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?
Paula you are sooo right...i'm definately more a GI Jane lol!
Stef i didn't have FEC, is that what you're having? I had epirubicin (same as Jean) for the first half..it was a killer!! Now i'm having CMF which is so much kinder. CMF doesn't make you lose your hair and doesn't make me feel so sick and tired. Epirubicin made me sleep for about a week! Also my tastebuds are mostly back to normal so i can enjoy a good cuppa tea again...fab :-). I got my Willow Foundation information through today..looks good. I'm going to apply for it, don't know what yet...quite like the Orient express trip or a city break :-) I have a 16 year old son and the girls have stopped knocking on our door too!!
Marion it's great ticking them off isn't it :-D. You must be so excited being a step closer to having a baby. Two years will fly by. Enjoy your weekend with your brother, i'm seeing mine tomorrow too :-)
Chelle yes i having FEC the E being epirubicin i not suffered sickness so far except for day 4 and 5 felt nauseous but just ate lots and felt better. Great news for your special day you energetic thing they pay for the whole family to go on trip too - i feel bit mean (only tidgy bit) that i not taking kids with us but feel a relaxing break for the two of us is what i could cope with and would simplify planning etc and not having to entertain the kids etc. I have not heard back yet i believe you get assigned a co-ordinator who contacts you to take the plans further. My mum has a 13yr old lurcher called Ethel she has a beard and huge eyebrows a real character (see Trevor is quite a normal name when you compare it to ethel) who comes round to put Trevor in his place - he likes her and she is a really snobby human like dog who is extremely lovable old lady with manners. Cant wait till Friday to take him for first walk, we have been practicing on his lead and is quite good. Jean said she was very wakeful on steroids seemed like each time and you were sleepy and you were on the same treatment werent you - must be just individual reactions hey. I dont mind the sleepyness although it is a bit making me feel lower as not got energy.
I am sat in front room wigless aaaah and i have put on one of those ski type woolen hats with a tassle on top and plats of wool coming of the ear flaps -ooooh nice and snugly warm with no itching i think this hats my new best friend though i look a bugger in it. You know the hat dont you what the scally kids wear with trackies and timberlands. My mum got it when she went to Venice and it was -10 degrees. Found drinks today vile and tried tomato juice and worcester sauce as was also finding it hard to eat stuff as it tastes bad and it went down well lovely.
Can anyone remind me has anyone except Marian and i think Paula had grade 3 as it puts my mind at rest i not alone and stuff - if you know what i mean.
Hi Steff, me sat in daft hat too, my head is freezing lol I was diagnosed grade two although the surgeon assured me grade 3 was just as beatable etc. Read my profile for details of treatment etc xxxx
Marian you must be feeling great now that all the "nasty" treatment is over. When you are done with all the pill popping I wish you all the luck in the world when you decide to start a family.
Yo sound really excited about your brother visiting. Just like I was when my brother came down from Scotland to see me. Don't we just love our brothers. Hope you and Chelle enjoy seeing your brothers.
Steff. I was initially grade 2 as nothing was found in the cells they took from the lymph nodes, before the op. At that point I was only to have radiothrapy, no chemo. However when they operated and removed the lump and 5 nodes, they found cancer in one node. They then whipped me back in and removed the rest of the nodes. No more cancer was found, thank goodness. However, because one node was cancerous I was "upped" to grade 3 and had to have chemo too.
Chell and I are on the same chemo except for one little variation. I start taking steroids straight away for 3 days, which is why I bounce off the walls and sleep very little. When I come off the steroids I start to get a bit sleepy. Chelle doens't start her steroids until about a week or so after the chemo, which is why she was sleeping so much straight away, after the Epirubicin. She called it chemo coma! Chelle, please correct me if I have this wrong. The "pure" Epirubicin that Chelle and I had was a real killer. The 4th lot was the worst. Thank goodness that was the last of it. The nurse told me that it was like pumping acid into our veins. A very harsh chemical that can damage the veins if not administered correctly. I think the FEC is a combination of 3 drugs, one of which is Epirubicin, so perhaps you don't get quite as much Epi as we did.
Still no hair on my legs. Only the one hair under one arm, which I treasure! The head is still a bit like a gooseberry, but it is only 3 1/2 weeks of growth. Like you, Chelle, I keep looking at it, willing it to grow. Patience was never my strong point!
Hope everyone has as good a weekend as possible. Next week Chelle, Paula and I are all on a dose of chemo. Anyone else having treatment next week?
I have'nt posted for a while but have been following everyones progress - so I sort of feel I know you abit! I have now had my second op and all lymph nodes have now been removed and apart from the original 5 the rest were clear. Exercising like mad!
I start FEC/T chemo regime on Thursday for 6 sessions. I see some of you are on FEC - thanks Jean for the link which was good. does anyone have any tips / or advice on stuff its useful to have in. I know we all respond differently to chemo (how many times have we heard that!) Have also been offered cold cap not sure about that - I don't like pain! Anyway your tips and experiences have been uplifting during these last few weeks and I would be grateful for any tips and will share my experiences with you if thats ok and let you know of anything that helps me Have a lovely weekend all xx
Hi ladies, I have found these sites which explain the different chemos. I am on AC, the others are what Chelle, Jean and Steff are on. Hope the link works as it isn't coming up blue at the mo. http://www.cancerbackup.org.uk/Treatments/Chemotherapy/Combinationregimen/AC http://www.cancerbackup.org.uk/Treatments/Chemotherapy/Individualdrugs/Epirubicin http://www.cancerbackup.org.uk/Treatments/Chemotherapy/Combinationregimen/FEC-T
Hi all Chelle and Jean so glad your hair is starting to grow in. Had to shave mine last week so back to the wigs. My chemo is weekly Taxol but its not to harsh. First time round I had 6 FECs and as you said its the purple Epirubicin thats the killer. Isnt it strange that Chelle is taking her steroids a week after her chemo. Like you Jean I started my steroids straight away for 5 days then collapsed for a week. The chemo I am on has steroids in it so fr 24 hrs I dont shut up or stop cleaning the house. After 24 hrs I am exhasted lol Dont know how the family will put up with me running around the house once a week tidying like a maniac.
Going out with a few friends tonight as I can still have a tipple while on chemo :) Hope you are all having a fab weekend and will catch up with you all soon.
Hi Camilla I tried the cold cap and it didnt work for me although I know it works for some. It was a torture for me as it gave me an ice cream head also you had to put it on 1/2 hr before starting the chemo then 1/2 hr after it finnished. I couldnt be bothered spending an extra hr in the hsopital with the torture cap on.lol A lot of people this time round are doing this and although they still have hair it is very fine and personaly I think the wig looks better. Whatever you decide I hope it goes well for you.
Chelle, thanks for the good wishes..have been dipping in & out, so have been keeping an eye on how you are all doing.. :-)
Camilla, don't know if this will be any help to you, but may be worth a look re the cold cap, plus I posted a couple of links on page 2 for some sites about it..
