Hang in there Cheryl.
Well done Debs.
Quote of the day from the woman at the wig shop that left my real hair looking like I was run over by a lawn mower this morning… "shrouds don’t have pockets you know… "
I was speechless…I left traumatised pshycially and mentally. Went to usual hairdresser for rescue cut 2 hours later. Young lass worked magic bless her!
Pxx
Headachy and fuzzy sounds about right. Glad the cap was OK for you.
The thing that really gets to me at the Cancer Centre is seeing the kids and young people.
Thanks, Peachez and Sophie.
I hope your quote is going into the Inappropriate Remarks thread. So you’ve handed over all your rights to be treated as a human being just because you’ve got cancer? Does wanting to hang onto a little bit of ourselves in the face of the disease and the treatment make us stupid and self-absorbed? What a cow!
Hi peachez what a horrible comment from the hair dresser. I have booked to go to hair to ware, in ware. Just want to check that wasn’t where you went as i would certainly cancel my appointment.
Hi everyone
Cheryl - glad to hear that you first session was doable and you are not suffering too much
I hope everyone else is feeling as well as can be expected ( there are so many of us on this thread, I cant keep up and thats before i start my chemo, so no hope for me then!) LOL
I start mine on the 13th so getting more nervous by the day!
Had my pre chemo chat yesterday and found myself asking " Do i really need this?"
Had an echo today and at least my ticker is working fine so thats a positive!!
Good luck everyone, keep strong we can do this…
Kaz x
Glad most of the FECers are coping.
Sarah, hope you are ok x
Debs- I know what you mean, but it is a bit like using this site isn’t it- the people who need it, ARE the people dealing with cancer. That must have been very sobering for you. I’m not sounding very eloquent I’m afraid. But it is lovely on this forum, when people post with their long term success stories isn’t it? This treatment is hard though, and it is difficult that there are no magic ‘guarantees’ at the end of it- but then, if any of us had walked into our GP the day before we found the lump, and asked for a reassurance that we would live till 105, we could not have been given one. I am rambling now - not preaching- it’s something that has been on my mind over the last couple of weeks, after a bit of a scary episode (fit, feint, A&E).
And as for Tax se’s yuk. Feeling the aches and pains today,
Tracey
Quick note of hope ladies, had first FEC 30 th. Have been human 2 days now, in fact yesterday went shopping for carpet curtains and suite for new lounge!!
Felt sickly and tired and generally weepy and pathetic days two and three just curled up in front of the tv all day.
Now have slightly sore gums, runny eyes and nose and dry skin and hair, maybe the moisture from skin dribbling from nose!
Don’t quite have full energy but am managing household jobs, couldn’t manage work though I wouldn’t think.
Just to say not as desperate as I’d thought.
Day 2: my cheeks turned bright pink yesterday evening, and my hands are rather shaky, so please forgive any typos I don’t manage to correct. I had a real struggle sending a text message this morning.
The queasiness continues, but is manageable, the shaky hands are a nuisance. Is this from the steroid and will it go when the steroid course finishes?
HI all FEC ers, very best wishes to you. I finished my FEC-T back in the autumn and wanted to pass on a sickness tip and wish you all the best - its pretty hard to get through the days after each treatment, but it does pass - I felt like it never would some days, but its does, and hopefully those nice chemicals are killing off any bad cells that had the cheek to hang out in our bodies.
ANyone who gets through their chemo is a total star - my best tip - you don’t need to put up with your queasiness next time - ask for the next level up of anti sickness drugs - I went up a level at each of the first 3 FEC and they finally got it right on number 3 - apparently the really effective antisickness drugsare only licesenced to be used after others have failed so you don’t get them first time - also they are very expensive.
very best wishes
Thanks for the tip–if no worse, I’ll report all se’s next appointment. But it’s nothing like as bad as I had feared.
Bump.
How is everyone today?
Cheryl
Hey all… Hope everyone is ok, I am getting more and more nervous every day. Time is going at a snails pace it seems, just want to get on with it, the sooner it starts the sooner it’s over.
Went to see about getting a wig today, not even sure I will use one but good to have it in case. Went with a mate and we had hysterics trying them on, long brunette I most certainly am not!! have been to get some chemo supplies, soft toothbrush, check. Pill box, check. Rescue remedy!!! CHECK… Replaceable cover s for digital thermometer… Had to order, £8.00 a box!!! Bloody hell having cancer is not cheap is it!!!
Anyway, lots of positive thoughts to you all…and my thought for the day which is fitting I think having read the comments about that twatty lady who was ignorant and rude…“respond intelligently even to unintelligent treatment” Lao tzu, founder of Taoism, circa 6th century BC… He knew a thing or two. Xxxxx
Den42, you’re safe, I’m in Hampshire!
KAZ,
Glad your ticker’s ok and you’re supplies are in hand. I had another lymph node in my tummy take was removed at same time as the Mx; results are in, it’s a lymphoma, but it won’t change my treatment SO…virtual hand holding coming up on 13th, that’s my date for Fec1 too; I am ok at the mo, even if I can’t sleep! wanting to get on with it, the waiting is always the worst isn’t it??? Going away for the weekend and Planned a night out on Wednesday to take my mind off it a bit, Where are you getting yours? Mine’s in Guildford, Surrey.
