Hello I’ve come on here after having lovely support in the June - Aug group. I started chemo 23 July and first drugs are AC on 4x 3 weekly cycle. Cycle 3 was yesterday. The oncology team do a phone or face to face appt the week before chemo to see how the last one went and suggest changes. My big change came with a reduced dose after the first one and various actions to reduce neutropenia. I’ll check in on both groups.
if of interest I have done 2 courses I’d recommend & am about to join some sessions around hair loss. Look Good Feel Better hand and nail care was really helpful to me; I enjoyed the make up and skincare workshop. On Monday I’m joining a Headwrappers workshop I booked through Maggie’s Centre. If I feel up to it tonight, Rosamund Dean whose columns & work I like a lot, is doing a live event on Instagram about cancer and hairloss
I am due my 2nd chemo AC/PC treatment Monday and felt really drained yesterday afternoon, to the point of laying down for 6 hours. In your experience, do these feelings increase over time? I seem to be lots more energetic in the mornings.
I think we all do differently on AC. I’m on reduced dose after I ended up with three days in hospital the week after my first one. I have a rare fungal lung condition which is making chemo difficult. Also instead of coming home with dexamethasone I am off those steroids and on an additional anti sickness drug. So I’m on 75% now so unlike you, am not energetic in the mornings whereas normally I am up at 5 just because I think that’s the way my body clock goes. However I have felt my usual self by day 10 after AC even to my amazement after round 1 with the hospital admission. As the effects are cumulative I am not expecting this to last.
I saw your next post about Headwrappers. Not sure how many hospitals now have a Maggie’s, but I went into the one at St Bartholomew’s in London where I go for chemo. A lovely woman talked me through what they can offer- most things are online but gradually moving to a bit more in person. This is a course run by an organisation called Headwrappers about hair loss and includes scarf practising. It’s online but I had to pass my contact details through Maggie’s first. Then got an email from Headwrappers x
Im nearly 6 weeks post lumpectomy surgery and seeing my oncologist on 22/9 to discuss chemo. I'm a primary school teacher so sat at home during September is very strange but I was advised to stay off work which I've reluctantly done.
It's not confirmed but my surgeon was pretty sure I'd be having 3 x EC and 3 x PAC but obviously this could change.
Im busy sorting out the house and garden and researching wigs, turbans, wigs etc and getting prepared. Absolutely terrified but just want it to start now because the sooner it starts the sooner it will end.
Hi Jacala, just keep thinking another treatment and it’s one step further to the end, that’s what helps to get us through the chemo treatments, I had 7 chemo treatments, have had surgery and are about to start Radiotherepy, just knowing the next treatment is coming up and we will get to the end spurs us on, rest and sleep when your body tells you it needs to, take the medication for any side effects, keep a note each day of how you feel, then you will know what days a certain side effect may appear, at times you feel your in a dark tunnel, but the light is at the end of it, each treatment it gets a little brighter …. Hope all goes well and side effects are minimal x
It is daunting. I’m on 3 of 8. Keeping busy and ordering things helped me but I can see being home in September is going to feel very strange. Crawler’s advice is excellent. I also exercised a lot which kept me sane. Fran x
Hi Lynne. I just got a goodie bag yesterday from the nail workshop, not to mention the astronomical one from skincare and make up. I did a birthday fundraiser for them as I was so impressed with the idea of what they offer, then later I went on workshops.
I still have hair- I think combination of doing scalp cooling chemo 1, then down to 80% dose chemo 2&3. I had it cut super short last week and waiting to see what it does next. A kind barber did it for free after the guy in the next barbers along shouted at me after I asked if he would do it. Another kind person is doing eyebrow drawing with me this afternoon at local salon. Although I still have some left. People are generally just kind I’m finding. Which of course means I cry!
