Hi all
Well I have done 12 weeks of my planned 18 pacletaxol and the se have fortunately continued to be manageable. Tiredness and achy legs and nothing tasting like it looks or smells are the consistent ones. New ones pop up from time to time like the rash on my hands and arms and indigestion. Finally had my picc line which wasn’t to traumatic so no more needles on chemo days and now the taxol can be done on the pump which is quicker.
Cold cap has been quite a success it has gone thinner but not patchy and as my hair is naturally curly it helps. Eyebrows and lashes are pretty good to.
But all that being said today is the day I get the results of my CT scan which is the first one I have had since starting my treatmwnt. Loads of mixed feelings and emotions running around. I can feel a difference in my boob which is hopeful but it’s the ones I can’t see or feel in my lungs and bones I am more worried about.
What ever today brings as long as we have a plan of action i can do this.
I don’t post very often but I read all the posts everyday…I have learnt loads over the last 12 weeks and feel more prepared for discussions around treatments and the different drugs and this is in the main due to all you lovely,strong amazing ladies.
So thank you
Hello CDC - yayy well done on both the PICC and the first T. Lets hope the sickness stays away and you don’t have to deal with that. I am now day 10 and feeling pretty good, this cycle has definately been easier so far than the first one. I guess being prepared and having all the meds in place helps. Mouth isn’t slimy anymore! but still feels like its been burnt on a hot cuppa, so not quite right but definately improving, hoping for some tasty treats at the weekend. Your daughter being 10 and having big emotions made me smile, mine is 13 and over the summer holidays has grown up immensely, now has a boyfriend. OMG :smileyfrustrated: and wants her hair dyed! Not sure I like htis grown up version, preferred the little girl who loved dollies!
Kell - good luck for those results today, fingers crossed for you that bad ole chemo has blasted away!
I’m going to try my ONC nurse again to discuss the numb thumb… I tried yesterday and got a very ominous voicemail saying “Due to unforeseen circumtances Rachel is not available”… so had nobody to talk to.!
KTK hope things still ok with you, and all you other ladies out there…have a good fairly SE free day!
Oh and managed 10 minutes on the hula hoop this morning… it felt good! I need to find my waistline again!
Cd please ring your unit about that redness that you’ve had, I’m not being mother hen just want you to keep safe as I had similar and it is worth just make by the call darling ??Shi xx
Thanks all for your good wishes and support…it was positive news in that I have had a good response to treatment so far in all areas. So onwards for the remaining 6 weeks of this treatment…then another scan so my onc can decide on the next steps.
Has given me a boost to know it’s doing what it needs to and I will deal with the next chapter when it gets here. ??
Sending you all positive thoughts and much love and thanks for taking the time to respond.
Kell xx
Reddi - good to hear you are finding the positives…certainly a good way to think that it not show massive reduction but also it hasn’t grown! Exactly!! and good to hear you are back on track with the chemo. The old liver is doing its stuff. I’m not sure of the levels of mine liver when I had the issue, I think it was 80 and they stil went ahead! Oh well I’m still here… and actually ladies have to report that I feel pretty darn good today, day 10 and feeling well. Tongue coming back to life I think, still feels burnt but much much better. I even baked a cake today, havent done that for ages but don’t know if I can taste it later but still felt good to do it.
I had another strange feeling today… my boss rang me to say that he is expanding his business (at present just him and me and another lady who job share so both part time) he wanted to mention to me that after christmas/early spring he is employing another surveyor and may offter me more hours. Now thats lovely but all of a sudden I had this weird feeling of… well at the moment I don’t know where I’l be in terms of recovery, and what lies ahead, and then part of me was thinking this is great I’l be moving forward. I kind of almost feel scared to think ahead… thankfully he understands whats happenign and isn’t pushing me to decide until much much later but was still a weird one… thinking about the future… hmmmm don’t know how that feels but I guess we have to think ahead and make plans don’t we.
OOH in a day of strange feelings… forgot to tell you… went to the bathroom, looked in the mirror and thought “hmmm something looks even weirder than usual” and then realised… completely have no left eyebrow! When did that happen? OMG… I’d only just mastered in filling in the blank bits now have to learn how to draw a complete eyebrow… right one still just about there! Blooming T… gives with one hand and takes with the other.
Sorry ladies… having a very odd day today…but strangely its makin me smile!
Reddi, keep ???the good news is the chemo is preventing it from getting larger and your onc will have seen it all before and know exactly what to throw at it ???kel Great news for you lovely, now chuck your magic wand in reddi’s direction so she has ?too next scan. Kip darling, a lovely lady told me to use brow powder instead of pencil for eyebrows and it worked lovely, get yourself a little kit which has 4 shades and a applicator in, they are no expensive and you can fine tutorials on you tube to show you how to apply, or get to a boots or Debenhams and the ladies in the beaty counters will show you how to use ???Shi xx
Chemo went smoothly and to time so I was home by 2pm! Neutrophils were over 5 which is the highest they’ve been oven all the cycles! Heamoglobin and platelets were lower but no one seemed bothered! Dose was reduced by 20% which I guess was to do with the numb heel conversation. Only one more to go!
