Christ the scaredy cat is going first!! Just not looking forward to the length of time. 6 hours!! Son has been busy downloading stuff onto iPad for me. I’ll keep you updated x
Oh Mooney what rotten luck. Hopefully they have you on some fluids and you’ll start to feel better soon. If it’s any consolation when I had to delay one of my cycles the onc told me a delay of even up to a few weeks is neither here nor there in the grand scheme of things. Far better to be strong and recovered and have your body ready for it.
Scotty - good luck with the T will be thinking of you!!
And Ali hope EC goes well today - last one for you woohoo!!!
Blue thanks for asking about ankle - its getting better but still using a walking stick if out. With my turban it’s quite a look ?
Egg x
Scotty you have shown your not a scaredy cat.You can do anything! Lots of luck. x
Hi Ladies
Just been reading the thread…Mooney you poor thing, i really hope you to start to recover soon, it is so hard trying to avoid all the bugs at this time of year. I was sleeping in the spare room last week to avoid my OH’s nasty cold and touch wood i seems to have worked. i imagine it is very frustrating and disappointing to have treatment delayed as we all just want it finished but stay strong and sending you lots of love.
Good luck Scotty and everyone else who has treatments this week. Will be thinking of you all.
Ebin - i thought i was top of the shop for number of injections on 7! But 10 is very impressive. I also have to get my OH to give them to me…something he seems to enjoy in a strange way!
Yesterday was a beautiful sunny Spring day here so i went for a 4 mile walk in the countryside with my OH folowed by a tasty pub lunch. It was such a lovely day and for the first time since the start of this journey I felt really happy and positive and could look beyond the BC. It really was the opposite to how i was feeling last week lieing on the sofa recovering for FEC 3. i wish we could bottle up that feeling and use it as medicine to get us through the tough times!
Anyway, my thoughts are with you all.
love nicky xxx
Hello. Never used a forum before and not sure what I’m doing tbh. I have had 1 round of chemo Fec part of Fec T and it’s been way worse than I expected. Really worried that I am not going to be brace enough to have the next lot in just over a week I have a kidney infection at the mo and antibiotics making me feel sick
Lou was your 1st cycle the worst?
Ok everyone first report from the scouting party. I’ve had my first Tax! More about that later.
But first I want to say, poor you Mooney my erstwhile chemo buddy. You really have had a tough time. I’m thinking of you all the time and wishing you well. Keep us updated.
And Gaynor welcome to the thread. Although you are enquiring about first cycles so you will have to scroll right back to the start of this thread if you can bear to as we all had our first doses of the well named FEC in January. You may want to follow the February or March starters threads as well depending when you started, as then you will all be going through the cycles together and you can share first hand info.
Well I was sent to venous access (the pop star) this morning as my veins are in such bad shape after three cycles of FEC. But even with the ultrasound they couldn’t find a decent vein. I’m beginning to think our bodies or at least our veins are just not designed for chemo. Anyway they inserted a PICC line. So that’s me. I’ve joined the PICC club. It means at least all the doses of Tax are sorted now. No more cannulas.
The ladies on the unit with me just now were having the usual terrible time getting cannulated so I’m quite relieved it’s all sorted.
On to the Tax. Well I only had it this morning so too early to comment on side effects. Feeling normal at the moment. I think the steroids help with energy levels. Usual steroid induced insomnia last night though - I started steroids yesterday.
Earlier this week I was feeling anxious depressed and tearful about it all but am back on an even keel now. I think.
I’ve been sent home with a massive pack of medications and dressings. I start my GCSF injections on Friday. District nurse coming to look at PICC line tomorrow apparently. It all feels rather complicated.
Glad you are all keeping your spirits up and managing to do some normal activities.
Good luck to rest of scouting party and others having treatment at whatever stage this week.
Hugs to all the teddies. This one is more bald than moth eaten these days. R x
Gaynor just to reassure you. My first FEC was terrible. Much worse than 2 or 3. But I asked for stronger anti sickness drugs after first one and was given Emend. Do tell your team what you’re going through. I’m sorry to hear you’ve got an infection too as that obviously isn’t helping. R x
Well done Robin! Glad you’ve gone first. Welcome to the PICC club I’ve had mine since the beginning and have never had a problem with it. It feels a bit odd at first but it’s amazing how quickly you get used to it. I bought an attractive blue plastic sleeve from Superdrug to cover it when in the shower. Makes life easier. I have the g-csf jabs. I’m needle phobic and cope with them so they can’t be that bad! OH does them and they don’t hurt. You can get achy bones as a SE and some people swear by taking Claritin - the hayfever tablet. If you come across any good tips fromthe T part let us know! Are you having herceptin too? Sorry can’t remember
Well done Robin chemo buddy and now scout for Tax. We wait to hear your report.Little things please us don’t they. I was in a room yesterday without a window and a friend bought a little pot of daffodils. It really cheered me up and brightened the room. Anyway today changed wards and have a window Yeay! But was told my little daffodil plant was an infection control hazard and would have to go!
Those times when you feel normal you want to bottle them up to see you through the dark days. Walks and pub lunches are wonderful episodes of normality to keep us going through duvet days of grot and homes under the hammer!
As am in side room with only exorbitant WiFi I don’t see many people and have too much time on my hands. Plus my husband has threatened to confine me to barracks when I get home as he thinks I do too much in my good week.Sigh.x
And don’t start me on hospital food who wants Boston beans or beef stew when you feel sick? yuk.
