It’s also about supporting each other, not just comparing side effects, symptoms etc.
If you need to talk to people then your needs are as valid as those having lots of reactions.
Also just from a learning stand point it may help you in case anything changes (hopefully not, hopefully you stay relatively side effect free).
4 Likes
Tbh mines turning into a journal someone upsets me it goes in, if someone is kind it goes in. Symptoms, feelings the whole shebang!!! My memory has disappeared so writing down helps me remember. Is anyone else’s memory awful?
Yes the acid reflux is only in week one, I’m a woose gladiolus so taking anything makes me gag so like I said food is the key and writing it down my kindred spirit. But I did feel like my teeth wanted to leave my gums on round one! And my gums were tender I’ve been told to use a soft brush.
4 Likes
Hope the hairdresser comes up trumps and get them toffees bought. My husband did a food shop yesterday, I did a list and said can you bring me many packets of biscuits, he came back with 2, that’s not many packets is it???
1 Like
I’m booked in for my covid and my flu jab, separately as advised. I hope i don’t react as badly to the covid one as I did the last booster. It was 24 hrs of full blown covid symptoms which will be annoying in my well weeks! I keep reading about Covid spiraling this winter and getting a bit anxious over it. I’ve made arrangements to go into
central London on the tube next week with a friend to a gallery and the begining of Nov to the Excel for the Friends expo and was thinking it might not be a good idea. My Nurse told me very firlmly that i’m not to cancel and to absolutely go and do it!
She said mask up, hand gel and wash hands as often as possible. Im kind of doing that already anywhere thats crowded and makes me feel vulnerable. How’s everone else feeling about this?
Chemo taking so much already, i refuse to let it take it all!
Also meeting a few friends for coffees over the next few weeks too, maybe outside if the weather allows.
Baked my Christmas cakes yesterday, lots of crafting. I’m soooooooo bored!!!
6 Likes
Hi all,
For people on a three week cycle, how is your third week? I’m on a two week cycle and usually feel relatively ok by the second week, but due to third treatment being delayed, I’m now into my third week since treatment. Where has my energy gone?! I felt ok in the second week but now I’m flat as a pancake with no energy at all! Not a fan.
No phone call to say otherwise as yet so looks like I’ll be having treatment tomorrow. Looks like it’s going to be reduced by 20% to try to protect my liver. Nurse assures me it’ll still be as effective 
3 Likes
I’m practically isolating at the minute as it feels like everyone I know is poorly! Haven’t had my flu jab yet, must admit I’m a bit paranoid about flu and covid this year 
I think we absolutely have to keep on doing things we enjoy though, we’d go stir crazy otherwise!
1 Like
As others have said, there’s no need to drop out, everyone is welcome here. Tbh my first cycle went much better than I expected. I had next to no nausea, a bit of redness on my skin (possible drug reaction) and felt tired for a few days. This week (week 3) I feel entirely like a fraud and that I should be at work instead of going out for coffees and shopping 
but I’m just going to enjoy it while I can and hope subsequent cycles aren’t any worse. I’m waiting for my hair to fall out, giving it a wee tug every day, but so far only a few stray hairs, probably no more than normal. Hopefully you’re just one of the fortunate ones who escapes the side effects the whole way through.
3 Likes
@sharlou Sorry to hear you’ve got no energy this week. I’m on a 3 week cycle but I’ve only had one so maybe others could give a better answer. I’m in week three now and tbh I feel pretty normal. Able to go out and about, walking, shopping etc since around day 10. Before I started chemo I was feeling really fatigued after surgery and one day decided my problem was that I wasn’t doing anything. I felt tired doing nothing. So I started a few gentle exercises and actually did feel better. There have been studies done showing that cancer-related-fatigue can be improved by resistance exercises. Obviously I’m not sure if increasing your activity level right now is the right thing, in light of your liver issues, so you should probably discuss with your team. But just something to consider. I can share the mini programme I’ve set myself if you’re interested. It’s pretty basic 
2 Likes
Yes! Please share, that would be great. I’ve managed to get out with the dogs every other day and have done some spurts on the exercise bike but just want to curl up in a ball and sleep 
1 Like
I’m in 2nd week post 2nd round and still manky tasting mouth and much less energy than after 1st round, by week 3 last time i was feeling fine, so hoping for the same next week…
Last filgrastim injection tonight less headachey and no bone pain this round.
Fingers crossed for you tomorrow that it all goes ahead.
Wondering what Docetaxel will bring side effect wise for the last 3 rounds.
1 Like
I’m wondering what the difference will be when I move to taxel too (I’ll be having paclitaxel). It’s like you’ll just get accustomed to what to expect and then it’ll all change again! Fingers crossed for plain sailing…
1 Like
I’ve been to the hairdressers. She said not everyone’s hair falls out, some hair just gets thinner. Mine has got very thin so she tidied up the mess I’d made lopping bits off and I’ll wait to see what happens.
Glad you’re going to be picking up where you left off @Sharlou . I’m getting 18% less than the full wack and I have wondered if that’s the reason I have fewer symptoms. I’m not having flu or Covid vaccines. I’m still suspicious about the huge rise in cancers and whether the vaccines caused them.
1 Like
@galdiolus yeah I did have some anti sickness and took them. For the first hours though I was really bad then just like morning sickness for a week or so with a really bad taste in mouth . Oh well - not nice but manageable. Let us know how you get on too.
@pod123 im week 3 now and feel really good. Would love to learn more about exercises - feel I need to do something. Been walking but that’s about it
2 Likes
Hahaha true story 
1 Like
I can relate luckyducky (I actually lolled )
1 Like
So apparently for a general exercise programme it’s good to do exercises from the six categories of push, pull, hinge, squat, gait and rotation.
Here’s what I’m trying to do:
Push: wall push-ups
Pull: pulling down on a theraband hooked over a door or sitting on the floor rowing holding a theraband hooked round my feet
Hinge: deadlifts with either theraband under the feet or holding a light weight e.g. kettlebell or a bag of spuds or something
Squat: normal or sumo squats with no weight
Gait: just go for a walk or walk laps of a room indoors holding weights e.g. bottles of water.
Rotation: tie the theraband to a secure door handle and pull it with one hand across your body, rotating your upper back as you pull. Or you could sit on the floor and reach across to beside the opposite hip whilst holding a small weight e.g. bottle of water or tin of beans
For example start with 2 sets of 8-10 reps of each exercise i.e. one from each category 3 times per week. Obviously we won’t be able to do much in the first week so this is mainly for week 3 and maybe the tail end of week 2. If you don’t have a theraband, Amazon have some sets for less than a tenner, or you can improvise with an old pair of tights lol
Obviously use your common sense if you have any pre-existing injuries and take care with weights in your affected arm if you’ve had nodes removed. Start small and build up the number of reps or sets if able. Realistically during chemo I don’t plan to increase the reps or sets. In fact I’m more likely to decrease them as the cycles go on.
Hopefully this is helpful, and nobody goes and wrecks themselves based on my advice 
7 Likes
I can even hear that recorder… its not tuneful
My memory is shocking, I’ve gone from someone with a near perfect memory to forgetting how to pronounce pretty easy words. I hope it’s temporary.
2 Likes
For me week 3 is pretty much back to normal, my tastebuds are usually back and I eat loads. But I’ve only done 2 cycles (3rd today).
1 Like