It really does take over your life, doesn’t it? Perhaps it’s no surprise that the end of treatment can leave a big hole in your life, rather than a return to it. I was really planning to ease into retirement over a few years, but…
Cheryl
Hi
Just adding to the thoughts of distant light that is the end of the treatment. I read a really good article about dealing with cancer and how some people can feel flat at the end, but the clinical psycologist explained this by saying that cancer patients are actually waiting for something bad to go, rather than something good to come (hols, new job, new house, etc) so if a patient had high hopes of everything feeling different and fabulous it can be a bit of a disappointment to find it’s just the d
same as when you left it (i.e day of diagnosis). This seems sensible to me and hopefully will stop me from falling flat on my face after evrything i’ve been thru’!
There’s a link to article towards the start of the ‘dark woods’ thread if you want it. x
hi everyone
Went for bloods today in preparation for fec 3 tomorrow. Got home,took my coat off, was covered in blood. Cleaned myself up and bleeding had stopped, but am really worried now that bloods not back to normal. They better be, don,t want to leave it another week!
Maria x
Maria, that’s not pleasant! I’m sure the hosp. will ring fast if there’s anything wrong - but I’m sure it’ll be fine, just not taped up securely enough. At least you have plenty of blood still circulating…<grin> (or did have…)</grin>
Sophie xxx
Maria, I had this years ago after giving blood before going to the Library; it was just a good vein that hadn’t had enough pressure applied. Mind the look on the libraian’s face as I stood there unaware that blood was pooring down my arm was a picture…
Hope all goes well for you. P xxx
Tell them tomorrow, Maria. Perhaps they need to take a little extra care at the end of your session, and possibly monitor your platelets.
Cheryl
Hi guys
Thanks for your words of wisdom. Not been worring too much about it, but if i’d been a week or so off my next fec i,d have been panicking especially as i havn’t been given any phone numbers to ring if i need any advice. Note to self - remember to get numbers and ask to meet breast care nurse tomorrow!
staycalm think your right about the end of treatment - am going to look at that article.
How are you all? We all seem fairly quiet at the moment so i,m hoping this is because we’re all well.
maria x
Blood tests for me too today, fingers crossed ( in an entirely masochistic sense) for FEC 3 on Friday. Eyes have been really sore the last few days, gritty, tired, hoping I’m not getting conjunctivitis, anyone else got funny eyes??
Read the dark dark woods thread today, hadn’t been there before strangely and I loved it… So much humour and life it really perked me up. Have to say it’s hard having the boys home all week, the wii has been well used!! Daddy home tomorrow night… Woo hoo, someone else to tell them 10 times to have breakfast, get dressed, clean teeth… Hope everyone bearing up okxxx
Hi all! Hope you have plenty of blood left Maria. Never a dull moment with us chemo ladies. My eyes are feeling gritty too but I think it’s due to eyelashes departing. I have had another quiet day and am frustrated that I haven’t bounced back as quickly as FEC 2. Bit queasy too. I think every FEC is different. The dark, dark, woods thread is fab. It’s very busy and takes alot of catching up with, but I love the humour. Thank goodness for the wii Sarah! SCACO I’m going to read that article.
Another day done, the duvet is calling.
Masochism quite coommon for us all now me thinks.
Yes i,ve had what i thought was the start of hay fever but obviously way too early.
Hope your getting on the wii with your boys Sarah, try boxing that will tire them out
Just got a big mirror and had a look at the back of my head. Gosh my hair is a STATE. I know i,m sporting male pattern alopecia type hair do (bald on top, hair round sides lol). But i didn,t realise just how thin what remains, had gone (can see scalp badly). WHY WHY WHY am i clinging to my sparse fuzzy hair aghh! Wish you could all see it, it would give you all a laugh. look like scary mad women . Going to have to give myself seriously good talking to tonight - hopefully by morning i will have talked myself into relinquishing my hold on seriously bad hairdo and not bother with cold cap tomorrow. Yeah right ha ha
speak to you all soon maria x
Everyone sounds quite perky at the mo - long may it reign!
My FEC3 is hanging around in the form of a woolly head but lumps are noticably shrinking so it’s obviously all for the good.
Re hair - it’s pants to have to shave it but another step towards the end. Best of luck x
I’ve had occasional gritty eyes all the way through, especially when I wake at night and sometimes first thing. On the other hand, I have permanent year round hayfever. Artificial tears or allergy eyedrops help; if these are not enough there is a type of artificial tears in small vials which you might be able to get on prescription. (Still have a few vials from rads 2 years ago–rads can dry your eyes too.)
