Starting chemo soon- Any advice?

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FL_sunshine
FL_sunshine Member Posts: 69
edited June 2014 in Managing Side Effects of Breast Cancer and Its Treatment

Is there anything that may have helped you along the way or wish you knew in advance?  I am going to be starting chemo within the next few weeks and I am super scared! 

 I have a friend who told me she didn't think losing her hair would be a big deal, especially after she shaved it off.  But she told me every time she looked at herself in a mirror she felt like she was looking at someone else.  The vain part of me is dreading that part, but I'm even more nervous/anxious about the rest of the side effects (like nausea and infertility).  So I welcome any advice that you may have for me! 

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  • eloqui
    eloqui Member Posts: 65
    edited April 2014

    FL sunshine: I haven't started chemo yet but I may soon. You're not alone :) 

    Just wanted to wish you the best! Are you doing anything beforehand for fertility? I'll be checking up on this thread too.

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  • FL_sunshine
    FL_sunshine Member Posts: 69
    edited April 2014

    Thank you!

    I'm thinking about freezing eggs.  But its very expensive and I need to make sure I have enough time to do it before chemo starts.  I already saw a fertility doc and waiting for their office to call me back to answer a few more questions. 

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  • mdg
    mdg Member Posts: 3,571
    edited April 2014

    I am sorry you are faced with this.  I can tell you that I never had any nausea at all from chemo and I worked out 5 days a week through chemo.  Not everyone gets nausea.....think positive!  As far as hair - I used the cold caps and kept my hair.  I looked completely normal all through chemo and no one knew I was doing chemo unless I told them.  That is an option if you decide you don't want to lose your hair.  I can't help with the infertility thing...my son was 4 when I was diagnosed and we were not planning on other children.  You will get through all of this.  Hang in there!  Hugs! 

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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited April 2014

    FL - sun - there is a lady here in Tampa that can make a hairpiece from your own hair (yours looks long in the picture) with a soft top.  It is called an "underhair" and I had one made from my long hair prior to cutting it short for chemo.  You have to wear a hat with it, but I got cute fedoras, or wore ball caps.  I loved that hairpiece, much more comfortable and cooler than a wig.  I highly recommend it.  Here is the link:

    www.hatswithhair.com

    What is your chemo regimen, or do you know yet?  Much specific advice can be given depending on the particular regimen you will be having.  Not all chemo related side effects are the same for all drugs.

    Here is some info for financial assistance with egg freezing prior to chemo:

    http://www.livestrong.org/we-can-help/fertility-services/

    Here is some info from another thread on "what I wish I knew" prior to treatment:

    https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/6/topic/797454?page=2#idx_50

    Do you have any specific questions?  We also have a BCO group of ladies from Tampa.  We usually get together about every other month.  Here is that link:

    https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/34/topic/791258?page=45#idx_1331

    Here is another link with good info about what supplies you may need or want:

    https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/69/topic/706846?page=47#idx_1381


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  • mazie73
    mazie73 Member Posts: 74
    edited May 2014

    Re: freezing eggs and insurance. See if your insurance covers fertility preservation for women with cancer. I have HealthNet HMO and it's a covered benefit. The glitch was that none of the reproductive endocrinologists in my medical group accept HealthNet HMO. I was able to get a letter of agreement between HealthNet and my medical group and had two rounds of IVF. Also, some clinics participate in a program called Sharing Hope that covers 50% of the cost of fertility treatment and Walgreens provides most of the medication you'll need for free. 

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  • Radical2Squared
    Radical2Squared Member Posts: 460
    edited May 2014

    I'm doing the egg freezing process now. I'm 36, no husband, no kids. I'm pushing off chemo for a week or two in order to do it.

    I called my insurance company first to find out what was covered. Other than a 20 copay all was covered as long as I went to one of the insurance companies "centers of excellence." 

