@elle16 how awful for you, hope they sort you out really quickly. Hugs 
xx
1 Like
@pollyanna1 I was told to wear factor 50 even when itās cloudy, and I have a baseball cap with SPF in it, and I donāt have much of me on show! I am wearing short sleeved t-shirts, but long trousers. My body doesnāt actually like being out in direct sunshine, which is not normal for me x
3 Likes
So sorry to hear this @elle16 - but relieved you are getting treatment. What a nightmare docetaxel has been! Iām currently feeling quite unwell so just monitoring temps and symptoms to see how I go. Hope you are able to get home soon 
2 Likes
Getting quite nervous about starting Doxecetal in Thursday with what you are all suffering 
1 Like
Thank you, oncology nurse just been to see me, took some more blood hopefuly they will be better, she said my wbc should be 7 and itās 50 
she will speak to oncologist and they will review my injections, she said I can go home once Iāve had a brain scan and they are confident I can take oral antibiotics , still no beds on a ward, xx
2 Likes
š©·@gromit12 Iām starting it on 14th and feeling apprehensive tooā¦. I really feel for everyone suffering so much!
Just try to remember that the extent of side effects can vary so much from person to person and weāll just need to see whatās what with ourselves and phone for help asap if something isnāt feeling rightš
My cancer book is quite set on when Iāve to phone (and some things feel a bit pre-emptive on the list as a just in case) but Iāll be doing it and seeking advice after seeing all the issues and potential crossover with side effects and being ill!
4 Likes
Iām home 
brain scan not needed in the end Iāve showed positive for ecoli so that on top of the reaction to the injections are what made me so ill, stopped being sick so can take the antibiotics at home and they said I need to make an appointment with my oncologist for this week,
Just glad to be home 
6 Likes
@belle1 I agree, and I try not to pre-empt side effects until.they happen, and they might not. Iāve been v lucky up to now. I have just stocked up on omeprazole and gaviscon, as my team donāt seem to be too forthcoming with medication!! 
2 Likes
Iām not surprised you were so ill @elle16 - ecoli when youāre immunosuppressed is a disaster! Glad to hear youāre back home now and on the road to recovery x
3 Likes
Oh my goodness @elle16. Iām so sorry this happened. E-coli on a good day is hell on earth, let alone in your nadir. Iām so pleased youāre home and able to take antibiotics there.
Us lot are like an anti-advertisement for Docetaxel!!!
Not to harp on but kefir for e-coli is phenomenal. Our results with the pigs were included in the DEFRA study specifically for the prevention of e-coli bloom in the gut. It really helps counter the effects. You probably donāt feel like eating much but maybe when youāre better.
I feel like we basically need to cancel all expectations until mid-July. Iām not even frustrated anymore about achieving nothing because my brain canāt even be arsed to argue with my body anymore!
Sleep well darling and eat what you can and keep your strength up. Weirdly, Iāve ignored the āno spiceā advice and am enjoying eating any meal with chilli in it and itās working.
Weirdly, I also just had bloods but with sky high neutrophils and no one seems able to tell me why they jumped up 10 points in 24 hours without any G-CSF stimulation. I think they really hate me always wanting to understand everything. X
3 Likes
@swk1981 i did start the beginning of the week with kefir but then stopped, will look at trying it again in a few days , my neutrophils were 60 and they said that was way too high, god knows how I picked up e-coli 
just unlucky I think, they said mine showed as an upper respiratory infection which is why it was in my head and face, Iām just glad to be home and going to take some time to feel better rather than rushing through the days trying to get to the next one . On a positive note Iām hoping my next one might be better as they think the stimulation from the injections has really effected me and will now be reviewed, and yes I agree with @belle1 everyone will be different and Iāve heard a lot of positive experiences with docetaxel, think a few of us have just been unlucky but next time could be so much more positive and I will share that too, hereās hoping for an uneventful next few days and good health to us all š©·
4 Likes
My Dad said to me āWell the 2nd dose should feel a million times easier since youāve managed to make this one as bad as humanly possible!ā Heās not wrong. I remember feeling like I wouldnāt be able to do EC again after the first one. And it got easier each time. I think the not knowing whatās normal and it being so different for every person is what makes it so very hard. Thereās just no ānormalā. Throw in the fear of a āsilent killerā like neutropenia and itās no wonder this is so hard.
Hollywood really didnāt paint this chemo malarkey very accurately! Bloody liars! X
6 Likes
Morning everyone, so sorry Iāve been a bit quiet this weekend.
@swk1981 im so happy you are back home and I hope that youāve had a good sleep in your own bed, it makes such a difference! Iām really hoping your neutrophils are getting back on track. You need to be really kind to yourselves this week and that means no saying Iām fine! Lean in to low expectations and just get stronger.
@elle16 cant believe on top of everything else you have Ecoli you poor thing, thatās not going to be nice for anyone let alone someone going through chemo! Like I said to @swk1981 I hope now your home you can start to turn a corner.
My weekend whilst no where near as bad as yours as been pretty stressful. As you know Iām diabetic and steroids are so hard to handle as they inflate your sugar levels in a crazy way. Iām an extremely well controlled diabetic and have a sensor so my phone tells me when my sugars rising. On a non steroid day I usually take 4-5 injections a day on Saturday I took 26.
Then yesterday I took too many so ended up having hypos during the day and night urgh! Itās just so hard to manage as you canāt just count carbs as itās medically induced so the science and usual calculations donāt work.
I know this is only temporary so no more medical help needed Iām just having a rant as Iām in my comedown from steroids day today so Iām feeling sleep deprived and a little bit fed up!
On a positive note my sugars will level out now!
I also feel bad that Iām moaning when everyone else has had some really serious stuff going on.
My sons Has 2 A levels this week and I know everyone else is contending with exams too, I just hope he gets his grades for university.
@gromit12 you are an inspiration, I donāt know how you do it! Congratulations and a big hug to you!
Sorry for my moan and hereās to a much brighter, better week.
Helen x
4 Likes
Thanks for the advice @pollyanna1 i bought one this weekend on Amazon it arrived yesterday and definitely helps!
2 Likes
@hc1973 - sounds as though youāve had an awful weekend! Really hope things ease off for you now that youāre off the steroids
Iāve just phoned the helpline as Iām on day 5 of awful diarrhoea. The stomach cramps have been so painful that Iām struggling to sleep. Iāve got to take Imodium to try and ease the cramps etc and dioralyte to rehydrate. They donāt think itās an infection as my temps are OK and thereās no vomiting. Iāve got to drop off a stool sample just so they can be certain though!
Iām hoping that I can pre-empt all of this next time around and that it will be easier.
Hope everyone is doing OK XX
3 Likes
@ivy-cat oh thatās horrid poor you, I hope they get to the bottom of it soon. I think that as most of us are at the half way point in our treatment this is where it gets harder as our bodies really are fighting the poison from the chemo.
Itās so easy to forget whatās actually being done to our bodies, half the time Iām in denial and my mantra is always Iām fine!
My friend even bought me a bag the other day that said āIām fine, everythingās fineā
Hang in there @ivy-cat xxx
2 Likes
@hc1973 Just like this? 
Itās so hard to ask for help or adjustments sometimes. Iām just trying to put my head down and push through to the end of chemo. Iāve just been working full time, napping when I can and saving my A&E visits for after work/weekends. My body is kinda cooperating with me in that respect as it seems to save the worst side effects for outside of working hours strangely enough.
5 Likes
@kartoffel all credit to you for continuing to work full time. Take those periods of downtime when you can. Hugs. Laura x
1 Like
Omg, what a time youāre having, but so glad all is ok - take care xx
1 Like