Right moan over- sorry all, just don’t know when I am going to get out of here it’s like being in prison.
love and hugs to all
Mooneyxx
PS Jackie- what a star. Baring all for international women’s day and all of us ?⛤
Mooney I do feel for you. Get as much rest as you can and maybe use this enforced prison time to catch up on all the books you want to read. Please don’t feel lonely. We are all there with you.
Jackie, the Spanish sun sounds a great tonic and well done for baring all. Well nearly all, you know what I mean.
Well, still no side effects but I imagine that’s the steroids warding them off. I will pay for that with insomnia later. The steroid crash might reveal a different story. All I can say is I have no nausea and am eating normally so Tax is already one hundred per cent better than FEC in my opinion. I just dont feel like I’ve been ‘chemo’ed today which is something I never would have said on a FEC day. But it’s early days of course so I won’t get complacent. Will be interested to hear others’ experience as we continue this march. I still view us as an army marching together. Appropriate for international women’s day maybe.
I finished reading Tea and Chemo today. It’s very good, I recommend it.
Oh and thanks for your congratulations but I don’t think I deserve them! All I did today was passively let the nurses insert a PICC line and drugs into me!
Sleep well all. R x
Oh - one thing I forgot to mention to all you new Tax-ers.
I may be completely different but I find that the Tax lulls me into a false sense of security.
I may be fine for a few days after the infusion, but then on day 4 or 5, something really poleaxes me.
My biggest and ongoing gripe is the fatigue.
It’s ever present.
I’m retired so I can just rest away to my heart’s content.
You younger girls may not be affected in the same way of course.
Whatever - we will all get through and by summer chemo will be a distant memory.
Jackie, your post made me giggle, picturing you sticking 2 fingers up at cancer and telling folks to do one! You are a warrior indeed! I am not so brave!
Robin, well done on braving the tax! Like Jackie, when I have it, the side effects are delayed and the first time I was unprepared when they hit. So, just giving you a heads up, but I sincerely hope that you sail through. Each time I’ve had tax, my side effects kick it the day after the infusion, ie today for you - in the afternoon, and the fog and fatigue overwhelm me and I have to sleep. (Not sure I’m classed as a younger girl Jackie - I’m 45, but the fatigue floors me too). My first time I battled on - big mistake! I’ve found that giving in to it leads to a faster recovery. It lasts for about 3 days with me and I barely get out of bed in that time, but then it lifts and life quickly starts to resume. The tax joint pains usually kick in for me the 2 nd day - ie tomorrow for you Robin - so have some painkillers on standby just in case they strike. Hopefully they won’t. The painkillers I had the first cycle didn’t do it for me so I rang the chemo line and got naproxen which have done the job the last 2 cycles.
I have my final tax of 4 next week, then I will be asking advice from you all about EC!!!
X
Hi Ladies
Mooney, I was in hospital for a week after my MX as I got an infection so I can empathise with how you feel. You do feel like you are cut off from the outside world (and the quality of the food only adds to the prison like feel!) Try to rest and fingers crossed you will soon be home.
I haven’t mentioned this before but my sister is a consultant oncologist, not in the area of breast cancer, but I am very lucky to have her to sound off questions too. She can only give me general advice about chemo but the thing she goes on about most is you have to take it easy. She advises me that following chemo although it is not always easy the best thing to do is nothing. Just rest and let your body accept and deal with the drugs. Even on good days she tells me not too over do it. For my 1st round I didn’t really stick to that advice and I struggled but this time I shut myself off for 6 days and am still taking it pretty easy, bring more accepting of help with the kids and accepting home cooked meals from friends and I think I feel so much better for it as it takes the pressure off.
I know this can’t prevent all the infections and delays but I guess what I am trying to say is learning to accept that it is okay to do nothing even on the good days is important.
Robin it is so reassuring to read how you are getting on, thank you for your insights.
Jackie, good for you for showing who you are. Am sure the heat in Spain makes hats and wigs more uncomfortable.
Take care everyone
Nicky xxx
Thank you Nicky and good advice from your sister. Today has been ok as steroids still keeping me wired. Took last ones today so maybe getting the fatigue next. Have to wait and see.
Mooney hope you are getting better and stronger and not too miserable in hospital.
Scotty good luck for tomorrow and first Tax. Love R x
Thanks robin xx
Scotty good luck today!! Hope all goes well.
Egg
Hi Teddies
And the gold stars for bravery go to Mooney & Jackie. Mooney I hope you are out of there soon, but agree it will be good to rest and Jackie, having had all your problems and now your big reveal you really are a true Kojak warrior!.
Mooney - how is the PICC line settling in, I had a few teething probs with mine and they are getting in some Duoderm for my next flush as I seem to have an allergic reaction now.
Other catchups: My OH also says I do to much in the good week - got the Tea & Chemo book and its entertaining and got good advice - Laxido being one of them (does anyone know how long it takes to work?) - the other was that each time she went for chemo she was given a side effect check chart and this my third FEC was the first time I had seen one, but I did get the Laxido and some sachets for mouth problems. So very helpful.
Many thanks to our good scouts with their sound advice on Tax - My first one not for a couple of weeks yet but so good to know what we may have to be prepared for…I read the bit about 3 days in bed to my OH - his response “nothing new there then!!” But he took onboard your words, so thanks for that too.
Love and very big hugs to the brave Taxers,
Ebimx
P,S.
did anyone mind that I had repeated some of your posts to my OH?
I have been so very very lucky with side effects with the FEC that I am concerned about going into Tax.
and his response, I think based on my reactions so far, has been not to worry. And I thought some of your posts would prepare him a little better, as they have done me.
ebimx