??reddi time for a bit of we are family by sister sledge on the chemo jukebox for the ???beautiful amazing Oct 18 girls ???
dance floor girls and let those steroids get you chemo ???
Shi xx
Hello lovely ladies!
Thanks, Fiona, for asking after me. Unfortunately, I’m not doing so well. Had my first FEC this afternoon and have been violently ill since. Four episodes of vomiting, terrible nausea, can’t get to sleep. Temp is normal. Have totally abandoned my husband to deal with our little girl all evening -who is crying for Mamma as I write this. Chemo is sh!t!
Apologies for the rant. If I’m sick again I will have to call the chemo line. I only got home 5 hours ago! ? Anyone have any suggestions of things I could try to ease the nausea and/or to get some sleep? Was drinking loads of water (finding that difficult now) and have taken all the prescribed anti-sickness stuff I can. Xox
Ellie’s mum, I’m sorry you are having such a rough time. You should not be so I’ll and clearly they haven’t got your antiemetics meds right. Don’t wait, call the helpline and get it sorted.
Well done to hubby. I know it is difficult with your daughter but I am afraid you need to concentrate on you at the moment, that way she will get to enjoy having her mum for many years to come. Lots of love Kxx
Hello readers I am new to this forum. Yesterday I received my second round of FEC 32 days after my first infusion. I was anxious and apprehensive as my first round had proved so traumatic. In the last round I felt nauseous from day 1. Side effects increased and I thought that day 6 was my worst with nausea, acid reflux, lethargy, low mood, feeling tearful, negative self thought, and an imagery where I was trying to find the end of a piece of string but couldn’t. That night I kept waking in a cold sweat with the negative thought and trying, unsuccessfully, to find the end of string. Day 9 I was admitted to hospital with Sepsis and neutropenia, my neutrophils were down to 0.1. I had a barrage of tests, daily bloods, drips etc. I lost my voice, struggled with breathing, and developed a rash. On day 18 I was discharged only to be readmitted on day 21 until day 25.
Day 30 I say my oncology consultant who reduced the Epirubicin and Cyclophosphamide by 30% and the Fluorouracil by 40% as she felt this was responsible for the skin rash. My oncologist has also added extra meds to deal with other side effects.
My nurse yesterday was very thorough. She took a long history and made some sound recommendations. I had nausea yesterday which seems to have settled. The one new side effect seems to be rather embarrassing as I have a vaginal itch, I’ll have to try yoghurt!
ida xx
Ellie’s Mum
Sorry to hear you are having such a rough night - if it’s any consolation Im on my 4th round of chemo and I’ve never managed to sleep much on the day if treatment. Mine was Thursday and I rested but didn’t really fall asleep. I’ve managed to get about 5 hours tonight though!
Hope you start to feel better soon
Sue xx
Sorry to hear you’ve had such a rough time Ida and Ellie’s mum. How are you feeling today Ida? And has your sickness eased Ellie’s Mum?
The nausea is driving me insane, I feel for you having to manage sickness and feeling so ill on top of that! Hope you feel better soon!
Thank you Fiona, Sarah, Sue and ktk!
I did end up phoning the chemo line, as by 2am I’d been sick over 10 times and had effectively taken up residence in my bathroom! They were unsure about whether I should come in or not, saying that (thanks to my drinking litres ahead of and during chemo) I didn’t seem to be dehydrated and that I had already taken all of the anti-sickness meds I was allowed (and A&E was busy). They are calling me back in 30 mins to speak with me again and decide whether or not to admit me once the chemo unit opens. I still feel absolutely rubbish, but so much better than I did. This is the crappy level of nausea and sickness I anticipated and can try to deal with. Fingers crossed they let me stay home now I seem to be improving a bit.
Thanks for sharing your experience too, Ida. Fingers crossed your second FEC with the various medications tweaked a bit works better for you. Last night I had decided that I was not having a single additional round of chemo. I didn’t care that it would give me a 21% increased chance of being alive in the next 10 years! I may have been a little melodramatic… ?♀️? If they are able to tweak things so I don’t feel so terrible then maybe - maybe - I can get through it.
You ladies are so strong and supportive, selflessly checking on me when you are all going through the same rubbish too! Thank you again for helping me to get through the worst of it. Thanks too for the advice - I will try to find some seabands today.
Xox ???
I’m so pleased to hear you feel a tiny bit better ElliesMum. I’m sure it’s hard to do (as I haven’t started my cycles yet) but try to stay positive and remember why you’re going through this treatment. You’ve got a future with your husband and daughter, and that’s what will get you through ?
