Chemotherapy Support Thread

Hi Liz4259 I must live on another planet. I'd noticed my eyebrows had all but gone. I thought my eyes looked different in some way but hadn't notice eyelashes had gone as well. We were meeting some friends for lunch last Saturday (first real venture out since 30/7/2021). I went to put on a bit of mascara and there was nothing to put it on - I did laugh!

BTW I've noticed a bit of fuzz on the scalp, 5 weeks after chemo has ended!! Will wait until new growth is 1/4 inch long then shave it off.

Hugs, Barb xx

Hi Barb - I was getting very worried about the lack of any activity on my scalp!  I was just going to ask if you had seen anything

However just this morning I think I saw some very pale fuzz - I checked in several mirrors and different lights.  Some patches are still very shiny, but there is definitely something.  I have odd strands, wispy bits that never left, but I convinced myself that I could feel something new there!  I am over 6 weeks after my last chemo and it is a huge relief!  I am not sure I can face shaving it off though x

Hi Rach,

I completely understand where you’re coming from but to give you some hope, I just thought I’d share my chemo results with you.

Before starting chemo, my CA125 marker was 427. My pelvic mass measured 16.8 suv and I had 6 active pelvic lymph nodes (biggest node measured 16mm). After cycle 3, my CA125 was down to 267 and I’d had shrinkage in both my tumour and nodes too. I had a PET scan 3 weeks after cycle 6 (ready for surgery) and that confirmed I no longer had any active lymph nodes. I always knew that chemo on its own wouldn’t be enough to get rid of my tumour, but I was so happy that it had got rid of all my active nodes. I really do hope that your active lymph nodes react in the same way too. And it’s great news to hear that you’ve already been downgraded to stage 3 following surgery.

Fingers crossed your scan results are the best that they can possibly be.

Take care,

Liz xx

Hi Maddy,

Thank you ever so much for your kind words. No one wants a recurrence but I thank my lucky stars that it’s still confined to the pelvic region. It also meant that further surgery was an option as I’d had a partial response to the chemo too. Yes, I’ve got a stoma now but to me it’s worth it as its saved my life and for the first time in 5 years I’ve been cancer free. Even though mine is a grade 1 cancer, it’s behaving like an ovarian one, so I know I’ll get another recurrence further down the line. It is what it is and sometimes you just need to put your big girl pants on and deal with it.

Regarding Abraxane, I do hope your oncologist will switch you over. But for disclosure purposes, I had my chemo privately (have private medical insurance as a work benefit). I do know Abraxane costs 4 times more than paclitaxel so I don’t know if the NHS readily prescribe it. I nearly died when I checked my Bupa portal and saw that each chemo cycle cost just under £5,000! Another bonus is that the Abraxane infusion only takes 1 hr, instead of the 3 hrs plus+ for paclitaxel. Do you know what your ER Assay level was? I only ask as Abraxane is normally used for advanced breast cancer patients who have a moderate or high score. Mine was 5 (moderate) so they were happy to switch me over.

Take great care of yourself,

Liz xx

Hi Barb,

Don’t worry, you’re not the only one. I didn’t notice my eyelashes parting company either. I just thought I needed more sleep and a new eye cream!!!

Yay to the new hair growth! I found myself constantly running my hands over it as I liked the feel of it. Then I read that it was the best thing you could do as it stimulates the scalp lol.

Hope you had a nice lunch with your friends. It’s nice to get out and about again, isn’t it? We just need some decent weather now!

Look after yourself,

Liz xx

Thank you for the reply your story makes me feel a little easier about things.  My tumour was all contained to my womb just managed to get into a couple of nodes. I’m not sure what my CA125 levels were to start with and I’m not sure what they are now, think last time it was mentioned it was possibly 14 but could be imagining that lol.  I have a lump in my elbow currently as well which they are fairly sure is a fatty lump but because it isn’t quite the right shape I am going for an mri scan next week which is playing on my mind. X

Hi Robin,

Thank you ever so much for your lovely words. My friend at the salon on Saturday was quite impressed with my re-growth and could see the adult hair starting to grow at scalp level. She went through the hair cycle with me and explained that I was doing the right thing by having the initial growth shaved off. I’m looking at about 12-18 mths to grow my bob back. But I’m not in a hurry as I love my wigs, I’m ready and out of the door in 30 mins these days…..none of this hair straightening malarkey!! I’ve got 2 wigs - one looks like my original hair and the other is a shorter style that I wear when I go walking. And the best thing about them?? They take 5 mins to wash and don’t need restyling as they’re fibre and automatically fall back in place! If only my own hair did that lol.

I wish you all the luck in the world with your upcoming treatment. It is tough but doable and you’ll soon get into a routine. There’s a lot of experience on this forum and the ladies here are lovely. I hope your upcoming oncology appointment goes well.

Take good care of yourself,

Liz xxx

Hi Liz

Thank you for your kind words of encouragement. Iam staying positive and ready to get things started as soon as possible. 

I was wondering if you or any of the other ladies can tell me how soon after Chemo has finished does radiotherapy start. is there a fews weeks rest period first? 

Take care and thank you

Robin xxx

Hi Robin,

I’m not having radiotherapy or brachytherapy as I’ve had 2 major pelvic surgeries now and no one at the latest MDT meeting would vote for me to have it.

I do know I had to wait 6 weeks after finishing chemo before I could have surgery. They wanted my blood count to be the best it could possibly be to fight off infections etc. I imagine the wait between chemo and radiotherapy would be about 3 weeks as you’re normally feeling back to normal in week 3 after each cycle. I’m sure someone will be along shortly who can give you a definite answer.

Take care,

Liz xxx

Thanks liz. You certainly have been through it bless you but it sounds like you have come through it all really strong and upbeat. I have the same philosophy as you and will do the best I can to get on and live life to the full. That was my reason for asking about the period of time between treatments as I'm desperate for a little brake away. 

Take care Liz and thank you.

Robin xx