**JUNE BREAST CANCER CHEMOTHERAPY CHAT**

Hi

I did exactly that involved the family, we did not cope so good with shedding hair and it did not look right in the mirror either but once I shaved it off I felt so much better.  I have not had a wig or wore a scarf as I wanted to feel like me and it has worked so well for me.  I wish you well this evening and do what makes you feel comfortable. 

Thanks for the support, I am hoping that this will be just another little milestone that I can cross off my list.  Cancer seems to be an endless run of milestones, but trying to find the positive in each little triumph or challenge overcome.  I will let you all know how the shaving goes. 

itgotme I don’t know if anyone else has mentioned it but don’t shave it clean to your head, and make sure the clippers have the guard on. You don’t want to be getting any cut or nicks to you head.

Hi Ladies,

I have just found this group chat today. I had my op in May and am due to start Chemo next Friday 28th. 3xEC 3xTaxol/Carbo. Its really helpful to hear your stories and find great advice. 

Not looking forward to Chemo but it has to be done. I am going to try the cold cap and hope to hang on to my hair. If I don't it wont be the end of the world. I am more afraid of the Chemo side effects.

Sending you all hugs and hope all goes well for you x

Hello,

I'm so pleased you found this group. You will find it really supportive as you go through the next few months of treatment. I noticed a number of people were all beginning their chemo last week or this so you can all share notes together! I didn't find the site until I was half way through treatment and it would have been so helpful to have found it from the start.

Don't be afraid of the side effects. Everyone is individual.....you may get a few or practically none at all. There isn't a ' right or wrong' response.......I knew several people who were able to go back to work after a few days each session but me......Let's just say I couldn't have done that. But the time passes and as you said, once it's over....you too will be on the way to a good recovery. I am reaching the four year clear point now.

However, there are a few things you can prepare yourself with if you haven't already been given the advice by your clinic.

Take the anti sickness pills in advance. Don't wait until you are sick. 

Make sure you have a good supply of both laxatives and Imodium. People can be affected either way by the drugs and having something to hand is useful.

Don't eat too much on the chemo day until you find out how you're going to react.

It's a good idea to treat your nails with evo nail daily from the start and continue for a month or two afterwards. I didn't react well to the drugs but I did keep my nails and they never went black following the beautician advice from my clinic.

Just in case the cold cap doesn't work have some nice scarves or turbans ready. If you do need to shave your head, matching a turban to a dress helps you feel better. In our town, everyone commented on my head gear when I did go out for coffee. They were compliments and I felt so much better for it.

You may not feel like eating ot drinking as coffee and tea can often change taste but I found, and I know a lot of others have said the same, that a warm, ginger drink was soothing. My husband put some sugar syrup in it to give me some energy.

I hope I given you a few practical ideas. It's going to be hot next week so cotton or bamboo PJ's and sheets will help. You will find a cool room helpful as you can get hot a day or two after treatment and obviously, ice on hand and plenty of water to sip will be important. You won't want to dehydrate if you get the 30°temps which are promised.

I hope all goes well.You'll get lots of replies from your contemporaries and keeping each other company, it will soon pass.

Love Karen

Hi Hope62,

This site has been a great help to me, I'm at the start of my journey and had my 1st chemo Tuesday just gone, I'm on 2 antibodies herceptin and perjeta and 2 chemo doxetaxel and carboplatin.

No side effects really at the mo apart from slight lack of energy, can't run as far as I used to. Every ones journey is different, I used the cold cap, it's too early to tell if it's successfully yet but I'm hoping it will be, I've had my hair cut into a short bob and not washing it too often. I found the cap fine to wear too, deffo bearable.

Best of luck with all your treatment and hope you sail through.

:-) x

June start for me, Tuesday 11th so 12 days ago.  Pain in tumour explained as chemo working. Today other SE kicked in, fingers, toes, pins and needles, random twitches & shakes.  I assumed this would not be a SE of the FEC but rather the T bit? Feel really fed up, lack of sleep is starting to prove very difficult.... 

All of this is also wrapped up in peri-menopausal stuff so it’s a double whammy ️

A lot of great advice and observations since my earlier post, thanks everyone. Well day 2 is ending and this morning's wobbly legs and blurry vision have lasted all day, but managed out for a while in the afternoon and eating ok. My Evonail arrived so I've started with that and some vit E cuticle oil. I don't  want to go to sleep because I dont want to wake up and feel worse than I did today...but I know it's a possibility...ah well it's to be heavy rain so it'll  keep me in and I can rest....night, Fee x

Day 3 update...didn't sleep great because of heartburn and had yet another 3 hour 'hangover' of fuzzy head, wobbly legs and a strangely heavy right hand...but blurry eyes are better. Hand...and everything else really improved by lunchtime and have just knitted and watched tv today. I'm not doing these updates every day, it was really just till I got past the dreaded day 4 that everyone talks about. So tomorrow will be 1st day without Dex and strong anti-emetic....

Hope everyone is well(ish), Fee x

i suffered terribly with heartburn and indigestion when i was having chemotherapy. When you go for your next chemo or ring your gp and ask for lansoprazole, they're amazing, stopped my heartburn and indigestion within a couple of hours and also helped with feeling sick.  Don't be suffering if you don't have to xx