Breast Cancer Now Forum

Yep, the hangover from hell without the fun the night before! I’m on day 2 post 3rd cycle fortnightly EC and feel like a bag of crap today. Have been out for my 5km stomp in the rain but that’s about all I’ve managed other than keeping the smalls alive.  I had terrible insomnia last cycle with the dex, 9 hours sleep over 3 days so this time I’m just 4mg am. Feeling more nausea as a result but I’ll take that over the insomnia!  ... View more

Never be sorry for feeling the feelings. The more you share hopefully the more support you get and the better you feel. Hope things are better today xx ... View more

I’m doing ok, having 1 week of feeling like I’ve got the worst hangover in the world. Then a week of feeling relatively normal. I have been doing the fast mimicking diet which I think has really helped. First cycle I did 3 days and day of chemo, 2nd cycle 2 days and day of chemo. Side effects wise, background nausea, fatigue, oral thrush due to dex, insomnia due to dex. Will ask if I can reduce my steroids this cycle. X  ... View more

@veestar sorry about the headache, I had an awful headache due to the GCSF so they switched me to the weekly injection instead of the daily which helped. Tiger balm worked well for the week long headache I had and also I had some reflexology. Hope it settles x  ... View more

Good to see everyone’s updates! I’m a week post 2nd cycle of fortnightly EC and just had my chest port fitted yesterday. Surprised by how much it’s hurting today, I’m normally pretty high threshold. Mainly where the catheter is tunnelled from the port to my collarbone. Hoping it settles quickly…? ... View more

I’m doing fortnightly EC and have been using prolon fast mimicking diet which is marketed in the US as chemolieve. There are animal studies showing efficacy of FMD in decreasing side effects and improving tumour response. There is a recent study which suggested FMD may prevent need for dexamethasone https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-16138-3, but there wasn’t sufficient evidence to prove efficacy the data did suggest further research required and promising. FMD is £190 so not cheap there are probably DIY options online but not scientifically trialled ones. The other suggestion is 48 hours of pure fasting but this could be adverse for people who are low weight, struggling with bone marrow supression or have underlying conditions like diabetes.  I did 4 days including day of first cycle, and 3 days including day of 2nd cycle. I had a week of feeling rough but functional and then a week of normality including full return to normal sport. It’s hard to know if this was due to FMD or not, but I feel now I need to continue.  When I switch to weekly PC I’m not sure how to do it, perhaps try 36 hours of fasting or 2 days of FMD. I am hoping to decrease my dex for next EC cycle as I have terrible insomnia on it. But my understanding is that on PC they insist on dex to prevent hypersensitivity reactions.  Most important thing is to check with your oncology team if they known about fasting and if it is suitable to you as an individual good luck! ... View more

I’ll be at Boots at 9am! X  ... View more

The local wig place have got wigs donated back to them so they kindly chopped a couple up and refashioned them into Velcro in fringe pieces. I’m day 5 post 1st dose dense EC and already scalp is tingling and hair starting to shed. X  ... View more

Thanks @amy46 I’m doing ok. Getting rib and sternum pains from the GCSF but am grateful that relatively my chemo side effects aren’t so bad. Am going to do a Google spreadsheet for help so people can just put names down for help, walks etc… hope ur ok too x  ... View more

@amy46  Thanks for checking in. First 24 hours just felt like the worlds worst hangover. Background nausea like early pregnancy, headache that wouldn’t shift and brain fog. Went for a moderate paced 5km walk and felt better for it. My LO are 5 & 3 I’m a single parent but am lucky my s-in-law is staying first few days of each cycle and have good friends to support me.  Didn’t cold cap either, I’m embracing the hair loss and have a wig and a couple of fringe pieces for beanies. The thought of spending any more time in the day unit was enough to put me off and also the headaches.  Have just injected the GCSF so now anxious about the side effects of that and also as not feeling so bad is the worst yet to come? I did the fast mimicking diet for 4 days before chemo so am hoping maybe I’ve mitigated the side effects but the uncertainty isn’t fun.  How’s everyone else doing? ... View more

1st day of Epirubicin and Cyclophosphamide yesterday afternoon. From the time of cannula to leaving was only 90mins. Feel like my tongue is like cotton wool but tingling and my head is like the worst hangover. No clarity of thought, slightly dazed. No nausea, not feeling hypomanic from the steroids either. All in all not shocking but the dread of what will hit at 24hrs post is making me feel anxious. Off for a walk with a friend to get some daylight and air, kids off with my lovely sis in law. Hope everyone’s doing ok x  ... View more

Thanks for the update. I’m doing Epirubicin and Cyclophosphamide on Thursday. Starting to brick it now, about to get real keeping myself busy organising so I don’t sit and think about it. Had my pre chemo crop done yesterday and enjoying rocking some funky hair.  Finally managed to get the old gels off my nails & used the cuticle eraser stuff last night, by massaging it in it avoided using traumatic methods to push the cuticle down risking introducing infection.  It’s the fear of the unknown that’s doing for me right now, 4 fortnightly cycles of dose dense EC with GCSF. Single parent of 3 & 5 year old and 6th birthday to sort day 3 of second cycle. Just whether or not I’ll be able to function anywhere near normal level is giving me the fear. But I’ll only know when I know!    ... View more

Hi everyone. I start now-adjuvant chemo 2nd September, 6 weeks after I had my 2WW results. Triple negative, awaiting BRCA results, awaiting further biopsy results of another area of concern seem on MRI same side.  Really helpful book “The Complete Guide to Breast Cancer” written by two doctors who have had it and been treated. I have LO’s who are 3 & 5 and there’s a great book called “is it still ok to have cuddles” as well as “mummy’s lump”. One that was good for my friends older kids is “cancer party”.  Have had eyebrows monoblade-ombré, off for second look at wigs tomorrow. Have probably unwisely (!) told my girls they can help me do glitter tattoos on my head when I’m bald. Not going for cold cap as don’t want the extra time in the unit.  Trying to cram in as much fun and fitness in as possible before treatment starts. Will start with Epirubicin and Cyclophosphamide  fortnightly for 4 cycles then switch to weekly Paclitaxel and Carboplatin for 3 months.  Good luck to us all and hope this is a safe space to talk about the hard stuff as well as the good.  ... View more