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**MAY 2019 BREAST CANCER CHEMOTHERAPY CHAT**

FormerMember
FormerMember
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Hello lovely people, and Happy May! 

This thread is for all of you soldiers, going through chemotherapy to take a look at, ask questions, answer questions and be there for ome another in a way only you guys know how. 

If you want to find this post quickly, you can hit the 'Save In My Favourites' button. 

For all of those of you going through chemotherapy, you are superstars. You are amazing, and you are fighting each and every day, you are my heroes. If you need any extra tips, our Chemo Tips Page is something you may find very helpful, and something that you may find you would like to share with others who are also going through chemo. 

To get a sense of how the thread works, this is The link to the April Chat which will be being locked from replies soon, but have a read anyway if you'd like to. 

Remember, you're never alone, you have us! And, just try to focus on what your chemotherapy is doing. Its hopefully kicking your cancers butt. 

This is my first time doing these posts, but to help my lovely friends (other champs) I'll be doing them from now, I hope you all don't mind! Haha. 

Lots of love, hugs, light and healing to each and every one of you. 

Alex xxx

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    I'm in. Two more Docetaxel to go. The one last week was very hard. Lots of leg pain, which, combined with worries and general hypochondria, has rendered me unable to sleep for longer than half an hour. 

  • Hello

    I am in for May. Have had 4 weekly paclitaxel with carboplatin on the first and fourth week.

    Side effects for this week just creeping in and they tend to last 2-3 days. My wbc was at the low end last week so hoping it holds steady for Tuesday.

    Hope everyone is doing OK.

    Xx

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember in reply to Haysie

    Hi 

    I’m here for May! I just started my Chemo journey today.

    I am starting with 4 x 2 weekly cycles of EC.

    The tiredness has hit me mere hours after treatment, which I wasn’t expecting.

    Sending lots of strength everyone’s way. Muscle tone1

  • Hi all,

    I'm in for part of May. I had 3 EC, then 1 Docetaxel and then got switched to weekly paclitaxel due to hospital stay!

    I've now had 4 of  the planned 6 paclitaxel. So 2 more Paclitaxel and I'll be finished chemo! 

    Then I'll be on to radiotherapy.

    I started in January and found it all quite tough up until I got switched to Paclitaxel. I'm tolerating it fairly well so far.

    Also have found the time has gone quite quickly.

    Good luck everyone!

    Big hugs to you all!  Kx

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember in reply to WeCanDoThis

    Keep going ladies! You're all so amazing, and you're all so brave and strong xxxx

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember in reply to FormerMember

    So Paclitaxol has now stopped working again.  This silly cancer is seeming to be a bit too intelligent for my liking and the inflammatory has flared back up.

    So does anyone have any experience of Eribulin? Starting on Weds.

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember in reply to FormerMember

    Hi

    Bloody cancer - keeps dodging the chemo - mine seems to be the same! 

    I'm on Eribulin at the moment - this is my 12th cycle. I'm on 50% dose now as the first three cycles (100% and 2 lots of 75%) put me in hospital for extended periods due to severe neuropenia. On 100% dose, I also had a PE, which extended my hospital stay and I'm now on daily anticoagulant injections for life. 

    Now we've got the dose right, it still seems to be working on holding back the flood (I have secondaries in lungs and bones), so I'm on it for as long as it works. 

    Apart from the initial neutropenia, the main immediate side effects have been cumulative fatigue - I'm really tired a lot of the time now, some heartburn and cramp. The heartburn has improved recently, although that has now been replaced by mild peripheral neuropathy! The cramp is a pain - my magnesium and potassium levels are fine and you can't take quinine on Eribulin as it can cause heart arrhythmias and heart attacks, so is a definite no-no! 

    The other side effect that is a real pain for me is deteriorating vision - I've had four pairs of glasses since I started on the Eribulin and my last pair lasted 6 weeks before I had to go and get more - my vision has dropped from 20/20 with glasses to being on the legal limit for driving 3 times now, and as I was very short sighted before, we're not sure how many more times he'll be able to correct it! 

    I have antisickness IV before the chemo as my oncologist knows that I don't 'do' nausea and sickness! Apparently it's not usually an issue with Eribulin, so is not normally given but he humours me! 

    The good thing about the Eribulin IV is that it is the shortest chemo ever - 5 minutes! So, the antisickness IV takes longer than the chemo itself! I feel quite guilty at times breezing in for chemo and breezing out again 45 minutes later whilst other people are there all day!!! 

    If you need to know anything else, just ask! 

    Hugs to you - hope it works for you... 

  •  

    How did you find ec in comparison to paclitaxel?

    Xx

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    I’m in... I’m 25% of my way through my chemo, 50% of way through the EC treatment, then 4 docetaxel. 

    Only real side effects so far have been extreme tiredness in the first week, then seem to get to 75-80% back to normal. 

    Nect one on Friday ..... 

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    I start EC chemotherapy on may 13th , induction appointment on .10th . I was diagnosed with grade 3 invasive breast cancer on 5/3/19 , lumpectomy and lypmh nodes removed 15/3/19  follows by a other Fingers crossed due to margins on 5/4/19 . At first I thought it would only be radiotherapy and tamoxifen but due to grade and also lymph node infected chemotherapy being given . It's all very stressful and I am sFingers crossedworried about the side effects . I have had my hair cut into a very short bob and I will try cold cap Fingers crossed

    Good luck to all and stay strong 

    Xx