Starting chemo in 2 weeks

Hi Sam
So sorry you're joining us. I am finishing chemo in a couple of weeks (AC * 4 and Taxol * 4 every 2 weeks). I've thought long and hard about what I'm about to post as when I was starting out I was also terrified and looking for reassurance. While chemo is tough, my experience has been that it was nowhere near as bad as I was expecting. I have continued to work part time and also finished my college degree. I spoke with my oncologist who told me that "some people fly chemo some people crawl it" and take time as I need it. Which is what I have done. I am fortunate to be able to go to bed for an hour in the afternoons if I need to, but overall it really hasn't been so bad for me. I found wigs hard to find, especially for younger women, I will pm you where I got mine. A friend who's a hairdresser came with me to help me pick it out, but actually I found the shop great. I will be starting radiotherapy in early June but told myself once I get through the chemo I am well over half way. I put my faith in the doctors and nurses treating me, they know way more about this than me and I really trust their judgement. Best of luck with the treatment. You WILL get through it. Take whatever support is going. The little things help. Mind yourself.

Hi Sam, I'm sorry for your diagnosis but try not to be so frightened. I finished my chemo on 24th March and am having a mastectomy on Monday. I hasn't been easy but not all that horrible either! I have met some of the most amazing people on my journey and support from my family and friends has been amazing too. My hair is flying back too.

My bit of advice to you would be to keep busy, ie. work, study, etc. And if you can manage to walk a bit every day do it.

Best of luck with it all and this site is great for help and tips.

Sam

Welcome to this board but sorry you had to join us.

The start of the journey is the hardest, the diagnosis, the waiting, the not knowing, but actually once treatment starts you actually feel much more in control, that you are proactively doing something to rid yourself of this disease.

For most people chemo is "doable", yes there might be days your feel crap but there will be more good days then bad ones.

Loosing your hair will be frightening before it actually happens, but you know once it is actually gone, then you can deal with it better.

There are lots of gals on this board that are here to help so dont be afraid to ask to most silly questions, together we will help you get through the next few weeks and months.

I am over five years since my diagnosis and life is good!

Thank you so much. Delighted to hear you are doing so well. I would like to continue with my studies too. My worry was my energy levels but have been given hope by these positive stories.

Meeting my oncologist tomorrow to find out the plan. So I'd say they will get the ball rolling very soon.

Thanks
Sam

Thank you for your lovely message lindylu and 5 years on you must feel amazing very happy for you.

Great to see that this battle can be won and although I am still terrified yours and others stories are helping the light shine through. And I think your right once it all starts and I feel a bit more in control hopefully it will be all good. Xx

Hello Irish girl!
I am one of the "lucky" few who has not needed chemo, but I have been even luckier through this journey to meet some pretty amazing women who, while they may have had a tough time through chemo, have come out the other end feeling really "well".
I am close to the first anniversary of my diagnosis, and I remember the terror I felt while endlessly awaiting all teh biopsies and other tests which would determine whether or not I needed chemo.
My humble advice to you is to keep asking questions, write them down before appointments so you don't forget, take notes of what you're told, or better still get a friend, relative or partner with a head on their shoulders to come with you and take the notes for you. Don't be shy with your oncology team, they really are there to serve and help you.
And as you have just seen here, this is a super place for support, encouragement when you're low, and very, very good advice. Even the odd good laugh!
Good luck, Irish Girl, you will do fine!
Catherine

Hello Irish girl , welcome to this great site. Sorry you had to join but you will get great help and reassurance here. I too am one of the lucky ones who didn't need chemo , I was diagnosed almost 5 months ago and have just finished 30 sessions of radiotherapy. On day 2 of Tamoxifen , fear of the unknown is by far the worst.Once you start whatever is the chosen treatment for you hopefully it will get better.The waiting is the worst.I wish you the very best of luck over the coming months and hope you wont find it too difficult.

regards,
happymum.

Hi Sam,

Sorry you had to join us, like the others have said fear of the unknown is the worst. I was diagnosed last July and have 4 more sessions of chemo left. I am one of the ones that flew through it luckily. I never had any major side effects and felt pretty well throughout most of it. I always have my sessions on a Friday so I have family support to help over the weekend as I'd be more tired than normal and by Monday I'd usually be back to normal. I had 4 sessions of AC and then 12 taxol sessions, I've 4 more of these to do. My hair fell out on AC but has been growing since I finished it and it's an inch or so in length now. Obviously it's not nice to have to go through chemo but it's not anywhere near as bad as I thought it would be.
Best of luck with yours and let us know how you get on!

