Merry Christmas everyone .hope you all have a wonderful time .xxxxx
Hi Rosie friend request sent. I’m Glenda xx
Sorry not posted much on here recently but happy New Year one and all and may it bring with it a healthier one for all :)
Getting there - had 5th taxol yesterday, 4 more to go 
Hoping to find out a bit more about the radiotherapy soon! Still not got an appt just know it will be 4.5 weeks of treatment. In many ways can’t believe how quick the time is passing!
Take care
Rosie x
Hi everyone, how are you all doing? Happy New Year!
I have finally stopped feeling sick after my last chemo (2 Dec!). Started Tamoxifen on 2 Jan (ok so far but not sleeping well so maybe related?) and have my first radiotherapy on Thurs 7th.
I hope you all got through Christmas ok and are feeling alright. Weather is disastrous isn’t it…roll on Spring!
Love to all xxx
Well done Jojo, nearly there now! Hope the next and last one is easier but either way, it’s the last one so that helps.
I am desperate for my hair to grow back…inspecting my scalp daily for signs of regrowth but nothing yet. Patience patience! Xxx
Hi everyone. Just back from T2 so only one more to go. Hoorah.
Ele, good to hear from you but not that you have taken so long to feel right after your second dose. Not fair.
Jojo, in an attempt to stop thrush on last T, I tried a few drops of tea tree oil in a glass of water as a mouth rinse after cleaning teeth twice a day and I’ve been okay so far. Might be worth a try but don’t swallow though as it can be toxic if ingested.
Belated happy new year to all.
Ruth xx
Hey there Ruth. Good to hear from you again. You’re almost there. 1 more to go. xx
Thanks Suzy. So pleased to hear your chemo has finished. Hope that chest infection you have had is shifting now. Onwards for us all … step by step. xx
Hi gals, back from my first radiotherapy. All very straightforward - just moisturising like mad now to avoid any soreness in the future.
Appointment tomorrow is at 8.18…bit of a shock to the system to be up and about so early!
Hope everyone else is feeling ok xxx
Hi Ladies, not been on here fr a while, but glad you all seem to be doing so well. I had my second T on New Year’s Eve, same SEs as last time, achy bones, sore caccy mouth. Thrush upstairs and downstairs, but only lasted 3-4 days, stop got the thrush though, and today I feel almost normal only 1more to go. I’ve got my 1st appt with radiology on the 19th, so hopefully get started on that soon x
They just recommend unperfumed and SLS free so the type of thing you would use for eczema (is that spelt right? It hasn’t auto-corrected but looks wrong…should there be an X somewhere?). I bought E45 lotion (my old tub of E45 cream has loads of little short hairs in it from when I’d clippered my hair but it was still falling out) and Diprobase cream. I think something with Aloe Vera is also good for cooling if it does start to feel a bit burnt later on.
I can’t remember the last time I had a smear so I’m sure that will be coming up soon too…really couldn’t face one at the mo! Hope your doc agrees it’s ok to delay a bit.
You must be only a couple of weeks away from your last chemo…you feeling ok? X
Well done Jayne, glad you are doing ok! X
Thanks Ele. I’m still not 100% sure I’m having radio yet but all tips appreciated should it come to that.
Had the penultimate chemo on Tuesday with the last one due January 29th - slight delay as my unit is struggling with the Christmas backlog so I’m finishing a week later than I thought I would but no biggie in the grand scheme of things. Not feeling too bad today but steriods have now finished so may have a bit of a slump in next few days but I can’t really moan too much at the moment.
xx
Hi Kaz, gosh 90 mile round trip every day is a challenge! It’s very quick (assuming they are running on time) - today I was finished and out by 8.35!
I just bought cream…you may be able to get something prescribed if money is tight, and if you start to have problems with your skin they do sometimes give you a special gel I think to heal broken skin, but I’m hoping that ordinary E45 used regularly will help avoid those probs.
Today’s exciting news is that I think I can see a slight ‘five o’clock shadow’ on my scalp. It might be wishful thinking and up close I can’t really see anything but from a distance I’m sure I can see a trace of a hairline, and my husband agrees (might be humouring me of course!)
Fingers crossed, might actually have some hair by spring!!
Xxx
P.s I’m assuming you know already Kaz, but rads is very easy and painless, so a complete breeze compared to chemo. Good luck for Mon anyway, but I’m sure you won’t need it (except for the drive ?) x
Good news about the hair Ele. I’m sure it’s true. xx
Hi Barry,
Great to hear from you. How are you doing? I know people on other threads here have been asking about you. Nikki is now a day ahead of me as my 5th chemo was due on 1st January so put off and my unit has a big Christmas backlog so I’m now next Friday. No worries as it is giving my veins an extra few days to get back to normal!
I’m popping into work today as have a meeting with HR. Statutory sick pay is on the cards. I’ve put it off for as long as possible with some part-time work from home but can’t do so forever. Not the end of the world and I’ll manage for the next couple of months no doubt. Going to be weird seeing colleagues again though and I’m a bit nervous. I will report back later.
Hope everyone has a good day.
Ruth
xxxx
Hi all, glad Nikki is nearly at the end Barry and ditto for you Ruth! How have you been feeling?
Good luck with your meeting at work.
Jojo my chemo twin - are you finished now? How is it going?
I’m now halfway through my rads. No major fatigue yet and no skin problems, but still early days I guess as all cumulative. Hair continues to ‘develop’ I think, i am just on the cusp of a skinhead rather than a bald one, but not as dense as it should be (yet…I’m hoping).
I’m not having any daytime symptoms from the Tamoxifen so far, but not sleeping well at night - hot flushes and general wakefulness. All fine while I’m not at work and hoping it settles (think I will also try acupuncture at some point).
I hope all you Octonauts are doing ok…I know some of you will still have a way to go due to illness, delays or just longer treatment plans. But you’ll get there!!
Love to all xxx
I’ve got 10 more sessions so finish 4 Feb Barry. I’m thinking the earliest I’d go back to work would be March, but if I can make it later I will. I want to have some hair first, and want to allow myself time to lose a bit of weight, get some fitness back, sort my head out and have some normal time at home. My job is quite full on so I just won’t be effective until I’m 100%!
I think my full rate sick pay runs out end Feb so that might push me in March of course!
X
Barry, hope you get your appointment sorted soon and your mind put at rest.
I’m feeling generally okay Ele. The Docetaxol has not been as bad as anticipated, well not so far anyway. Here’s hoping the final one will follow a similar pattern. I am very tired now though after four hours in the office and an hour each way commute. Can’t imagine being there for eight hours a day or longer. I think you are right to pace yourself with regards to going back to work slowly and trying to get some fitness back as it really does take it out of you both physically and mentally. I was sat in a couple of not very taxing meetings today and it was so hard to concentrate with chemo brain.
I honestly think that the getting back to normal stage is going to be one of the hardest parts for me. I know from previous experience when I’ve had a difficult time that I seem to cope well with the actual crisis itself but when it comes to normality that’s when I’ve cracked. We shall see.
Acupuncture is supposed to be very good for hot flushes isn’t it? I’m thinking of giving it a go myself.
Loving the term Octonauts.
xx