catflap
you have given me a light at the end of the tunnel as i start my tac chemo on the 1st of july and was starting to worry myself but reading your thread as made me feel more positive
so thank you
sal x
Excellent thread, thanks everyone for your comments. The best thing I was told when I started chemo was that
'Everyday may not be good, but there’s something good in every day.
I am on last but one chemo (doing tabs now for tact 2 trial) … i do agree with cat flap - take bite sized pieces and look at it as progress… so u just had first chemo - good… one less to do and you are actively moving forward.
Feel crap? so imagine the cancer cells which can’t come back like the ordinary cells…
can’t taste food? never my prob but maybe u’ll lose weight if you need to ?
being bald? saves time washing and styling…
wigs? lol better than my hair looked before! Tad hot so i do commando…
Most of all…remember that this is your life, your treatment - have a say in what happens and live your normal life as much as you can.
lots of love to everyone
J x
Thanks so much everyone. I am waiting for decision on which Chemo I will be having.
Strawberries and Aloe Vera Toothpaste - got it
There is a Corsodyl Daily available which might be better than the stronger one - does not stain teeth quite so badly.
The staining can be removed by a visit to a sympathetic dentist for a Scale and polish.
Wish me luck!!
If you are lucky enough to get free prescriptions or have a pre pay cert the hospital will give you cosodyl type mouthwash on your prescription. xx
Wow - thanks catflap & bumpers…
Maybe I’m even quite looking forward to it now!!!
Roll on Friday!
Td xx
One chemo session a few of us ganged up on of the male nurses and threatened to tie him down in a chair and stick a canula in him, to see how he liked it. We were all falling about laughing, including the nurse! It seems absurd to all be laughing so much in the chemo ward, but why not, if it gets you through it?
Sarah
Hi All
I am TRYING to keep my Positive Mental Attitude but it’s a bit thin on the ground today…I start my 1st Taxotere tomorrow afternoon after having 3 FEC. I think I have read too much into the side effects and although I know they don’t happen to everyone, knowing my luck I will get them all!
I have had bloods done this morning so hopefully they are ok to do chemo tomorrow. I also went to the docs this morning to arm myself with some pain killers for the body pains that may come. He said “First there is paracetamol, then co-codamol, tramadol then morphine - what would you like?” Tramadol please!!! So fingers crossed that if I do get the aches - tramadol will see them off!
This thread has cheered me up - thanks
Anita
Hi Anita I know what you mean I am starting on a different drug next time I have my chemo ( been having epi so far) and though lots of people are on the new one (Xeloda) without any bad effects you still read all the side effects and think …oh no what if I get then all???
Hopefully you won’t have too bad a time but I will keep everything crossed for you and hope the PMA returns soon .
XX
Hi Anita,
I’ve had my last Tax & start Fec in 10 days - and I’m worried about that one; hate the thought of nausea. So there we are. Tax is pretty exhausting, and has flu-ey aches and pains, but I never took anything stronger than Panadol and didn’t need it. I think the best practice is to drink at least 2 litres of liquid (I do iced white tea with a bit of manuka honey) just before, during and just after the treatment. And then at least another litre in the course of the day. I drank less than half a litre during the session the first time and symptoms hit fast and hard - huge improvement with the extra liquid.
Best of luck tomorrow,
M-L xx
Great thoughts Catflap, and just what I’ve been doing myself! However, am now HALF way through, and changing from FEC to Tax - which has me worried. I was FINE through the FEC, but reading various threads about Tax has me scared silly…and I’m already having to paint my nails coz of black toenails and wierd white lines in fingernails…nobody takes me seriously as a farmer with painted nails!!!
Thanks for the Tax tips M-L…I wish they’d just give us enough fluid intravenously, I know I don’t drink enough normally! My personal experience of FEC was that it was much easier than I thought it would be, I only had nausea the first time and it wasn’t at all bad. My tip is to eat little and often - the nausea is definitely worse on an empty stomach…and its a good excuse to nibble on all the delicious party food! I lost my sense of taste for a week after 4th FEC, which was very odd - nothing, NOTHING tasted right, it was all bland. Don’t make the mistake of thinking a spicy curry will solve it, the curry tastes bland and then your mouth is on fire!
All the best to everybody xxxx
Hi
Just to let youknow that i had 1st tax yesterday and alls going well up to now - just tiredness - spent most of the day in bed/led on settee. No nausea and no joint pains at the mo.
Thanks M-L for the tips for tax - I have upped my liqiud intake but unfortunately struggling on the constipation side - going to take a dose of fibogel orage - hopefully that will get me moving!
Anita
YUCK - fybogel!!! Lactulose is bad but that is badderer!! Seriously though Anita, glad you coped ok with your 1st tax, gives me hope for 26th.
Hi Westside Sue
Just to say good luck for the 26th - I will keep you informed of my journey on tax - I also know that eal69eal had her first dose yesterday but I cannot see any postings from her as yet.
2/3rds the way through - and that really gives you a boost too - 2 more to go then rads…I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now.
Anita xxx
I know what you mean - I’m half way through. Getting there. If all goes according to plan, last chemo on my birthday!
Am really glad you can see the light at the end of the tunnel and I would appreciate it if you could take the time to keep me informed about your journey - best of luck to you with it, may it be plain sailing,
Sue xxx
Hi Sue
Will let you know - that’s if you can drag yourself out of the DDI sober!!! lol
Anita
I’m curing my constipation problem!!!
lol - what a brill excuse! Line one of them black beards up for me!! Mines gone and dropped off!!!
Had first Tax after sailing through 4 x EC on Monday, thought I was doing fine and then WHAM! walked into a wall of jelly earlier this evening, legs of lead, had to go and have a bit of a lie down but feeling much better now.
Westside Sue, I laughed at your description of eating a curry to perk up the ol’ taste buds - my lunchtime uber-healthy salad at work from the local wholefoodies on Tues tasted of cardboard, so I tried to cheer it up with a spot of Tabasco and ended up with steam coming out of ears. And still couldn’t taste a thing, just heat!
So beware, girls, yet another unexpected caution connected with chemo.
Hi Westside Sue
Day 3 after first TAX and still feeling pretty good…just tiredness. I did think I was getting pains in my hips but decided that it’s with lying down too much. Done a couple of wash loads today and even hung them out - so hopefully things may stay the same and only get better.
Will keep you posted
Take care
Anita xxx