Caz. My chemo sessions are done by Christie satelite also, could be the same hospital as you. You are further on than me, I go for my second FEC next Thursday.
I have booked a place on a Made For Life day which includes make overs & therapies,pink champagne & fun. Not sure about the “fun” but looking forward to some tips on makeup
Carol
I went to our drop in session last week at our local hospital we had a really great laugh there is only about 3 of us in our 40’s i went with my friend and collegue who ive already said was diagnosed only a week before me we also go for chemo together so its good support for each other they now sit us round the corner with the stores out the way cos we have the place in an uproar ha ha .My friend is starting her tax next chemo and is a bit apprehensive anyone got any tips i can tell her. there was another lady at the drop in just having started tax and was having a really rough time and has had terrible pains in her fingers as if they’ve been jammed in the door and i think it frightened her a bit .I fortunatly dont have to have tax just staying on FEC x 6.Im also booked into the look good feel better session begining of July so that should be a good afternoon. Hope everyone else not too bad after last chemo ive got my 3rd on thurs and ill be 1/2 way through woo hoo . xxx take care Hugs Julie
Hi Ladies,
Tina…hope your kitchen is coming on well, I don’t think I could handle having all that work done as the same time as the treatment…my hat’s off to you xx
Ingegestion people…I got lansoprazole on Thurs which has helped a lot…i just need to try to remember to take it an hour before food:-((( If I only had a brain!!! xx
Staying in Swindon this weekend so having a bit of a break :-))
Can’t stay as reading.tyoing makes me dizzy :-((
Hugs Suze xxxx
Have an SE free weekend :-))
Well, not many people come to Swindon for a break! I should be looking out for you! Kitchen coming along going into week six of building work, really, it keeps me busy and I at least I don’t have to worry about the housework! Hope everyone is taking it easy this weekend, off for bloods on Monday for 2nd tax on Thursday. Must remember to put the emla on my port, forgot last time…Julie, I had the bone&muscle pain after tax, they told me to take nurofen regularly. Also felt the odd one out at recent BC openday day, majority ladies of screening age. But sat next to a very nice lady and the age gap didn’t matter really. Would have liked to have gone with a friend! Nice weekend everyone!
Lol Tina…
my OH booked for the de vere hotel at Shaw Ridge Leisure Park as we like de vere hotels and he wanted to get fairly close to Southmppton where my daughter now lives since April. He wasn’t sure if I would be up to much travelling so wasn’t sure what to do.
Anyhow it’s worked well as daughter has come up to the hotel and is staying here tonight (and my grandson) so that was extra surprise. We move down to southampton tomorrow for the day before returning on Monday (original plan was just to see them on Sunday so I’ve had extra time with them). SE’s have seemed to fade away completely, dunno if it’s the excitement or it was just the right time for them to fade anyway. Whatever the reason I am not complaining…what a difference a coupe of days makes.
Hugs Suze xx
Well, I hope you had a nice weekend there, the hotel is 5 mins from where I live! It must have been a real boost to see your daughter.
Hi everyone not been on for a while as I am now back and work and its keeping me very busy and making me very sleepy… so I either work or sleep (what a sad person?). Hope everyone is fine and getting through the Chemo ok. Tina you seem to be doing really well - I am too old to go to the forums as they are for under 50’s, they don’t have them for us old un’s… although I don’t feel old…!
I got another infection this time round, only a septic finger but it was red and swollen and asked to go to hospital, luckily my bloods were ok this time so they didn’t keep me in , but on another round of antibiotics… so more constipation and runs…
I start my Tax on 24th June, I am not looking forward to it as I have sort of got used to FEC and know what to expect and when so its like starting over again. - I don’t fancy the swollen face… I thought I would get ‘moon face’ with the steriods on FEC but I have been lucky so far.
My Hair hasn’t grown anymore, I just have a covering about quarter of an inch all over - I suspect it will go with Tax, along with my eybrows and eylashes - up to now have been lucky and i am still shaving my legs…
Good luck to everyone who is having treatment or tests this week and take care xxxx
hi everyone,
i definitely recommend the lanzarprole whatever it is called heartburn tablets ( sorry but cannot be bothered getting up to get them out of the cabinet to check their name but i am sure they are the ones other people have typed). I think a lot of my nausea the last 2 cycles was from heartburn as well as nausea. I have had different anti sickness meds this time and it has been better. I didn’t get the emend as my consultant was struggling to get it as my trust dont usually prescribe it, but he says he will get it next time for me if i want as he will have more time to fight for it! He didn’t want to delay my chemo last thrusday just for the emend, which i totally agreed with.
