That must have been alarming! I thought my skin looked a bit mottled. My swollen and tender glands made me look like Sontaran on Doctor Who. Almost down now, I think due to having jabbed myself with the 5 prescribed injections. Most disappointed that everybody scarpered when I suggested I didn’t want to do it myself.
I can’t believe how much water I’m drinking. Gone right off coffee. Used to enjoy a glass of wine with main meal but can’t face it now. I can just tolerate a lemon or mint tea. X
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I didn’t expect constipation to become an issue straight off the blocks (no pun intended) but good grief, was I wrong! Cement would be easier to shift:smile:. Lactulose, movicol, more lactulose and 2 helpings of my sister’s veggie soup and there’s been not so much as a gurgle from you-know-where. If anyone has any suggestions, I’d be eternally grateful 
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Ouch! I’ve just about kept moving. Can’t suggest anything other than laxido powder which I used for a couple of days post mastectomy. Boy did that hurt! I feel your pain. I was hanging on to the towel warmer in tears x
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It looks like I’ll be joining this December crew! I have my consultation on Friday with the oncology team and should get my plan then. This will be the first stage of treatment, mastectomy is planned post chemo. Still waiting on the results of my CT scan but hopefully they’ll have that on Friday too.
The surgeon did say I would start chemo on Jan but with the being three weeks away I’m not sure if that will be the case. I really hope it will so we can have a relatively normal Christmas. It’s also my son’s 5th birthday on the 27th and my husbands birthday on the 29th so it would be good to get them out of the way! Anyway, we’ll know on Friday!
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Welcome to the gang.
It all started pretty quickly after my onc appointment, but yours might give you and extra few days with Christmas and New Year, which looks like you would appreciate.
Let us know how you get on and if we can share our experiences and tips x
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Hi, had my 1st Pacli yesterday with cold cap. I had to give up after 2 hours as had a weird reaction - felt sick and got pins and needles in hands and feet. Anyone else experience this? I am going to give up on the cold cap and will have to embrace the Sinead O Connor look! The nurse is confident it was the cold cap and not the drugs. Feeling ok today but then I only had 1/2 a dose!
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You poor thing… I feel your pain! I have IBS which normally causes me to be the opposite of constipated so this has really taken the wind out of my sails. I’ve had 3 doses of movicol and daily softener since last Friday but nothing has happened so far. It’s one more side effect I can live without🤢
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Do check with your team about constipation they can prescribe something 
Shi xx
Thanks, Shi, I’m on it! I don’t know if anyone else on the forum suffers from IBS, but it has been exacerbated for me due to the side effects. I mentioned it in passing, to the oncologist and she prescribed diclofenac suppositories which has helped greatly, so it might be worth raising the issue if anyone is having similar problems.
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Hello everyone,
Hope you’re all well and staying in good spirits.
Joining in as a December 2023 chemo starter. I just started my 12 weekly Taxol, Herceptin 3 weekly for a year and then Tamoxifen after. I used the cold cap and I was expecting worse to be honest because of the things I read on the internet - that it was like a brain freeze so I prepared myself for the worse but it was tolerable and wasn’t too bad for me.
I didn’t feel too bad after the chemo I was just very sleepy, I think from the IV Chlorphenamine I was given, other than that, 3 days later so far I am doing okay. I don’t want to jinx it though!
I also was having a bad case of constipation and I usually suffer from it, I’ve taken senna, docusate sodium, lactulose and nothing works! I can’t tolerate the laxido/movicol it makes me puke I cant drink it! What works really well for me is dulcolax or bisacodyl 5mg (can buy this otc) instant relief and solved my issue straight away!
I’m sorry for writing a lot, I’m just not really sure how to navigate myself around this new normal for me. I just don’t feel like myself and I just feel really low all the time.
Has anyone also gone back to work or is working through their chemo? I wondered what everyone was doing - and if they work in the healthcare field like I do.
Does anyone have any tips for upcoming chemo sessions and how to carry on as normal?
Does anyone also have a PICC line and if so how are you coping with this so far? - not laying on that side and mine feels generally itchy most of the time!
anyways, hope everyone is having a lovely start to their weekends 
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Hi anthea. Gosh you have a lot of sessions. I had my picc line fitted Monday of last week with my 1st session of EC the next day. I felt a bit spaced out right after and the next couple if days. Then 3 days after I felt like I’d been hit by a train. Swollen and tender glands from neck to waist. I thought I looked like Sontaran from Dr Who. It eased a couple of days later. I will be better prepared for my 2nd dose 29th Dec. Hopefully I can just squeeze in a New Year day meal at my brother’s before I konk out.
