So glad for you Mary. You must be very relieved and yes look forward to Christmas now!
Sue O rants allowed! The back pain must be awful. I’ve only had it once and was I tears with the pain but I think mine was the drugs affecting my own issues with spinal problems that I’ve had previously. As people have said they seem to target our vulnerable points sometimes. I hope the pain killers work and you get some relief.
I’m on day 6 after FEC 3 and my last one of those but despite saying about my severe nausea they’ve still put me on the same drugs so still bad. I’m so fed up with feeling so sick especially at night. I’m also suddenly very very exhausted but guess that’s the accumulative effect of the drugs although I also keep wanting to do loads of stuff that I think needs doing and then feeling shattered. Very frustrating :/. Own rant over lol.
Hope everyone doing ok. This is a tough thing but each day is one day through it :).
Not looking forward to the T bit starting in the 22nd but I’ve been told I might not feel so sick…? I hope not.
As I don’t have much hair left I put a hat on yesterday when I went out. Great as it was cold but then I went for a coffee and had to sit there with my hat on! How do other people manage this? 
Hugs,
Sue F xx
Angie I know how you feel. We don’t look or feel the same of course and it’s difficult to cope with on a daily basis but we will get back to being like us once this is all done and we’ll be well too :). Then you’ll have photos of you looking gorgeous and well!
Big hugs,
Sue F xx
Hi everyone
Well I went to the Look Good Feel Better Masterclass yesterday and it was great. There were seven/eight of us altogether and the Goodie Bag was full of lovely products from Liz Earle, Chanel, Lancome to name a few. We were encouraged to use the products during the session and we all received individual attention regarding types of foundations and how to apply eye make up (for those those that rarely use make up!!)
We were spoiled with nibbles, mince pies, drinks - it was brilliant !! No rushing at all - we over-ran by nearly an hour. Best of all now that we have attended we can go back to the co-ordinator and beauty specialist at anytime for extra sessions in groups or individually if you feel need help or advice.
I think the strangest thing for me was how many of the other women had no concerns in taking off their wigs so others could see how it was and of course we could all chat about stuff that concerned us. I was buzzing when I left - a lovely afternoon!!
Hi All
Saw oncologist yesterday all going well and has said he will be refering me on to the Radiotherapy team with a view to starting in April. I have also decided to go ahead with first dose of T on 22/12, but have been given prescription for pain killers to use if needed, he said if SE are too bad he will reduce next dose and have longer between sessions.
Gradually getting sorted for Christmas and enjoying doing most of my shopping online, my son has confirmed he will be home from Liverpool on the 21/12 which is great news, although not too far it’s been so difficult to get together as often as we would both like since all this started what with treatment for me and work on his part, cannot wait to give him a huge hug, he has had to deal with this mostly from a distance unlike my other son who lives locally so has been more involved and able to have the odd cuddle now and then, ok emotional bit over with !!
Hope everyone is doing as well as can be expected and that this bloody BC is not interfering too much with your Christmas plans, hugs Mary xx
Hi all, I haven’t posted for a while, but faithfully log in every day to keep up with you all and find out how you are getting on. I had my third EC yesterday, which was fine, except I CAN’T SLEEP! I’ve had such problems sleeping ever since my diagnosis in August because the very first thing the consultant asked was whether I was on HRT. I was, so had to come off it straight away. The reason I was on it was because of the night sweats so of course they started again with a vengeance, three times a night. Each time it takes half an hour to an hour to get back to sleep again so nights have become something I rather dread. Well of course that plus the steroids I was given yesterday have meant I have been lying here since 2a am tossing and turning, thinking about how i have got these steroids till Sunday. Has anyone not taken the steroids? what were the effects? I suppose more nausea? But perhaps i can control that with the metoclopramide. Aargh
Morning everyone,
i sympathise with those of you who are having trouble sleeping - believe it or not, for me it’s the opposite! I’m in bed 9.30 -10pm and am up around 8 - getting up once or twice to go to the loo! Am always tired though, but cannot sleep during the day. bizarre how we are affected differently. I was advised not to take the steroids after 2pm, as they could affect my sleep pattern - but like Angie, didn’t notice much difference. Nurse came yesterday for mid cycle bloods and I received a phone call later saying that my count was really low and to be careful going out and about - maybe that’s why I’m so tired?
so great having your family around you at this difficult time for us all. Am loving getting to know my grandson.
have a good weekend everyone, and stay STRONG. We CAN do this!
sueBxxx
The chemo nurse has suggested I reduce the steroids and see whether that helps. Also a bit worried because my husband who is in Ireland on business, has got food poisoning! He’s due back tomorrow but wonder whether it’s infectious - might make him sleep in the spare room… There’s always something to worry about. Do you have the g- csf injection to support your white blood cell count? Although even with that, mine has reduced over the three cycles.
