I’m going for a wig fitting this Friday and have been looking with interest on eBay - far too addictive! I’ve been told that I qualify for one free wig on the NHS and that someone will visit me at home immediately after my first cycle. OH however thought it would be nice for me to have something right now just in case.
The annoying thing is that as a dancer (retired) & make up artist I have loads of hair pieces and lots of clip ons & 3/4s wigs but the only full head wigs in the cupboard are just too mad and over the top for every day wear. Pity as I could have saved a fortune - this BC lark is certainly an expensive one!
I still don’t have a start date for chemo, just that it’ll be before christmas. I’m having 6 x AC and 2 or 4 of Tax and know already that I’ll be losing my hair - the onc was very upfront about that. I have a CT scan on Thursday at the ungodly hour of 8am (weather permitting!) and that will help decide whether it’s 2 or 4 of tax. I just want to get on with it now!
BTW for those of you struggling with milk, have you tried Oatley oat milk? It’s a tad sweet even though there’s no added sugar but it’s more than bearable on cereal and in coffee (didn’t like it in tea). I’m dairy intolerant and it’s been an absolute godsend for me so it might be worth a try - I know that Sainsburys stock it.
Thought I would say hello as I am also on the dreaded ‘pink road’! I am 33 (soon to be 34 next wk) and have had a lumpectomy with 3 x FEC, 3 x Tax, Radio, Herceptin, Tamoxifen (god, that sounds a hell of a lot when you have to type it!)
I just had my second FEC this morning and was pleased to actually get to the hospital what with the snow we have got here (live in Central Scotland). As far as the hair things goes, I used the cold cap last time but not today as my hair started falling out a week ago and is coming out by the handful. Was due to get it cut/shaved yesterday but due to the snow the hairdresser was shut - will probably have to wait until at least Thurs now until the chemo hangover passes. The cold cap is definately worth trying and I found it ok, not even that cold, but that is probably why it didn’t work (I also have thick hair which didn’t help). Like others have said it is definately the process of it falling out is the worse. I had a very traumatic shower on Sat when I tried to wash my hair and ended up with something resembling a small furry creature in the plughole!! I haven’t cried so much in ages! I now just want it off, I am so fed up with hairs everywhere. Then I will just wear winter hats in the house and not look at my head until there is some hair appearing!
The ladies talking about buying a wig, definately try to go through the NHS. I was unsure about the quality and realism of the wigs but the one I have actually is a really good match and it feels like real hair (apparently it was £300 but free to me, yipee!) Still haven’t worn it yet but will do when I go out. I am still a bit funny about it as it is not ‘my hair’ but I’m sure you get used to it.
I will log on again in a few days and let you all know how I’m going. I was quite sick last time so have got some different tablets to try so hopefully . . . . .
Hi Nymeria! I have my wig fitting appt. at the hospital on 13th, then start chemo on 17th, but I’ve been looking at ebay too… hehehe. Couldn’t wait - ordered a long black and burgundy streaked wig cos it was only 20 quid, and I thought it was a worth a shot. It arrived this morning, and it’s ace! My OH thinks it’s brilliant (I used to have long black hair with pink and purple streaks, and it’s not dis-similar!). Now that I’ve seen that it’s ok, I’m off to order the fire engine red bob that the same seller has… I work in a school for children with Aspergers, and we’re not allowed wild hair, so I may as well make the most of being signed off and go back the purples and reds that I love…
I can see that my NHS one may have to be more conservative… but maybe blonde? Then I can put my chemo brain down to having a blonde day…lol.
Looks like we may be starting chemo around the same time, tho I’m getting off a little more lightly - I get 3FEC then 3TAX at maximum dosage, oh good. Still don’t know if I’ll need rads, the onc. was checking in to which info was correct about the clear margins, or lack of them, so should find out when I start chemo.
