Amy Dowden has revealed she has been ‘extremely’ ill after her fourth round of chemotherapy.
The dancer, 33, candidly wrote in her Instagram Stories: ‘Chemo 4✅ Was extremely sick even with three types of anti-sickness. Also very tired. I’m going to rest.’
Amy was diagnosed with breast cancer cancer earlier in May, and started chemotherapy after doctors discovered another type of cancer in her body, meaning she couldn’t be paired with a celebrity for the new series of Strictly.
Ahead of the Strictly launch on Saturday, Amy wrote the caption as she showed off her hand as she headed to hospital.
The star has been open about the side effects of the treatment, including hair loss, and admitted she found it difficult.
Tough: Amy Dowden, 33, has revealed she has been ‘extremely’ ill after her fourth round of chemotherapy as she shared another update in her battle with breast cancer
Illness: The Strictly Favorite was diagnosed with breast cancer in May and started chemotherapy after doctors discovered she was also battling another type of cancer
Update: Amy wrote the caption ahead of Saturday’s Strictly launch as she showed off her hand as she headed to hospital
Taking to her Instagram Stories on Monday, Amy told her followers how she was doing and admitted it was “really hard.”
She said: ‘So many messages asking how I’m coping with the hair loss and I’m not going to lie, it’s really hard.’
Trying to stay positive, she added: “I think I cry less now. At first it was every day, but now I have meltdowns if I wash my hair once a week.
‘I haven’t brushed my hair for the past two weeks and that has definitely helped.
‘I stopped brushing myself since I got out of hospital with the blood clots because I just got desperate when I saw how much was falling out.’
Amy explained that her husband and dance partner Ben Jones, who she married last year, has helped her by brushing her hair for her so she can’t see what’s falling out.
She explained: ‘I’m obviously aware of it, but I can’t physically see or hold the hair I’m losing and that helps me a lot.’
Amy looked stunning in the video, with her hair tucked under a purple and pink patterned scarf.
Tough: The Strictly Come Dancing star was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year and started chemotherapy after doctors discovered she was also battling another form of cancer
Tough time: The professional dancer has been open about the side effects of the treatment, including hair loss, and admitted she found it tough
She said, “When I take off my scarf, you’ll see that there’s almost no hair left, but that’s okay. I keep telling myself, ‘This too shall pass.’
She then admitted, “This is definitely the hardest part for me personally,” but said she wasn’t ready to shave her head just yet.
She said, “I’ll get to that point…but I’m just not ready yet.”
Earlier this month, the dancer shared a health update with fans following her latest round of chemotherapy.
Amy assured her Instagram followers that she was ‘coming through it’ as she shared the side effects she was experiencing.
She said: ‘I was a bit nauseous and tired but you can’t sleep because of the steroids. I have my steroid moon face, which I’m used to by now.’
But she stated that she “looked a lot more like Amy today.”
Amy previously opened up about her hair loss last month: ‘AAs much as I prepared myself when I woke up every day gently combing my hair with a wide tooth comb and seeing what came out, it’s just heartbreaking for me personally.
‘I only wash my hair once this week, twice max. I don’t use heat on my hair or straighten it, so I just don’t feel like myself.
“So it’s time to get out the wig I say and get used to it and help me feel like myself. I’m still Amy!
‘Some days last week I woke up and for the first few seconds you forgot about it and then suddenly it all hits you, the day and the challenges ahead and your new reality and it’s tough – had a few morning cries and learned that that is also good.’
She then thanked everyone for their messages of support, writing: ‘Thank you again for all the lovely messages asking how I am, I want to be open and honest and hopefully also help others going through it or those supporting them on their trip!’
Despite hoping to return to the dance floor soon, the Welsh star will not be able to take part in this series after her began her chemotherapy treatment in August.
Still, the star has felt the support of her Strictly family every step of the way, sending her love to a dancing family as she commented on a love heart emoji after the trailer’s release.
Amy was diagnosed with breast cancer in May and in July she revealed that doctors had discovered she had ‘a different type of cancer’ after an MRI revealed more tumors in her body.
About the news at the time, Amy said: “For me, my journey, everything changed. Originally I was going to have a lumpectomy, radiotherapy and hormone treatment.
‘But after my MRI they found another tumor, so then it turned into a mastectomy and after my mastectomy they unfortunately found more tumors.
Honest: On her Instagram Stories earlier this month, Amy told her followers how she was doing and admitted it was ‘really hard’
Fighter: Amy later used her Stories to share an image of herself during chemotherapy, writing, “Let’s go!” Number three! Next cycle I say halfway!’
‘And my pathology wasn’t what they expected, and they discovered another type of cancer and then they told me I needed chemo – for me that was a huge blow.
“It wasn’t originally in the plan – and I know the plan you can’t get fixated on.
‘So then I suddenly realised, and you get scared, but the oncologist did say that with chemo I have a very good chance of recovery.
“I was really scared and I didn’t want to do chemo, but when I saw someone like you (Erin) going through it, and for me it immediately made me dance, like, you can take away my breasts, but you can’t take away my breasts. dancing away from me and that really upsets me.’
But earlier in August, Amy joined her fellow professionals in training when she shared a glamor shot of herself after being Strictlyfied by the show’s hair and make-up team.
The dancer revealed her joy at feeling like ‘Amy’ again and felt spurred on to tackle her latest bout of cancer treatment – which comes after she was hospitalized with sepsis following her first round.
She wrote: ‘So grateful for my @bbcstrictly family, yesterday was exactly what I needed for today. I’ve felt like I was part of the whole journey so far!
‘I saw all the group songs and the process via videos, and watched it again yesterday and WOW honestly the best yet! Yes, it’s hard not to be there while they’re doing what I love, but I’m so proud to be part of such a talented team.
‘I loved being made glamorous by the hair and make-up team, putting on a sparkling dress from Garderobe and feeling like Amy was back in my favorite place! So grateful!’