Cyclophosphamide - Patient Experience

As part of our series looking at different chemotherapy treatments for secondary breast cancer, Alexia Gayle shares her experience of Cyclophosphamide this week.

When were you diagnosed with secondary breast cancer?

I was diagnosed De-novo age 39 August 2019.

Where are your mets located?

Liver and spine.

What treatment line are you on?

1st line was palbociclib and letrozole.

2nd Cape didn't work.

3rd Iv chemo Epirubicin and Cyclophosphamide 6 cycles.

4th Tamoxifen-currently on.

What is/was your experience of  Cyclophosphamide? 

I lost all of my hair after cycle 2, shaved it off after the 1st cycle as didn't want to wait for it to fall out. Lost half eyelashes,some eyebrows but had my eyebrows microbladed before chemo. All body hair was lost.

Started growing back within 3 weeks of finishing chemo. 

It's given from a syringe into a canula in the hand, only takes about an hour or so and the nurse stays with you the whole time as she injections each syringe in.

I had no sickness or diarrhoea, had steroids for 3 days after chemo which caused weight gain, no sleep. Horrible taste in my mouth for first 6 days and affected food taste after that was fine for the rest of the cycle.

It wasn't as bad as I thought chemo would be I was tired but could carry on normal life. 

I had 2 syringes of Epirubicin and 4 of Cyclophosphamide.

Photo of it being administered:

What advice, if any, would you give to someone about to start this treatment?

I have children 19 16 and 3 and could still be a mum just had to listen to my body and drink plenty to keep hydrated.