Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hi Ladies, Feeling headachy and a little nauseous today but also very tired..those pesky steroids are also causing insomnia for me to !! It seems like all of us that have cold capped have bald patches on top.. whereas my hair is very thin on top its stronger at the back..the cold cap was done right yesterday as my sister supervised it to make sure it sat better than the first time..lol..it sat a little further down at the front unlike 1st time.!! This might have been why the cap didn't touch the top of my head as it should have... the 1st chemo nurse I had didn't seem to bothered about the fit..as if it was a chore..!! Which is sad when its our hair that's at stake.. ClaireH81 I feel old with this bald patch and a lot more grey around that area..lol..I can just to say cover it with hair around it..but as I'm 5'10 only taller people will notice it.. !! my nurse yesterday was lovely...very supportive of cold cap ..she put argon oil conditioner on after we dampened it and my hair does feel less sensitive this morning..I'm going to try and hang on till the weekend to wash it next... the nurse was saying coconut oil is good too to help tingling and itching and also regrowth..!! I can't wait to start feeling more human next week, I hate feeling blah... cathysid I know what you mean about the taste of food now after chemo 2 . Last week everything tasted good for me... but not today..plain biscuits and toast today...!! Fairy are you going to try cold cap for chemo 3 ? Or are you going to shave it off .. Claire , I've read up about Nioxin it sounds good especially the scalp spray. No4 which they do a starter kit for chemically treated hair is for us and you can get it for about £20. ..I think I'll wait a few weeks and see if there is any hair left before I spend £20..!!! Lol. Hope you get your date soon Cookiesim its horrible to just be hanging on for a date.. hope you get a date soon.. I also had two attempts to get the cannula in. My veins didn't seem good yesterday also..normally they put a heat pad on to help. but because they were so busy I didn't get one, the first attempt hurt a little.!! 2nd one better.. Big hugs to August ladies were all 1/3 through now. ( well nearly all !) Xx ... View more

Hi guys, chemo number 2 done..... bloods were really good so no worries there. Phew..supposed to be in at 2 but finally had cold cap put on at 3.15 !!!! Very busy ward and short staffed. Those nurses work there socks off...so by the time chemo went through and head defrosting from cold cap was done I got out at 5.45.. a long afternoon sitting waiting... we dampened my hair down first then put conditioner on. Something we DIDNT do first time..(dampening hair first) my hair is still shedding and I have a large bald spot right in top of head but still have a decent covering everywhere its just so thin and fine and loose...lol. my hair was very thick and short and dark brown..but now is much greyer and lifeless... I'm going to persevere with the cold cap as long as I can. But because its a lot thinner on top it felt so much colder this afternoon... very painful for 12 minutes then it was ok... I'm not ready to shave it yet. Will wear a scarf over the bald bit for now...I just wish my hair would stop falling out at the slightest touch..I can cope with thinner fine hair..just !! ... I have the same tablets as Butterfly..the emend are good.. hope the other ladies due today were ok.. and thank you for messages of support it really helps..those that cold capped especially pacman. Apparently its very common to get bald patches on top of head so my nurse told me...its just how the hell do you cover them up. Can any shampoo help to thicken the hair ? Love and hugs to you all xx ... View more

Thanks Ali..I will ring hospital first thing in morning.. I just want to get chemo number 2 done..although not looking forward to side effects!! ..hope you are ok and 'getting there''..!! ClaireH81. I'm loosing lots of hair also..don't think cold cap has worked well either for me. Lost too much hair on top although I have a lot of short thick hair so its sort of covering some very thin patches...and every time I touch my hair slightly I get loads of hair falling out...I cried loads yesterday its so hard seeing it fall out..I have lost about 40% I think so far..!!! This has all happened in the last 4/5 days I should of had my chemo 2 on Friday..but am worried there may be less hair tomorrow for me to cold cap..!! Hope your doing OK x ... View more

Thanks Ali... glad your starting to feel better... is it usual that if your bloods are ok they DONT ring you. Or do they usually ring and let you know either way ? Xx ... View more

