Is this really happening?

How are you going?  I'm having third FEC this Thursday.  Not looking forward to it, of course.  2nd session side effects were not as bad as first session for me, so hope you have the same luck. 

best wishes

 

Mary

Hi Nads

Thanks for your support. I am doing surprisingly ok, about to start my second FEC this week. I managed to avoid the nausea and vomiting but did have a few issues with mouth ulcers over a few days. 

Am hoping my tumour will start to shrink after this round of chemo, then will be looking at surgery.

Hope all is going well with you?

Warm regards

Annie

 

Hi Mary

Thanks for your help. I am now about to start my second session of chemo and was quite surprised that the side effects from the first session were quite manageable! My hair has almost disappeared, I found it quite confronting at first but now am able to see it as part of the journey.

Hope you are going okay?

Warm regards

Annie

Hi Annie, I am on day 15 of my first FEC and apart from terrible nausea and vomiting on day 4&5 I have been ok since. I went back to full time work on day 7. My hair is starting to fall out but I haven't decided to cut it yet, maybe in a few more days. The headache seems to always linger and today I needed to take paracetamol. I don't have ulcers in my mouth yet but my gums are sensitive. 

Good luck with your journey and just know that you are not alone. As you can see from your replies, there is always someone on this site that understands what you and all of us are going through.

Nads xx

Sorry to hear you've had headaches. I've not had those (so far). Hope they're better now. My hair has started falling out so I think I'll get rid of the rest of it tonight. I don't want it to fall out at work so it will be the wig from tomorrow. I'll feel very selfconcious about the wig but I think it looks OK. Just wonder if people will notice. My hair is straight, short and VERY fine, and I've always hated it, but now it is going I'm sorry to see it go.isn't that peverse? I can imagine that if you have lovely hair it would be even more difficult to lose it. Perhaps you won't? My aunt had chemo for bc 20 years ago and her hair is so thick that even though lots fell out no one noticed! But I guess the drugs were diferent back then. Apart from the hair I'm great, feel perfect, no side effects, and less tired than before. So hang in there, you should have good days coming up. Best wishes mary

Thanks Helen, will stay in touch.

Annie

Thanks Helen, will stay in touch.

Annie

Sounds like ur traveling ok which is great! This site was an absolute godsend for me - I hope u find the ame. Cheers for now, keep in touch Luv H

Hi Mary

Thanks for your reply, I am feeling okay and certainly my appetite has returned. Am finding I just need to rest rather than earlier on when I would fall alseep for a couple of hours! I do have this niggling headache though that has just developed the last two days, it does seem to come and go, and then will hang around to the point that I need to take a paracetamol?

Was wondering if the chemo symptoms get worse, I guess it makes sense as the body is getting weaker! I will take your work tip on board as I find my concentration is not that good even now?

Am glad your surgery was not too complicated and you are on the road to recovery. I really did not have a choice whether it was chemo or surgery, the surgeon did not want to operate until we tried to reduce the size, plus with inflammatory breast cancer, apparently, it is more difficult to define the tumour, so is not that easy to remove without possible damage? It will be good to for you to see the geneticist as we all wonder where cancer really comes from and with the research and information that is now available we are lucky! :)

How is your hair?  I am trying to prepare myself but am not too sure I will be that brave! I do have a tendency to be quite vain when it comes to the hair? I am the thick curly type too!!! But not for long...

Thanks for sharing your story with me I do appreciate it,

Warmest regards

Annie

Hi Annie I wonder about the calm before the storm too, it is day 9 today and I feel fine! Hope I'm not jinxing myself saying that. Also hope you are tracking well. I reckon take it easy with work, I found the early part of this week REALLY hard but Friday was back to normal. People say symptoms get worse with each chemo dose so I expect to be on reduced hours after my next bout. No, I had surgery first but actually, in hindsight, would have preferred your option because my tumour was not hormone receptive and I would have liked to know whether the chemo killed my particular cancer cells or not, as I don't have hormone therapy up my sleeve. I didn't even think about this before surgery. My surgery was successful, and recovery was uncomplicated, with minimal pain, for which I'm very thankful. I still feel like I'm just starting the journey, though, as there seems a lot still ahead. After chemo I'll have radiation and also will see a geneticist as the drs think it may be hereditary in my case. Family history and the type of tumour. Anyway, that's my story so far, hang in there, you'll soon feel better! Best wishes Mary