Many thanks Guida, for sharing your experience with the TC. I am keeping my fingers crossed for you for the remaining cycles.And sorry for not replying earlier. Have been shattered/struggled with first week after second cycle start - but luckily regaining some energy now with levels of bone pain and nausea coming down. Still sleeping poorly/in patches but hope to improve on that too.
I understand you want to throw everything at it; thought the same - like - ok, Chemo will be awful, but let’s not leave any stone unturned when opting for Chemo based on intermediate distant reoccurrence risk in my Prosigna test. Chemo is unerving, but cancer is even more so I feel so we are in a tough battle. Good is - that the human spirit is stronger than we might think and that we and those who love us are hanging on in there, and keep going. So we prevail, and soldier on - even though we sometimes just might feel despair, sadness and pain - and feel overwhelmed and fed up. Understandably and humanly so. I did throughout the last week. Pain and sickness is exhausting sometimes…
My experience was that my cold turned into a chest infection (which often happens for me when I have a bad cold) & did delay my chemo but at the time I was told “as long as it’s only a cold” you can continue with chemo. And I’ve seen and heard people in the chemo ward with colds, much as I don’t like it! Maybe see GP if you are worried (and then you can say to them you’ve been checked out & it definitely is just a cold). Hopefully you will have enough time between now & Monday to rest, get plenty of good stuff in you & get well x
I had a cold when I went for my second cycle and wasn’t sure what they’d say. Turned out my liver function tests were off so I was delayed a week anyway. The oncologist said she probably would’ve gone ahead if it was “just a cold” but I was glad to wait the week as I couldn’t imagine feeling the chemo rottenness on top of the rotten cold. I did notice my white cell count was elevated too but they didn’t pass any comment on that and it was still elevated the following week when they gave me the chemo. I guess they’ll have a threshold for postponing and you just have to honestly tell them your symptoms and they’ll decide what’s best.
Thanks yes thats how I figured it would play out. Temp normal this morning so i think ive had the worst of it and still have 4 days to improve. Blood test today so that will shed some light too. Stats have all been holding up so far.
I’ve just had 7/12 weekly paclitaxel. I’m cold capping and for the past 2 days I am continuously shedding which is making me feel down and also losing hair in my lashes. I’ve still got a huge belly from pregnancy so feel very self conscious and fat. My last chemo is on 12th December and radiotherapy to start in January. Hope everyone else is doing ok?
To the Woman
Who is Slowly Fading Away
by Donna Ashworth,
from To the Women
To the woman who has lost her spark.
To the woman whose get up and go, has well and truly gone.
This is for you.
This is to remind you, that you don’t have to be everything to everyone, every day.
You didn’t sign up for that.
Remember when you used to laugh? Sing?
Throw caution to the wind?
Remember when you used to forgive yourself more quickly for not always being perfect.
You can get that back again.
You really can.
And that doesn’t have to mean letting people down or walking away.
It just means being kinder to you, feeling brave enough to say no sometimes.
Being brave enough to stop sometimes.
And rest.
It starts the moment you realise that you’re not quite who you used to be.
Some of that is good, some of that is not.
There are parts of you that need to be brought back.
And if anyone in your life is not okay with that… they are not your people. Your people will be glad to see that spark starting to light up again.
So, if you have been slowly fading away my friend, this is the time to start saying yes to things that bring you joy and no to things that don’t.
@luckyduck1 Sorry to hear you have a cold and have checked for Covid(there is a lot about) (for anyone else feeling cold or flu like you can get free Covid tests at your chemist pharmacy as you are having cancer treatment that affects your immune system.
I noticed you say you have a slight temperature, please call your team. I was warned not to take paracetamol as it can mask the temperature which can make you very poorly. This time last year I was having chemo and went to GP with sore throat and feeling rough, my temperature was ok in the morning but by the time I went to the GP it was raised. I called my team, got checked out, oral antibiotics but 4 days later temperature back and spent 6 days in hospital with my chemo delayed. I’m not trying to scare you but a temperature is something that should always be checked out.
I’ve just caught up with your posts to say your temperature is now normal. I’m assuming that is without paracetamol? I’m hoping it is.
I wasn’t going to post this but I thought it important to say about taking paracetamol during chemotherapy and the free Covid tests.
Well I’ve finally had some good news in that my genetic testing came back negative. I was so worried with an aunt . Cousin and grandma with breast cancer . Phew . One less thing to worry about
Just been told at present the only chemo restart date is 18th November which will be almost 8 week since paused. I have been ready to restart for since week 3. I am in total despair its like my life is on hold had been promised start this week then told could not offer slot as pharmacy system went down. Oncologist said he did not want to pause more than a few weeks. Apparently they do not breach there standards until 18th so booked for then incase they aren’t able to find me a slot before. At this rate it will be almost March before I finish. Then if I start and need another pause do I wait again. I have contacted PALs to make a complaint which is the absolute last thing I want to do but have been encouraged by my family and friends to do so. The booking blamed pharmacy and my oncologist for delay (apparently not filled right form in) and my named nurse blamed booking team. Everyone is being sympathetic about the delay and I am phone daily now I have kicked up a fuss but still no further forward. Surely they should be geared up for people stopping and starting chemo. I have never felt so powerless and this is really starting to effect my mental health.
Where are you located? When my rads were delayed previously as I went to another hospital for my op they did find a sooner date when I asked them to bring it forward. I had kept them updated. I would keep chasing this as that sounds like a long delay that you don’t need.
I dont know how you’ve contacted PALS but I was constantly ringing the BCN team when I was forever waiting for appointments. Eventually I also used the email they had given me. It may just have been coincidence but my writing in seemed to have the effect of moving things along a bit quicker. Hopefully PALS will help with the infighting and just get it sorted.
Thanks @naughty_boob
It only went up to 38.3 just slightly raised but back to normal now. Just a cold, full snot fest and now coughing. I always marvel at just how much mucus i can produce
Nurse i spoke to said to do a covid test and it was clear.
Hoping it clears up a bit over the weekend before my first Docetaxel on Monday!
I know its important to be on it with temperature but i really felt it was ok and down to the cold. Maybe I’m a bit blasé, i hate being ill and try not to give into it. Ive been bouncing in and out of hospital seems forever. I’ve had 16 surgeries under GA with Breast Cancer and hypermobility issues. Ive had a breast recon, knee recon and shoulder recon. Im not a good patient lol. But when im really worried like when my arm and neck swelled up last week, i am on it, i promise x
So yesterday on the FB Paxman group i asked about using cold or compression socks and gloves to combate neuropathy when on Taxanes. I start Docetaxel on Monday and had seen a lot of the American girls talking about it. It seems normal practice there alongside cold capping and lets face it, they are ahead of us with these things. But here in the UK, most of us arent told about it and even if aware are told its not recommended by the NHS. I asked my oncologist and was told they didnt recommend but if i wanted to use them i could. From studies I’ve read, both cold and compression work well so I’ve opted for compression as the more comfortable option. Got my son to Amazon Prime me them so i have them for Monday. Nothing to loose by trying.
What are everyone’s thoughts? Have you used? Have you heard of it?
