AUGUST '17 Chemo Starters

Glad yesterday went well Sib, such a long day though.
Day 3 and I’m feeling tired with very little energy today. Having a lazy sofa day hoping it will pass soon. Hot sweats have arrived over the last couple of weeks so seems the menopausal symptoms are kicking in too.
Hope all August ladies are having a good weekend xx

Hi all,
Sib - glad you are doing better in the weekly treatments. You won’t be far behind everyone finishing and it will be a smoother ride for you.

Ali - I’ve been having the evening and night hot sweats followed by chills since round 3. I’m 39 so the menopause is a bit of a shock! Apparently we won’t know till 6 months after chemo whether it’s permanent or not.
Other ladies talk about cold pillows(chillows), ladycare magnet, evening primrose oil daily, and eating more soya and exercising more helping reduce the sweats. I think the interrupted sleep is the worst part.

Off for a day out with the kids, and a pub roast dinner. Making true most of my good week before chemo 5 on Thursday,

Cx

Hi Cathysid. I’m 48 and was pre menopausal before diagnosis so I think it’s probably permanent for me. I’ve got a chillow and it just heats up lol. I was taking evening primrose oil before this and will probably start again. Lady care magnet is next on my list as is exercising when I have some energy.

I hope you had a good day today and that all goes well on Thursday xx

Morning Ladies

 

Ali, great you’ve had your last Chemo - those words sound so good! Hope you’re doing OK and good that you’ve got a date now for your surgery.  Whose next to finish - Fairy and HelenP, your last ones must be soon? 

 

Sib, glad you’ve got through your next round OK, such a long day for you, hopefully the weekly treatments are easier for you to tolerate.  Like you, I realised my last Chemo was originally planned for today and that’s a bit hard to take, but much better to have the drugs safely even if it’s over a longer time - what’s a few more weeks in the scheme of things?  When’s your last one Sib? Mine’s the end of Dec, I think just after you’ll be finished.

 

I’m Day 7 of the 2nd docetaxel and those dreaded joint and bone pains hit over the weekend as I expected - almost forgetten how horrible they are from the last round. Just riding it out and telling myself that the pains mean the drugs are doing what they should be.   Keep feeling so emotional and down, I don’t know if that’s another effect of this drug - but it feels a bit like this is never-ending at the moment, realised that I’ll have had treatment for nearly a year by the time it finishes - diagnosed in March and 4 lots of surgery to eventually remove the tumour, 5 months of Chemo then Radiotherapy.  Hopefully I’ll be feeling more positive soon, just need to remember that it’s whatever it takes to get well again and that’s the most important thing.  We’re all strong, Ladies, going through this and we just have to keep going!

 

Hope Chemo goes OK on Thursday Cathysid and for anyone having another round soon…  Big hugs to all August Ladies xxx

Hi MaryKate, my last chemo is scheduled for 15th December. So far weekly is much kinder on me and the SEs are so.much more bearable, just hoping it continues as they have warned me SEs are cumulative and they werent sure my body would tolerate the full 6 doses of paclitaxel, so fingers crossed.
I too get quite down , the treatment takes its toll mentally and physically , but like you as long ng as it works it will be worth it.
Hang in ladies, we are getting there. Xxx

Hi Sib, Mary-Kate and Ali…
I too have felt very down and weepy more so on docetaxel than Fec…im struggling to focus on much and find any motivation…
I’m on day 16 today and apart from tiredness (keep waking at 6am and cant get back to sleep!!! grrr) I’m feeling ok …
My last chemo is monday 27th and after having seen oncologist yesterday, she is giving me the reduced dose still, which made a huge difference last chemo…!! It has been a long road so far and by the time I get radiotherapy in January it will have been a very long 8 months…!!!
Sib glad your managing better now…
Mary-Kate not long till your finished… Ali hope your side effects are kind to you.!! Fairy and Helen not long to go… hope everybody is good. Hugs. Xx

Hello ladies. Not been the ideal end to chemo. Currently on the assessment ward with temperature, cough and cold. Waiting on bloods but looks like I’m being admitted. Pretty fed up at the moment. Hope all you ladies are doing better xx

