March 2024 chemo starters

Hi yes I feel bloated too but am constipated but think it might be water retention maybe :woman_shrugging:

I decided not to take the steroids and have been fine using the other meds- ondansetron and domperidone. Wanted to avoid red moon face and taking large amounts of drugs.

I agreed with the nurses that I would take them home and only use if I felt really bad. So far so good.

I am on day 17 and not had any hair loss yet, I was expecting it to start to fall out between day 10 and 14. What has anyone else experienced?

Obs not sleeping well though- hence this postā€¦.

Hi @kate68
I hope you have managed to rest a bit over the weekend and that you are feeling ok and not getting too many side effects.
I managed to get some sleep last night but had to take a few pee breaks so I really sympatise with you!
Have not done much over the week, a short walk a day and rest. Day 4 was the wrose last week so I am preparing for that when I have my 2nd EC.
Have a relaxing Sunday evening
I hope all goes well this coming week.
Hugs
Marion

Hey chellebelle,
Hope the thrush is under control now, such a horrible thing on top of everything else.

Have you got some sena? Coedine can and often does make you constipated, a couple of send before you go to bed really sorts it out.

Aphra x

Hi @kate68

Re anti sickness. I took mine for a set number of days (usually 3 on weekly chemo) to prevent the sickness, early on I stopped after 2 days and then felt sick and it was harder to get on top of it. I would double check what you have been prescribed and the information of the label.

I suffered more with diarrhoea during chemo but remember being given lactulose for constipation after surgery. I would check with your team as they are not keen on you self prescribing.

:smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

Had a rough couple of days back and forward to Velindre as I have an issue with blood clots around PICC - uncomfortable forearm and tenderness under arm up to armpit / confirmed today after scan and X-ray so daily blood thinning injections and more clinics and a dose of oral thrush just to rub salt in the wound . Feeling absolutely exhausted today :weary::weary: hope everyone is doing ok xx

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First time posting on here but have been reading the forum for some time. @greenie I really hope today is going well. Iā€™m on the same regime as you but started last Friday.
Picc line was inserted before the first cycle and so far side effects have been rough but getting slightly better each day. Iā€™ve also cold capped so hoping itā€™s worth it.
Good luck to all the ladies

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Day 8 for me today and this is the first day I havenā€™t either been feeling sick or been in alot of painā€¦so today is a good day :grin:

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Hi @kate68

Sorry for the late post Ihave just seen your Post.

I hope you are feeling ok, I am so sad you have had issues. I am sending you big virtual cuddles and thinking of you!

I am feeling quite OK today, constipation has gone and I have managed to get some sleep over the past couple of days.

Neuropathy has kicked in however 2 days ago. My left hand is numb and I cannot use my fimgers easily. I have put a compression glove letā€™s hope it will help a bit. And I have terrible heartburn.

Tomorrow I am having a pelvic ultrasound following ā€˜ovary activityā€™ found at my PET scan. Not looking forward to that and a bit worried too. I am trying to reassure myself thinking anything found will be treated.

Take care
Marion

Hi @chellebelle

That is great to hear!! Day 10 for me and feeling ok too. Suffering from bad heartburn though and numb fingers.

Last week was so tough it feels like day and night in comparison! Trying to mentally prepare for EC 2 on Monday including Picc line fittingā€¦

Hope the rest of the week goes well

Take care
Marion

Lol I spoke too soon. Iā€™ve just had 2 hrs of insane diarrhoeaā€¦hoping thatā€™s it now!! Iā€™ve taken some imodium

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I would call your team to advise them of your diarrhoea if it doesnā€™t settle with the Imodium :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

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I managed to regulate it thank god

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Hi I am due to have my first round of chemotherapy 25th March.
I have had 3 lots of surgery finishing with a left mastectomy. Lymph nodes were clear. I previously had another primary breast cancer in 2020, when I only required surgery and radiotherapy.
Due to have Docetael and carboplatin with Herceptin. in all 6 rounds.
I had an informal look round but I am feeling quite sick about it all starting having read up about all the side effects.
Any advice ?

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Hi @rec
So sorry to hear you have been diagnosed with another primary breast cancer. This forum is full of so many lovely people and the monthly chemo groups are very supportive.

