Before I start, I swear I am not totally obsessed with my bodily functions (Ok only a little bit) although I was glad my windypops thread gave lots of people a giggle.
Does anyone else find themselves going for a wee every 5 seconds even if they haven’t had enough drinks to necessitate this? It is like what I call a “hangover wee” where you cannot put it off but when you go you’re disappointed at how small an amount comes out - I figure it is because my body is trying to get rid of the poison (ie the chemo) the same as when you’ve had a heavy night on the sauce.
And sorry if this is TMI but I have noticed my wee smells horrible. You know how the first wee of the morning would be if you’d had the aforementioned night on the sauce, ie stronger in colour and in smell - well nothing like this - even if I had had several litres of pure water and done a more or less colourless wee it still reeks it is kind of what I would call a “hormonal” smell. I guess it is something I just have to accept and hope it will revert to “normal” after my treatment. But it makes me paranoid nonetheless.
Hi Clarabel
I had ‘smelly’ wee a couple of years ago and this was due to e-coli which lives in our bowels and sometimes gets passed over to our uniary tract. A simple urine test can diagnose it and it is anti bacterials you get from your doc.
Be safe and get it tested
Anita
Hi Anita
I’ve had a chat with my oncologist’s secretary and she said it is apparently a common side effect and unless I have any discomfort passing urine I just have to put up with it.
Cheers
Clarabel
It sounds a little like cystitis to me, But there’s no burning pain is there (although I never really had much burning when I’ve suffered in the past, it was more constant needing to pee when I didn’t really).
If it has anything in common with cystitis then I’d personally drink cranberry juice.
Hi clarabel34
I have had cycstis before and a kidney infection before - both many moons ago - but have had nothing like them on chemo.
Suggest you get it checked - as our immune systems are low - sooner is better than later so you can nip it in the bud if you have to. Am assuming you’ve checked your temperature …
love FizBix xxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi Clarabel, I find I’m wanting to go more than usual, but not as bad as you, so I’d second the suggestion that you keep an eye on your temperature. The smell thing though - yes, there is definitely a chemo smell to my wee, just as you describe. It starts getting back to normal in week 3. I’m drinking lots of cranberry juice - one of the things I can stand in quantity at present, mixed with orange or lime and diluted.
Hi Clarabel,
The only real side effect for me on chemo is cystitis,I go to the loo about 10 times a night!!I have had EXTREME cystitis on two seperate nights and it is unbearable.
I needed to go wee but when I went, I passed a tiny amount and then a had a dreadful burning sensation! But it never really let up, so in each case I spent the whole night cleaning… nothing much else to do it was so uncomfortable I couldn`t even sit in front of the computer.
I am now totally paranoid about it as I can`t face it again…had my urine tested and in both cases(I am in my 2nd cycle of chemo) I had bladder infection, so you should get it checked out.
It is the body getting rid of the chemicals and causing mayhem on the way out!! I drink cranberry juice by the litre, plus litres and litres of water plus my 4th course of antibiotics! I think I am one of the unlucky ones in that area, but apart from that I have never felt better… loads of energy, I do everything I did before and more!! So I suppose you can`t get away with everything.
Good luck, but do get it checked out. I am on A.C. chemo., by the way and it`s the C. part that causes it apparently.
Take care,
Love,
Jan
hi girls, thanks for your replies, I know for fact it is not cystitis because I have suffered with this numerous times in the past (before BC and chemo) and I know the difference. I believe it is my body trying to flush out the drugs. I am drinking more fluid (and less booze) as well.
Hi Clarabel
I was told that my chemo drugs would be excreted via my kidneys (hence kidney function tests beforehand) and straight away I noticed a definite change in smell regardless of how much water I drank. Perhaps yours are being flushed out via kidneys too.
x
hope you are correct, I never had a kidney function test to my knowledge but then they did so many tests and took so many samples of this that and the other who knows!
I had a smell in my wee for a few days after chemo which i called “the chemo smell”
No other problems .I finished chemo mid March and all is normal
Mary
x
I find that for the first couple of days after treatment the urge to wee “sudenly” comes over me and I have to rush immediately so I don’t wet myself. It then disappears till next time!