    I called the center and told them I was starting chemo and interested in fertility preservation. They got me a rush appointment 2 days later. On my first visit, they explained the process and I agreed to go ahead with the procedure. The same visit, they drew blood and did a transvaginal sonogram...turns out I don't have too many eggs left as it is! My oncologist had to give permission to postpone chemo and he easily agreed. The entire process takes 12-14 days. 

    I still don't know if I want children. I am a middle school math teacher which has been built-in birth control so far! Unfortunately, even if I am fertile after chemo, I am BRCA1 positive and will be having my ovaries removed soon anyway...at least this way I may still have the chance if I ever find a man worthy of sharing the gift of life with!

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  • HomeMom
    HomeMom Member Posts: 1,198
    edited May 2014

    I wonder if there is a group in Orlando? My BS gave me names and numbers of a handful of her past pateints who wanted to be contacted by newly diagnosed patients. I would like to talk to other women who are like me, just now facing the chemo road. :(

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  • Kthielen
    Kthielen Member Posts: 194
    edited May 2014

    I was 38 yrs old when I was diagnosed in January.  It was very scary for me also to start chemo.  I have had 5 of 6 treatments so am almost done!!  My advice would be to be prepared and have a positive attitude. I bought chamomile and ginger tea, Immodium, drank tons of water to hydrate.  You will have medication from your MO to help with nausea.  The hair loss was the hardest thing for me(and my 11 yr old daughter).  About 16 days after my first treatment my hair started really thinning out so my husband shaved it for me.  There were a lot of tears and it was hard to look in the mirror for a couple weeks.  But you will get through it!!  Now when I look in the mirror I feel like a stronger person.  I got a couple really nice wigs.  No one could tell it was a wig, people compliment me on my new haircut!  Good luck and stay strong!!

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  • weesa
    weesa Member Posts: 707
    edited May 2014

    My advice to you is simple: Buy a big bottle of stool softeners...

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  • Camillia
    Camillia Member Posts: 185
    edited May 2014

    I am sorry that you are having to go through this. I was 37 at diagnosis and did 4 rounds of chemo. It had it's challenges but it was certainly doable. I managed to run all the way until after my second round. The fatigue was cumulative and I had less energy at the end, but it really was not as bad as I had feared. Loosing my hair was hard. Much like your friend, I did cut it short before loosing it but it was still very hard when they all came out in the shower. If I would have know how traumatizing it was going to be, I would have shaved them off completely when I realized they were starting to fall out. Did you check if there is a "Look good, feel good" program offered in your area? They give you make up (a bag full!) and teach you how to apply make up to feel better. Another good thing I did was make lots of food prior and freeze it. My husband only had to thaw it and put it together. Worked great for us. 

    You can do this. It is scary, but it will be over soon and you will be stronger than ever!

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  • FL_sunshine
    FL_sunshine Member Posts: 69
    edited May 2014

    Thanks for all the advice! I am going to use cold caps so I'm crossing my fingers they work for me. 

    Also, I did freeze 12 eggs last week.... So I'm happy about that. 

    I start chemo in a week.  Still nervous but ready to be done!!!!!

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  • lbrewer
    lbrewer Member Posts: 766
    edited June 2014

    fl sunshine...I did the cold caps and am glad I did.  From another central Florida by survivir

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  • Jlg1067
    Jlg1067 Member Posts: 14
    edited June 2014

    chemo was bad, but We are badder! I didn't think the hair loss would matter too much to me, but that bothered me more than anything... While it was great not to have to shave anywhere for months, but I even bought a wig that actually made me nauseous to look at it after I lost my hair... It was my same color and style, but that hair loss threw me for a loop.  I took a chemo 101 class before I started, and it helped answer some questions.. But nothing really prepares you... The one thing I did was eat through the nausea.. They told me to do that and it was hard, but  it kept me strong enough to keep going through the several months of chemo I had to do. Sleep when you can and eat even when you just don't think you can

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