For the second time I had excruciating spasm type pains in my lower spine today (while I was having my appointment for my mid cycle blood count at the hospital! At least I was in the right place ). It’s been at the same time weirdly - day 9 and at end of my 7 day injections almost exactly. Doubled up with the pain. I was helpfully asked aren’t you taking paracetamol while you’re taking your g-csf injections?!! Ermm no, no one has told me to! Anyway it was too bad for that and was the last cycle so they gave me Naproxen and some Ora- morph while I cried like a baby and they got me to semi lie down - very very embarrassing - with painkillers and a heat pad for half an hour :/. Has anyone else been told this about paracetamol and g-csf injections? And has anyone else experienced this kind of severe spasm pain? I’ve still got my 3 x T ones to get through now so really worried.
SueF xx
Hi Sue C. Thankfully it went after about three quarters of an hour. Never had such awful pain :(. I’ll def be taking the paracetamol all the way through my next injections as advised! I just haven’t heard of anyone being told to routinely take paracetamol while taking the injections but I’m not risking another lot through the T!
At least I’ve got some respite now hopefully until I start the Tx3 on the 22nd 
SueF xx
Angie and Sue B - yes, steroids definitely can keep you awake, but so can having things on your mind, and don’t we all (hence posts at silly times ? lol!). I ended up taking steroids for the whole of my first FEC cycle because I was prescribed them for the oedema and had to come off them gradually. I didn’t sleep properly until I finally came off them 3 days into my second cycle. But now I’m on T (third and final infusion next Tuesday, hooray!), the fatigue seems to be overriding the effects of the steroids to an extent, and you may find the same in your final cycles. Sue C and Sue F - I am surprised they didn’t warn you about the possibility of pain following the bone marrow injections, because I was warned about it. They should also have warned you that it is also a potential issue with T, and if you are due to have your first T soon, they should give you a couple of Paracetamol in the hospital before you have the infusion. The key to pain management - according to.my nurses - is to take the painkillers first, before the pain kicks in, as it will be more effective at controlling the pain. I have taken their advice and so far it has worked well. Hope this helps for future cycles, and hugs to everyone still suffering from their last one - hope you are feeling better soon. ???
Thank you OldDawn, will take your advice!
So great for you that you’re on your last T session next Tuesday. Time for a big celebration/party when it’s done!
All of this is hard but we do get through it.
Hugs, SueF x
Gracie - the only thing I have been recommended to take (since my fourth cycle which also coincided with the clocks going back) is Vitamin D supplements. I got some 10mg tablets from Boots, and am taking one every morning. It is the only medication I am taking at the moment, because I am nearly at the end of the fifth cycle so most SEs have subsided, except for the fatigue train which shunts me into a siding now and again ? ? ?! It is probably a good idea for all of us to take Vitamin D supplements this time of year because we are not getting much sunlight, as the days are short.? Many of us are also lacking in energy due to the SEs, and are not getting out and about as much as we were at the start of our chemotherapy. Hope this is useful - though as with all over the counter medication, it is advisable to ask your oncology team whether it is OK to take Vitamin D supplements (or other vitamin supplements) before you get any.
Hi,
may I add to the discussion re Vitamin D…
Once your chemo is over your oncologist is likely to put you onto Tamoxifen, Letrozole or similar. In conjunction with that you tend to get a prescription for Calcium and Vitamin D. Both are in doses you cannot get over the counter. Also, it seems to make sense to utilize the free prescriptions you are entitled to.
Because of what the chemo does to the cells in our body - taking any supplements, which are not contraindicative to our relevant chemo treatment, could have little effect as our organs etc. may not be able to convert them effectively. They will not do any harm, if approved by the oncologist, however they may do no good either and be money spent in vein at this time.
Hugs
Sue xx
Hooray, an internet connection at last! Thanks for further advice in Vitamin D Gracie and Sue H-S. Everyone is different, so it’s clearly not suitable for everyone, but it must be for some of us, because they did specifically recommend it to me (I am not TN). It is a minefield though, isn’t it, because what works for one person won’t necessarily work for everyone else! I don’t want to recommend anything that could do other ladies more harm than good. So as I said, if you are thinking of taking vitamin supplements or other over the counter products, always check with your team that they are appropriate for you before taking.
