Hi! Im having first chemotherapy on 1st March. Can anyone tell me what to expect? I have 3 small children- 8, 4, 2… will I be able to do things with them, do school run?
Hi Smoczyca you might find you get more response if you post in the main breast cancer forum. However, I can only tell you my experience, I had 4 EC followed by 4 Paclitaxol. I have one more left and have been fairly lucky and not felt sick. The fatigue I have found is the hardest part but I have still managed to work full time, albeit from home. I don’t have kids but I have managed to keep on top of the housework and cook whilst still going for the odd walk. Just make sure you tell the nurses or oncologist if you get side effects as anything too bad they can adjust your dose or give you different drugs to help combat them. Fingers crossed you will be ok, good luck! X
Yes EC is a type of chemo. There are side effects specific to each type but it doesn’t mean you will get them. Everyone reacts differently. You will find plenty who have had the same as me but been really sick, there’s no rhyme or reason for it! Try and drink plenty of water and monitor the side effects and tell the nurse when you have your review before each treatment.
Thanks. I know everyone is different and will react differently. I know I don’t have to get all side effects… I really want my chemo to start, right know, waiting is killing me, I feel like it’s grown twice since diagnosis and spread everywhere …
That’s a perfectly normal feeling, it’s the waiting that’s the worst, once you get your first one out of the way you will know how you will react to it. I felt the same about it growing, was convinced by it (I had surgery before chemo) but after the surgery they confirmed the size and it was the same as when I was first diagnosed so I was worrying about nothing!
you have less than a week to go, it’ll go slow but try and keep yourself occupied. Deep clean the house in preparation or plan to see friends. This time next week your first one will be done!
Everyone is different hun. I was lucky enough to have very few side effects on chemo. However, generally i was ok ish at the beginning and could do a lot more than i thought i would be able to do. At the time i had a month old and a 3 year old.
I needed support from others through out (more because of emotional support) school runs were ok, but i struggled towards the end of my treatment. I had 8 rounds of chemotherapy. I started to really feel the effects on round 6 and my dose had to be reduced.
I had no sickness (this was my major concern).
On the whole yes is the answer, you will be able to do things with your kind, you will get to know your pattern in your chemotherapy cycle. And from this you know when your good days will be and when you will be needing to rest and recover.
My kids were the best medicine to get me through everything.
Just listen to your body as you go through it hun, its daunting, scary and worrying but just keep ticking off each day. It soon goes by.
