Rosie, so glad you are feeling better. It has been a grim few weeks for you.
I hope all the ladies who started Tax last week will turn the corner tomorrow and the aches and pains subside. I am all dosed up on steroids ready for my first hit of Tax tomorrow. Hoping it all goes smoothly, as my husband won’t be home until late tomorrow night and I don’t want the kids to see me feeling crap.
Had a great weekend visiting my son’s new school. All kitted out now with a suit and sports kit. I will have loads of name labels to sew on when they arrive in the post. Was thinking I will have to do it while I’m watching Wimbledon on the telly in a few weeks time. One advantage of having chemo is an excuse to watch the tennis all afternoon. Hope I’ll feel up to it.
Morning everyone, good luck Tijj , hope everything goes smoothly for you, as everyone has said, the aches and pains take 4/5 days to kick in- my fingers are very sore, feels like I have trapped them in a door!!- not great when I am trying to run my ironing business!!
Let’s hope as the week continues we start to feel better, and you Rosie for your next chemo, it was the first birthday for years and years where I didn’t have a nice alcoholic drink, I know it’s a small thing but it is enjoyable, I do have a glass of wine maybe once or twice a week if I feel like it- which I haven’t these last few days!!
Take care everyone xx
Rosie good th hesr freon you and you sound well. Yes get it re taste everything either tastes awful or there is no taste. Makes it hard re eat drink options
Tjlj63. All the best to you.
Yesterday dragged myself to dr got sleeping tablets the z one painllkillets and Aldo something for the wierd itchy rash only neck. Don’t feel refreshed from sleep but I hope I have broken pattern.
Hope you sleep better Booksandwine tonight! I must admit I am really struggling this time with overwhelming tiredness and body aches, not to mention feeling really fed up with it all?
Went to work for a couple of hours and then promptly fell asleep almost immediately when sat on sofa!! Very frustrating as I was a very active, busy person- now I feel about 95 years old!!
Thanks for all to good wishes. So far so good. My friend picked me up from the hospital and we decided to go out for an early lunch. So just got home. Feel fine, possibly over did it eating pudding as well and I do have a terrible thirst but otherwise ok. The nurse who gave me the chemotherapy said that I might be lucky when I come off the steroids on Thursday if I haven’t found they made me too jittery. However, she did say if I feel terrible on Thursday then to give them a call and they will give me a few more steroids so I can come off them more slowly.
Hope everyone is enjoying a sunny day.
Lovewine, I’m struggling too this time, wondering how long the aches and pains from the TAX going to go on for and wondering if there is anything more I can do for it. Tried Deep Heat, which seemed to help a bit but effect now worn off. Feet stinging, but as yet not hands. Was looking forward to going out tonight to my evening class, which is helping to keep me sane but it’s looking increasingly doubtful. Oh well.
Rosie and Wildpurl, I’m also finding it difficult to know what to drink. Water tastes disgusting and just don’t fancy anything else. Had recourse to ice lollies. I did enjoy a can of Pret a Manger elderflower and grape juice which was lurking in the fridge leftover from a sandwich lunch out a few weeks back. But I don’t think hubby would be too keen on driving 15 miles to buy some more. Drank it through a straw which also seemed to help.
Good luck Tlj, hopefully you will have a good couple of days before the side effects kick in, and that they won’t be too bad.
Booksandwine, hope you get some sleep.
I’ve found Sparkling cranberry and lime drink this time … Cuts through the nastiness. It’s in all supermarkets I think ?
Thanks for the drinks tips ladies. I am really struggling to get the fluids down too as everything tastes bad , I also went for a walk Wildpurl with my dogs which helps but had to lie back on sofa for an hour to recover!
Evening all,
Hope you are still feeling good tlj63 nice that you could fit lunch in with having chemo. Hope you will feel well enough to sew but if not youve got a good excuse to relax & watch Wimbledon anyway!
I have felt a bit wobbly & weak too wildpurl & almost a bit clumbsy the first day. Hopefully we will be perky in a few days.
