Hi Jill,
Sorry i haven;t been in touch but our computer had a virus and had to be sent away for it to be to be cleared. It is back now and i can chat again.
Firstly happy belated birthday wishes…what did you opt to do? I hope you had a lovely time.
Glad the radiotherapy planning went well…have you started radiotherapy yet? I will opt for pm appointments i think too if possible…i’m not into getting up too early unless i have to…
The side effects were not as bad this time, the increase in the steroids helped…the only thing i can moan about is the tiredness…from day 3 to day 9 i just cannot get off the couch…but never mind only one epi to go…
It was funny with the chemo nurse though… it was the one with the glasses.
Hope everything is ok, take care and speak soon…Deb xx
Hya Deb,
Great to hear from you, and glad side effects were not too bad this time, 1 more EPI to go, well done, it is a great feeling when that is over, then on to CMF, think you will find that is much easier, still side effects, but nowhere near like EPI, you still get tired but not the same as EPI, I had far more energy, so fingers crossed. you are nearly half way Deb, so well done. and your hair will start to come back again, mine started to come back on my 3rd cycle.
I start my rads tommorow, appointment at 3, the transport did not turn up for me last week so was in a mad panic, a clerk in Clatterbridge had cancelled all my transport by mistake!!! All rebooked now, but I rang the Transport office in Southport today just to confirm, might be best when you start to confirm aswell just to be on safe side. I had to get my OH out of work to take me. Very apologetic in Clatterbridge and they assured me that it is not usual to abandon patients!!! You wont be long till you are there aswell. When I look back at my chemo it did pass quickly especially when I got on to the CMF it was like the homeward stretch and seemed to fly by.
My Birthday was lovely I got so many nice things, did not have a party, was not really up to it so my OH and me went for a meal to the Wiggin Tree at Parbold, it was delicious, Warm Treacle Cake with clotted dream, a must if you are ever passing. I decided that I am going to have a party when my treatment is all done, no pressies or anything but donations to Breast Cancer Research was an idea I had. Did you get your Herceptin results?
Hows the rabbits? Hope they have settled in.
Anyway Deb I will kepp in touch and let you know how the rads go, good luck with the next treatment and I will be thinking of you.
Lots of Love
Jillxx
Hi Jill,
How did your first rads session go?
Your meal out at the Wiggin Tree for your birthday sounded lovely…i like it up there…
We went for a meal last night to Quattros on the Rainford Bypass…it was lovely…my mum and dad both turned 60 last week but they went to Cancun so we couldn’t celebrate…they came back yesterday and all the family went out last night to celebrate…
The idea of a party when you have finished all your treatment sounds great…we are planning an all day garden party when i have finished my treatment…just to say thanks really to everybody for all their support etc…just hope the weather is nice…
I have not had the HER test yet…nothing else has been mentioned…when you started the CMF did you see the oncologist?..i am just wondering if it will be discussed then…
Have you had the results of your CT Scan yet?
Our rabbits have settled in well…my sister had 4 rabbits and was left with one after the others died and she is 8 1/2 years old…she was lonely so she has come to live with our rabbits…then one of our rabbits was all snuffly and i took her to the vets on Saturdaymorning and she was started n antibiotics and she had to go back on Monday…our vet felt that she was suffering and she was put to sleep…i am glad that Ian took her on Monday and not me…i am no good with animals dying…
Our dog constantly licks me…this is worse for the first few days after i have had my chemo…anyway last week i noticed that he had no bottom eye lashes and short top eye lashes…he also cannot stop eating…then i clicked and thought about the chemo and steroids that i must be secreting through my skin and the dog licking it…Ian mentioned it to the vet and he seems to think that the dog will be ok as what he is getting will be minimal…poor Barley…he still has a full coat though…
Well Jill i will sign off…take care and speak soon…
Love Deb xx
Hi Deb,
Sorry for delay in replying. Sorry about your poor rabbit, its really sad when they have to be put to sleep, my dog had to be 2 years ago and they are like part of the family.I did see the oncologist before starting CMF, if you are the same as me you will have usual bloods done before you go in on the first visit and see doc, then on the eighth day you just go and have the treatment, no bloods that time. You can request to see the oncologist if you are not well or worried about anything, but usually the second one is really quick, especially if you get our friend with the glasses, he is very good.
CT scan was fine thanks, which was a great relief, hate the waiting for results dont you?
Hows the wig doing? Not much fun in this wind is it. I forgot that I had bought some wig hairspray, so it has come in handy these last couple of days, not like usual spray but does hold it that bit better,still look a bit on the wild side though!!! lol
Poor Barley, is he ok ?bless him, he is coming out in sympathy with you, just shows though how powerful the chemo is, hope his coat is still ok.
When is your treatment Deb? Mind like a sieve at moment, it must be nearly due. Best of Luck always here if you need any help.
Take Care
Speak soon
Love
Jillx
Hi Jill,
Glad to hear that your ct scan was ok.
