Struggling through Chemo

Hi @Rona glad to hear you are going so well, and paclitaxel has been kinder to you 🙂. The hair loss is a strange one, I still have some spikes on my head, eyelashes and eyebrows, underarm gone (on both sides) but hairs still on my arm, a few elsewhere, including my big toes which I would have been happy to lose 😆

Take care, and don't overdo it! Katie 

Good morning GorgyS and thank you…. guessing my overwhelming enthusiasm shone through!!
I asked my Oncologist about hair loss and Paclitaxel and I was told I would still lose my hair. 

Hi Rona. I am so happy for you that you overcame all the side effects and came back to normality. Thanks for sharing your experience and LOOK AFTER YOURSELF. You deserved it. 
Wondering if your hair has started growing back on Paclitaxel. 

Hi GorgyS and Katie. It’s great reading how you are doing. None of this is fun but at least we can talk to each other and get it! 

Hi Gorgys, glad to hear you are doing ok. The nurses have suggested a PICC  for me as they are having trouble finding my small wiggley veins. I'll see how I go once I start paclitaxel. They told me the same thing re weight, but I have actually lost about 3kg, I think because I'm eating healthier, less biscuits and potatoe chips, and I'm loving fish and veggies at the moment and eating more of them. I'm off the coffee as well, it just tastes weird. I can ask to be referred to a dietitian if I want, but at the moment I think I'm ok, and try and eat a balanced diet. We have a wig library here as well, so I might go along and try a few. At the moment I'm using bamboo caps, scarfs to jazz them up, or sun hats I got from Target. I was ok with the hairloss as well. The Look Good Feel Better program runs some really good sessions on line and in person for make-up and wigs and scarf tying, and I found that helpful. You can also register for one of their gift packs full of lovely goodies donated by the beauty industry. So far round 4 AC seems to be the same as the others, so not too bad. 

Thanks Locksley 🙂 
Hope you are feeling ok today Rona, I feel the same, hoping no nausea and keep my appetite, which I think really helped me through the AC. The anti nausea treatment really worked for me with AC.

Hey Locksley,
Thanks for keeping us uplifted.
Thats great news for you too.
Finally having people to share this “experience” with is exactly what I needed! It beats any google pages 😊.
Hearing from Katie is great as we are just 2 weeks apart in our treatment.
I had my first Paclitaxel infusion today and I survived. I think the antihistamines knocked me the most today (never had them before) but obviously important in the treatment. I overheard another patient today during her Paclitaxel treatment being asked if she had experienced nausea or vomiting during her last Paclitaxel and she answered NO…..oh please let that be me!! I need a break from the nausea.
Again, thank you for your care xx

Good morning Katie, I’m just about to have my first round of Paclitaxel 😩, I’m scared….. more than the first round of red devil, don’t know why.
 I’m happy for you to have finished the red devil….. well done. My oncologist told me last week, lots of women opt out as it’s too much for them (can definitely understand that) so congratulations!
I too think I either got used to it or succumbed to it 😂.
As I said my infusions are Dense Dose so I am here for 4 hours.
Flip side is it’s only once per fortnight.
I’ll let you know how I go. Currently hooked up, antihistamine just taken and about to be poisoned 😩.
Both the anti nausea and steroids are given iv this time.
Will keep you updated. 

Hello everyone I just wanted to say you are not alone.  I'm a couple of years down the track from you. I  Had a lumpectomy,  then mastectomy then chemo and radiation.   I was diagnosed during covid.  The ladies I met here online were amazing.  Just having  someone who got it.  All of it.  Who i could chat with.  I've made life long friends.  Be kind to yourself and put 1 foot in front of each other.  Sending you all a hug.  Xxx