Hi, I've just joined

Hi Ratty1

Welcome to the forum and sorry to hear that you have been diagnosed with Breast Cancer.  Breast Cancer is very treatable these days and while the thought of chemo is scary it's not as bad as you think.  Everyone reacts differently and you will find plenty of advice on here to help you as you  go through your treatments.  Just take things one day at a time and don't be afraid to reach out if you are struggling.

Do you know what Chemo drugs you will be receiving yet?  I was diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer last September and had 8 cycles of chemo, 4 of AC and 4 of Taxol.  Apart from a couple of blips along the way I didn't suffer from too many side effects. Either before you start your treatment you will be given a prescription for anti-sickness meds and also any med to deal with any other side effects you may have.  You should also get phone numbers for the oncology day ward so that you can contact them if you are very sick from the chemo.  They will either adjust your chemo dose or your anti-sickness meds, they may do both.  Don't be afraid to ring them if need be, the nurses on the oncology ward are very helpful and friendly.

One of the things you will be told to do is use a mouthwash to prevent any soreness in your mouth.  While I was having chemo I used to put half a teaspoon of salt in a cup of hot water which I cooled down with cold water and rinsed out my mouth after every meal.  Use a soft toothbrush to brush your teeth twice a day.

I lost my hair after my second AC and got my mum to shave it off so that it wouldn't come out and leave me with bald patches on my head. While I was upset at first I soon got used to it, as you said it's a small price to pay to get better.  I didn't bother with a wig I just got a couple of turbans to put on my head to protect it from the cold. 

When I was diagnosed I was determined that the Cancer wasn't going to define me.  I have had my bad days but they have been few and far between. I'm getting a lot of support from family and friends which I find a great help as well as doing the things that I love, like reading and going for walks with my dog every day apart from when it's raining.

Wishing you the best of luck with your treatments.  I'm on here quite a bit so if you have any questions or just want to talk you can message me.

Best wishes

Daisy

Hi daisy,

Thankyou so much for your message. It's nice to know there is so much support out there. My family are being fantastic but it's nice to talk with someone who's going through or been through the same thing. 

Best wishes

Ratty1

Hi, your diagnosis sounds a bit like mine. I am halfway through 6 cycles of chemo for a grade 3 lump, and I'll have surgery next, then radiotherapy and the hormone treatment (I am HER and ER positive) needs to continue for another 12 cycles (but that’s too far ahead to think of).

I have been working all the way through chemo so far and other than a day or two each cycle, I am managing the side effects quite well.  I am not overly tired and the side effects are very manageable in my case.

This is a great site for support, I find it very helpful. Good luck with these coming weeks, I think these early days were hard, now it's started it's better as you're in the process x

Hi,

It's great to hear that you managing so well with the chemo, I am worried about my work as it is very energetic but I will cross that bridge when it needs crossing. 

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply, reading other people's experiences is very helpful to me. Good luck with the rest of your treatment.

Best wishes

Ratty.