and what exactly I can do part-time in terms of work. Anyhow, I’ll worry about that after I’ve had the first chemo. Not looking forward to it but hope that it’s not going to be too bad.
Thanks to all for posting,
X
Hi, I am also starting my chemo in Sept. Had my first session, and SURVIVED. Wasnt nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Hope you get through yours ok too. I will be having 6 months chemo, then surgery, then 6 weeks radiation. Do you know yet what your program is?
Best of luck…let us know how it goes
Lil
Hi Sarah,
I had my last chemo 5 days ago. I’m not quite sure how I feel to be honest!! I am relieved but weepy - but have been weepy about this time each round on account of the steroids. I have my op next and then radiotherapy. Not looking forward to the op (bilateral mastectomy with delayed reconstruction). I am pleased that now chemo is over I can start to try and lose some of the chemo weight, get fit again and hopefully get my eyelashes and eyebrows back - and the hair on my head that I lost.
I think I felt more emotional when I was halfway through as it felt like there was so long to go!! But you will get there - and it will come quicker than you think.
X
Hey Girls
Just back from 2nd Chemo. A bit painful as had to have through my hand but got port fitting rebooked for 29th.
Just had my lovely fat carb dinner!! My OH doesn’t know where I’m putting it all. He will soon!!
Had cold cap again and was little more painful with brain freeze about 2 hours in but managed to put up with it. Hair thinning now so will just have to see how it goes.
Not sure if everyone gets lunch whilst having Chemo but if not then make sure you take lots of munchies as you def get them!!
Round one over as they say Sandytoes - Good luck with the surgery - how long will you have to wait after the radiotheraphy before you can have reconstruction?
Just think whilst your hair is growing you can try loads of hairstyles.
Anyone still working you might just want to prepare yourself that things might not always go according to plan. After my 1st chemo my blood count dropped so ended up going to hospital everyday last week. This probably isn’t the norm but you also start to feel tired and may need a wee nap in the afternoon. Everyone is different I know but I did say to my OH today that even if i wasn’t made redundant before my diagnosis I don’t know how I would work anyway at the moment.
Good luck to everyone this week keep your pecker up - this time next year as they say …
take care
Ginge xx
Hi girls, good luck to all those starting this week, glad your 2nd dose went ok Ginge. My 2nd is on thursday. Hair started to come out on Monday, the worst bit is I keep wanting to fiddle with it, so far no bald spots . I have got my wig but feel more comfy in scarves. Annabandana has a good selection an I went to a headstrong session where I got tha chance to try on lots of different styles before i bought.
My head is a bit tender.
Do try not to rub your eyes as I did and made them sore as some lashes came out.
Have managed to work two days again this week.
Bllod tests tomorrow I hope my count is good as i would be miffed if I had to miss chemo and extend the threatment time,
Still eating odd things but have got better this week .
I can’t face ginger beer either but have found orange with lemonade refreshing.
Take care everyone.
FI XX
Hello everyone,
so good to hear your stories.
Sandytoes, congratulations on reaching the end of the chemo! You don’t have to figure out how you feel - it’s all good! I am on the same programme as you - 4 AC and 4 Tax - and am trying the cold cap at the moment. However the Tax - which hasn’t started yet - takes about 3 hours to administer, and the cold cap would extend that to about 6 hours in total, and I’m really not sure I can hack that. How did you manage lengthy cold cap sessions? Thinking I might just drop the cold cap now and go bald. But then it takes an extra few months to look ‘normal’ again - at least in the hair department - and all the faffing with scarves etc. As you can tell, I’m dithering in advance of next chemo session. Any advice / thoughts welcome.
Fi - I’m so impressed you have managed to work. I am resigned to only managing the occasional hour forwarding emails. Work seems so distant now.
All the best - Mynahbird
Good luck to everyone starting, those on round 2 and many congrats to the finishers. Seems such a long way to go…
Can’t believe that portacaths can be fitted via general!?! Ha, ha! No one told me, in fact I walked into that one yesterday a bit blind. Bruising is incredible… much more so than following my mastectomy!.. but I guess it saves the veins in the long run and it will settle soon.