Cheryl
Oh bums… Hospital called with blood results. WBC at 0.3!!! Last time they delayed FEC 2 cos it was 0.8. Not a happy camper at all right now, had myself all psyched up for FEC 3 tomorrow, looking highly unlikely right now. Have to trek an hour to the hospital again tomorrow and they will do more tests, if by some miracle it’s up to 1 then they will do the chemo… Looking for a miracle and shoving manuka honey down my throat by the spoonful.
A kindly friend is coming over to take the boys out on an adventure up on the moors this afternoon so I shall lie on the sofa with some peace and quiet and a whole series of 24 to catch up on…
S xx
Oh, Sarah, too bad. I’m glad you can rest this afternoon, hope it helps.
Cheryl
Sarah - ask about filigrastim (i think) injections which you inject to keep up WBC. I’ve been prescribed these from 1st FEC without asking. My last one was 1.4, so 0.1 low but they still went ahead and gave me extra injections for days 4 - 12. I know from others that it’s not the norm to just give them out and so was quite surprised to be offered them but they explained that younger people (i’m 41) produce more WBC so suffer more on chemo, someone said it might be because i have 2 kids that they gave it - with risk of infection, who knows but it’s worth an ask.
hi
Sarah - I,m on filgrastrim as well and was just given it without asking. I have mine for 7 days starting day after chemo. Seems to have worked so far. I,m 42 and again was told i was given it because of my age. Regardless of your age i think if your WBC has been low twice, you’d be quite justified in asking for something to keep them up. There is a better one called neulasta(?) you only have one injection of this, but apparently it cost about £750 so they try not prescribe it. GOOD LUCK
Had my anti sickness meds changed this time because after last 2 fec had started to vomit 4 hours after chemo. Once sick i felt better. They give me same meds but stronger, put into my drip. This should last 3 days. What RUBBISH, started feeling nauseous after 4 hours and started vomiting after 7 hours, but this time didn’t feel better afterwards. Haven’t even been able to keep water down, so been up most of the night. Thankfully i seemed to have settled a bit this morning, have kept fluids down and am working myself up to eating some thing.
re veins - doctor has said i can have a central line put in if i want, so this has made me feel better. I,m not going to have one yet, am going to see how i go on, but am relieved that i have got an option if they become too sore. They just told me to ring secretary if and when i change my mind and they would arrange it.
I had cold cap again, what a chicken lol x
I am having neulasta jab as the fil 7days didn’t work first time. They do come with side effects though, one of them being nausea. We can’t win!
Maria. Poor you! I was given cyclizine tablets. They do cause drowsiness but stop the sickness. I’ve heard lots of people talk about emend too. Apparently if you are very bad GP will come out with injection of it (cyclizine). Don’t suffer, this is all bad enough.
My wbc has got lower every chemo. only 2 at the last one. A friend recommended Life-mel honey. She took a spoonful night and morning through chemo and her wbc was always around the 5 mark each time. It is 37.50 for a small jar! I did buy it because I thought I’ll try anything to feel better. OH’s face when he saw the size of the jar lol. He had better not put it on his toast. Lots of rest everyone… and treats…we deserve them x
Sorry they haven’t got your sickness meds right yet, Maria. I hope it settles soon and is sorted better for the next one.
Cheryl
So, a 4 hr round trip to the hospital, blood tests, waiting for results… And…fec3 postponed for another week due to still crap WBC… It has gone up to a measly 0.9, doctor wants it at 1.5 before I can have the lovely cocktail again. They did agree to giving me the injections after next one so hopefully that will do the trick. I am so determined to have this all over and done with by may as it’s my 40th birthday and am looking to that for my new start, all done with this gritty cancer stuff… I shall up my intake of manuka honey, actually I have barely been taking it and I had heard it’s the only thing that will make any difference.( I have heard bout life Mel too but it is double the price, not that I’m a tight arse but I think oh drew the line after I spent £25 on a strengthening eyelash gel…mind you, so far so good the rest of my body is bald as a coot but brows and lashes are hanging in there). The one positive of chemo seems to be super soft skin, I swear it’s smooth as marble…every cloud eh…
Hope you sort out your sickness Maria, it’s my big fear that my nausea will get worse not better as I go along…
I guess I have a nice week of virtual normality to look forward too, hopefully I’ll have some energy to do something productive once the boys are back at school other than worrying what’s happening in ’ Everwood’ on sky tv… And then neighbors, then home and away, then emmerdale etc etc…
Lots of love to all xxxxx
Gritty cancer stuff??? That should have read shitty cancer stuff… LOL!!