Getting ready to begin

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Hi

Buzzy - I think they will only delay chemo if you have temp- think it is an infection. Mostly for colds it just goes ahead. But def mention it.

For sickness- take everything they give you. Eat little and often, drink plenty to flush it through your system. Sometimes the sickness is actually from indigestion so get try something for that and sometimes can be related to constipation. Take senna or something before chemo to prevent it starting, then keep taking it if needed. Last tip. Keep a diary of side effects it will help you to know what to expect next time and will help your onc adjust your meds. I have my first tax this week- not looking forward to it. Hoping I don’t feel sick like I did on fec. Debx

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Hi everyone, I had my last of six Chemos ten days ago, 3fec3 tax . Everyone is different sickness wise and you just need to wait and see how you are I suppose. I threw up each night on The day I actually had the fec, and then was pretty naseuos for a week or do after but wasn’t sick again. I didn’t click that a lot of my symptoms were acid reflux for a while. Once I got lanzaprozole that disappeared. So keep an eye out for that.

Go to the dentist before you start Chemo as you can’t have stuff done during. Mine did a great clean and polish, Painted flouride stuff on them and told me to get double strenght flouride toothpaste called duraphat from my doctor as it’s free now! You cab only use soft toothbrushes while on Chemo so it is nice to start off with clean teeth.

Eat your forbidden foods now as there are a whole lot of foods you can’t have while on Chemo like prawns soft cheese, runny eggs, probiotic yoghurts.

Buy in lots of different drinks so you have a choice if you go off one. Appeltise was s one for me and pure fruit juices. People swear by pineapple too to help sore mouths.

Bottles of water with sports top for during Chemo as you are one handed once cannula in.

Put a hot water bottle on your hand and wrist on yourcwsy to hospital and whilst waiting as it can help your veins be nice and juicy . The nurses say they are vampires who love juicy veins!

Sweets for when you are in there and after.

Sky plus half hour comedy type programmes now do you have lots to watch, or get box sets in.

Magazines are easier to flick thru and read than books so get some in.

Do a decent shop beforehand so you aren’t stressing and running out of stuff.

Get anti bacterial wipes and hand gel.

I shaved my hair off day19after first Chemo as cap hadn’t worked well. Have head coverings ready in case it happens.

My eyebrows are diminished but still some there. Benefit brow zings are great for making them look normal. Max factor brown twist up eye liner is fab for defining my eyes . Eyelashes have just about gone now though were fine all through fec.

Tinned fruit and slices of melon great to eat. Cold fruit generally helpful.

Senacot for constipation. I agree with thd above post, take as soon as things aren’t moving normally. It is agony to be properly constipated so stay alert!

Sleep, rest and cry if you need to. You don’t have to be the best at getting thru it, you just have to pas ghe DDT if you are feeling rubbish.

Have a countdown. Mine was:-

  1. After first Chemo, phew first is worst, it’s done!
  2. After second, a third of the way there
  3. Now half way there
  4. Now two thirds of the way there
  5. Only one left now
  6. Done.

Plus always bear in mind that the last one only really counts as half a one as everyday you are really recovering rather than waiting to have it done sgsin.

Good luck everyone, you may get very few side effects, these are all just on cases!

Vickie
xxx

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Vickie and Deb - thanks for all the advice. Will let you know how it goes. Deb - all the best for next week.
Lilac

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thanks girls im sitting here waiting now dont have to be there until 3.30 today so ho gone to work for a bit,i feel iv got to get some ironing done for the week and get through the morning,had my breakfast as normal and feel calm at min! thank you for all the great advice and i be back soon let you know how it goes later.hugs Lynne x

25

Hello Ladies,

There is lots of good advice in this thread and all of you just about to start chemo will be wonderful sdpport for each other. I would like to suggest that it is quite possible that the chemo won’t be anywhere near as bad as you are expecting. That was certainly my experience.

I finished 3xFEC + 3xTax in June. Apart from the first night of my first treatment when I was extremely sick over a 4 hour period, I was was never sick or nauseous again (after treatment 1 was given my anti sickness meds intraveniously).

I was well enough to work throughout my chemo, taking only two days off each cycle, but to be honest I could have worked the day after treatment too.

I had some constipation, but managed it with sennacot, and some days loose bowels, and avoided eating too much fruit on those occassions.

I lost my hair, but my wig looked fab and I became very experimental with scarves and pashminas. I lost most of my eyebrows by the end, but always had enough to fill in with eyeliner and keep them looking fairly natural. I hated having no eyelashes, but learned to use eyeliner.

I don’t much like the appearance of my nails but for the first time in my life used coloured nail polish to hide the effects of the chemo.

I really didn’t like having no sense of taste for a week of each tax cycle, but I had gained a bit of weight due to the steroids during FEC, and lost it when I was having tax, I just didn’t feel like eating as much when I couldn’t taste it, so that had a positive outcome too.

There were days when I was very tired, but I just kept reminding myself that it would soon be over, and made the decision that as long as my house was hygenic, I wasn’t going to worry about cleaning too much until my treatment was over - it felt quite liberating!

I realise that I was very lucky not to be ill and to have an employer that encouraged me to work through my treatment and accommodated all of the appointments that I had. But I would suggest that you hope for the best, but be prepared for the worse … just don’t expect it.

