Breast Cancer Care Forum

Great news Sally, good look with the radiotherapy.  Hope you can meet your granddaughter xx ... View more

Hi,  I found this EC a lot harder than taxol, the taste buds will go, the nausea is much worse, make sure u have lemons, ginger, lots of fresh fruit/ smoothies, fizzy water, and nausea beating sweets/mints. I found it a little like morning sickness I felt better eating often. You will be on steroids which may keep u awake or be alert in the middle of the night. Just listen to your body. Good luck. Lxx ... View more

Hi all,    Update, chemo done whoop.    I spoke today again with my surgeon and breast nurse to aliviate my worries and still on track for mastectomy within 6 weeks and before this we will discuss the options for this surgery to get a later reconstruction.   Hope home learning went okay today.          ... View more

Hi all,    So I'm on my last chemo Monday yay! So things have changed, in that there will be no reconstructions even in private sector for the next 3 months. My hospital is private has been taken over by the nhs so my surgery is up in the air on when and where it will happen.  My oncologists said I should isolate until 12 weeks post last chemo in this current climate as it's my lymphocytes that are down and will take longer to recover.   So I'm all a bit emotional and stressed.    I'm loving time with my kids 1 and 3 but it's such hard work. Xx   Lxxx ... View more

Hi all,   I am on a younger group for breast cancer on Facebook too and there are a lot of posts on there about treatment cut short, changing treatment to begin with mastectomy then radiotherapy then chemo, and even delays to treatment. And it's not just breast cancer it's a cross the board. It's a scary time to be having treatment. I think that they are doing it in a case by case basis. I'm lucky that my treatment is continuing and only because I was able to go private with my work.   So I'm back in today for treatment number 7. Shocked how much hair was still hanging onto my head until today. So now I'm all emotional, but at least it got this far.   Keep safe xx   Lx ... View more

Hi Sally,    So sorry to hear you ended up in hospital, but glad you are on the road to recovery.  Will they delay your treatment now? I've seen a lot of treatments being delayed and stopped early on a case by case basis.   Lx ... View more

Hi,    Yeah I am now a nursery teacher haha, I started out so well on Monday but felt exhausted by Wednesday! I got all stressed what I was going to do with them stuck in the house and not sleeping well. Hubby wfh but not the biggest help as a 3 and 1 year old just want mummy when she's in the house. My walks have dropped off to zero as walking with a 1and 3 year old is snail pace! I feel so much more unhealthier as the boys including hubby don't want soups and salads my usual lunches. It's really hard as well getting fresh food!!  ... View more

Hi,    How is everyone thinking about Corona virus? I'm slightly worried, the kids still heading to nursery and think if anyone's going to catch it it's them!   I didn't sleep well last night with the aches.   Lxx ... View more

Hi Jemmalou, and others,    So apparently when you're on accelerated taxol you have 3 hours of the stuff compared to 1 hour, the cold cap should be on for four and a half hours plus and I had to give up at 2 and a half as it made me sick. So I'll be braving the shave. Anyway otherwise so much better so far than EC, I was really tired and went to bed early but no nausea except from the cold cap so far.   The consultant has said I will get more aches and pains and probably a lot looser in the bowel department.   Lastly mri results in and EC showing a reduction in the cancer, not as much as id like but a good start. Unfortunately it is more noticeable in my mammory glands, but hopefully the radiation can finish that off.   Lxx ... View more

Hi jemmalou,    Yay with your journey, I'm starting taxol today so I'll let you know how it goes. I'm on accelerated so bizarrely doing every two weeks for 4sessions, so maybe a bigger dose!   Do you have your black nail vanish, I'm painting my nails this morning!  I'm told the nausea is much better than with EC and that was my biggest issue.   Noticed my eye lashes have started to go and looks like the taxol is worse for hair loss.    Lxx ... View more