I went for my lst dose on EC on Tuesday, but had a reaction to the E so my Onc has had to change my regime so now i’m on between 4 to 6 C and Taxtere… 2nd day and feeling OK but i suspect the symptons will kick in soon, although i’m on a 3 day course of steriods and have injected myself today to boost my white cell count. I’m thinking of buying myself a vegtable juicer to help me through my rough days, does anyone else have any good tips for a healthy diet when you’re not feeling your best!! I also bought my wig Monday it feels a bit odd but i’m sure i’ll get used to it also been shopping in Accessorize for lots of hats!!!
Sarah - bad luck on the bad reaction, what happened? Hope the change in regime will suit you better, and that the se’s stay away for now xx
Accessorize is the best place I’ve found for hats! I took my eldest daughter with me last weekend and said I wanted to go there, so obviously she took me into every other shop in Salisbury that might sell hats… and I ended up buying two in Accessorize after all!!!
Can’t help on healthy diet… not even thinking about that for next few months, then it’ll be back to normal and endless veggies and no chocolate…
When the nurse was administering the first dose of Epirubicin, i began to get a tightness on my chest, so she stopped and waited until it passed but it continued again so they gave me some antihistamine but these didn’t help either, so my onc came in and said we would need to change… I should have been on every 2 weeks but now i’m on Taxtere i’m now on every 3 weeks so will take longer but hey ho, the onc said thats better than killing me with the drug i had a reaction to!!!
Sophie, that sounds awful. My nurse did mention to me the Epi can affect your heart. Its just not fair is it, something that is meant to be helping ends up causing more problems. But hopefully your new regime will be ok.
Well, this is me 3 days after chemo and feeling a lot better now. Was sick again all through the night after the chemo (even with the new tabs, somethings beginning with c??, which meant 3 altogether). Didn’t seem to make any difference at all. I didn’t even have an evening meal as I felt so awfully tired and went to bed early but was sick 6 times after that. The doc came out again though and gave me another injection along with a different tablet (Buccastem I think?) which dissolves in the mouth, instead of being sicked up! This seems to have worked so I didn’t bother to continue with the other tabs.
Does anyone else feel really awful the night after chemo (about 3 hours after). I have felt really spaced out on both occasions and have had real trouble sleeping, down to the steroids with my heart racing as well. It was a bit scary. But luckily it has passed now.
It seems you are all well organised on the wig front. Finally managed to go to the hairdressers yest to get my hair shaved but have still got a covering. I was too chicken to look in the mirror when he was doing it though (not v brave!!) and still haven’t seen it. It feels very short and my scalp is so sore, don’t know how I am going to wash it. Then for the big test, wearing my wig outside . . . Aaaargh - making more out of it than necessary I think!!!
Love hearing from you all, makes me feel like I am not alone!
Hi Bonnielass, you poor thing being so ill It’s just not fair is it! I was ok after my 1st dose of chemo but I guess it affects us all in different ways. I’m currently day 5 on my 1st lot and had a very rough night last night, I felt as though my head was caving in, very nasty… But have woke this morning feeling better, does anyone else have terrible headaches after chemo? Looks like another day in bed for me until this passes!
My name is Lone, I’m 42 and on the 6 x FEC 100 regime. I suffer big time with headaches and dizzyiness for 5-7 days after chemo. I have had 3 chemos now and haven’t quite cracked getting rid of them. I know that you are on a different regime to me, but if you find something that works, will you let me know please?
Ta.
Are you all having chemo christmas week? Mine is on the 21st.
hi, wondered if i could join in! This is my first post! Am starting chemo ( 6 doses of FEC-T) on thursday…really getting scared now! Will be having a hickman line inserted first. Have had wle and snb , followed by mx and ac 3 weeks later! Am gradually starting to feel bit more human, only to face 6 months of chemo!!! Am finding it helpful to hear other people in the same boat! xxx
Hi Lone and all others!! I am certainly going to ask the nurse about my headaches and if I can take anything for them! I’m now on day 8 and have felt ok apart from a very achy back and hips today I felt about 80! Also have had a racing heart for most of the day, and as it’s my 1st chemo it’s hard to know if all this is normal??!!
Hope to feel more normal tomorrow they say you should be feeling back to normal by day 8 so fingers crossed!!