Thank you Rosie yes sleep does help! But a bad night I’m afraid so I gave in & slept with her until the rain woke me up - her bed quite comfy but not planning on making a habit of it! Her routine all out the window at the moment with me not on top of things but can’t really be helped at the moment. It is weird when you go out & can’t enjoy the simple things in life - we will all be making up for it in less than 6 weeks time - but maybe not get Trollied at your sons wedding lol! I too have found toothpaste really strong but am wondering if I have got thrush - going docs tomorrow. Fingers crossed for your bloods tomorrow and hope you have a nice time with your friend coming over.
Lovewine I haven’t got the sore fingers yet. Not at all welcome with trying to iron - not sure what you can do for that? When I try to explain to my friends I say I feel 90 too! Sorry to hear you are fed up - it does take it out of you doesn’t it. I think you found fec OK? The only thing getting me through this one is that its not fec - I hated fec. Hopefully by Thur we will start to feel normalish - only a couple days xx
Auw books&wine hope you get all the meds you need. Wish docs could just prescribe what we will prob need at the start instead of having to go & get it all when things already get too bad! I get restless nights mainly because I get hot flushes & wake up soaked!
Hope you start to pick up Joan. The pains kicked in for me today at 4pm - felt like I was in labour! Had paracetamol & hot water bottle about 6pm & tried to keep moving & it calmed down by 7.30pm. More of a dull ache at the moment. Was wondering whether to try deep heat too or bath. Hope you felt well enough to go out in the end.
Wow that’s brilliant jos!! So good to hear! Yes I’m afraid its the tax that affects the taste buds. My tongue feels like its been burnt. Hubby made a curry tonight & all I could taste was lemon?! Trying to find a nice drink like everyone else.
Hope everyone gets a good night xxx
Morning everyone, hope today is a little better, well and truly fed up with it now!! Eam yes you are right Fec was awful, but I recovered well between cycles, Tax seems to have drained the life out of me!- regarding aches and pains the best remedy I have found helped is 2 ibuprofen taken every 4 hours and in between ( 2 hours after) parecetemol every 4 hours, the two taken together helped a lot.
Fizzy drinks really help too, but was so depressed and fed up last night with feeling like an invalid I had a small glass of red wine which actually tasted nice and I slept much better!!
Rosie, hope all goes ahead smoothly with bloods- the end is in sight!! Your sons wedding not far away now!!
Jos, when I saw oncologist last week he couldn’t feel my lump either! It’s a real boost isn’t it. Great news for you?
Wildpurl, hope your side effects not too bad today and you manage a walk again.
Joan, Booksandwine,rolicarpit, tij,hope your aches are improving a little.
I hardly dare say it: but so far this morning I do feel more human, although I am in no doubt by later on I will be snoozing on the sofa again!
Eam , hopefully we can see an improvement to our aches, it must be very hard with your little one, not surprising routine is hard to keep!
Louise, hope you are alright, and Kirstie too? Xx
Jackie, sorry I missed you out- chemo memory again! Hope you also are doing ok??x
Lost my post so this will be shorter. Wildpurl. Try biotene toothpaste gentle on prescription and recommended on forum.
I’m finding tax much tougher at this stage hopefully will improve am starting to sleep now which is good all Beit last night five hours. Anyone any rashes. Have on on side of neck. Very itchy
Wildpurl. Same here with master chef! Thought the bread and butter pudding looked fab! Can’t remember who cooked it and also fell asleep in last 5 mins so missed who got sent home- who was it? X
Having a better day today, thank goodness. Still achey but nowhere near as bad and can now manage to walk without holding on to things. Yep, feeling 90 just about expresses it. Like Lovewine I used paracetamol alternating with ibuprofen, which my doctor daughter assured me is OK because they work in different ways, but they didn’t take enough of the edge off for the first 24 hours so think will ask for something stronger for next time. Definitely my worst experience so far. Did manage to get to my class last night and last the whole session which was a great tonic though kept getting hot flushes and not sure whether my contributions were coherent. Last night found myself cleaning my teeth with E45 cream. Yuk.
