hello all i was dx 3 weeks ago with invasive ductal carcinoma breast cancer grade 3 stage 2 im on here wanting to talk to people in the same boat as me im starting chemo this firday coming worrying like mad dose anyone have any advice ?
FormerMember
Hi. My name is Kate and my mum is going through chemo at the moment. She got diagnosed with lobular breast cancer in nov last year. She has had 5 chemo cycles. She has lost all her hair but still looks fabulous. She wears beautiful scarfs and hats.
She has quite bad nausea for 6-7 days after her chemo. If the nurse offers you a relaxant before your treatment... TAKE IT! it really helps with the nausea. Mum sleeps a lot, very tired. She does yoga when she can, and walks when she feels up to it. She says snaking on dry biscuits when she feels sick helps a lot. And if you do get bad nausea (not everyone does. Best indicator is weather you get car sickness or pregnancy sickness) get the drug 'ondansetron'. Im in my last year of nursing at uni... its the best drug for chemo induced nausea. Oh and always remember, you'll have a 'bad' day, 3 days after your cycle. Its when your coming off all the drugs and the steroids... you can get emotional and feel depressed. BUT THIS IS NORMAL. i always have to remind mum that. lol.
Good luck and make sure you bring someone with you. xx
I was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma - grade 3, stage 2 like you. I have had a mastectomy and have had 5 out of 6 chemo so far. It is very scary waiting for your first chemo because you really don't know what to expect. I have found that the first week following each cycle is the worst but the next two weeks are ok and by the end of week 3 i have been feeling pretty good considering. You need to keep in contact with your care team at the hospital because for all of the side effects there is medication to help ease them. Don't feel that you are being a nuisance if you need to keep ringing the hospital as they will be happy to help you. Just take one day at a time and listen to your body and be kind to yourself. The steroids will probably make you feel a bit emotional but it does pass.
Good luck with it. It won't be as bad as you think and once the first one is done you know what to expect which makes it a lot easier the next time.
Just to echo what sarah has said- you will get through it and it is nowhere near as bad as you are probably expecting. I dreaded the chemo more than the mastectomy if Im honest but it is just fear of the unknown. Im having 3 FEC then 3 taxotere and I'll be having my 3rd Fec next week. I sailed through my 1st treatment with minor side effects (mild nausea, indigestion, sleeplessness etc) but the 2nd has been a bit more difficult mainly because I picked up a chest infection. What type of chemo will you be having?
It is such a scary time- especially at such a young age when BC is so rare. That's why sites like this are such a godsend- you realise that sadly, there are many young women going through this and you dont feel so abnormal and alone anymore.
PM me any time hun if you want to ask anything or chat etc.