Awww Ali…hope they get you sorted soon…not the way to end your last chemo…but if not well, your in the best place…good luck, you will be home soon enough…big hugs xx

Oh Ali, not what you want after your last Chemo, not surprised you’re feeling fed up… But you’re in the right place - hope they’re looking after you and you’re well enough to come home soon. Hugs xxx

Ali on my last one 5 days in got an ear infection I’m post 21days now it’s great knowing tomorrow I’m not going for chemo x keep your chin up x

So sorry to hear your unwell Ali, hooe they sort you soon and you get home fit and well.
My chemo nurses keep reminding me that i wont wake up day after last chemo being fully fit and well again, that it takes time and your immune system is still compromised
Love and hugs to you all. Xx

Hello again ladies. Thanks for all the good wishes. I’ve finally just got home from the hospital. Again I seem to have had a non specific infection so have had antibiotics and fluids and have been sent home with more antibiotics. It feels like a cold/cough but also like I’d been hit by a bus. I’m feeling a little better today thankfully. I’m not neutrophic although there is still a chance I might become so unfortunately. Still now I’m home resting. I hope all of you ladies are doing ok xx

So glad you are home Ali. Hope you improve quickly. X

Sib…glad your out of hospital…you take care and hope your feeling back to normal very soon…
Cathysid and Butterfly…hope all goes well for your chemos today…hugs. Sue x

Ali, glad you’re out of hospital, hope you feel better soon, just think every day you’ll start to come out of this horrible haze and will be able to do more ‘normal’ things as each day starts.  

I was admitted overnight on Saturday night for the same thing, they did bloods and my neutrophil count was good so they sent me home and said my white cells were good enough to fight the infection without antibiotics so that was a relief.  Good to know my blood count has sufficiently recovered the weekend before the next chemo at least !   No sleep at all though in hosp as the IV machine kept me awake all night, took me til Monday to catch up.

Am having the last chemo on Monday and still feel a bit ‘chemically’, can’t wait to get it done, then I start radiotherapy on 19th December.  I was offered a break til the New Year but I just want it all done asap, have been offered an extra ‘bonus’ week of radiotherapy so will have 4 weeks instead of 3 weeks now, I’ll take all the treatment I’m offered…I want to throw everything at this disease!

I’m so buoyed by you all, we should be really proud of ourselves.  Even though outwardly we may look like graceful swans to others, we all know how much we’re kicking those legs below the surface!  We’re all within weeks of starting the next chapter so lets pat ourselves on the back for keeping our chins up in between the setbacks and humps in the road, we’re all the stronger for it.

One day at a time ladies. xx

 

Ladies, well done and Helen I agree when you look at we have to fave…we are wonder women!!!
I stsrted on 4th Sept so I look on this thread a lot when Im not working and I admire you all.
My next Dovetaxol and Herceptin is in 6 days so I’m hoping to work and chillax when I can.
To the ladies on their last one, it may take a while to sink in that you have finished your chemo but then realise theres maybe still ops and rads (me) but at least we are halfway there. Im not sure if its sunk in about any of this yet, hoping I dont have a big meltdown at some stagexxx

Well 3rd weekky paclitaxel and had a allergic reaction again!! (Whent purple couldnt breathe) wonderful staff got me stabilsed really quickly but chemo halted . A meeting of my team is needed before they decided on where we go from here and treatment going forward upset and disappointed no end in sight.

Sorry to hear that sib. So frustrating for you. Your body seems to really dislike these taxol drugs. Hope your new plan is put inplace soon, and you are feeling ok xxx

So sorry to hear that Sib, how disappointing for you, not to mention quite frightening for you having an allergic reaction like that. Sounds like you’ve got a good team around you - hope they work out what’s the best thing for you now.
Ali - hope you’re starting to feel better now. And hope treatment has gone well for those having it this week. HelenP - I love your swan analogy, made me smile - although I can’t say I’m looking or feeling graceful at the moment!
Hoping you all have restful weekends, looking after yourselves. Hugs xxx

Sorry to hear that Sib. I’m glad they got you stabalised quickly. I hope they get a new plan in place for you soon.

Cathysid, Butterfly I hope you are doing ok after your latest rounds xx