TC chemotherapy

Hi NVR

I start TC on 22nd so I might keep an eye on your thread

Only thing im really going to do is before start is batch cook some plain meals for when dont feel like cooking.

Ive made and brought a cap/beanie and one cheapish wig as the oncologist said I will lose my hair in readiness.

Debating shave now or wait for fall out- deciding what to do!

Hope you feel a bit less anxious once more advice is given

Take care

Mimi

Oh do keep us posted how you are doing! 

That's a good idea, I might do the same. I think I will wait to shave until I've lost some hair and do it when I start to look patchy

Just so overwhelming isn't it. 

I really hope your treatment is as tolerable as possible for you , sending lots of well wishes x

Good morning....I hope your chemo goes well.

I noticed no one is mentioning mouthwash or nails in their preparations. At my clinic we were given alcohol free mouthwash and recommended to use it twice daily minimum before chemo started until sometime after it finished. It may have been coincidence but I did that and had no mouth problems. If my mouth felt tingly, I simply gave it an extra wash  . For nails we were advised to use a nail strengthener for six days, remove on 7th with acetone free remover, oil with argan or almond oil then start the cycle again next day. Toe nails too. Again a coincidence but for me no black nails or nail pain. These were things I could do. I couldn't control my reactions to chemo drugs. 

As well as meals prepared , make sure you have laxatives, immodium, paracetamol , ginger biscuits and ginger teas in the cupboard.....just in case. I had mine on prescription in advance...a chemists shop....but I did use some of everything throughout the 21 weeks. 

Chemo isn't always pleasant but mine was ten years ago. My cancer has stayed clear during that time so success for me was good.

I wish you all well. Love Karen

This is really helpful, thank you so much - I will definitely use those tips re mouth and nails. As you say, we are so out of control with much of it, great to have some things we can take ownership of. 

Fantastic to hear you are through it and doing well this far down the line, thank you for sharing x

Hi

i completed 6 cycles of chemo in May this year. I did have a lot of the side effects but with support from the chemo unit I found I could manage them fairly well. You do hear lots of horror stories about chemo but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I kept a diary of side effects, when they happened and what I took to relieve them and found that so helpful every cycle as my concentration was affected. It also made me feel I had some control over the process. 
As for my hair, once it started coming out in clumps I got it shaved off, got lots of chemo hats/scarves. Now 3 months after my last infusion I’ve got a good covering of very short hair  and feel so much better.  To anyone going through this, it is manageable and though a slog at times there is light at the end of the tunnel! You can do this!!! 

Hi. I just wanted to say I had an oncotype score of 26 so you are not alone in having a high score. 

I didn’t have this type of chemo but I did have EC, nicknamed Red Devil and is the worlds most strongest chemo. I just wanted to say chemo is doable, please don’t be afraid of it. The chemo nurses will do everything to help with any side effects you may have.