Has anyone else had psychological nausea? I am sure a lot of mine comes from my mind as well as my body, though it is no less reaL FOR it. I cannot eat or drink red stuff cos of the red liquid in the fec. I can smell the chemicals still when i wee. taking the steroids and antsicknedd tablets makes me heave and gag. talking about the treatment does. Thinking of the room does. I have had to wear a long sleeved cardie all weekend as the bruises on my hand from the cannula make me heave when i see them. Bloody hell, i sound like a right basket case!
Anyway, 3 down, 3 to go, bit nervous about the tax which starts next time.
Hope everyone is ok. Maria, i read your other thread, hope you are getting through this tough time, big big hugs to you. Caz, i too am at satllite hospital for christie, so is suze. We christie girls should meet up. Tina, was the forum worth it? Am considering travelling up to the newcastle one of it ties in with treatment and general life, though really don’t want to stay away.
Did anyone read Kylie’s interview in the sunday times magazine today> It was good, she didn’t say too much about the ins and outs of her treatment and diagnosis but it was obvious what a profound effect it has had on her life.
Take care all,
Vickie
Hi all,
I totally agree about getting a ‘mental nausea’ effect Vicky. Although I luckily don’t heave like you, I have got a bit of a thing about the smell of the chemicals and therefore my toxic body. Can take the pills ok but only with juice, not water. Silly really, as so far I haven’t really even felt that sick, just generally odd and grotty.
Still, I turned the corner on Fri, just in time for 2 parties over the weekend! Lost the indigestion pretty much and feel tired but ‘normal’ again which is a relief. Wore the dreaded wig for the first time to a drinks party on Fri eve. (Children howled with laughter and said I shouldn’t wear it - so supportive!) Got lots of compliments but did feel rather self conscious and kept wanting to itch my head. I reckon that peiple who didn’t know me certainly wouldn’t have known it was a wig though and luckily it wasn’t windy as we were outside for most of the eve! Then went for the scarf on Sat night. So many headwear options compared with people with boring old hair!!
Sue
Hi everyone
Totally agree with the smell of chemicals it makes me feel sick thinking about it! The colour and smell when you wee is enough to make me feel sick. I really stuggle with the tablets for the first few days often feeling worse for taking them, OK once they actually go down! (physchological nausea it is!)
I am concerned at the fact that I havent yet seen the same oncologist and therefore dont seem to get any sort of repor with them. The last one told me to stop taking temp when I wanted to discuss That fact that I keep getting really low temps at night!
My other concern is that originally told would be on FEC the TAX (although it was the BC that said this) now seem to be on 6 FEC. Why are the different treatments used any help would be great so I can approach the next oncoligist I meet! I had 2 lymph nodes affected and not good margins. I just want it to be done right!
Scoobs my daughter told me that “no offence Mum you look better without hair” when I wore my wig!! Kids hey!
glad its not just me with the pstchological sick thing, though dont mean i am wishing it on anyone else, just makes me feel less mad! Its odd tedoris that you have the different consultants with different views - you should perhaps ask what they agreed as your treatment plan at the mdt meeting after your results were first through. My understanding from ym friend who is an oncologist is that 3 fec and 3 tax tends to be used for lymph node involvment, but i could be totally wrong so don’t quote me on it. Theres a thread about benefits of different chemo that may help you. I agree, i would prefer to have everything thrown at me now , if i have to go through this then make sure its gold standard please! My onc friend though said some consultants would have given me 6 fec on the basis that no lymph nodes, and some would have given me 3 fec 3 tax, with the fec being because i am low oestrogen positive plus only 36. My consultant has chosen the latter.Hope that helps rather than worries you? I take my temp a couple of times a day but more over my at more risk middle week, the dr at hospital when i was neutrophenic said i should do it about 4 times a day then ( was more like 4 times an hour to be fair, v paranoid!)
hope evryone keeping well in the circumstances
Vickie
HI GIRLS i had FEC 3 yesterday and have not been too good this time dont feel unwell but the sickness has really hit in this time ive had projectile vomitting nearly didnt reach the loo today ive just rand BC nurse to see if i can have any other sickness meds and she going to ring me back .It seems to be as soon as i take the tablets so dont know if its them or psychological or the chemo but dont dare not take them in case im worse.and my face and neck is like a turkey today got a right flush on but temp ok xxx sorry for winging today hopefully feel better next couple of days
Hi everyone I must admit this cycle I have felt so well in myself. I do get the ‘smellies’ if you know what I mean everything tastes or smells of chemicals including myself, this is usually up to around day 15 but after that I am fine its just the tiredness. This time round though i have felt less tierd and doing full days at work then coming home and doing ‘normal’ things.
