Hello my name is Heather I have just been diagnosed with brest cancer last week for the first time (and last I hope) Both my sisters have had cancer,one died seven month ago Im a bit scared of what to expect with the chemo. Can anyone tell me how soon after the treatment do you start to feel ill? How soon do you lose your hair?
Jenny my advice is to get rid now, it becomes more heartbreaking trying to blow dry it when it is falling out. I tried to make a fun evening out of it with my kids, lots of beers and lots of laughs. It honestly gets better, went to visit family this week and within the hour they had got used to me bald as I won't wear gear on my head in doors. Good luck xx
Thanks paula, sian and jeanie jean for your advice, don't want to wait till it falls in my food!!!!!! well I'll get my partner John to shave it off then as I'm dreading waking tomoz and finding my hair in the bed he is not home till tomoz as he is a lorry driver and is away he is in for a shock when he comes home mind you he could do with some hair lol.
I will get my two boys involved as well and make it a fun thing oh well it sure is real now!!! no going back now i'm in for the long haul.
When I had mine shaved off, like you, I thought well this is the beginning of a long haul. I thought at the time that it would never end. The GOOD NEWS is that it does end. I have my last chemo next Wed, 26th August. Looking back it actually doesn't seem that long! I had 2 different chemos, EPI and CMF. The CMF does not affect the hair so I have a light covering now. The strange thing is that of all the side effects that I had, the hair loss was the one that didn't bother me!!!
Hope Caley is recovering well tonight.
Just wish we could hear from Sue in Cyprus. She's not been on for a while.
Hi jenney, like everyone, in the begining it seems like its never going to end, but as Jean says IT DOES, l had my last chemo yesterday woop woop !!,so in two weeks time (as thats how long it takes me to feel normal again) no more feeling crap, no more steroids there for no more sleepless nights, no more food tasting like poo! ( that was the worst for me as eating is my faivorate thing !!) and no more pricks in my hands. AND mabe a little less shouting at my husband (maybe!!)
My hair started to fall out the third week of my first set of chemo, my husband shaved it for me a week later (he enjoyed that bit!!) its started to grow back now but very slowly its very flufffy, and my husband says its coming in gray, well l like to think its blond, eather way im not botherd, as long as ive got some.
Im now waiting for an apointment with my surgeon to find out when my surgery is going to be, and l was told yesterday that l will be going on hormone tablets (can't remember the name of them) l may need raidiotheripy too but l wouln't find that out untill after surgery.
Hope you get on ok Jenney, before you know it you wll be where a lot of us are at the END
So pleased to read your post this morning. We have a lot to thank you for! You started this thread on 7th March and gradually one by one we have joined in. We have all helped each other along the way and for that I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
So so pleased that you have finished your chemo. Strangely enough the next one to join our group was Chelle and she finishes her chemo on Tuesday. I finish mine on Wednesday.
As you say, no more feeling crap, no more steroids, therefore no more sleepless nights, no more food tasting like poo!
Let us know when you have the date for your op. KEEP SMILING!
Good morning everyone! Hi Heather - I echo what Jean said! I am so pleased you started this thread - look what it's become! A source of help, comfort and support to so many people. I'm so pleased for you that the really yukky bit of your treatment is over - whoopee! I have lobular cancer too but have not been offered chemo. I'm waiting for a double mx on 22 September. Hope you get a date for your op. soon. Jean, I bet you can't wait to join that club! It will be double celebrations for you and Chelle after the next chemo.! Off to hospital to see if this has spread to lymph nodes as I'm waiting so long. Sometimes it feels as if I'm dreaming - but my waking thought is about this horrid disease. I try to live as normal a life as possible but the wait seems interminable - I found the lump at the end of June and nothing will happen till towards end of Sept. But I'm taking a day at a time I know it will be the big day eventually! I feel really bad that I don't mention everyone by name! It reads like a school register now - our band of friends - that's how I see you all and I'm thinking of you all today as this site is so important to me, and all of you are too. Take care everyone, lots of love, Wendy xxx
Just a quick one for now - will write more over the weekend.
Had first Taxotere on Wednesday - HELP - have got the sore palms and fingers!! What is the best remedy for that? Have tried the aqueous cream but that does not help.
