Thank you for your time and advice. You made me laugh out loud…who would of thought control pants would be used to control anything other than a bloated stomach, I am making notes along the way, tight fitting, controling pants are now on the list! lol I have spoken to my sister tonight and she tells me that she didn’t lose her hair in the front bottom region but that was CMF only! Having said that on her second dx she had taxotere and could of done with the control pants!!
I will check out Buff headwear although I don’t want to spend too much as I don’t intend to have use for them in the future.
Good luck with your hair cut tonight, hope the gin helped. What grade are you going to? Have you experienced any soreness with your scalp? Following a large bottle of wine (or two) I remember shaving my sisters hair some years ago, some how the alcohol helps a little!
I am calling my hairdresser tomorrow to get it cut really short (shoulder length at the mo) in the hope that it will ease the shock when I shave it off. I’ll wait until I’ve had the 1st Epi before the shave. My onc told me it will thin after the 1st and will lose the lot after the 2nd. Had yours thinned alot?
Had better pop off…its getting late, spending far too much time on here!
my scalp had started hurting as if I had lain with my hair going the wrong way. Then over a couple of days it kind of went flat and straight (why?) and if I tugged gently at a hair it would just come out with no pain. So decided it was imminent even tho it didn’t look like it. It was day 11 after 1st epi.
The gin certainly helped and I took it down in stages, so now it is just like leg stubble! Mmmmm yum.
Suffering today tho!!!Serves me right. Made myself some scarves today so going to play around this afternoon with them Seem to be favouring a slightly african looking wrap type of thing!
Good luck with it all, think it’s maybe the most difficult part, was worse for me than loosing the boob…go figure!
Gillian
It is now day 10 after first epi and I don’t seem to be shedding any hair yet. I wish I could be brave like you Gillian but even with a G & T it won’t happen so had it cut shorter today. Got my wig last Friday (free from hosp) and I was amazed how it resembles my own cut and colour, even down to the highlights. Mind you if it keeps raining I won’t be wearing it out in case it ends up looking like a rat on my head! I also bought some scarves from the cancer support group based at my hosp and they were much cheaper than I’ve seen online but a couple of good places to look at Headcovers and Bohemia fashions. Gillian, I also fancy the african look and have a geniune african tribal scarf with beads, maybe we can compare notes when I get the hang of tying it.
Hurrah - it’s 6 weeks today since op so I’ve been out in the car with a stupid grin on my face - oh the freedom. Right armpit is still abit stiff from lymph nodes and left arm has PICC line in but I have an automatic so it’s no prob.
Catherine, from my perspective the first treatment wasn’t AS BAD as I thought it would be. Although I felt sick for 4 days this was controlled with meds from the hosp and my GP so I’m sure you will be fine. Have the odd day with funny taste in mouth and a sore tongue (can’t stand anything hot) but starting to eat like a horse now.
Polly - are you OK, haven’t heard from you for a few days.
Well I’m going shopping tomorow and support pants and are on the list - always best to be prepared!
Sorry I haven’t been on for a few days. I am currently agonising over my decision not to have any more chemo. I decided I didn’t want any after my surgery, but my oncologist talked me into it. Now I feel I can’t cope feeling like this for another 6 months.
My journey on this cancer road has now been 9 years. I have been down the chemo, radiotherapy, hormone treatment route before and just one session of epi brought the whole nightmare back again making me feel thoroughly depressed.
I have had three breast operations (the last one being mastectomy and immediate reconstruction) I have had my ovaries removed (on the recommendation of my oncologist and then regretted it) and all of a sudden I have reached my limit. I just decided I can’t do this anymore.
I know I sound whiny, but since I have made the decision to stop I feel as though a cloud has been lifted from over me. All 3 of my cancers have been in the left breast and that has now gone so I think I will take my chances - my body, my decision.
I wish you all well with your treatment, you are all coping so well and I know you will all come out the other end cured of this horrible disease.
I am so sorry to hear the terrible time you have been through and quite understand your decision. I can’t imagine how hard the last 9 years have been for you and then to go through it all again must be an unbearable thought. This is a first for me as a precaution - the tumour and lymph nodes were removed in June - and I am struggling with how I’m going to feel over the next 6 months but know I’ve got to do it.
Now that you have made your decision I’m sure it will make you feel 100% better. Stay positive and I will be thinking of you.
Just remembered you had your first epi today - how are you? The next few days you will probably feel abit yucky but by this time next week the energy levels should return and you will start to feel some normality. I have my second epi tomorrow. Hair is falling fast now (just like my cat) and yesterday it was so windy here it was “shedding” in the street and I also found clumps stuck to my car mirror - how gross is that! In a way I’ll be glad when it’s all out as head is quite sore.
If you get a sore mouth or ulcers try Difflam, it worked for me within 2 days.
I can so sypathise with you I’m only half way through my first course of chemo. And I have made the decision that if this comes back in the future I wont be having any chemo would go down other routes first. I admire you for sticking to your guns and wish you all the luck in the world.
Thanks for your comment. It is so good to have support from people going through the same things as you. Controversial as my decision may be, I feel so much happier having made it.
Hi all,
thought I’d quickly say Hi and I hope you are all well? ish?
