Cheryl. Well done you!!! First one over with, glad you not feeling too bad, hope it continues
Best of luck tomorrow to Jan and Deb, shall be thinking positive thoughts for you both and for all the new girls in this week and next. I feel like I still have an eternity to wait till mine. Am now keeping a notebook handy beside my iPad so I can make note of all the handy hints every time I open up the Internet, blimey I’ll never remember everything…ice cubes, sucky sweets, water, biscuits, pill box, …aaaaarrgghhhh.
I have a question? What’s the general consensus on taking supplements or antioxidants during chemo? I asked my onc and he said stop taking everything from now till the end, but then I read conflicting reports that some things such as coenzyme q10 can actually be of benefit during chemo? also selenium…
My mother in law is Russian and has been doing her research even bought a book in russia, and is adamant I need to eat caviar for breakfast with fresh beetroot juice to maintain healthy blood counts…ha ha can you imagine. The sad thing is my oh informed me over the phone tonight he has managed to obtain 2 kilos of fresh beetroots and will be bringing them home at the weekend!! Damn, couldn’t the weather have been just a bit colder recently so as to ruin all the beet crops in the country!!! Xxxxx
Ooh i love beetroot, send it my way lol.
good luck for tomorrow deb, diana and anyone else starting tomorrow. keep us all posted on how you do .x x x
I’ll be thinking of you all tonight - especially as i can’t sleep a wink. I,m all jittery. well at least i’ll keep busy tomorrow, shopping for stuff off this ever expanding chemo list.
I,ve not been for a pre chemo visit - have to be there for 9.30 am Fri. Looks like i,m going to be there all bl***y day. Having the cold cap as well. Grrr what a pain
Maria x
I juice beetroot and can deffo recommend for the bloods. I also love beetroot soup yum yum.
Weena, I did sip water and juice starting the night before–and of course it was something to do while I waited, plus subsequent trips to the loo. I did suck ice part of the time, but I also had a cup of tea, for which I was really gasping.
I couldn’t easily get at the things I had brought along, since my right arm was effectively immobilised during the treatment.
This centre now has a water dispenser which includes ice in the waiting room, so I’ll just fill up a cup next time.
Hi Diana, I should have put a smiley with the remark. Sorry. I got a multi-compartment travel pill box a few years ago, but it doesn’t have the reminders. (Does a bus pass make me an official old lady?)
Cheryl
Jan, Deb, Maria- all the best you guys, for going/gone well- sorry if I’ve missed anyone, or lost a day, am in a little Tax haze.
Sophie, Sarah, Jan- thanks for more bra/recon advice - I meet my surgeon in three weeks, so shall go forearmed!
Diana- I want your surgeon, she sounds fab!! Very sensible and no nonsense. From what I’ve read, I would favour using my flabby tummy fat, over implants- sounds almost too good to be true?! Only trouble is, they might be hoicking up my post babies stretch marks too…!
Cheryll- you’ve done it! Woo woo, well done, glad your not feeling too bad. I found if you could get over the immediate aftermath with FEC, then you are on the up, se’s seem fairly immediate, rather than delayed. How do you feel emotionally? Quite a milestone.
Sorry again, if I’ve missed anyone, am in a little fug(not entirely unpleasant)! Hope everyone ok,
Tracey
Good luck, Janipi. Take the anti-emetics as instructed and let them know right away if those don’t work. So far, just queasy from time to time.
My centre provides water and hot drinks in the treatment area, plus sandwiches at meal time in the waiting area. I saw a tray of sandwiches (not wonderful, to be honest) in the treatment area when I left at tea-time. The ice-dispensing water cooler was great.
Water should be a minimum, shouldn’t it, and access to food for people who might have to travel some distance. The assessment nurse told me I’d probably prefer to make and eat my own sandwiches as I’d enjoy them more. I made up a small tub of fruit, satsuma segments and grapes, and some carrot sticks, which I mainly nibbled while waiting, and had some lemon sweets which I didn’t need.
My next appointment starts at 1, so I’ll have a light lunch at home and just take snacks, since I don’t have a long journey. I’m promised the wait won’t be so long, but I take that as an intention rather than as a prediction.
I asked if I could go between medications, but the nurse said that the whole course had to be given. Perhaps it’s to do with chances of the cannula moving or something of that sort? She really didn’t want me to move my arm at all during the whole treatment.
Sarah, I was told I can continue to take a standard multi-vitamin and the only food I have been warned off is grapefruit.
I have a limited appetite for beetroot as well, but there are things you can do with it besides pickled beets: Harvard beets are cooked in an orange and butter sauce (many recipes say vinegar, but orange is nicer), borscht if it’s not too heavy on the beetroot, grated beetroot in green salad, rather than on its own, and grated beetroot in raspberry jelly as a salad, which is better than it sounds.
Put them somewhere cold and they will keep for quite a while so you can spread it out–or ‘forget’ them.
Sophie, I asked about the policy on the cold cap, partly just to make conversation, and partly because I wasn’t really offered it after the onc gave me some information. The chemo nurse said not every person and every treatment is suitable. Whether that means they only have one at this unit and reserve it for people who are both suitable and who make a point of asking, I don’t know. I also didn’t ask how ‘suitable’ is defined, because we were getting near the end then.
One more comment: I did wake up a few times during the night, feeling uncomfortable (partly back ache from sitting so long, I think). I was a bit queasy, slight sore throat, intestines rumbling a bit, but sipping water and lying still settled it down enough to sleep again. This is what I would do for any queasy stomach–of course it doesn’t work long for flu or the norovirus. By 5, I needed to wee, so I got up, made a drink, fed the cat and logged on.