Hi,    I am sort of in the same boat, it's thinning but I don't have any bald spots yet. now I spoke with a friend who also did cold capping and she said she did get a few bald spots, she actually used smaller scarves and hair clip ons to hide them, as wigs were too hot. She has passed the hair pieces to me and they are quite amazing.  I cut my hair pre  chemo but to a length you can cover bald spots with other pieces of your hair so it was in the best condition prior to starting.   although it's thinning you still have hair so that's great.  So I wouldn't pixie crop if you can carry on cold capping and can hide the bald spots and comfortable doing so. I think it is very emotional for us and our children. My boys love my hair and when I cropped it Joshua asked me if I was still his mum.   Lxx ... View more

Hi,    Yes talk to your team they can certainly help with more nausea meds, I found eating made me feel better and fresh fruit and smoothies were a winner there as the sweeter stuff tastes better. I drink lemon and honey hot water as water was hard going and and added Ribena with the water I drank with meals as that makes sure you get vitamin c, from Ribena, th e added sweetness just helps with the bitterness and might aid eating at the same time.   It's okay to rest and relax chemo is hard on the body.    Lorna  ... View more

Hi all,    Saw my consultant yesterday, the best person to ask all your queries, I went armed with a list.   So I'm having an mri now I've finished EC and now moving to taxol. I was told upfront what I'm having and she thinks I'm responding well to treatment. I also queried my next steps and asked why I was on 2 weekly taxol, I'm on accelerated chemo so every two weeks x 4 rather than 12 weekly. Everyone is different depending on the type of breast cancer, grade and how far it's spread and age of patient.   My sister is getting married on 1st August in France and I asked if I could make it. It's going to be very close. I have had to pull out of her hen do because of the mastectomy will be around that time.   Glad you had a great response to your picture Sally.  Although I've told people I know on a daily basis, I've not gone public on Facebook.   Lx ... View more

Hi,   Helsbels, Listen to your body and maybe go after you've had some lunch, I've just had a walk pretty grim out there and off to my fourth and final EC today. I still have my hair whoop! Although shedded a lot after I washed my hair this week so I'm delaying my next shower to post chemo. So another cold cap for me armed with a few more nausea tablets after what happened last time. I'm on two week cycles so I just begin to feel back to myself and then back on the chemo.    I'm going to ask today if I get any scans etc to see how it's all going.... The lumps under my arms have definitely shrunk and I think so has my breast but it still feels rather lumpy.   Good luck this week girls.    Lxx     ... View more

Hi,    So I coped quite well with first two chemo cycles, this third round, I feel more nauseated and tired, I wasn't really expecting to feel like this. My session was Monday and I just want to crawl into bed today.    Lx ... View more

Hi,    A friend sent me this the other day, for those with little ones   https://www.twinhats.co.uk/collections/hair-loss-dollies-free   I have not lost my hair yet, 2 cycles in and next one on Monday with cold cap and doing every other week, the breast nurse told me to give it a go but thought as I was doing EC every other week I'd lose it so I am expecting to lose but the longer I can keep my hair I feel a bit more me.    For those in pain don't wait to see your oncologist, ring and tell your breast nurse about anything. If there is anything more they can do to help they will, we should not suffer more than we already are. I was immediately seen when I called about my neck and shoulder pain.   Lxx ... View more

Hi,   So first cycle (EC) cold cap appears to have worked, I'm losing hair in other places but not my head yet.  I had my second session on Monday and I am having a horrid time with the metallic taste second time around. I feel like I was less good drinking second time and wondered if the taste and drinking had a bit of a knock on affect or its going to be cumulative?!!!  ... View more

Good luck wishauponastar, hope this round goes more smoothly.   I was affected more by headaches for days, which I was told was the cold cap. I am possibly going to try once more, I'd like to keep my hair for just a little bit longer. It's day 11 post chemo not seeing any hair fall out yet.  ... View more

I had port and chemo on the same day. They may do the same.  ... View more

Hi,    So I had my port checked all okay, I was too overprotective of it and caused my neck to stiffen up and the shoulder and neck area are inflamed because of that. I am also reacting to the dressings, typical! Once it's all healed it should be much better and easier.   When they doing your next chemo session wishuponastar?  ... View more