Hi Ladies
sorry I’ve not been around the last couple of days but my Oh took me to Kirbymoorside in North Yorks for a couple of days. It was lovely to get away and the weather wasn’t too bad…we just took refuge in various pubs when it rained
it seems like quite a few of you aren’t having the best of times at the moment :(. Hope the SE’s subside soon for you all. I found the gelclair worked for me I just diluted it with a couple of tablespoons of water and it seemed to coat all the ulcers.
Angie - I get an awful taste in my mouth, even water tastes disgusting I find that hot black sweet tea goes down ok as well as marmite on toast or salt and vinegar crisps…until the mouth ulcers kick in.
Debra - I’m washing my wig tonight for the first time, I’ll let you know how I get on
Sandy - I’m so impressed with your restraint at thecheckout we seem to be able to cope with the big things like surgery, chemo, etc but the small things send us over the edge.
Philomena - I admire you for graving the makeover in public, well done your:)
kate hope the rash is easing.
FECT Cycle 4 (docetaxol)
Hi everyone. The transition to tax seems to be taking it out of us this time. I’m glad you phoned up for advice Angie. It sounds like you’re having it really rough. I hope you start to feel better soon.
Kim I bet it was lovely getting away for a few days.
Amber I just have the steroids for 3 days.
The nasty SEs have set in for me now. I’ve got the usual neulasta joint pain, but my mouth is more sore this time, my head feels muggy and even my ears hurt. I’ve been lying on the couch like a waste of space today. Hope it doesn’t last too long.
Spudgirl I know what you mean about dreading the chemo. I’m feeling a bit the same way. Just keep reminding yourself that it’s only temporary and you will get through it soon. Each one you have is one less going forward. How many do you have to have altogether?
Hi Mel, I’m on 6 FEC so 4 down, 2 to go.
I’m also running out of food options because whatever I eat during chemo week, I can’t bear to go near afterwards. I had pasta on chemo 1 and still can’t even look at the stuff! So this last week existed on toast mainly as I can’t carry on going off things.
I’m also with Kim re water tasting disgusting in chemo week, but I can’t stand drinking anything else either!
However, it’s probably better the devil you know, as the Tax sounds pretty rough on some.
x
Cycle 4 docetaxol day 4
anyone want to join the wide awake club? I thought I was doing ok till this afternoon then the s/e hit, sore bones, right up to my jaw bone and the back of my neck. Pains in legs and back and one minute hot then cold. Thankfully the taste buds and mouth and still fine. I’ve still got heartburn though, Kate, I’ve got some heartburn tablets from the first treatment but they don’t seem to be doing anything. I remembered your tip linda and The bath worked a bit to ease the joints.
just woke up wet through, I’ve got changed and come down to my sofa bed in the playroom oly to find my daughter (15) dossing in here, she’s gone back to bed now… It’s like musical chairs with beds, hopping from one to the other.
i watched Mama tonight of sky,I love a good scary film and my sister had watched it and said it was really scary… It wasn’t! It made my daughter jump and she squeeled a bit through it but it takes more than that to make me jump, not a bad film though.
now should I watch some of the vampire diarys that I’ve got recorded or try and sleep…
good luck ladies, sleep wwell judy xx
Morning to all you Angels. So sorry to hear of all you’re suffering. I have had a great week with minimal s/e feel a bit guilty telling you this. I have been reading all your posts though and you all inspire me. I have only been baldy in the House and back garden although I went out to the bin the other day and forgot I had nothing on. I am not looking forward to docetaxel next Friday it seems to be a bit stronger than Fec. How quickly did the s/e kick in will I be able to get home under own steam or need a lift? Got bloods first on Wednesday so hope they are ok. Just need to get this over and done with now. I read another thread this morning and ended up blubbering, we don’t know how lucky we are some others in much worse situation than us. onwards and upwards. Hope you all have as good a day as you can. Take care. Lynn x
docetaxol day 6
hi all, hope youre all doing well
i feel a tiny bit better today but ive been asleep since friday pretty much and not eaten either. i was actually quite worried that i was on my way out, ive never ever felt so ill in my entire life but it does make sense if the dose was too strong because it was all just very mega exaggerated s/e’s. the pains have lessened and the furry tongue is not growing back as quick. i did eat a chip cob yesterday (it tasted crap) so thats a start. got rotten indegestion though now.
