My T cycle was a nightmare and I’m dreading having it again, but after this only one more to go! Then we get to feel how Gillian must feel!!
I lost all hair from lady garden and armpits! And I really want it to stay that way ? noticed some regrowth last month, but it’s not really obvious. Didn’t lose leg hair, was gutted about that, but it grows back slower.
I’m losing so much hair from my head right now, it’s really frustrating me as I’m just shedding like a dog. Head is also very tender to touch, so I’m finding it difficult to sleep.
During T for me -I was nauseous from the very beginning, on the actual day of getting it I was retching into a sick bowl throughout, but with nothing coming up. I had also got a cold prior to it and it turned into a throat infection then chest infection. Small devices made me even sicker so couldn’t use phones etc, which is why I’m so quiet during my earlydays. My body would go into spasms due to how painful my muscle aches were. The odd thing I found was that my brain was more with it but my body wouldn’t let me do anything and that made it worse. With fec, you are in that cloud of drugs iwhich helped smooth some of the se into a mush of days. With T it was a struggle to get through each day. My mantra seriously became- just get to midnight.
Sorry if that all sounds off putting, there is a light at the end of this and it will make all this travelling in darkness worth it
Hi all, thanks for your advice. My taste has started to go today, tongue is feeling numb and inside of mouth slightly sore. Legs are a bit achy, but not too bad yet. I’m hoping for looser BM as on FEC constipation was a big problem! I find all the hair talk interesting as everyone has different experiences. I have a thin patchy layer of hair on my head which is still growing after I’d shaved it to a grade 3, oncologist said its because hair renews itself in 3 monthly cycles. I’ve started to use my Roots bar from Lush as its meant to be good at stimulating the follicles. My lady garden has thinned significantly, however I have noticed re-growth, under arm hair is completely gone and legs feel a little spiky xx
hi all. gosh what a few weeks. been poorly now i have a cold. thankfully temp is 37.1 not going higher. had my fifth fec today. how is everyone? was touch and go if i had fec as of temp but all went ahead.
So I no longer have 2 cycles left to take but 6! My reaction to the last cycle was too strong so I have now been moved to weekly doses of the other drug beginning with p. I’m gutted
Hi Nadz
So you are having your last 2 cycles as 6 weekly sessions? the good thing about weekly paclitaxel is its a lot easier on your body but you still end up with the same dose, ive had 10 from 12 up to now and although its a PITA having to go every week I have had the least SEs in the Nov ladies, one of our ladies was switched afer first T as she had ended up in hospital on nearly all her other cycles hasnt for her last 2.
You dont have good weeks,bad weeks you have good weeks with the odd day of being tired
Please try not to worry x
Jen
Thanks jen,that relieves me some what. My only problem is getting to the hospital each week as will be by myself for most if it and can’t afford taxis that often.
Not sure how far you are from hosp I have been getting my appts so I dont need to travel at peak times and have been well enough to catch not so busy buses and trains x I have been feeling that well and its added to feeling a bit more normal 
x
Have a google often rotary clubs, red cross etc have volunteer drivers who may take and bring you back. Macmillan centre at the hosp may have info. My hubby is overseas so ive been fending for myself and dont drive its been a PITA but using a mixture of lifts, volunteer drivers, taxis and public transport ive managed
Hello everyone, T1, day 11 and feeling almost normal again!cI have found it a lot harder than FEC though!
Sorry about your regime change Nadz, what a pain but it may work out better in the end. There must be some help available for transport.
Nice to hear from you Fredflowerpot, hope the FEC is ok on top of the virus/temperature and you are feeling ok today. How many more FEC do you have to have? What are they planning after FEC, are you due to have radiotherapy?
Hope everyone is hanging in there, it would be nice to have an actual date you know you be finished chemo for sure but it doesn’t work like that in reality!
Amanda x
I literally live 5-10 mins from hospital Jen, I asked about help before as I was thinking about when I gave to go through daily routine of rads, but got turned down. I’ve been turned down for every benefit, all because I live with someone who has a higher wage. We aren’t married but share a massive mortgage and I get told no help.
Yeah Gillian it’s been bit of a pain in the butt, but one day il be at the end just like you, all if this in the past. Problem with chemo though is I think, or at least with me, it prevents you from engaging with the real problems. I still have yet to give into the loss of my dad, all because chemo has taken over my life. I’m worried that once i stop I’m going to have a break down from all the hits since diagnosis.i don’t think I’ve even absorbed my diagnosis properly either.
Tina, you are doing great, don’t worry about the food, that can all be tackled after you are healed.at least that’s what I’m telling myself too. I found with first cycle of dox that my appetite disappeared but I just wanted savoury cards when I was in the mood, I think it’s a comfort and also a need for energy that gave me those cravings. I mean man, I loved mashed potatoes during that time. Then I died from nausea etc but I felt good at the time and a couple hours after.
Good to hear from you Amanda. Sorry to hear you have struggled too, always a downer to see people having a bad cycle. Especially when I had one too.
This is day 2on the new stuff. I’m exhausted,slept all day yesterday, then up every 2hours during night for pee breaks. Today feel down and tired, loose bm kicked in yesterday as soon as I got home, as has the bad taste in mouth. Otherwise I am more alert, but I’m not sure when to expect any bad moments as this is a weekly dose.
