Quick question SueC…flu jabs, when in the chemo cycle do they recommend we have one? Need to book the whole family in apart from me! Our surgery gets booked up so quickly.
Hi Ladies
Hope you’re all doing OK after your latest rounds of Chemo and not suffering not badly from the side effects. I’m now Day 9 after the second round and recovering from the ‘chemical hangover’ and finally the dizziness is going. Suffering more with fatigue this time round but probably because I keep overdoing it, so just trying to rest as much as possible.
Interesting about not taking paracetamol in case it lowers your temperature - the nurses said it was fine to take it, and I have been taking it for headaches, but I’m thinking I should maybe take ibuprofen instead…
Helen - I asked the Chemo nurses last week about having a flu jab as I was told I should have one in Sept - they told me the best time for it to be the most effective is the day before treatment or the day after. Not sure if that’s the advice other people have been given?? I’ve also been told to book in all my family, just in case…
Good luck with your Cycle 3, Sib - you’re nearly half way through! And to anyone else who has treatment this week.
Hugs to you all and keep strong, we’re getting there… xx
Thanks MaryKate amd SueC, it makes to get a flu jab right before a new cycle, will put it on my ‘to do’ list…I need stuff to do, feeling seriously lonely and at a loose end now my kids are back in school and college!
MaryKate- I’m told I can take paracetamol any time as long as I take my temp first to make sure it doesn’t mask an underlying infection. I’ve done it a couple of times this week for a headache.
Hi ladies. Glad we all seem to be doing ok.
I’ve just been told that my bloods are fine so will be having my third cycle on Thursday.
I’ve been wondering about the flu jab as well but forgot to ask. I’ll ask the nurses on Thursday.
Sib, I’m having problems with the vein in my chemo arm as well. I’ve just mentioned it to the team and they said to put heat on it whenever you are sat down and to mention it at the session to see if they can use a different vein and make sure they use a heat pad.
Good luck for tomorrow Sib and to all the other ladies having treatment this week xx
Morning August ladies…glad to hear most of you are getting to your better weeks or just about to have chemo 3. Good luck Sib and Ali this week and Mary Kate at the weekend…
Well I’m day 9 today and have had a rough 5 days…when they say in booklets and leaflets you wont get all the side effects…well I appear to get them all !!! I’m going to mention this to my oncologist next Monday, wonder if they can reduce the dose a little as I’ve lost a stone since I started chemo a month ago and I’m sure my dose feels high because of my previous body mass index… This one has been pretty much the same as first one. So hopefully I’m on the turn for the better week… I also have pain , stiffness and swelling around my elbow and towards the wrist… the veins are very sore…!! The first time the nurse put a heated pad on my arm and the cannula went in no problems and no discomfort or pain after…last Monday because they were so busy and rushed off there feet, I didn’t get the heat pad and after two attempts to get needle in if finally went in but was sore and has been for 5 days now… I’m in agony when I try and bend elbow or lift…hope its not a blood clot…!! Will try hot water bottle today along with ibuprofen gel…it just seems to be one thing after another… !!!
Fairy hows your hair doing ?..I’ve lost half if it after cold capping…but have a very thin covering on crown and top of my head but a decent covering at back and fringe… definitely feel the cap didn’t touch top of head first time and if it had been dampened first it may have alleviated the slight thinning on top of my head…!! Too late now tho…if you didn’t know me you would just think I have thin fine hair .I’m now just washing it once a week… I can put a thin scarf over thinning part to cover it…but I havnt been out all week because of side effects…!! So havnt tried it yet… does your hair keep shedding every cycle? Mine still sheds a little but not as bad as day 19/20 on first cycle… but if I have any more major shedding, I will have not much left…!!! Good luck and big hugs to you all xx
Hello ladies. I’m currently on day 5 after cycle 2. Been in bed since Sunday with no energy whatsoever and getting ectopic heartbeats every time I eat and drink and try and move about. Anyone else get these? They are not very nice but I have mentioned them to my chemo nurse. Fatigue has really hit hard this time, I’m hoping I will be up and about again shortly. I shaved my head on day 14 of the first cycle as I couldn’t cope with it falling out and covering my brush every morning. I had long hair but it doesn’t look too bad, I still have a bit of hair on top! Hope you are all doing ok ladies, one step at a time eh?! Xx
Hi Sue…yes I do get weighed…but my last oncologist appointment was a week after 1st chemo (as she went on holiday the week I should of seen her…!!) So since then I’ve lost just under a stone in weight ( in 3 weeks) due to not being able to eat much and anxiety… hopefully she may alter my dose a little as I’m struggling with so many side effects…xx. thanks
Doesn’t sound like a very good system! I got weighed and bloods taken, 2 days before chemo. Talk to them about nausea as there are other things that they can try.
