Docetaxel cycle 1 day 8
Hello Angels as ever it lifts my spirits to read your posts. Pauline I am having a tough time too with pain. Now on Prednisolone 2 a day for 5 days plus Co-codamol 2 up to 4 times a day. It’s starting to work! Also got a urinary tract infection so more anti biotics. Like Debra I am now getting really fed up! It’s my OH’s birthday today and I don’t feel up to going out for dinner or even sharing a bottle of wine. My brother and sister-in-law are driving 300 miles to see me tomorrow - yippee we’ll have tea and cake, instead of a slap up dinner and red wine. Oh I am so going to party when this is all over! Ok end of moan. I’ve done the look for glasses that are on my head - can’t feel them on my wig!
Thanks Angels for listening and for inspiring me to hang in there because I am not on my own. Hugs to all. Diggy Wiggy
Good Afternoon Angels,
Number four done and dusted but it took a lot longer than usual. This morning I was the human pin cushion. Six attempts with a cannular in six different veins to find one that was good enough to allow fluids through. Got one and a half tubes of epirubicin in at first attempt then that vein seized. Took the other five attempts to find anywhere else! OH was looking rather uncomfortable. Second nurse suggested she should go and speak to oncologist about using snb arm but a woman having chemo on the other side of the room was shaking her head vigorously and mouthing NO, don’t let them near that arm! Then another woman having chemo showed me her lymphodeoma arm - it was enormous - she keeps it covered! Don’t know what will happen for next two lots. Doesn’t seem worth having a picc line just for two sessions, I even suggested they use veins in my foot - think Debra had that - but they don’t do that. Been told the last two sessions that my platelets are high. Don’t know what that means or whether that’s part of the problem. Still from the sound of it it’s not as bad as tax is for some.
Hope you pick up soon, Pauline. I’ve been so fortunate in not having any mouth problems so far and no tax so no bone aches. A woman on tax at the unit today was getting a prescription for co-codamol. She said the pain is sometimes excruciating. I’ve had the runs on and off for the past two weeks so I’m looking forward to a bit of constipation - never though I’d hear myself saying that!!!
Glad to hear you’re feeling better, Kim. It’s Rod for me on Sunday night so I’ll be able to compare the old crooner with the younger. I should also check up on Jimmy’s LGFB sessions. Do they do one for no-hopers? Though I must admit my skin is the best it’s ever been!
Mel, I hit the menopause at about 53 and I still get night sweats - one benefit of not having hair - it’s cooler!
Good luck for tomorrow, Judy, oh, and for this evening with the teachers! I’ve lost one chunk of one eyebrow. Why can’t they thin evenly?
Debra, your regime sounds pretty awful to remember, especially when chemo numbs your brain. Are you doing six cycles or eight? Which ever, if you’re on the second part of your regimen then you are more than halfway so just keep going. As Kate says, it’s better in the long run than the alternative. Big cyber hugs x
Lynn, I was going to say it sounds like sun causing your prickly heat but GP beat me to it!
Angie, I’m with you on the glasses. Spent half an hour looking all over for mine the other day till DH told me they were on my head. Just cant feel them through the hairy hat!
Amber, even less sleeps for Robbie now. Don’t forget to have a practice arms in air session just to build up strength before you go!
Enough for now - steroid (3.3mg) is obviously working,
Hugs to all,
Moira xxx
Fec-t cycle 4 Tax 1 day 10
Moira, glad you managed to tick another box today.
Pauline & Diggy sorry to hear you’re suffering with pain. I’ve no pain but Iam so very tired, have absolutely no energy and have just been vegging on the sofa. I can’t even be bothered to answer the phone, the thought of holding a conversation seems like too much of an effort just now.
Hope everyone else’s s/e are not too bad xx
Docetaxol day 2
hi girls,
so many different reactions going on i see. ive got superchemobrain at the moment, the steroids ( not what i expected) i thought i would be running round like a crazy woman getting all the housework done and so on, well no, ive been sleepy, like a baby. no other effects yet but i’m pilled up on paracetomol and naproxen (which i take anyway) so i dont know if its helped or just not started.