SGL, I was told to go easy on the exercise for a couple of weeks post port and avoid swimming until wound has healed completely etc. Waterproof dressing on, so did hop in the shower today.
Thinking of you all. xxx
Although I didn’t expect to join this thread, turns out I’m in the chemo club from the 29th of this month, so I’m heading to page one of this thread to read up and get an idea of what I’m in for!! I could be some time but I know it will be worth it, thanks in advance to everyone on here for typing up their experience which I’m sure I will find really useful, Simone xxx.
Mynahbird - are you having to have herceptin? I am having it weekly which means the cold cap doesn’t actually add on anytime. You have to wear the cap for 30 mins befor the TAX, but the premeds also need 30 mins before the TAX. Afterwards you have an hour and a half - which is how long my herceptin takes - so I would have been there for 5 hours regardless. The IV piriton they gave me for TAX puts me to sleep and I slept for about 3 or 4 hours WITH the cold cap on each time!! So it went pretty quickly for me!
I guess it depends on how it works for you as to whether you want to persevere.
Good luck with it all and pm me if I can help with any questions re AC and TAX or the cold cap.
X
Hi all,
Fitzimum, my portacath was very sore for a couple of days but is fine now. The bruising heals very quickly although it still feels a little tight in my neck. I found pain killers helped.
Welcome Simone, please feel free to ask any questions you want on here. This forum has really helped me through the low points.
I went to Look Good Feel Better yesterday and it was amazing! Really good to meet other ladies at all different stages of treatment plus you get over £100 worth of lovely makeup.
Well, I am off for my 2nd FEC today. Can’t decide if I should bother with the cold cap as my hair seems to be falling out quite quickly and I am fed up with being covered in hair all the time. On the other hand, you still can’t really tell I have lost any hair. Decisions, decisions!
Best wishes to anyone else having treatment this week.
Kate xx
Hi Kate
Re:cold cap, I didn’t use it but… some folk who do find they get a ‘hair fall’ early on and that’s as much as ever happens. Why not give it one more go if you can stand it and still hope to keep most of your hair? I did meet someone who’d used the cold cap successfully and said hers thinned to start with then settled down Just a thought. You’ll make the right choice for you.
Hope all goes well today.
Hi everyone,
Having theportocath fitted tomorrow, hadn’t even occurred to me there’d be bruising and it might be sore! Just thought it would be popped in and I could get on the train afterwards! I’m having it done in London but I live in Brighton. I’ve been told to stay up in London but would prefer to get on the train back home - not on my own, with my ever lovely husband. Anyone think that’s do able? Part of the reason I’m keen to come back is I have to have a mole removed with a local anaesthetic on friday morning.
I was a bit worried about a mole that appeared about a year ago and is very dark. Id showed it to one doctor who said he ‘wasn’t worried about it’ . given that this ws the same doctor who told me that the pain in my breast was also ‘nothing to worry about’ I thought I might show the mole to another doctor! (luckily went not long afterwards
To another doctor abut pain in breast and had stage 3, with huge tumour!) Referred immediately to a dermatologist who thought it should be removed, particularly as the impending chemo might kick off something in a latent mole…interesting.
Anyway, still hoping I can come back on thurs evening! At least I wouldn’t have to get up at the crack of dawn to get back to Brighton in time.
Luckylil - you asked about my plan - it’s 6 x FEC, followed by rads. I think for 3 or 4 weeks. Had mx on July 19th. Chemo delayed because of infected seroma. Worked out last night, when, if nothing goes wrong, chemo will finish. Perhaps that was s foolish thing to do …Tempting fate!
Hello everyone sorry not been on for a while had a bit of a nightmare had first chemo,TAC,and was in bed and couldn’t stop being sick for 5 days and then went and got myself a nice temperature and ended up in hospital isolation for 6 days with neutropenic sepsis anyway finally escaped and I’m at home but on house arrest as bloods still very low. Hair now in total free fall and have a couple of nice bald patches this morning and to top it all I’m back for number 2 Tuesday feeling so fed up and also bad for the children they keep asking when the normal days are going to come so I can take and fetch from school etc 
Morning everyone
Eozev - you poor thing you realy have been through the mill. Hopefully they will change your sickness medication so you don’t have such a hard time of it again.