Take it easy and don’t beat yourself up. You will get through this xx
Sue…my oncologist appointment is usually a week ahead of chemo day where they check my weight and checks meds…my hospital is 40 minutes from where I live, so my bloods are done at my doctors… although I’ve hit oncologists on holiday , staff shortages and appointments all out of order…annoying… x
Hi ladies.
I am having 6 cycles -3 x fec then 3x t. Had first cycle 11th August, followed by 2nd cycle on 1st Sept. I can stand blood and guts no problem but absolutely hate sickness. Needless to say, the nausea is my biggest problem. First cycle made me very sickly for about 6 days before I started to improve. Hair started falling around 17. Had signed up for Macmillan Brave the Shave but ended up having to have it shaved off a week earlier. Up to yet, raised around £700. Second cycle, sickness lasted round 8 days. Feeling much better now. Just hoping that the nausea doesn’t last longer each time.
I have bloods taken the day before I am due the chemo by the district nurse. She comes round every Thursday to flush and change my picc. Round 3 due on 22nd…I will be half way through then. Should finish in time for Christmas but then having radiotherapy afterwards (probably in January-lovely birthday present, eh?).
Looking forward to my ‘good week’ now… x
hi all hope everyone is coping. Day 8 and still in my pyjamas but starting to eat a bit better and the dreaded constipation seems to have resolved. I now find myself obsessing over the size of my lump and I’m convinced after 2 cycles it’s bigger not smaller. Having all this time to dwell and worry is no good I need to find my positive pants again xx
Melly I had palpitations after this cycle they seem to have subsided now. x
((hugs everyone)) x
Hi ladies.
I hope you don’t mind me jumping on this thread as I had first chemo on Sept 4th but the posts on here help me tremendously.
Just want to say well done to you brave ladies and I will be noting down all the useful information towards my next chemo on Sept 27th.
Lots of love.xxx
3rd fec chemo done today, after more bloods as ones taken on Monday were to low, however this lot of bloods were good enough for chemo to go ahead so in words of Jon Bon Jovi , I’m half way there and livin on a prayer!!!
Further oncology appointment and heart scan appointments before next chemo (dotaxel) and herceptin. Next chemo appointment is 7 hours as they need to monitor for reaction.
Hope we are all keeping well and staying positive. Xxx
Yep Sue, everyone kept saying your half way there and as a Bon Jovi fan the words of living on a prayer sprung to mind and made me smile! We need to keep our humour where we can don’t we. X
Hi ladies
That made me smile Sib and Sue (and we all need some of that!) - I will think of Bon Jovi, half way there and living on a prayer when I have my next treatment! Hope you’re doing OK after this round Sib and great you’ve reached the first big milestone!
I’m feeling much better this week, finding it quite hard to rest and take it easy with husband’s 50th birthday celebrations, Uni visits for one son and organising another son returning to Uni - life goes on doesn’t it??
Hope you’re feeling a bit better Sue58, sounds like you’ve been having a rough time. And Fairy, Cathie, Butterfly, Claire, HelenP, Cookie and everyone else, hope you’re coping as well as can be. Butterfly - hope your PICC line is settling down now and feeling better. I’ve got used to mine now, had it in for nearly 6 weeks now and you do get used to the routine of the weekly line cleans and flushes, just all part of the process.
Hi MAHJfam20 - well done on raising all that money for Macmillan! Good luck for your third round - I’m right behind you - third one on 23rd, just hoping my bloods are OK this time for it to go ahead…
Hi Mellylew - I’ve also been more fatigued after my second round, more so than the first treatment. And also have palpitations, but have an ecoptic heartbeat anyway so my Oncologist only wanted me to have EC not FEC as he mentioned that a side effect of the ‘F’ drug can be palpitations and didn’t want me to have more… So your’s could be a SE, they’re a bit uncomfortable but hopefully shouldn’t be anything more…
And hello to CK, glad that our posts are helpful to you too, hope you’re doing OK after your first round.
Good luck for tomorrow Ali, glad that your bloods are ok, nearly half-way for you too!
Hugs to all and sleep well xx
Still awake and feeling nauseous but not been sick. If only i could sleep I’m sure I would feel better. Eating plain cream cracker and drinking tea. X
Morning ladies
That made me smile Sib and Sue (and we all need some of that!) - I will think of Bon Jovi, ‘half way there and living on a prayer’ when I have my next treatment! Hope you’re feeling well soon, Sib - I found the insomnia from the steroids and lack of sleep really tough. Just keep thinking of the big half-way milestone that you’ve reached!
