Sorry Reddi, phone did a correction.
Pinklily ??? tie the bungi chord to your pants and hold on, all the Oct 18 girls have got hold of each other tight and you’ll all get through safely together 
Have you got your chemo caddy sorted, thermometer, anosol, senokot, seabands, udderly smooth cream with extra urea from Amazon, (the cream that loads of us used when skin got dry on chemo) a few of us kept a diary too during chemo so we could refer to things each cycle. The main thing is to always ring your unit for anything while on this journey, they will keep you safe and any questions that you have, and I mean anything jump on here darling Conversations will keep you ???and this will sound ???but be prepared to ???and ???Through this part of the journey, we’re all here with lots of ???
?Shi xx
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Day 8 of my first chemo cycle and I have really bad bone ache:( Like a boring pain in my back, thigh bones and hips. The chemo nurse said it is where ive been given a jab since chemo to boost my immune system and it should pass within a few days. Been taking anti inflammatories and paracetamol but its still so sore. Have any of you other ladies had this at this stage, and if so, do you have any tips I can try to ease the pain? It would be easier for me to manage if I could get sleep properly night time, but as I’ve been told to stop my HRT, I am being bothered by menopausal sweats and headaches. On a brighter note, I think the antibiotics are now getting on top of my chest infection:) x
Hi Lebbie, Epsom salt baths helped a lot of ladies with the bone pain caused by the injections, not sure if you’ve already tried that? Hope that helps ??Shi xx
Hello lovely October ladies,
I hope those of you who have started chemo are feeling ok. I’m feeling much better now, one week on from my first FEC. ? I have noticed a few minor side effects creeping in (after the nausea and bad taste in my mouth finally started to subside), and wonder if anyone has any tips they could share with me. Specifically, I have had several mouth and tongue ulcers form over the last few days. Can I use over-the-counter remedies (such as bonjela), or is there something particular I should be using/avoiding?
The second query is a purely superficial one ?, but my skin has started to break out everywhere. I feel like a spotty teenager again, at age 33! ?♀️I know that hormone-based control methods are out (even though I’m ER-/PR-). Any suggestions?
I wish you all a lovely weekend. I’m pleased to be done with the final GCSF injection of the cycle and am looking forward to a short time with no/few medications before I start the next cycle! ???
@ElliesMum My bc nurse had me stock up on bonjela in case of mouth sores – she suggested the junior version might be especially good. She also recommended that after every meal and snack, I rinse my mouth with water, brush my teeth with children’s Sensodyne toothpaste, and then do a mouthwash of either Corsodyl or bicarbonate of soda diluted in warm water. (I do 1/2 tsp plus 1/4 tsp salt in an 8 oz mug and do a series of mouthfuls for 30 seconds each; sometimes I also gargle with it.) I don’t know if this routine is the reason I haven’t had trouble with mouth sores… but it’s worked for me, and several folks from June starters reported that the bicarbonate wash helped ease up their sores.
Thanks Reddi, I’ll give that a go! Xox
P.S. She also had me buy an extra soft baby toothbrush, and brush gently. She recommended a new toothbrush every week to help ensure no bacteria. I boil-sterilize mine every week instead.
Hi lebbie, ask your gp for codeine for your bone pain. Mine advised me to take it before the pain started!
Ellie’s mum ask for Difflam mouthwash. I also found Iglu helped the mouth ulcers. I only really got them on the first cycle but was using Difflam after that. Kx
Just as I thought they could not come up with anymore surprises for me, they up the bar.
We watched a video that seemed to repeat the same thing by different doctors and nurses. Then hubby and I sat with the nurse and had a chat about my questions. No, I can’t continue to take my supplements, they will clash with the drugs. Yes I can wear black water based nail polish and my hair will fall out in the first two weeks. I can carry on taking my Naproxen, thank god, O by the way, your cycles have been changed ?
Four courses of EC 21 days apart, not so bad I thought, but then, 18 or possibly 20 weeks of Taxol as well, one treatment every week, I wasn’t expecting that ?
All going well 21 days after last chemo, I have 3 weeks of radiotherapy and then a fourth week of a booster. So that’s 2019 taken care off. Of course this all goes to plan as long as I don’t need plasma as well.
So I came home, went to the barbers and had the remains of my hair shaved off, which had been paid for by a total stranger, who had overheard the conversation I had with the barber by phone and wanted to pay for me.
That finished it for me, for his selfless act of kindness, I started to blubber.
I’m now as bald as an eagle, eternally grateful for the kindness of a stranger I will never meet and totally numb from the news the nurse gave us.
