day 4 after chemo 3 and I tell ya it is really getting me down…so so shaky and i can’t lie down or feel like standing up… and to think i might have to have 8 instead of 6 is so getting me down. my poor hubby having to wait on me hand and foot… this week has been hard. just needed to vent…hope all of you are doing well.
lee xx
Lee
Sorry you are feeling down. Sending you a big hug and hop you are feeling a bit better soon. Meanwhile let your hubby do the work.
Take care.
Love
Lesley
X
Dear Lee
I am sorry to read that you are feeling down at the moment, please call our confidential helpline for support and help, our specialist nurses will be able to guide you to other forms of support too. It opens at 9am-5pm Mon-Fri and Sat 9am-2pm on 0808 800 6000.
Kind regards
Sam
Moderator
Breast Cancer Care
I know how you’re feeling, I am number three on Tuesday and felt so weak and wobbly after No 2 not looking forward to it. I just keep saying after a week I will start to feel ok! Keep thinking about how many good days you will have before the next one.
jew
((((( Lee )))))
sorry i can’t make it better for you, but i know you WILL get through this. Just do what your body tells you you can and rest - it really takes a lot out of you.
hugs
x
hi lee
just to say that i am with you big time…i’ve just had no.3 and suddenly feel as though my world has bottomed out. i feel useless, marginalised from my family (just too weak to go an outing with friends and family today, feeling too sick to do anything with my daughter yesterday). i feel brain dead and humourless. i know i’m suffering from chemotherapy brain and just not thinking as coherently as i did. plus, i’m suddenly swamped with insecurity about my body. i’ve had a mastectomy (july) and not had sex with my husband since then. he is lovely in all other ways but hasn’t really been able to get to grips with my scar i think. its not that i particularly want sex but i do want to feel wanted…i’ve been crying a lot and whereas a good cry usually makes me better, the after tears ‘up’ doesn;t seem to be kicking in. i feel robbed! sorry, lee, perhaps this isn’t making you feel any better! talk about off loading…
anyway, hope you are feeing better.
jo
xx
Hope it might help to know that of all 6 chemos, the 3rd was the one I took the longest to get better from. I know everyone’s different, but for me, I think it was the cumulative effect kicking in and I was very very tired by then. I was forced to listen to my body a bit more and not try to do so much - just what quisie is advising you to do. There was also something psychological for me about being over half way. If you have only 3 more to go then you’re over halfway - and if you do have to have 8, then the next dose will be half way. I wrote all the dates for chemo in my calendar (estimating when they would be, of course) and that did help me to mentally check them off. The second half of the treatment passed more quickly for me - i think because I was starting to focus on the end.
If your OH is having to wait on you hand and foot, my suggestion would be to lie back and enjoy it - good for him and good for you. My OH is currently nursing a roaring hangover and watching the rugby - I’m off to tell him I need some TLC right now - no partic reason, but your post is making me jealous…
I do hope you feel a bit better already. Oh and i almost forgot - if you can’t lie down and you can’t stand up, try stealing all the pillows in the house and making yourself a temporary feather bed for an hour or so - it’s lovely to curl up in a little nest for a while!
Sarah
XXX
hi sarah
hopefully i just sent you a personal message!
jo
xx
Hi Jo
It sounds like you are having a difficult time at the moment, you may find the Breast Cancer Care peer support service helpful. Our ‘Peer Support’ telephone service aims to quickly put you in touch with one of our trained peer supporters, who has had a personal experience of breast cancer, they are ready to listen, offer skilled emotional support and share their experiences and understanding:
For more information telephone 0808 800 6000 email: <script type=“text/javascript”>eval(unescape(‘%64%6f%63%75%6d%65%6e%74%2e%77%72%69%74%65%28%27%3c%61%20%68%72%65%66%3d%22%6d%61%69%6c%74%6f%3a%69%6e%66%6f%40%62%72%65%61%73%74%63%61%6e%63%65%72%63%61%72%65%2e%6f%72%67%2e%75%6b%22%3e%69%6e%66%6f%40%62%72%65%61%73%74%63%61%6e%63%65%72%63%61%72%65%2e%6f%72%67%2e%75%6b%3c%2f%61%3e%27%29%3b’))</script> or see the link: breastcancercare.org.uk/content.php?page_id=4438
Kind Regards
Sam
Moderator
Breast Cancer Care
Thank you so much for your comments. Day 5 and I do feel a bit brighter this morning and not so nervous. I find I just can not sleep very well anymore… little cat naps all night long and I don’t want to take sleeping tablets all the time. I try to limit that to maybe one or two a week. Don’t want to get where I must have something. I didn’t sleep too well prior to this I think it is part of being a woman!!! : ) Today I started my Nutrogenic shots… (whatever they are called to keep white blood cell count up) so tonight will be feeling like I have had a good beating. This week the Dr suggested take only for 5 days instead of 7 which was good…hope it works as well.