i hope you dont take this as normal girls, i dont think you get the s/e’s this bad usually, just a bit of bad luck on my part i think, i dont want to scare anyone.
getting sicky threats as well, got a patch on for that but ive had my head over the bowl a couple of times. oh well. only 2 left to do! i dont want to play anymore !!
angie xx
Sorry to hear you’re having such a rotten time, Angie. It really is a b*stard, this chemo. Seems a few of us have got to number four and don’t want to go on - but know we have to!!! First three felt like a steady uphill climb. This last one has made me feel like there’s a steep and treacherous mountain to go over. Don’t worry about moaning, you mardarse - that’s what we’re here for x
Hi all,
Tried posting twice before and lost both…always the way when your feeling crap and want something to go ok!!
So sorry to hear about the bad SE’s bone aches, terrible mouth and sickness/indegestion pains…I have them all this time round too - just been waiting on the upset tummy and the runs to re-appear prob not far away!!
Had 2nd Docetaxel on Wed and been in and out of bed since Sat…everything aches. Was taking paracetamol and ibuprofen but had to stop the ibuprofen as it was making me very wheezy (have athsma) so just riding it out. I am so glad only one more to go but at the moment I cant bear to think of it…just want it to be over - had enough now!
Well I hope this post works as I really want to let you know I am thinking of you all and hope that everyone is feeling better very soon,
Lots of love Lori xx
Hi Angels
I have just been catching up on posts for the last few days - sounds very tough for many of you right now so sending you all big hugs and good vibes. Lots of good suggestions on coping with s/e’s and love the sharing of experiences - from wig washing to meltdown, and definitely the eyelashes
I have FEC 4 coming up on Thurs, so bloods today, onc review tomorrow. Have to say there is a growing feeling of dread as it approaches and I know those s/e’s are on their way again. It is definitely getting harder.
I have had a good few days, when other than general tiredness I have been pretty s/e free. I feel like a proper human being again and it is fantastic - such a great reminder that at the end of the treatment this will be the norm. I went to stay with a friend and went out for a lovely curry, and did a bit of shopping in Milton Keynes the day after. Had a day out in London and went about baldy - got a few more sideways looks then I do round home (i guess lots more people) but I generally forgot about it. I was in the Tate and a women stopped me just to say ‘I just want to say that i think your hair looks great’ - I managed a ‘thank you’ but was left with a mixture of thinking how wonderful, and but i dont have any hair. I have got a bit sick of hat wearing recently so unless it is very hot or very cold am increasingly going about ‘naked’.
When I went in for my surgery I was made officially allergic to co-codamol and other strong pain killers on my notes just because I was insistent that they didn’t give them to me. I have had them a few times before and they have repeatedly made me feel so awful that I wasn’t allowed to go home till they had worn off and I just had paracetamol instead. I felt mentally I was in a very bad place, but also it affected my ability to move/control my limbs - really weird. just thought it worth a mention.
Take care Angels xx
I don’t post much on here but I do read all the posts and keep up with everyone. I’m sorry to read so many of you are finding it tough going and suffering the horrid side effects of Tax. I guess I have been lucky so far, although I still have 2 more to go.
I’ve had 4 lots of Tax (and 3 lots of the Neulasta jab) and seem to be tolerating it reasonably well. Apart from the tiredness and lack of energy the only other problems I’ve had are the diarrhoea, which wipes me out but is controlled with Imodium, and the nasty dry mouth for a few days in the middle of the cycle. I am eating rubbish food on the whole, but at least I’m eating, and I sleep about 9 hours every night. No sickness, and no bone pain to speak of. I still have a Radox bath every day without fail, and take the paracetamol continuously for 3 days starting the day after chemo. I don’t know if this is helping, but it does seem to be.
Currently on day 14 and in my good 10 day period, so making the most of it before it all starts again next week!
Morning ladies, nice to hear from everyone over last couple of days. Well i manged to get dressed and get out of the house for a couple of hours yesterday and also managed to eat some toast yesterday and today (dipped into my tea to make it soft!) Mouth def getting better so hoping to eat a bit more today
Angie - I feel your pain, it’s horrible. I wasn’t too concerned about not eating as had built up plenty reserves over the last few weeks however, did try to sip water as much as I could to keep the fluids going. I will definetely need to get something better sorted for these mouth ulcers next time! Judy - hope pain gets a bit better, have you tried taking anything to help you sleep e.g. Nytol? Amber - enjoy Robbie tomorrow and hope you get some glasgow sunshine while you are here 8)
Lori - good to hear from you, didn’t realise you had no. 5 already. I know you had a hard time with 4 so hope this one is a bit easier
Afternoon Angels, it’s seems its been a pretty rubbish couple of weeks for most of us, so thought its about time that we all looked forward to when all this c**p is over…
I think we should plan a get together next April for all of us Awesome April Angels, somewhere, anywhere I don’t mind where we can celebrate getting through all of this. As I say I have no problem travelling anywhere, but what do you all think?
