I had looked at polybalm but the price tag put me off too @sharlou
I went yesterday with my nails painted dark in sillicone nail polish as I have read about on plenty of boards…one of the nurses told me next time I need to leave one nail off as it affects their obs. Has anyone else been told this? From what I have read on all the boards dark nail polish really works…
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Glad you’re doing ok!
I’ve not used any colour on my nails yet, I’ve trimmed them down and I’m just using strengthener and cuticle cream. I’ve read quite a lot of contrasting info about what is best so I thought I’d just try to keep them strong for now and look at other things later if there’s an issue 
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Bloods done and was assured they will be taken to my hospital so onc can get them to the hospital I have chemo at today. Had PICC cleaned and told not to wear a cover at all at home. It had gone abit red round the dressing so should be OK now.
No I have black nails but think I may get some Polybalm. I had got some cuticle oil that wasn’t cheap too. Black nail varnish didn’t work last time. The book just says keep nails oiled. I may ask the onc re Polybalm. Never been told to leave a nail with no varnish although she did say I hope it works today when she put that thing on your finger.
She couldn’t get the blood in the tube the way she tried first but did it another way. Then the bp machine wouldn’t work on my lower arm but did 2nd time.
She did say she would chase up the coldcap machine as I start at home on the 3rd October so hope to hear from them soon.
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I meant the bloods will get there today. My chemo is on Friday but they need the bloods today.
Hi there. Was very emotional when I went in the room and asked me if I needed at moment but said I was ok. Cold cap was quite unbearable when first went on but tolerated it and got better. Gave me a drip with anti sickness and also a tablet that’s supposed to last for 4 days. Bit tired when I got home but didn’t feel to bad. After about 4 hours started feeling very sicky. Had some ginger biscuits and ginger tea. Had omelette for tea. Temp was quite low and panicked about that but not sure how reliable thermometer is. Ordered one that goes in ear which nurse said is the best. Not a good nights sleep just so sicky and felt weak. First day after. Hope all goes well with you today 
and yes keep in touch. Glad my first one out the way 
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Jumping in from August starters, I did x7 days of filgrastim @sunshineandunicorns post chemo (although will be asking if it’s possible to do just the one injection next week for my second treatment, didn’t know til I saw this thread that there was an alternative) for my first treatment.
If you HAVE to do them, as someone who was very anxious about it I’d like to give you a tip that helped me. When you’ve completed the syringe, the needle retracts quite quickly when you have fully pressed the plunger and then remove the pressure, I hated this part as you can sometimes (not always) feel the needle.
But I learned if you move the whole syringe away from your body in a quick motion AS you stop applying the plunger pressure (which makes the needle retract) it’s less scary and you’re less likely to feel the needle coming out.
So much respect for those who have to do insulin shots daily (especially kids).
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It’s all anecdotal from what I’ve seen. I used polybalm through docetaxel & 6 weeks afterwards and had no nail issues. Would I have had no issues without using polybalm? Maybe. I haven’t heard of anyone who used it and had major issues, but correlation is not necessarily causation. It is quite expensive, but it does last forever. My tubes still have plenty in them + I used it for 4 treatments (every 3 weeks) + 6 weeks afterwards.
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What was having the Picc line inserted like? Does it hurt? Of all the things, I’m weirdly freaked out about that!!! Thanks xx
Hi birdie28
Oh I was so stressed about the picc line! I’ve never been bothered about needles or cannulas or anything like that but for some reason the picc line really bothered me.
I can honestly say that getting it inserted didn’t bother me at all; I didn’t feel a thing and I certainly couldn’t feel the line going in. There was a moment when it didn’t want to go where we wanted it to so I had to tuck my chin into my collarbone to ‘block’ its escape route, but as bizarre as that sounds I just found it quite funny.
I’ll admit I was hyper conscious of it for the first couple of days, probably because I find the idea of it so ‘ew’, but I’ve basically forgotten it’s there now. It didn’t affect my sleep or anything.
The best thing is how quick bloods etc are, it makes it an absolute doddle. When are you getting yours done? Xx
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Thank you so much for replying! I think it’s just such a weird idea, isn’t it, having something inserted in your vein and just hanging around inside you 
but so glad to hear it wasn’t painful. Be good to have easy blood tests - they really struggle since they have only been able to use my right arm!! Hope you’re getting on ok xx
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I have an oncology appointment next Wednesday and I’ve been told my treatment should start ten days after and they’ll do the Picc at my first treatment, so maybe Friday 27th xx
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Good luck with it! Honestly once it’s done you’ll wonder why you were bothered about it. Every step of the way so far I’ve built things up in my head to be far worse than the actual reality…either that or I’m super tough. Which is not likely xx
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Got mine put in on Monday. Didn’t hurt at all altho 3 days later I’m still hyper aware of it - freaking myself out that I’m gonna catch it on something (or worse that my toddler will pull on it!). But the benefits for me (bloody hate needles!) far outweigh anything else (I wasn’t going to go for it initially but like you I only have one arm they can use too!). And you can’t even feel them take blood! X
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Thanks for this. I can’t even handle needles, hence having a picc line put in so to find out about these injections really was the icing on the cake!! Let me know how you get on with asking for the one injection! I suspect they will want me to try with the daily injections for one cycle at the very least 
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Bless you, if it helps it doesn’t really look like a needle! Well, the one I used didn’t anyway…it looked like a big bingo dabber
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I had been expecting a picc and haven’t been offered one cos I have pretty good veins (at least at the moment). However I bruise like a peach, and the injections, blood tests and cannula for treatment have really bruised me (the cannula site one is still there and I’m having my second treatment on Wednesday so I don’t know if they’ll use that same position again).
I wanted a picc cos I thought it’d be easier but the amount of things they’ve told me I’d still have to get injected elsewhere anyway makes me not even sure of that anymore (like the phesgo that made a massive swelling/bruise on my thigh).
My oncologist has talked me into trying one more time via cannula (although I see her the day before and will be showing her my bruises, which could change her mind). She said if need be I could potentially have a picc put in the day of treatment and used immediately.
I didn’t bruise from the filgrastim though. And to be honest the needle is so thin I sometimes couldn’t even see the site it went in after I’d done it. I did end up a bit of a pro with those (after I mastered the retractable needle part) but if there’s a possibility to just have to do it once a cycle I’m definitely going to push for it.
Day 5 and dry mouth, mouth ulcers and constipation Joy!
Husband doing my Filgrastim injections. He’s a good nurse bless him. 
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Well at times I didn’t think i was going to get here and get started, but i have finally got a chemo start date! Diagnosed on 24th July with HER2+ primary BC, i will start chemo & phesgo on Friday 20th. I’m relieved that i have finally got a date. I’m going to give cold capping a go 
. Any tips or recommendations of what to take for my first session, greatly appreciated.
It’s getting real now!
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Ugh the dry mouth is awful. None of my food tastes as it should either 