Starting EC chemo next week. Very daunting to me.

Hi welcome to the site I know you'd rather not be here but as you may know it's the best place to come to for support . 

Have a read of my story as similar diagnosis except no node involvement. 

I was diagnosed two year ago this week one more year to go ! I felt like you Three Years !!! Never ending !! 

 The way I dealt with it was to keep focused on each day /step not looking forward too much .

Chemo finished in Dec 2019 ( EC x 6 ) just feeling like it out of my system when Covid and Shielding arrived March 2020 . 

Herceptin jabs finished Jan 2021 finally the end of 18 months of three weekly treatments ....what to do now for social life whilst shielding .

Just had no 4 Zoledronic infusion ( every 6 months ) two more left .

click on my name and read profile then feel free to come back with any questions . Use @ then my name so you can highlight it then I will be notified of your post . 

Hi I was diagnosed with high grade dcis in february and had a mastectomy in April

i was horrified that despite there being nothing i. my lymph nodes i had to have 12 weeks of chemo

i was terrified

Rhat was six weeks ago and i am now on week four of chemo. I can honestly say it’s nowhere near as bad as i thought it would be

i also have done the cold cap and yes ok it’s a bit uncomfortable but certainly i didn’t find it unbearable? 

the best thing i can suggest is don’t read all the side effects and just go to your first session with an open mind. It’s honestly not as bad as i suspect you think it will be ? 

i am on Paclitaxcel avery week and every three weeks trazstumbab

good luck xxx

@Northener

Hi, I am 71 so can identify a little. Very scary when you've been through it once and had to have those horrid 5-year tablets. I have completed my treatment and am now on exemestane. I had 2, Her2+ tumours plus 1, small EC+.  I had a mastectomy following chemo. The good news was that the chemo worked very well on the her2+ tumours which completely gone following the chemo and the follow-up Herceptin injections. Not quite so lucky with the smaller EC+ tumour but it was cut away with the mastectomy and I was fortunate enough to have a clear sentinel node biopsy. I wore the cold cap and managed much to my consultant's surprise to keep my hair which was very much a positive. Having relatively thick hair prior to the start of chemo I had an advantage plus the cap probably wasn't so cold against my scalp as it might have been for people with finer hair. 

It's a long old haul but I am sure you will cope, not only do you have this site for advice and support but if your chemo ward nurses are anything like mine they were just so lovely and supportive and I could ring up anytime. I also had a brilliant family to give me support. My daughter, who supported her mother in law with breast cancer before me,  came to every single chemo session bar one which my husband sat through with me. I hope you have support from family and/or friends. I also had the district nurse come in to give me my post-chemo injections, much better than trying to do them myself. Keep an eye on your temperature and go to the hospital if it goes up. Once through the horror of A&E  the couple of nights I spent in the hospital were very relaxing. My GP too was great

One positive I found with cancer was just how nice people were to me when they found out. 

Thinkng about you and wishing you all the very best xxx

Thank you for your reply @Northener.  You have been through the mill!!! I feel more at ease having looked at your experience. It is all the side effects that had me on edge but I suppose  until you are on the treatment you don't know how it will affect you.

I was thinking of trying the cold cap to see if it helps my hair.

Any tips on food to avoid or did you just keep to your normal diet?

Do you need to check your temperature each day incase of any infections?

I have heard the first 6 cycles of chemo are the worst and when on the paclitaxel weekly for 9 weeks are not so bad. The herceptrin(trastuzumab) and perjeta(pertuzumab) not sure about. But as you say one day at a time.

Thank you Rozalia for your reply. Its wonderful to hear that you have been through and come out the other side. I am grateful for your info regarding the cold cap.

I bought a thermometer  last week so I can check my temperature. It seems infections can be from something ie scratches,  also is it from something on the inside of your body, I.e. food that you have eaten? Not sure you can do anything to avoid these infections apart from normal hygiene standards. 

  Hi I didn't use cold cap as didn't want to be in unit longer than needed also onco gave an emphatic yes to question will I lose hair .So I took control and had it cut to pixie length before chemo then stopped using product and heat .

Just small amount shampoo and finger dry hair. It was third cycle before it started to shed (Was told could lose within first week ) Hairdresser kept it tidy then just before no 6 cycle I had it shaved So shape there for regrowth .

I did have a wig pixie style and lots of hats ..hardly wore wig . Surprised myself by embracing the bald look  

I have IBD ( reason I couldn't have Docetaxel )so diet quite healthy anyway . Basically I did what my body wanted so ate little and often .

Steroids made me search for sweet things 

Kept little pots of treats in fridge to nibble on when feeling nauseous.

Tastebuds can/ will change just go with it 

There are lots of hints on the chemo thread. About mouth ulcers etc.

My advice would be start using mouthwash before chemo starts also child's soft toothbrush . Vaseline for dry lips and lots of moisturiser for dehydrated skin . No need to spend a fortune I used Dove parabens free for shower or bath .

look up about nail protection I didn't know and lost some toe nails

I kept a diary of SE so I could see pattern emerge for me day 10 would be turning point on starting to feel better and by day 15 I would be off to caravan for week . 

Always report any difficulties to your unit they can change drugs to help with nausea etc I also had oral thrush a few times and dry eyes all of which I received medication for from unit .

yes I did take temp each evening so I knew what was normal for me .

Have a look at chemo thread also the Awake thread is very active with lots of support and loads of chat we get called the fruit loops cos we a bit loopy lol  

Thank you Issylid for the info and the reassurance. I have been worrying about the EC chemo and cold cap. I will take your advice and go with an open mind.

I can't thank all you lovely people enough for your support.xx

Agree with the advice from Northerner. But go with the flow, allow yourself to take it easy. I felt like a hypochondriac but was reassured by my GP, chemo is nasty and if you feel bad ask for something to help. I couldn't sleep and he gave me sleeping pills. I didn't take them every night just when I got really fed up not sleeping and wanted a break. I  was advised to take anti-sick pills as a matter of course and not wait until I felt sick. I didn't get much nausea or sickness so this was probably good advice. Take it easy and accept all the help and care you are given x