Hello
Hope you're all doing ok ladies. I joined this forum in Nov 2020 as started chemo on 16th November last year. I wanted to just write a message to everyone to wish you all luck and to hopefully give you a positive post to read and show you support as obviously I know exactly how you're feeling right now.
In a nutshell, I was diagnosed last October - triple negative and then turned out to be BRCA 1 positive. I had EC until Christmas and switched to Carboplatin/Paclitaxel in the new year. Finished chemo in the April, had a double mastectomy with immediate reconstruction in the May and was soon after told that there was no evidence of cancer. I am yet to have my ovaries/Fallopian tubes removed but my surgeon has advised me to wait another year or so as it's preventative surgery rather than essential.
It's hard to quite comprehend how much has happened this last year but one thing I know is that you/we are stronger than you know. We're incredible in fact and you can all do this - we have no other choice, right? The people I met along the way were all on their own unique path but all amazing, strong and inspiring. I left the hospital every week full of gratitude for many things and I think remaining positive (despite feeling groggy and grim some days) this absolutely helped me.
I cold capped so if anyone has any questions about that, please let me know. If anyone has questions about the drugs and side effects etc of EC, Carboplatin/Paclitaxel, please let me know. One thing I'll say is, everyone responds differently. I had two surprisingly good cycles on EC and two not so easy. But, I never vomited and I never needed to stay in bed so I was much more fortunate than others. I recommend taking gaviscon tablets before bedtime and after an evening meal when on EC because sometimes when I had bad heartburn, it tricked me into thinking I felt sick when actually it was just heart burn. Some days I felt like a zombie and a heaviness in my sinuses, this is definitely a side effect of the EC. I can remember worrying about switching to Carboplatin in the New Year but actually I found it to be much easier to cope with and come February I was feeling relatively "normal" apart from energy being a little zapped on some days and tingling in my toes. Food-wise, plain foods and lemon flavoured things were always nicest when the chemo-mouth hit. Many of my favourite foods tasted pretty grim 2-4 days after each chemo round however I found that the day before chemo I could cook a nice meal and really appreciate the flavour. Monday nights in my house became "dinner date" night where my husband and I would cook a proper meal (beef brisket, Yorkshire pudding, potatoes and carrots for some reason was what I craved and enjoyed!).
Try and see each cycle as a new week and try not to fear it - very hard I know. I found each cycle with EC very different so just take each day at a time. Ask for help if you can and try and communicate how you're feeling so people can offer their support, listen or give you space. I think mentally I found the prospect of a New Year a real help, knowing that chemo would be finished by the Spring. You'll perhaps find that after the exhaustion of Christmas in general, come January you'll be raring to crack on and get to the end of treatment with a newfound energy.
I could write and write and write, but I just wanted to let you all know I'm thinking of you and that as hard as it is to imagine, this time next year (or even by next Summer) you will be in such a different place and mindset. The next 6 months are of course a huge challenge mentally and physically. But you will do it. And before you know it, you will be typing some message of encouragement to others just like I am (trying to do anyway).
Sending you lots of love, strength, hugs and support.
Think of you x
