February 2024 chemo starters

@salbert abort abort anything spicy :joy:, anything greasy may not work for you as well. Itā€™s because chemo destroys all your cellsā€¦ Including those in your osophagus stick to plain food as much as you can to help your stomach!

@healing24 sorry you have neuropathy! Hope you can sleep ok.
great to have those numbers but I would advise to stay of the internet as much as you canā€¦I was one of those that keep asking questions and wanted to know everything. However as I progressed further into treatment I realised why they donā€™t tell you everything because they are so many scenarios, variable and so on. Anything you read stays in your mind worrying you. Do ask questions in relation to your treatment but try to take one step at a time would be my advice, cause sometimes you defy the odd and in a good way :facepunch: science moves on so quickly, for example a someone like me lady Iā€™ve been partner with didnā€™t have immunotherapy, they didnā€™t really give it 3 y ago and now they do but she 5 y on and sheā€™s fine.

All the best to all of you youā€™re doing amazing and whether you feel great or going through the side effects of chemo, youā€™re not alone! Keep moving if you can, rest up plenty and eat little and often what you can. @kitty77 do not worry about calories!! Feed yuur body what it is craving :blush:
Nurses can help w side effects, donā€™t suffer in silence. There is pretty much a remedy for all side effects. Frozen grapes are a real thing to help claggy mouth @kartoffel get it sorted for next time if you fancy trying it :wink:
Big hugs to all :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

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@pinklilli3s I love your advice. Itā€™s really great and I find you so very encouraging. Thank you. I have just purchased a cool bag to put my frozen grapes in for EC number 3 on Thursday. Iā€™m going in on the attack as regards the claggy mouth and bad taste buds this time.

I have been very fortunate in being gifted a total of Ā£60 of COOK vouchers by kind friends who wanted to help out. Unfortunately I totally forgot about the spicy food thing and yesterday spent it all on vegetarian Thai and Indian curries. :woman_facepalming:
Bugger.

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My absolute pleasure. Any questions do not hesitate to ask.
I found the cool bag didnā€™t work for me because the room temperature was so high (I was fortunate enough to go private). I had them in tupperware and cool bag and after an hour they were mushyā€¦butā€¦ Thermos or insulated water bottle!! Bingo. That worked a charmed. It definitely made a difference for me when I had the frozen grapes VS when not. Steroids were also not good for my tongue so medicated mouthwash helped but also pink salt and baking soda (donā€™t ask it worked for me!!) Good luck with treatment :facepunch: :hugs:

1 month and 2 days after my first dose of EC and I have my first bald patchā€¦ :sob:

At least my pits are smooth as a babyā€™s bottom though? #alwayslookonthebrightsideoflife

@pinklilli3s Iā€™m going to put an ice pack in the bag and hope for the best. I have some baking soda in my cupboard. Iā€™ll probably be foaming at the mouth but I will try anything!

@kartoffel I am today wearing a very wide hairband to hide my dramatic hair loss over the weekend. It is not a good look. I, too, shall focus on my beautiful smooth armpits. :rofl:

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Hi everyone

Iā€™m still on the day unit waiting to start EC round 2, my appointment was 2pm!

Theyā€™ve sent the two lots of drugs up but at my original dosage not the reduced dosage, theyā€™re going to make up the reduced dose now but said it could be over an hour before itā€™s ready - I think Iā€™m going to be here a while :crazy_face:.

Decided to wear my wig today too and itā€™s red hot in here :hot_face: but they do have the radio on so at least got some 80s music to listen to :smiley:.

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Got back from hospital about 6:30!!

Unfortunately they think I had a bit of an allergic reaction to the epirubicin this time, they got almost all of it in but then I had a hot flush that went from my head to toes and was really dizzy then couldnā€™t stop shaking.

Stopped the treatment and took all my vitals - they were all fine so flushed my cannula and tried again with the small amount of epirubicin that was left in syringe - unfortunately same thing happened again hot flashes, dizzy and excessive shaking so they gave me antihistamine and I think hydrocortisone and it passed thankfully.

Unfortunately the nurses decided not to try again and also not to try the cyclophosphamide as on my first session of that I had a bit of a tight chest when they started it!

Bit worried now as to what they can give me instead? They have messaged my oncologist so hopefully will hear from her this week with an update :frowning:.

Iā€™m gutted as wanted to try and plough through chemo with as little upset as possible but not to be today. Wouldnā€™t care but my blood levels were all really good too!!

