I ( Janet ) am starting My Chemo Tomorrow the 23rd of October, In the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, Shropshire.
I was diagnosed about 10 weeks ago and have undergone a Lumpectomy to start with and then a Full mastectomy. I Start my 3 FEC Tomorrow to be followed by 3 of Taxotere.
I thought i would start my own thread and try to get me some buddies together to help me / us get through the next few months.
All welcome.
I have included my Husband in my thread as he feels a little left out, and if there are any Husbands/Partners who want a chat.
Thinking of you having your first chemo today. I met my oncologist yesterday and will start mine on Monday, same treatment and routine as yours, am busy getting my shopping sorted out from chemo advise threat. I feel relieved to be starting chemo at last as seems like ages since I first discovered the ‘lump’ in July. My husband
Steve is going to come and hold my hand for first session and hopefully pamper me afterwards
Hope it goes well and let me know how you both get on.
So far so good, Janet had her first FEC this afternoon, went pretty well, there were another 3 Chemo Virgins there, so we all had a good chat.
The nurse was really brill, and was so gentle and nice, really good with me as well .
had a bit of a Job with the viens, but a soak in hot water did the trick.
Janet also had her lump in July.
Will be thinking of you on Monday.
Glad everything went well. It must make such a difference when you are being treated in a nice environment and feeling supported. Also very important that they unerstand and let family be part of the process.
We live in Inverness and were shown round the room where I will get chemo yesterday, it seemed very relaxed and they were happy about Steve being with me. I have found the nurses and doctors brilliant since my first appointment and are happy to answer questions and explain everything. It all just seemed to take so long.
Good luck with wig fitting tomorrow I will probably have mine next week. My daughter and I went into a wig shop in Edinburgh at the weekend but had to leave because we were in hysterics trying on the wigs I think we were going to get thrown out!
Janet. Contact your onc straight away. They can ‘up’ your drugs. Don’t suffer in silence…they will be able to issue you with a script for something stronger.
Hope you have managed to speak to someone for some assistance. So good to get advise from our friends who know the score, like you I would of probably suffered in silence.
Same happened to me, on a Friday too. Contact hosp now as it’ll take a few hours to get a prescription through and you don’t want to be like this over the weekend…
I got meds by 4pm on the friday, took them over the weekend and they worked, stopped taking them on the Monday. Wasn’t sick any more after I started them.
Hi Janet just found this thread.I am another shropshire lass and had 4xfec and 4x taxotere at RSH in 2006/7.Today is 2nd anniversary of my lumpectomy.I am triple negative.Is your onc DR Agrawal?I found him excellent as was Mr Usman my surgeon.I had Pat Jones for bcn.When I had fec I was sick just once night after chemo then no more.Ring the chemo unit and they will help you.Where in Shropshire are you?Do pm me if I can help you at all.My OH Tom says that if Lloyd needs to talk at all we can swap email addresses and later phone numbers.Over to you.Do hope you are a bit better today.
Valxx
Hi Janet, so sorry you had such a bad time.Hope things are better once you have the drugs. I’m a couple of weeks ahead of you but doing the 3x FEC and 3 x Taxotere here in London. My worst day was the Saturday after treatment Wednesday, but after that it was better and better each day. It’s my second go in the ‘party room’ on Weds 29th. I feel fine now - even up to having nine people over for lunch on Sunday - but the old hair is taking its leave.
I did 4 X FEC and 4 Taxotere last year, totally agree with everyone, dont be a hero, call them tell them every detail of what’s not right and they will tailor your back up drug routine to suit, you wont feel great, but you do not have to be sick like that ok.
Don’t worry about the hair ok, bald is beautiful too, we are more than just our appearance, it will most likely be upsetting at first (though not for everyone) but I learnt a great lesson, my ears don’t stick out anywhere near as far as I thought they did before I was bald! On the plus side, your skin should be really clear, mine was, people kept telling me how great I looked, lol. Not sure if they were actually lying but hey, I’ll take any compliments I can get!
Hi Everyone, have been in touch with hospital OH is as we speak getting the new meds - typical for something like this to happen near a weekend and you start to panic! Many thanks for everyones concerns and wishes - am feeling pretty good. Can’t be too far from our new family member Hyacinth (bucket)!!
Yes Dr Agrawal is my Onc, my sugeon was Mr Hinton down in Telford - brilliant, frightens me everytime I go to clinic there, must be 100 women attending the clinic there!! We don’t live in Shropshire but on the Welsh border not far from Welshpool. Hope I’ll be like lizbou before long, love catering and baking. Thanks to everyone, don’t feel so isolated now I have you all to chat to and compare notes.
Well done Janjam, hopefully you’ll start feeling much better from now on, although do beware of The Bulldozer that might run you over around Day 5 (the fluey feeling). If it does, just give in to it and stay in bed and keep cozy, sleep it off and hopefully you’ll feel loads better in a day or so.
Glad you are feeling better and drugs worked at last. I was meant to start my chemo yesterday but went to breast care nurse first to get fluid drained and as skin around wound pink they thought I had an infection so no chemo. They also could not get any fluid out so am on antibiotics and feel like have rubber ball under my arm. Feeling sorry for myself and definately feel as if I have an infection now. Going to spend the day snuggled up in bed, snowing outside here so nice day to stay indoors and do nothing. Hopefully by tonight drugs will have kicked in and I’ll be back to my usual active self. New appointment for chemo Tues next week. Just want to get started so can see light at end of tunnel.
Poor you, I’ve had the rubber ball under arm feeling and it’s not pleasant. My antibiotics cleared it up a treat so am sure yours will help you soon. Gosh, how exciting having snow, we just have mist where I live. Best of luck for kimo next Tuesday.
