Thanks for the heads up on Zoladex @ake - I’m not a fan of needles at all so a nice big needle is right up my street it just keeps getting better doesn’t it!
Tbh I’ve got off lightly on chemo side effects so far so I can’t complain compared to what some ppl on here have been thro but being anaemic is pretty weird, i just feel like im floating about in a bubble, unable to focus or concentrate on anything.
I second the chemo brain and what @nicnac17 said about the words not coming out as you are thinking them. I keep thinking about going back to work but then I think of all the potential f*ck ups I could make.
Good on you for making a decision on the cold cap @ake.
It seems this morning that my daughter (who came home with them from nursery on Monday) has given me head lice (I thought it was just an itchy scalp from hair loss but I don’t think so anymore) so I suspect once I’m done with the treatment this will be the end of my remaining hair. It’s at this point that I start to think I must definitely have done something wrong in a previous life…
I asked snout this yesterday as im on Docetaxel next and they said they don’t recommend them bit i could if i wanted. I was going to do some research later
Please try not to panic about docetaxol reactions can happen at any point of docetaxol infusion, mine happened on 2nd one after sailing through the first one. My chest suddenly felt tight so I shouted the nurses my chest was tight, they were there in seconds stopping infusion and putting antihistamine bag drop on me and telling me to breath deep, I had flashing lights vision by this time but I kept conscious and after an hour the infusion was restarted. I wanted to run for the hills. I wasn’t right after that 2nd docetaxol do when I next saw my onc told him what had happened and he said I could switch to abraxane or have another fec, so I had another fec. So I was tnbc and had 3 fec 2 docetaxol and then 1 fec. Just wanted to share to try and help let you know your teams have seen it all before and know what to do Shi xx
They are REALLY quick if you hvae any kind of reaction. I had one on the Phesgo, quite mild, but they had more antihistimanies through my IV in a shot. It was quite impressive - remember you’re already hooked up and they are ready to go. Even just now (I’m in the chemo chair now) I pushed the button just because my IV had stopped working and two nurses were immediately on to me saying “are you OK? what is it?” It’s not fun to have an allergic reaction but you’re in the right place for it if it happens. I think it’s relatively unusual, and the side effects are miserable but again most people respond well to the drugs that control them. They can also lower the dose if it’s dire - that’s what happened to me.
Re the compression gloves etc - yeah I’m not sure it’s recommended as it perhaps stops the chemo from circulating as freely to those parts of the body and therefore makes it a bit less systemic? As always there is so much to weigh up. I’ve decided not to use it and to ask everyone to pray I don’t get more neuropathy or at least that it’s temporary! We’ll see!
Edited to add - just read @sunshineandunicorns 's post - well if they’re doing freezing gloves and socks etc as standard it must be fine! What do I know??! SO WEIRD again how every are is different. I asked about it here and it seemed like they had never even heard of it! I might ask again if it gets really bad.
It wasn’t the finest moment but docetaxol lava bum was worse up your carbs and Imodium will be your friends tips passed down the thread for years be prepared to run quicker than Usain Bolt you will all get through hang onto each other you’ll all get each other through do arrange a meet up for you all when you are all through do it over pm, we did on Oct17 gang we had weekend in London and 5star private tea room at the arch Marble Arch it was magical it gave us all a boost. We still go away together too we hire big houses and have weekends away together something that tries to harm you can bring beauty xx
Ugh poor you with the head lice - that’s so unfair - insult to injury!
I have had a much better day without the cold cap though have had a few tears about my hair, as the cold cap was actually working for me (thinning, but not terribly noticeable).
Got my wig voucher - 70-odd-quid here and I have to pay the rest.
I had my scan finally, only took 6 days! But they can’t see any sign of a blood clot, which is good news. I can stop taking the blood thinners. I did ask if they would still be able to even see it after being on the thinners for 6 days and they said yes they would, so reassuring that they couldn’t see anything. But that leaves us none the wiser. My blood markers were elevated back on Saturday but normal on Monday. My white cells and neutrophils ( infection fighters ) and all my other bloods are in normal range. So not an obvious infection or clot… a mystery. I did the right thing though and if it happens again to repeat.
Personally, I think it was just my picc line not being happy but it was really scary as we’re told to look out for clots and that was the signs it was giving.
Has anyone tried uk lash before i fork out £30 is it worth it? My lashes are begining to go.
TRICK OR TREAT
I braved the world in my new Twistie today. I still have some hair, but it’s very thin and in awful condition with patches. It probably won’t last very long on the next part of my treatment, although I am still cold capping so I hope and pray it comes back thick and fast. It will take a long time though, my hair was sooooo long before my treatment started!!
Anyway, i think the twistie makes me look like Camila Batmanghelidjh, son said Effie Trinket from Hungergames, hubby said Hilda Ogden! It’s the option that doesn’t scream chemo as loudly as the others though. The hat with hair just makes me sing Wayne’s World, party time. Excellent !!
I’m in a real inbetweenie stage atm. Bear with me while I adjust, lol, its a work in progress
A good wig will be coming at the right moment. I’ve already met with a specialist to discuss.
Luckily, I have always rocked a hat!!!
I managed with in ear headphones/earbuds while using the cold cap. I just popped them under the cap that covered my ears. They popped in and out easily when someone was talking to me. Mine weren’t overly large so didn’t protrude. The over ears might be problematic s my cap covered my ears.
I suppose it all depends on how the cap fits your head. I think it’s trial and error.
Lucky duck don’t forget tinsel wigs for Christmas I had a few for wearing during December 17 I had to try and have fun with it otherwise I’d have gone crazy I’d always been know for my rapunzel hair all my life and there was nothing I could do so sent it to little princes trust before I started chemo oc17 so at least I decided what happened to it if that makes sense to everyone and anyone else yet to start chemo and reading the forum you feel out of control but seize tge little victories where you do have control Shi xx
it just keeps getting better doesn’t it!
reactions can happen at any point of docetaxol infusion, mine happened on 2nd one after sailing through the first one. My chest suddenly felt tight so I shouted the nurses my chest was tight, they were there in seconds stopping infusion and putting antihistamine bag drop on me and telling me to breath deep, I had flashing lights vision by this time but I kept conscious and after an hour the infusion was restarted. I wanted to run for the hills. I wasn’t right after that 2nd docetaxol do when I next saw my onc told him what had happened and he said I could switch to abraxane or have another fec, so I had another fec. So I was tnbc and had 3 fec 2 docetaxol and then 1 fec. Just wanted to share to try and help let you know your teams have seen it all before and know what to do 
up your carbs and Imodium will be your friends 
you will all get through hang onto each other you’ll all get each other through 
TRICK OR TREAT
God alone knows we all need one xx