Hello ladies, 2nd cycle of EC chemo tomorrow morning 9am, I can’t really complain about the side effects from first cycle, but still feeling a little anxious about tomorrow, hoping it’s as good as the last. I had my porta cath fitted last Friday so am hoping they can access that tomorrow, although they did tell me they like to leave them a week before use. I have tried joining the fabulous February fb page, but yet to be accepted. Hope all are doing okay so far on this very scary journey we are all on xx
Hi all.
TLC what is your name please & I’ll get that checked out.
Anyone is welcome to join us. We find the Facebook format alot easier to use & chat with. Lots of support & humour cancer style ?
Jojo xx
Is there a FB page I can join?
Hi yes look for me zena greene picture of warrior princess il see if I can accept you x
Hi Claire
Hope your next cycle goes well. I started losing my hair bang on 3 weeks after my first cycle. It’s rubbish isn’t it. Do you have a wig? I was dead against them but they are handy things to have when you just want to be NORMAL!
Feel free to come join us on FB.
Look for me Jo Sheppard (Royal bournemouth hospital) & I’ll get you added. We support each other through the chemo & beyond & it really does help to offload when you’re feeling down.
Take care
Jojo xx
Gaynor you too!
Come find us ?
Thanks all :), cycle 2 tomorrow. I went into work Tuesday to Friday last week which was great for me. But last Sunday my thick head of hair started to thin a little…7 days later and I have a thin covering left 
. I cannot believe how quickly it’s come out, especially the last 3 days.
I’ve not gone for a wig. I felt it wasn’t me and I’d be paranoid thinking ‘people are looking at me saying she’s got that wig on!’ and I’d be constantly wondering if it was on straight lol!
So I’ve gone for scarves 
and I love the one I’ve worn yesterday and today. Went out and about and I’ve got used to it. And got used to not wearing it around the house…I looked in the mirror and thought - I look like my nan did aged 98!! lol.
I will look for you on fb - thank you :D Royal Bournemouth Hospital?? You’re local too! I’m Broadstone, being treated at the Ladybird clinic at Poole 
xxx
Hi all, it’s been a good while since I have been on and despite telling myself I will set up a fb account I have yet to do it. I have had a good catch up this morning though
Things on EC have been okish compared to some of you - fatigue, insomnia, brain fog are what I hate the most - and I have only had to visit the hospital once with what turned out to bed a throat inflammation. Although I was there all day they were very thorough.
I used the cold cap. It was ok but I lost about half my hair after the first cycle apparently it wasn’t left on long enough for afro hair. I must admit I did want to cry when I combed it, but since then loss has been minimal. I haven’t got a wig as yet I have one waiting for me at the mcmillan centre but I think as someone else has said I feel very conscious. I have been wearing scarves to go out and for work and received lots of complement from those who know I ha BC and others that don’t.
Yes I am managing work reduced hours from office or home during weeks 2 and 3. Excellent employer.
Has anyone experienced a problem with the arm they have chemo through. It’s like my veins are really tight when I stretch and there is pitting on the same arm. They can’t use the other arm as I had an ANC and now have lymphodema.
I have my final EC on Wednesday afternoon then will be moving on to T and hercep
Pinkloz how are you doing, haven’t seen any recent posts here
Thoughts and prayers are with you all
Lx
Lisea - I am from the September 2016 group and noticed your post about veins. I had similar problems during my chemotherapy, which I was told was veinous phlebitis. The problems started during my fourth cycle, which was the first cycle of Taxotere + Herceptin + Perjeta, but the nurse said it was the FEC that had caused it (it is apparently the Epirubicin that does it, so EC is as bad).
You need to contact your unit if you haven’t already, because the veins won’t get better on their own, and it could hold up the next treatment if they can’t cannulate. I was given Heparinoid (Hirudoid) cream, which helped a lot. I don’t think I would have got through the last two cycles without it.
The only other option would probably be installing a PICC line into your ‘good’ arm, a Hickman line, or a port-a-cath. Your unit should be able to advise on the best way forward and I hope you get the help you need soon. You deserve a medal as well as lots of virtual hugs for having to cope with chemotherapy as well as lymphoedema.
P.S. Tax can be tough, so when the time comes, don’t hesitate to post on here if you have problems with it. Lots of us have been there already, and may be able to help.
P.P.S. I don’t do Facebook either.
Hi all,
I seem to be missing notifications for the thread so sorry for not responding.
I’ve also had problems with veins this time but it was my last cycle. If I knew then what I know now I would’ve insisted on a port. My veins are shot & hurt & make me feel sick when I think of them. Nurse really struggled last 2 cycles to get anything. I don’t know why they don’t use ports as standard.
As far as making it better goes, I can’t advise as I haven’t spoken to anyone yet but think I will next week. See even talking about it makes me nauseous!
Big up to you ladies. You are all stars 
Claire and Jo - I am sorry you are both suffering with your veins as well as Lisa after FEC 3.
I’m afraid FEC really wrecks your veins, so it’s probably wise to start thinking of a PICC or port now if you don’t think you will manage the second half of the chemo otherwise. If you struggle on through the next cycle without, you may find they won’t fit one.
