Welcome rolicarpit, thankyou for your reassuring words, nice to know that you didn’t find it too bad! Hope your remaining ones are not too bad too! Have to agree either mojitas on a Beach too!!!
Rolicarpit, thanks for your helpful comments. There are several of us on this thread starting Tax this week and I will be next week. I hope I react to the Tax as you did.
Rosie, I hope you are ok and the gastroenterologist can sort you out.
I’ve had quite a good day, but have to admit to feeling tired now. I’ve been taxiing 5 boys round. Listening to 13 year old banter can be very amusing. They are all bright boys so some of the comments can be quite geeky! The highlight of the day was taking them to a burger van outside a builders merchants for a bacon and egg bap. Delicious!
Loulou that is totally fine & agree with other lovely ladies. Also remember you saying you have found the private fb page quite helpful. I too have gone through the motions of not wanting to come on here at times - i love it that we support each other,share info that we wouldn’t have come across otherwise & even though we don’t know each other we look out for each other! But at the start of all of this I told everyone I knew to just be ‘normal’ with me & not talk about it so coming on here is the only time I really do. Hope to hear how you are doing at some point down the line loulou. Good luck & take care xxx & thanks for starting the thread!
Hope you are OK Rosie. Like others - thinking of you & its not like you to not be on here X
Sounds like you have had a busy day tlj63! Shame you have to pay the price but so worth it hey!
Good luck for tax Fri wildpurl just in case I don’t get back on here before then.
Rolicarpit you don’t know how lovely that is to hear! Thank you for taking the time to come on & share that with us. I know like you say we all react differently but I was hoping I’d find it a bit better than fec too like you. Yes even the position we are all in - got to find the upsides! Good luck with the rest of your treatmentxx
Love wine I am so pleased for you that they can hardly feel the lump now! What a result & like you so makes all this blooming worth while! Bet you felt like a wine! Sorry the steroids are making you feel bad. Mine haven’t hit yet so only a matter of time! PS I went on the feb14 monthly chemo to ask about tax & one lady said she only has a few ridges on nails so far (had 2 tax) & thinks dark nail varnish is only used to hide yellowness looking. So maybe helpful as we go along.
Just realized the time! Better get some sleep before tomorrow! Perhaps the steroids have kicked in after all!
XxxX
rolicarpit - our story is so similar I could copy & paste. My diagnosis was Jan, WLE and ALND, grade 3 invasive with minimal lymph involvement. 5th of 6 FEC -T chemos tomorrow too and I’m Lisa too. Hope goes well tomorrow for you x
Hey LouLou sorry you’ve been struggling I agree that while the forums are supportive the monthly threads don’t best serve everyone and can sometimes be scary reading ( that us in no way said to cause offence to anyone) I have no idea if you will get to read this however as well as my day job I am a qualified coach and certified hypnotherapist, I truly believe my training which was completed shortly before my diagnosis has helped my considerably with my coping strategies and would be more than happy to support you on a 121 basis (no cost) if you feel that would be of help.
We’re nearly there ladies, stay strong there is light at the end of the tax/ fecing tunnel xxxx
Loulou, I just wanted to say a big thank you for starting this thread. Like others I try to stay normal and upbeat so it has been great to have a place to share experiences, good and bad, and to get tips from women going through the same things. I hope you will feel able to come back at some point.
Suzie, good idea about positive experience thread and thanks to Rolicarpit for your post which prompted it. I am starting on TAX on Friday so steroids today. Just spotted yesterday that dose is larger as well as being taken for longer so a bit apprehensive about the effect of that as well as TAX. My medic daughter tells me that they can either make you feel great and energised (although unable to sleep) or at the other extreme very weepy, so we shall see. Good luck to all who are having, or just had the first lot.
Off to see a friend in Dartmoor today for my final fling before chemo. Went to theatre yesterday and plucked up the courage to discard my cap both there and in the restaurant where we had lunch. Small triumphs.
Love wine, great news. Something to hang onto for the next stage. Will that affect the amount of surgery you need to have?
I’m loving the positive vibe topic, perhaps for the general chemotherapy thread.
Hello All
Well, i joined and posted last week and then promptly disappeared! Hope you are all ok.
