I finished my chemo (TC x 4) 7 weeks ago. I was so pleased at how few side effects I had, but a few sneaky ones seem to be kicking in now!
I have quite a bit of joint pain in every joint, I am really stiff in the mornings and if I have been sitting down for any period of time. My oncs ‘sidekick’ said try taking brufen for a week, so I have been taking Nurofen plus and it makes a big difference. Apparently this is not uncommon after Taxotere.
I have done 11 out of 25 radiotherapy sessions and at my weekly visit with radiolist this week, he had a quick look at both breasts and asked if I thought i might be retaining fluid and yes I am! He said its a ‘post chemo’ and ‘post steroids’ thing. I am really surprised at these things happening now - has anyone else had similar experiences and if so, how long did they last??!!
Bald with fluid retention is just not fun - I call it the Humpty Dumpty look! !!
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Hi Katie
I’m in exactly the same position! Finished my taxotere around 7 weeks ago and am half way through 20 rads, my feet and legs look like they belong to an elephant!! I was asked the same question last week when having my radiotherapy about fluid retention, the radiologist seemed quite surprised like she’d never seen this kind of thing?! I have seen my onc about it and he gave me some water tablets which got rid of a lot of it but as soon as I finished them it all came back again!
I have got some aqua-ban herbal water retention tablets which I’ve been taking for about 10 days now which seem to help a little, might be worth a try? And being herbal I guess they can’t do any harm.
I find in the mornings my joints are really stiff too, I’m only 28 but feel about 88 when I get out of bed!
Glad I’m not the only one anyway with this, it’s driving me mad! The joys of chemo ey!
Hope you start to feel a bit better soon xx
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Hi
Im the same with the joint pain in my legs, very stiff and painfull which seems to have got worse as time has passed, i also get fluid retention in my legs which can be quite painfull and was worse just after i finished tax in feb and was given water tabs,i finished 25 rads end of april and have just had 8 of 18 herceptin, its hard when you are expecting yourself to be feeling better and looking forward to getting back to normal but i feel for me at the moment thats a long way off, i also found a lump in my good boob a few weeks ago which i am having removed june 27th so worried about that as well, lets hope we all turn the corner soon!!
Love Mizzy
Hi Katie
My last chemo was almost 7 weeks ago,I am so glad (In the nicest possible way) to hear that someone else has had aching joints and legs and swelling. I was beginning to think I had the onset of bone cancer. My chemo regime was 3 FEC and 3 Taxotere I didnt do very well at all on taxotere the first dose actually put me in hospital with neutropenia sepsis. I had a reaction to the second dose as it was going in and thought the worst was over but like yourself I feel 46 but my body feels 96. I get very frustrated as I find the aches and pains quite disabilitating (if thats a word) You would think that the morning would be a good time as your body has rested but gosh I almost fall over when I get out of bed. Also if I do the shopping or mow the grass well my legs just belong to someone else. I do hope that it won’t last too much longer. I am going to try taking vitamins too.
Let me know when you start to feel better. I also do a good humpty dumpty impression!!!
Mizzy sorry to hear about your other lump lots of luck to you
Love Karen
Hi Girls.
Thanks for all your responses and glad to know I am not alone, or going mad!
I am trying a herbal remedy called Diuretik from Sona - we shall see how that goes.
There was an article about a girl who had been on chemo in a national paper here in Ireland during the week. She mentioned Joint pain and said perhaps patients should be offered physiotherapy after chemo - an intertesting idea!
How are you all doing regarding hair???
I am finding it SO slow! I am finishing the rads next week on 19th and off to Portugal for 2 weeks. I am hoping being out of the wig most of the time (I wear it for work) and a bit of heat, will bring on more growth! I do notice a few shadowy area recently, where I think some hair is going to burst through!!
Mizzy - did they do a biopsy on that lump?
Best wishes,
Katie
Hi again all
On the hair front I now have a soft covering over my head prodominantly grey People have said this is my hair growing back!!!
It feels like baby hair and looks like my mums, but hey its better than a shiny head.
Started taking regular Ibrupfen for the pain and also started taking Vitamins ie Evening primrose oil, vitamin E, Multivitamin
and a green tea extract.
Feel a little better today I actually did a dance class lets see if I’m bedridden tommorrow.
Katie let us know if your herbal remedy works.
Regards
Karen