I had the chance for a night away 2 hours away. My heart said yes, but my head said I don’t want to spoil the town I love when I’m not really ready. I was invited to a local party tonight. Again heart said yes, but this morning head said a room full of people, some of whom may have colds, party starts at 8pm. Since chemo I’ve been ready for bed 8.30. Had to bail out.
Do you have the limbo cover for showering with your picc?
I have the horrible taste constantly. Gone right off coffee and wine. Lemon or mint tea which I used to drink ok tastes horrible now. I just drink water. Lots of it. It seems to wash the taste away for a short while.
Do keep us updated on how you’re getting on.
Helen x
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Hi, my Picc line is fine, thank goodness. It was quite uncomfortable for about a week but has settled down now. I ate very little the day before, the day of, and the day after chemo. There has been some research supporting the view that light fasting helps reduce side effects. I was willing to try it and it seemed to work for me. Take the anti sickness tabs religiously, don’t wait until you feel nauseated and drink plenty of water because it does help. Good luck!
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Hi
I’ve just finished 12 weeks of Paclitaxel with cold cap. I had a reaction to the drug with hot flash and sickness in week 3 and only had half of my infusion. I had the cap on for an hour longer than needed as I was at an outreach clinic with no doctor cover and needed doctor authorisation for medication to stop me being sick.
I felt awful with the cap on the extra time on top of being physically sick. They thought mine was a reaction to the drug with the hot flush but unsure about the sickness, maybe my body just overreacted. I do have a lot allergies and they think your body within the first few weeks of chemotherapy starts to recognise it and then try to reject it.
I have kept most of my hair with two small patches above my ears, I wore my glasses under the cold cap until i saw a video with Paxman to say wear over the top. Also daily wear of glasses rub that area. I had shed a bit. It was worth the 12 weeks as outwardly nobody knows I have cancer.
Do you think you may try again? It could have been the drugs or the cap.
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Hi all, new to this forum. Due to start neoadjuvant chemo this week. I’ll be having 6 cycles of TCHP.
Feeling anxious, but done as much research as I can and trying to be prepared. Have been to the dentist for a check up, bought some beanie hats, charged up my kindle and stocked up the freezer with some batch cooking and easy meals.
Have told family to go ahead with Christmas plans and we will fit around, as don’t know how I’ll be following treatment.
Is anybody else in the group currently having this treatment? Any more tips on preparing for chemo gratefully received.
Good luck to everyone currently undergoing treatment.
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Cookie_monster1 sorry you find yourself here, the Dec chemo gang will help you through 
have a thermometer so you can keep check on temperature, anosol, senokot, Imodium, hand cream (udderly smooth with extra urea from Amazon) has been a staple of the threads for many years, quenches skin when nothing else works. Do think about little princes trust if you are not cold capping. Get your look good feel better booked at your local MacMillan, get your wig voucher from your trust if not cold capping and also your MacMillan usually have pre loved wigs too you can try and make a donation hope that helps Shi xx
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Hi Cookie Monster, same regime as me. I start this Friday 22nd. I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed as have kept away from forums, now I feel I need to know as much as I can, I guess I’ve been in denial? I’m triple positive, aged 48…
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Mrsbee2 take it day at a time, treatment at a time, step by step and do it your own way bcn is here for you and everyone here is as much or as little as you need, sorry you find yourself here but you’ve reached out Shi xx
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Thank you wasn’t even sure if I’d posted properly, apparently so! Mentally I feel strong but it’s all the info that is SO overwhelming…. I have buried my head in the sand and it’s only now I’m looking up and thinking, it’s 5 days away….denial I guess?
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whatever you need to do to get through you do it, there are no right or wrongs you do it your way everyone’s treatments are tailored specifically to them and remember your team have seen it all before and know what to do. You should have a rapid response card from your team for when you start, use it if you need to, they appreciate you being vigilant another tip if your wee burns but no temperature do ring the number, it’ll probably need antibiotics not a diy over counter cystitis shake. I used the rapid response like a bat phone during chemo and the team were great and appreciated me checking concerns. There is also the bcn helpline on here where you can speak to a nurse if you needed but first contact should be your rapid response number you will settle into a pattern and I’m sure the December forum members will you Shi xx
Hi to you both. It is all daunting before you start. I’ve had 1st of 6 post surgery doses. I realised I wasn’t as prepared mentally as I thought when I felt rough 3 days after treatment. Since I was ok 1st 2 days I thought this isn’t too bad. I could still function almist as usual. I had a coupke of bad days then almost ok again. I will be better prepared next time and work my schedule around it.
I hope it all goes well for you x
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