Hi @jtee,
welcome to the rollercoaster. 🙃
My tumour (at 22/6/20) was stage 2B, grade 3, large (4cm), no nodal involvement. I chose neoadjuvant chemo route to kill cancer and reduce size, and it succeeded: >99% reduction in tumour. I was able to have lumpectomy plus 3 sentinel nodes removed (7/1/21).
From the first AC I too had a tingly scalP. I obeyed advice not to wash hair too often or blow dry, but my hair still started falling out when onc said it would (14 days after first AC). Prior to that also felt weird like pubes!! I massaged Jojoba oil all over incl. scalp which seemed to protect skin.
I got great ideas from attending Look Good Feel Better (LGFB) workshops online. Like @Mazbeth I got a short haircut just prior to chemo, bought a wig for going out, and a couple of pretty head warmers and turbans to comfort my chilly (balding) scalp, especially at night. Note: underarm, arm, most of leg and most of pubes also fell out! Very smooth skin is rather nice. 🙂 My remaining eyelashes and eyebrows also disappeared after my 9th and last Taxol (we finished early due to neuropathy). I’m getting good at drawing in eyebrows (thanks to LGFB tips).
I had lots of side effects from Dexamethasone that they give with AC and taxol, including hot face, wheezy cough, insomnia, constipation. Eventually I got onc to reduce the dose to 4mg, and didn’t take 4mg tablet after breakfast dose Day 1 post chemo.
Nausea: I found one slippery elm capsule taken with a glass of warm water with a drop of apple cider vinegar before breakfast helped my gut in reducing/eliminating nausea and reflux throughout AC and Taxol. I also found I had to get up, drink water and eat soon after I woke up reduced nausea.
Thirst: I was very thirsty - drink lots of water. I found drinking water helped with nausea too : I was and still am (now 2 months post chemo, one month post surgery) very thirsty a lot of the time.
Very normal and apt your Day 3 freight train comment. I totally concur. As others have said, allow yourself to rest as much as you need and try and eat protein every 2-3 hours. Mild exercise - a small walk each day really helped me and I did do the recommended bc physio ex some days. A (non cancer related) chat with a friend also helped me.
Best wishes to you. 😘
