Good Luck Janipi with FEC2, I’m right behind you - mine on Monday x
Hello everyone! This is a bit long, but might be useful to anyone with the same symptoms.
Sorry I’ve not been around for a while - after just feeling a bit under the weather for a couple of days after FEC1 I went a bit downhill and developed a really nasty skin infection (possibly cellulitis although only my physio has called it that).
On Sat night I saw a small pink patch on my side. I phoned my BCN on Monday who advised a visit to my GP. She gave me some antibiotics but by Tues night redness had spread right across my breast and was unbelievably painful (not sore skin - a deep ache). I phoned the AAU but as my temp wasn’t too high they told me to contact the chemo unit the next day. Didn’t sleep much that night - so sore and feeling ill.
Went to chemo unit on Weds morning and my temp was 37.6 and I felt really rough. Had bloods and saw my oncologist who prescribed massive doses of two antibiotics and told me if my temp hits 38 I’m to go straight to the AAU withough passing Go.
I started taking the antibiotics immediately but in the afternoon my temp hit 37.9 Oh b****r I said… Spent the day feeling dreadful, achy, hot, shivery, but not allowed to take anything to bring down my temp. Boo. 
Woken up this morning and feel almost normal and no temp. Yaaayy!!! Still very sore and now taking 17 antibiotics a day but at least they’ve worked. Back tomorrow for more bloods and meeting with onc, but I think it’ll be OK now.
I really hope this won’t leave me open to lymphoedema but only time will tell. Thinking back I suspect this had been lurking for a while but the chemo really kicked it off. The moral of this is, if you get red areas of skin and feel a bit under the weather it could be what I’ve just had so get some heavy duty treatment, fast!!!
Nice to be back!!!
Cheryl, Janipi - best of luck with today!
Must go now - time to take some pills…
Jane xxxx
Hope the PICC line goes in well. I’ve had mine in a week before I started chemo as I have rubbish veins and node clearance on one side.
Even with using an ultrasound to locate veins they took 3 attempts to find a vein for my PICC, I was in theatre for 2 hours, but one of it was getting everything sorted. I hated the local going in, they just kept of injecting it everywhere.
My arm hurt for at least 2 weeks afterwards but I did have massive bruises on one of the failed sites (football size).
However the PICC is great, I use a Limbo case too and its brill (they use to shower over plasters on broken arms).
I have a sheet of tegaderm over it, and although slightly weird when it comes off it doesn’t cause me any reactions so far.
I go to hospital once a week for them to do line care, they want to see it, no option for my OH to do it but thats OK. He does my gcsf and tinzaparin injections though.
hi everyone
not been on for a while but have been reading everyone’s post with interest.
Jane i,m so sorry that youve had a rough time of it. i’ll keep my fingers crossed that you get through the next 5 fecs with ease - no more nasties.
i should be having fec 2 tomorrow but have changed hospitals. So now having fec2 next thurs. Would liked not to have the extra week wait, but at least now i have not got a 40 mile round trip journey and if i,m feeling well i could actually walk to and from new hospital. Also means my family can come and sit with me during chemo with out having to give up their whole day. They are also within walking distance of hospital. It is sometimes hard for family isn’t it? when they work and have busy lives themselves.
Good look for everyone who’s just had or about to receive their next fec.
Oh forgot to say. i had cold cap on first fec. i don’t think it has worked. My hair has thinned dramatically, already by about 40%, so i don’t think ive got much chance of keeping it once ive had fec 2. It looks so bad now anyway. When i get up in the morning my hair is matted and when i try to de tangle it, it comes out in lumps. oh well que sera - bring out Gillan (wig)
Maria x
Sorry you’ve had an infection, Jane, but glad it’s getting better.
Sorry the cold cap doesn’t seem to have worked for you, Maria.
Cheryl
Wll, I’ve just got back from a 9 am appointment for the PICC line, most of the time spent sitting around and waiting, honestly! The insertion was genuinely painless, aside from the anesthetic injection, but I felt a little dizzy afterwards, so was supposed to be taken by a porter to have an xray to confirm the line was in the right place. Eventually, as the porter hadn’t shown up after a second call, a ward attendant walked me over to xray–I didn’t feel too bad, but felt safer having someone with me. The wait for the xray wasn’t too long, but I had quite a long wait back in the chemo unit for the xray to come through. So over 3 hours.
They suggest that I come in to have the flushing and cleaning, since I don’t live too far away.
The connection/capping device is certainly bigger than I expected, but I hadn’t had a chance to see one in advance.
Hi Kazza
Like yourself I have had a lumpectomy and was told that my cancer is grade 3, have had first fec and rads to come after that. I also work with young children in a nursery environment,consultant had advised me to stop working as risk of infection would be high-especially at this time of year. I have 2 young sons and we are on the go at 90 miles an hour with footie, taek won do, swimming etc, but have realised that this is the time to sit down and rest as to get body ready for the times that lie ahead.I’m new to the forum and it has been reassuring reading others stories re treatments and se. I’m sure I’ll hear how you get on xx
Hi Biff, I’m on sick leave as well. I’m in adult education but most of my students have young or school age children, so both the Onc and the BCN told me I shouldn’t try to work this time of year. I miss it, except for the paperwork.
I hope your treatment is going well so far.