Hairs still not grown back haha, waiting to be a fluffy chick 
but knowing my luck i’ll probably just get brush bristles!
tastes gone, but thats normal at this stage for me, got all my mouth preventions on the go, strepsils, anbersol, lypsyl, coke and tea and they seem to be working so no moans yet.
my typing post went all weird then
hope we all stabilise soon ladies
angie xx
Buggewore typed a long post and it’s just vanished
Judy, you’re supposed to be away with the fairies after chemo, not the day before 
Moira… Chemo brain… What can I say!
You would have laughed, I should have taken a photo, tried putting false eyelashes on 15 minutes before parents evening today, first time I’ve tried them, so of course I didn’t read the instructions, took lid off the glue, never ever saw the brush in the lid, so I poured the glue along the lash instead of using it sparingly with the brush. Then I put it on my eyelid, it looked like a hairy caterpillar had crawled there and died, it went up and down all over. I then nearly stuck my eyelids together with the excess glue, I had it all over my thumb and finger… Disaster, thankfully I got them off before we went to parents evening.
so creative judy thats funny
xx
Evening Angels, well parents evening went very well, my daughter is doing really well so we are all very very happy. It’s been a hard few months on a 12 year old! Managed not to make any chemo brained mistakes so also a positive.
Judy you do make me laugh so much, hope all went well for your parents evening as well. I will add False eyelashes application prior to parents evening to the list lol.
hope you all with nasty s/e feel better soon, just remember we are getting there , another day nearer normality. Onwards and upwards Angels xx
Philomena, great news that your daughter is doing well.
Judy - I laughed until I had tears at the image you portrayed of the false eye lashes and glue! 
Hope you practise a little more before you need to use them next time!
My ONC told me that he’s happy for me to reduce the steroids if I am doing okay cycle by cycle day by day, has no-one else been told that? By the end of cycle 4 of AC I was only taking 2 per day…went back up to 4 for the first 3 days after Paclitaxol (and so I’d be okay for Bruce) but hoping to reduce them next cycle if I’m okay…
My underarm hair has started growing back as well as the stuff on my head…I was hoping it would stay away forever! 
Kate
x
It is my OH birthday tomorrow and I can’t be bothered to celebrate! I know that sounds awful. We are going out on Sat for a meal but no matter what clothes I wear I don’t feel right with the wig on. When this is all over I want to burn it and dance around it like a red Indian along with those cotton beanies that I am wearing right now. I look at other people’s hair with envy I long to comb it and run my fingers through it. I don’t think I will ever moan about my hair again.
i read all your posts especially the fifty shades of chemo and the chemo brain effect, only we truly understand that.
Debra. xx
Judy, I love your stories. x
Kate, my underarm hair never went completely, neither did the leg hair but at least I don’t have to wax the top lip and chin so often. As for the head -well I’ve got about one hundred evenly spaced mostly grey/white and a few brown hairs that are about one cm long. Does that count as chicken fluff? On EC I’m down to one steroid for three days. Think the packaging probably costs the hospital trust more than the contents!
Judy, I did laugh. Somewhere on t’internet you can buy glue on eyebrows - or not. Sound like the lashes I bought might have to stay in their box. I’ve still got about twenty short ones each side - fingers crossed! Glad the parents evening went well.
Philomena, sounds like you came away from parents evening on a well deserved high. And don’t worry, I’m trying my best to think of something witty to put in fifty shades of chemo. One of these days i’ll have a light bulb moment.
sleep well Angels,
Moira xxx
well I’m sat here at stupid o’clock, the steroids are working. Went to bed at 12.30, woke at 1.30… No way was I getting up at that time, I was really busy all day yesterdaypm trying to make sure I would be knackered for the steroids. Anyway at 4.15, kerching… Wide awake club here I come. Hubby is snoring is head off and I’ve got heartburn so I’ve taking some tablets and moved down into the playroom. No, before you all get excited, it’s not a fifty shades of grey playroom, it’s the kids playroom but the sofa bed is up, with lots of comfy pillows. Anyway after an hour of tossing and turning, it’s no use, I’m awake.
You will be pleased to know, The caterpillar eyelashes are asleep in there box, they will not be coming out to play any time soon!
The parents evening went ok, it was a good job, I’m on steroids as we seemed to have an appointment in the school hall followed by our next appointment in the tower block, three floors up and the opposite end of the school, followed by our next appointment back in the hall, this happened three times and the appointments are ten minutes apart… I know I wanted to be knackered for my sleep with steroids but this is just adding to the russian shot put look.
