My oncologist told me that the main danger is from bacteria inside us, eg from gut, and to be scrupulous about hand washing, food washing, avoid pre-washed food, avoid unpasteurised cheese. He said it was fine to go out and about as normal if I felt fine, just wash hands as soon as I get the chance and very regularly.
Nadz im from the Nov starters and am due my 4th cycle soon x I dont stay in low immune week but I am.careful so I go to supermarket , out to eat etc when its quieter during the day whilst people are at work or if eating out I ask for a v quiet corner . I do avoid large shopping centres etc ala traffod centre but walk around the local high street . I just regularly alcogel my hands whilst out and avoid anyone who is obviously snuffly or coughing and wash my hands when I get in . I try let others get doors and I antiseptic wipe my shopping trolly handle (extreme I know but I feel better for it) . Getting out for a 30 min walk a day is good even if its round the block or a quiet local shopping centre
Thanks tvgirl and jenjen! Will help me be more prepared for the next cycle! I did go out on day 9 and 10, just to homebase and tescos, as I was being to feel more like myself. But I near fainted a few times and struggled with walking at a normal pace for any length of time.
Think I will start building up on exercise now, then with the early days once the muscle weakness goes I will try for walks around my neighbourhood.
Food prep is meticulous here,my partner laughs at how the food hygiene course he got sent on through work (he doesn’t even need it for his job) is being used at home instead and what with my career in health care my hand hygiene is on par. So all good. Means date night can go ahead!
Think my oncologist was just worried as I have a history of getting bronchitis easily which is why she told me to stay in
Great news on the liver Tina! Check you out with all the food prepping! I will be doing that this weekend, as you know partner is being deployed at next cycle and my mum will fly over to look after me and since she doesn’t cook we will be prepping and freezing this weekend!
Hope you get something to eat now Tina
had my long hair cropped today to a pixie cut not lost any yet but i know i shall so thought i better start as i mean to go on.
Good luck to those going again tomorrow, mine FEC 2 will be next Thursday.
How quickly do they give you the results of your bloods, mine will be Tuesday, do they know while you’re there or do they phone and tell you if there is a concern?
Major haircut tomorrow, the shedding is driving much and my scalp is quite itchy, too.
The third week is when my onc said to get out and do what you wanted. She did say if you go to cinema, sit at the very back.
I have felt felt a bit of cabin fever creeping in but the supermarket hasn’t been interesting enough to tempt me out, so hubby has been doing that. I’ve been out a bit, lots of sanitising on return, though! Mostly I have been busy on the domestic side with my eldest still here since before Christmas with my two year old grandson (who is like some kind of tornado!)
I find it easy to get to sleep, usually about 11.30 but don’t sleep as long, I am waking around 5.30!
Amanda x
Dreading tomorrow. Also not sure if my fiancé is able to come with me or not now. Not sure if I will be able to get myself back. The hospital is 40minutes away in good traffic. Was awful after last time from almost straight after.
Good luck tomorrow ladies. Will be thinking of you. I am in at 10am one way or another. Xx
Hope you got a lift sorted ok Red Robin. Good luck everyone xx
Hi all. My fiancé was able to come with me in the end. Phew! Not feeling too bad so far. Anti sickness has been changed to Emend. Don’t feel sick as yet. Just muzzy in the head and aching tired eyes. Oh and cold from the cold cap too. Was in at 10:15 but because of having to wait an hour for the anti sickness it delayed it all a bit. The nurse this time was better. She put it in slower and diluted the anti sickness injection a little which stopped that horrible feeling like you have been stung by stinging nettles all over. This time just affected my buttocks and chest. I told her she can nabb me again! I have a very sore arm around the picc line area where the film dressing was. It’s blistered my skin in several places around the edge and the rest is dry. They have changed those to iv3000 and seem a lot better with them. Apparently they used to use them all the time but then changed to a cheaper option. Now to have them they have to get a prescription for it for you. The cost of making spending cuts is patients with sore arms! Apparently it happens a lot the reaction to the cheaper ones.
Thinking of you Tina and all the other ladies having round 2 today. Hoping se’s are managed better this time.
Hugs brave ladies xxx
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Hi everyone, I also had my second today. All got pushed back due to Christmas which was best in the end as had a stinking cold.
