🌸 October 2026 Starting Chemo Support — Gather Here to Get Through!🌸

moderators · October 1

Starting chemotherapy this October? Whether you’re preparing for your first infusion, in the middle of treatment, or nearing the finish line, this thread is for you.

This is your place to connect, ask questions, share updates, celebrate milestones, and support others who understand the ups and downs of chemotherapy.

Feeling hopeful, anxious, determined, exhausted, frustrated—or all of the above? You belong here. 💛

✨ Introduce Yourself

Tell us a little about your journey:

Your treatment start date or where you are in your cycle
Your regimen, if you’d like to share
A little about yourself
Or simply say, “I’m here!”

Then come back and keep us posted!

💬 Share, Ask & Update

This isn’t a one-and-done thread. Check in before or after an infusion—or anytime you need support.

Come back to:

Share how you’re preparing for treatment
Tell us how an infusion went
Talk about side effects or questions
Share tips that are helping
Talk about good days and difficult ones
Celebrate milestones and little wins
Encourage someone else

No update is too small. Whether you share after every infusion or simply say, “Today was a better day,” we want to hear from you.

💞 Ask Questions & Share What You've Learned

Chemo can bring a lot of questions. Ask them here!

Wondering about fatigue, taste changes, hair loss, neuropathy, what to bring to treatment, returning to work, or the emotional ups and downs?

Someone here may have wondered the same thing—or been through it themselves.

And if you’ve found something that made treatment a little easier, please share it. Your experience could make someone else’s day less stressful.

🌼 Celebrate Every Milestone

First infusion? Finished another cycle? Made it through a tough week? Had a good day? Took a walk? Rang the bell?

Tell us! 🎉

The big milestones matter, but so do the little victories. Every step counts.

💗 Support Makes This Community Strong

One of the best ways to participate is to reply to someone else.

A few encouraging words, a shared experience, or simply saying, “I’m thinking of you today,” can make someone feel less alone.

And if you’ve already been through chemo or are further along, please stay and share your experience. Your perspective and practical tips can be incredibly reassuring to someone just starting.

✨ Easy Ways to Join In

Introduce yourself.
Share your treatment schedule.
Check in before or after an infusion.
Ask a question.
Share a tip.
Celebrate a milestone.
Encourage another member.
Come back anytime you need support—or have an update.

There’s no such thing as posting too often. We’d love to follow your journey throughout treatment and beyond.

🎉 One Step at a Time

Chemo can feel overwhelming when you look too far ahead.

So let’s take it together—one infusion, one appointment, one week, and one day at a time.

📌 Helpful Resources

Our Virtual Support Groups are also here for support throughout treatment and beyond.

💛 Ready to Join Us?

If you’ve been reading without posting, this is your invitation to jump in.

You don’t need the perfect words or all the answers. Just start where you are.

Introduce yourself. Ask a question. Share an update. Celebrate a win. Encourage someone else. Then come back and do it again.

Together, we’ll get through treatment.

— The Mods

faith4ever · October 3

Hello, I have recently been diagnosed with breast cancer. I get my port installed in a few weeks and then chemo right afterwards. I’m hopeful but afraid of what chemo will do to my body. I am very independent and I’m used to taking care of my family. I don’t know if they’ll be able to take care of me. I will have weekly chemo sessions and I’m looking into ways to have transportation to and from appointments since everyone works.

kisbah06 · October 3

Hi faith4ever. What type of chemo are you going to get? I am on my 4th cycle of Enhertu every 3 weeks (last will be on 10/12) and while it's been rough at times it is very doable. On Nov 2 I will switch to weekly THP. and I'm concerned about the taxol. I'll be icing my hands and feet to prevent neuropathy and I have a wig coming anytime now.

faith4ever · October 3

Hi Kisbah06, I don’t know what type of chemo I’ll be getting. I should be hearing from my oncologist next week. Today, I’ve been cleaning my bedroom and bathroom. I’ll make my way into my closet next. I want my area to be clean to avoid infections. Also, I’ve switched to a plant based diet and added walking to my routine. I want to do everything I can to beat this. I’m sorry. I may come off neurotic but this came totally out of the blue.

pokegranny · October 4

66yo, ILC Stage 3A, grade 1, 6+ positive nodes. ER+PR-HERS-, DMX with expanders July 1, hematoma and emergency surgery and blood transfusion July 2. ALND on August 12th. Went for a weekend trip to a small town and was air evacuated back to large metro for emergency surgery to remove expanders and clean out cavity due to massive infection on September 9. Chemo was to start last month and now scheduled in October. At this point I’m questioning if I should just forget the chemo since it’s not known for effectiveness in slow growing lobular cancer. I still need radiation, AI, and CDK 4/6. My body is weak and I am physically and mentally exhausted from 4 surgeries, 2 from complications. I still have Galaflex mesh in the infected side. It was too incorporated to remove. Now I have to worry about it infected again as the bacteria can create a biofilm over it. I am still on antibiotics and will likely start chemo in them. I’m afraid chemo is going to destroy my body and make the other treatments more difficult to accomplish as I have to recover before they add anything. Any thoughts? Meeting with onco Wednesday to discuss. Anyone else in similar circumstances?

kisbah06 · October 6

Hi faith4ever, you're not neurotic at all. You sound like you have done your research. Doing what you can for yourself is healthy and empowering! I am keeping a journal of sorts so I know how I respond to each treatment and can adjust what I am doing. For instance, I noticed I got very constipated day 4 thru day 9 from the anti-nauseas so I started taking Miralax beginning day 1 and it really made a difference for me. I change sheets, clean bathrooms, and food prep areas thoroughly the day before TX. And I drink 90+ oz. of water a day to flush the chemo out, adding electrolytes, too. We do what we can. This forum is a great place for us to support each other.

Good Vibes and Prayers to you and to everyone.

mombunk · October 18

have stage 3 right breast cancer 37 of 39 lymph nodes were malignant. Going through 2nd stage of taxol with radiation ☢️ to follow. Is there any chance of success? L. Bunkiewicz

mombunk · October 18

constant severe fatigue and loss of all hair. Any chance this will pass?

moderators · October 19

Hi @mombunk, welcome to Breastcancer.org. We're sorry you're facing such a difficult time with treatment. 💗 We hope members who have been through Taxol and radiation will chime in with their experiences and help answer your questions. You may also find it helpful to explore our Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After where you can connect with others and read about their experiences. There you'll find also the October Radiation group.

Hope this helps. Please, come back to let us know how you're doing.

The Mods