Ps cheryl and Diana, age is but a number. You are as old as you feel…at the moment that makes me about 86. XX
That’s right. There are some days when I’m pretty sure that girl of 23 is still here, just waiting to strut her stuff, but other days when she’s hiding behind the old woman of 83 or thereabouts. I felt positively decrepit for a while after the axillary clearance.
Hi everyone
i was asked to start chemo on new years eve, but declined saying i wanted a good night out. Wish i had now cos the wait till friday is killing me, just want to get on with it now.
i,ve decided that i,m going to try the first session with the cold cap. if i can cope with it - i’ll carry on.
Did anyone else get a snuggle blanket for christmas (fantastic thing). Think im going to take that with me, really don’t like to be cold. Think i may as well pack a suitcase, with the amount of things i’ve decided to take with me ‘just in case’
I,m also not going to be working during treatment - i’m a barber. Way too many bugs lurking about in the shop lol. Going to concentrate on getting super fit. YES i’ll manage that after a mastectomy and during chemo, even though i’ve never managed it in 42 years haha. Maybe this will help with the sleeping problem.
wishing you all luck
Maria x x
Good luck Maria.
I’m sure you’re right to stay away from work, especially during flu season. We have a couple of fleece blankets at home, one for the sofa and one on the bed. I expect to spend a lot of time wrapped up in one or the other.
I hope the cap works for you, but I don’t think I could tolerate it.
Cheryl
Sucking ice cubes sounds like a good idea, think I’ll try that!
Can you go for a pee while having the Cocktails??? Want to drink lots, but sure I’ll feel the need with all the drinking… Pxxx
I’m loving the fact that the biggest concern seems to be whether you can pee mid treatment!! (I was wondering actually)… About the warm arms thingy, I Heard the warmer your arm is the easier to find a vein so will spend the hours journey to hospital with arm in bucket of hot water then wrap it in lambswool, fleece and a duck down wadded coat till I need to expose it to the nurse! Lol…My veins do not behave well, before my epigastric vessel op they couldn’t get a needle in me to send me to sleep, veins kept splitting, so am dreading it.
Stupid question but what’s the best thing to take ice cubes in so they stay frozen?
I have a snuggie, friend bought it as a joke for me having taken the Mickey out of the advert on the shopping channel for ages, American one where the whole family are wearing them to a little league baseball game on a cold day. Priceless… Anyway, what a great idea, I am definitely taking it with me if only to raise a laugh out of the other poor peeps there with me… Mines bright blue and at least 10 sizes too big .
Another thing I heard was to take a little something the day before to help with tiummy getting bunged up, I just know its going to affect me, I am already sluggish shall we say having been on iron tablets the last 6 weeks for anaemia.
Hope everyone managing to stay chirpy the closer it gets…xxxxx
You CAN go for a wee during treatment, lol, don’t panic. The ‘E’ part is given through a syringe rather than hanging bag thing, so easy enough to nip to the loo after that, and even when attached to the drip bag, the whole stand wheels around, so you can still go to the loo. The chemo itself is a lot of fluid, plus all the saline that you’ll have to flush through, so they do anticipate that you might well need a wee mid treatment!
Having said that, I didn’t need to go the first time, but thought I’d nip to the loo before leaving the ward, but couldn’t figure out how to lock the door, so ended up hanging on and crossing my legs all the way home!!! I’m blaming early onset fuzzy chemo brain…lol.
If you’re not given anti constipation stuff to take home, do ask on the ward before you leave - they ‘know’ constipation is an issue in the first few days, so they will either be able to prescribe something, or advise you on what is safe to take. You’ll also be given anti sickness meds to take home - you MUST take them religiously, even if you don’t feel nauseaous or have been sick (and I wasn’t) - it is much, much easier to prevent the feeling than to stop you from being sick - so take them on time, and for however many days you are prescribed them. You might want to make a timetable of what you take when… I had two different antinausea meds, plus steroids to take over three days, all different amounts and at different times - and making the timetable made life much easier when brain was a little foggy!
Sophie xx
Good luck to all of you starting your chemo journey shortly. I’ve just finished 3 FEC and start tax on Friday. For me the FEC was do able and once I had started I felt I was beginning to beat this.