I had a really bad couple of days and just wanted to hide! I’ve generally been managing FEC pretty well (done all 3 now) with physical side effects minimal but the Dexamethasone I take for a few days afterwards has given me some nasty psychological side effects. I’m a pretty positive person but on the Dex I hit a really low patch - very bleak mood and teary. Has anyone else had this experience on Dex? Not helped by trying to look after a 7 year old and keep things as normal as possible.
Anyway, the mood has improved greatly although I now have a cough and feeling groggy. Desperate to go back to bed but waiting for the nurse to come and see to my picc line.
Welcome rolicarpit. I was really interested to read about your experience with Tax. I’m on to that with my next session and have been a bit worried. I have a couple of friends with bad experience of it but on the other hand have heard it’s preferable to FEC. We all react differently so I guess I shall just have to wait and see.
Jos
I have added a thread there x
Have been admitted to hospital on a drip. He may not let me out till tomorrow !Will update when i am home .
In hospital on drip for another night being rehydrated hopefully be allowed out tomorrow !
Hi everyone, just back from a Taxing- so far so good, early days I know!! It us the dreaded anticipation of what S/E are to come that’s worse.
Louise hope your FECing was not too bad too, and Eam how did your first Tax go?
Joan and Wildpurl good luck for tomorrow! Joan, I think I may get away with a lumpectomy if shrinkage is good, but my tumour is almost on my nipple and I am small busted, so they said a mastectomy may be needed, so not sure yet, but yes if is very encouraging to know that the dreaded chemo is shrinking the b…r!!
Thankyou ladies for your best wishes.x
Rosie, hope you get home soon, are you on a drip because you are dehydrated?
Rolicarpit, I couldn’t believe it when I just read your post- I had my chemo at 2.00 p.m at leicester royal infirmary. Left at about 3.30, so you must have been around somewhere at the same time as me!!
Jackie, glad you have minimal side effects , I think the further we go along the harder it can be, I think the stomach injections can make you feel bad sometimes too.
Jos, nice to hear from you, sorry the dex making you depressed and tearful, I know a lot of ladies find they get like that, I find I can’t sleep and am hyperactive and talk non stop! So maybe get off a bit lightly , but with taking a much higher dose this time we shall see!!
Suzie, what a great idea of a positive thread!!
Tijj, good luck with Taxing next week, and sorry if I have missed anyone else, hope everyone else is ok, Kirstie hope you are doing ok this week too , rambled on for long enough !! Xx
Lovewine … If you’re there in 3 weeks I’ll shout Lovewine as I walk through the door and see who sticks their hand up ! What a coincidence ! Hope you keep feeling well
I am in next time at 11.45 for pre chemo oncologist and then Thursday 26th June at 12.45 for 2nd taxing!!. Yes will listen out for you- would be nice to see you! Hope you stay well x
Hey all
Been a long day - over 7 hrs in Hosp but on the upside feel absolutely fine like you love wine:) so far anyway! With regards to nails - my onc said to paint them dark sounds very extreme! Said to just keep them fairly short & moisturized. Will see how the next few days go… So glad your feeling good love wine - on the fed I’d be hating life right now!
Thank you Jackie & sorry the tiredness has hit you. It crept up on me at the weekend. So easy to over do it when you feel well then you crash & burn especially with your 7 yr old in toe!
Hope your feeling OK after your chemo today rolicarpit? Yay only 1 to go what a lovely feeling!
Rosie whatever next?! But at least you are in the best place & your poor body must need a boost! Hope they do everything they can to get you bk on track! Sending strength to you x
Jos I can really relate to your post! Hiding away whilst on fec - tick,solo down & tearfully on steroids - tick,waiting for the district nurse before you can sleep or make plans for the day - tick! Hope the black cloud has started to lift for you x
Joan good luck for tax tomorrow - be prepared for a long day. I was also dreading the extra steroids this time! Your daughter has hit the nail right on the head there - I have always got so tearfully & down with them last 3 rounds but yesterday you wouldn’t know I’d taken them apart from a restless night! My nurse said today just take all 8 in morn rather so may try that. Sounds like you had a lovely time yesterday.
Take care all & good luck xxx
Hello and sorry it’s been a while. Trying to read and catch up. Welcome new ladies. Rollapit (sp) thanks for the advice I have been petrified of tax first was Tuesday. Been tired mainly but got warned will hit tomorrow or sat fun not.
