November 18 chemo starters

Going through breast cancer treatment Chemotherapy monthly threads
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Nice to see fellow November ladies bearing up well.

 

I’m letting the side down a bit.  Not doing too great on round 2. Disgraced myself at the hospital by fainting in the chemo chair, I was so stressed. Poor hubby was so shocked. Other people are just sitting there getting on with it and I’m making a drama out of it all. Thankfully no nausea this time either, and thanks to tummy calming meds and slightly reduced steroids, I’m not trying to eat everything this time around. Really tired this time, think I was on adrenaline last time and I’m thankfully sleeping a lot now. No night sweats so far (4 days in) as I’ve been drinking plenty. Just lacking in any energy whatsoever.

 

:smileysad:

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Tigerlilli, just seen your post about taste buds and mine are OK so far this time as I ended up eating a chewy mint while having some of the chemo. It has really made a difference to what I can still taste. Also, I brush my tongue as part of tooth brushing and this removes any build up before it really gets going. 

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Hi Holeinone, thanks for your tip about the chewy mints, I will definitely try that. I am sorry to read that you passed out and have been suffering so much. I totally understand, don’t feel bad. We are all coping the best we can with a tough situation. I just try to remember that the chemo is my friend, trying to cure me and that each day is one day closer to the end of treatment. I’d like to offer you a virtual hug and say you’re not alone my friend. Xxx

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Evening ladies, just a little warning - yesterday I ended up back at the hospital, my lower leg swelled up so I thought I had better call my chemo nurse, she said suspected blood clot, apparently it’s not an uncommon side effect - yes yet another one! So I am now self injecting blood thinning stuff everyday for 10 days. I found this a really scary one couldn’t sleep last night for thinking about it. One more week of more or less normality and then #round3 - it seems to come round so quickly. I don’t know how you girls who are having chemo every week are coping, hats off to you ?
How is everyone coping with their Xmas prep I was doing so well now haven’t wrapped a thing or written a card and still have a few presents to but ?
Take care all

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Wow! How frightening for you! Thank goodness you contacted your nurse when you did… I’m so pleased you are getting sorted now.
How is everyone else coping with every blinking cold on the planet buzzing around? I have practically become a hermit. But my whole family seem to have one bug or another! Any tips? X

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Thanks Tigerlilli, I din’t Know if this is just luck but years ago a doctor told me to drink a hotblemon every morning in winter, I started doing this again after my diagnosis and so far fingers crossed no colds and the boys have had colds but amazingly I seem to have resusted. Half a lemon squeezed in hot water can add a teaspoon of honey too which is anti inflammatory and anti bacterial - it might just be this that’s doing the trick ?‍♀️ Worth a try

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Thanks Sals, I will definitely be doing that every day from now on. How’s your leg? Anyone having problems with bloating and wind? It’s quite revolting. Seems to be a gale blowing most of the time!!! Really antisocial : /

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??? Tigerlilli, shall we all say it’s just you and nothing to do with chemo at all ???

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Just joking, let’s just say I haven’t been the best company!
Sals, sorry to hear about the swollen leg, scary! And the injections, that would freak me out even more. I am having lots of pains in my muscles and bones where I feel like the blood isn’t circulating properly but no swelling or redness so I think it’s just part of the general malaise.
Still in bed this morning but my old antenatal girls are coming over for a Christmas coffee (they’ll make their own) this afternoon so have to get my hair on. Hope I don’t fall asleep on them as still struggling to function. Will be nice to have some company though.
My sister tidied up my hair with clippers yesterday but only dared use the No.2 setting. So I’ve gone from looking like a baby chimpanzee to a baby hedgehog. Think I would have preferred the completely bald sexy Sci fi look maybe, is that what the rest of you have done? Down to zero?

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Oh dear!!! : )

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Ahhhh… so Monday was rough.  Felt like I’d got full blown flu, everything and everywhere ached and was so sensitive to touch.  I’ve never had proper flu and quite frankly if that what it feels like I never want it.  It felt a bit like my thighs wouldn’t support my weight which was quite scary.  

 

I noticed someone else mention cheese on toast - post my first round that’s all I wanted to eat.  Just cheddar on toast.  I’ve had friends offering to buy me fancy cheese boards and I’m like nope just mature cheddar.  

 

I’m lucky enough to live in a town where we have a branch of The Haven and I’ve been to see their nutritionist and she said it was likely down to the body wanting the protein, carb and fat combination.  She said go with it if that’s what you want but try to eat more dark green vegetables on the better days.  

 

I’ve got my first counselling session scheduled with them next week so that will be interesting.  If anyone else has a Haven in their town I’d recommend looking them up.  

 

This time round my taste buds are only just coming back and it’s a bit like when you’ve a hangover and you want to eat all the naughty food (chocolate cake, sausage sandwiches with brown or red sauce, cheese on toast).  Tea is still a no no and milk chocolate really doesn’t taste like it used to.  Dark chocolate (my favourite) is more palatable than milk.  

 

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Yay for the cheese on toast gang! Just had three scrumptious slices for a 5 o’ clock snack as my stomach wasn’t going to last til OH gets home to cook dinner. Took me longer to make than gobble down but used mature cheddar, added some cut up pieces of cherry tomato (some superfood to be healthy) and salt and pepper before going under the grill and I could actually taste it! Got for it (even better if you get someone to make you a couple of slices while you lie on the sofa).