Another oncologist came to see me regarding pain medication and rather than codeine she’s given me Naxopren which appears to work on flu like symptoms and should prevent so much pain. Don’t know how happy I am about that, but she was adamant. Have to start taking them tomorrow evening. Still have Oralmorph though. Guess if it doesn’t work I shall have to phone and ask for stronger painkillers.
In anticipation of being able to have my three days in Belgium in November and it being cold I started knitting a wacky hat today! Bit of a first for me - I’ve usually got so much hair I don’t need the extra coverage!
Kit - glad you felt like baking. I find it really therapeutic, have to give a lot away though, there’s a limit how much me and DH can eat!
CDC - deffo get the redness checked out, better to be cautious.
Hope everyone is good. My eyebrows have pretty much gone, left gone completely for a few weeks now and to right there’s barely anything there. Can’t be doing with painting them on or anything cos it never looks right so I’m just going au natural with no make up still. Hairs still good though.
We have out annual drug and alcohol screening at work today. I typed up an a4 sheet of what mine is likely to turn up
Morning all. I loved LifeKitchen yesterday. I was able to take a friend and it was great meeting and talking to other ladies at different treatment stages too. There are some photos in my FB page if you can find it. If Ryan comes to your area do try and get on a course, but they book up fast.
Hope you are feeling ok today cdc. Defo ask about the rash. I did get a bit of a similar flush once or twice, but no temp and it soon disappeared. The ladies I met yesterday said that the second T was easier so I am hopeful for today!
Oh KTK, I’ve definately found 2nd T much easier, pretty much feel back to normal (well whatever my new normal is… more tired, no eyebrows and hairy toes!) , taste buds almost there, made a curry last night and could taste it!!). The kitchen day sounds great, I’ll look into that one.
LJ - naproxen - I have had that before, just be careful with your tummy, I had to take omeprazole with mine to prevent ulcers! Glad chemo went to plan… 1 more to go… yayyyy!
Reddi and all the other ladies with eyebrow advice - I so far have a pencil (posh one from LGFB course) and a litte kit with two colours and a brush… now off to watch you tube for some tips… funnily enough when I told OH my eyebrows were gone he looked at me and said he hadn’t noticed! Kids said I look like a tortoise… charming hey! I have terribly watery eyes today though, must be severe lack of eyelashes.
Hi all had my 5th tax-carbo herceptin and perjeta yesterday. I’m feeling fine at the moment. They were going to give me the biomedicine to replace herceptin. I had to speak with the pharmacist as I was happy with the herceptin and what it had done so far. Luckily for me. They brought out the herceptin anyhow. So looks like they still had them in stock. My chemo has been reduced by 20 %. Do far I’m feeling ok. No diarrhoea. Which was often the first to show up as a side effect. I’m cold capping so far I’ve kept 80% of my hair. The sides are waning and it looks like I have an undercut! Very 90s! Eye brows and eye lashes have reduced. So using make up more to disguise. I’ve just got 6 weeks and then surgery! Xx
Lovely Docetaxol going in as so write! Nurse told me off for not ringing the unit when I had diarrhoea ! Actually I did consider it but then it passed. Not sure I would survive the half hour drive if they had wanted me to come in!!
Hope you are all feeling good today. I guess the end is in sight for all of us on chemo. I have already had surgery so it is rads for me after my last session. Might try and get a few days away between chemo and rads. Kxx
Oh thanks Reddi I didn’t realise the T coudl cause the watery eyes, I have really noticed my eyesight is worsening too, I think thats a SE of chemo, now will have to get new glasses on top of everything else.
CDC - the hot head which feels cool… I get that too. particularly first week after T. Feels like a hot flush on my head, very strange feeling. Good that you haven’t got the nauseau, thats such a relief for you. Do you still have the ilfragstrim injection things? I wondered where the eybrows/eyelashes go, didn’t notice any on the pillow? odd! I haven’t met the boyfriend yet, don’t think I will either… she doesn’t want to actually socialise with him out of school… or maybe she doesn’t want him meeting her one eyebrowed, hairy toed, bald mother… can’t imagine why!:smileytongue:
Its amazing that we are all actuallly coming towards the end or beginning of the end of chemo… wow! I ticked off another day today,… only 10 days until last blast. Can’t believe it.
I still can’t get hold of my ONC nurse to discuss the numbness, can only leave a mesage for ONCs secretary, nobody returned my calls as yet! I may have to discuss it with the surgeon, not that he’ll know anything about it as its “Oncology based and not surgery”… but not sure who else to try? Oh well haven’t played “chase the department” lately, guess I am due another chase around!
@Kip Do you have a chemo hotline number for your hospital? If so, Id try that. Onocologist might also lower your final dose if the numbness persists. (Per my info sheet!)
Same Pollyanna – but she was the hero of a book long before the great Hayley Mills played her.
(Totally forgot there was a movie. My fave Hayley Mills childhood films are The Parent Trap and The Moonspinners – set in Greece! And I still have my VHS copy – it made the move from New York, which many, many things did not – though we no longer have any way to play it! And it’s silly. But I love it.)
Having taxol no 7 now. Was greeted by the sight of a man sitting on the loo with his trousers round his ankles when I went to use the loo earlier,. That was nice.