Hi Old Dawn,
I was given some vitamin tablets to take, I didn’t even know I needed them until I picked up my medication and the chemist pulled them out! I personally have been trying to eat loads of fruit and veg to get all the vitamins that way.
On a slightly different note, what have people been eating as I was told to avoid the food a pregnant lady can’t have and have also read to avoid cold meats, this has left me with basically having cheese or soup for lunch… if I have left over meat from a roast am I allowed it the next day? Can I have tuna? I love the food at this time of year, all the nibbles but feel I can’t have it. I know I cannot have brie etc and pate but what about sausage rolls and cocktail sausages? I spoke to a friend and she said if I can get to the tablet first and pick my food then it wouldn’t have been ‘contaminated’ by other people potentially touching the food.
Hugs to everyone x
I have as has been said avoided foods a pregnant woman can’t have but have had cold meat from the day before as long as it’s been in the fridge and covered etc. Avoided the street food at our local Christmas food festival yesterday which was very hard! I love it :(. Other than that have been more carful with dates on foods. Haven’t heard about the vitamin D thing.
Has anyone suffered with random nose bleeds? I started the other day twice - weirdly once in each nostril and it took about 20 mins each time to stop and I’ve had it again. I never get them usually. Have only got them this mid cycle on my third FEC.
Hope everyone is having a good weekend despite the challenges we’re getting!
Hugs to all,
SueF xx
Hi Sel84,
This is a tricky time of year for us all with all the potential for socialising - I had in mind the ‘germ potential’ of meeting friends & work colleagues who haven’t seen me in months & will automatically hug me ? … and the temptations of wine!!..but hadn’t crossed my mind about the dangers of a buffet. doh! so thank you for bringing that up.
At home I have to say i have been eating pretty ‘normally’ at home, whilst paying greater attention to use by dates. I continue to use the remains of a roast joint for the following days meal & eat cold meats, cheeses (goat & sheep variety as I am lactose intolerant) & pate (dairy free) etc. I do of course store them properly covered in the fridge etc & would avoid unpasteurised stuff & shellfish. (Though having said that, I made something with prawns in the other day)! I guess I generally eat what I fancy (mostly cooked from scratch at home) as it’s hard enough trying to find things that don’t taste awful at the moment. It makes me feel a bit happier - which we all need ? So far I haven’t had any problems in that respect; fingers crossed.
I have to start the gcsf stomach injections tomorrow (for a week). Am not looking forward to those & am a bit worried about reading others posts on the side effects. ?
Take care. Love & strength to all.
Miss Mc
Morning everyone,
Re the vitamins - I was told originally to stop taking the ones I was taking (which were quite a few for my bones as I suffer with arthritis), but the last time I saw my Oncologist - I had a cold sore, and she told me to take one tablet a day of a multivitamins! Only one, and not a large dose. Confused, but am now taking one tablet a day - cold sore took much longer to disappear than usual which I suppose is due to my weaker immune system.
as yet, I have avoided buffets - not a big fan anyway as I am gluten intolerant (so many buffets do not cater for gluten free), but when we have been out I’ve ordered a la carte and hav eonly been to restaurants/cafes that I know and trust. At home, we always cook from scratch, and I have been eating prawns and smoked salmon (was told to avoid sushi and sashimi which I absolutely love). I am picky with my diet as I also do not eat red meat - I’m a big fish and chicken eater. We also use up our leftovers in ‘throw together’ meals.
it’s such a minefield for us all - but at the end of the day, we should do what we know is right for us as an individual ‘body’.
Sus12 - I have had a random nosebleed - very rare for me. It didn’t last long, but was a bit frightening at the time.
Gracie, my blood results are written in my ‘treatment book’ by the nurse, so I can monitor my results and levels, which at the moment are low (white cell count) - due to have FEC4 on the 20th, so Christmas for me is going to be tiring but hopefully fun with my grandson. My husband, daughter and son in law are cooking between them…
hope to get out and about this coming week.
enjoy the rest of your weekend everyone.
SueBxxx
Morning everyone
Judging by the fact that it seems very quiet on this thread - I’m hoping it’s because we are all feeling well and coping with side effects and looking forward to Christmas.
District Nurses are due in today for pre-chemo bloods and I have the oncologist before I go for chemo tomorrow morning and it is the first of the ‘T’ regime so a whole new bunch of side effects to learn to live with!!
Keep well everyone!!
Swampy
Good luck Swampy. Hope it all goes well for you tomorrow and you get as few se’s as possible.
Lots of hugs,
Sue F xx