**SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER 2021 BREAST CANCER CHEMO**

Good morning

Can I just ask where you have purchased your headscarfs from? I have a wig but would like a nice head scarf x

Oh, I have had a couple from Marks & Spencer's, a box of 3 from Masumi, but they were an extravagance, designer, for special occasions (wedding anniversary!), Fatface, mum's wardrobe too haha x

I actually got 2 pastel coloured beanies from Primark on Monday, very inexpensive, only £1.50 each.  Ensure you get seamless beanies as they should not irritate your scalp.  (that's what I've read anyway).

I have an obsessive personality, especially if my teenagers tell me that they like something, I go all in.  So whenever I have been on a small visit anywhere, I am constantly on the lookout.

My family went for a mini-break to York at the end of August, prior to treatment starting, so got a lot then x  There are lots of outlets online to chose from.  Try 'hats4heads' they roughly rrp at £5.00 each and have a variety to chose from.

Happy shopping x

Thanks so much CoffeeFiend! I slept right through it, came home and apart from waking up to feed the dogs, slept for 23 hours straight. Either they gave me the wrong medications or I've just slept off all the accumulated stress. Kudos to everyone who manages to ring a bell after the final session. We don't have that tradition here but even if we did I'm not sure I'd have been able to lift it! XX

Hi, I bought four from annabandana.co.uk, good value and they've done me well. I wear those when I go out. Though I also got two bamboo beanies - seamless like Mrs Spider recommends, very cool and breathable and soft, and I've lived in them around the house and on treatment days.X

Hi BelleStar That sounds like the perfect way to finish chemo! Very impressed you managed to wake up for the dogs. Hope you get some good news about surgery soon xx

Hi Mrs Spider

I have been to restaurants or pubs to eat with my folks and asked to be seated outside away from people as I am having chemo. I found they were very accommodating. Some places have outside pods to. I took antibac wipes with me to wipe the table cutlery and lip of glasses just to be extra safe.

They cancelled this weeks chemo so I’m resting. Hopefully my bloods on Tuesday will show I can have it again next Thursday. I’m trying to cut out fats that I can and eat and drink foods that help the liver. No red meat for me for a while then lol. 

Hope your doing well xx

Hi everyone,

I have my first chemo on Thursday or Friday this week. So incredibly nervous. Keep swinging between feeling strong to crying! 

Booked in for a haircut on Tuesday.  

Would love to hear any other tips or suggestions to get ready - as much as I can - for this.

Reading all of your posts really helps. So many brave ladies here! 

Thanks so much

Hi, I hope you go on ok Dbythesea with your chemo. I'm due to start mine soon.

Ive bought some turbans and beanies, I've also got a wig and a chemo basket with lots of things in it to hand. 

Hi 

A warm welcome to the group that nobody wants to be a member of, you’ll find lots of support on here as there are ladies at every stage of treatment. 
Getting a haircut is a good idea, unless you’re cold capping (and even then) you’ll find hairs everywhere, mine started falling out about week 3/4 just a few hairs at first then most of it by cycle 3 though I was never completely bald and clippered the fluff to a #2 for comfort.
Organising a wig or headwear before losing hair is helpful. I only wore my wig when I went out and didn’t bother at home but the beanies helped keep my head warm in the colder months. 
If your scalp gets itch/sore try distilled witch hazel spritzed on your scalp for relief but if you get red spots contact your team for some cream to sort that out. 
SE are variable for everyone but it’s helpful to have some things ready ‘just in case’ 

I found the following helpful: 

• Flavoured water and fruit teas so you can keep hydrated and flush the chemo out of your body. 
• Simple paracetamol for pain relief, if you need something stronger ask your team. 
• Remedy for constipation which can be pretty awful, the steroids and chemo can really bung you up. I found starting taking it the day before chemo really helped…you could try Psyllium capsules, Movicol, Laxido, Dulcoease, Prunes in prune juice whatever works for you. 
• Something for when it goes the other way…I didn’t ever need it but some ladies did. 
• Nail oil/cream and hand cream as nails can get sore and flaky even months after chemo. 
• Moisturiser for your whole body, I used DoubleBase and Aveeno, your GP might also prescribe Dermal Lotion for shower if your skin gets itchy, otherwise use gentle body wash like Simple range to avoid irritating your skin. 
• Tasty treats for after chemo, try and include healthy options as we tend to get sugar cravings with chemo and loads of ladies including me gained weight
• You might get a dry mouth or mouth ulcers, i found rinsing with salt water after meals and using Biotene mouthwash helpful.
• Xylimelts tablets for dry mouth for using overnight a godsend, I got them on Amazon. 

I can’t think of anything else right now but others like me who are through the other side might remember more things.

Most importantly take all your meds, they really help make it less unpleasant and totally doable. Good luck. You got this! 
denise x

Hi Dbythesea

It is a very nervous time, I remember my first session. Just remember it is actually going to help you. Take some water with you to drink and a book or music to listen to. The nurses are wonderful and will put you mind at ease. They’ll tell you what they’re doing but ask questions if you’re unsure. After you’ll be tired mostly so just make sure you rest. I was still working after my third cycle but had to be signed off as I wasn’t letting the chemo do it’s job by resting. The worse I find about this is not the treatment but the isolating because COVID is out there and we can’t afford to catch it. Just keep your mask on and watch your hands. I carry hand gel and use antibac wipes to wipe down. I’m having councilling at the mo as I’m struggling with the isolation and not seeing people like I usually would. The chat on here is fab as we’ve all been through it so use us and your cancer team. 
good luck