Dread of Chemo
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Sending you the biggest hug @sangeetamo, No other words to say, but you are in my heart and thoughts.0
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Love and hugs to you @sangeetamo0
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Hi Braveheart60. Best wishes and best of luck to you as things get started on the chemo front. I am happy to say that I am now on the other side of all this, having been through 6 months chemo prior to surgery (4 times FEC and 12 times Taxol), then surgery, 30 radiotherapy treatments and 12 months of herceptin. The other ladies have all offered wonderful advice and tips as to how to cope with the whole deal which I am sure you will fine very helpful.
I would just like to put in my own plug for exercising through the whole process. I personally found, and research also backs up, that it can really help with improving energy levels and minimising side effects. But perhaps more importantly is the likely possibility that it will improve the effectiveness of the treatment and consequently your outcome. I got into the habit of riding my bike on the morning prior to the chemotherapy (when it was just the herceptin I'd ride it to and from treatment) such that my system was all pumping and ready to soak up the drugs. As I had treatment prior to my surgery, it was possible to monitor the impact upon my lump and I can report that by the end of the first three months it was no longer palpable and by 6 months when I was due for surgery my MRI had gone completely clear. My surgeon and oncologist were both very pleased and I was delighted that my surgery turned out to be very minor.
There is a great webinar on exercise and cancer on the BreaCan (or is it Counterpart?) site that you may find helpful.
And again, hang in there and all the best. You will get through it!
Fiona1 -
thank you all0
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@Sangeetamo, Stay positive
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Hi @Braveheart60 and welcome. I was diagnosed last Feb had to have single mastectomy but opted for double and had full axillary clearance 5/11 had microscopic traces so had to have chemo. I remember feeling like you are now. The fear of the unknown!! Dying to get started so I could see how I was going to react. I found the first one was a massive anticlimax! I did 4 AC and then 12 taxol. I didn’t sleep very well the night before so was tired and scared. Got hooked up and that’s was it! I was very lucky and had very few side effects. My routine was I had treatment in the morn, came home went straight to bed for a couple of hours. Got up when my boys got home from daycare, had dinner with them and went back to bed. I had a very chilled out day the next day and then I worked Thursday and Friday. I am a teacher. I didn’t lose my taste at all and only got the metallic taste the first 2 days after the AC chemo but not with the weekly chemo at all. Flavoured sparkling water was good or even just lemon in soda water and chewing gum also. My hair fell out Day 16 which was pretty much the same timing for my first free Brazilian!! I didn’t loose all my eyebrows but they thinned and same with lashes. Both grew back really quickly. I didn’t want to do wig or scarfs so I opted for henna tattoo on my head which I got done very couple of weeks and LOVED it. I found when I was on the steroids for the day of chemo and the couple of days after I couldn’t be sleep very well so I used cannabis oil on these nights. Worked a treat! Also remember that you don’t be have to suffer in silence. If you do have side effects that are tough like nausea etc tell them and make them give you better drugs. Finally my most important piece of advice is stay positive. A positive mind works wonders. Don’t sit around waiting for side effects to happen just listen to your body and try and keep your normal routines going. It’s like a hangover if you lie around feeling sorry for yourself you feel shit all day! If you hop in the shower get dressed and get up and out you feel 100% better. Mind over body! Good luck and you will be fine! Each treatment is one less so let the countdown begin!! Xx
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@sangeetamo Thinking of you. Please join the metstatic breast cancer group to fet valuabke support. There is also a kit you can order called Hopes and Hurdles. X0
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@sangeetamo Thoughts are with you.0
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Hi there @Igray I love the henna how cool is that!, and @sangeetamo I am thimkimg of you. There is some greats advice and support on this forum. Please keep us posted on how you go with the trials and everything else. We are all here for you anytime and will always listen to you and send you a big virtual hug. Where abouts are you? There are some fantastic local support groups that you could reach out too as well for support. Also please contact the BCNA they have heaps of knowledge and resources you can access too. Margie xx0
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Best of luck for Tuesday @Braveheart60.0
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@lgray3911 that is an awesome head you have there! I'd never have thought of that (though it's crossed my mind to let my toddler loose with his washable textas, if I do this I'll be sure to post the outcome).
@sangeetamo I'm so sorry for your latest news. I'm also triple negative and I fear metastasis. Good luck with the trial, I have my fingers crossed for you.1 -
Hi @Braveheart60 and welcome. I was diagnosed in September with TNBC and have just completed four rounds of AC and on Wednesday start weekly taxol. I remember my first treatment feeling anxious, not knowing what to expect and how I would feel. Firstly, this website is fantastic and the ladies on here are so supportive and give brilliant advice.
The three things that have helped me through the last twelve weeks have been - exercise (I haven't been able to run which I love) but walking every day, reaching out to family and friends (a phone call or message makes all the difference) and thankfully I have still been able to carry on working part-time (it has helped me to keep busy).
I found the first week after treatment the hardest with nausea (but the anti-nausea meds helped) and fatigue. The following two weeks I felt a lot better and I just had to learn to listen to what my body was telling me. The steroids they give you I found had me up at crazy hours the first two days with lots of energy that day and then day four you hit a bit of a wall but push through. I haven't had any problems with food tasting metallic and thankfully have just carried on eating what I normally have. I try to drink lots of water with lemon/lime in it and I decided early on to break my journey into chunks part A chemo, Part B chemo, surgery, etc otherwise if I looked at the big picture it was at times a bridge too far.
My hair fell out by day 21 and this was probably the hardest thing for me but I got a really great wig, lots of caps and had my eyebrows tattooed on before treatment (which has been great). My brows and lashes have thinned a bit.
The power of the mind is important also, continue to do things that you love and enjoy.
Good luck for your first treatment tomorrow xx1 -
To feed the whole country @onemargie you funny bitch.0
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All the best for today. It's a big thing but you'll be fine. I stayed with my sister for a week after my first chemo ( I was single at the time) so I don't recommend being alone. The worst thing I recall was terrible heartburn. My tongue and mouth was completely white and furry. Like thrush. A quick trip to the chemist for some Zantac fixed it immediately. It only happened on the first chemo after that I went home by myself and was fine. I'd go back to work one or two days after each chemo. Xx0
