thanks for that Lulu its interesting to hear how other people have got on…no you’ve not scared me,everyone reacts differently and to be honest not really a lot i can do about how i will react,but its good to feel prepared…
thank you
Emma xx
Thanks everyone for the tip re: docetaxel. Still dreading it. Especially tastebuds and mouth sores. I avoided most of that during 3 x FEC. But hey, going off food might not be such a bad thing. I look like an ox having put on so much weight since beginning of chemo. Stretchy joggers, no hair and disappearing eyes are really not such a good look I find.
Hello
Just a quick update. My portacath will be fitted (under sedation & local anaesthetic ) next Tuesday morning & my first chemo will be the Weds. It will then revert back to a Monday ( the day I requested) for thd next cycle so that hubby can come if he wants to. Can’t believe I’m nearly at the starting line. Am hoping the ride will be similar to last time with no sickness! Lovely nurses on the unit though so I’ll be on good hands again. Slightly nervous about the portacath being fitted ( will report back on that) but it’ll save the veins in my good arm any further abuse.
Is anyone else starting chemo next week?
Twinky x
Hi Twinky
Please don’t worry about your portacath being fitted as I didn’t feel a thing, and makes life easier than playing ‘Find-a-vein’!
Good luck
Hi Ladies
Chickened out & had my portacath fitted whilst I was knocked out this morning. Other than feeling slightly knocked about am fine & ready for chemo tomorrow! I have waterproof dressings on the two wounds so I can still shower. Stitches will need removing in just over a week. The nurses in the chemo dept will do this for me. Important to keep my wounds sterile to avoid infection whilst they heal. Obviously the chemo will slow the healing a bit but I’m sure I’ll be fine.
Back at 10 tomorrow morning for my treatment then hopefully a film at the cinema with hubby rather than going home to wait for SE’s! I’m hoping a bucket of pop whilst watching will help start flushing the toxic stuff out! Hating the thought of starting chemo but hey it’s got to be done!
Hugs to all waiting for chemo to start.
Twinky x
Good Luck Twinky,
Wishing you tiny SEs only
Axx
Twinky I notice you dont mention Neulasta-I had my treatment privately too and was offered Neulasta [to boost bone marrow] after every chemo.On NHS some people get a course of GCSF injections to do a similar job but Neulasta is a single jab and can prevent neutropenia which is a real risk especially with taxotere.It costs about £1000 a shot but is worth asking about.
I found FEC perfectly ok except for sickness immediately post chemo and increasing fatigue but for me taxotere was another story-it was horrible!Not everyone is the same though.
Hi Twinky
Just wanted to say good luck for tomorrow - I had my first FEC last Tuesday - I felt sick for about 24 hours afterwards and tired but have felt better each day and now a week later feeling much more myself (its not quite a distant memory yet though!!).
Smartie x
Hi Smartie
That’s good to hear…I’ll have your version of the SE’s please! Home now after my op. just what do they ram down your throat when you’re under? Mine hurts so much!
Twinky x
Hope all goes well for you Twinky.
Just re: neulasta injections… I was NHS treated and had the jabs after each Tax, I think it is pretty standard. GCSF is the active ingredient in neulasta jabs; as far as I can ascertain, there are three different kinds of G-CSF macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation/Cancertreatment/Treatmenttypes/Supportivetherapies/HaematopoieticGrowthFactors.aspx. There may be diffs between hospitals on which they use, when and why.
I’m nhs and I had neulasta after each taxotere… And it costs £686.38 per injection… But that is cheaper than a hospital admission.
Good luck tomorrow twinky xxx
Wow - I never realised that my jab in the tummy within 24 hours of having docetaxel was so expensive! Mind you, we are all worth it and more! Mine was given at my GP surgery the day after chemo and all on the NHS.
Glad to hear that your portacath insertion went ok Twinky, but I was advised to have baths rather than showers until the dressing was removed - funny how we all receive different advice. I don’t think that the chemo slows down your healing process at all, and you’ll be fine so good luck with the chemo. Remember that it’s doable as those of us who have come out the other side will tell you so hang on in there.
