Hi Sue.
Thanks for the encouragement. I must say you look fab in the photos, better than I look now! X
Hi all
I see the consultant on Wednesday and was wondering how long it takes before the first treatment starts. I’m hoping it’s not too long. X
Hi Angie51star and Kath64,
Angie51star - so sorry to read you have to go through this again. Did you have a typo in your first post 30cm??? Surely it is 30mm?
I think you might be surprised to see how chemo has changed over the years. Reading other posts, there seems to be quite a difference as to when you had your first chemo. The accompanying medication is so much more tailored to our personal health needs. Yes, some may struggle, but generally it is really not as bad as many think.
Kath64 - thank you for your kind comments, they are really appreciated and I hope it helps a little to show that we are not ‘victims’ or need to look like chemo patients. Time between seein consultant and chemo starting - this tends to vary, depending on when a chemo slot is available, I think. Sometimes it can be within a week - with me it was 14 days. Chemo orientation meeting, then bloods a day before chemo, which will be repeated before every chemo and then started within a week of my orientation meeting. At some units they actually do the bloods in the unit, unlike where I am being treated.
Hugs
Sue xx
Hi Sue
Thanks for that. I just want to get it all started now. Will post the outcome of my appointment. X
Hello - I’m starting chemo tomorrow 31 August the same as you madmac and Joan. I live in Coventry, am married with two kids (13 and 10). I had a lumpectomy followed by a cavity shave because I didn’t have clear margins, and then last week I had a port inserted for chemo (which is currently driving me crazy because I think im allergic to the dressing so I’m itching like mad!). I’ve got my wig already, a few scarves and hats, have packed a bag in case of emergency visits to the hospital, bought an eyebrow pencil, stocked up on ginger and pineapple flavoured things and think I’m as ready as I’ll ever be! Good luck to everyone starting soon xx
Hi Sarmori,
Welcome to the thread! You sound as if you are well prepared. So I wish you luck for tomorrow and few side effects.
As to your PICC line dressing - it certainly sounds as if you are allergic to it. I am, too, and had the dressing changed to a non allergic one. If you are unable to get it changed today- please make the chemo nurse aware of it. They will take it off to administer treatment - so ask them to replace it, when all is done - with a one which minimised allergic reaction.
It might be an idea to take some antihistamins today, if you can not get it changed today. It might help to reduce the itching until you have the right dressing.
Hugs
Sue xx
Hello Sarmori and welcome! I read your post and had to smile to myself as you sound so much like me in your preparations - I like to feel in control lol. I too have been itching around my dressing area so will take Sue’s advice and try an anti-histamine. Are you being treated in Coventry? My treatment is in Leicester and I have to go in tomorrow at 1.30. In a strange way I cannot wait for the time to come round now and get this show on the road and at least find out what I am going to have to deal with!
Good luck tomorrow to both you and Anne - I will be thinking if you both and wishing us all an easy time xx
Hi Joan and Samori
Just wanted to wish you luck for tomorrow. I see the consultant tomorrow so I’ll be a little bit behind you.
Good luck. Xx
Just to say thinking of all you ladies starting tomorrow. It’s not as bad as you will be thinking. Quite relaxed and friendly atmosphere in the unit.
Hugs V x
Hi ladies
I start my chemo on 8th Sept and just wanted to ask, probably a very silly question! What are the steroids? Are these part of the chemo or something extra ? My ONC hasn’t mentioned them so I’m completely in the dark
Thanks
Sarah x
Thanks Anne and Sue. I had heard people mentioning them so presumed it was something a standard.
I don’t want to feel I’m missing out 
xx
Hi to everyone
first session done and dusted but apart from a tiny sicky feeling in the night all going well so far. I hope that both Anne and Samori are feeling equally good this morning? I’ve got lots of anti-sickness tablets to take too and also the steroids which I’ve been advised to have at 7.30am and 12.30pm in order to avoid the ‘buzz’ in the evening. She also said to take one twice again instead of one and leave 2 tablets for day four as this will help with the ‘come down’ feeling that some people experience when the steroids stop.