I’m feeling much better this week, just very fatigued at times, finding it quite hard to rest and take it easy with husband’s 50th birthday celebrations, Uni visits for one son and organising another son returning to Uni – ‘normal’ life goes on doesn’t it, whatever that is now?
Hope you’re feeling a bit better Sue58, sounds like you’ve been having a rough time. And Fairy, Cathie, Butterfly, Claire, HelenP, Cookie and everyone else, hope you’re coping as well as can be. Butterfly - hope your PICC line is settling down now and feeling better. I’ve just about got used to mine now, had it in for nearly 6 weeks now, gets in the way a bit but you do get used to the routine of the weekly cleans and line flushes, just all part of the process.
Hi MAHJfarn20 - well done on raising all that money for Macmillan with your head shave! Good luck for your third round - I’m a day behind you with my third one on Sat 23rd, just hoping my bloods are OK this time for it to go ahead without another delay…
Hi Mellylew - I’ve also been more fatigued after my second round, much more so than the first treatment. And also have palpitations, but have an ecoptic heartbeat anyway so my Oncologist only wanted me to have EC not FEC, as he mentioned that a side effect of the ‘F’ drug can be palpitations and didn’t want me to have more than I have already… So yours could be a SE, they’re a bit uncomfortable but hopefully shouldn’t be anything more…
And hello to CK, glad that our posts are helpful, hope you’re doing OK after your first round.
Best of luck for today Ali, glad that your bloods are ok, nearly half-way for you too!
Hugs to August Chemo Ladies and keep well xx
Good after Mary Kate
Thank you for the mention! How on earth do you remember everybody? I can’t even remember what thread I’ve commented on:0
You too must try to rest with all the extra everyday life things happening. My daughter moves in to Uni again next week but only in York so she will be able to visit me more often through my treatment. I had a big 50th last year and raised £20,000 for local charities. This year had to put on hold.
Hope you ladies all have manageable days.xxx
hi all just checkin in, i find after this 2nd lot im more fatigued than the 1st one but over the worse by about day 7… switching to thp next round and dreading it… i have had a terrible uti and cystitus and sore throat this time but luckily no temp. a epsom salt bath helps… my hair is mostly gone now and my wig went to big as my hair thinned luckily the lovely lady at the shop exchanged it free of charge to a different one and it looks much better… just think by the time the x factor winner is crowned this shd all be over for us and we can enjoy xmas with our families. as im her 2 + i will then have surgery i wud think in the new yr but thats not fazing me as i cant see anything being much worse than chemo xx
Morning Mary Kate and all August ladies…
Yes, I have found that side effects on chemo 2 kicked in a few days earlier than 1st one…by day 7 I felt better but only had 5/6 days of nausea.queasyness and fatigue and generally feeling blah… I think the fact you don’t sleep well with the steroids for the first week does not help as although you finish them on day 4, they have an afterlife which stays in your system for a few days more…I’ve felt run down and have a constant shake in my body and when you put that with motion sickness ,which I get…its not pleasant…!! But I’m feeling much better since monday…a slow improvement everyday… it just seems to be one thing after another… grrrr
I’m noticing that a lot of people are getting pain from the injections,
especially the 7th or last one…this happened to me also on 1st chemo and I nearly called for an ambulance. Migraine headache and strong spasms and achy pain everywhere…but it did ease after an hour or so…I mentioned this to my oncologist and the fact I’m not brilliant with needles and she put me on the one injection which is a slow release rather than the 7 and it has been so much better, one injection and all done for that session and you don’t get the belly/ stomach ache as before…
Sib I love the ’ I’m half way there and living on a prayer ’ that is so appropriate to us all as we near the middle of this tough part of our chemo journey…
Fairy, I had to call at my doctor yesterday to check out my sore veins ,which were caused by irritation of the chemotherapy she thinks…and I told her that I was using paxman cold cap and that I had lost a lot of hair on the top and crown but retained a thinner covering everywhere else , I said I wasn’t sure if it counted as a fail or not and she said she had never met any patient who has cold capped to have any success…!!! They have all lost too much hair…!! My wig is now out if its box getting an airing just incase what I have left deserts me before chemo 3. …lol. I’m still venturing out without scarf, wig or hat so far ( although not going out much yet lol) hopefully soon… I’m certainly feeling the cold winds on top of my head…lol
Hope all goes well today Ali and for you Mary Kate on Saturday for chemo 3
…and hope your Ok Sib After yesterday
Its reassuring to know we are all going through this tough time in our lives together , It certainly helps me through it ’ when the going gets tough '…!! (Another song I believe.lol.) thank you your all amazing ladies. Love and hugs to you all xx