Chemo advice please?

[Reddalahorse]

I'm 65, had lumpectomy and flap reconstruction in July. Very soon to start chemo. Given that oncology have said my skin will be dry and sensitive (never experienced that before), I'm wondering about skincare, particularly shower gel and body moisturiser. Would something like Aveeno be suitable? Any advice about this, or any other hints for getting through this whole chemo crap would be appreciated. I know there's lots stuff on MacMillan but it's all a bit generic.

I've ordered wigs and scarves, and will get some false eyelashes. Im not a natural beauty but I never usually leave the house without hair and makeup done, more a confidence thing than vanity.

Anyone out there who can advise?

TIA

One thing that worked really well, was the speed with which the govt sent me £100 towards the cost of the wig. The clinic gave me a claim form at the first chemo session, I sent it off with a copy of the receipt and received payment in three days. I'm a single mum and it was all a bit of a financial worry but generally support was good.

I had a lady surgeon too. She was awesome. Blunt, to the point, would answer all my questions, and would be completely straight with me. Someone I immediately trusted.🙂

@Fuckmyliferightnow hi, thanks for asking, I'm ok. Fair to say I've had better experiences. Tomorrow it'll be one week from the first round, Thursday and Friday were fine, and on Saturday I understood the meaning of fatigue. Getting my arm dressed today, that gets quite sore doesn't it. One thing - I can smell and taste the chemo all the time which is beyond gross!! I think the mental side is possibly the worst, in the night, thinking there's months of this to come. I'm not noted for my patience so looking months ahead doesn't come easily.

@MintJulia how weird to be allergic to yourself! Although for many years I couldn't wear anything twice (without washing it first) without major hay fever symptoms so it could happen to me. I don't qualify for the wig voucher, but I did get a slip for a waterproof picc line sleeve! The MacM nurse said I had to buy one but the nurse who plumbed me in gave me the slip without asking!

I'm still reading everything on here and I'm very grateful for all the advice. I hope others with this bastard cancer find it helpful too xx

Hi OP sorry, only just seen your post. There is a charity called Look Good Feel Better that is able to help you and others. They helped me after my chemo.

A leading cancer support charity - Look Good Feel Better : Look Good Feel Better

Another vote for lookgoodfeelbetter. A great charity.

@MyNameIsArthur and @thesandwich thanks very much, I'm going to book an online session when I'm in a "good" stage in my cycle.
Many thanks x

I hope you enjoy it and it does what it says on the tin!

I found Avene (French brand, think you can get it in Boots) amazing and also Weleda skin food when my skin was at its worst on chemo. That was recommended to me by a lady I met in the assessment unit who had been living with cancer for a long time.

I was really, really ill on chemo. Lots of days I thought I wouldn’t make it, couldn’t do it - not telling you that to scare you, but because I’m now out the other side and feel fab. However bad it gets - you just keep going and eventually it is over.

@Reddalahorse I am coming to this late and it looks like you've had a lot of great advice already, I just thought I'd add in one thing that I remembered about my mum's chemo journey. She had 12 weeks of it, found it more tiring as time went on, but sprung back with a huge amount of energy at the end. I remember a week after her last session, when completely bald and having spent vast amounts of time in bed - she was doing high kicks in the kitchen, like some kind of cabaret dancer, to everyone's surprise. It was fantastic.

Thanks for all the good advice and recommendations, all taken on board. So far, skin seems unchanged, hair has all gone but eyelashes still there although I think they might be diminishing. Falsies at the ready! Third round of EC due this week. Picc line removed, too many issues so it'll be a canula from here on.

@JesusWeptLady I've got a great mental image of your mum doing her stuff in the kitchen, sounds like my kind of person! It's a good reminder too, that despite the cancer diagnosis and subsequent chemo, one's personality doesn't change!

Thanks all, and sending love to others going through this themselves or watching their loved ones enduring treatment xx