Day 5 Docetaxol
Couch day today - watching series 2 of Miranda. The painkillers seem to be controlling the aches, which us making them more bearable but today I’m struggling with a sore mouth and stomach gripes. Not pleasant
We all seem to be hitting a bit of a wall at this stage, which is no surprise I suppose. Still others have got through it and we will too. Let’s hope we all start to feel a bit better soon xx
docetaxol day 6
hi girls
ive been reading through all these posts aqnd it does seem like we’re all getting a wee bit dodgy now that we’re on the last leg. My doctor has given me dihydracodeine and gaviscon bless her, so i can just pop off to sleepytown when it gets too much, the cocodomol just dont work that good on these pains do the codeine will just make me sleep, i can live with that!
Ive had a couple of digestives with a cuppa and had a scrambled egg with one toast and i feel better with at least something in my tum. I feel like if i did a really really big burp, a lot of my discomfort would go.
i did feel like i was going to be ok today but by 11 i was back in my den sleeping, so maybe not as quick to ease off as the fec is. lori - you veteran of the tax, on the 2nd and still going!wow! lola - you must be another superwoman! Lynn - lucky lynn feeling good, i want to be in your camp!! And you cazP!
to all the other poor little angels and to all the mighty amazon angels , and the miserable angels , and the hyper angels , and the stay up all niter angels , and hungry angels, i suppose we got to just get on with it and stop whining and do what we have to do to get this medicine fest over and done with eh!!
angie xx (sleepy angel)
Hi Angels,
Hope all you sleepy, painful mouth sufferers get through the worst of it soonest and get back to some sense of normality (whatever that may be!).I can’t believe how lucky I was with my first paclitaxel having heard how badly some of you are suffering, I hope its not me this week as I have number 2 on Wednesday.
My rash is still there, only one area of it seems to be getting worse and that is a ring of the spots on my ‘good boob’ - not sure if its even the same rash or not! I’m leaving it all until I get to the chemo unit for bloods tomorrow as its not really bothering me and my temp is fine, I feel fine and I really don’t want to be at the hospital 3 days in a row!
Hope you all get some food you can eat (even if not taste) and some sleep tonight. Thinking of you and sending you lots of virtual hugs and food!
Kate
x
Hi Angels,
I really shouldn’t post today because it’s day one after my steroid and I know I get miserable, paranoid and cynical. But today. I’ve tried to get a little more perspective.
Silly question but when you’re in the bath or shower what do you wash your chicken fluff head with? Is it shower gel, face wash, soap or proper shampoo? I use the first thing that comes to hand and this morning that was John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Shine Release Volumising Shampoo which adds body to fine brown hair and reveals multi-dimensional brunette shine. I’ll post a new photo. Let me know if you think it’s working!
Moira xxx
Hahahaha Moira you made me laugh, I use the shampoo I was using before all this started which is for blonde highlights! In the cupboard I do have some brunette enhancing shampoo which colours everything it touches so I’ve avoided using that in case it makes my head streaky!
Kate
x
Killing myself laughing here Moira, so funny. Other than that, feel like crap warmed up, don’t know what to do with myself… Hopefully only a few days left of these s/e, and then there’s only 2 left to go, so there’s light at the end of the tunnel.
Ha ha - I use simple shampoo and still use a conditioner to my husbands amusement. This chicken fluff thing is pretty strange. It’s standing on end instead of lying flat and must be over half a cm now. I may have to dye it purple and pierce my nose
I find that hot black sweet tea goes down ok as well as marmite on toast or salt and vinegar crisps…until the mouth ulcers kick in.
Killing myself laughing here Moira, so funny. Other than that, feel like crap warmed up, don’t know what to do with myself… Hopefully only a few days left of these s/e, and then there’s only 2 left to go, so there’s light at the end of the tunnel.