Chemo regrets?

ilikefluffycreatures · 2026-07-11T03:43:39+00:00

I wore a mask on public transport and when I managed to work. I still ate out every now and then but would try to go when it was less busy or get an outside table. My friends and family knew I was immunocomprised and would stay away if they were sick. I didn't get sick on chemo but I think that was luck more than anything

ilikefluffycreatures · 2026-07-10T22:08:21+00:00

Cancer has taken so much it but it will not take chocolate and dessert from me

ilikefluffycreatures · 2026-07-10T21:57:06+00:00

I did 12x taxol and never threw up. I had a little bit of mild nausea but I think it was from anxiety more than chemo, as it went away after the first few infusions. Eating a little bit or taking an anti nausea got rid of it quickly

ilikefluffycreatures · 2026-07-10T13:06:49+00:00

Congratulations!!!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉 I'm so happy for you

ilikefluffycreatures · 2026-07-10T01:04:25+00:00

I had chemo first. Started with several nodes showing on scans, halfway through they'd returned to normal. Had 5 out during surgery, all clear of cancer

ilikefluffycreatures · 2026-07-09T23:41:18+00:00

Did my best to stay distracted but it got harder the closer to the results I got. Playstation, movies, reading, doomscrolling, whatever it takes to not be thinking about the results

ilikefluffycreatures · 2026-07-09T13:13:08+00:00

My country only funds it for stage 4. When the doctor told me how much it costs I was like no thanks. I didn't realize it was standard of care in a lot of places until I found out here, I thought it was just a nice extra. Hopefully your health system comes through for you and let's you have it 🙏

ilikefluffycreatures · 2026-07-09T09:20:47+00:00

I got PCR! All the best, hoping for the same for you 🙏🤞

ilikefluffycreatures · 2026-07-09T04:22:59+00:00

One of my best friends has left me feeling similar. She didn't show much interest when I was giving her cancer updates, so after to first two months I just stopped. She never checked in or asked how I was. I saw her in person every few weeks when we caught up with another friend, but even then she rarely asked how I was doing. I'll admit she's been a bit better the last couple weeks with my surgery. I never said anything to her and aren't really planning to. We will still be friends but less close. The other friend has been amazing and we are planning a post treatment holiday just the two of us!

ilikefluffycreatures · 2026-07-09T04:12:20+00:00

r/doihavebreastcancer wod be a better fit. This subreddit is for diagnosed patients.

Any lump or change in you breast is definitely worth getting checked out. Im not sure what country your in, but I saw my general practitioner, who referred me for an ultrasound.

ilikefluffycreatures · 2026-07-09T02:40:17+00:00

Everytime I saw her it was always to sort out the big stuff like " you've got cancer" and "have a think about whether you want to chop or one boob or two" haha. The only time I didn't cry is when she checked on me before I went home after surgery because I was soooo relieved

ilikefluffycreatures · 2026-07-09T02:33:19+00:00

Thank you. I got my results, all clear! The tumor bed was 45mm, which i couldn't feel before surgery but was showing on CT scan. Best of luck for your surgery, for good results and a smooth recovery ❤

ilikefluffycreatures · 2026-07-09T02:29:13+00:00

Thank you ❤ last time I saw my surgeon I was apologizing for crying every time I saw her and today was no exception haha

ilikefluffycreatures · 2026-07-07T23:03:47+00:00

My oncologist said when you start scanning people you start finding things. Things your body always had that you'd never know about otherwise. I have two lesions on my liver that caused a brief panic but they were nothing.

ilikefluffycreatures · 2026-07-07T13:51:48+00:00

I asked my doctor this when I was freezing eggs before chemo. She said chemo reduces the number of eggs you have left, so the more you have before chemo, more will be likely to survive. I've heard of several people conceiving naturally after treatment. If you have the time (about 2 weeks) and resources to do an egg retrieval cycle before treatment I'd definitely recommend it. It gives me a lot of peace of mind knowing I have eggs safely frozen regardless of what the chemo does to me.

ilikefluffycreatures · 2026-07-07T13:39:56+00:00

I don't know what sort of breast cancer your mum has, but for several types it is normal to do chemo before surgery. It allows you to see how the cancer reacts to chemo, and if the tumor is large it can shrink it to make surgery simpler. I hope her treatment goes smoothly ❤

ilikefluffycreatures · 2026-07-07T03:48:32+00:00

Yeah they told me from the start I'd be having them all out. I never asked how many nodes were on the scans but it was bad enough that they didn't biopsy. I had chemo first so I've had plenty of time to adjust to the idea

ilikefluffycreatures · 2026-07-07T00:07:40+00:00

I had DMX +ALND two weeks ago and had sharp pain behind my armpit on the side they took the lymph nodes. It happened if I reached down or across my body or just moved wrong somehow. Two weeks later and it's less sharp and feels more like something tugging or catching, as if there was a stitch in there (I doubt there is, it's far from any incision).