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Hi Ladies, managed to crawl my way out of chemo fog land!

 

Tigerlilli, thank you so much for the virtual hug, you helped lift my spirits when I was stuck down there in a pit of dispair. Although I don’t wish this on anyone, it really is comforting to know that we are not alone, we can do this as many before us have done. I take on board your positive way of looking at your chemo treatment, it’s a good outlook to have. Oh, and you are not alone with windy issues, I’ve never belched so much in my life, it’s not pleasant! xx 

 

Sals, so very sorry you have discovered another SE that results in more meds and stays at casa NHS, hope it is all plain sailing for you from now on.

 

Have to agree with Po, no way could I work through this, I’m out for the count for a week after each chemo (FEC) but happily this time have not been up all night with sweats after getting the liquid intake up. Hats off to ladies working through this. I’m self employed but we are drawing on savings now as I’m not able to function and really need rest.

 

Clarabella, try some chewy mints through chemo, I did this by accident for round 2 and have not lost taste buds this time. Also brush tongue gently when you do teeth.

 

Liloc, yay, cheese on toast is a winner every time! Although I think I will be treating myself to some bags of Thorntons before Christmas as well :smileywink:

 

Feeling a lot brighter today, hubby only has to do two more filgrastim injections and then we have semi normal time until round three just after Christmas. Managed to do some household bits and bobs today, might be up for bathroom cleaning tomorrow!

 

Hair, I’ve not shaved my head so have lots of straggly hair all over the place, still have lower leg hair but nothing on armpits or arms (jeez, sound like a gorilla!) Most of my head hair fell out in the third week of round 1 and the couple of days after round 2.   

 

Rumbly tummy, onco said this was due to steroids so I have less steroids and some tablets to calm tummy, and it has helped this time, no longer trying to eat the contents of the kitchen!  I’m drinking three large glasses of squash a day plus some when I wake at night (always waking at night now due to fluid intake!)

 

Cannot believe the chemo fog, I’m like an old woman, I dither and get confused, and ramble, which I think is what I’m doing now!

 

Anyone looking after their nails? I don’t like nail varnish so I’m just using cuticle oils and creams twice a day and hoping. No changes so far after two rounds, I suppose the nails go on T?

 

Keep well lovely November ladies, we can do this!

 

xx

 

 

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Attagirl holeinone! You can do it! It’s a roller coaster, but that’s another day ticked off. I’m just hoping my temp isn’t creeping up : /
Trying to will it down below 37! Fingers crossed. Just settling down for another night of Christmas shopping online at 4.00am. Well there’s got to be some advantages. xxx

195

Hi pigeon
I just had number three on Monday however I still have one more EC to go
I will be interested to see how the side effects differ when you swap over
I had a reduced dose this time and all though o slept solid for two days and have felt sick and awful taste
I haven’t had the feeling my skin is so sore I can’t bear to be touched and I’m been up and done some cleaning today ?

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Hi all

 

i will be having my third Fec next week also, although it’s now only EC I’m having because of side effects.  I will be starting T in January.

 

My veins are so sore from the chemo so I am having a PICC line put in for the T.  I am such a wozz and am terrified of having the PICC put in, any advice ladies, does it hurt.

 

i am terrified of everything but am pretending to family I’m fine, I suppose a lot of you ladies are the same.

 

have a lovely weekend Tbird xx

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Hi Pigeon

I too had my last EC yesterday #3 and will be starting T+ Herceptin in the new year although have to change hospitals as my local one doesn’t do T, at the moment been told they are at full capacity on the 3rd  and will have to defer it a week unless my oncologist says  otherwise…waiting to hear from her ? 

Feeling ok today managing the nausea just have a sore  arm.

Hope you all have a good weekend xx

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Hi Jencat

 

thank you for your reply, it has helped me put my mind at ease.  I haven’t got a date yet when I will be having the PICC line but it will be before 8th January as that will be the date for my 4th chemo.

 

its good you were able to have your daughter with you to keep you distracted, I will have to ask if I can have one of my sisters with me.

 

love TBird xx

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Hi Pidgeon, I am glad that thought helped… I find that if I feel worse, I think that the chemo is really working hard and that it will pass. I will be having one more Fec then going onto the T for 3. Not sure what to expect with the change over, but we can do it! Chemo warriors together. Stay well. Tigerlilli xxx

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Morning all, hopefully coming the the end of my 10 days of yik and have 10 days to relax until #3 on the 27th, a bit of a reprieve for Xmas (hopefully! In the first cycle I was in A&E til 3am one night with an unidentifiable temperature spike, don’t want blips like that over Xmas). Bit envious of those of you who already have #3 under their belts, although not of feeling grim obviously. I have to do 4 EC so won’t be moving on to T until February. It’s soooooo long to think about. On Monday I have an ultrasound to see if Olga has shrunk and they’re going to put a wire marker in in case chemo has blasted her into oblivion before surgery (wouldn’t that be nice!). Have any of you done that? I’m thinking it will be like the biopsy but not sure what’s involved…?