Hi everyone..hope your all doing good ? How are the cold cappers doing after chemo one ? Do you still have hair? Still waiting for results on my bloods that were taken Friday morning, I havnt heard anything as to whether they are ok or not !!! is it normal for them to let you know either way? Hopefully I will get chemo 2 tomorrow but worried as I havnt heard anything and have already been put back 3 days due to the ward being closed due to staff shortages !!!! Love and hugs xx ... View more

Good luck tomorrow Butterfly ..I had the same UTI symptoms as you and was told no infection..but it felt like it...but my bladder was very irritated.... another FEC side effect? Hope you get a good nights sleep.. xx ... View more

Hi North East ladies and everyone else that replied to my hair thinning concern yesterday.. my hair is still shedding especially on crown and sideburns..! I'm wondering that maybe the cap just wasn't touching that bit as well as I thought it was although the nurse said I would probably loose the sideburns as the cap dosnt touch them......no bald patches..so maybe its the normal shedding we all seem to get if were cold capping..as it says on Paxmans website..keep persevering, even though you think its failed.. I've still got lots of my hair that feels well secured ..just not on my crown..lol !! I'm washing it tomorrow so I bet I get a few stray hairs bunging my sink hole up ..!!! But if it goes then I'm sure I can work some magic with my headscarves.. think I've only lost about 5% of hair so far..so I'm not panicking yet.. good job I've got a good head of hair...!! Hope your all well and not having too many side effects , cant wait to get chemo No. 2 done with on Monday ...time seems to be dragging this week... bloods on Friday so I hope there OK..!! Xx hugs to everyone ... View more

Thanks Mishy. Sorry to hear about your dad hope he will be ok..x. I'm losing hair on sideburns and fringe line..but the cap didn't cover those as it was just a mm or 2 above there so I knew I would thin there..but so far no major shedding..just tingly scalp..lol I have wig and scarves ready just incase it does all fall out...!! Hope the treatment is going OK for you. I cant wait to get FEC out of the way and be half way through chemo like you..xx ... View more

Thanks Angela..that's great ..will let you know.. xx ... View more

Hi Angela.. Your not far up the road from me. 50 miles...lol.. my first Paxman cold cap ,the nurse just put conditioner on dry hair. I said are you not suppose to wet the hair first and she replied no you just need conditioner..!! ,,I had read up about paxman cold cap, so I knew they recommended dampening hair first. But I didnt want to demand it..I thought well there the professional ones and should know what the procedure was..I have later rang Paxmans and they confirm hair should be dampened first. So on monday that's what I will do..Paxmans said it shouldn't make too much difference..but I am shedding a small amount of hair at sideburns and on top of head..but none from the back.. the cap felt tight..my sister and the nurse both checked it..and my hair is short and layered already but is thick and strong..lol..no bald patches at all..no large clumps..just a few stray hairs...and a tingling itchy scalp at front towards the crown..!! I know it is normal to shed a few and thin a little....just hope it can all hang on to monday..lol but I am very pleased with the results so far..just wanted to know if any other Paxman user had similar shedding after 2 and a half weeks from their first chemo session? Thanks Angela hope the T part is good to you. I've heard that hair does slightly better on that regime.. it grows back !!.. ... View more

Hi Feelthefear, I've been reading your posts about cold capping and trying to hold on to some hair to the end of our BC journeys.. I've only had one FEC chemo so far, next one is Mon 4th Sept and have used the Paxman cold cap at Northallerton Friarage Hospital where I'm getting my treatment..although I live in Guisborough near Middlesbrough..!! I think your from the North East also ? And mishy and Anniej ? Have you lost any hair at all either thinning or small individual hair loss (shedding) and if so from what part of your hair/ head ? My scalp is a bit tender and sore. I'm on day 19 but still have a good covering if hair on my head..hope your all doing ok..your about a month ahead if me I think...xx. Sue ... View more

Mary Kate, sorry to hear your 2nd chemo was postponed and your news of your son..hope he is ok... my chemo had been put back 3 days also , but because of staff shortages/sickness/holidays in the unit so they have to close it for the day on Friday 1st Sept ..I'm now in on Monday 4th September..its the last thing we want is to put our treatment back..but I suppose its out of our hands sometimes which is so annoying..!! ..I just hope my bloods are ok at the end of next week also... a friend of mine at work who had breast cancer 13 years ago said she used to drink Guinness shandy the night before her bloods to get her bloods right..!! Day 16 for me and my hair hasn't come out yet ,although the top of my head is a bit tender..maybe it will shed in the next few days...I havnt lost any hair from anywhere as yet...!! Hope everyone is well..love and hugs.. xx ... View more