Hope youā€™re all well?

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Hiya
Please do not worry they will have a solution for you and hopefully an alternative drug
I had 2 severe reactions on paclitaxel. Week 3 and 5, go and figure. 1 on 10 woman get a reaction basically but why not week 4 who knows :sweat_smile: anyway they changed it to Abraxane. Still brutal but not as bad (every thing is relative! ) I hope they have an alternative for you and maybe they should give you anti allergy meds going forward as pre meds preventive. Do talk to the oncologist about that and about alternatives treatment. Do harass them if you not heard by end of week as if itā€™s a different meds they might need to order it for your next cycle. Big hugs and try to rest up. Those reactions take it out of you . Pj and netflix!! :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

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Thanks @pinklilli3s for your response, itā€™s good to have someone checking in with advice and insight whoā€™s been there before :blush: @Shi that goes for you too :blush:.

Iā€™ve got some antihistamines they gave me to take away in case I get the rash I got last time as they think that may be an allergic reaction also.

Hopefully will hear from oncology this week with an updated treatment plan.

Amazingly I slept really week last night despite the steroids prior to treatment!!

Xx

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If the antihistamines donā€™t work they can give you steroids tablets dexamethasone and cream. I also slept like a baby my first week on EC and after reaction on paclitaxel last year. Itā€™s the antihistamines. Thank you and take it easy. Hydrate and eat if you can! :smiling_face_with_three_hearts: :tulip::smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

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Hospital have rang me this morning, oncologist has decided I shouldnā€™t have another EC so they are going to start me on Docetaxal at my next session in 3 weeks :scream: Iā€™m worried in case I have a reaction to that but I know I have to put faith in my team - they will know what to do if it happens.

They ā€˜ve given me a morning appointment for that and have said a nurse will sit with me through out because of my reaction yesterday Xx.

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Hiya do talk to them about how you feel and ask if you can have antihistamines as premeds to prevent a reaction. They will know what to do if you have a reaction. Theyā€™ll probably be watching you anyway thatā€™s why you go in the morning and have a nurse by you. And if they didnā€™t watch you, do tell the nurses and everyone around you that you had an allergic reaction last time. It usually happens within the first few minutes but our bodies do what they need/want to do. (For ex I didnā€™t have a reaction on week 4 but one on week 3 and 5 :crazy_face:)
I have an allergic tendency so (penicillin and more) I always tell people around me and I wear a red hospital band . Your body is amazing and youā€™ve clearly recovered from this reaction so if you were going to have another one you would also recover and the teams will help you. The main thing is they changed it for you and I donā€™t know people having reaction on doceaxel but if youā€™re worried talk to your team or counsellor via Penny Brohn. Big hugs :hugs:

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Thanks again @pinklilli3s ill ask about premeds xx

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Hope everyone else is doing well?

I hope my posts about my reactions donā€™t cause any worry or concern for others on here!

On a lighter note my head is sporting some decent bald patches now but my bloody armpits and legs desperately need shaving - what the hell is that all about, here was me thinking that was at least one advantage of the chemo!! :rofl:

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@kitty77 Poor you! Sounds like you really went through it. Who knows how we will react and it sounds like it can just happen one time and not another. I, too, have some serious hair shedding going on and yet still hairy legs and an unsightly bikini line. Not fair!!

I have EC number 3 tomorrow. See you all on the other side.

Sal
x

Best of luck for tomorrow @salbert number 3 seems to have come round quickly :+1:t2: :blush: Xx

I am also sporting some lovely bald patches but have to shave legs! Honestly x

For pre meds I have four Dexamthasone tablets, two anti sickness. Sometimes the steroids can cause flushing so I took a piriton but they are very quick to stop administering. Itā€™s horribly having a reaction but you did recover very quickly which I hope reassures. I think Docxetal is a very different drug to EC, works in a diff way so be unlikely to have a reaction to that and EC. I wonder if there is a way they can trial a tiny bit first. Perhaps worth asking oncologist x

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Or you could ask for an allergy test to the Doxcetal first

Thanks for the advice @newbie1 I have a follow up appointment with oncologist a few days before my first Docetaxal so will definitely ask about premeds - I know Iā€™m picking up a load of steroids from them at this appointment but will also mention whether they can trial it first and will let them know Iā€™m worried about reaction after issues Iā€™ve had with EC xx