How is your radiotherapy going? Well i hope.
I am due my last EPI on Monday…yippee…then i will be asking you all kinds about the CMF…
Take care and speak soon.
Love Deb xx
Hi Deb
Sorry I forgot you had asked about the rads, they are doing fine, no side effects as yet, and skin still fine, 5th one tomorow and counting down! It is fine, treatment takes about 10 mins, the travelling is a bit tiring but you meet others in the same boat, and it helps to chat with them. Last EPI FANTASTIC!!! well done you. Feel free to ask away on the CMF. Best of Luck Deb, Be Thinking of you
Love and hugs
Jillxxxx
Hi Jill,
How are you?
I have had my 4 th Epi today as plan. I saw the oncologist and i asked about the HER test, apparently they did this test as part of the initial biopsy and i am Her negative so Herceptin is not a treatment option for me. I am ER positive so i will be receiving hormone therapy though.
More good news oncologist said that i can have the radiotherapy at the same time as having the CMF so by my reckoning i should have the last bit of my chemo on 30th June and the radiotherapy should be done and dusted then too…leaving just the hormone therapy…can’t wait until it is all over…
Take care and speak soon Deb xx
Hya Deb,
Well done for your last EPI. Good news that you can have CMF and rads together, it will be over sooner for you. I have hormone treatment, I started Tamoxifen 3 weeks after last chemo, I will be on it for 5 years. It is fine no side effects at all. I tested positive for both so have to have herceptin, always been a greedy madam!! You wont be as tired Deb I dont think with the CMF, I used to be flaked out with the EPI most afternoons but CMF I hardly ever had a sleep in the afternoon, shopped went for lunch etc unthinkable on the EPI. Did you see Dr Hyatt? I see him tomorrow for first time since chemo ended, Rads going ok, really good actually today went at 1 back at 4.
Dont know if I told you but part of the CMF is tablets and a tip I got off a lady on this site was when you take them take 1 anti-sickness med with them and take with a glass of milk, it worked for me too as had no side effects all way through with the tabs so thought I would pass it on to you for when you start.
Hope your side effects are not too bad Deb, Thinking of you and sending you a big hug, Take Care speak soon
Love
Jillxxx
Hi Jill,
I am so glad that it it all going well for you. Take care and speak soon Deb xx
Hya Deb,
Thinking of you, and hope the side effects are not too bad for you.
Speak soon
Love and hugs
Jillxxx
Hi Jill,
Sorry i haven’t been on line for a while…i had a tough time on my last EPI, ended up in A and E with a raging temp and treated for a urine infection and then a chest infection…laid up for quite a while.
I started my CMF on Monday and i have been great on it apart from the nausea…i tried doing what you suggested and taking the chemo tabs with the anti sickness meds and milk but it did not work for me, i tried all sorts of different ways and ended up phoning Clatterbridge who suggested taking all the chemo daily dosage together at once at night (befiore going to bed and taking an anti sickness tab 30 minutes prior to the chemo tabs), i tried it tonight and it seems to have worked…it is 03.45 though and i have been awake since 02.00…but i did sleep for 3 hours prior to waking up…
How are you?
I guess that your radiotherapy must be finished by now eh? How did it go?
Take care love Deb xx
HI Deb
Poor you, you have been having a awful time of it. Sorry to hear you have been rough. Hope by now you are feeling better. and that the CMF is being kinder to you. I seem to remember that with my fourth EPI i suffered more side effects, think it is a accumulative process, but no more of that for you now, well done Deb on completing it.
Yes I finish my Rads tomorow so very pleased, it has not been too bad at all, I am sore (just like sunburn) but it does settle, and nothing like the chemo. Had my first Herceptin last Thursday so was at the hospital all day, but no side effects from that so far apart from a drippy nose which I had on chemo, dont seem to have any control over it very embarrassing at times!!!
Sorry the milk thing did not work, but sounds like you have found the solution for you with the tabs, I am sure you will be better on the CMF let me know how it is going. Did you get any Sickness Travel Bands at the start of chemo, they are good, cost about £7.00 from Boots but they really helped my sickness, I wore them day and night so maybe worth a try?
Anyway Deb I will keep in touch, you Take Care,
Lots of Love
Jillxx
Hi Jill,
CONGRATULATIONS!!! How wonderful to have finished your radiotherapy…i bet you don’t know what to do with yourself now eh?