I called a friend yesterday and out of the blue just started crying like a baby and today I feel so embarassed. Is this the worst part? I haven’t given surgery too much thought… just want to take one step at a time. I am going to call the support nurse today and I am sure I will feel better emotionally after talking to her. My hubby just says u r doing fine but I do feel sorry for him taking care of most house chores and trying to work also. My kids and grandbabies are in the states so I also have problems with that wondering how long until I can travel with follow ups of herceptin, etc. They worry not being able to be with me and not being able to get all those much needed hugs from them is really hard. Sorry I have loaded all this on you all yet again today… If weather permits I am going to walk my sweet doggie around the neighborhood and I am sure that will make me feel better! Thank you for letting me have somewhere to let all these feelings out.
Leslie, Sam, Jewjew, quisie, thanks for the support.
Jo hope you have a better week too. I have not gone thru surgery as yet but I am sure what you are going thru is very difficult. I am going to calll support line this morning and hope maybe you do too…sounds like we need it!!
Sarah… I piled up the pillows…did feel comforting!! Yes half way sound soooo good… thanks for the advice! How long is the rugby season…seems like my hubby is watching it nonstop.
Wishing you all the very best week ahead. My prayers and thoughts are with you all.
Lee
xx
hi lee
so glad you are feeling a bit revived. it does all seem at once doesn’t it? i’m sure if you can get out with you dog, it’ll be good. i often bless the school run (yes, strange what we come to value!) because it makes me get out.
i agree about the sleep and tablets - i do as you do are doing - once or twice a week.
please don’t worry about off loading lee. it is a wonderful thing to be able to log and just let it all out. it is a real blessing to have people here who know what this is all about first hand.
thinking about you and hoping you have a good day.
x
jo
Hi
I am in full agreement FEC number 3 has been really difficult, All the side effects mentioned above, and felt really low for about 10 days after.
I agree sleeping has been a huge problem, I do not want to get reliant on the sleeping tablets. I now limit myself to up to a week after chemo, then stop. I do find I wake up with hot flushes almost hourly, and find it hard to get back to sleep.
I purchased a “Ladycare magnet” to help with the flushes, and it really seams to have cut the amount I was having down, and made them much shorter, so now I am sleeping for approx 3 hours, then waking, weeing!!! flushing!!! and usually getting back to sleep!!!
The things we go through!!!
14 days post chemo now and feeling much brighter.
Thanks Sarah for your post it helps to know things may improve!!!
Kim x
Hi Lee,
I think I speak for so many of us when I say that chemo No3, whatever ‘type’ it may be, seems to hit people the worst! I have been on E-CMF since May, due to finish on weds, and Epi No3 totally floored me!!! I have no idea why, I guess its just the accumulation.
I’m pleased that you are feeling a bit brighter this morning. I hope you managed to call the help line, I’ve done it quite a few times I don’t mind telling you! I have always found them to be so supportive and helpful, I’m sure you will have too.
As far as the op goes, I had a right mastectomy and total axillary clearance in March, a week after diagnosis. To be honest, compared to chemo I found the op to be a doddle. I don’t want to make light of it at all, but I just recovered much more quickly than I ever imagined I would do.
Take care of yourself,
Kelly
-x-
Oh Kelly thanks for that…that makes me feel loads better!
Lee xx
Yes, I agree with Kelly, the chemo is the worst bit of everything. Glad to hear you’re feeling a bit better and more optimistic. Don’t forget, though, that when times are tough you won’t be the first of us to have a good bawl - I’ve got it off to a fine art! I’m also working on having the other kind (of ball) now that I’m on the mend.
Sarah
XXX
hehe Sarah… I am looking forward to those times!!! Yes I do feel better today…not quite as jittery and even hungry for dinner. I had a long talk with support today and it truly helped!!!
thanks for the support…
Lee
xx
Yes, that’s really uplifting Kelly and Sarah. I have to go back and have axillary clearance after chemo and have been dreading it but its good to hear that the worst might be over! Enjoy your dinner Lee…hope its smells and tastes good!
Love
Jo