I’m also worried about vein access, it’s been difficult with twice every 3 weeks but twice every week?! I’m been against a picc line since beginning but was down for a port before my surgeon phoned in sick on the day of placement. Hopefully will be referred again. My arm is covered in track marks
Claire Rads are nothing compared to Chemo, They can make you tired and give you some slight sunburn but other than that they are a doddle! I didnt have chemo but i know plenty who have had both and they said rads were like a holiday in comparrison! Xx Jo
I always thought T would be harder, don’t know why I think party because I has a relatively easy ride with FEC, so I figured I wouldn’t get off so lightly with T!
You should try and avoid reading too much about health damage by chemotherapy, I mean; it’s not like we have a choice! And the health issues could be a lot more risky with out it! It’s weird with chemo, it horrible to go through but thank goodness they have developed this treatment!
My hand have been randomly itchy, not too bad but noticeable. Eyebrows are pretty thin, and think lashes are fewer too, I haven’t cared at all about my hair loss but always dreaded losing my brows and lashes, will need a masterclass from my daughter as I rarely wear make up!
I drink about ½ litre or so of water through the night, and am managing with two potty trips a night, down from three or four when I was drinking a litre or more at night!
Considering you are on your own so much, you are doing amazingly well, Tina… I don’t think I would have coped at all well on my own!
Hope everyone else is doing ok.
Amanda x
I’ll second that Amanda. Tina you are doing great. I wouldn’t have coped on my own either.
Se’s have been better this time around with a lower dose. Stomach cramps less. Managed to escape the diarrhoea. Fatigue has been worse, tingling hands and feet the same.
I have noticed my eyes twitching a lot. My left in particular. Also realised my vision on my left eye is bad. Gone all blurry even with my glasses. Headaches too worse. Probably because of vision. I hope to god that goes back to normal afterwards. Very scared of what won’t.
Also needing to drink so much more day and night at the moment to keep hydrated. If I don’t drink for a couple of hours, like when sleeping, find my wee is really dark, even if drank 2 litres plus already in the day. That can’t be right surely. Is a anyone else getting this? Worrying about my liver and kidneys now too.
Will be glad when this is all over.
Hugs xxx
If you know a lot about how to put on make up already Tina I wouldn’t hold your breath. Found the one I went to just as good as going to beauty shop for a make over! Not enough tips for cancer issues.
I don’t think my cold cap was fitted properly last time. At least one or two of the 4 or 5 they put on anyway as more hair seems to be coming out still. Got such a massive thin patch it is really noticeable now. Can’t even comb it over anymore. Having to wear head scarves to cover it or a hat. Can’t bear the thought of the wig at the moment. Don’t know why.
Feeling quite sad that I haven’t kept as much hair as I thought I would once it started off so well. Just goes to show a badly fitted hat (and I hadn’t even realised at the time but it must have been, they had size issues) can seriously damage all the hard work putting that frigging ice pack on your head.
Don’t know what to do now with regards to my hair. At a loss. Think talking to a hair dresser maybe best now.
Hopefully they can give me some advice to get it to grow fast.
Xxx
I couldn’t get on the Look Good Feel Better course until 31st May, I might be starting my rads then, if chemo stays on target! People have said how nice the ‘goodie bags’ are but I am not sure I will go, I will have have to learn how to pencil in my eyebrows before then!
I also have some vision issues, not much nut I find it harder to see things clearly, particularly when I am tired.
Ive been painting my nails since I started but I’m not convinced it’s helping at all, they are peeling a flaky at the tips but I reckon that is due to having polish on all the time, as that is what I find usually happens to mine if I wear it a lot! I hope they aren’t a complete state for my daughters wedding at the end of October, I not so bothered about hair are there are various ways to cover it but what you do about tatty or missing nails, I don’t know!
Amanda x
well 3 days asleep so day3/5 out and tomoorow day six does any one get wiped out or am i alone ? lol
Gosh, that’s a lot of sleeping Fredflowerpot! Have you told them at your assessments how much you sleep? I definitely felt like I had fallen into the abyss in my mood and tiredness around day 5 or 6 but it only lasted a day or so and I very rarely sleep in the day.
Now you sound like you’re wondering if the horror of chemo is worth it because your cancer has spread, but that makes it even more important that you have it really! It’s hard because it wipes you out so much and I think you are worried that you are going through this and it isn’t working but they would stop if it was not going to do anything to help you.
I hope you are able to speak with someone within your medical team about your treatment so far, what else they are planning to do and further scans and general management of your condition. They should have given you someone to contact because you need information and support.
Sending you big hugs and love Fredflowerpot, this must all be incredibly hard for you.
Amanda x
I have been wondering how you are doing Fredflowerpot. Sending you big hugs hun xxxx
Hello all, just wondering if any of you have been suffering from night sweats? I’m day 9 from first T and the last couple of nights have had horrible sleep, ice been waking every couple if hours with my head feeling flushed and dripping with sweat, yet my temp is within the normal ranges xx
Well…That’s a toenail gone
Sissy I only got that on the fec.
Just had an appointment to discuss radio. All the way along I have had to chase saying do we know if I need it. All the time been told well I am the chemo doctor I don’t know.
Well apparently they say I ought to have it as 20% extra chance. After chemo only a cancer of my grade size etc can come back for 1 in 5 patients.
Why the f**k couldn’t they have told me his months ago! I am so f**king cross. All this time because they have been saying what they have I have thought I will be done after the last chemo 1st April. All this time they have been letting me think I didn’t need it. F**king w****ers toying with my mind and emotions. So cross.
Don’t know what the hell to do now. Really don’t want it. ??