Starting Chemo Feb 2021

AB45 - Welcome to the forum that we are all sorry you need - so glad that you found this place that offered me a lot of comfort when I began my chemo (like you A/C and Taxol) exactly a year ago. When I start my surgery/chemo/radiation path I was always glad to hear from women who were checking in from 'the other side' of treatment. I am feeling really strong and healthy - hair is growing in thick and curly. I am here for you to answer any questions/concerns that you may have. I will say that I focused on drinking lots of water, eating lean protein, and walking throughout my chemo - this was the advice from a friend who had A/C Taxol 10 years before I had and I found the advice to be invaluable. I will keep checking in to see if you have any questions - you can do this! One day at a time.

AB45 - I also have anxiety and you are right, reading negative stories can end up spinning your own anxiety thru the roof. Couple things to remember: like gossip, the 'negative' stories are louder, and catch our attention more than the 'good' stories. it is a hard balance to maintain - educating yourself, keeping informed with minimizing the negative experiences you read. pre-chemo I took xanax before going to bed - I found that I needed some Xanax to manage in the days between diagnosis and surgery and then between surgery and chemo. A friend of mine who went thru chemo a decade ago told me to keep my needlepoint near me - and to just stay busy. Distraction does help - but make sure to ask for help from your oncologist if you need help taming the anxiety.