My hair looks lovely today NOT! I had it plastered in conditioner yesterday prior to having the cool cap and they would prefer me to leave it without washing for 72 hours - hence the Rod Stewart look! The cool cap treatment was strange and uncomfortable near my forehead but that was because the cap was tight rather than anything else and it certainly was not painful at all. Like other have said once you get past the first 10 minutes of coldness you sort of forget about it.
Kath64 thanks for you good wishes. I too will be having Docetaxel followed by radiotherapy and hormone treatment but do not require Herceptin.
i am going back to the hospital tomorrow for an injection to boost my white cells to help protect against infections. The nurse will do this for me but I can then do it myself at home after the next sessions. (Think I might get one of my daughters on this). I am seeing a cardiologist on Saturday as I have been suffering with high blood pressure for the last two years and this is as a precaution nothing else. Afterwards I will be collecting my wig - exciting!
well good luck September ladies (and also the late August ladies who are on this thread) and happy days for us all xx
Had my first Chemo Monday which was 8/29 but I posted in this thread anyway.
It was very scary at first because I was afraid of exploding and melting and what ever other crazy stuff I read about.
The first chemo treatment they do very slowly and watch for any side effects. I arrived at 10:30 am and didn’t leave till after 5:30 pm. I was going nutty from sitting but generally had no effects. The only taste I had was from the saline solution. Which they use to pump me full of fluids and the bag of saline would take over in between chemo bags. It tasted like saline nose solution in my mouth. I mixed it with a snack bag of Doritos or another snack they had piled there.
My drugs:
Perjeta (specifically attacks cancer cells)
Herceptin (specifically attacks cancer cells)
Taxotere ( attacks all fast growing cells and is the one that will call hair to fall out etc…and have to be really careful with).
The only one I had any effect when it was going in was Taxotere which caused my temperature to go up and I got a flush. They slowed down the dose (which… since this was around 4pm… slowing down the dose was painful because I was so…ready to leave.). They gave me some Benadryl and Tylenol. My temperature went down and I was fine.
Good news, at least in my head, I did feel heat coming off my booby with the cancer nuggets and I do believe they have shrunk! But this is maybe my own mental state of wishing and not a true diagnosis.
Effects Tues: Gassy and burping. My normally sweet smarting farts were toxic. I am also a little constipated but not nauseous. Also my taste buds are dulled. I can taste salt and sugar but the in between is bland. Like a ham sandwich is just there, I don’t taste the ham or the bread flavors, but a **bleep** still tastes mildly like **bleep**.
Effects Wed: Money constipated, took a slow easy laxitive, finally relief. Has slight dierra by late evening took a sip of kaopectec (I’m a believer if you stop it completely it will just come out the other end, so I only take enough to stop the cramps). No nausia.
Had a strange drop in my temperture too, from norm of 98.6 during the day to 97.4 which gave me a little shaky so I ate seomthing warme and added clothing. I warmed up but by night time, I felt it drop again and this time to 97.1. I snuggled deep in covers and warmed up but slept through the night pretty well.
This morning: Temp is back up to 98.1 feel normal except for taste buds, eating warm foods. Trying to keep in my mind to watch out for hot foods since my senses are dulled.
Some suggestions I took before hand which might be the reason I’m not feeling bad, at least this first time. Is I drank at least two litters of fluids Sunday and drank two litters of fluids during and tried to drink as much as I could yesterday.
I’m doing fine.
I’ll go back for another treatment in 3 weeks Sept 19th. The treatments are set up for 13 cycles, which they may or may not keep according to how things go. They will increase the flow, at least of the first two bags to 30 minute doses, instead of a hour. The Taxotere they still may take a little slow until they can gauge my reaction.
I can only assume that the future ones will be stronger and more intense but this first one at least eased some of my fears and I did explode or melt. I will deal with what comes next. At least that is my attitude at this point.
