Stage 2b invasive ductal carcinoma

Hi SueJS,

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis it’s such a shock to be told this news

I was diagnosed with stage one grade 3 invasive ductal carcinoma in July. I have just started chemotherapy which I’m having first and due to have my third cycle next Friday.
I found the second cycle quite difficult. I’m on day 12 now and just starting to feel better. The sickness has gone thank goodness.

i’m cold capping and have lost some of my hair but  it’s not too bad, I’ve had it cut short and so far people wouldn’t notice, I know that may change. 

I too need surgery after the chemotherapy, and then four rounds of radiotherapy, they have said it may need a mastectomy’s but not quite sure yet. 

How did you manage with the Chemo and Surgery? 

Sasha x

Hi Sasha,

I found chemo different every month. The 4 x EC was the worst, especially the days after the injections for white blood cells. This was made worse by having a DVT (blood clot in my arm) and needing daily anticoagulant injections. It did get a little easier as time went on as I knew what to expect, but I found I would feel ill for a couple more days by the 4th infusion.

Paclitaxol was easier, although I had peripheral neuropathy, so only had 3 of the 4 infusions. I had a chest port by then as my veins were damaged from the EC.

I tried cold capping for the first 2 EC, but it didn’t work for me, maybe because I have very thick hair. 

Surgery went well. I’m not in pain and can manage the daily physio okay. I just hope they took a big enough margin so I don’t have to have any more removed. 

Have you found ways to manage the sickness for next time? Good luck for Friday,

Sue

I have an oncology appointment this week so will mention to my oncologist about the sickness and is there anything he can do that will make it more manageable. 
I still don’t really know all the terminology regarding chemo i don’t know what EC means? 
As far as I know, Im on Carboplatin, Docetaxel, Phesgo, & Trastuzumab I have six cycles in total and assume I’m having the same all the way through. 

I was going to have a picc line put in and had an appointment booked, but decided to cancel as I didn’t want the added worry of infections and blood clot, so far things have gone okay with regarding finding fines etc. 

Did you lose your hair by the second cycle? I have lost quite a lot, I have very fine hair but lots of it,  I’m hoping I can keep at least 50%, but who knows. 

Hi Sasha,

sorry, EC stands for the drugs epirubicin & cyclophosphamide, the first two I was on. Definitely ask for any extra anti nausea/sickness drugs you can take before, during and after treatment. Side effects like these can be mitigated, you shouldn’t have to suffer from them. 

My hair took ages to fall out. It thinned lots on top after the second cycle, which is why I stopped cold capping. I felt that by the time they had protected the thin areas of scalp with gauze, there wouldn’t be much hair left to save. I then continued to keep the back and fringe/comb over for another 2 cycles and could wear baseball caps without anyone really noticing. (I had my hair cut short before my first treatment). 

i saw lots of people keep their hair through cold capping who had multiple treatments. 50% loss sounds about right, I just lost it all in one place which wasn’t the effect I wanted! I also have a nice wig so didn’t mind too much. 

Sue