Good luck especially Polly, I’m sure you will make the right decision…I reckon a lot of this is down to luck anyway! So staying fit and strong and positive may be as good a medicine as anything.
I am on day 7 after 2nd Epi now and feeling bit crappy really. Just hungover and tired. So will go home early and rest…again.
Hope all you brave ladies have a good weekend and maybe the sun will shine for a few days? I could really do with a bit of sun…
Lots of love
Gillian
My 1st went well thank you. I’m feeling fine today, hoping it stays this way but know it won’t. Hope all goes well with your 2nd today.
Polly - Sorry your having to go through all of this, life is so unfair. Your not whiney at all you have being through so much. Wishing you all the best with your future decisions. What ever you decided will be the right choice for you. Best of luck.
Gillian - Sorry your felling crappy, get yourself plenty of rest. Should I be expecting to feel crappy in a day or two?
Will be back for updates as the crappyness sets in
I have just finished my last chemo before going onto CMF I have a confession to make I havent taken any pills apart from paracetamol. no steriods no anti sickness. on the first treatment I took all steriods and had bad stomach and mouth for weeks but since then and due to my hatred of pills I havent too any and I have been fine apart from tiredness on 8th day.
Glad to hear we are all fairing reasonably well, apart from the crappy days. I’m now on day 4 of 2nd epi and to be honest feeling abit better than last time. Still have a churning stomach and the tiredness suddenly overwhelms me but can deal with that, I find I’m nodding off half way through a TV prog but that could be to do with lack of interest.
Catherine, I’m pleased you are not too bad, lets hope it stays that way.
Joanne, it seems you have got on OK without the pills and you may have a point because I’ve been taking everything they have given me and still feel yucky. Do let me know how you get on with the CMF as I will also be going down that road.
Gillian - hope you are feeling abit better. Shame about the weather, hasn’t it just been crap. Blowing a gale here and hasn’t stopped raining for days, quite depressing really. I think we could all get through this a bit better with some sun so I’m doing the next best thing and thinking where I can go on holiday next year (after the hair has grown back!)
And Polly - I hope you are doing well and staying positive.
Hi all,
I hope you are doing Ok, Polly especially, poor you…what a rough time you have had of it.
In general we seem to be doing Ok I guess…
Joanne, i’m amazed you have done it all without the meds…have to say I am tempted to try it next time, going to talk to the chemo nurse about it. don’t see the point of taking steroids to buzz me up on Sat and Sun only to be knackered on Tues/Wed. Would rather just sleep over the weekend if I need to!
I go onto CMF also, but another 2 epis first, woopdedoody!
Love to you all
Gillian
Well got my first CMF and to be honest feel and bit yuk but that could be down to the fact I wasnt feeling to good before I went. As for not taking any pills be careful I have never been good at taking pills (hence 6 kids lol) and after reading side effects of the steriods I cut them down first only taking one in the morning and felt much better so stopped taking them I told my nurse after I had stopped as I knew they would try and talk me out of it but shes happy as long as everything else is ok my counts are always high anyway and besides they dont boost your bloods anyway. I found my 4th Epi to be the worse for fatique and pains in my legs so not that bad. So if anyone is looking for second hand steriods let me know got loads here LMAO
Hi
I have also managed to have 3 x Epi without the need for any of the meds afterwards. I havent taken the steroids because I was on steroids a few years ago and piled weight on. My appetite went through the roof! So I wanted to see if I could cope without them after the chemo, and I can. I DO feel nauseaus and extremely tired, but would rather put up with that, than take any pills unnecessarily, for me!! I know everyone is different and others will religiously take anything prescribed to them, but I deliberated long and hard before deciding not to take any of the pills, and to see if I could cope without them. My Onc asks me each time if I need some, and I just say no, I still have some left if required!!
xxx
I think it’s great you have both got so far without the meds. I’m now on day 8 of 2nd epi and still not feeling right, I’m eating everything in sight just to get rid of the “funny tummy” and horrible taste in mouth. I’m also vegetarian but have a constant craving for a cheeseburger - I know I’m not pregnant so it has to be the meds! Also can’t get to sleep at night so Onco has prescribed sleeping tablets, I’m worried I’ll end up rattling or with some sort of drug dependency. Looking at all these boxes of pills I’m thinking of at least cutting down for the next epi & hoping for the best. Anyway, I’m glad you are both OK and we WILL all get through this.
Gillian - hope you have a bit more energy now. I’m more alert but don’t really feel like doing much even though I have a management report I could be writing (what an excuse!) Hair seems to have stopped falling out and I’m left with bristle all over. I’ve tried rubbing it with a towel but it’s not playing. Does anyone know if it will eventually come out? or maybe I’m meant to look like a toilet brush for the next 6 months!
It is funny - my hair fell out in handfulls on day 14 of the first round - but I had the remainder cut to grade 7. I thought the rest would go at the same time in the second round, but it has not and even seems to have grown a bit. I get nxt lot on Tuesday next week.
gill
I’m on the Tact 2 trial with accelerated Epi (every 2 weeks) and my hair was coming out in handfuls on day 5 of my 2nd Epi, so I shaved it off (no 4). That was a week last Tuesday. I didn’t lose any more until this morning. When I got up I had lost all the hair on the back of my head and about 90% from the sides. The top is still there. Very strange.