Enjoy the film!
Mazzalou xx
Hear hear, Lulu!
I think everyone I’ve heard of will get the injection - I am on the Danish NHS and I will with my first Taxotere in two weeks time. I’ve also got Emend as a matter of routine (first 3 days, but looking at the packaging, that’s the norm) and I have not been sick or felt nauseous at all.
Good luck for your first, Twinky!
Julianna
Morning
Well here I am, hooked up with my new portacath. Had my emend tablet before starting plus an anti sickness injection so should be fine today. Red stuff currently going in first. Have a huge bag of meds to take home to deal with side effects, even treatment for a sore mouth later in the cycle & an anti fungal treatment. Very different to last time I must say. Glad they give me a spreadsheet to show what to take when or I’dbevery confused. Got to say it’s much nicer not having treatment into the back of the hand / arm do I’d recommend the port especially as it’s hidden away nicely under the skin. No external thingy.
Good luck to those of you starting soon. Onwards & upwards…just thinking about it killing off all those nasty c cells.
Twinky x
P. S can’t believe I’m posting as I’m having treatment!
Hi Everyone
Just to let you know I’m still ok. Went from the hospital to have some food. Home now as hubby needs to do some work before we go see a film. Just took two Dom Perignon ( well that’s what I call them) as I feel a little off but not too bad! Had forgotten the feeling of glowing a bit after treatment (well it was 6 years ago). Must keep drinking loads. Managed several cups of water whilst at the hospital & enjoyed a hot choc on the way home. A quick 40 winks might be in order!
Twinky x
Hi Twinky,
Good that you’ve got started - the sooner begun the sooner finished. It is great that they seems to have a pill for every ill that may afflict us along the way. As a veteran (!) you will know when to take it easy and when to get up and go. Don’t be surprised if you end up puking tonight in spite of all the ant-sickness stuff. It shocked me the first time but I now just wait for the throwing-up to be done so I can go to bed and wake up feeling better next morning.
Just keep away from coughing people. I spent three days in hospital after a simple sinus infection went rogue. Be a bit anti-social and selfish because it’s for everyone’s best in the end.
It won’t feel short while you’re doing it, but 18 weeks will pass and then life as you know it will be back on course.
All the best,
Kathleen
Hi Kathleen
Was starting to feel a bit rough around 5 but decided to have a snack & then took some more Dom Perignon at around 6. Just nibbling on an apple & feeling better. Hubby has been despatched to Tesco with a weird list of things I might like snacking on! Think the tablets nipped the sickness in the bud for the moment. I think if I make it through the first 24 hours without my head in the toilet I will probably be ok…lol. Not drinking as much as I probably should. Lunch should have been lighter so that I have room for lots of drink!
Hugs
Twinky x
Hi everyone,
Just surfing the threads and was interestd with this one because I had my first Tax yesterday. Must say that my health authority (Glos)must be particulary hard up. I have had delayed chemo twice and a hospital admission with neutropenic sepsis and still not getting gcsf jabs!! Also no prophylatic AB’s, fungicides, laxatives, mouthwashes etc. Feeling very left out 
Not too many se’s from tax yet, just a flushed face and start of that nasty metallic taste in mouth. Veins really gave up yseterday and it took 5 attempts and 3 nurses to cannulate me!! Have a lovely blue hand today.
Good luck to everyone.
Debbie x
Hi
My good would be
Try and get a line put in saves the veins
Ginger wine helped taked the taste away - must admit à couple of days i had à glass in the Morning well before lunch!!!
L
Hi Gingersmithy
Hugs to you. Not nice playing hunt the robust vein is it! I’m so glad I have my portacath. Made it so easy this morning. Got to go back tomorrow for an injection ( neulesta or something like that). They want to give me my first one but I can do future ones myself at home (60 mile round trip to the hospital). Need to go back again next week to have my stitches out.
So after today I’m a third of my way through FEC…best way to look at it I think. Am blanking out the thought of starting Docetaxel later…
Twinky x