Good luck to you all. Best wishes,
Jacqui

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Hi Lynne, Emma
Hope you get on OK today. Will be thinking of you and wishing you well.
Amanda xx

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Hi girls
I really hope that your first session was ok. My first was last monday and so I’m only a week ahead of you. I know how you must be feeling, watching the clock and waiting.
It will be fine and you will be ok. It’s the beginning of your mending project as my friend calls it.
We do expect the worst but it hasn’t been too bad for me, I hope you find the same thing.
Another tip - I went straight to the doctors when I couldn’t sleep. I got some sleeping tablets to help me through the first week. Actually, I’ve not even used a whole one! I used half one night and a quarter the next night and now it’s ok.
Let us know how you get on.
Lots of love
xxx

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Hello All,

First one done, had some nausea last night and today but taking all the drugs they gave me by the clock to minimise it. Feel like I want to gorge on Mini Cheddars, but not sure that it a good idea! The chemo nurse advised me not to take my dexamethasone last night as had chemo + dexamethasone at midday and I did sleep much better that I expected. Some of my joints are a bit achey but I have showered and made some toast. Other than that I feel normal. Ordered my 3 wigs to try.

Lilac and Lynne, thinking of you
Emma xx

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Well done how many chemo sessions r u having and what r they everybodys chemo is different with diferent side effects have you had surgery yet

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To Lynne and Emma - well done for getting through the first treatment. You now know what to expect and you (hopefully) wont feel so nervous for the next one. I hope you don’t suffer too badly with any SE’s.
Good luck to you Lilac for tomorrow. I’m sure we will all be thinking of you.

Karen

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Well done Emma! I wouldn’t worry too much about the mini cheddars, if that’s what you feel like, keep eating them! I’m sure the first one must be the hardest and you’ve done that now.
My chemo unit had to re-arrange my appointment so I’ll have my first one on Monday next week, not this Thursday. I don’t mind as they told me it would be a lot quieter on Monday than it will be on Thurs.
Good luck to the rest of you starting this week.
Amanda

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Hi,

Elaine I have been told 6 FEC, I had a Mx 4 weeks ago. I have to choose radiotherapy or op to have all lymph nodes removed at end of chemo. What a decision?!

I’ve moved on from mini cheddars to soup today…

Thinking of you all
Emma xx

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Hi Emma

I say if you crave it then it’s something your body needs! I seem to have cravings for tea and anything vinegary since starting my treatment. I always liked tea but now I am getting through bags of the stuff!! I could also quiet easily polish of an entire jar of beetroot!!

So how’s the after effects of the FEC? how ya doin with it?

Take it easy
xx

34

Hi Sniffer and everyone else
I had my first FEC this morning. It was supposed to be yesterday but it was postponed because they forgot to order my drugs! I’m having treatment at home which is great. Much less stress and I haven’t moved off the sofa all day!
The administering of the drugs was fine. I just had a very cold arm and my nose stung for a while with the cyclophosphamide but apart from that I feel fine so far. I’m drinking lots of fluids and hoping for the best.
Good luck next week. You’ll be fine
Debs
X

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Hi buzzy, it is good to get it over with isn’t it? I do like tors’ countdown for the rest of the cycles, I shall remember that. Almost makes me look forward to the next one, then I will be a third of the way through! ( I did say almost)
X
Rusty

36

Hello everyone just joining. I had my first chemo wednesday 18th, no big problems just felt hung over for first 3 days and a bit nausious as the day went on. The biggest problem is psychological, the expectancy for what might happen. I have developed a definite aversion to my hair and it takes all morning to find the courage to brush it! The spooky thing is it isnt shedding hairs like normal just sitting there. I imagine its because the folicles cannot grow? Have got a variety of caps, scarves snoodes ready like when you have a bag packed for having a baby.The one thing have noticed last few days is go really cold and get quite anxious and tight in my chest especially at night.
The option of treatment at home sounds lovely, mine`s in a big hospital with long waits in numerous waiting rooms, not sure I like sitting amongst all these people as have been told to avoid crowds!
The staff are nice though and feel in safe hands.
Anyone who hasnt had chemo yet its not any way as bad as you first imagine.

37

Hello All, had my first chemo on the 17th and like you all have been saying the anticipation or should I say dread was worst than the actual event. I took some rich tea biscuits with me and munched the whole time during treatment. Didn’t need them but they were a good distraction from what was going on. I just went home feeling really weird and shaky afterwards but apart from sickness the first night, no major side effects. It has been reassuring reading all your posts so I know that there are others who are going through the same as me. Just had a phonecall from the wig lady to say it’s arrived but still find it hard to imagine what it will be like without hair. Keep expecting to wake up and find it’s beginning to fall out. Not sure whether I will be brave enough to go and have it all cut off but have been told the wig and scarves will stay on better with no hair than if half of it’s still there. Has anyone else found that this is the case? Decided to go with the nhs one and also 2 detachable fringes as well so if I’m wearing hats and scarves out but don’t want to wear my wig then it will look like I have hair, just tucked it up out of the way.

Went into town this morning, great to be able to drive again but only managed an hour and then had to have a snooze this afternoon. Still I guess there’s worst side effects than having to have an afternoon nap.
Take care everyone
Ali
x

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Alicats deifinitely cut your hair and shave it as the scarves hats and wigs fit better. It is actually liberating without hair. I am 3 months post chemo and am having to shave my legs again ! My head has a dark covering of hair. Getting ready to go out is a breeze and it doesn’t matter if it is raining as there is no hair to spoil. Good luck.

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Hello, I just finished my chemo, never throught the day would come but it does. Whilst your body is yours and will do its own thing on chemo (some better, some worse than others) take all the advice about how to deal with the side effects that our lovely friends on here offer.
My best offer is have a look at the suburban turban website re hats - I am wearing one of their caps as I type - best investment I have made since my diagnosis in Feb 2010 - chic, comfy, robust…
very best of luck and determination, Nicola

40

Nicola that is a great website. I looked at it before but haven’t ordered anything from there yet. Waiting for delivery of my NHS wig and also one I’ve bought on ebay although my hair hasn’t left me yet. I’m only a day past my first chemo!
Ali where did you get your detachable fringes?
Debs