My wife, Vicky is having a course of taxotere at the moment and I believe that putting your hands in cold water during the treatment can help alleviate some of the symptoms. Hope that helps, Stuart
Blimey you’ve all been busy since my last post!! Lol
Jean – it must be a fab feeling to know you’ve only got one more dose to go!! That is great news.
Jenney – you seem to have suffered a bit after your first FEC, bless you. My hair started coming out 8 days after my first FEC, so like everyone else, I shaved it off. I have found that my hair grows between FEC’s and I’ve got a stubbly head lol. I had my last FEC last Wednesday with a 10% increase in dose. Thankfully I was fine nothing major to report.
I had to have my bloods done yesterday (for some reason my lovely Prof wants me to have them done on day 9 each time) and got a phone call from the Oncology department last night to say they were very low and I need to keep an eye on my temperature and if anything changes I need to ring them.
I start on Taxotere on 2nd September and should have my last chemo on 14 October so not too long to go. Then it’s a case of what they’re going to do re surgery. I’m still hopeful of a lumpectomy but the tumour needs to shrink a tad more yet. Have seen a noticeable shrink and change since my last chemo, definitely smaller and softer, which is such a relief,
I feel extremely fortunate as, so far, I’ve not had any problems with losing my taste, I can taste everything. Bit of a bummer as I was banking on losing my tastebuds to lose 5 stone during chemo!!!! Lol reality is I’ve lost 7 lbs!!!!! I’ve not eaten more than normal but I do have odd cravings, which I blame the steroids for. On FEC I had 4 steriods a day for 2 days, but on Taxotere I have to have 8 of them in one go for 3 days, starting the day before chemo (I think). I’ll choke having to eat 8 of the buggers in one go!!! Still if I take them first thing in the morning as suggested I hope I won’t have the tigger effect!!!
Stuart – I’m sorry Vicky’s got a shitty employer but I’m afraid it’s all too common. Headcount and cuts is all they think about. Right now, you’ve probably sorted everything out but I’ll share my pearls of wisdom with you!!! :o)
The employer are totally within their rights to request Vicky visits Occ Health during her absence from work, they are also, sadly, entitled to ask her to visit the Company’s medical practisioner at their request. HOWEVER, I think they are following their own procedures too ridigedly given Vicky’s condition. I’m sure they have already requested a medical report from her GP or Oncologist. If they haven’t I would suggest that Vicky mention it to HR. If at anytime she is too unwell to attend these appointments she is within her rights to cancel as long as she rings HR to keep them informed of her health state they shouldn’t argue. If they get too obsessive about her visiting Occ Health/GP’s etc, then ask her to get a letter from her Oncologist which she can send a copy to Occ Health and HR for her records.
After a TUPE transfer, her terms and conditions of employment remain the same as before she transferred to the new employer so they can’t just change her contract terms. After 6 months from the date of TUPE transfer they can write to Vicky asking if she wants to go over to the terms and conditions of the new employer, but she does NOT have to do so if her old terms and conditions are more favourable to her.
It sounds like she has a good terms for sickness and she should be able to work when she can and go on to the company sick pay scheme on the days she can’t. Once she has used up her company sick pay entitlement, ie the 6 months full pay, 6 months half pay, etc, then she will be entitled to SSP which is paid for 28 weeks.
The only legitimate way for the company to terminate Vicky’s contract would be on the grounds of capability (ill health) and that would be that she is incapable of carrying out her job. The fact that she is managing to work some days, shows she is not incapable. However, it would be down to the recommendation of her Line Manager and how strong he/she is to stand up to HR or the higher management in protecting her and her job.
Sadly at the end of the day they could and probably will try to find ways of getting rid of Vicky. In which case she needs to be mindful of Constructive Dismissal. Having read what you’ve put then I my advice would be for Vicky to comply with her employer’s wishes on attending medical interviews as much as possible. Keep a diary of each appointment and what is said – you can accompany her to these appointments, don’t let the employer say otherwise!!! Keep all correspondence from the employer and copies of anything you send them. If Vicky is a member of a works union, meet with them and bring them up to speed with what’s happening. Other than that, ring ACAS for their advice, or visit Citizens Advice. I’m available for any advice you may need. I am an HR Consultant so kinda know my stuff J
Hope this helps.
Sorry it’s been war and peace today.
Love to all, my thoughts are with everyone in chemo/post chemo, keep smiling and eat fish finger sandwiches til you can’t eat no more!! Lol
