Any helpful tips on dealing with ec chemo?

It's guaranteed without the cap! If you try it and it works, your hair may thin but you should keep sufficient to look like you normally do. You must make sure it fits well though, especially at the crown, and of course it won't help with eyelashes or eyebrows. 

Hi mistymoley

So there is hope then! When I saw the post I thought there's no point trying the cold cap. 

Thank you x

Hi there,

I cold capped and kept 75% of my hair no bald patches. I had FEC-T. 

Hope this helps

Hi there! I started EC at the beginning of July, had number three today (halfway through now yippeeee) 

I don't have any other tips to add but I have experienced the high temp with the first two cycles and been admitted to hospital both times, the first time I was pretty scared and upset but it's nothing to worry about. As long as u monitor your temp and call the helpline as soon as its above 37.5 they do the rest. I have even found being in hospital isn't so bad and both times I came home feeling like I hadn't even had chemo. The main thing I wanted to say was that I didn't feel ill with the high temp I just felt cold but there was still slight infection that needed dealing with so be aware of that. 

I haven't suffered badly with any of the other side effects and I have cold capped, my hair is much thinner than it was but it's still there and to anyone that doesn't know I don't look like I'm having chemo. I still have eyelashes and eyebrows so far too...  

Hope all goes well for everybody!!! ❤️

Hi, I know this is a old post but I’ve just started ec chemotherapy and I’m just waiting for my second cycle. I wondered if you lost your lashes and brows after your whole course? For my hair I’m using the cold cap but I didn’t find it that awful so I’m hoping it was cold enough  

Did they get easier over the cycles or harder for you ? I really suffered the week after my first one but now I feel totally fine !! 

Thanks xxx

Hi Coley,

I had my last EC 2 weeks ago, i only had 3 cycles as I move on the different treatment next week, I didn’t use the cold cap and lost a majority of my hair on about day 15 after the first EC, I still have eyebrows and eyelashes although they are getting thinner

The worst days for me were always day 5 and 6 then I would start to feel a bit more normal day by day, I have found that I get a lot more tired now and often have a little sleep in the afternoon  other than that I feel ok.  I have started to get back and top of the leg pain from the injections but I use a hot water bottle and painkillers and it clears up pretty quick and I only get this for a couple of days.

Good luck with the rest of your treatment, its scary but you got this, take care 

Dawn xx

I too had 3 cycles of EC before moving on to Taxol and I found it got easier each cycle (unlike the Taxol!) My hair also started falling out on day 15 and had pretty well all gone a couple of days later, including other facial and body hair. They all started growing back on Taxol, one of the few positives I can say about it!

Good luck

Thankyou for the reply girls, I’m day 10 now from first chemo and nothing at all happened to any hair yet. 

I also have awful back pain from the injection and the steroids made me feel painfully hungry all the time !! Did you girls get that too ??

Did you both have a pic line ? I’m due to get one fitted next week but dreading having a drain in me all the time!! Trying to get comfy is hard enough after a mastectomy ! Xxxxxx

Thankyou for the reply girls, I’m day 10 now from first chemo and nothing at all happened to any hair yet. 

I also have awful back pain from the injection and the steroids made me feel painfully hungry all the time !! Did you girls get that too ??

Did you both have a pic line ? I’m due to get one fitted next week but dreading having a drain in me all the time!! Trying to get comfy is hard enough after a mastectomy ! Xxxxxx

Hi,

Hopefully using the cold cap will stop your hair falling out, the day mine came out I had pains in my head so I washed my hair and lots came out, but it did really help the pain and block the sink  

Yes the steroids make you very hungry, I find eating little and often really helps.

I haven’t had any surgery as yet, I had a picc line fitted the day before my first chemo, I didn’t feel a thing, the only problems I had was I was getting palpitations when I laid on my left side, so they pulled the line back a bit and they said it was tickling my heart, since then it’s been fine no problems, I did find it a bit uncomfortable in the beginning as I sleep on my arm which is under the pillow, but it’s all good, makes having chemo so much easier as they just plug you in

I’m on a 3 weekly cycle they send the district nurse around once a week to change the dressing and flush the line through, no only other thing is having a bath, I did buy a thing to go over my arm but I didn’t like it, so I just wrap my arm up in cling film and try my best to keep it out the bath

xxx