Hi
All through chemo I had a horrible smell which I called “chemo smell”. It smelt like the chemo ward if you know what I mean. finished chemo end of November last year so okay now !!
I do remember though that if I wanted to go wee I had to get there PRONTO !!
Liz xx
Hello all, I found that my wee smelt more this time (3rd epi) The other times the smell went after awhile especially if I drank alot of water. This time is seems to smell ‘chemo- like’ for a longer peiod of time. My kidneys are fine as are tested each time I have chemo. What alot of horrible smelly things we have to put up with during our chemo ( had bottom burps too I might add.
Rach xx
yes Lizzie you are spot on, it is just like the chemo ward. Makes me want to heave.
I also was mortified yesterday when I went into a cubicle in Next to try on a dress and I just thought my whole body was emitting a hormonal scent - please may I hasten to add it is NOT the smell of wee, LOL, it is just a sort of pheremone smell. Maybe if a bloke picked up on it he would be terribly attracted to me, the same way as I quite like the smell of (fresh) male sweat. But I have always hated the smell of female hormones.
I am trying not to develop OCD but I am having 2 baths a day, which is no hassle with no hair to wash, dry and style 
Hi Clarabel
I know what you mean. Think it follows us around. Wander what the men on chemo sell like ? !
You’ve hit the nail on the head with all your threads.
Are you really having 2 baths a day ? That’s one thing though when we’ve no hair to wash - takes minutes ! Mine is growing back now and I actually had it coloured last Friday and a little trim. Came back grey but came back darker down below - how’s that for somebody having a laugh
Liz xx
I was hoping it might not come back down below the neck, it’s been bliss not having to shave anything
I don’t have 2 baths every day but on days that my boyfriend is over I have one before he turns up and another one later on usually before we go out for the evening.
My only concern about 2 baths a day is the drying effect on my skin but I don’t overdo it on the soap I just put in an organic, moisturising bubblebath not too much, and keep the temperature down a bit.
How soon after your hair fell out did it grow back? I heard some people’s hair starts to re-grow before they’ve had all their sessions (I have had 3 of 6 FEC and have lost about two thirds of my hair on my head, had it shaved to grade zero but some parts are not totally bald and the hairs that have not fallen out have grown a teeny bit but wondering when my bald patches will start to sprout again)
I have never knowingly stood close to a man who is on chemo but I don’t think I’ll try it out in case it makes me feel ill. I will stick to smelling my boyfriend, who still smells delicious to me
Ah that’s nice ! I prefer a nice aftershave to sweat !!
I had 3 FEC and 3 Taxotere. My hair came out the week of my 2nd FEC. As you say it doesn’t all come out. I had a few clumps which remained but that week my daughter shaved it and I had a damn good cry with a glass of pink champagne in my hand ! Started chemo in August and finished is 28 November. My hair actually started to appear before the end of the Tax but I think with you having all FEC yours may not start to come back until you have finished.
Also because of the Tax I think it is growing really slowly. I know ladies whose hair is abou 4 inches long who didn’t have Tax and also the ones on Tax seem to come back grey.
The hair on my legs never actually stopped growing altogether, just very slowly. My underarm hair has still not appeared so I hope it doesn’t. I am going away for a week tomorrow and didnt know whether I could have a bikini wax (yes it’s that bad !!) because of the effect on my skin. I decided against it and bought some cream so will have to sort that out later. My head hair when coloured came out as gingery blonde which isn’t me. So hairdresser did it again and it’s still not the colour I want so will try again later. They said it’s cos of the grey. I was upset when I had it done because I quite liked the grey but knew I was going to colour but didnt want to go without wig and grey and then appear with colour. So I went for it. Have been out 3 days now without the wig and feel okay but that isn’t around the town where I live it was Manchester so nobody knew me.
Love Liz xx
just in case anyone is remotely interested my wee smells fine but loks honey-coloured - usually very light and clear …
post TAX
love FB xxxxxxxxx