It is a lot to have to endure. Perhaps in addition to logging in the physical side effects, you might want to have a journal to write about what you are emotionally feeling. Many of the pink sisters here have found a great relief in just letting it all out on paper, especially if they are trying to keep a lot of this journey private. How is your family doing? This is tough on them as well. Keeping you in prayers-

Virginia valley
It never occurred to me that my runny nose had something to do with no nair in my nose! Makes a lot of sense!

After 7 or 8 taxols I also got increased pins and needles and numbness in my hands an especially in the toes of my left foot, this numbness has moved along the soul of my foot but isn't the typical neuropathy so Dr suspects it is more a symptom of the sudden onset of menopause and the fact that I broke that leg as a 12 year old - I am unconvinced - but then I just want to blame the taxol and stop having it, so I will wait and see if it becomes unmanageable. To help with this and energy levels I am taking some Vit B12 drops - not sure if it is helping yet - too soon to tell.

To offset the damage to my heart - they now have me on a low dose heart pill and for my part I have just increased my cardio exercise (aiming for 5 x 30 min jogs a week + dog walks, yoga and horse riding though it is a bit of a challenge energy wise) so that I can help my heart survive a year of Herceptin.

I am mindful that my reaction to BC and way of dealing with the news is not typical. I really struggle with going from being healthy, strong, capable with a long and exciting future to having to take brutal treatments that cause my periods stop, my hair to fall out, have multiple surgeries, live with the constant feeling of being mildly hangover, have my heart being damaged and an unpredictable future where good survival results are measured in 5 year time frames. I know things could be worse but .....

Part 2

To help with this I have used IceKaps (though they are imperfect) and I have been applying raw argan oil to my scalp especially when it itches or aches.

At 4 weeks though my hair started to fall out at a rate of about 100 strands a day. This increased over a couple of weeks to several hundred. While I have lost about 60% of my hair on my head so far (I started with loads of very thick wavy hair) I still have enough 'to pass' with a hat on.

I've lost almost all my pubic hair (now I am smooth like a baby) and hair on my lower legs. My arms which I smother with argan oil are still full on hairy. So I am now experimenting with argan oil on my lower legs. I have a bald ish patch on my back centre part of my head and bald and thinning patches around the crown of my head (I think this is where the seams of the IceKap create areas where the cap isn't cold) and the overall condition of my hair is just awful - especially at then ends.

Now after 9 taxols (over 11 weeks) hair loss seems to have slowed down. I do wonder if the two breaks I had from the taxol treatments have helped my hair survive so far ? Or whether it could be the timing of the natural hair follicle cycle and that my hair that is left is just in the 'dormant phase' -i.e not growing and therefore not having any fast mitotic activity and therefore not drawing the attention of the taxol. Or it could be the combination of my increased use of argan oil and ice hats worn during treatment. Regardless, it is very tempting to just stop and not do the full 12 taxols to try and reduce any further hair loss and to protect my poor heart from further damage. I am thinking 3/4 of the treatment 3/4 of the benefit ? 3/4 of the time to cause cell death to cancer cells that may or may not be circulating or hiding out somewhere in my body waiting to do further damage.

At 4-6 weeks I missed my first period (after always having regular ones) so on top of this I have to start managing full on menopause - though not too many signs yet. I have also lost weight (just the good amount that makes your jeans fit better so far). One slightly foreboding treatment is to inject my ovaries to ensure they don't start up. Sounds awful and I had to think what the side effects of that plus tamoxifen will be on my body, mind and spirit in the future when I get to that phase.

Hair left on vacation after my second treatment of Taxotere, Carboplatin, Herceptin. (TCH) I had a bit of a sore throat about the same time, but then it shifted to a runny nose- and since there was no nasal hair to act as speed bumps- I would feel the sensation, then zoom!!- the nose was running. Keep tissues handy just in case. Hugs!