I had strange sensations in my legs last night, not quite pins and needles but just prickly sort of feelings up and down my legs and I couldn’t sit still… im putting it down to the steroids anyway.
Debra , I wasn’t too bothered about loosing my hair and I do love all the scarfs but I can relate to the envy of other people’s hair, I want to brush hair, and feel it around my neck again. Ah well, it will come back.
Moira and Kate , I’ve no underarm hair yet and it went off my legs and hasn’t come back, i never lost any on my arms though. Angie I’ve got the brush bristles, a dark patchy stubble on the back of head but it is only stubble and with it being patchy I’m gonna shave it off if it grows anymore. Once I get the chicken fluff I will see how it goes.
Roll on 10.30 for my first dose of the Doxetaxol, I just hope my bloods are ok, I’ve had the period from hell this week.
have a good day ladies, hope the s/e are kept to a minimum
judy xxx
Oh dear Judy sounds like you had a bad night, hope today goes well.
Kate
x
Thanks Kate , I’ve just finished putting my slap on, i want to look nice and healthy for the next dose. Didn’t realise till I looked in the mirror my face is bright red, I’m like a giant beef tomatoe, guess that’s a side effect,… Well it’s healthier looking than pale and pasty.
Judy
i get a bright red face from the steroids, at the LGFB session we were given some green cover up that blends the red back to a normal colour…I’d never even heard of it before BC but I have used it to tone my face down when going out on steroid days! Might be worth checking it out, if you want the name of it let me know
Good luck
Kate
x
Mamakaz and Fleurgirl so good to hear from you again. Havn’t had time to read all posts yet since mine but just a lift for us all espeacially those who are Triple Neg. Go to (on this site) Undergoing Treatment For Breast Cancer -> Future of Cancer Treatment -> No More Chemo or Rads posted by fnty.
Linda - Would welcome your thoughts.
Lv n Hugs. Sandy. x
Fec T, Cycle 4 Tax, day 7
Morning Angels, woke this morning feeling a bit less achy, but mouth and throat are really sore. Ordererd Gelclair, to be picked up today so hopefully that will help. My throat is so rough that I nearly choked twice yesterday taking Ibuprofen (the round ones) and now have to chop up all other meds just so they will go down. Tip for those about to start Docetaxol - ask for capsules / oblong pain killers instead of the round ones just incase you find it hard to swallow! Suppose the up side is that I can’t eat as much as I have been recently - every cloud
Judy - hope all went well today and I’m sure you will be well prepared for S/E’s - hope they are not too bad. I have been feeling really miserable but nearly pee’d myself laughing at your eye lash story. I have never attenpted falsies but think I may have to soon. May go to a salon and get semi permanent ones! Thanks for the tip on the Diflam spray, will ask for that next time!
Angie - I’m sending positive vibes that you don’t get hit hard over next few days
Sandy - just read the thread, sounds very interesting for the future
Debra - we’ll all join you on the war dance, hope your spirits pick up and you manage to get out and enjoy the meal. I am supposed to be going out tomorrow for lunch and the pics with friends. I really dont feel like it either but will try and force myself and I’m sure I will enjoy it once I’m out - although not sure what I’ll be able to eat with this sore mouth!! (you should see me at the moment trying to eat scrambled eggs - not a pretty sight!)
Moira - what a nightmare with your veins, hope next time is better. I’m so glad I have a line in! As for the tummy, i seem to be going from one extreme to the other, not sure what today will bring - good luck with the constipation (very weird to say that!)
Amber - glad the pain has gone but know exactly how you feel about doing nothing. This is the first day i even feel like typing! I feel really stiff so might force myself to go a short walk later
Diggy - I feel your pain, this is so sh** isn’t it. I haven’t felt this bad since the start of the journey and starting to dread the next one already! I’ll make sure I am better prepared though with stronger pain killers (capsules so I don’t choke!) and gelclair (assuming it works) Hope you manage to enjoy your tea and cake today!
Kate - I have used the green stuff - think it’s no. 7, it’s very good at dulling the red blobs! I’ll also get the licorice for next round as haven’t tried that yet!
Fleurgirl - is it Docetaxol you are getting weekly? think there are different types of ‘TAX’ - I couldn’t imagine getting docetaxol every week given recent s/e’s
Hope everone has a good (as possible) weekend and nasty S/E’s are kept at a minimum
Take care Angels
Pauline xx