Just a word about nausea and cold drinks. Some of the literature I was given, said stay clear of iced and very cold drinks if you are suffering with nausea - just room temp food and drink. This is hard, because they do not feel as refreshing, but I followed this with bad nausea, and it did appear to make things easier.
Tracey
I have learned to avoid hot drinks during or following stomach upsets of any kind. Room temperature to cool/cold seems to work best at not setting things off again. On the other hand, ice lollies and ice cream help sore mouths and throats.
Hee hee, caught between a rock and a hard place- do we treat the sore mouth or the dodgy tum??
Tracey
How quiet is it in the room? Is it hushed whispers or can you make some noise?? My hubby bought me an iPad before my week in hospital, it hasn’t left my side since. I have a lot of comedy downloaded on it which was a savior for keeping me chirpy…anyone seen the series, “an idiot abroad”?? It is hysterical and I was thinking of taking it with me and a set of headphones to while away the hours… Only problem is it really does make me laugh out loud, I swear the other women on the ward I was on thought there was a total nutter on her own in the side room!! (one plus of having tram surgery, you get your own room for a week, own loo and everything.)
Thanks for the beetroot tips, I’m sure I’ve seen a recipe for beetroot cake somewhere!
Off to start my shopping today, soft toothbrush, baby shampoo, pill box, pineapple cubes,…
Glad you are still feeling ok Cheryl, and long may it continue! Xx
I would say the unit I was in was relatively quiet; not hushed whispers to be sure. The nurses are chatty, as well as telling you what they are doing all the time and checking to make sure you are all right. Some people had family members with them, or coming in to meet them. I think the headphones are a good idea in terms of listening (I ought to get some for my kindle at some time). My reaction would be to ask you to share the joke!
Beetroot cake might be similar to carrot cake and courgette cake. Now you mention it, I think I’ve seen a recipe somewhere as well, so I must find it the next time my OH buys a big sack of the things.
Good luck with your treatment.
Hi everyone…part of the “Nov 15” group so just two days post FEC3 and still climbing the chemo mountain.
After a near-miss with the NHS over my diagnosis…first hospital gave me a small grade 1 not picked up by machine but the one I’d felt to be referred in the first place and grinned from ear-to-ear saying quick WLE and rads and amazing prog. I asked about lipofilling and sentinel node and was referred to another hospital where it took 5 seconds for the consultant to spot the real problem…grade 2, right in the middle and missed by the two consultants at hospital one. So mx and immediate recon (chose permanent expander as want to get on with my life, proud of my tum (well, proudish) after 5 kids and didn’t want the scarring, and need my shoulder muscles for kayaking), and op mid-Oct.
Anyhow, what I started to say…I’m lucky to have private chemo through OH’s work insurance. This means my meds arrive by courier or with my onc nurse and my appointments with her and my consultant are unhurried and I ask tonnes of questions (I did pharmacology eons ago so know a bit about drugs and how they work).
Anyhow:
- the cold caps (which our local hospitals don’t offer) I have here in our freezer. apparently my head is big and art hair has been a big trauma so I need mine to stay on. they need to go on half an hour before treatment and for AN HOUR after the E finishes. water spray your hair and slap on some conditioner making sure the cap fits snuggly esp on the top and above the ears. one of my initial caps was too small and we had to resort to broad beans and I do have a small patch missing the size of a 10p above one ear but coverable from above.
the fallout from around day 14 was quite distressing but was ALL OVER and not in patches so that is ok and after FEC2 was minimal. no-one has commented that it is thinner - I use spray in colour mousse to go out as these are the only colours safe to use (water based, Indola brand).
It is not pleasant for the first few minutes, but for me has been a sanity saver.
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mouth hygiene: suck small bits of ice when the C is going in (10-15 mins). if you can get them to slow the drip you will avoid the metallic taste in your mouth. I avoid mouthwashes and sucking sweets and acidic fruit…reduced saliva makes the teeth very vulnerable. Boots sell Biotene toothpaste and adult very soft toothbrushes, also Biotene mouth moisturiser which tastes odd but stops the tongue sticking to your mouth etc and maintains “saliva” and hopefully my teeth and gums. no ulcers to date certainly.
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If you want info on milk thistle (to try and protect your liver), pyridoxine (vit B6) if you get sensory neuropathy with FEC or tax, aspirin to try and reduce chemo-brain etc then feel free to drop in on our thread.
Good luck all.
24 hours on from treatment. I’ve felt much better in my life, but I’ve also felt much worse. I’m mainly resting, because I go wobbly quickly, and nibbling fruit and sipping tea and water. I find that eating very much makes me queasy, which I define as the stage before nauseous, and going too long without eating or drinking also makes me queasy, but this is manageable so far, so I can’t really complain.
The pink wee turned a natural colour this morning.
One of the tablets leaves a nasty taste, but it goes fairly quickly after eating or drinking something.
How did today’s FEC gals get on?
Hi girls
Am back now, used cold cap and had no problems with that. Feel ok so far, just a bit headachey and fuzzy. The whole experience was fine but felt a bit upset as i was sat with two young girls my age who had secondries in the brain and spine. Both initially diagnosed 8 year ago with the primary breast cancer. It felt my worst fear was looking back at me but i dont mean that in a horrible way about them. Something you have to get used to i think. Hope your all feeling well- Cheryl hope SE’s are still being kind.
Love Deb XXX
Cheryl, that’s good. Hang on in there.
Sophie xxx