Chemo

Mahaica

I had a lumpectomy doctor said I needed a second surgery had the surgery no more nodes were positive I was very upside I healed well after 1 one the second one with drains really did my head in, finished my first chemo I am very tired hope chemo will get better

Frances54

Hang in there. Tiredness is the part of chemo I found hardest. If you can, listen to your body, sleep when you need, forget having a clean house, it really doesn't matter. Let others help you. It will end.  I finished 5 weeks ago and my energy levels are quite good. Sending a virtual hug.  It WILL end. 

Shellshocked2018_

Hi Mahaica, I’ve have just finished 5 months of chemotherapy.
All I can say is just ride the waves,  you will have bad days and better days just go with the flow.
Dont be hard on yourself, listen to your body and rest when it tells you to.
Drink plenty of fluids and try and go for walks, short or long what ever your body can handle, I tried to keep as active as I could on my good days, sometimes I just use to potter around the house and sometimes just having a shower was enough.
You haven’t mentioned what chemo regime that you are on, everyone’s dose is different and type of drugs.

Just make sure that you let the oncologist know if the medication they send home with you doesn’t work, as this will be adjusted at your next infusion.

Sending gentle hugs x

Mahaica

The chemo is nickname AC 4 cycles for 3 months and then weekly for 12 weeks 

Afraser

Same as me, by the sound of it, the weekly dose is likely to be a taxane. As @Shellshocked2018_ says, you can have a pattern through the three weekly treatments, and will know when you have not so good days and better days. Or like me, you may be just fine! I found A/C easier than my second chemo, Taxol, although most find the reverse to be true. Taxol was just more irritating, small side effects that cleared up after treatment stopped. It sounds like such a long time when you start,  but it passes more quickly than you might think. Each treatment completed is one less to go. Best wishes.

Mahaica

I am not working at the moment thinking of going back to work while on Taxol any views and suggestions I am teacher so I am aware of the work load and stress 

Afraser

Unfortunately it’s very hard to assess until you start - reactions to chemo are very variable. I worked through chemo but only because I felt pretty normal. For others, it’s not an option. 

jennyss

Dear @Mahaica, agree with Afraser's words above about effects of chemo, and working. My work contract finished around the time of surgery and was not renewed LOL; but I couldn't have worked anyway because of side effects, including tiredness. I had to travel away from home for radiotherapy, so there was another barrier to work for me. About two month after radiotherapy finished I was busting to get back to work, and did win a f/t permanent position; but six months later I decided to retire! That was the right decision for me.
Hope your chemo continues OK. A diary in an exercise book helped me keep track of what was happening.

from jennyss in Western NSW

Shellshocked2018_

Hi Mahaica, 
I had 12 weeks of weekly Pactlitaxel, coped with this much better than dose dense A/C.You do get very tired and lethargic and the drug accumulates in your body so by week 9 you are feeling quite exhausted, you also have to be aware of neuropathy in your hands and feet. You are still susceptible to neutropenia, so you have to be careful not to be around people that are unwell, so a school environment may not be the best.
I didn’t work through any of my chemotherapy treatment.
I suppose all you can do is see how you go.

All the best

Mahaica

Thanks for sharing your story it is a journey I just have to wait and see how I handle it