April 2018 Chemo Starters

I feel ok now but it has been a long 10 days. Various things from heartburn to aches, nothing really bad just lots of annoyances. I plan to enjoy the next 10 days before I have to go again! Sounds like you’re enjoying half term. X

Does anyone feel cold alot. I was told some people say they are cold. I am very shaky too but have been shaky for a while but I thought it was due to my age 51.

No Linda I haven’t been cold or shaky. Have you checked your temp? Perhaps you should check with your helpline x

Half term means i didnt have to set lots of cover and feel pressure I think I’m making the best of it but not doing anything just in bed watching tennis. And so tired. Been better coz my daughter been in and out and partner on late shift so he is here in the morning. Hoping to sleep tonight. Sounds harder than fec?

I feel shaky and have had a lower temp but not really felt cold. Michelle’s advice is good

Wonderwoman crashed and burned again!  UTI this time, back on antibiotics.  It’s a trivial infection but I’m hoping that getting an infection in week 3 is not a pattern.  Chemo 3 on Monday not delayed, thank goodness.  Michelle, hope the time until your next chemo is full of enjoyable things.

 

Linda, I was shaky for the first ten days after last chemo.  Didn’t feel cold so much as dithery.

 

Gygi, hope you have a really good break over half term.  The tennis was great.

 

 

 

Gigi hope you slept well last night. I do have more side effects with T than FEC but it’s difficult to tell if I’m feeling it more because of the docetaxol/herceptin/perjeta combo or if it’s because my body is finding it harder to bounce back. Having said that I feel totally fine now and fingers crossed will until 8th when i go again.
Oh Dorabel, at least you have got it sorted and it’s not delaying Monday. Hope the parking was easier this time than when you last went in. I hope this doesn’t form a pattern for you. It’s odd I have it in my mind that I am completely normal in week 3 but I guess even though it’s not the danger zone of week 2 our immune system is still compromised. Hope you are feeling ok in yourself x

well the meeting with the reconstruction surgeon went well and he answered all my questions. I have appointments shceduled for next week for the abdominal CT scan and to discuss with a nusrse the full impact of the surgery and to look at pictures of the likely outcome. I had a mastectomy on the left side 15 years ago with no reconstruction but have only had a lumpectomy on the right so far. There is an option to keep most of the skin on the right and just have the nipple removed and the breast tissue but then the two breasts will have different scars. I need to see what the nurse says but i think i will go for the symetry which may have a bit more scarring but they will both look and feel the same.

 

 I had a blood test today and brought up the fact i had a few sores in my mouth even though i am using the mouth wash. They got me to see the on call doctor and now i have a second mouth wash to use in addition to the first. I did mention the cough again but it seems to be taken as one of those things i need to deal with. Chemo will go ahead tomorrow as planned which is what i wanted anyway. Just want it all finished.

 

I do feel worse on the week i have the herceptin and perjeta but i have another week before the 4th and final infusion of those. Not sure what the side effects are of the following herceptin injections are but hopefully not so bad. I also have to have the ovary suppression injection of Zoledex which i had 15 years ago but due to the DIEP schedule it can’t go into the tummy. The reconstruction surgeon says it is only licensed to go in the tummy but it can go in the leg or above the belly button but approval is needed. Has anyone else had this?    

Hi Christine good luck for chemo tomorrow. I am injecting my blood thinners in my thigh although the bc nurse wanted them in my tummy due to my diep I said no and wanted it checked with plastics. Pharmacist had said thigh so we went with thigh. It’s quite a way from the surgery now and I spoke to breast reconstruction nurse today and I’m allowed to inject the next set of injections ( with docetaxel i need immune boosters) in my tummy but high up away from the incision. Sorry that doesn’t help you much except that maybe in the future you can change back to tummy. All these things get so complicated don’t they? My arm with the clot looks so weird and my port is totally bruised and so prominent but I just keep telling myself it’s all there to help me and the docs and nurses do deal with things pretty quick I guess. Watched people running around being very athletic on the tennis court. I ended up rearranging my furniture a little bit. Well good luck again for tomorrow I hope to have more energy tomorrow and get out a bit. Take care Gigi x

Hi has anyone noticed their teeth discolouring? I was brushing this morning and saw that the teeth at the back of my mouth, thankfully not visible (yet?) have brown all around the edges of them. Quite honestly they look revolting and this is not something I had before. Was wondering if anyone else has this problem?

Hi Michelle sorry not yet. You are a bit ahead of me so maybe that is to come. Hope you are having a good day x

How are people coping with constipatioñ? I have had it this time but want to avoid it next time. Its quite sore after going to the toilet. Thanks.

First chemo took nothing and was very bugged up. The bc nurse suggested that I took sennakot the night of chemo and that really worked only 2 nights and then did the same this week and no problem. Hope that helps x

Sorry Linda bunged not bugged

I was given Sennakot in with my post chemo drugs. I have been constipated each time on FEC so for this week’s one I took 2 on chemo night and 2 each night since. Will go down to one tomorrow.

I have the oposite effect on taxol and have already had to dash to the loo this afternoon. I was given immodium to take home after my first chemo but i haven’t taken it unless i have really needed to go out and it was really bad.

 

The chemo nurses also told me right at the start that if i had to go to A & E then as long as there was a nurse on the chemo ward then they would go down to A & E to use my port for a blood test. Hope that isn’t needed but it is good to know. They can also use the port for the contrast for the CT scan i will have next week but one of the nurses said today it will depend on the radiographer as some still like to use the arm.

 

Not feeling too bad at the moment as all the pre meds are still working. usually all kicks of sunday afternoon then Monday is a write off.

 

Gygi I think you should find the bruising will disappear farely quickly and so the raised skin doesn’t look so obvious. There are a few items of clothing i wouldn’t wear out but i am not too restricted   

Thanks Christine good to know about the port and the bruising. Been feeling a little low today hopefully will be more cheery tomorrow. Hope everyone has a sunny weekend x

Now my hair is very short at the top and short everywhere else I just wondered if I need to do anything different when using the cold cap?

Still sore today day 11 when going to the toilet but stopped Senna as was loose yesterday. Maybe I should have had taken 1 or 2 Senna last night. The nurse who does my puff line said you can take Senna every day as its so mild.

Linda that seems like a long time to be constipated, I was only constipated for the first few days on FEC. I took the odd Sennakot but also found eating tinned prunes helped.
Like you Christine I now have the opposite problem. I have taken immodium but not regularly. I feel like it is something I am going to have to put up with until the end of chemo. It is also a side effect of herceptin and Perjeta so we have triple whammy!
How are you feeling today Gigi? A bit better I hope. I consider myself a very oositive and get on with it type of person but I think we can all be forgiven for not always being ourselves considering what we are coping with right now. It is so tough sometimes, I find myself getting irritated with friends/family when they moan about trivial things, but of course I bite my tongue. I am trying to keep myself busy by planning Christmas and holidays for next year when we will all be over all of this.
Well it seems like it’s just me with the brown teeth! I will book an appointment for the dentist as soon as I’m through chemo.
Hope everyone is keeping well. X

Hi everyone thanks Michelle, yesterday Saturday slept the whole day and whole night. Was up about an hour in total! And that is after a whole week of half term at home doing nothing. Don’t know how I’m going to cope with work if this continues but today I’m up and not feeling too terrible. Will have to reassess the work situation if I can’t find energy will deal with that tomorrow and see how I go. Guess that is part of the reason I was feeling low. Watching Sunday Brunch now with a cup of tea wishing you all a sunny Sunday Gigix