Hope No 2 chemo goes well for all our lovely August ladies, today, tomorrow and at the weekend.. hope everyone is Ok ? Love and hugs xx ... View more

Fairy..I'm having 3 Fec then 3 T ...1 Fec down..2 to go.!! was diagnosed end of May. Had 31mm tumor removed by lumpectomy and 7 lymph nodes affected, so had full clearance on 21st June ' I'm grade 2 stage 2 Er + PR + Her negative. oestrogen sensitive . Surgery went well untill I had cellulitus in boob , so this has put me back already by a week and a half...lol ...so now my 2nd chemo has been put back by 3 days because the ward is short staffed..they must all be on their hols..!! Lol..I'm day 11 today and apart from slight upset stomach feel good..no nausea ,that went after the first week so hopefully urs will ease up soon..it horrible isn't it..?? Xx hugs to everyone hope ur all well x ... View more

They are brilliant at what they do..just painful..lol. thanks Sue I'll grin and bare it..xx ... View more

Sue C. Thats exactly where mine is hitting..back..hips..joints..a bit like sciatic nerve pain.!! On and off.. and was up the side of my head giving me a migraine..but I've felt better today eaten little and often and not had any milk as I felt that was giving my stomach problems..and it's worked my stomach is 'settling'....phew thank god... I will mention it with my oncologist tomorrow..thank you x. I wonder if I ask for just one injection next chemo they may oblige..lol. xxx ... View more

Hi Fairy, I had 7 days of injections to take one day after chemo and I think that's after every chemo I'm on FEC-T Did I read ur next chemo is 4th September..same as mine as my chemo unit is shut in the 1st Sep due to staff shortages, so my second one is now a few days later on the monday.!! X ... View more

Hi August ladies..hope we are all managing..I'm on day 10 today..had the day from hell yesterday, but Friday I felt great..this certainly is a rollercoaster ride... I woke up Saturday with upset stomach ,didn't get dressed all day didn't do anything ,felt nauseous headachy just plain horrible..did my last injection tea time and half an hour later had a weird sensation in my upper abdomen slight pain , achy joints and massive migraine.!! Don't know if the needle into my stomach caught a nerve as the pain was right up the right side of my head..so frightening.. went to bed and thought if it gets worse ring doctor, but didn't sleep much (has been like that all week !) It could possibly be me catching the 'vegas nerve' but not sure. Have early oncologist appointment tomorrow, as she's on holiday next week when I should have had one !! So will check although after a migraine tablet or two my symptoms haved eased greatly.. those injections have made my stomach sore..just don't like them at all..not sure if its them that's caused my insomnia ..just need a good nights sleep.. my bladder and digestive system still feel irritated although I'm not surprised with the cocktail of chemo drugs were on...I hope next week I feel much better..its nice to read were all going through similar experiences together...big hugs to you all ( too many names to remember..lol) xx hello to new August ladies also xx ... View more

Brilliant news Ali...thanks Sue C.. xx ... View more

Morning Ladies, hope we are all ok this morning? Day 6 for me and I'm slowly feeling better although still a bit blah.! Had small nose bleed this morning but it didn't last long, went and had wig fitted yesterday and brought one home. Don't like it now I have it home, but maybe that's just realization that my hair could well go..even with cold capping.. just not sure if I'm a wig person.. or will have the confidence to wear it.. but am grateful its there for free if I need it..Oh god. All these worries kicking in now.. havnt taken any sickness tablets today so far , keep waking up at 3.30am, 5.30am..wondered if they may be causing that ? I keep thinking can I do this for the next 3/4 months?? I hate feeling unwell and I don't like the 7 daily injections either...maybe this is just a flat day for me too.. hope I feel a bit brighter tomorrow...how are all you ladies doing after your first chemo 's? Hugs to you all. Xx ... View more