@kerrylou1 - I have done 1/4 of EC. That I can manage, it is the filasgrim injections that I self inject for x5. That is causing me pain in my joints. Are you taking them?
I am hanging EC every 3 weeks. So I finish 12th December!! X
Take centirizine hydrochloride
A few days before the jab during it and a few days after
Game changer on the joint pain
I had my onco approved but script from GP
Used in the states as protocol but here we need to ask for it
Hope it helps x
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@bex1 I was on those injections for EC, but I had such bad bone pain that my Oncologist changed them for my docetaxel. Sheās changed it to 1 injection that covers the 5 days and I donāt really get any pain at all now. Itās much better. Can never remember what itās called though.
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@idcand49 strange, isnāt it? Youād think weād feel different that weāre all done with chemo. Not that weād want it again, but didnāt expect to be so flat. Mind you, I think this year has been such an emotional rollercoaster, that weāre all just probably too exhausted by the end of chemo.
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V exhausted & guessing we are just processing the whole thing?
I look back when I found out & it was a random tues. Went to mammo on my own on work lunch break as GP didnāt think the lump was suspicious so didnāt bring hubby
All surreal really ā¦,
Hi @naughty_boob
They didnāt change me to nab in the end but gave a reduced paclitaxel and i ended up in ICU with multiple organ failureā¦so a complaint is on itās way. I am sick of this attitude that i keep coming across from oncology that the important thing is the tumour regardless of wellbeing, short and long term health. Iām becoming one of those patients nowā¦i phone with side effects (i think 5 runny episodes of diarrhea is worth a phone call)ā¦and Iām asking more questions. X
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@fluffy888 thanku so much for your info on the cold - cap gives me hope! I hope i can continue with the two weekly just to get it over with but have had some palpitations etc so will see what onco says tomorrow.
@idcand49 i got my hair cut to a bob (chin length) the day i cold capped for the first time on July 18th. I had about 4 inches cut off which i didnāt want but it got some of the heaviness out. Iāve actually had it cut again since. I actually prefer it as it goes slightly curly so I can give it a quick blow dry as not straightening it at the moment due to chemo.
Id go with whatever you feel comfortable with but shorter might make it feel/appear thicker.
Also - i went to yoga tonight (and struggled) and the yoga lady said she does a version of a yoga which is a bit like yin yoga or restorative yoga. She said that would probably be best for us BC ladies especially if we have sore arms following SNLB/cording.
@bex1 I have been given seven filagratrim injections to do days 3-10 post EC infusion. They arenāt yet causing me any issues but i hate 4pm as i donāt want to do them on myself BUT i am a nurse and I have spent the last 15 years injecting people and not really getting the anxiety of it. I WILL NOW 
I sit at my breakfast bar and grit my teeth and inject - i have 2 more to go this week
I have been taking loratidine (clarityn) and maybe that is helping with any bone pain.
I also found the three days of steroids hard work too.
If i go onto the three weekly i will prob finish after you but i suppose we need to do what keeps us well.
@cf640 im glad your asking all the questions - it keeps me up at night if i feel i havenāt asked everything and getting the right care - i do hope your feeling well or at least ok xxx
Thanks everyone for all your replies it sooo helps doesnt it :
@kerrylou1 can I just ask what youāre finding tough with the steroids? With docetaxel iāve got 3 days of 8 tablets to take, starting the day before my chemo. I was also given an extra 5 days of 2 tablets a day to help with side effects, but along with the red face, they make me feel really off and I havenāt taken the full 5 extra days for either docetaxel chemo. I feel so down and just want to cry on them and itās not like me at all. I told the nurse today that I wasnāt taking them anymore and she agreed that itās one of the side effects and that I didnāt have to take them.
Do they have that effect on anyone else?
Good morning ladies. Yesterday i went for my bloods before my treatment tomorrow. I had a phone appointment after and was told my neutrophils were too low for treatment. 1.2 and needs to be 1.5. This is the first time this has happened as my dose of chemo was lowered from the beginning because of low neutrophils in the past. I asked if there was anything i could do and was told unofficially of course that apparently red rine can boost neutrophils. Cant stand it but had a glass last night and will have another tonight. Medicinal purpose of course 
@idcand49 glad radiotherapy has been ok for you wow Ā£140 to travel. Where i live theres a free mini bus to take us. Donated by someone. @fluffy888 i was the same i just thought i was having radio after lumpectomy but even though the op was successful and clear lymph chemotherapy was because of triple negative bc. Im 56 and told id have 15 sessions and a boost.