I too have got my next one on Dec 21st which isn’t good timing but don’t really want to put it off…
I haven’t lost any hair yet but I’m sure it will happen very soon!
Hi Ladies
Thought i would join in. I am on day 7 of FEC 3 and this has been my worst yet. I have been sick everyday this cycle and have headaches everyday. The district nurses say i am doing great and just take paracetamol for the headaches.Does anyone else find that they get lots of joint aches after their daily injections the nurses say that these injections are known for causing pain.
My next chemo is on the 23rd Dec i dont want to put it off either the sooner all this is over the better as i then have to have a month of rads followed by a year of herceptin.
To the lady having the hickman line dont worry i had it and it was fine it makes having the chemo a lot more bearable.
Just started to lose my eyebrows. lost all my hair no wander i am not in the mood to buy a festive party dress. Sorry ladies i feel all ive done is get the bad things of my chest.
Love to you all just glad we have this forum to support each other
Shirley x
Shirley - some days we just need to vent No one is going to mind that at all. My first chemo won’t be til a week on friday, so it’s useful for me to hear about se’s that others have/don’t have - at least I’ll know what to expect, and won’t be panicking over every ache.
Sorry you’ve had a rotten time with this one, though. Do paracetamol touch the headaches? If not, I’d be on phone to chemo nurse/onc for better pain killers to take home with you after next lot. Ouch on the next one being just before christmas, but I do agree with just getting on and getting them done with. My onc asked if I minded starting before christmas, as she thought it best, and I was NOT going to wait… why prolong the inevitable?
At least you’ve got half way through before your eyebrows have decided to wander off… how are you dealing with that? Make up/extra long fringe attached to a hat, or just ‘sod it’? My eyebrows worry me more than my hair… ridiculous, I know.
Hope tomorrow is a better day - a lot of people have said from day 8 things start picking up, so hoping that holds true for you too.
Hi kketchup! I had mx and anc just over 3 weeks ago, and start chemo on 17th - 3FEC/3TAX - and I’m having a PICC put in the same day before treatment starts, so we’re in a similar place. I was offered a wle, but couldn’t face the thought of having to go in again if not good margins, and glad now I opted for mx as Grade 3, and even with mx there is some doubt as to whether there was enough clear margin to avoid rads after chemo… so would def. have been a recall if I’d had wle first. Count myself fortunate that tumour only found in one of sixteen lymph nodes… we have to find the positive in the strangest places to keep going, lol. A month ago the news I had any cancer in a lymph node would have sent me shrieking, but there you!
Good luck for Thursday, let us know how you get on.
Hang in there Roytonian, FEC3 was the worst one for me. After that they got easier and each time the se’s lasted less time. Last one I only had 2 yukky days. BC nurse’s told me that 2 & 3 are the ones that do the damage to those nasty c cells so if I felt tired to just rest up and think of all that chemo doing it’s job.
Hope you pick up soon
i had fec number 2 yesterday and the pain when the red drug went in was unreal, she checked it was in my vain and it was. so she tried it a bit slower. and it stil hurt but not so bad. havent been as tired this one since number 2, but i think last time was mainly stress.
Strange but when the tiredness hit and I was fed up of only being able to lie on the sofa watching tv it did help to think that my energy was being used to zap those bad guys.
Hope the tiredness isn’t too bad Poppy and if it is, mum or Andi and his girlies can spoil you by running around after you,
Ali.
x
Hi Triphazzard
Will be thinking of you next Friday hope it all goes well. Yes the paracetemol do help they take the edge of the pain.As for my eyebrows i am with you they worried me more than my hair. When i go out i wear hats or my wig which has a longish fringe that gets on my nerves but i am rubbish with scalves they keep falling off.
Am feeling much better today and are about to face the world to do some xmas shopping.
Alicats - i do hope i take after you and the next 3 chemos will be easier my friend has just finished hers and she said 4-6 were her worst. I will keep everything crossed .
Thinking of you all
I’ve been told that I qualify for one free wig on the NHS and that someone will visit me at home immediately after my first cycle. OH however thought it would be nice for me to have something right now just in case.