Cheryl
Fec 2 done! Yuk. Hope you are all well. Trying to drink loads now to get rid of lovely pink pee lol. Cheryl well done picc line in so you are ready and armed. It does speed things up. Biff I teach Foundation Stage littlies so can’t go to work in case I catch something. Couldn’t do it anyway seem stuck to the bed or sofa quite a bit. Looking forward to those good days at the end of the cycle, Good luck to all the Feccers and taxers tomorrow. x
Hope you’re feeling well, Janipi.
I had to have a lie down this afternoon, feeling rather cold. Partly the weather–sleet this morning–partly general tiredness and possibly having the PICC this morning, but also my head feels cold. In just the 20 minutes or so I was lying down to get the PICC, quite a few hairs were left on the pillow. I’ve put on one of my cotton caps to keep my head warm and to stop hairs falling in everything.
Cheryl
I’m OK ish Cheryl, fingers all crossed. Maybe just having the picc line has made you tired. Although mine was fine, I remember thinking “That’s enough for one day.” I
Picc lines have to be kept warm so wrap up and rest. My hair is gone now. Shaved it off in the end. It looked like dog hair all over the house. I now understand why OH always wears a hat. It’s cold around the ears. I’m sat “wearing in” my wig but it’s coming off shortly and the hat will definitely be on.
‘Enough for one day’ is pretty much how I feel; certainly not like going out in the cold for choir practice. I go around in lots of layers; the nurse said I might want a hot water bottle later on, but ours have lost their stoppers. I can put towels in the dryer, perhaps, and we have an electric underblanket.
I haven’t quite reached the shaving stage, but once I get bald patches I probably will. It’s hats for now.
Cheryl
Alto, so good to see you back! I was getting worried and thought something might be up. Very glad you’re on the mend.
Well done Cheryl and Janipi, take it easy and keep warm.
My hair is clinging on grimly, though every time I run my fingers through it some bits come out now! Hoping it will hang in there and not look to moth eaten for our anniversary meal out on Saturday!
P xxx
I’m trying to do as little as possible to my hair, including not washing it as often as usual. Can you get a glam wrap or something, just in case?
Cheryl
hmmm, got a blue number with some sparkles on it, I’ll have a practice just in case!! Thanks, Pxx
Oh poo. Only a week after FEC1 and my scalp feels as though a nest of baby spiders has hatched and is crawling all over it…
I don’t think my hair’s got long for this world!
Jane xxx
PS Hi peachez - sorry! I felt so ill I couldn’t even be bothered to open my netbook up!
hi alto, nice to see you again, I think we were diagnosed around the same time, 10 days now since first chemo, my scalp feels the same as yours alto, feels like ive got little pin pricks all over it, I tried the cold cap but I dont really know how effective it is, just thought it was worth a try xx hugs xx glad you feeling a little better
Hello fellow FECcers. I’m being visited by the lose your post fairy again, so I’ll try again.
My PICC arm was a bit sore this morning, but paracetamol saw that off. I’m not sure how effective wrapping it in clingfilm during a shower is, but perhaps it needs more, more tightly wrapped, and I think it was just the dressing that got a bit damp.
I tried sleeping with a cotton cap on last night, and it certainly caught hair that would have wound up all over the bed. I still have reasonable coverage, but the back of my head looks distinctly ragged. I suppose it’s a bit like babies going thin or bald where their heads rest. Like Alto and Pooki, my scalp gets irritated, especially if anything is rubbing the hair. I think the cap helped that as well, so it might be worth a try for anyone who finds this is a problem at night.
I’m gathering up reading material, charging phone and Kindle, and about to make up a tub of fruit pieces for FEC2 this afternoon. I just hope it doesn’t take quite so long. They’re going to check the PICC and change the dressings while I’m there, so I hope it’s during the wait.
At least the sun is shining today. I hope it is where you are as well.
Cheryl
Hello everyone!! I have missed my daily updates of how everyone is doing, I moved back home for a few weeks mainly to give my parents a break, they were wonderful after my tram flap surgery, looking after the boys etc, but oh has had a couple of weeks off work so thought we’d see how we cope. Had the broadband disconnected in November when we left so have been cut off from facebook and BCC for a while. Amazing how much you get done without it!! I have baked for England in the last 2 weeks…
Hair started falling out 3 days ago and am desperate to hang onto enough of it till after Sunday as we have my 5 yr olds birthday party… I did heed advice and he is having a joint party with a school friend, all we have to do is the food, only down side is I wasn’t in charge of invites and there are 35 kids coming!!! That’s 35 kids under the age of 8!! thankfully outs in a local village hall, and there is a kids entertainer organized… Phew…
So, life on chemo… Like everyone else I’m sure, there’s good days and total sofa days, and you never know what kind of a day it will be do you??
I am religiously drinking the beetroot juice, having scoured most of north Cornwall for beetroot, and I really do think it helps… The days I don’t have it I do feel tireder quicker, maybe it’s in my head but hey whatever works for you I guess.
Hope you are all well, anyone had FEC 2 yet???
So nice to be back on line again, lots of love Sarah xxxx
hi everyone
hi sarah nice to hve you back
Can i ask what everyone is doing regards eating out ( restaurants , pub lunches, cafes and take aways). Want to do as many nice things as i can while dealing with chemo and the thought of not eating out leaves me feeling deflated. I,m much more likely to do that long walk if i,ve got the insentive of a nice pub lunch afterwards lol and friday nights are just not the same without my chinese take away and a nice bottle of sauvignon blanc.
maria x