I didnāt know cording was a thing with radio. I had it after surgery but physio sorted it. Never done anything like yoga but think i would benefit. Went to open day at college last night had to walk up a little hill. Omg so hard i really struggled. Same with stairs. Take care everyone. Fingers crossed my last chemo goes ahead tomorrow 
xx
Hi @fluffy888,
I really struggle with the steroids too, they put me in a very dark mood which is not like me. I am sooo tearful, and absolutely inconsolable.
I spoke to my consultant this week (chemo tomorrow) and they have reduced the steroid dose so hopefully wonāt be as bad this timeā¦ maybe worth mentioning.
She has also reduced my Docetaxel dose due to the extreme fatigue I had last time with it xx
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@alisona1 Iām glad itās not just me (not that I want anyone else to be feeling like that) that feels that way. I think Iām just going to take the 3 days and not take the extra 5. Iām already on 75% dose of docetaxel as I was so unwell on EC. Only 1 more to go.
@debi1 ah no! Do you still go in tomorrow and theyāll decide then if youāre having it, or has it been rescheduled to another day?
@cf640 Iām so sorry you had such a bad reaction to the Paclitaxel. I donāt blame you complaining. Donāt forget most hospitals have a PALS ( patient liaison) that can help and act on your behalf. Going through chemotherapy is hard enough without having the stress of dealing with complaints.
I agree with phoning, 5 episodes of 
is not acceptable.
I hope you get some resolution 
Itās a horrible feelingā¦I am only on 3 days of the steroids now too, hope you go on ok.
Iāve one tomorrow and then my last one beginning of November 
xx
@debi1
Thatās interesting about red wine. I had neutrophils of 1.2 but they went ahead with chemo and i ended up in hospital with neutropenia.
Wouldnāt it be better if there was a standard approach? It seems to be down to the trusts or consultants how to proceed. ā¦
Anyway, i hope the wine works and you finish tomorrow!!
X
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Thanks @naughty_boob!
I got a reduction in my EC which hopefully will help my poor stomach. Iām on a white diet- rice, potatoes, chicken fishā¦itās getting really boring. Last night i spiced up my potatoes with a carrot though!
Xx
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Thatās pants re the blood test
Dark choc & high protein is meant to be good too
Fingers crossed xxx
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Steroids helped me so much with my side effects but mentally were torture !
I ended up being weaned off them as stopping at 3 days was very dark
So took a decreased dose on4 th day & even less on the 5th
@cf640 good for you being your own advocate & asking questions
It is absolutely a balance of cancer vs your body etc
Can only imagine the reason abraxane is not being use down to Ā£ & that makes me cross
Let us know how you get on
@kerrylou1 i havenāt blown dried my hair since 10 July 
may start with that before a big hair chop lol
X
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@fluffy888 I reacted badly (mentally) to the steroids when on EC so when I saw the massively increased dose for docetaxel I questioned it and was told I could reduce the dose, so last 2 cycles of docetaxel have had 4/day instead of 8 for 3 days then thatās it. Feel better mentally, although last time I did end up in hospital, so who knows? 
Fingers crossed it doesnāt happen again!
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Sorry to hear that @debi1 , your last chemo as well, really hope those neutrophils play ball and it goes ahead for you. Iāve had low neutrophils all way through, one EC was delayed a week but with the others theyāve just managed to get over the line on the day, fingers crossed thatās the case for you Lots of rest and let us know how you go on x
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@alisona1 good luck with your chemo tomorrow. Hope everything goes ok for you.
@olli3 @idcand49 I might ask about reducing the 8 tablets over the 3 days as well when I go for my last chemo next week. I never thought about reducing those. I just thought they were a must. I wish I didnāt have to take them at all, theyāre just awful. Thank goodness we donāt have to be on them for the whole time weāre having treatment.
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