Take care lively lady ? Fiona xxx
ElliesMum
I really ought to spell check my posts before I put them out there. I meant lovely lady, although you are aiming for lively lady too ??
??
Hi MoDo
It’s difficult to know what to say but all I can say is to try and look at it positively, they’re doing everything they can to help you get through this. It’s better to be safe than sorry, isn’t it? Please stay positive, you will get through this, and all the other lovely ladies who are going through this now. We are strong ??
? Fiona xxx
Ida, please ring your unit, it could be thrush and will need antibiotics, you have to please remember during chemo it’s not like normal. Try going on life Mel honey, my first chemo was not the best and I had a 6 day stint in casa nhs. I went on the life Mel honey after that and kept out of hospital for remaining rounds. It’s hard to know what to do as you don’t know what to expect after 1st dose, always ring your rapid response teams, even with no temperature, they will keep you safe they are the experts. Every round is different and you can do it together, there’s a bit of bouncing going off on your bungi child but we’ve got you ???you can do it modo I’ve asked one of the ladies on my thread to pop on regarding your margins, same happened to her, it can happen, please keep ???they will sort it ???Shi xx
Hello Oct ladies, sorry to hear some of you are struggling at the moment, your chemo units have lots of different meds to give especially for sickness and not all suit everyone. I have heard Emend is the best but the most expensive so doesnt always get given out at first but worth asking for!! Not sure what to suggest for sickness but i found when tap water tastes yuck i could stomach tonic water or ljme cordial. I also found some ginger cordial which helped. Sucking boiled sweets wss good, and nibbljng on dry crackers too. Ice lollies were a a staple.
Take care and ring those hotlines if you need them! Oh and got thrush on fec foo (down below) and hotline organised canesten cream and pill and it soon went! I then got given it with my usual meds at chemo just jn case! Youll get used to gettjng a bigger bag every cycle… But its worth it in the end.
Take care all
kip
Thanks Kip. I was given Emend ? however I am now starting to feel a little better - managed to keep some food down at last. I’m finding plain water tastes unappealing so will definitely give your cordial suggestions a try, thanks! Xox
Morning ElliesMum, I’m so pleased to hear you’re feeling a little bit better now and keeping some food down. ??
? Fiona xxx
Hi ElliesMum
Glad to hear you’re feeling a bit better… How horrid that you were so unwell! Have you tried a piece of ginger soaked in hot water for nausea…I tried it a few months ago when I kept feeling sick and it seemed to work, might be worth trying! ?
Hi Ida, hope you start to feel better soon x ?
???
Hiiiiii everyone
i had my first chemo on Friday 5th
-I felt quite well on the Saturday and most of Sunday but then started to feel ‘ill’… Weary, light headed, unsteady on me pins, bad stomach, racing heartbeat but had no temp and just generally unwell…
I rang the chemo helpline on the Thursday (I waited that long as I felt like a wimp ‘moaning’ about something and nothing! ?) and ended up being admitted to hospital and treated for a Uti, I was neutropenic but not septic which was good news -had intravenous antibiotics and fluids for 24 hours! (I did get told off for not ringing sooner!!) ??
I actually feel relatively normal today… ?
(For some reason, I’m ridiculously fragile tho… I keep wanting to cry!!!)
I might even go to my allotment and plant my raspberries…I’ve been threatening to do them for a week but have had zero energy!
Best wishes to everyone
xx
???
Hi
All
I may be starting chemo this month meet my onocogist on Tuesday and not sure after that it starts
When did yours start after your first meeting
I’m triple negative and had a WLE of 240mm tumour grade three
Can you help with what to expect , my first head scarf has arrived and I haven’t even brought myself to try it on xx
Thanks Aneebel
I will try and brave it later
I thought I had a little longer as surgeon last Tuesday said don’t worry if you haven’t had appointment in two weeks call us
So was shocked to receive it three days later
Part of me wants to get it started and this journey over the other is scared
My girls have coped well untill now as I have looked and felt ok
Chemo will change all of that
And work will be near on impossible unless from home as I run a nursing home and you can imaging all the coughs and colds and infections xx
Hi Fimilan, j had MRI before chemo began, it was to get a better picture of tumour aand any thjng else that mammogram and ultrasound didnt pick up, , if its the same as me its quite strange as you lay face down and have your boobs dangling theough two holes! A very odd 45 minutes but painless but y9unhave to lay very still. I also had to have a bone scan, ct scan of organs and heart scan before chemo so dont panicnif younhave to have those too, its routine.
I know chemo is frightening, ive just finished mine but you can do it and its not all bad, uoh do get good days too. Keep talking to each other on here and asking u9ur chemo team anh questions or worries… youll get through… Big hugs
Kip