So, i start chemo on tues!! 10am… .8 sessions…followed by herceptin-maybe, 6 weeks of radiotherapy n tablets for 5 years!!
Scary eh…Was told that i’m the baby of the chemo unit at 25yrs and the youngest treated before was 27!!
Been out today trying on wigs and enjoyed myself trying out new looks…
Anyone offer any advice or tips on the coming weeks for me??
Thanks
Lauren.x.
Lauren
I am so sorry that you are joining us here at the Forum…and yet of course glad you are here
we should be meeting under better circumstances.
You might want to look at this post
breastcancercare.org.uk/bcc-forum/discussion/12623/8/top-tips-going-through-chemo/#Item_2
It is in the Undergoing Treatment chemotherapy discussion.
There Forum has been a wonderful help for both information and spirit!
Emily
xxx
Hi Lauren,
My first chemo is on Tues at 10 am too, so will be thinking of you. I had a great time trying wigs on too, one of my best laughs. Good luck and what drugs are you on? I am on the TACT 2 trial so 8 sessions too, starting with epirubicin. Not having herceptin but radio then tablets. Just had to have another op as my veins are pathetic so just getting over that ready for Tuesday. There is a 27 year old nearby who is flying through the treatment and doing really well, hope you do the same.
Will be with you on Tuesday. Hang in there.
Lily x
Hi Lauren
Im 35 and Im starting my treatment on Wednesday afternoon, Im scared I dont know about you
Good luck - I havent been for my wig yet as everything manic
Let me know how it goes
Lisa
Thanks ladies…Not scared really, i’m sure the worst was the mastectomy?? Maybe not…Just want to try and stay as normal as poss for the kiddies sake…
I’ve put my piccie on facebook wearing a wig and people are commenting on how nice my ‘new hair cut is’…hehe…Great decider for me to order that one then!!
Good Luck.x.x.x.
Oh and i’m having 4 x ec, 4 x tax…Epi first
I only wore my wig 3 times as I could not be bothered with it. I had loads of bandanas in different dark colours for the winter and bright prints for the summer - I also had pastel coloured fleece beenies for bed in the winter, whcih my husband very sweetly said made me look like a little fondant fancy lol!
If you wear bandanas, a good tip is to try to get ones that are cut for chemo patients as they cover all the right bits (sadly the company I got mines from stopped trading as the lady who owned it died from lymphatic cancer). I used to wear a quilted skullcap under mines as it gave your head a better shape and you didn’t have that bald crown look.
Hi everyone
Feeling a lot brighter so I guess the anaesthetic is wearing off, scared the pants off my son trying to drive to school this morning! He was sure I had not spotted the dustcart! I will definitely stop driving when I cannot see something that big, must be his active imagination. I just like to be behind the wheel, enjoying my car and pretending I am the same as I was such a short time ago.
Anyway, are you ladies going to try to save the ‘golden tresses’ by using a cold cap or take your chances? My first is a big dose of epi and the leaflet says everyone loses ALL their hair but the cold cap works for some. I thought I would give it a try but understand some people hate it. I also have to stay an extra 2 hours after treatment looking like a mad person in a cycle helmet, so that is something else to consider. Had to have my wounds washed today in the chemo suite (ouch) so stuck my finger in one of the hats and they are really freezing. I have 2 wigs, 8 hats and 4 scarves ready because I keep buying everything I see just in case it comes in handy or I regret not buying it. New Look were selling off hats for £1 so I bought every one that could fit on my head!! Check out your local branch.
Enjoy the rest of the week until the big day, which is the first step towards the last day.
Hugs
Lily x
No cold cap for me…Would rather spend the time with my kiddies. Gonna wear wigs/hats and whatever will fit on my head!! Hehe…
xxxxxxxxxxx
Lolly - Good for you and the kids will help pull you through this although lifting in and out cars is a bit ouch at times.
Lisa- have you been to see about a wig yet? Not sure what drugs you are on but my pal on FEC lost the lot 14 days after her first treatment so best to be prepared and I really enjoyed trying them on too.
Having my hair cut short and dyed to my natural colour today to give it the best chance with the cold cap. Did you know Sainsbury sell organic hair dye.