And I did get to see the nice chemo unit.
The nurse gave me a diary Shi, it is set out to log what drugs I have, reaction, advice given by nurse, appointments and a section for any other notes I want to make. I feel like I’m holding on to a mast for dear life to stop me from sinking. I keep telling myself I can do this, at the same time, I just want to run away like a frightened child as fast as I can, which is rediculas, because I’m 62. ?
Hi Pinklily
I’m another October starter, 1st chemo is this coming Friday.
My heart goes out to you and all the other lovely ladies who are all in the same place.
I feel exactly the same and want to run anyway. But I have to be strong just like everyone else here. We can do it ???
Take care.
? Fiona xxx
Thanks Aneeebel, I’m starting to get quite anxious about it now.
How are you feeling two weeks into cycle 1?
Good luck to you too for Friday, I’ll be thinking of you.
? Fiona xxx
Lebbie ??meesh from my oct17 thread was a cold cap queen and did really well, so please jump on Oct17 chemo thread and leave her a message, she made her own curl cream that worked very well, so might be worth picking her brains ?she also used an air flossed for oral hygiene too, difflam and as reddi said, brushing teeth after ever meal and sloshing a bit of difflam round too helps. I did suck ice lollies while they put the red one in a lady who had done fec a year before me passed the tip to me and it helped. Keep eye on your tongues girls any white coating get on the phone it’ll be oral thrush and is common get fluconzole, don’t let them fob you off with drops. Right tune on the chemo jukebox is bounce by Calvin Harris ???hang onto the bungi chord we’ve got you ???Shi xx
Thank you for the advice on the cold cap Lebbie 
I’ve had it once so far, round two next week, it wasn’t as bad as I was expecting but simple shampoo does nothing for my hair either!
I’m having the port fitted this week but didn’t realise I wouldn’t be able to bath, they told me I would still be able to do everything as normal, even swim! I guess I might need to double check that.
Is anyone exercising through there chemo? I’m trying to do what I can, I’m finding the fatigue is the most upsetting thing for me. I managed a 5k run on Saturday and felt like a superhero ??
Hi Sarah
That’s amazing that you went out running, well done you.
Keep going, from what I gather exercise helps with the effects of chemo.
I might have to get my running gear out soon ?
? Fiona xxx
Great work with the running, Sar_ah! I too am trying to exercise through chemo. Most of my first week was a write-off, except for gentle walking, but managed some hiking and a little jogging on the weekend. Felt fabulous after (even though it was very slow) - I love an endorphin high! ??
I don’t have a port, but I have a Hickman line. (I had asked for a PICC line but this wasn’t possible.) I’m not going to lie, it was super painful for a few days after it was put in! ? It took an hour to be inserted, under local anaesthetic in theatre. Felt a bit uncomfortable but tolerable. Was surprised at how sore I was for the next few days - lifting my little girl was simply not possible, and I hadn’t expected that. However, it is totally painless now. Having chemo through it was a breeze. Also have bloods taken from the line. Fewer needles is a winner in my books! I was told not to shower (or to fashion a cover of sorts and be careful) ?♀️ but that I could have a bath, provided the water level was below the line (so it doesn’t get wet) and the water isn’t too hot (so the skin under the dressing doesn’t get super sweaty). My oncologist recommended no swimming to me anyway - even without the Hickman line - due to the infection risk of water-borne nasties. Maybe we just have unhygienic public pools in my area! ? I’m not a big fan of swimming, so I didn’t question her recommendation.
I can understand what you mean, lebbie, about having lines hanging for little hands to grab. My little one has been great, luckily. I just wear tops that cover my chest - my usual style anyway, especially now with my plethora of surgery scars - and she can’t get her hands on the lines. All good so far! ?
After an interesting first week, I’m off to work tomorrow (have been working from home as and when I felt up to it thus far - so not doing much haha). Yay! ??
Best of luck on Friday, FiMillan and Aneeebel! ??? I’ll be thinking of you. Xox ?
My second cycle is also the 1st. I must say I wasn’t entirely convinced by the swimming but we will see.
I’m hoping to go to Pilates tomorrow and taking a day at a time but I must say after that run (maybe not that day, it was a loooong day!!) I have felt more like me which I was really struggling with before.
Just wondered if having the picc line inserted is very uncomfortable and did anyone have any problems?
Also, I’ve got a Limbo arm cover that I used when I had surgery for golfers elbow, would this be suitable to use with the picc line when I shower or should the hospital give me something?