Taxanes (Docetaxel and Paclitaxel) can both cause peripheral neuropathy, it can help to use ice gloves/socks/slippers/packs during and after your treatment. I was only able to ice after treatment and the next couple of days, it helped a little. Some centres offer a similar system to cold capping for arms and legs.

Your nails can get damaged. Treat with strengthener and paint dark colour if you can. Moisturise daily and use balm or oil on cuticles. www.lookgoodfeelbetter.co.uk to a brilliant course for nails, skin and hair care and you get free goodies.

Diet, I had Paclitaxel and found fruit and salad upset my stomach (diarrhoea took loperamide/imodium) and I avoided live food (yoghurts cheese etc). I was advised to eat plain/brown food, reduce fibre.

Temperature: take it regularly and report any increases, as well as decrease, my centre wanted me to report anything less than 35.5C

Oral hygiene: clean your teeth after every meal, floss gently. Report redness or ulcers. Oral thrush is also very common and needs treating.

Taste; eating a small amount of pineapple can help recover some taste, but not too much as it can increase diarrhoea.

Are you cold capping? If so www.coldcap.com and if you want help for hair loss www.cancerhaircare.co.uk Jasmine is lovely and her team will answer your individual questions. Many videos on YouTube.

Herceptin: it stings if you have by injection, they can slow the injection. Iā€™m 9/18 cycles. There is a forum thread for HER2 buddies HER2+ and need some buddies - #236 by Nikks

If something doesnā€™t feel right, call your team/helpline. No question is silly.

I wish you well in your journey.

:smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

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Thank you have booked some workshops at the looking good website and joined the HER2+ group

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Not a good week at all. An infection meant a trip to A and E and the 3 days in hospital where they said I am neutropenic and had possible sepsis.

Back home now but really donā€™t want that to happen again. Missed picc line appt and chemo 2 so both will need rescheduling. Just prolongs what already is a long process.

Also whilst in hospital my hair decided to fall out in big clumps, I got my husband to shave the rest off when we got home yesterday. My scalp feels a lot better now, it had been very tender.

I will isolate for the next week to avoid getting another infection and hope my white blood cells start to increase. Has anyone else experienced this after just one chemo session? It really does worry me that I will not be able to complete the full course.

Aphra

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Hi @marionse25 so sorry for the delay in replying and thanks for your message.I hope everything went OK with your pelvic ultrasound and you are doing OK.

My chemo side effects are negligible compared to my arm which is still the same despite nearly a week of blood thinning injections. My tummy is covered in bruises and I am feeling very fed up. I am back at Velindre monday for them to check my arm measurements and take bloods. I didnt really get any clarity from them last Monday as to how long the blood thinners would take to disperse the clots however they did say it had been caught early. I wonā€™t be leaving the appointment Monday without some more clarity as the whole thing is causing me to feel very low, tearful and depressed which is not good so early on in the treatment.
Sending hugs to everyone on here and wishing it was July already xxx

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@kate68

Iā€™m so sorry to hear youā€™re still having issues with the blood clots in the PICC. Donā€™t forget to write down everything you want to ask and say, tick them off to ensure you have covered everything. I found it really helped as the HCWs can take over the meeting with what they want to say and a list will help remind you what is important to you.

There has been a few times Iā€™d left an appointment only to say I forgot to say ā€¦

Please ensure you tell them how you are feeling, your mental well-being is just as important your treatment.

Lets us know how you get on. :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

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aphra :heart: yes it can happen and I was hospitalised after first chemo with a uti as I went into nadir phase of chemo cycle, neutrophils were - and it was :flushed: but you did right thing getting onto your team/a&E and being vigilant. Your onc will assess and possibly reduce your dose, itā€™s happened to a lot of us over the years :heart:and please donā€™t worry about a reduced dose, your treatment plan is tailored specifically to you and your onc will have seen it all before :two_women_holding_hands::heart: be kind to yourself itā€™s not the start you wanted on chemo (it certainly wasnā€™t the start I wanted back in 2017 either) but you can do this, you got your March amazing team here :two_women_holding_hands:and everyone at bcn on this forum and all of bcn is here for you too :heart:step by step a day at a time :two_women_holding_hands: do it your way, there are no right or wrongs to get through chemo, you do whatever you need for you :heart::two_hearts::two_hearts::sparkles::sparkles:Shi xx

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