Hi,
I'm 36 and recently diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. I have had a lumpectomy and lymphnotes taken out. I start my chemo in two days and I'm petrified of this. Even though I know it has to be done. Can someone please talk to me in regards to this and their experience to see what i should expect.
Thank you
Welcome Jitkai
Chemo is different for everyone, we all react differently to the Chemo depending on a variety of things, i.e. fitness, health, chemo 'drugs', etc.
I know mine was not as bad as I envisioned it prior to treatment starting. All those horror stories you hear about, my fear factor was universal. Yes you do get sick and feel like crap, but talk to your drs about it and use the 'feel better' drugs. My advice is:
1) Take each day one at a time
2) Try to go outside and walk if possible, even if its just to the mailbox and back
3) While undergoing chemo try to stay away from any fav foods you may have especially a few days around each cycle. Subconciously for some reason your mind relates that food to chemo and feeling sick. I can't go near Subway.
4) Don't be strong if you don't feel it. Allow yourself to cry or get angry. This is normal.
Hope this helps, Take care of you & lots of love
Welcome Jitkai
Chemo is different for everyone, we all react differently to the Chemo depending on a variety of things, i.e. fitness, health, chemo 'drugs', etc.
I know mine was not as bad as I envisioned it prior to treatment starting. All those horror stories you hear about, my fear factor was universal. Yes you do get sick and feel like crap, but talk to your drs about it and use the 'feel better' drugs. My advice is:
1) Take each day one at a time
2) Try to go outside and walk if possible, even if its just to the mailbox and back
3) While undergoing chemo try to stay away from any fav foods you may have especially a few days around each cycle. Subconciously for some reason your mind relates that food to chemo and feeling sick. I can't go near Subway.
4) Don't be strong if you don't feel it. Allow yourself to cry or get angry. This is normal.
Hope this helps, Take care of you & lots of love
Welcome to the website and I am sorry to hear what you are going through.
Interestingly we are all scared of chemo, I read it time after time on here and I so remember feeling petrified of it, I was so happy when my oncologist told me that I didn't need chemo and then when she said no that was incorrecxt I would need it my world came crashing down.
I finished my chemo in April and like the others I survived it, its no walk in the park but I kept focusing on the good it would do me.
MY advice for anyone facing chemo, take all the meds given to you don't be a hero, drink plenty of fluids, have diarrhoea meds on hand just incase, hydrating drinks in the fridge, anti nausea meds and rest as much as you possibly can.
For me I found the dex was an issue, if I rushed out of bed I would vomit and the extreme fatigue was scary, at day 5 I would get diarrhoea but all these things were manageable.
I am now 3 weeks into my radiation and chemo is a memory.
Take care and good luck with your treatment.
Donna
