Breast Cancer Now Forum

Thanks for the thoughts ladies - I have to say that the wine has numbed the negative feelings a bit!! I will meet with some friends in Canterbury on saturday and my poor husband will spend even more time trying to juggle his diary commitments to fit in with new timings. Found a new wig lady today whose offerings made my current wig look like  rat so that was a good thing to happen today.Hair still falling like rain. ... View more

Apparently cannot go away as there is an increased risk of infection and wuld have been 200 miles away from home with my twin sister - so cannot go according to chemo unit - so now even sadder and hitting the wine. Next year will be a year full of breaks and holidays I have decided.     ... View more

Just found out my chemo for tomorrow is cancelled due toa slightly low wbc and the antibiotics I am on. Just what I needed spent all day getting my mind sorted - what a blow - now it drags on. Might go away for a few days as a distraction!! ... View more

Not offended Josie11 it made me smile when i read your message. Sleep doesseem to be an issue even the demon alcohol doesn't seem to help but i keep trying it on the days when not taking the steroids of course. ... View more

Hi Manicmum Unfortunately I don't like my wig even though as you say it will be perfectly styled so have decided to bite the bullet and gond look at another place tomorrow so hopefully if I can get one i like i won't feel so bad about the hair. Felt like puting the hoover on it earlier tose what was left -might start a trend!!   Joyce   ... View more

Sorry to hear about everybodys problems - we just have to try to keep going. My shower this morning with the weekly hair wash was like a horror story with hair everywhere and couldn't wash it off!! Still going with coldcap on Wednesday but only if I have any hair left, on antibiotics due to insect bites and omeprazole due to severe indigsetion and heartburn. Can only get better. ... View more

Don't feel guilty about being off work no one except those of us that have gone or going through this can know how it feels. I have a very understanding GP who has said back to work when all over with - I too have quite a stressfuljob and work in the healthcare stting so not a goodenvironment anyway. The turmoil going on inside doesn't show and we are always thinking about the next appointment and the "what ifs" so not you feel detached from the real world. ... View more

Hi Hopefulholly Feeling better today - went to see my hairdresser and got it tidied up and even shorter and she assured me she didn't have a sink full of hair. Bless her she was really good with a gentle shampoo, no products, no rough drying and aquick blast with a cool dryer. Woman in next seatcommented on how good it looked - so that mademy day really. Next chemo next week so new worry is locating suitable veins but hey what will be will be. ... View more

Hi Josie After my first chemo the nausea lasted about 5 days but I was given pills to take home to help for the first three days and more if I needed them but I coped with ginger biscuits for the next two - but I guess it will vary a bit for us all. Were you given pills to take home? ... View more

Hi Gaynor If it was me i would give the chemo unit a call and talk to them rather than getting there and maybe not having the chemo. At least once you know you will be able to "relax" abit about it.If there is a delay then that is still better than being ill when you have it. ... View more

Hi Fanta Like you I am wonderingif the cold cap is worth it - my second FEC next week and will talk to the nurses as well - part of me sayshave one more and see what happens but a great shock even though you know it might happen. ... View more

Hi All Like you Holly my pills worked and managed with the odd ginger biscuit and many glasses of wine - seemed to help the sick feeling - strange that. Unfortunately yesterday took a downward turn when the hair loss thing became real. Am hoping that it is just where the cod cap didn't fit well and seeing the hair dresser tomorrow to go even shorter so that it is less irrittaing to me. ... View more

sounds like you had a fantastic time and exactly the right attitude. Like you I am determined to do things when I can because there are quite a few days when really all I want to do is stay in bed. So enjoy the good days - even if there are those out there who think we treat it like a holiday!!! A holiday is certainly not what I would call it.Just gong into my third week of first chemo and planning a couple of outings - don't know what is around the corner after second one - enjoy. ... View more

Have just had a look at this and definitely considering the idea - have a need for bothbracelets but will probably just buy the node one. ... View more

I also had hormone therapy prior to my mastectomy -  but this was because I delayed my surgery by a month - with the full blessing of my surgeon - to go on hoilday to Cuba!! As my tumours were hormone positive it was seen as a way of starting treatment prior to the surgery and this has stopped during my chemo but then will be back on it again for 5 years afterwards. At least your oncologist should be able toanswer these questions and not long to waitbut seems like forever.   ... View more

Hi Ros53 I had my first chemo and cold cap on a really hot day so it was great and didn't need a blanket etc. No icicles on my hair as they gave it a few minutes to "warm up" at the end of treatment. Total time with cold cap was about 3 hours - or should have been I in fact had a delay of 3 hours befoe starting the treatment!! I seem to have had quite a long gap between my mastectomy and chemo so it seems to vary quite a lot - surgery 22nd April and first chemo 1st July but pleased to have had the time to heal and feel almost human for a coupe of days. ... View more

Like you Nanny Sal I am too grumpy to offer advice and also have just had a bed put up in Sainsburys for summer!! Feel a bit like a vampire the chemo and sun are not a good mix so just come out when sun goes in - mind you I purchased a factor 50 - something i have never had in all my life - I love the sun and spend a lot of time outside normally so just trying to work out what is reasonable - i guess applying a bit of commonsense is a good start!! ... View more

Hi All My 5 injections are Nivestim which is used for helping the body to make more white blood cells so will take all the help I can get. Mind you a GnT might be required before I do the first one tomorrow evening. So far so good with first chemo but expect more after the next ones!! ... View more

Hi Amber and Nanny Sal Chemo seemed to go okay but due to staffing levels had to wait 3 hours before it was started - not what you want when it's your first visit and very scared. Cold cap - cold - no surprises there then but after the first few minutes i was convinced it wasn't working - they said it was so it wasn'ttoo bad but extends the time by 90 mins. Now have to deal with any side effects - there may be  none - three days of pills (one of which does not allow alcohol so may have to sneak in a medicinal white wine tonight) and the 5 days of self injections  should be interesting , i am told it is easy , well let's hope it is. ... View more

Hi Ros Cold cap looks like a jockeys helmet and mine was purple!! Very cold for first few minutes then I found it quite tolerable it just extends the time you are in the unit but small price to pay. Definitely worth a try because if you don't you'll spend your time thinking what would it have been like. I know that's what made e give it a go and still no guarantees about the hair. ... View more