Are you doing anything to celebrate? I am planning on throwing a party when this is all over…
You are right CMF is much kinder…just the nausea…but other than that nothing…i had the follow up injection on Monday and mentioned the nausea and they gave mre some clyclizine to try…this did not work either…just mde me tired…so i have gone back to the domperidone…sickly with no tiredness is better than sickly and worn out…i tried the bands too but they did not work for me either…
I finish the tablets on Monday night…did you find that the nausea stopped when you stopped the tablets? I sure am hoping so…i am really hoping that i have two weeks clear before the next cycle…i was also thinking about trying acu puncture for the nausea…anything is worth a shot…
Did you get it where smells etc affect you?..the poor dog had his dinner put outside the other day as the smell as making me heave…and as for food forget it…i have to psych myself up to eat anything…poor ian doesn’t even get a meal cooked for him when he comes home from work…the sheer thought…
Talking of work…my manager and HR were to come and see me last Friday but it was cancelled last minute…they are coming on the 16th and i am planning a phased return to work…i am hoping to go back to work in May…i can’t wait…
How is it going on the hair front? Mine is just starting to come through…ican feel it and it just looks like a shadow on my head at the minute…but hey it is hair…
Barley (the dog) now has all his whiskers and eyebrows back…poor bloody thing …he must have felt strange too…i think there must be a bitch on heat at the minute and it must have passed our house at some point…all he wants to do is sit by the front gate…morning, noon and night and in all kinds of weather…he must think he is in with a chance now he has all his hair in place…
Well i will sign off now take care love Deb xx
Hi Debbie
Hope you dont mind me joining in this thread, I too hate the nausea and Im off to Boot today to buy a travel sick band that are supposed to stop this will let you know how it goes.
Karen
Hi Karen,
We don’t mind you joining us at all.
What chemo are you on?
I tried the nausea bands but they did not work for me. I have been looking at acu puncture and there appearsto be evidence of this being affective…i am thinking of giving this a go…
Hope the bands work for you.
Love Deb xx
Hi Deb
Thanks, Im on FEC just had no 3 and the bands seem to be ok depending on the type of sickness if that makes sense sometimes its just nausea and sometimes its like motion sickeness.
Good luck with the acu puncture do let us know how you get on, Im off to a Look Good Feel Better this week so hoping to pick up some info from there.
What chemo are you on? By the way Im on 6 FEC so halfway through - can start counting down now LOL!!!
Just had a thought are you the same Deb who was on holiday in Rhodes in Oct? Could be completely wrong with this idea but chemo brain just had a light bulb come on!!!
Love and hugs
Karen
XXX
Hi Karen and Gill,
Yes i am the same Debbie…it’s a small world…
I have finished EPI and have started CMF…the nausea was under control on the EPI with steroids but you don’t get them routinely with the CMF…although i must admit i would rather have the CMF any day of the week…
Yesterday was funny…Ian is on annual leave this week and we decidedthat we would tidy the garden…he went the tip…i cleaned out our rabbits…just putting the hay etc back in the garage when the nausea turned to vomitting with no warning…
I could only make it to a plant pot in the front garden…now it gets funny…i was wearing white pyjamas, flip flops, a grey woolly hat, no makeup etc…we live opposite a shop and i am vomitting for England…
I an came back from the tip and told me i looked like the mad woman from heart beat (David’s mum).
Got funnier later though when our dopey labrador went missing out of the garden and i ended up around the nearby fishing lake dressed as above only with a coat on…
Glad the bands are working …those look good feel good sessions are supposed to be brilliant and you come away with lots of freebies…i am booked in at the Linda McCartney Centre for one on the 28th but i will have to cancel this as my chemo is due on the same day…
Love Deb xx
Hi Jill, Karen and Deb,
I hope you don`t mind me joining you but it was great to hear that you are local! I am also having my treatment at Southport and my nurse is Sarah. I am a “newie” had to have my first chemo at Clatterbridge as the Southport clinic was full… but have my 2nd one at Southport on 21st April.
I am on A.C. chemo and have a 4cm tumour and thats all I know, except I will need surgery and more chemo.and it will take a year.
I have been lucky so far as I haven`t had too many side effects, although hair started to fall out yesterday which seems early!!
I am 61 years old, have lived in Southport since I was married but was born near Orrell Post.
Good luck with the nausea I hope it is better… did it get worse as the treatment progressed?
I am trying to take a day at a time, feel good today so off to play golf,
Take care,
Love,
Jan
I also have two wonderful grandchildren( aged 5 and 3 ) who keep my mind off things
I agree with everything you say about the wonderful staff and service at Southport. I also agree with the service or lack of it from the wig supplier… I like my wig but feel it has far too much hair for me I wish she had offered to razor it a little. She also said lovely things like I was going to lose my skin colouring along with my hair …great!!
Hi Toronto
Please can I ask where you have got your wig from? I live in Blackburn and have been offered a nhs voucher to spend in either Manchester or Blackpool. The feedback I have got from people who have used the Blackpool shop is great…just wondered as you are not far from Blackpool that you used it?
I am off to have my 1st FEC at 1.30 today so anxious (understatement!!) but welcome any feedback whatsoever.
Anita
Hi Anita
Good luck for today, I always take a couple bottle of lucozade dehydration with me and try to drink as much as I can over the next couple of days. Go with what your body tells you and if you feel rubbish in any way let them know there really is no need to feel rough. Hope all goes well will be holding cyber hands LOL!!!
Karen
XXX