Morning all.
So a few tummy issues but not sure whats happening…nothing major just irritating !
I wake up with a really empty feeling - not hungry but that feeling if you dont eat soon you will start to feel nauseous. So have a little something then feel bloated and full of wind - more burping thatn anything else ! Its probably something very obvious but looking for suggestions please x
Hi Chrissy
I’m no expert but is there anything that is really worrying you at the moment ? Its often the fear of the unknown and chances are alot of those fears will be similar for everyone,
Keep in touch
Jude x
Morning - welcome Chrissy - I can understand how you are feeling - that waiting to start is very nerve wracking. I had my first FEC last Thursday- the process itself was painless , felt sick and tired for a few days, today (day 7) I feel really good - just been for a lovely walk in the sun with hubby and dog. I haven’t had any real side effects so far - just the heartburn and stomach upset - Jude I spoke to my chemo nurse who recommended getting something from doc like lanzaprazole but also recommended something called Nexium which you can buy over the counter in case I couldn’t get a GP appointment that day ( which is exactly what happened) - that has made a real difference .
Have a good day all x
Hi Chrissy
I didn’t find the FEC part too bad, when I did it a few years ago. Try not to be too worried, and keep an open mind. Although everyone can react differently, they will give you lots of advice and drugs to counter the side effects, so it ends up being quite well managed, on the whole. I was waiting with trepidation for ‘something’ to happen… and it didn’t. I was almost relieved when my hair fell out, as it showed it was doing something!
Jude, Bibi, I’ve also had a few bloat/indigestion/burping issues. I took some Gaviscon, then some Senokot over the weekend, but am trying to avoid messing with my digestion too much, and just drink lots of water and eat good things. Although I couldn’t resist some pizza the other day.
I went back to work today, and will do short days this week. Feel 90% normal, bit tired, and thinking is a little harder than usual. But I managed 3 hours of teaching! 
Evening Emma - glad to hear you are feeling well - well done for getting back to work. As a retired teacher I admire your stamina - know how much teaching takes out of you.
I’m also trying to eat really healthily- mostly successfully but a cuppa and cake in the afternoon seems to help my day along ?
?
Thank you for your replies I have been making the most of my last few days before chemo. Your advice has been really useful . I don’t know how you work I feel I’m still getting tired since my mastectomy and implant 6 weeks ago . Got bone scan bloods and ecg tomorrow followed by Friday pre chemo chat then last weekend. One thing that does worry me is being isolated as I’ve heard that the 2nd week your immune system is low and there is more risk of infection so better to not go out . Any tips ?
My teaching is higher ed, so I don’t have to worry about the germs of children. Personally, it helps me to continue as normal as much as possible. We each need to do what’s right for us.
Good luck for your bone scan, Chrissy xx
Good luck with your scans today Chrissy xx
I found this forum a good support when in the isolation phase. It’s quite frustrating because it comes at the stage where you start to feel well again. My oncologist said that’s what makes it dangerous because you feel ok therefore you want to get back to normal. I have coped by spring cleaning sorting out long neglected parts of the house and going out for long walks away from people. It’s only for a relatively short period and it has meant that I’m actually looking forward to going to work tomorrow for the first time since November. I did intend to work more but there have been so many nasty lurgies around that I’ve kept away!
Thank you to everyone for your kind words. I spent from 10am having tests done and then later my bone scan and didn’t get home til 5pm. I feel like getting a bed there as I’m back again today for pre chemo chat. Hope you all have a good weekend
Good luck with work chaffinch x
Chrissy - hope work goes well. I am at the tricky low point and feel so well Inwant to go out and about , trying to keep it away from crowds and yes sorting stuff out in corners of house that I’ve ignored. Hubby says I’m a slave driver giving him jobs to do lol
Chaffinch - hope you have a good weekend - do something nice to distract you. I feel more relaxed now I have actually had the first round, now I’m over the sicky bit and feel good I realise I am actually more relaxed than I have been for months in the worrying testing, diagnosis, waiting time. So keep your pecker up - sending you hugs ? xxx
You do feel better once you have a plan. Part one chemo done for me moving to part 2 Herceptin next week with part 3 rads starting 26th. You just roll with it once it starts. I try not to look too far ahead.
Hope you February ladies manage a good weekend. Chemo does end, just take a day at a time x
Hi ladies. Just popping over to say hi and see how you all are. I finished chemo last month and have just had single mx and ANC.
Don’t worry new chemo starters it won’t be as bad as you think it’s going to be. Ring you chemo unit with any questions they can help and adjust your meds if necessary. And most important of all remember that you can do this. Just take one day at a time.
