I’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer in October - had a surgery in October 13th (my lucky day!) and a second one 'cose not enough normal cells were taken out. My cancer is Stage IIA, grade 2. No lymph node involvement, for which I am forever grateful, but my doctors feel I should get the full monty, chemo, radiation and something else for my HER2 receptive tumour, that I don’t really understand at the moment. The tumour was 2.2 cm, so considered ‘large’.
Sailed through the surgeries, but now I am absolutely p*******myself over chemo. All I can find on the internet, and that search is something I should stop doing, is that it ‘effects people differently’.
Will be starting chemo in January - can someone tell me what I should expect? A bad hangover? The flu (never had it)? Wiped out? Any stories shared would be appreciated - I am *really* afraid of this malarky!
I had a WLE and SNB back in July, like you I had another op to get clear margins. I started my chemo in September and have 2 left to go.
No two people react to chemo the same - I’m lucky it’s like a bad chemical hangover for me but I struggle to get my bloods back up again during the cycle … But that’s just me!
My best advice to you is:
Don’t google! Unless on here or the Macmillan site - if like me, you will frighten yourself witless!
You will find ladies who are going through similar experiences, have similar fears and when you start you can compare side effects and ways around them - I couldn’t have got this far without my friends on the Sept thread!
Don’t be frightened to pop in to other threads to ask advice …, there’s no such thing as a daft question!
Stock up on supplies to get you through chemo as listed early on the thread - it saves a lot of hassle later!!
I read all this thread before my first chemo (end of Oct 2011) - and found it so helpful - the one thing that was missing may sound trivial…buy lots and lots of birthday cards.
Maybe it is just my rural life - I used to do Birthday shopping with my weekly groceries but now those are online and the cards become a chore to get when you don’t feel like taking a step out of the door. I also have to think when they are going to get posted…on the way to chemo or a bloodtest usually! I know my friends and relatives would forgive me if I didn’t send a card but it is nice to send some goodwill back to those who are being so supportive to me.
And to SofC - I totally agree with Annie. I too have had a relatively easy time compared to some - but got everything ready in advance as advised on this thread and have come to use most of the stuff! The decision whether to have chemo is totally up to you of course but it may not be as bad as you think.
Having just been through my first chemo this list is very helpful, I wish I’d thought to look for it before. I had dreadful diarrhoea for a week and ended up in hospital because I couldn’t eat or drind and became very dehidrated. The first thing the young nurse on duty did before completing all the paper work, was once I was settled in bed she brought me a cup of peppermint tea and a natural yoghurt. Four days on I’m still having them regularly and although it may have been the IV treatments I had in hospital her explanation of why they work and the fact that they did, very quickly,makes them worth while I think, adding to the list.
I started chemo last week, I’m due x6 of FEC-T. I am now day 8 and I’ve just played 6 holes of golf, and it has not been as bad as I thought it would be. Day one night was quite miserable due to nausea and vomiting and the nausea lasted, a bit like morning sickness, for 3-4 days after, but I was still able to go to Sainsburys etc.
I have an odd metallic taste and I’m a little constipated, but reallynothing too bad.
I was dreading it, but I see it as one down , 5 to go!
having lost my hair over the last week I had the final remnants shaved off today and wondered if anyone can recommend something to rub into scalp. It was very tender when hair loss began but doesn’t seem so bad now but obviously want to use right product to protect it.
Hi cassandra65 it was recomended to me to try pure vitamin E oil to rub into my scalp after i had the last bit of my hair shaved off.
it has really helped and my scalp isnt sore or itchy at all , you might want to give it a go .
hope it works for you
Hugs
Jackie
xxxx
Hi Girls
I am on FEC x 6 .
I am due no 5 next week.
I have suffered awful sickness , the last one was about every hour for 2 days. None of the anti sickness drugs work. I was put on an anti sickness pump for Fec 3 and still suffered terrible sickness.
Has anyone else had this or does anyone have any tips?
On about the 4th or 5th day afterwards I actually couldnt drink as any liquid remined me of the chemo!
Sarah x
eeuugh, me too, i used to love to drink glass after glass of water but now it makes me gag to look at it. I think i’ve tried every drink under the sun during all this chemo treatment.
Sozza, u poor thing. I can’t imagine how bad u must feel being sick all the time must be awful for u. What anti-sickness drugs do they give u. I’m on Dexamethasone, Odansetron & Dom-Peridone & haven’t been sick once during chemo (i’ve had x5 FEC), not even nauseous really but then i guess everyone reacts differently. What about the drug people on here have mentioned ‘Emend’ i think it’s called. Have they tried u with that?
I’ve had all those ones and still very sick.
I did ask my doc about Emend, gosh it would be so much easier if I didnt have this sickness. Strangely enough after Fec 2 I was sick once and that was it!
x
brilliant thread took all the tips on bored & have made it through dose one on the chemo…very helpful!!! well wishes to all you lovely ladies…any young suffers please get in touch x x x
Welcome to the BCC discussion forums, I’m glad that you’ve found some information here that has helped you thus far into your treatment, and I am sure the well informed users of these forums will be along to offer you support if you need some.
I have put for you below links to a couple of BCC’s publications which you may also find helpful.
just joined the site and will be starting chemo in 2-3 weeks,have meeting with oncologist on 6th feb,just read top tips to help get you through and I think its going to be very helpful,just starting on this road so massive thanks to the ladies that have put this together…loz xxxx
as last chemo!