The old cold cap has worked for me so far and my hair is very fine in texture. It has thinned a bit but not really noticeable to others. Sods law that grey hair has clung on for dear life. You can unplug the cap from the machine to take a pee but will need to wear it all before and after treatment for a bit. Was a scary sight when I saw myself in the mirror wearing this weird contraption.
It got easier with each FEC as I knew what to expect. Taking the post chemo meds religiously helped also, especially the anti sickness meds that after day 3 you can take as and when. I take two each morning from day 4 to day 7 and they take the edge off the nausea. Drinking plenty helped also.
Not quite sure what to expect from the tax but FEC was not as bad as I expected. I hope it will be the same for you all.
Lots of love and thinking of you.
Sue x
Thanks Sophie! Having had 3 kids and being post menopause, the habit of finding out about loos is well-established. I think a nurse had to hold the door closed for me after one op, as I couldn’t turn the handle without my gown and dressing gown falling off! Eventually we managed to insert me into my own nightie.
If the meds are tablets are in those foil bubble things, I thought I would write dates on the back, so I can tell whether I’ve missed or not. Or put them out in egg cups with labels or something?
The tablets I had were tiny - don’t think I could have written on back of each blister - but you could prob. write on the packaging. I found the timetable easier so I remembered what I had to take when… ie, steroids were three times each day, but all before 2pm (or you won’t sleep that night, be warned), anti sickness #1 were four times daily, anti sickness #2 was twice daily… it’s bad enough to remember when your brain is functioning properly…
Sophie xx
Hi again. After reading some more threads am now thinking of getting a wig sorted out asap as although going for cold cap it appears it doesn’t always work. Also I have realised that you sometimes have to order the wig rather than just book an appointment and take it away with you. Can anyone recommend anywhere in London, I have a list but I do want one which looks as close to my real hair as possible and the list doesnt go into that sort of detail.
Oh, golly, I’ll need to get one of those old person pill boxes that are supposed to organise it for you, or lay them out on something. At least there aren’t any small children in our house to worry about.
Gosh i,m comfused now, that’s without chemo brain.
maria x
Hey Chemo Brains,
My top tip- and I am a normally alert 41yr old, IS one of those pill boxes that little old ladies have. Boots have them. It consists of a pouch with seven boxes marked with the day of the week, then each box is divided into 4 or 5 mini sections. I know this sounds completely ridiculous, and I rolled my eyes when my sister bought it for me…but when you are taking this many pills, it is great not to be forever thinking, ‘did I take that or didn’t I?’ you can also take the whole thing out with you, without having millions of pill pots in your bag. Just be careful though if you have teeny tines, as it is not child proof.
Yes, you can pee, during treatment! Hee hee, I agree, after 3 kids, I also locate my nearest loo on arrival! On the same subject, I have also noticed that the chemicals are such a bladder irritant, that after treatment, when you’ve got to go, you really have GOT to go!
Tracey x
Ps Sue, forgot to wish you good luck with Tax on Fri. My first is today, after 3 FEC, so in the same boat. Had double dose of steroids yesterday, so am quite hoping it will knock me out tonight!!
Good luck with your next treatments, Sue and TSR
Good luck today Tracey - I’ll be interested to hear how you get on as a psyche myself up for getting hit by the TAX truck next month… (still got 2 more FEC to get out of the way first). Hope it all goes fine. Are you doing the dark nail varnish?
Sophie xx
Im watching you with interest as well as im due my first tax in a fortnight good luck to you all.
Hi everyone.
Just back from having a picc line inserted,(that was painless phew!!) new silicone boob, tour of facilities and blood test etc. Ready to go with FEC 1 Thursday. I was wondering about the pee thing! another load off my mind. Very busy in the unit today as post bank holiday so didn’t like to keep asking questions. I love the idea about the pill box organiser thingy. Shall get one tomorrow. Anyone not sleeping well? I don’t remember the last good night’s sleep I had. Had some tummy pain so thinking have I got bowel, ovarian cancer etc?More likely period pains as I haven’t had one yet after coming off the pill. O H just rolling his eyes as if to say what will she think of next. Having a chat with GP tomorrow just for moral support. They said to ring if worried about anything. They might regret saying that to me lol. FEC 1 bring it on !! (I think) Jan x
Hi Jan, just sympathising, got a lump behind my ear and went to GP thinking I had bone mets - it was a spot !!! Neurotic or what?
Can’t sleep either, especailly as one week away from starting Chemo!