Sarah, Think my inner rebel has re-emerged! After the ‘shroud’ comment have suddenly got into a ‘I’ll bl**dy well show you’ mood!!
Cherly and everyone else who’s been suffering high colour, hope you are ‘in the pink’ now 
P xxx
Hi All,
Looking pink, sweaty and bald… The BC look is not good. Cannot even be bothered to put the slap on today. Tax aches are a bit yuk, but am taking loads of pain killers. My teenage daughter just asked if taking all those pills is good for me!! Hee hee!
BUT, my new sofa (comfy, squishy, lovely) is being delivered today. I shall at least be able to lounge in front of ‘Come Dine With Me,’ in style and comfort…
How’s everyone else today?
Tracey
Cheryl, I think the red face might be steroid related, the shaky hands too. The steroids can be effective anti-nausea, but maybe your dose is a bit high? They do tend to give the same dose to everyone. Have a chat with your onc. about it before next session, they may well lower the dosage slightly for you, and poss. give you a diff. antisickness to play safe.
Apparently I went so flat days 4,5,6 because my body missed the steroids, lol, so spreading em over 4 days now not 3, and slowly tailing off - hope it works.
Day after Fec2, feeling ok, touch wood, not as fuzzy as last time, but def. got hot in bed last night…N0… as in hot head! OH wasn’t even in the room…lmao. Stubble is also coming out now - got def. bald patches on my head. OH reckons that it prickles because the hair is loose in the follicle, which makes sense - I can certainly tell where the next bit is going to come out, it feels like a sore spot. Most attractive!!!
Hope you guys are all doing well today x
Sophie xxxx
Tracey - bet you can’t wait to get your new sofa in place!! You’ll have to let us know if it makes the whole Come Dine with Me experience even better… <grin> - just don’t spill a cup of tea on it when particularly struck by how RUDE some of these people are! </grin>
I was talking to my chemo nurse re TAX se’s yesterday, saying I wasn’t looking forward to them, and she reckons that it’s the bone marrow replenishing injections that cause the bone pain, and went to check my notes, to come back with the news that yes, I would be having them. Still, as you’d all agree, better to be home and hurting than in hospital and seriously ill… She also said that TAX is commonly given to men with prostate cancer, and they seem to cope really well on it… but then, they get a much, much smaller dose than we do - which is probably why!!! Yet more proof that we are really the stronger sex? Or that doctors hate women? Hmmm…
Sophie xxx
Thanks, Sophie, I’m taking notes and will bring these issues up. Apparently the red face is a less common side effect of the ondasetron (sp?) and should be reported, although the MacMillan site didn’t say it is an emergency.
Your point about the schedule might be something to bring up as well, but I’ll see how I feel tomorrow, after I finish the steroids. I hate the shaky feeling, especially shaking hands.
Obviously this is an art as much as a science, and as my friend who has had leukaemia says, if you don’t say anything they can’t help. The chemo nurse said the same.
So everyone add a notepad of some kind to the list of supplies!
Morning everyone! I’m 4 days post FEC 2. I feel SO dizzy and am bumping into things, even though I know they are there (the door frames, tables etc) and I cannot taste anything. The only difference this time is that I have to give myself growth hormone injections (for my bone marrow) as my neutrophil count didn’t bounce back last time. Has anyone else had these injections? Have they caused dizziness? I try to go for a couple of miles of walk each day, but I just can’t do it.
Annie
Hi Annie,
Sit down!
Sorry you’re feeling so crappy. I just do one dose- of neulasta, which as far as I’m aware, causes more aches and pains than dizziness. My guess would be it’s the FEC. I found I got increasingly dizzy when I got tired. Like you, I tried to keep active, but be careful. Sometimes lying down for half an hour is just an absolute necessity. I ended up fainting.
The first week seemed to be the worst for me, when I even avoided driving if I could, by FEC3.
Take it easy, it’s killing the nasties as well as your taste buds!
Tracey
Annie - Give in, girl! Sit down, put your feet up and watch crap on telly - this feeling will lift, but don’t make yourself even more tired and dizzy by fighting too hard. I know it’s frustrating, but your body is telling you to chill!
I had this as well after FEC1, days 4 and 5 were the worst - and this time around I’m coming off the dex a bit slower - as my onc. reckons it might have been my body over reacting to lack of steroids on day 4 - I was just dizzy and wiped out, whereas for the first couple of days post FEC I’d been out walking the dogs etc, feeling no worse than a little foggy headed.
Def. mention it to your onc. before next dose, but in the meantime, just take it easy. It should lift within a day or two, if you’re like me - by day six I was feeling better, by day seven I was fine.
Good luck hun
Sophie xxx
Thanks Girls - duly chastised! Will sit down. You made me laugh as it’s quite simple really isn’t it - but we don’t see it. Thanks everyone!