Starting Chemo May 2017

Starting Chemo at the end of April 2017, so May 2017 will be a starting point for me. I believe God has a purpose and a plan for my life, so Here is goes, need support and encouragement to move forward.

Hello my name is Laurie I started Kemo on 4/20/17 I'm looking for others experiencing the same things. I'm scared and feel alone.

I have port placement tomorrow morning , echo on wednesday and MO appointment on thursday for next steps. I am guessing it could start first week of may

I'm starting AC+T May 3, so this looks like a good place for me to start posting. I know we're all frightened, but I feel like I'm absolutely freaking out. I'm so scared I can barely function. Reading these various threads is helping me a lot. But I need to get my fears under control to move forward. I feel like I'm going to have to go into seclusion with feeling so poorly, yet many women are working and carrying on their lives through it all. I'm a 59 year old housewife, and hubby works mostly from home, so I have plenty of support from him, and many close friends. I'm lucky in that regard.

I'm having my port put in tomorrow also. I had my bone scan today and CAT scan Thursday. Still waiting to hear when we'll do the echo, because my insurance denied the MUGA heart scan, and this is the backup plan.

I thought I was starting in April, but I had surgery instead. I will find out on the 4th when my start date will be. I'm starting 4 doses of AC. That's all I know for sure right now because I signed up for a clinical trial where I will be receiving two different chemo drugs in altering weeks once a week.

I've already had my lumpectomy. My only other surgery will be an oncoplastic reduction to match up the other side. The plastic surgeon wants me take a good 3-6 months of healing from radiation first, since my radiated breast will continue to scar and heal for that long after. Wouldn't do to match them till that's finished.

Yes, I've already cut mine into a pixie, after six years of long hair. The idea was that it would be less traumatic to lose, but I really do like it. Gives me ideas how to wear it as comes back.

i will start chemo on 4/28/2017 I'm scare of the other symptoms i have been reading about, i have very long hair and feel proud in it growing in the last 2 to 3 years, also chemo is known for giving other issues such as heart disease. I thinking about opting out of chemo because it gives you other ailments and I feel that I'm not the right person to deal with this right now they didn't find any more cancer in me but the chemo is too just to make sure that there is nothing left in me I'm really afraid alone I have a good support network I have a giant church and a big big family but I live by myself and it's hard when you wake up in the Midnight Hour and your mind start thinking about the things that you have to go through just to make sure you're clean I do want to get rid of cancer but i don't want to get heart disease and I don't want to gain weight lose weight but I can't sleep and crying all the time which I find myself doing a lot so I need somebody to come and encourage me right now cause I really need it thank you

Demetria, the unknown of cancer is the worst and makes the nights seem so long. What treatments will you be getting? 14 years ago I was treated with 4 AC and the 4 Taxotere. The side effects were not pleasant but were very manageable, especially if I did exactly what my chemo nurses said. The first AC I took some of the anti nausea meds but not all and was queasy quite a bit. I hadn't understood their instructions as well as I thought and when I clarified them at my next treatment, I did much better the next three. I let myself get terrified by side effects I read about others experiencing on Taxotere. I talked to my nurse at the first treatment and she was patient and understanding and went through my concerns with me, putting my fears at ease. My side effects were quite minimal compared to what others experienced.So talk with your team. I hope you find them as caring as mine were.

Side effects are scary but know that everyone reacts differently. Just because a side effect can occur, it doesn't mean it will happen to you or be as severe as someone else. Your chemo nurses can help you manage them so don't hesitate to talk with them.

Hair loss is hard, no way around it. I have found taking charge made me feel in control of something I have very little control over. Last time, and this time, I cut my long hair into a cute short cut. There are great thread here to read and gain support from.

Does your treatment center have a social worker you can talk with? Or maybe they have a support group or can put you in touch with?

Love the blue hair, very fun! I had a purple streak not too long ago, before this all happened. I think I'll do it again when my hair comes back.

Hi everyone,

I will be starting chemo (most likely AC + T) sometime in May, too. I have the MUGA scan scheduled for Friday, then hopefully a PET scan (if insurance agrees) for Monday and my port surgery soon thereafter. The nurse said chemo will start around 5 days after I get the port, so I think I'm looking at mid-May.

I'm going to get my hair cut in advance, too. I've always had super long hair, and I just think it will be less traumatic if I cut in advance. And like someone said above, cutting it is one way of taking a little bit of control back. Plus, like ParakeetsRule said, it is a great chance to try something I wouldn't have otherwise! I actually wish I had done it before my surgeries, just because it felt so gross during recovery when I wasn't allowed to shower.

Have you ladies been looking into wigs and scarves? I'm undecided about what to do there. I think I probably need to get a wig for when I feel like I need it, but it is SO hot here in the summer and I think scarves will be cooler.

Right now I'm feeling scared, but relieved that I'm finally doing something about it.

ParakeetsRule, where are you? I'm in eastern NC, and summers are awful - hot and terribly humid. I'm definitely thinking the pre-tied scarves are the way to go, for me at least. I think trying to tie a scarf so it looks nice would just be a huge source of frustration for me. The wig will likely be just for special occasions or when I just want to blend in a bit better.