It is surprising that the nurses didn’t do the pillow/ hot water bottle routine from the start (mine did), as it makes cannulation so much easier. Perhaps it was lack of time, because it takes about 20 minutes for your arm to warm up. As soon as you can get to your unit on Tuesday to enquire about ports, I suggest you also ask for the Heparinoid cream to help your veins and bruises heal. You can also get the cream on prescription from your GP.
Hope you start to feel better over the Easter weekend.
Hello Lisea - glad you managed to get your PICC sorted out and hope it works out well for you over the last 3 cycles.
You are now 5 days into your first T cycle, so the SEs have probably already started They tend to arrive around Day 4 of each cycle - T is deceptive, because the first few days you are fine, then wham!
There are various SEs you could get and your nurses have probably already briefed you about them. If you look up Taxotere on the Macmillan and Cancer Research UK websites, the list of SEs is very scary. But unless you are very unlucky you won’t get more than two or three of them. Unfortunately, as with FEC, nobody has any idea which SEs will affect you until they actually bite.
The good (or less bad?) news is that the SEs don’t tend to last the whole cycle, and usually go away by around Day 10-12, so the last week should be better You have done very well to keep working during chemotherapy. I hope your employer is flexible enough to make allowances for when the SEs are bad. Fatigue is probably the hardest thing to cope with, as it often gets progressively worse with each cycle, and may continue to affect you for some time after it finishes. See guidance on cancer and work if you are concerned about this:
macmillan.org.uk/information-and-support/organising/work-and-cancer
Macmillan have produced a booklet specially for employers which you may be able to get from your hospital - ask your BCN.
I hope the SEs are kind to you and your fellow February Starters, but if you are suffering, contact your hospital for advice. Also post here if you are still having problems - someone may be able to help. If you’re feeling c**p and just need to rant about it, this is also the place for it!
Hi OldDawn63
Thanks for your response
So far I have had aching knees, my feet feel funny and most of all tiredness. I assume I just keep taking the painkillers as prescribed until I feel pain no more!
For some reason I had hives after the gsf injection on Sunday but antihistamines sorted that. District nurses are nice
Piccline isn’t too bad just trying to get a good position to sleep in.
Hope all are OK. Lisea
Lisea! Sounds like you’re doing great.
Just keep swimming!
Jo xx
Lisea - sounds like you are doing well. It’s good that you have supportive District nurses to help you with the PICC and other issues.
When the pain subsides, try gradually reducing the dose of painkillers until you can do without them. You could also try taking the painkillers before the T infusion next time, because it is more effective at controlling the pain if you take them before it hits. The chemo nurses always gave me a couple of Paracetamol before the infusion and it worked well. I only had to take them for about 3 days afterwards.
Keep an eye on the feet as well, and if you start getting peeling skin, pins and needles or numbness, contact your BCN for advice. Fingers crossed you won’t get any of this, or the sore mouth and ‘Tax Trots,’ but if you do it is unlikely to last more than a week.
There’s not much you can do about the fatigue because there are times when your body will force you to rest - all you can do then is go with it. The only thing that will help you to manage it is to make the effort to do some gentle exercise (such as short walks) when you feel a bit better.
Take care, and hope you feel better soon.
Thanks for the responses. I am really struggling with fatigue, yesterday I had some energy I didn’t do anything other than a trip to hospital to get picc flushed yet it totally wiped me out. Any ideas on energy booster as don’t think I can cope with this much longer. Have lost my appetite but can cope with that, especially as I have a number of spare pounds to lose.
Lisea that fatigue…ugh. I’m still having it & its cumulative. Rest lots, sleep well & eat well too. I think quality of sleep is the key. I took Nytol throughout my treatment plus some pain relief if I was achey. My husband slept in another room so I could thrash around until I got comfy. If you’re taking steroids, they’re a double edged sword, making you feel buzzy but zonked out. Wired & tired!
Gentle exercise is good, even a stroll to the local shop helped. Then rest. Do a jigsaw or something. Download tell Calm app onto your phone. It’s amazing! It has bedtime stories! Zzzzz
Anyway just keep going, it’s tough but there’s no other choice is there.
Just keep swimming
Jo xx
Hi Jo, thank you for the nytol suggestion will definitely give it a try. I think I had a 4 hour sleep stretch last night which was great but will also download the app.
I will keep swimming
Lisea
Hi Lisa, I know you don’t to Facebook so I just dropped by to say Hi. The fatigue is bad at times and I am now finding that I am tired all the time even during the week leading up to my next chemo… Jo is a fantastic source of information and advice and has helped me a great deal… there are times that you need to give in and do what your body is telling you and rest… I find the mornings better so if I am planning a anything I tried and get it done early so I can then rest in the afternoon… as Jo says keep swimming! Take care. Ann x
Thanks Ann
I had a nice little walk to the chemist for nytol and felt much better for the walk albeit I went very slowly. However it has given me the confidence that my knees won’t buckle under me. I was also met by a nice surprise when I opened my door in that a friend had left flowers and a card. I was obviously meant to go out lol.
Best wishes Lisea