Have a good day if you can
Lily x
Lily, Lolly & Lisa
That sounds like an act on Britains Got Talent! Good luck to both of all for tomorrow and Wednesday, you sound like you have the right attitude to cope with it all.
I tried the cold cap and I have to say it was so bad it almost made me cry and just as it starts to get more comfortable they take it off and put another one on. I was almost relieved when it didn’t work so I didn’t have to have it again [you note I said almost]. Give it a go but it is truly freezing.
Will be thinking of you all this week.
AJxxx
Dear All
bet you can’t say ’ Lily, Lolly , Lisa ’ three times after the chemo!!! I will have my cycling helmet (cold cap) on tomorrow , with a choice of colours that match the size of your head to make sure they freeze your brains off. I think it is chilled by a electrical machine as I saw gauges with -3 on so it might be a different system. If I don’t like it or I get brain freeze up my sinuses, it will be off really quick. Plan to wear a lot of clothes to keep warm. Thanks AJXXX.
lily x
HI lauren
Hope you get on ok today, look forward to hearing from you
Debs x
Feeling a little crap now, sicky and weak but otherwise ok…Off to hosp 2moro to learn how to inject myself!! eek…How did everyone else get on? Hope everyone is ok.x.x.x.x
Hi Girls
Have been thinking about you all and hoping you are getting on OK.
AJxxx
Hi
I am good, no side effects at all really, but it is probably the drugs working well, so fingers crossed. I am on just a giant dose of epirubicin so no mixtures going on down the veins to complicate it.Just one lot of side effects, will not be so lucky when I switch to CFM. I had the cold cap which was a cycling style helmet filled with tubes attached to a refrigerator unit keeping it at a constant -3. You can be detached to go to the loo but have to be extra careful about the frozen metal connection when your bum and leg is bare in the loo!!! Got me once ooooooooooooooh. It was hell for 5 minutes and it took a bit to overcome the initial sensation but then eased and by 20 minutes was just moaning about the chin strap which they pull tight to keep a connection with your scalp. Strangely it was only the very front left and right in 2 particular points of my head that were bad. The back and sides did not even register the cold and nor did the rest of my body, just the neck. I made sure I had socks and boots rather than flip flops too. Will definitely use it again if I am still furry on top.
Lauren, I posted more to you on another thread, thinking of you and get better soon
Thanks all and let us knoe how you are too, when is your next date?
Lily x
Next date 10th June…Feeling not great today…Tired and a little sicky, hot flushes etc…But otherwise ok.
Glad ur not suffering too bad.x.x.x
Lolly
I feel like coming round and doing your hoovering, sorry mate. I am back on 10 June too and they are planning how to get into the port next time by putting me on a bed before stabbing me - scarey. I expect it is your age that has made the hot flushes hit as I am much nearer to menopause or should be but no-one has tested so we don’t know and my family don’t seem to get many symptoms with it.
Take care and plan your tablets carefully to spead them out. If it does not improve call someone because they have tons of other anti sick drugs to offer. Keep nibbling on whatever you can to keep food in your tummy or the stomach acid will annoy the lining even more. Drinking more pushes the drug out your system if you can manage. Good luck.
Hugs
Lily x
Thanks hun! Hope ur feeling ok too??xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hiya All
Got my wig and I also bought lots of scarfs and the £1 hats in New Look the other week! Wig aint too bad just need a bit of a chop of the fringe and it to drop a bit, so I dont look like Ive been in the wind for 6 hours!!! hee hee!! Fingers crossed first FEC down, look like Ive been tango’d though, face and neck bright red but no temp, sickness and feel like hit by a bus but apart from that not too bad. had lots of bits of pieces of side affects and few stray hairs already - that’s my huge fear of wearing wigs and bandanas constantly and being so obvious! Had a weepy morning as oncologist report come and it said it was in 1 lymph node out of 18 but then added with propable node spread?!? Didnt know what this means and terrified somewhere else already as hadve had headaches and back pain which everyone puts down to stress.
Anyhow enough of the twining - hope you doing okay all of you (I could never enter Britains got talent!!!). Didnt go for cold cap didnt want to stop in any longer than necessary, although I nearly kissed the nurse and manager when they got the needle in first time!!! Its still all so wierd being a “Chemo” patient but Im so glad I found this site. Here’s to a hopefully quite nice long weekend for us where possible, ta for support
Lisa
xxx