Cancer Treatment Options Forum - January 2nd, 2011 - 6 Comments
am starting chemo for breast cancer in 2 weeks and am really scared and nervous?
i know i am going to lose all my hair, am hoping i will be able to keep on working
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I was diagnosed May 2007 and worked during chemo. I did take the day of chemo off (Friday) and the following Monday. You don’t really get hit with nausea etc until the 2nd or 3rd day (Sunday for me). Be sure to tell your doctor/nurse if you feel sick — you will get meds for the side effects. It can be done! But be sure to do what’s best for you — if you’re too tired take the time off.
Also, the best website for info and support that I have found is http://www.breastcancer.org. I highly recommend their discussion groups — just read postings or ask a question.
Losing your hair is awful — cut it short before the chemo starts. My hospital had a place for getting wigs, but their wigs were a bit old fashioned "big hair" in style. I found one online at http://www.wigs.com/product_info.php?products_id=415 only $50 — when I eventually had my hair grow back (yes, thick, fuzzy and so soft!!) people thought I had a drastic haircut. The wig was that good. Also have some fun with the wigs — I got the black one (link above) in fuschia! And from a costume shop a red one with horns for Halloween.
I wish you all the best. You come first, ask for anything you need. You’ll get through it. And you will find a lot of support at breastcancer.org.
my mom had that two years ago and she’s perfectly fine now. (her hair grew back in really fuzzy, it was cute)
best of luck, you’ll be ok
oh hun i really feel for you.i had chemo and radiotherapy last year for throat cancer so i know how you are feeling.i was very scared too.once the chemo started i was ok though.its fear of the unknown.the worse thing for me was losing my hair.exactly 14 days after the first lot of chemo my hair fell out i broke my heart,it was a black day for me.anyone having chemo is entitled to a free wig and believe me they are nice too.i never got to get mine as i had so many problems last year i spent 7 months in hospital.i wore bandanas and in the end i didn’t bother which really surprised me.chemo does take it out of you so rest as much as you can.i would like to wish you good luck and all the best for the future x
For my cousin her kids schools PTA turned it into a Breast Cancer fund raiser with her the star. She had her head shaved before she started chemo. A local beauty salon shaved heads for free on a saturday & people donated money to have it done. About 50 people of all ages joined her. Talk to your co-workers, people from your church. Remember hair is just hair. Your life is what is important.
If you don’t want chemo there are alternatives. Check out http://www.chi-health.com they have amazing herbs for cancer. Good luck & God Bless you.
Everyone is different but for the most part you get sick and I mean sick sometimes you don’t even want to get out of bed. If you keep fighting emotionally you will make it. I suggest filling your life with love and happiness from your family it will make it easier.
Cancer sucks, but there really is no need to be "scared and nervous", all that is going to happen is that you will undergo a series of common & proven treatments that have a VERY high statistical probability of allowing you to recover and resume an almost* normal life. The best way to help yourself relax and be at ease with all this is to understand EXACTLY what they are going to do and why.
Here are two reliable sites that explain what to expect, but of course you should ask your doctor, too:
http://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/chemotherapy-treatment
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/treatment/breast
Best wishes to you! You’ll be just fine…
(PS….buy a really silly wig, much easier than trying to pretend you have hair…and throw away all your "hair-care" products, when your hair does come back it will probably be completely different. Weird, huh?)