Re toothpaste, thanks for the suggestion about Biotene Books andwine. Last FEC i found ordinary toothpaste really stung but hospital couldn’t suggest anything else. Been using bicarbonate toothpaste, available in Boots, but sore mouth hasn’t kicked in yet so not really tested.
Interesting that so many of us are having problems with what to drink and particularly with things tasting too sweet. Will try some of the suggestions. Rosie, I find elderflower on its own too sweet, even mixed with sparkling water, it seemed to be the addition of grape juice which made the difference. Hope al goes well for Thursday.
Jos, thanks for the info that Docetaxel is extracted from yew which I believe is highly toxic. Presumably that is why it effective in knocking out the cancer cells and also making us feel so rotten. Great news that your tumour has shrunk, makes it all worthwhile.
EAM, sorry you had a bad night, it must be so difficult having to care for a little one as well as yourself. Hope the aches and pains have gone away/reduced today. Ditto booksandwine and Lovewine and anyone else I have missed. Now I really must get up and dressed.
Afternoon
Went to the docs this morn for my mouth. Not thrush but just very sore & dry. Said could use mouthwash - benzydamine or difflam. Have already got benzydamine from first fec but actually seems too strong & stingy to use at the moment. Doc said to dilute it down with water & take every 3 hours. Didn’t want to give anti biotics with immune so low anyway. No alcohol,no spicy foods,no hot or cold,no tea or coffee. Should try cordials such as elderflower & just full fat milk,bland food. Also gave codeine in case needed for pains but will try & stick to paracetamol as he said it may make me constipated! My onc said to not take ibroprufen - can’t remember why now - something to do with bloods??
Glad some of you seem to be picking up a bit xxx
Good luck Rosie for tomorrow, Eam hope you start to improve, I still feel 90 years old and ache still, no energy at all, Wildpurl sounds like you are improving - that’s good, especially if you have to work Friday I have found it very difficult . Thanks for masterchef info, thought it might have been Todd! You must be uplifted with hair growth and styling of hair-.well done for persevering cold capping!!
Think my sparse lashes are dropping out now too, do any of you know if we can wear false ones? Maybe just for work so I look half decent!!
EAM, sorry your mouth is so sore. I agree about the stinging with diff lam. Apart from using it dilute I also used a solution of bicarbonate which hurt less. My oncologist prescribed Biotene Saliva replacement gel, as suggested by someone on here, which helps with the dry mouth, especially at night. Ice lollies can also help. I have had mouth problems with each FEC is this time the doc also prescribedChlorhexadine gluconate to use as well as difflam to try to prevent it. Usually it kicks on around day 6 so we shall see. DK if it would work if mouth already sore butvwo
Yes it’s really not fair is it- on top of everything else I feel like a wax dummy( and look like one!!) I will try the false lashes, because I am pale with once fair lashes and brows my face looks like there’s nothing on it now- doesn’t do much for the self esteem, and Rosie will have to watch the you tube tip on eyeliner as am fed up with everyone now telling me I look pale and washed out!!!
Wildpurl yes I think our goalposts move a lot at the moment!
Wildpurl, sorry you had such a bad night, although you do seem to have interesting dreams. Why pick on Surrey. I too had a dreadful night, kept awake with pains in my lower legs, especially my ankles and unable to stop moving them around. I think it’s called restless legs. Tried paracetamol later ibuprofen, Deep Heat, nothing worked, even 2 sleeping pills. eventually dropped of around 4, awake again at 5.30. I think I will ring the hospital this morning to get some advice. Can’t stand another night like that. Going to try to get out for some short walks today in hope that will help. So felt too wobbly to do more tan walk around the garden. Enjoy your Pilates.
Ros, glad your headache eventually went, what a shame it spoiled what was meant to be a restful day after what was clearly a very demanding one the day before, You certainly have it tough having to do all this as a single parent. Are you getting the support you need? Do you have any local family?
Lovewine, how sensitive of people to tell you you look pale and washed-out; if we really told them what chemo feels like and what they would probably think we look surprisingly well.
Sorry about the missing words in my last post. Clearly the brain a bit fogged this morning.