Julia
GREAT NEWS !!! I can feel your relief coming through cyber-space !!!
I am really pleased for you. Hope you feel up to celebrating, even if only in a small way, tonight…
Love and hugs
Anna x
Hi Annalou
I am so flipping knackered! CT on W
Oops, pushed wrong button!
CT then bone scan then outpatients over 3 days. Have a lovely onc doc tho, who said I have nice boobs! I think early nite, then alcohol tomorrow!
Julia xx
Good luck Julia! Thinking about you.
AlexG
Hi,
Just wanted to say Hi to all Marsdenites - I noticed the memorable name of rancidtart on the thread I usually am on (1st chemo tomorrow). You gave me some advice about pineapple for oral thrush!!
Just to say that I am also at the Sutton Marsden - I think our treatment probably doesn’t quite coincide Julia. I have had x3 FEC and am starting (if I can muster up the courage!) my first Tax on 17th November. Anyone else there that day?? I am under Steve Johnston too but have only seen him once.
Thought I would say hi to all at the Marsden.
Lynn
Hi Lynn
Another Marsdenite!!
How was the FEC? What side effects did you have? I’ve got it all to look forward to. Sounds like you on same regime as me. I’m under Mary O’Brien, who is a sweetie.
Julia xx
Hi Lynn
Another Marsdenite here! I’m due to start my first tax on Tuesday 17th – have had three FEC – and last week was not a good week, so am not looking forward to 17th. I just hope that I feel okay over the next week and have guts to face it. I have BUPA cover so am on the private ward but would love to talk to someone at the same stage as me.
Kazza
Kazza
I’m just behind you. First FEC next week
Julia xx
Hi Julia
Good luck for next week. It’s not nice, but it is doable. The main thing I’ve learnt over the past few weeks, is to just do what my body tells me, accept the fact that I am having treatment, life isn’t normal at the moment and not try to do too much or do anything that you don’t want to do. Look after yourself! Let us know how you get on.
Kazza
Hi Julia and Kazza,
I would echo what Kazza has said - I would say that I have had most of the side-effects from FEC but I think have come somewhere in the middle ie have not been the worst but not the best either. If you want me to list the side effects I have had I will but I don’t want to worry you unnecessarily - particularly as quite a lot of people get away with very few and we are all so different. Again like Kazza, it’s quite hard but you have to try and go with it - I have to give up and go with it for around 11 days, nausea being my worst side effect (most people feel better after just a few days). Take the anti-emetics they give you - they do help but the Ondansetron is very constipating!! As I have gone through the 3 cycles of FEC I have added a couple of tabs - I have had quite bad indigestion and have added omeprozole (the Marsden use Lansoprazole) and Difflam to prevent oral thrush. They don’t give you the difflam as prophylactic so I would ask for it and use it regularly! I did however get oral thrush twice out of the 3 and had to use Fluconazole. Again not everyone does. Good luck Julia - let us know how you get on.
Kazza - I’m just on the NHS and will be there on the 17th around 9.30am having my bloods done first. Like you I am not looking forward to the next lot as again its going into a new regime, ie fear of the unknown.
Lynn x
Ps I have just thought of something else which really helped me. I take Lorazepam the night before - it relaxes me and helps me sleep and then I take it after I have seen the Oncologist ie a couple of hours before I have the chemo and again it reduces adrenalin which in turn reduces stress. It also helps as an anti-emetic.
Another thing that worked fairly well is to eat a light lunch ie sandwich (if the chemo is pm) and to have something light when you get back home eg toast. Oh and drink plenty before the chemo and as much as you are able to in the ensuing days. It helps to flush the toxins through and stops bladder irritation.
Sorry think I’ve prattled on to much!!
Lynn
Thanks for the advice. You have told me stuff I didn’t know and thats great!
Julia xx
Hi Lynn
I get my bloods done the day before, and then they call me to let me know if I can go ahead or not! I’ve been reading a lot of comments re Tax and have worried myself a lot, but then I remembered that the nurses said that Tax is not as bad as Fec - so I’m sticking with that thought over the next week - will be back after next Tuesday to compare notes.
Kazza
we all react so differently! but i found tax worse than fec! more side effects and exhaustion, now going up to sutton every day for rads!
i was told to drink iced water when having tax to help, not sure if it did but i gave it ago! Also tax makes nails go funny, i wore dark nail varnish during it as was told this would help! Havent lost my nails they are a strange colour now but still there!!
good luck to you all Debs xxxx
Hi Debs
Thanks for cheering me up!!! Still, you got through it. Will try the iced water next week and am going to wear dark nail varnish.
Is anyone else having Herceptin as well? I am due to start this when I have the second tax so would like to know what to expect.
Kazza
Hi all
I’m having FEC and Tax but HER 2 neg so no herceptin for me.
Julia xx
Sorry kazza, didnt mean to upset you!! as i say we are all different in how we react to these poisons!!
Hope it all goes well for you and that you dont get too many side effects!
Good luck, love debs xx
Kazza
I had my first herceptin with cycle 7 of chemo and due to have my last chemo on Monday (yay) with cycle 8. I had no allergic reaction when it was being administered and didn’t feel much different from just having chemo alone. It was a long day as had to wait for 3 hours after as it was the loading dose. My ONC did warn me that having the herceptin with the chemo can make the chemo more toxic and I suppose I did have more spots which were nasty, but I think this was down to the toxins. Until I start herceptin in islolation I won’t know about side effects. I hope it goes well for you.
x
Hi Debs
You didn’t upset me! I know that we all react differently and I am just so grateful for all the info that I’ve gleaned from this forum. I guess as well, I now know what the worse side effects could be, and can just hope for the best.
Jayney - congrats on getting to the end of your chemo and thanks for the info re Herceptin. My ONC said I would have to stay for 6 hours! - well at least this time I will have lunch - everytime I go there for chemo they offer me lunch and the last thing I want to do is eat whilst having chemo!
Kazza
Hi Gals!
Had my first FEC last week and no side effects! I don’t expect it to last tho. I’m gonna get some Manuka honey as I read on here that it can help with neutrophil count. As i intend to return to work next week, might be a good idea, as tallies with when my white cell count may drop. I also read to avoid live yoghurt. I have an addiction to Onken wholegrain and just wont (can’t) stop that! I’m also going to go to one of the Trevor Sorbie recognised wig salons. I believe theres one in Ewell. Has anyone been there?
Julia xx
I’m also at Sutton Marsden although I had to have Mastectomy at South Ken site. Having Chemo at moment and will be having radiotherapy. Have been in Sutton Marsden as an inmate due to infection and like most others in this thread have found the staff to be brilliant. Food at both sits very good as well. I’m under Mr Ebbs/Ms Fiona Mc… for the surgery and Dr Johnson for the Chemo.
Thanks to everyone for being so good on this site.