Judy, sorry you’re still having the nausea. It’s so horrid isn’t it ?.
Thanks for the info on the heart scan. I think I’m having one too now.
I saw my NEW oncologist today, and have to say it was like seeing an actual oncologist for the very first time!!
She listened, asked me about S E’s, showed me what nails can get like on T by googling it with me!! And changed some of my drugs for last FEC tomorrow, plus so much more!
Asked me about when the bone protection IV had started, and was shocked that I hadn’t had any yet!
Asked about ‘when’ I was having my ECG for starting T, and again was really surprised I hadn’t had one, and filled in a request form for one straight away.
I hadn’t signed consent for T or herceptin either, or had info sheets, so again she was very surprised, and we did it all today.
So very very pleased with this oncologist. She also said that there had been a trial on a nail cream called polybalm, and recommended it for T. Said it is available online.
I feel I may have turned a corner now, and that I have expert help from an oncologist who wants to be one!!
So tomorrow’s chemo looms, but I feel more secure now.
I have just looked up Polybalm. It is quite expensive at £39.50 for a pack of 2 tubes, but that is deliberate, as they recommend one for your hands and the other for your feet to avoid cross infection.
I am am going to buy some, as I don’t think I would be able to cope with nails going funny as well as so much of the rest of me! The black nail varnish is also recommended by my oncologist too.
I just wanted to correct myself when I said about black nail varnish… I am going to check with the chemo nurses tomorrow that nail varnish can be used alongside Polybalm treatment.
My nausea is improving so fingers crossed this 3rd cycle could be the best one so far for ses
Hope your chemo goes ok today
Sounds like your new oncologist is very good, I’ve not heard of polybalm but had been told about dark nail polish
I’m seeing my oncologist the week after next to sign the consent forms presumably when the cardiac rest test is back
Georgie – so so pleased to hear about your new oncologist – what a difference! Thanks for the advice about polybalm, will be interested to hear about wearing dark nail varnish whilst using it. I shaved my hair very short, it is still patchy but I am sure more will fall out. I have kept some of my eyelashes and eyebrows so wondering when I will lose them…
Jude – I haven’t been asked to go for another heart test ahead of Herceptin/T but I did have a test prior to staring FEC. Seeing my Oncologist on Monday so will add it to my list of questions! Glad your nausea is improving, I hope my 3rd FEC cycle isn’t as bad as the first 2 either!
LaLa – hope you’re starting to feel better very soon.
Multitasker & Jo – sorry to hear you have been feeling low, I hope you start to perk up soon…I think it’s normal to have ups and downs so I think lets go with it and not beat ourselves up!
Hope your next cycle goes ok
My eyelashes are just starting to go now particularly the lower lashes but eyebrows are still intact at the moment
Might have to find a look good feel better course near me to work out how to manage my makeup!
had my final FEC today - glad it’s over! Now for the joys of S E’s ?..
I asked the nurses about the black nail varnish use with ppolybalm, since the hospital I go to took part in the trial. They said that as long as you start using polybalm straight away on starting T part of chemo, it should work well, applied 3 times a day, without using black varnish. One reason for this is that the varnish removers, which would presumably dry the nail out, would spoil the benefits of buying the polybalm, as over the 9 or 12 weeks on T, you would be bound to need to remove it from time to time?
However, I am also aware of so many people saying about black nail varnish being brilliant… without a mention of polybalm, possibly because the study and sale of it are quite recent.
I have included a link that I looked at. Hope it helps… after reading a great deal about the polybalm trial, I am going to give it a go. Even though it is £39 for two tubes (one for feet and one for hands to avoid cross infection), and should last the whole course, I figured that the nail varnish and remover over that period would possibly cost similar for 20 nails for 9 or 12 weeks…
I am going to post the info about this onto other recent monthly threads, to see whether anyone else has tried either method, especially polybalm, and I will report back. ?
Great that you have had your final EC and good luck with the SEs - I hope they are kind to you. Thanks for the info on Polybalm, I think I may give it a go too.
Hi Jude,
I went to a Look Good Feel Better session on Wednesday. The nearest one to me was about 45 mins away but well worth the travel. They go through a step by step process of removing and applying makeup, including eyebrows which I think make a huge difference to framing the face (I cheated and had microblading before I started chemo!). Plus you get a great goody bag of skincare and make up products - what’s not to love!
Glad you found the look good feeling better course useful - I’m going to contact my local one next week.
I wish I’d thought about the microblading prior to chemo as I’ve been told you can’t have it done when you are having chemo due to the risk of infection?
Yeah unfortunately you can’t have it done during chemotherapy. A lovely lady squeezed me in to her busy schedule when I told her about the time pressure, she had also been treated for breast cancer recently so completely understood…and she also gives a discount to her clients with cancer.
Let me know how you get on with LGFB, I’m sure you will enjoy it and they will show you how to do your eyebrows
Hope you are all ok & coping with the ses
Other than still feeling tired & very shaky, my ses have been minimal this cycle
I had my cardiac rest test today & should get my results next week when I see the oncologist. The technician/nurse who did the scanning said the test would be repeated every 2-3 months for the duration of, in my case herceptin?
Hi Ladies thanks for link to Polybalm and I’ve ordered some so see how it goes! Will report back. I feel like I’ve found somewhere I can share this c**p and not pretend I’m coping with it all!! I just keep losing the thread I’m following but perhaps that’s chemo brain. Love to all in this fight ???
Well it was a second time for me at A & E yesterday night.
temp climbing all day and eventually went in at 10.30pm (kept hoping it would settle)… you know what it’s like.
Got home at 2.30 after arm full of blood tests, antibiotics and fluids. Neutrophils ok but they did find a wee infection so have giant antibiotics to take.
I will be interested to see how you get on with your T cycle. Glad your side effects are better this time generally. The sooner all of this is over the better. Have you seen my posts on the polybalm cream?
Georgie – sorry to hear you’re having a rough time – hang in there!
Purplebarb – welcome to the August monthly thread – it is !definitely a great place for sharing and caring!
I’m having my third (and final) FEC cycle tomorrow so if my last two cycles are anything to go by I am in for a grim week….I will expect the worse and hope for the best!
Georgie - yes I’ve seen your info in the polybalm but am dithering a bit. I’d just had shellac on my nails (the day before you posted) & as they are not growing I’m hoping they will keep for 3-4 weeks & then I’ll have them done again. So may not be worth getting the polybalm…
Not looking forward to the T & herceptin & lije you can’t wait to get through it
Saw the radiotherapy consultant yesterday, rads will start on either Friday 30th nov or Monday 3rd dec - either way finished by 21st dec. Rads planning day 16th nov as they need 2 weeks prior to start date? Obviously dates based on no infection / delay with chemo
If I can get finished before Christmas I will be made up!
Cat- good luck with the chemo tomorrow, hope you cope with the ses ok. Are you then going onto T?
Neutropenic sepsis has returned. Neutrophils score is 0.3. Just posted more on June thread… so sick of this and am on a ward of 6 old ladies who shout…
Don’t know what to say Georgie, you are having a really shocking time of it
Just read through the June thread, I’m not sure I’d want to have T if I was you but maybe you need to talk to your oncologist & assess all the pros & cons & the herceptin impact
Hope they don’t keep you in too long & you start to feel better soon - thinking of you
Jude x