Welcome Simone to our ever growing group - hope your feeling OK - have you started chemo already?
Holly - not heard from you for a while - are you OK?
Impatiens - are you having a general - Shame they can’t remove the mole at the same time as having the port fitted. Know it is short notice but might be worth asking as you might find you don’t feel up to having the mole removed the next day. What time are you having the port fitted. I think you might find you’ll be in hosiptal for about 6 to 7 hours. I was when they unsuccesfully tried to fit mine and I know kate was there for 7 hours as well. Not trying to put you off but just lettng you know its not a half hour job.
Hair starting to fall out now underneath but nothing from top so will see how things go in next 2 weeks and decide on cold cap again. Feeling a bit queasy this morning and headachy -
Fed up - yep! 2 down 6 to go!!.
Good luck today for everyone having treatment
Ginge xx
H ginge 23’
I did tell the surgeon who’s doing the portocath about the mole removal the next day and they didn’t offer to remove it! but I will ask specifically now you’ve suggested it - it’s a good idea. The portocath op is scheduled for the morning, and I was thinking I’d be let out mid afternoon if all goes well. I’ll have to see how it goes.
Morning All
Really sorry to hear you’re having such a horrible time Eozev, hope it gets better from now on.
Impatiens, I’m having a Groshong line fitted in Brighton next Tuesday, under sedation. Wonder what the pros and cons are compared to a Portacath and how they decide who gets what? I’m due to have 6 X FEC, so maybe it’s because of that? Hope they can do the mole at the same time for you.
Ginge, I’d say persevere with the cold cap if you can. I read that a couple of people from earlier threads (August, I think)have given up and then regretted it.
Thanks for all the postings everyone. They’re helping a lot. How did people cope with this before the internet?
Have a good day.
Nicola X
Ladies thank you for the welcome, my first chemo on the 29th is now not looking as scarey, well it is but I think informed scarey is not quite as bad as complete unknown scarey, if that makes sense!!! One thing I have decided on is having a go at the cold cap, my hair is short anyway with natural highlights (aka grey/white hairs) so I thought I might have a go at trying to keep what I’ve got!! Good luck to all, Simone xxx
Hello everyone,
Eozev - what a terrible time you’ve had, poor thing. It can’t get any worse than that from now on. Hopefully they’ll be keeping a close eye on you.
Revcat - you continue to give us all good advise - thank you so much.
Fitzimum and Jay - we all had our first dose yesterday. I had the picc line fitted and it was painless. My onc thought it was the best thing for me but if they couldn’t get it in (my veins aren’t great) then they’d try the porthocap (think I’ve spelt it wrong). I can’t help noticing eveyone’s veins these days and looking enviously at women with nice big juicy blue ones!
I didn’t sleep at all last night but nothing to do with SE’s I don’t think. I had a mild headache but didn’t feel sick at all apart from mildly nauseous. Today district nurse is coming round to change the dressing and then I’m going out for a short walk. I know it’s very early days and the worst SE’s can kick in anywhere between 5-15 days after I’m told, so I mustn’t count my chickens…
Curly x
Hello Ladies…
Welcome Simone, and Lil, I am having 6 Xfec, and 3 weeks Radiotherpy, also 5 years of Tamoxifin tablets…
Eozev, I too am sorry to hear you have been so poorly, you poor thing, glad tou are now back at home, how old are your children?..
Kate, good to hear you enjoyed the look good feel better, I may pluck up the courage to book in for next months, how did you get on with your wig?..
I wish you luck with the 2nd FEC…
Impatiens, I too live in Brighton, good luck with the portacath and mole removal, god it never ends does it!! I am waiting for my smear result, dosnt usually bother me too much, but i’m really worried this time! fingers crossed!..
Nicola, I’m so pleased you have now got a date for your line, will they then give you a starting date for treatment? I dont know the difference between all these different lines, I wish you lots of luck…
Curly, My first FEC wasnt too bad, thank god for the picc line and lovely nurse, I have a headache, nausea (havent been sick) horrible taste in my mouth, dont feel like eating anything, I didnt sleep much last night either…
I have to take 4 antisickness tablets every morning for 3 days, do you?..
Have a good day everyone…
Jay X