Well good luck for Tuesday, it will go well and you’ll realise the thought is worse than the doing. You will get through it, sending you lots of warm wishes x
Hi Janie, good luck for Monday mine was this Monday just gone so I’m only a week ahead of you. I’ve not been too bad this week if that helps. I’ve slept OK, eaten alright and generally alright. Although I’ve been told the first one is straight forward as all our white cells are good, so will see with second. How many rounds you doing Janie?
Good luck with the Picc line too, that was really straight forward. General anaesthetic and they’d done it in 30mins, I’ve put a comment further up they give you a sock thing to put over it, go for larger as I found the smaller one tight and it made the pressure too much so my arm got weary. District nurses have been to do my injections and they’re going to change my picc dressing and flush it next week. Best of luck with it you’re going to amaze yourself at how wonderful you are and how capable you are x
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Sooo I left a message for my nurses this morning & no one has come back to me…doesn’t look like they will do now…now on hold to try & speak to someone at MacMillan but does anyone who is doing them know if you have to take the Filgastrim injections at a specific time? Mine are due to start tomorrow & I think I want to do them at bedtime but just wondering if that will be okay?! Argh something new to overthink & panic about now
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Did your hospital make a referral for district nurses @nicnac17? I am trying to get myself one of these as they want to change and flush my PICC every 14 days - everything online says 7 (as does their own bloody guidance on their website) but been told because I’m on 3 x weekly chemo they push it to that long & im not happy about it as its just another thing to make me anxious!
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@sunshineandunicorns
I dont know aabout the PICC line as not got mine yet but i had 5 days of the filgrastim jabs and wasnt given any timing advice other than try to do them the same time each day. I didn’t want to be driving after id done one so waited until tea time. I think perhaps evening is better as by day 5 had aches in my back after the jab and took myself off to bed early!!
Hope you go on alright x
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My district nurse was organised by the chemo nurse on Monday. They have been each night and it goes by the time they do the first injection. I’ve literally had injection 3 and they have to do within the hour so my first Tuesday was at 5.45 my second at 5.40 and just had my last one so maybe 5.50 and funnily enough the nurse just said it has to be in the same hour. If you’re doing yourself you can do whenever you want I would assume but always do the next ones at the same time thereafter. My district nurse is coming next Tuesday to change my dressing and flush my picc line so I’ve been told 7 days and then DN is coming to take my bloods too before my next round. I am also on a three weekly cycle I hope that helps. X
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Hi Ladies. I’ve been through everything that you are going through, last year. My eyebrows & a few eyelashes disappeared towards the end of my treatment. I too had a reaction (blister) to surgical tape on Picc-Line & the Nurses will judge what size covering (sock) you will need & you’ll be given dates to have Picc-Line cleaned & flushed. You will also get given a plastic cover to wear in the shower. Yep, i was advised you should always have Blood Pressure done on your untreated side, especially if Lymph Nodes have been removed. I was lucky, my husband done my injections, i had them in my belly & yes, you have to have them roughly the same time everyday. Any queries just ask the Nurses, however trivial you think it is, they are a great help. Just a few pointers from my own experience, hope it helps. You’ll all be fine. I wish you all well. X
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I’m in the august group but was advised by my chemo nurses to do them at bedtime so you sleep through the worst of any side effects. Great advice!
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That is good advice… and I shall definitely do mine in the evening next lot around x
Am I the only one who is having the one dose filgrastim?
Second EC ticked off…not been great since I got home, upset stomach and intense nausea. Just managed to eat some toast, hoping that will help. After the first round I just felt tired, so this is an unwelcome change.
Hoping it settles by tomorrow 
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I was told to take filgrastim (one a day for 7 days after treatment) the same time as they finished the chemo. So for example my first cycle they finished about 6pm so I administered the filgrastim at 6pm the next 7 days.
After my second chemo yesterday (which I finished at 1:15pm) the nurse said to adminster the filgrastim at 1:15pm.
That’s so annoying they didn’t explain that. I’d try and call the hospital hotline to be sure.
My sleeping is so disturbed I don’t think it’d help me if I took it before bed to avoid pains
My oncologist is being very unhelpful re filgrastim vs pegfilgrastrim, apparently my trust has issues with funding so they’d rather put me through mental torment (which I’ve explained feels like self harm) than have me do one injection. I’m very jealous you only have to do one injection but glad some people get the option.
@sharlou
Oh dear. Nausea is the bit I worry about. I can cope with feeling tired but get grumpy with sickness. I hope the toast helped and you have enough anti sickness to help. Hope you dave a reasonable night x
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I had mine at night. Take it from the fridge beforehand to go to room temperature. I used paracetamol and an histamine on my first day- a tip from another patient. But I didn’t have many side effects so I stoped the paracetamol and histamine on the second cycle
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Sorry to hear this @sharlou - + following your journey with interest as I’ll be on EC once I’ve finished what I’m on. You are 50% of the way thro EC now right? That is a milestone in itself! Hope you had a good night & it’s manageable today xx
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@sunshineandunicorns thats a nice way to look at it. I will try to have that mantra… i cant wait till the bigger part is behind me!
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Yes, half of EC done and dusted! Didn’t sleep a wink last night and feel shaky and weak today with tight chest. Waiting for the steroids to kick in so I can be superwoman for a few days and get the house sorted 
How are you doing today? X
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Getting there thanks @sharlou altho mindful starting the filgastrim injections later may change that for me tomorrow! Had a friend round for a coffee today, felt almost normal & managed to not talk too much about the cancer! I hope the steroids kick in soon for you! Xx
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I was part of the May group as started EC then but due to restart chemo next week with 12 cycles of paclitaxel. The delay in resuming chemo is because I was pregnant when I was diagnosed and chemo had to be stopped before labour. I now have a beautiful 2 week old but dreading chemo as will mean I have to leave her for a day every week. I was given the choice of 4 cycles 2 weekly but the infusion is a lot longer and also I cold capped with EC and the longer infusion isn’t as effective. Also due to have a port fitted next week. Prior to that was having a cannula every 3 weeks and veins have taken a battering.
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Thanks nicnac17, chemo went alright yesterday, it was a tough day but no more allergic reactions and I got through it. The old cap was the worst I think. Steroids buggered up my sleep last night but not too horrendous, as long as I stay in bed I seem to be able to get back to sleep.
Thanks for the encouragement!
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