I do sleep well at night though which is great!! I even had a glass of Cider last night along with my take away curry!! I know it won’t last as next week I have bloods on Tuesday for my first TAX on Thursday which I am not looking forward too. Just about to go shopping for some dark nail varnish and an eyebrow pencil (which I am told I will need).
My head hair is continuing to ‘grow’ I nearly have a fringe! it sticks down under my wig - I still shave my legs too although underarm hair gone… I hope to keep my ‘hairy’ bits through TAX but will let you know how it goes…
Take Care everyone and good luck with treatments…xx
Had second tax/c on Thursday and with emend had no nausea at all. Did my nails with very dark blue and they seem ok so far. Have no lashes or eyebrows left now. Have eyebrow pencils and kohl eyeliner with a little sponge to give some definition to eyes. Very difficult to “glamorous”…
Tax is very harsh on the neutrophils, WBC went from 10 (which was after neulasta jab) to 1.6 during first cycle. 1.5 is cut off for giving tax, so just made it.
Big Hug to all and hope SE’s are not too harsh. Tinaxx
thanks Tina, do you do your toe nails as well as finger nails - I don’t fancy dark finger nails it just isn’t me…?? did you keep your eyebrows through FEC and they disappeared with TAX, did you notice any additonal hairloss with TAX? sorry for the stupid questions I am just worried about TAX… I know I will cry when I go to the unit on Thursday…
I do suffer from low neutrophils even with FEC, 1st cycle went down to 0.3 (when I was admitted to hospital) last time they had only got to 1.7 before my treatemen, which I was told was borderline. I am already having the injections, so if TAX is harsher then I will have problems I think. big hugs backxxx
Hi, I don’t like the dark fingernails either, looks a bit “gothic”! Have my toes and fingers done! Only had two Fec, and not sure if eyebrows/lashes were worse affected by Fec or tax/c, asked chemo nurse and she said fec was worse than tax on hair, but again it may be an individual opinion/experience. Please don’t upset yourself by the thought of going on the tax, it comes through the drip so no sitting with a nurse pumping in that nasty red epirubicin! You will definetely need the jabs if you got so low, mine were 0.5 after the first fec but the jabs did the trick every time! Dont find the tax harder just different, wooly mouth, bone&muscle aches and getting a bit tired now. Sending you a big hug! Tinaxx
Hi
With regard to nails, I don’t think that the nail varnish needs to be dark…just thick enough to stop as much light getting through as possible. I used colours I liked, just made sure that they were the ‘thicker’ sort of varnishes and applied thick coats…it seemed to do the trick!
Regards Nicky
Thanks Nicky and Tina for your replies. I have bought some dark red/brown stuff for my toe nails and will put it on myself I may go to a salon and have my finger nails done as I am not very good at doing it and they always look a mess when I do them. I will ask to get a thick coating as possible and try and get a colour I can live with - like you say the ‘goth’ look isn’t my scene (far too old). My big toe nails are already black/blue and look ‘bruised’ and that is just with FEC and they do look unsightly so I need to cover them with a darkish colour anyhow.
I don’t know why I feel so emotional about Tax - everytime I think of it my eyes fill up with tears and I am almost dreading it. I don’t know why as I didn’t have the same problem when I started FEC I was just keen to get started. Maybe I am a bit fatigued by it all and am just having a wobble. I am sure you are right it is no worse just different and like you say I won’t have that huge tube of red stuff pumped into me which looks and feels horrid.
stiff upper lip and deep breathes required I think…
x
hi everyone
saffronseed, feeling scared about my first tax in 2 weeks too, feel like vomiting just thinking of it. I take a tablet before i go to calm me, lamazpam or soemthing like that, it helps a lot
Tina, glad you doing well on the tax, gives us all hope. I love your wig, you look great on the photo.
I have had hard week since chemo last thrusday, sickness etc were better but the hormonal/emotional effects hit me like a brick again on day 6/7, and had total meltdown. Feeling a lot better now, and done some retail therapy.
Halfway through now, hurray!
Vickie
hi everyone
saffronseed, feeling scared about my first tax in 2 weeks too, feel like vomiting just thinking of it. I take a tablet before i go to calm me, lamazpam or soemthing like that, it helps a lot
Tina, glad you doing well on the tax, gives us all hope. I love your wig, you look great on the photo.
I have had hard week since chemo last thrusday, sickness etc were better but the hormonal/emotional effects hit me like a brick again on day 6/7, and had total meltdown. Feeling a lot better now, and done some retail therapy.
Halfway through now, hurray!
Vickie