Hi Sue
hope I all is going well for your LAST chemo session today - wow how good must that feel. Glad to read that you will still be visiting this forum and giving advice/helping others as I have found your suggestions and links to important information invaluable. Good luck with the rest of your journey and for a healthy and long lived future xx
Hi Kath64 and Joan 58,
Thank you so much for your comments. I am glad it is over to be honest. However, it also means that there will be a new rythm to my routine, once the ‘cycle’ of 21 days has past. No more chemo and 10 days bound to the sofa and recovering only to have another one. It will be interesting for soon in the 3 weeks, once the radiotherapy starts - lets see what SEs will appear. Mind you, I have been assured that they will not be as drastic as chemo can be.
As you all move through chemo, you ought to be prepared that some side effects are cumilative, and this especially applies to fatigue. It appears that this happens on FEC and FEC-T treatments.
Those of you on FEC-T may have to face a new set of side effects, whilst those on FEC only may see the side effects they have now, and can not be managed by your accompanying meds, become cumulative.
Also - those who have G-CSF injections - you may experience some bone pain, although I did not, but then every one is different. One thing to look out for though - some, like me, can have an allergic reaction to them. It may have been the specific way it was manufactured by the company supplying the injections. However - please, please read the accompanying leaflet of your specific injections and monitor yourself as to anything it says re allergic reactions.
I was fine on cycle 1,2 and three, but had an allergic reaction to it post cycle 4 and did not recognise it as such, thinking it was the chemo. After cycle 5 it was so much worse and I finally read the accompanying leaflet. Just as well I did - allergic reactions are cumulative. And when discussing with my onco I was taken off G CSF for the last cycle, as a further reaction would have been too dangerous.
Do not let this scare you - it is very, very rare. I have only posted it to raise awareness.
Tracym1 - so glad you are doing fine. Temperature drops can happen, as our body is not ‘making’ as many new cells, as it usually does. it is something I experienced, too. My usual average is 36.5 and I went as low as 35.7 - it was ok, as I generally felt well and rarely had the shivers. My temperature also rose at some times - up to 37.3 - again, when the cells start ‘growing’ again post day ten this may happen.
The main thing to keep in mind - if you feel unwell, even if your temperature is normal - call the chemo helpline and check with them. It will be no trouble for them. It is ALWAYS better to be safe than sorry.
Anytime your temperature rises above 37.5 - you must call them, it is really important to ensure that you are not harbouring some kind of infection. As, if you should, you must be treatet immediately with IV anibiotics.
Another tip - should you have to attend A & E for any reason - take your chemo - card with you and inform the receptionis that you have a compromised immune system. This should ensure you are waiting in an area away from all the others, so you do not pick anything up. There should be a protocol in place of how to deal with chemo patients.
Hoping you are all doing ok - if not, if you feel up to it, please post and let us know - it is totally ok not to be doing so well .
Hugs
Sue xxx
Hi blueash
It’s really good to hear from someone having the same treatment as me. How many rounds have you had so far? I’m seeing the chemotherapy nurse Monday and then I don’t think it will be long before I can start.
Kath xx
Hi blueash
The consultant said about the injections, something else to look forward to! Best of luck for tomorrow.
Kath xx
Good to know what happens with heart scan, I have one booked for next Wednesday.
Hi See See and Joan
Thanks for that. It’s good to know what to expect with the scans, I don’t like surprises! That’s what is so good about this forum as we can find out about options. Hope you both OK. Xx
Hi Kath64,
I had a different kind of scan prior to starting my TCH (my C is Cyclophosphamide), I got a radioactive dye injected via cannula then a mugga scan which involved me lying on a bed whilst a scanner went over my chest/heart area. It took about an hour in all. Think this is mainly due to the fact that I’m having herceptin injections. It measures your heart ejection rate. Seems to vary in different part of the country. I’m in Scotland.
It was certainly painless and nothing to worry about.
Best Wishes.
Hazel.x