Loulou you just do what us right for you. Lately my energy has been in looking into my surgery as it appears they want to take me down delayed recon not immediate with masectomy before rads. I want it in one op mind you oncologist on Friday hinted at lumpectomy. Feel like I am not getting info. Have ps appointment for Thursday.
Rosie hon take care of you. Thinking of you. And all of you fab fantastic brace and amazing woman.
Had an amazing complementary therapy yesterday aromatherapy massage put in oils to help me sleep still awake at four ah well. Also had consultation for up to six counselling sessions. I’m the one bottling up from my partner and he is my key and main support network as I have little family here bloody hard on him sleep wise also. Counselling won’t start for a few weeks but at least an independant outlet.
Love to all
Jos, hope you are feeling better and the cough has not developed into anything else. Have you checked your temperature?
Rosie, sorry to hear you are in hospital again but hope it will help sort it all out. Its unbelievable what you have had put up with.
Jackie, what side effects have you noticed from your injections? I am having the 7 daily ones too but haven’t spotted any particular side effects specific to them. I know some people have experienced joint pain and there is a theory that taking Piriton helps, which I take anyway so that might explain it.
First day on extra steroids yesterday. So far effects seem to be positive, rather more energy, but I did have to take two sleeping pills last night to get a reasonable nights sleep. Even so work up at 2.30 with raging thirst as usual and feeling groggy tipped over full glass of water so then scrabbling around trying to minimise the damage, particularly to the enormous pile of books by my bed, which woke me up completely, so then had to take the second pill. I know no-one likes to take sleeping pills but I find then invaluable for the first few days of chemo.
Booksandwine your aromatherapy session sounds great if not as successful as you hoped in terms of sleep. Glad the counselling sessions are getting organised, even if they won’t start for a while. Re the impact on sleep on your partner, my husband and I decided to sleep in separate rooms early on because we were both disturbing each others sleep and when he was asleep and snoring I was tempted to strangle him, but couldn’t put the light on to read for fear of disturbing him. You lose the comfort of someone to snuggle into of course.
Morning lovelies, well still feel totally fine! Just could have quite happily kept sleeping this morn but little girl was up in night for a bit so that might be more the reason so maybe catch up later or let the steroids do the work of keeping me going! And just got the usual chemo glow. So like books & wine - waiting for it to kick in too which will prob be Tue & steroids normally start making me feel down over the weekend & hits worse on the Mon so won’t count all my chickens just yet!
Glad your feeling OK so far books&wine. So sorry you are being messed around - it must be like the very beginning of all of this when we are all waiting for results & wanting to know what they are going to do about it! When things are mapped out it makes it so much easier to work through. Are they going to take scans to see what has happened to the lump during chemo like with love wine? Glad the ball is rolling on the counselling sessions & hope the massages help too.x
Really glad your feeling brighter Jo’s! It does hit hard doesn’t it - im always adamant its not gonna get me each time & then bang! But like wildpurl says its finding ways to deal with it. Last round I had to be a bit selfish & ask my hubby to make sure he will be around at the point it hits as he burries himself in work as I’m usually a coper & never home & so he doesn’t really know how I’m feeling until its too late & I’m blaming it all on him bless him! My onc said she would half the steroid dose last time but when I got to the chemo unit they wouldn’t as said I’d be really poorly & would need extra for tax anyway so not much point! Your daughter will keep you going though won’t she hun - such brilliant company x
Try not to worry about the tax today wildpurl - will be thinking of you & like you say - fairly positive posts on here compared to the fec! I have used a clear nail strengthener on & off throughout too & my onc was amazed how good my nails looked but just advised to keep them a bit shorter in case of infection & more chance of them lifting off. Good luck
Hope everyone else doing really well. Will wait to hear if you are out today Rosie. Love wine hope your still going strongxx
Joan I was writing when you posted! Good luck for today too! & hope you sleep better tonight. Thank you for the piriton & sleeping tablet tips xxx
Morning everyone, like you Eam, so far, so good ?, feel like it’s a waiting game for the side effects to kick in tho! Am going to garden centre to buy some bedding plants to make the most of feeling fairly ok today.
Wildpurl and Joan, hope it hoes smoothly for today.
Last day of mega dose of steroids which is a big relief, am going yo buy some piriton too in readiness so thanks Joan for the tip!
Hope you ladies have the sunshine today and can enjoy it between various FECing and Taxing!!
Rosie, thinking of you. X