hiya girls,
having a bad day today so blooming exhausted feel about 90 yrs old did a bit of hovering and had to sit down for an hour afterwards ive never felt so bloddy knackered in my entire life and to top that my hair is now comming out in handfulls so have been in lots of tears today ,im so fed up, i so resent how BC has changed my life i know it will eventually get better but sometimes its hard to stay focoused and positive about things. Well i know i gotta do it so ive rang my hairdresser to come and shave my head tomorrow morning, cant stand any more hair falling off i hope il feel better after but i know its gonna be heartbreaking its gonna be so hard facing the outside world after. Got the wigs and scarfs ready but dont know which to go with yet.URGHHHH .Can anyone give me any tips for acid indigestion i seem to get it a lot lately, whats is best and safe to take while on chemo as i cant seem to get rid of it and its horrible. Oh well hopefully tomorrow will be a better day it would help if i could sleep at night but seem to be up every few hours ,so sorry for all my wingeing im beginning to sound like a right miserable cow ,normaly im quite a upbeat kinda girl.(honest)
i hope everyone is doing ok ,it helps knowing that we all know what is other is going through.
Best Wishes to you all
Lots of Hugs
Love Lindiloo x
Chemo can cause stomach damage. Phone up and ask the chemo nurses what they would recommend & get your GP to prescribe it. I found that omeprazole sorts stomach problems without causing the runs or constipation. Ordinary indigestion remedies just had no effect with me.
By the way, I much preferred silk or cotton scarves & hats, as I found wigs to be really hot & itchy. Don’t be surprised if your scalp feels sore and tender while you are losing your hair. It doesn’t last long, and - on the positive side - you can look forward to not needing to shave legs & armpits!
Love Lynn
Oh bless you Lindiloo, you are allowed to have a blimmin good whinge you know! I’ve been whinging for England recently to anyone who will listen…(probably driving half my friends away)…but this chemo lark is enough to make a saint swear!
I suffered terribly with acid indigestion on FEC (and still do a bit on Taxotere). In fact I was almost permanently attached to a very large bottle of Gaviscon! (My oncologist told me to take it, so it must be OK). Have a look in the pharmacy for Gaviscon tablets that give 12 hours of relief and are more palatable than the liquid, or if your mouth is yukky I found Remigel chewy indigestion tablets helpful. Otherwise ask your oncologist to prescribe the tablets Lynn mentions.
The trouble with chemo is that it destroys fast dividing cells and can’t differentiate between cancer cells and normal ones, and your digestive system…including your mouth is made up of normal cells that divide quickly, hence the digestive problems.
It’s horrible when your hair starts to fall out, we have all been there, and it is upsetting. You will probably find it a relief when it is gone. Hope you have some Buffs (Google it), cos they are very handy to wear around the house or under hats (winter is coming), and also for sleeping in. I found that after shaving my head the bristly bits that remained attached my head to the pillow like Velcro…and also you may find it very cold in bed at night with no hair.
Good luck, and rest when your body tells you!
Thinking of you hun, chin up! xxxx
Hiya Lindiloo,
I never suffered at all with acid indegestion until I started blooming chemo in may! Anyway, I can highly recommend ‘Omeprazole’ that Lynn has mentioned. My gp prescribed me 10mg to start but that didn’t even hit the spot and the nurses at the chemo day centre said I could go up to 40mg!! So, I’m now on 30mg and that is totally doing the job. I take them first thing in the morning and make sure I have a full glass of water afterwards to make sure they go right down! They’re awesome, particularly as I can not bear the taste of Gaviscon.
I really hope the head shaving goes ok today and isn’t too traumatic for you. I got my OH to shave my hair off after we got home from my very first chemo session. Losing my hair was a relly big deal to me and I was totally gutted, cried all day!! However I was amazed at how quickly I got used to the new ‘bald me’. I started using make-up like never before!!! Now, I am almost finished chemo and my hair is growing back a treat. so, all told I won’t have actually been bald for too long really.
I wish you well as you continue your treatment,
Take care,
Kelly
-x-
Lindiloo
Just wanted to say good luck for today with the head shave - its the most upsetting part for most of us I think. I have a wig but have never worn it. I prefer bandanas and even more so beanies - I live in Scotland so its cold enough already - this combined with a scarf when your out does not look too obvious at all. I just go about the house ‘commando’.
As for the indigestion - yep omeprazole will sort that out - I had horrendous heartburn -but I only take omep when I need it rather than regularly.
Hope today has not been as bad as you feared.
Sending hugs
Fiona
xx
Hi,
I just wanted to wish you well for today! I found shaving my head (left a a few cm on) not a bad as I thought I found it more distressing watching it fall out!!! even my little girl (7) helped to shave it off… I think a brandy coffee helped…
As for the indegestion I suffer from it bad - well did until GP gave me omeprazole. I take one everday three days before chemo then evryday for about aweek after! they really do help! ask dont suffer in silence…
As for head scarves etc… I found bandans easy and better I use the 3 in1 ones with the elastic peice on the back they are fab!! I can spend more time putting on the slap instead. But you will find what suits you (I have also go a wig but have not been brave enough to wear it) One other tip get a bed cap as I did not realise how cold your head gets at night brrrrr.
Well good luck for today! and let us know how you get on.
Sending cyber hugs and strength to you
Love
Mel
xx
Hi Lindiloo
Good luck with the head shave, it is such a traumatic emotional time!!!
I am happy now wearing beanies, especially now its getting colder, and bandannas. (3 in 1 ) Have only worn my wig a couple of times mostly when going out in the evening.
Like Mel I go commando around the house, it helps with the flushes!!!
For the indigestion my onc rx Lansoprazole 30mg daily, This works for me.
Good luck
Take care
Kim x
Hi Lindiloo
Sorry you have been having a crap time with your hair falling out, I shaved mine off and once it had gone it took a while to get used to the wig. Now nobody knows, someone I know even said to me “I like your new haircut and actually stroked my head” and my sister and I really giggled because the person really didnt twig on. No one looks twice at me now, I think at first you are just really lacking in confidence. I am always pulling mine down and straightning it up in public now, it just doesnt bother me now !
Hang in there, it will be ok !
Love Diane x