Hi Sam
I started my chemo a year today , like you the fear of not knowing is the worst , with two young boys 7&10 at the time my concerns were that I would not cope with looking after them and also with the effects my illness would have on them , but together we got through it . I found that the method we used to tell the boys the effects that the chemo was going to have , helped me cope as well.ie it was good drugs although not nice it was going to make me better . keeping this positive attitude throughout helped me through the six sessions I had to do . Would agree we the rest of the women , keep as active as possible throughout , rest when you need to and when you feel like going for that walk or mowing the lawn go ahead and do it . I continued to ride my horse throughout , managed a Bruce Springsteen concert (in the pit) and two days at the horse show during chemo . I am a year now since been diagnosed , lumpectomy , mastectomy , chemo ,radiotherapy, in that order , I am good now , probably not the same person I was a year ago but maybe stronger and with a different outlook on life , I am going to take summer off to spend with my husband and boys and hopefully return to work in September.
Best of luck with everything xx

Hi Sam,

Finished my chemo four weeks ago and had mastectomy yesterday, home and on bed resting now. You will have days when your flying and maybe some when your not. I tried to have something planned for each day to jeep motivated, I surrounded my self with positive thinking people for the last few months, any neg. eggs (as I would say) were avoided. I chose not to fell people about mpy cancer as I wanted things to be as normal as possible throughout, it was a need to know only, this normality also I believe helped me through my chemo weeks, although I did get embarrassed when people kept telling me my hair (wig) looked great. You will be surprised how quickly the time goes, best of luck and I'm sure the nurses will take great care of you during your sessions, mine did.

Georgie

Hi Sam,
I have a similar diagnosis to yours (four nodes affected), but in my case surgery was first and I have so far done 3 of 4 AC treatments, I will then have 12 Taxol before radiation. For me, the waiting for both surgery and chemo was much more stressful than the reality of either.
You are so young to be going through this, I really feel for you. My next door neighbour was diagnosed at 27, also with cancerous nodes - she is now 44 and has since had two children. She has been a great support to me. If you have no one in your circle who has been through something similar and you want to talk things over I would be happy to help. Or the ARC could put you in touch with someone.
I bought a wig but doubt I'll ever wear it as I think it makes me look ten years older than I am (36). I am rocking the hats and turbans anyway.

Hi Sam

Well if I got through it then you can too! I've posted on these threads about how difficult I found AC so I won't lie it is horrible but I found taxol was way easier and I got through it no bother. As previous posters have said nobody can predict how your body will react and so you can only hope for the best and know that it doesn't last for ever. It too will pass. For every bad day there will be lots of good days so if you're having a bad day then take it easy and then on your good days do nice things and enjoy all the good ones!
Also let your oncology team know if anti sickness drugs aren't working because they will adjust / add new meds accordingly.

On the subject of wigs, I never leave the house without mine. I wear a cotton hat around the house. I personally feel that I'd be drawing attention to myself by wearing a turban of those colourful hats when out and about. Others will disagree with me but it I suppose it's whatever you're comfortable with.

Best of luck

Mel

Hi Sam

I don't know what chemo you are having. I've just had my 3rd AC and am then going on weekly taxol for 12weeks. Followed by a mastectomy.

I think for me I found accepting the Side effects has been the best way to deal with it. Ie. if I'm exhausted I rest and don't beat myself up over it. I'm in a lucky position though as my youngest child is 15 so I've no small children to look after, so I can rest or nap when I need to..

If you're nauseous let them know I've had my meds adjusted twice so far and they worked much better this time. The time does go in fast I can't believe my next AC is my last. I'm ticking them off one by one.

As regards wigs I too don't leave the house without it (even to the bin). But use little cotton hats and scarves at home. There are some fabulous wigs out there. I got mine in Roches they were very helpful.

I had my hair cut short in stages and then had it shaved and I have to say it wasn't as bad as I had expected. For me I thought that was going to be the worst, but I've been surprised how easily I've gotten used to it.

It can be tough but you will get there. I hope all goes well for you. Sending you best wishes.

Ann