X
Morning all - had a few days of feeling off so just been trying to make sense of it all. I’m not used to taking any medication so trying to work out whats going on and why…not much success so far ! I got some buscopan (anti spasmodic) from my GP because my stomach etc was just working overtime, burping loads and making it hard to eat. That settled it but it gives you a very dry mouth so only took a few doses. I mentioned Lansoprazole but he felt it wasnt necessary as no indigestion/heartburn. Just felt very empty like you feel after a tummy bug. That coincided with the days after finishing the dexamethasone which i’ve read can be when you can take a nosedive. Felt quite shaky and really not with it so dozed quite a bit. Managed to go out for lunch yesterday and ate the most i had done this week which was lovely ! Last injection last night and blimey the pain kicked in at 1am which was worse than the usual 4am jolt - brufen normally does the trick but it took a fair while. Any other tips for the pain ? Its lower back for me but seems to work its way up to a headache as well. I use a heat pack as well - just wish the microwave was in the bedroom !
Today my back is still giving me jip but manageable - just wondered if the pain subsides now they are finished ?
Got an eventful afternoon/evening …decided to take control and shave the hair off ! My friends husband is doing it as well which is so lovely of him. Its a bit daunting but just trying to keep in mind this is for charity and not because im going to lose it anyway. Have set up a Just Giving page for Breast Cancer Care and currently at £1130 which has blown me away. There will be 18 of us (all vetted to ensure no colds present !) plus my 89 yr old mother who was also diagnosed with breast cancer last Aug - doing really well with just Letrozole.
Hope everyone else is doing ok and enjoying the weekend ,
Jude xx
Bloody internet…just wrote a long post and its completely disappeared…ggrrrr…
Just checking in after having a few naff days. Trying to make some sense of the symptoms but not very successful ! Got come buscopan (anti spasmodic) from the GP as stomach etc was just going into overdrive, burping loads and finding it hard to eat. Took a few doses which settled things but gives you a very dry mouth so stopped taking them. Asked about Lansoprazole but didnt think it was necessary as no indigestion/heartburn. Just felt so empty like after having a tummy bug. All started soon after finishing dexamathasone which ive read can cause a nose dive so not sure if linked. Felt very shaky and really not with it so dozed alot. Managed to get out for lunch with friends yesterday and actually ate loads which felt good. Maybe i just need to eat more but theres the flip side that i dont want to feel really bloated.
Last injection last night - awake at 1pm instead of the usual 4am jolt with a god awful back ache. Brufen usually does the job but took quite a while plus a heatpack - really good but wish the microwave was in the bedroom ! Seems to radiate up to a headache which is irritating. Any other tips for this pain ?
Making notes to discuss with oncologist in another 10 days. Its all rather irritating stuff - i can still function, i just like to know whats going on and why ! Really not keen on popping loads of pills so as its the first cycle just going with the flow.
Got a busy afternoon/evening as have decided to take control and get rid of the hair. My friends husband is doing it too which is so lovely of him. Its a bit daunting but trying to keep in mind i am doing this for charity and not because its going to fall out anyway. Have set up a Just Giving page for Breast cancer Care and currently at £1130 - its blown me away ! There will be 18 of us (all vetted to ensure no colds etc !) and also my 89 yr old mum who was also diagnosed last august - doing really well just on Letrozole.
Hope everyone ok and having a lovely if not very chilly weekend
Jude xx
The empty feeling I think is the steroids, I found eating little and often helped leaving it too long lead to nausea. A handful of almonds was good to take the edge off or bland carbs like toast or cereal or fruit bread.
Hi Jude. Could you share you just giving page link? I’d like to donate too. My nephew shaved all his hair off a couple of weeks ago and raised over £700 on his own. Bless him. I knitted him a hat!
I got my wig yesterday - a nice chin length bob in a red colour, with a fringe. I’m bizarrely looking forward to wearing it! I also bought a hat from accessorize as I will probably only wear the wig for work, and hats for other occasions.
This first week has been far more up and down for me than my first time around. I’m having a good day, then a rougher one. Headaches, tiredness and a sore/bloody nose mostly now.
Good luck with the head shave Jude .
On one of the other monthly threads someone recommended taking Clarityn - or something similar which has Loratadine in - for the bone pain. I have finished with the injections now - fortunately didn’t get too much pain , took the Clarityn- I find ibuprofen upsets my stomach and as I was having indigestion didn’t want to make it worse. I also used paracetamol ( after checking temperature) and this seemed to work for me.
Hope you get a good few days now .