Chemotherapy

Hi Rockey

Yes I think that most of us who have chemo recommended to us are terrified!! I certainly was and was extremely  reluctant to agree, especially in view of the extra isolation required with covid and the effect of that on my family. However I did reluctantly agree and although I have only had one cycle so far the side effects have been nothing like as bad as I was expecting. I understand that things could be worse with future cycles but the medical staff will do their best to ensure that you do not suffer and once you start you can quickly count down to the finishing line. I am currently losing my hair but even this is not as bad as I anticipated. Not the best three or four months of your life but you can get through it 

Hi PatsyP2 thank you for your reply, the isolation seems just as bad as the side effects but I guess if the Oncologist is recommending me having chemotherapy to prevent the cancer from returning that’s what I’ll have to do. I’m pleased to hear your first cycle went well. Have you had any side effects from it? I did wonder how people felt when they started losing their hair, I think that’s what scared me the most to start with until they told me about all the side effects & then I was petrified 

Hi again Rockey

Yes, I think most of us feel we have to go along with the chemo once it has been recommended. The list of side effects is truly terrifying but remember that you won’t get all of them. Also remember that, as with many other things, we tend to hear about the people who have had problems rather than those who have got through relatively easily. Even on forums like this many people are posting because they have a problem. It is generally only in replies that we hear from ladies who have managed pretty well. 
I had some very mild nausea for a couple of days but my anti-sickness meds were excellent and it didn’t really bother me or affect eating. I also felt just a bit out of sorts for 4 or 5 days and was very tired on day 6. After that I felt perfectly normal and have been carrying on as normally as we can at the present time. I have been out for walks each day since day 2, have cooked, cleaned and done some work. The one thing I didn’t like was the slimy mouth I had for 4 days but drinks & sweets helped & it certainly didn’t hamper eating.

I am on the same regime as you & the main things to remember are to drink plenty for at least a few days, use mouthwash regularly, keep skin well moisturised and call your unit if you are uncertain about anything at all. They are there to help and support you and don’t mind you asking anything. You need to keep an eye on your temperature but I was advised by a very experienced senior oncology nurse not to take it every day as you just become paranoid and that doesn’t help you to live as normally as possible. 
I have my 2nd treatment on Wednesday and will think of you. Good luck and try not to worry too much. Are you cold capping? x

Cold cap isn’t an option due to COVID. Thank you so much for your reply it seems you’ve not been too bad. I guess I just need to get on with it now & deal with whatever comes along. Good luck with your 2nd cycle on Wednesday, I will be thinking of you. Are you having the cold cap? 

Yes I am cold capping - unless it gets stopped!! I had read that some hospitals didn’t give the cold cap option earlier in the year to reduce the time people were in the unit due to covid. 
My hair is currently shedding - this is expected with the cold cap but the amount lost varies greatly, so don’t know yet how much I will lose. 
Yes all you can do is just see how you get on. It is good to know that many people do get through fairly easily. I was extremely angry about the whole thing when I had my first treatment but was also determined to get through in the best way I could. 

Hello Rockey and Patsy. I thought I might join in this conversation as we seem to be at similar stages in our journey. I got my diagnosis of grade 2 ductal cancer in October, had lumpectomy and 3 lymph nodes removed, then a re-excision to get clear margins. Had my first chemotherapy treatment on Wednesday and so far just some nausea, tiredness and occasionally a mild headache have been the only response. I know it's early days, but I figure I just have to take each day as it comes, listen to my body and try to do what it wants me to do, but otherwise live life as fully as possible under the circumstances! I decided not to try the cold cap because I'm prone to migraines so thought I probably wouldn't tolerate it very well. But my daughter has been practising nice headscarf styles with me!! A teenager I know shaved her head for charity a couple of years ago - I thought she was beautiful for doing it. I figure that temporarily sacrificing my own hair for a greater good, ie prolonging my life, has to be worth it! 

I hope you both progress through your treatment without too much in the way of side effects. Perhaps by sharing our experiences we can help each other through.

Take care and warmest of wishes, Helen xx. PS Happy New Year

Hi 

Sorry that you also find yourself on this road they we never wanted to travel. Yes, we seem to be in a similar situation. I had my second treatment on Wednesday and so far a very similar pattern to last time. Mild nausea, which seems to have gone away more quickly this time, not much sleep and some tiredness. You seem to be experiencing the same and I hope that you are fortunate in avoiding anything more serious. I totally agree that we have to carry on as normally as we can and getting on with normal household and work activities is absolutely vital to me as is getting out to walk every day. I am also determined to get back to yoga and ballet this month - both online of course! Every medic I have spoken to since my diagnosis has stressed ‘exercise, exercise, exercise’ , even if it is only a walk along the road and back. We all have to deal with this time in the way that suits us. What treatment plan are you on? 
Hope all continues to go well for you and do keep in touch. x

Hi Tilted love to hear from you but sorry your having to go through this journey with us. I was diagnosed in August with grade 1 invasive ductal cancer ER positive. I had a lumpectomy in September & 1 lymph node removed which unfortunately had cancer in it. I had to have another operation as the margins weren’t clear in November as they wanted to do an MRI scan before to see what was going on, luckily they didn’t find anything else. The second operation the margins were clear which was good news, then they wanted to send tissue off to do the Oncotype DX test to see if I would benefit from having chemotherapy, it came back chemotherapy couldn’t be ruled out so this is where I’m at. It’s been a huge rollercoaster of emotions but I just take 1 step at a time. I’m having FEC-T chemotherapy so it’s 3x FEC & then 3x T cycles. I’m feeling more myself today still a bit tired but I think you’re right you just need to listen to your body & do what it needs. Take care & best wishes. Happy new year to you x

Hi Rockey and Patsy. Thanks for sharing more of your stories with me. My cancer was Oestrogen positive and Her2 positive, hence the chemo, which is 3 cycles of Epirubicin and cyclophosphamide followed by three cycles of Docetaxel and Herceptin. Then I'll have some radiotherapy and some other treatments: Zoledronic acid which helps to stop this sort of cancer spreading to the bones, and Letrozole which suppresses oestrogen production. I've also got to have something called Traztuzumab but I'm not sure when that happens yet!! Why do they all have to have such long names?!! I don't know whether any of those are the same as you guys are having? I've been told I won't be back at work till July/August which I find difficult to come to terms with as I love my job. But there are plenty of house jobs to catch up on and I love gardening and reading so that's lucky

So good to talk with you. I can relate to the rollercoaster of emotions Rockey. I went back to bed this morning after having to inject my stomach with an immune boosting drug, and just started crying! Felt better after letting it out!

Take care both of you, Helen (alias Tilted after a song by my daughter's favourite band and also to reflect that I now have one boob smaller than the other !!)

I’ve got to start injecting myself from tomorrow for 5 days which I’m not looking forward to. They have mentioned something about bones but said they would explain nearer the time as I was like a rabbit in headlights at the meeting p, so much information!!! My boob is slightly smaller but I’m lucky it’s still there as I was thinking a mastectomy would be my next operation. I’ve had a few sleeps today & have moved around more doing little bits so I’m hoping it’s all a step in the right direction. It’s good to have a good cry & let out all those emotions that get built up. I had a manger breakdown Christmas Eve & not been too bad since, but I’m sure it will come again soon. I had fluorouracil (also called 5fu) epirubicin & cyclopsphamide for my first treatment & my next two & then I’ll be having 3 lots of docetaxel (taxotere) they are really long names. Take care x