💛March 2026 Chemo Check-In: You don't have to do this alone!💛

Hello all!

I had my first treatment yesterday, AC+T, in a PAX cold cap. It was tough! I had a migraine type headache that rendered me unable to talk or move. I believe it was from the cold cap as I recovered quickly when it came off and I finished shaking uncontrollably for 15 mins!! I chose to wear the small size cap as it fely more secure than the medium but wonder if the outer cap was fastened too tightly. Anyone had similar experience and managed to find a more comfortable way to do it?

Thanks for reading.

Hi @pupsrule983 it’s nice to have a buddy for this ride although none of us want to be here. My date got moved to the 17th so you’ll be a few days ahead of me. The oncology pharmacist said the Suzi socks and mittens are very popular and they work well so I think we’ve made a good choice. I am really nervous about side effects too but all we can really do is take it one step at a time. I’ll check in here next week to see how you are faring. Wishing you an uneventful journey.

@pupsrule983 I’m not cold capping either. Getting a buzz cut tomorrow and keeping my fingers crossed that the first time I wear a wig in public it won’t be crooked or on backwards 😂

I got my onco type score (49) on Friday and know this means I will start chemo soon. My biggest fear is that this is the beginning of the end. Will physical and mental side effects be so severe between the chemo, radiation, and hormone blockers that I cannot manage a demanding, high stress job? If so, I wish someone would just tell me now so I don't have to kill myself trying - which is likely what I will do. Of course I can take leave but only 12 weeks w/ job security.

Thanks to the moderator's for their suggestions on teasing out why my first infusion was so uncomfortable. I assumed it was due to the cold cap but it may well have been the AC infusion because I was fine for the first half hour, while allowing cap to cool down and pre meds to go in. I will chat with nurse when I go back for treatment 2. I will also ask my hubby to monitor a bit more closely what's happening at the different stages and maybe be my voice if I am unable to communicate again. To all starting this week and next, I can tell you that the week after treatment 1 was manageable. I am grateful to be off work and don't have young kids so could look after myself a bit. I had Neulasta injection on day 2 but not much bone pain from it. Worst days were 3 and 4. Main issue for me is headache and palpitations. I had 4 days prescription antisickness and by day 5, I was feeling a little better and managing on the 'optional' antisickness tablets. I did have to tweak my diet a bit to avoid constipation in this period. Luckily I like prunes😉.Sending you all hugs. Good luck, C.

Hi all!

Made it thru the infusions. As I checked into the infusion center and entered the waiting room the positivity from the other patients was overwhelming. Three women greeted me “ Hi you must be new!” Due to they all had their scarves/caps on and I’m walking in with my frizzed out hair (because I’m in FL and it was so humid that morning). They shared their story, offered support , and by the time I got to my room I was calm.
Thankfully no reactions from meds- had a slight flutter at the then end of T- can’t believe worst part was the Suzie mitts-on my hands ! The feet were fine but boy it was cold - I got thru it.
Exhausted afterwards probably due to I didn’t sleep well the night before and was there 7hrs.

Went to work yesterday ( I am working through all of this) and my big question is - when does “chemo brain” start - I swear I was off my game all day yesterday. Little things here and there but I swear I have it!
So today is 48hrs post infusion - I just woke up which I couldn’t tell you the last time I woke up at 840- my wake up time is 5.
One piece of info that I received from my infusion nurse is that day 7-10 is when is the immune system is at the lowest. And she gave a great tip for mouth sores - coconut oil. She said to swish some around and spit it out. She said also to get a script for magic mouthwash. No one mentioned that . She was a wealth of information.

As I was finishing treatment one of the patients from the lobby peeked her head in she was leaving and gave me her number and said “call me anytime we can chat we are in this together”. I though that was awesome of her.

I will post as the days progress- those starting next week strike up a convo with the other patients it helped me.

@star713 - you could always take intermittent leave of absence- my oncologist brought that up to me ( never thought about that) I took a LOA for a month to recoup from my partial mastectomy total bilateral reconstruction. I just started my new job in September so didn’t qualify for FMLA - I had short term disability through the month of Feb.

Good luck to all next week! You got this! Talk with other patients and your nurse is a wealth of knowledge- she has heard and seen everything with her patients!

@amerli - I found 2 wigs this week it was actually fun trying so many on. I go back Tuesday hopefully I’ll make a decision. My scarves came from Headcovers - I’ll wear the wig going to work and scarves on weekends.

Have a good weekend! I hope my side effects will be manageable- my RN reminded me it’s accumulative- so this weekend may be fine but after the second roundit may not .We are all different.. keep posting!!

@amerli Hi! thanks the support! I’m taking my infusion days off .. so yes work yesterday was ok but was exhausted when I got home !

My mind is “mushy”… examples yesterday , forgot where I parked my car - it was like a ten second brain freeze ; mid sentence in convo with a colleague I couldn’t for the life of me remember the word “loyalty” … reading an email didn’t register the “date” I thought it was tomorrow but it was the day before.
It was intermittent throughout the day yesterday. I’ll keep track of it … A social worker from the hospital infusion center met with me on Thursday and she told me to keep a daily log of anything everything happening - she said to keep a journal so that when you have your appts and your team ask questions you’ll have something to refer back to. It honestly is like you walked into a room and forgot why … then it comes to you.
I’ll keep an eye on it and let you know .. so far this morning I’m ok lol!!!

Well, here I go tomorrow. I’ve been feeling pretty low mentally all day, but sometime early evening the steroid premeds kicked in and I’ve cooked up a storm. I still feel like I could shampoo the carpets. I hope I’ll be able to sleep. See you all on the other side 🤞

hi friends,

I'm in the market for wigs, head scarves, hats, etc. any recommendations for shops in the New York City area?

Thank you!

@pupsrule983 thanks for the comment about intermittent FMLA. Starting down that path now so I can take infusion days off and those few days where my brain is at its worst. I burned all my sick leave with another medical issue already this year and don’t want to spend vacation time that way. So I was just going to try and tough it out.

So, Cycle 1 Day 11 update - I have energy again and the brain fog has thinned. Still foggy. Just not as bad. Trying to pace myself, so that hopefully tomorrow is a good day too but it is so nice to feel so much more like myself.