Forum Discussion
Dread of Chemo
Hello everyone, so glad to join your group with my first post. I live in
Cairns and was diagnosed in Nov with ER+ PR+ HER2- and underwent
lumpectomy for 4.5cm tumor and removed 7 lymph nodes. Outcome was 4 of 7
nodes were cancerous so my prayers to avoid Chemo went unanswered. I
remain very grateful that I got away without having to have a full
mastectomy. Further tests showed lesions in liver and lungs which have
since been cleared as not cancer, what a huge relief. I had a port
implanted which is very irritating and a constant reminder of the chemo
to come. The waiting as you all know seems to be endless from the moment
the GP says you have cancer to the day of your first Chemo. My first
day is Tue 9th Jan and it feels like a dark cloud hanging over me, I
almost cant wait to start so the anxiety of what is to come finally
arrives. I've read that you all say it's different for everyone, so I
guess I wont know how to cope until I'm in it. Any practical advise for
my first date with chemo would help enormously. And, is it okay to be on
your own at home after treatment? Also, how do you cope with what to
expect following treatment? I don't want to sit around waiting for
symptoms to emerge, what does everyone else do when they get home?
56 Replies
- 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
- @Sangeetamo, Stay positive
- thank you all
- 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!
Fiona - Love and hugs to you @sangeetamo
- Sending you the biggest hug @sangeetamo, No other words to say, but you are in my heart and thoughts.
- I opted for boobs off so no rads but It does depend on how close it was to chest wall. Xxx
- Sorry you had to join us. You have same type of C as me. Chemo was mentally challenging but physically fine. You get tored and achy but thats all I expreienced and hair falling out. Not fun. I chose to have both boobs chopped because Im trying to avoid further Cs. As far as the rest of your body its suck and see.
- Hi @Sunshine0206
You look fantastic all ways as that beautiful cheeky smile over-rides any lack of hair. - God bless you @sangeetamo Sending love and prayers to you.