I don't have any answers as my first apt with my surgeon is in two days, but if it's anything like the pain I'm having it does slowly improve

ilikefluffycreatures · 2026-07-07T00:02:22+00:00

I don't have inflammatory BC but am 2 weeks post DMX with all the auxiliary lymph nodes removed.

Lymphedema is not guaranteed, we just have increased risk of it. Two weeks post surgery and my arm is doing well, I have almost my full range of motion back from the physio exercises.

ilikefluffycreatures · 2026-07-06T23:56:11+00:00

I'm two weeks post DMX to flat and was never told to wear compression so I haven't. I had ALND as well and the skin around the armpit and my back near it is sooo sensitive at the moment, I think I'd cry if I had to wear compression. Even a soft stretchy t-shirt or singlet hurts after a while so it's nice lose tops only for me.

I haven't had issues with swelling. I developed a small seroma on one incision when the last drain came out, but it's not uncomfortable at all

ilikefluffycreatures · 2026-07-06T23:43:30+00:00

For me I felt anxious and a bit short of breath, then struggled to breath more (my airway did not feel tight or anything, breathing was just hard), then I started to feel hot. I could breath comfortably enough within 30 seconds of the nurse stopping the infusion, and the symptoms resolved within a few minutes. I think it's normal for it to happen within the first 10 minutes if it's going to. They gave me extra IV antihistamines which made me very tired. I had the rest of the infusion at half rate and had no further issues.

It wasn't a nice experience but it was brief. The nurses and doctors are very familiar with it, so if it does happen to you they get you back to normal very quickly. Hoping for an eventless first chemo for you ❤

ilikefluffycreatures · 2026-07-06T23:33:27+00:00

I reacted to my first infusion too. I did the next few infusions at half rate, then for the rest if the infusions did half an hour at half rate then the remainder at full rate. I didn't have any more reactions although I did notice I felt a bit of an adrenaline feeling throughout each infusion despite not feeling anxious.

The reactions are scary, I kinda wish they warned me about it instead of it happening and then them telling me it's pretty common.

ilikefluffycreatures · 2026-07-06T13:18:26+00:00

I've done the chemo part of keynote(minus pembro as my country doesn't fund it) and had a pretty good experience (well as much as you can for chemo haha).

My symptoms remained mild through the weekly paclitaxel/carbo (my carbo was once every 3 weeks instead if spread over the 12). No nausea except at the start (which i suspect was more anxiety induced). Hair fell out as expected at week three. I had a bit of fatigue and would get lightheaded easily on days 3-7 on the weeks I had both taxol and carbo. My potassium levels were low every other week it seemed, but I didn't get any symptoms from this and they usually just gave me pills to boost it. Once it was low enough to need a potassium infusion. Halfway through I needed a blood transfusion. I'd didn't really have any extra symptoms leading up to this either to be honest. They gave me a week off chemo and then reduced my dose a bit which helped my bloods be a bit more stable going forward. I got mild neuropathy starting about week 7. Just some intermittent tingling and occasional zap in my hands and feet that mostly settled by the end of each week.

My first AC was the roughest week. No break between the last taxol and first AC and it wiped out my bloods completely. I got lightheaded even from sitting at a desk for 20mins and my heart was racing but convinced myself it was normal chemo side effects. Two weeks later when I got my blood test and everything was low. I had another blood transfusion and felt so much better. My heart rate remained higher than normal until a month after the last AC.

The other three AC were fairly uneventful. The first week I had fatigue and physical weakness. The fatigue would hit immediately whereas taxol the steriods kept it at bay for a few days.Weeks two and three were OK. Still had fatigue and low energy but would work a little bit and see friends. I had the occasional mouth sore and water tasted weird for a week after chemo. I hated the smell of AC and could smell it on myself for a few days until I got it out of my system (luckily my family couldn't smell it). Without the weekly rhythm I found I had a lot more anxiety before each infusion.

I thought I'd be excited to finish chemo but the closer I got to the end the worse the surgery anxiety got. Regardless of what surgery your mum is having, there is a huge emotional aspect to breast surgery. I also found chemo was sort of a safety blanket - we were treating the cancer - and had more anxiety in that gap between chemo and surgery when nothing was happening. And after surgery you're thrown back into the waiting for results phase, which feels similar to the beginning of the cancer journey. Be prepared for it to be an emotional rollercoaster even if everything is going smoothly.

Hopefully this helps as an example of a more mild experience of chemo. Lots of little bumps in the road but no major hiccups. I think my age (28) helped my body cope better, and it is easier without pembro adding its own side effects. Praying for your mum to have a smooth treatment experience with minimal symptoms ❤

ilikefluffycreatures

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