Has anyone had chemotherapy for Breast cancer here?

Question

what was your experience like? I have a close relative going through tthat.

Answer 1

I had chemo from April to August of 2005--8 treatments in all. I had 4 rounds of AC (adriamycin/cytoxan) which were two weeks apart. They called this "dose-dense" chemo, b/c usually the doses are 3 to 4 weeks apart. I remember the adriamycin was red. Some people call it "the red devil." It made my pee turn bright orange for the first few times I went to the bathroom after treatment. Weird. I started losing my hair about 14 days after the first treatment.

Then, I had 4 rounds of a different chemo drug, which was given every 3 weeks.

Through it all, I only had very slight nausea after the first couple treatments. The anti-nausea drugs they give these days are fantastic. I did feel extreme exhaustion the second and third days after treatment (treatment day and the next day I felt fine). I was achy in my joints (especially knees and neck), too. I just slept a lot and laid on the couch watching movies.

Losing my hair was tough, but I found I felt ridiculous wearing a wig and only wore it twice in public. I much preferred to wear bandanas on my bare head. It grew back VERY, VERY curly (like a poodle), which I absolutely hated--even worse than being bald!

It was a nasty experience and I'd never wish it on anyone, but it was also an amazing journey and I found a lot of blessings along the way. I met new people who have become my friends, I've learned not to take little things so seriously and to appreciate life more. So many people stepped forward to care for me in ways large and small--thinking-of-you cards and gifts, homecooked meals, watching my kids when I was too tired, sitting with me during chemo appointments--you name it.

I'm sorry your relative is going through this right now, but if she (or he) even has a fraction of the love and support I received, then she will come through everything just fine.

Answer 2

My chemotherapy was 16 years ago after being diagnosed with breast cancer and having a mastectomy. My cancer had not spread-no lymph node involvement- so 'mop-up" (adjuvant )chemo was advised, to catch any stray cells that might have escaped surgery. The treatment I had at the time isn't used much anymore. We've come a long way. I had the usual side effects-hair loss, nausea, copper taste in mouth and low white blood counts that stretched the treatments from one every three weeks to every four, on average. This is very common. The treatment was nowhere near as bad as I had feared. There are pills for nausea but I ended up not taking them as I didn't like the way they made me feel and the nausea only lasted for a day or two. I never lost a day of work. The worst part was losing my hair, I guess because it was a visible sign of what was happening to my body. Support from you will be important to your relative. Take your cues from her and do what you can. Breast cancer is NOT a death sentence ! To me, the whole experience was just something to get through so I could come out on the other side, healthy again. It was successful-I have had no recurrence of breast cancer.

Answer 3

Chemo affects everyone differently, but here is my experience. I had 6 cycles of ACT three weeks apart, starting in July of 2005. It put me to bed for a couple of days, then out of bed slowly but surely until week 2 when I invariably caught something like strep throat or a common cold which knocked me flat the second week. By the time the third week rolled around, I felt well enough to get things straightened up here at the house and get ready to be in the bed for a few more days.

I was an otherwise healthy 31 year old at the time, so if your relative has any other health problems, this could affect how she feels too.

Answer 4

my mom has breast cancer and has finished 32 rounds of chemolost all of her hair and nails she had a port put in no big deal

Answer 5

okay.. go out to a store, and buy My Chemical Romance's Album "Black Parade" and listen to song number 8. Trust me.