So how is everyone? Maria and I have passed FEC4, where’s everyone else?
I thought this one wasn’t too bad, but my blood pressure still seems to get hit pretty hard and that puts just about everything into the yuck category, even though I’m not really ill or nauseous or anything else. On the other hand, I managed to stay upright long enough to prune the roses in this afternoon’s sunshine, so that’s a plus.
Cheryl
hi everyone
how you all doing? Need to do some serious catching up!
Cheryl i got your last pm thanks. Glad you,ve managed to get out today, i did too, it makes you feel loads better to get some fresh air doesn’t it?
Hello all!
I’ve done 3 FEC now and have my first Tax on Wednesday, WBC permitting - it’s a tad (OK, a lot) low at the moment. I’m having a Hickman line fitted on Tuesday as my veins have totally given up the ghost so that’ll be a relief. No more stabbing at veins that have gone off in a huff!
Jane xxx
hi Alto
Nice to have you back. They don’t really warn you properly about the veins do they? Most people seem to struggle with them or so it seems. Mine became very sore after fec 2 but don’t seem to have got any worse since so hopefully i’ll manage the last 2 fec as i am. Hopefully once you,ve got the hickman line fitted you’ll start seeing a quick recovery of your veins. Have they told you how long it will take for them to recover?
maria x
Hi everyone!
Missed you all over the last week. Just out of hosptal after wbc s took nosedive to 0.015! and temp shot up to 38.2. Neulasta didn’t kick in quick enough after 1st tax. I also had low blood pressure Cheryl, that was nasty, and feels like you don’t really belong to your body. Day 10 now and sore fingers and feet, hurts to type. No more moaning though because a stay on the oncology ward really puts life into perspective. Sun is shining and great to be back. x
Oh janipi
What a rough time you,ve been having! Hope your getting on the mend now. Don’t worry about moaning, if you need to do it, do it. I,ve been moaning about 1 day of sickness, how soft am I? Sending you cyber hugs.
Maria x
Cheryl
How lovely to see your photo, it’s nice to put face to the name. NOTE TO SELF:MUST GET ROUND TO DOING IT MYSELF!
Maria x
Hi Maria,
My veins started to go with FEC2 but FEC3 really did for them big time. I can’t actually straighten my arm now and the pain and bruised feeling goes from my upper arm right into the back of my hand. Even gently smearing ibuprofen gel on is very painful! My onc has told me I’ve got it particularly badly but it’s the luck of the draw and they can’t predict who’ll be affected and who’ll escape scot free.
She said it will take a long time (months) to sort itself out but it will eventually. In the meantime I’m taking ibuprofen, rubbing on the gel and trying to stretch it when I can.
It’s been by far my worst SE and not one I’d heard about before at all! Having got the cording in my op arm sorted and got good movement back I’m now struggling with the other.
Ah well, it’s a sunny day so I’m going to catch some rays and listen to the birds sing rather than moan on here - life is for living!!
Jane xxx
Alto
Your such a trouper. I,ve been reading some of the other threads and i think your a star. Your not letting it get you down.
Yes i tried to get some sun today, even braved no make-up. Am so b****y pale, had to try.
Maria x
Just had my 1st FEC 10 days ago, feel very tired quickly and he worst is i haven’t been to able to open my bowel yet, its agony. Tried everything nothing works. Apart from that, i had the cold cap and still have my hair, i have put a posting on hairloss with some tips, things i am doing just in case it goes. Don’t worry yourself silly, i did i was more worried about that than the op and more scared about the op than the tumour, op on 25 Jan at long last i am just about normal again, still using my sport bra but maybe could manage without it. Keep doing the excersizes.
Mavericklady, have you asked for a prescription? I believe suppositories are the final weapon. I assume you’ve tried lots of dried fruit, especially of the prune/apricot type and figs? Syrup of figs? Or a big vegetable stir fry with lots of onion? If you haven’t yet, phone and ask for something serious to help at this stage.
Some people start taking something like senna or their prescribed laxative if they have one a day or so before treatment. Just so you know for the next one.
Constipation is miserable; hope you get it sorted soon.
Welcome to the thread, by the way.
Cheryl
Mavericklady, a friend of mine had this problem and it got so painful that in the end the district nurse came round and did colonic irrigation on her that did the trick. Maybe that’s what you need? Do contact your nurse asap as you really need to get this sorted out - it must be awful for you.
Jane xxx
Maria, I do all my moaning on here. I didn’t need a re-excision, I only had a WLE and not an MX and I had bad lymph nodes but I’ve no secondaries. Things could have been worse - I thought they were for a while as I had a cough for so long I’d convinced myself I had lung mets, so I’ve decided that the worst hasn’t actually happened and there’s too much I want to do to let it get me down for long.
I’m hardly ever ill and felt perfectly healthy before finding my lump so I resent being made ill by the treatment and just want to carry on as before. Funnily enough I was really quite shy before but now I just think sod it - life is for living, not hiding away!
I’m sure I’m not the only person who feels that way.
Jane xxx
Good morning everyone!
We can look forward to some Spring weather and warmth this week so that will be a tonic to us all. I have found that sunshine is the best medicine.
Maverick lady,i hope you get some help “moving” because it will make you feel much better. My prescription was molaxole. I only used it once but it worked and was “gentle.”
Anybody know how I can add a photo? The edit profile thingy doesn’t seem to be happening.
Jane , I know what you mean ! I am a bit less of a shrinking violet lately. I surprise myself sometimes now. I suppose I was quite passive before this bc. In hospital I found myself being quite feisty and questioning everything they did. I going to be a pain in the bum from now on lol.
Better to be a pain in the bum than a helpless, hapless victim. Who’s body and health is it, if not yours?
I’m not sure about the pictures–I managed to change mine over the weekend, but all I remember is that it took me a while to work out how to. I’ll see if I can go through it again and let you know if no one beats me to it.
Almost everything is a little more bearable when the sun shines, isn’t it? I always feel the true start of spring is when I don’t need to turn on a light to make my morning coffee (6 am when I’m at work).
Hope everyone can enjoy at least a little sunshine today.
Cheryl
Janipi, when I go to the profile area, I don’t see a button, but where it says About me, there is a bit of link text that says edit your profile. If you have the same, and click on it, that should take you to the edit profile page. Right at the bottom, under the Optional information area, there should be a section with a browse button where you can upload or change a picture, and the Submit button is nearby. This is all still there for me now.
Cheryl
Cheers Cheryl! I’ll have a go.
Alto i notice u mentined colonic irrigation, someone suggested that as a good health move but didnt know, is it wise to have even when started FEC, not had any constipation but just on a get toxins out of my body kinda note…
The chemicals leave your body through the normal ways; just have plenty to drink and eat whatever helps you to be regular. You may even find that you have a bit of looseness at some point. If you have noticed a chemical smell when you go to the loo, that’s them. I hate the smell, but at least there’s a good reason.
Personally I don’t want to do anything to upset my system more than it already is unless it’s absolutely necessary.
Cheryl
Shar, the CI was done by the district nurse for my friend who was so badly constipated after FEC1 that she was in agony. It was done for medical reasons.
It’s the anti-sickness drugs that clog you up, then when you go on the antibiotics in the second week they can have the opposite effect - you can’t win really!
Jane xxx