I’ve injected myself before too and the thought if it is worse than doing it. It’s only a couple of seconds and all done. Definitely worth doing instead of dragging to the drs every day. I hope your count is better tomorrow. Nothing worse than getting psyched up for something and then it not happening.
RosieFlower, do you live in Cardiff? I’m not far from you. Having my chemo through Velindre but opted to have it at Royal Glam as it’s much closer to me. We lived in Cardiff for years though and my in-laws still do.
So pleased to read that everyone starting today has come away pretty unscathed. Hope it continues for you all!xx
Those who have started… Day 1 today on FEC. I’m feeling ok and my whoozy head has gone… But my legs are a bit achey. Manageable but feel funny. Is this normal?? X
Hi Netti I had a bit of a moment earlier where feel very queezy and breathless but took a pill, cold flannel on forehead, slept for 30 mins and then felt well enough to take my daughter.to the park. Think I may need the drugs to get me through. Do you have any as I was.told.leg pain was a side effect of one of the drugs.
I was given 7 days of the injection to take away for my husband to inject but think that’s because my daughter goes to nursery and I could get loads.of things from her. Still going to kiss her to death every day though lol
Charisse. I had the injections from day 3 for 7 days, I think my unit is trialing it to stop people becoming to run down between cycles, I hadn’t heard of them before I went for my first treatment. They are easy to do, you pinch a bit of skin on your stomach or thigh and inject into that, the needle is on a spring so once you have injected it, it clicks and the needle springs back up inside the barrel so it is safe. I just put them in a plastic container and took them back to the unit when I had my mid way check up with the nurse.
Its definatley worth it, my bloods were only slightly down when I had my mid way check and the nurse was really pleased.
Emma111. Good luck tomorrow, the thought is definitely worse that the doing and you will be fine. The staff are lovely, and will put you at your ease. Im going in for my 2nd dose tomorrow so will be thinking about you.
Belle, I started reading your blog last night, you have a fancy machine to do your chemo, I have a nurse sitting injecting the drugs into the cannula. My unit is obviously behind the times.
Well done to those who started today, thats one down and then end is closer than it was this morning.
Thanks everyone, I’ll just have to see how it goes tomorrow and then I think I’ll get my husband to try the injections for me once they’ve shown me what to do. He’s had a right eye opener this week, first shaving my head and now stabbing me with a needle. Wouldn’t want him to feel like he’s being left out of all the fun! ??
Rosie hi. Yes I had emend anti sickness before, then one through iv and have brought some home. Nurse told me to them, one at tea time, so I’ve managed a sandwich and had it. I’ve got emend to take tomorrow and Thurs too. I will start my steriods tomorrow and injections start Fri. My hubby can’t wait to do those (nice of him…not lol)…although we can do it ourselves. I had similar injections after my c.sections.
Hope your doing ok now. Just rest as much as you can. X i feel like bed but I’m not that tired…a very emotional day again.
This is only day 1 though…my nurse told me side effects will start within 48/72 hours. Xx
I think it really is a postcode lottery, I felt the same when I was pregnant, my area really are amazing and I feel very lucky. I’ve got two huge bags of drugs and injections, free massages,parking paid, a wig, free prescriptions, therapy and whatever I need really. I never abuse things and it seems too much for little me to need at the moment.
I’ve heard to take all the drugs wether I need them or not plus reflux pill and mouthwash. Fingers crossed.
Best wishes for those starting tomorrow. I was a nervous wreck this morning, scared of the unknown. But once there, the nurses are lovely. They talked me through everything. My nurse sat with me the duration as she administered it. There were about 5 syringes that got pumped through the iv. Took about an hour … Give or take. I felt no pain. My arm went cold but they give you a warm wrap to help keep the vein open. There were times when I actually laughed!! It was not half as bad as I thought. Good luck all. Xxx
Your right about the postcode lottery, from what I’ve read. It all should be available to everyone, regardless. I have my ‘wig’ appt on Thurs and have free parking too. Crazy isn’t it. I would pay a billion pound (if I had it…to get rid if this nightmare). Xx
I’m going to the wig shop Saturday. Are you going to donate your hair? Just been reading the Princes Trust about it and my hair in very thick and long so think it will be accepted to make one. Just need to find the point where it starts falling out to wash, put it in a plait and get it cut into a bag and in the post.
Hi Rosie, I start next Tuesday 28th. The Velindre outreach team come to the hospital Tuesday mornings so feel really glad about that. But sure my bcn said the radiotherapy is only done at Velindre so will be back and forth to Whitchurch for a few weeks once chemo is over. Thinking about doing one of the “look good feel better” courses there too. xx
I’ve got precisely 14 hours til my first treatment. … am going to think of all of your positive comments about the day itself to help me through. I’m so scared of being the biggest wimp but determined not to be x
Will u have someone with you Emma? The experience itself was fine and I mainly just chatted with the nurses, read a paper. This may sound funny but it was a better experience than a lot of things I find tedious such as dentists, doctors, car service lol
Emma, I felt like the biggest wimp there too this morning. Its emotions and anxiety. It really was ok. Not where I would of chose to be, but no other alternative. You will be ok. I went with my cousin and then my hubby joined us (only because he was in the area). Do you have someone to go with you? If not, then you will be fine and well looked after. Xx good luck.
Good luck Emma. Don’t ever feel like a wimp. This is the hardest thing we’ve ever had to face in life and however we deal with it is absolutely allowed! I’m sure you will be fine once you are there anyway xx
Right, not one of us is a wimp! You cannot be a wimp and go through chemo. I don’t care if you have to be dragged in screaming, faint at sight of the first syringe and then wet the floor in terror just to finish off. Even if all that happens, you are still not a wimp! We may not have a choice about this experience, we may feel utterly disempowered by it but it takes guts to walk through those doors and we do that again and again. So well done us! And well done to those doing it tomorrow and to those who did it today.
And Julie, I think lots of units give the drugs manually. There are pros and cons to both methods. The upside of the pumps are that they rate of infusion is set and therefore the drugs are given at a steady rate with the same rate of dilution every time. It took 2 1/2 hours for mine to work their way through. With a nurse administering them there is always going to be variation. However, with a nurse you get a lot more personal contact. I really only spoke to my nurse each time she changed the syringes and I never got to know her name. I’m been treated at a huge unit so I’m sure it means they get through more patients but missing out on the personal touch is a shame.
Good luck tomorrow Emma. My experience of the first one was much better than I had expected. It took 2 hours and then I was on my way home. The nurses will look after you. I just had a very cold arm which soon warmed up after they’d stopped administering the drugs. Take some boiled sweets, it gave me something to do :).
Netti, glad today went ok and that you’ve got your first treatment ticked off, hope you don’t feel too icky the next few days.
Emma you are definitely not a wimp. As someone said on here a while ago. This experience will make you go from worrier to warrior. You will be patting yourself on the back tomorrow and after every treatment. It is the most frightening to hear you need chemo but the reality of it is not half as bad as you are thinking. Xxx
Thank you so much every one. I will let you know how I get on. Glad those of you who went in today are feeling ok. My mum is coming with me so at least that’s something xx