Home now and feeling fine, if it’s going to be anything like last time it will kick in with me tomorrow.
Thinking of you all today, although I do get muddled with who’s who, but enjoy reading all your comments.
Virtual hugs
Marina
Well done ladies who had chemo today, hope you are still feeling ok into the evening. It does feel a bit like waiting for a bomb to go off, waiting to see what side effects decide to truck up!
Got a short back and sides today and actually didn’t mind the way it looked at all. The same however, can’t be said for the wig, which looked awful, like something from a dodgy porn movie, can’t quite believe it it the same one I actually chose! I will wash it and try it again one all my hair is gone, but I have a feeling that I am going to be a scarf and hat person!
Love and hugs to everyone,
Amanda x
Amanda, I had my hair cut short today (starting chemo in a couple of weeks, so pop over to you guys to see how you’re getting in too!) Not keen on my wig either - waaaaay too much hair compared to my fine rather flat hair. Guess they just would t contemplate making a wig that bad to match my natural look! Picking it up next week as they’re ordering in one my colour, so maybe that will make a difference. Fortunately the one I chose is covered by my NHS prescription (was very surprised!) so if I don’t wear it, no harm done. Meanwhile, I’ve ordered a couple of scarves from Annabandana online which looked nice and were only £7 each so I have an alternative 
Xxx
When I had my short back and sides my hand often went to pull the ponytail band off, then I remembered!! Must say a huge andvantage though when washing & drying it.?
And now that I am bald / stubbly I can have bath oils (on my good week) and don’t have to rinse hair. Have to see the positive things too.
And the only time I was out at a bar standing as no seats a woman made a point of telling me they would be leaving soon and I could have her stool. Must have been the hat. Another positive.
A nurse told me that having baths with sea salt helps get tid of toxins. You soak between 5 - 10 mins, but no longer as then I think the reverse happens. Anyone remember biology lessons and osmosis??? Not sure if it works, has anyone else hear of this?
I had my second dose today and I discovered something new about the cold cap. The very experienced nurse (10 years at UCH) put in on me at room temperature and only then switched the cooler on so it cooled down gradually instead of being an instant icy shock. It was MUCH easier to tolerate. Hope that my fellow cold cappers have time to try this method.
All the best to you all for the weekend recovery.
Yes Kim, Anna Bandana have lots of styles to choose from and are very reasonably prices with quick delivery. I got three diffent styles to see which I will gel with. I got half the cost from the NHS, so it’s not so bad but it just seem as good as the one I tried on initially.
Yes, to also keep thinking my hair is tied up! But like you said Markna, the showers are quicker! Leg hairs seem to hanging on for dear life but there are signs of the lady garden taking its leave!
I got got a headache which started about an hour or so after the wig was put on but went quick quickly once I got home and took it off. Maybe coincidence…or perhaps it was a bit tight? Anyone else have anything like that?
Amanda x
Yes Amanda I get headaches with my outdoor hat, which is woven, although doesn’t feel tight around the band.
Haha Gillian, I’m not going to ask what your little dog would do to the wig if he had the chance!
Hope ladies who had chemo in the last few days are doing ok.
Im interested to hear from those of you who have had more than one cycle; I have FEC 2 next Thursday, hope it will go as well as the first one, but I’m trying to be being realistic and not just assume that it will be the same every time, so how did you find you’re second or third FEC’s did you have similar SE’s at similar times after or was each one different?
Amanda x
Hi everyone
I’m day 9 after second lot, and I have to admit this one knocked me for 6! I started to feel rough as soon as I left the hospital. Slept most of the day. Next day just had awful nausea and headache, and what felt like brain freeze! It’s taken me a lot longer to get over this one. Today I feel fairly normal again. I’ve been given sleeping tablets as after the first few days sleeping I went to getting absolutely nothing and actually thought I was going mad with sleep deprivation! I cried a lot this time too as I thought this was going to be a breeze but turns out it’s not, and it’s going to be one of the hardest things I’ll ever go through! We haven’t been very organised either which didnt help, I have a 17 month old little girl, who needs constant attention. We’re all sorted for the next session though we have childcare in place for a week after so there’s less pressed on me to get better quicker.
How are feeling? When is your next one?
Hope the rest of you lovely ladies are doing ok, sending huge hugs
Laura x x