Glad things seems to have settled down for most folk.
My 2nd chemo session is on Wednesday. Got off lightly with the first cycle other than this past Friday, which was a horror of a day with severe headache and forehead sweats all day and thankfully just one episode of vomiting. It actually all felt like food poisoning but without the runs. In fact, I guess it could have been, as Friday was nine days after the chemo session.
Re cold cap at first session, I was given two paracetamol beforehand.
Re anti-nausea meds, pre-chemo I was given iv dexamethasone (a steroid), and in tablet form Aloxi (palonosetron) and Emend (aprepitant). Then post-chemo I was given dexamethasone tablets, to be taken at breakfast and lunch for three days; Emend (aprepitant), to be taken once a day at breakfast for two days and domperidone, to be taken three times a day for three days and then as required. I was very compliant and took everything as directed. I didn’t feel any nausea at all - but no bloody wonder with so many anti-nausea drugs!
I believe the type of anti-nausea meds you’re given is determined by which chemo drugs you’re on.
Hope you all had a good weekend & weren’t feeling too awful. I spent 3 days last week at the hospital for various things & was told my first chemo has been moved to 7/9 now. I was hoping to get going this week & now my last chemo will be 21/12, which doesn’t bode well for a fun filled Christmas! LisaJane I think you said you are also a September starter, so you will be in the same position I think. Which regime have they put you on? Sarah glad you got through round 1 of FEC. How do you feel now? Carol so pleased it was just a dream! I am dreading doing the cold cap & losing my hair anyway. i’ve had a few people telling me to pain my nails black . . Has anyone else discussed nails with their chemo nurses?
Good luck to BraveScholar, Carol, BlondeAmbition & anyone else having more treatment this week. XxxxX
Hi BiBi
Sorry your chemo has been delayed a bit. Christmas is a big milestone for us all and at least you will hopefully be finished by then. You will have the best excuse ever to sit back and let everyone else run around like nutters whilst you cosy up on the sofa with a blanket and watch Christmas movies ? I know it’s hard but try not to think too far ahead. Each week is one ticked off of the crappiest calendar ever.
I’ve just washed my hair for the first time after first session. It’s hard to tell if there’s more than normal coming out. I also had a dream about it all falling out Carolec! I am so anxious about it. I need to relax a bit otherwise it’ll fall out due to stress!
Husband has a day off today and we are going to a health food restaurant. A book I read swears by green juice every day to prevent hair loss during chemo. I’ve been doing it for the last two weeks.
Hope you all had nice weekends. xxx
Hi everyone yes mine is starting 9th sept so with my calculations my last one is dec 23rd!! Talk about timing. Certainly a Xmas I won’t forget. Can you fill us in about the green juice. I have turned a bit obsessed with food since my diagnosis. If nothing else it’s given me something to focus on. I have a juice from my nutribullet every day. I add various bits to it. Wheatgrass, flax, chia seeds etc. I’m really happy to try anything to help get me through the chemo and would do anything to preserve some of my hair. Xxx
Hi Lisa
That list of juice ingredients is what this book listed so you are right on track. I’ve also got a Nutribullet and have been doing the Toxin Cleansing one and Immune Booster with Chia seeds and Wheatgrass powder. Fingers crossed!
I bought a cookbook as well called the Cancer Cookbook (not a great title!) from the Royal Marsden Hospital. It’s on Amazon. It gives you healthy recipes to have during and after chemotherapy and gives tips on which ones help with which side effects ie. sore mouth, nausea. I’ve also got really into the nutrition stuff. It’s something I can focus on that is in my control. xxx
Ooh good I might buy that book. Love the idea of the complimentary therapies. One of my school mum friends used to work in a centre next to Cambridge hospital doing all this and has offered to help xxx
Blondeambition your post made me laugh because I am just totally wishing away the next 6 months of my life, which is kind of ironic under the circumstances. Glad to hear your hair is holding on so far. I am doing the green sludge drinking too & weirdly I quite like the taste, despite the fact I hate things like kale usually. I was talking to my chemo nurse specialist yesterday about the black nail varnish idea (obviously she had nothing better to do with her time!) & she recommended horse’s hoof & onico life to stop your nails ridging/falling off and lipocils for eyelashes/eyebrows. I also found a cancer help centre under our local Tesco which does free counselling, massage, reflexology etc. Who’d have guessed. I must have walked past that door a hundred times & not noticed it. Xx
Thanks for the tip about lipocils. I hadn’t heard of those. I’ll be off on Amazon in a second! Anything that might work I’ll try.
I’ve got some counselling sessions and some Shiatsu sessions booked through a support centre called the Haven in Leeds. They are all free too. It’s amazing what’s on offer and totally right that we should have anything that makes us feel vaguely better. Chocolate is still one of those things for me! xxx
Ah blonde ambition your not far from me in Leeds. What are lipocils?? I feel a bit more sad about the eye lashes and brows as I can usually spot someone without them. I have an appointment Friday morning to try some wigs. Thought I would prepare myself a bit in case the cold cap doesn’t work. I have become slightly obsessed with spotting people’s wigs. But then being a hairdressers I think I always was!! I’m having gel nails on my fingers and toes tomorrow that always makes me feel better xxx
Lisalouw Are you OK? You seem to have gone very quiet & I hope you are not still feeling bad after your chemo. Let us know with a quick post when you feel like it & all the best to you in the meanwhile xxxx
Sorry to go on about books ladies but this book is the one which said the green juices and healthy diet helped prevent hair loss. It is a really interesting read (albeit a bit technical at times):
Jane Plant CBE
Your Life In Your Hands: Understand, Prevent and Overcome Breast Cancer and Ovarian Cancer
I have found it a huge comfort and it has made me feel a lot more positive about things. It basically says everyone should be taking steps to prevent breast cancer not just those who have had the disease so it made me feel like less of a weirdo doing all of these things and more like someone who is ahead of the game - make sense?!
Hi BlondeAmbition I have read that one & the Sevan-Schreiber Anti Cancer diet. Both very helpful diet wise. Their diets are similar i.e. Just super healthy eating. What Dr S-S has to say In addition is that stress is a big thing for BC & suggests meditation which has been proven to reduce recurrence. He also allows chocolate as long as high cocoa content & red wine. x
I hope you got on ok today bravescholar? My husband is cooking a healthy stir fry tonight. He better cook a lot I haven’t stopped eating today! Have any of you had the same? Xxxxxx
i think we might all give you a different answer to the green stuff formula. Mine is just as many leafy green veg as we have in the fridge, lots of herbs plus cherry tomatoes, cucumber & avocado in a bit of water. I’ve also seen one which is bramley apple & fennel which is supposed to be good for hair, as is carrot juice. I would be interested in what others are doing too. Enjoy your stir fry. xxx
xxxx