Afternoon all
Boy! all these nasty SE’s sound very stressful, hope all of you who are experiencing problems have them controlled or gone soon.
Linda I’m not suprised your concerned about having your port fitted after your 1st chemo, it seems a… about face to me. Hope it goes well for you, I’m sure your hospital is only too aware of your susceptibility to infection - they were supper careful here and I see my nurse every 2 days for new dressings and to check wound and site. I’ve got a big multicoloured bruise, but that’s normal I’m told.
Nipinuk you’ve got me guessing now, so your not from the UK and your Mum made you eat chicken liver soup - are you Japanese by any chance? or is that to obvious from your name! Liver soup is not the first thing I would think of, but I like a fast pate made with shallots, a little garlic and sauted livers seasoned then blitzed up and served on toast - you can even throw in a slug of brandy, but perhaps that would be too much at the moment! Oh and thanks, hubby is looking after me well!
Jlr , sounds like your Doc did you the best favour in signing you off work - as my friends always tell me, this is a time to be self centred in the best possible way, but that does n’t come easy I feel.
Roadshow hope you get the dentist sorted out soon, tooth ache is bad enough when life is ‘normal’
Bon courage mes ami xxxxxxx
Jess, rest assured I’ve not made it into work. I had stern words with myself last night along with my oh who agreed it would be foolish of me to attempt. My work have been great also, but yesterday I was made to feel guilty hence me trying to get in. I didn’t make it. My hips feel like old woman’s hips right now so any walking is a little uncomfy after a while, although I have to say you sound much, much worse than me you poor thing. I did have to venture out today to see the breast nurse as I have a sore mouth sore neck sore head in fact sore everything!!! It looks like the early stages of thrush coming along so they have given me some Nystatin - YUCK! hopefully it’ll do the trick and also some cream as I’ve come out in a nasty rash in parts. I have also warned them that before the next injection I will be demanding some sort of pain relief. One of the ladies on Valentines thread said she took Diclofenac on the day and for a couple of days after, after learning the hard way like us.
Suzy, that pate sounds so quick and easy! I might give it a try over the weekend (if I can get to waitrose for those organic livers…)
Is anyone else experiencing random prickly itching on various points around the body? it is beginning to drive me mad!
MM xx
MM Yes very much so. I mentioned it today and they gave me some Hydrocortisone cream and to take some over the counter anti-histamines plus some Diprobase ointment to use to moisturise the body. xx
Hello ladies
Just popped in from the March 2012 thread to see how you are doing. It sounds like you are a really good bunch of supportive ladies, which I know makes all the difference while you are going through treatment. Keep going, supporting each other, you will all get through this together.
Couple of little tips for you, I type my posts in word first so that I can refer back to other posts, then copy and paste it into the thread.
Anti-histamine is good to take if you are having the jabs after chemo. Keep an eye on the thrush, especially if you get it down below as well as orally. It might need checking in case of infection.
Keep up with the water, especially when you are due to go for chemo.
Be kind to yourselves and lake sure you have some nice treats in-between treatments.
Much love ladies and healing hugs coming your way
Joan xxx
thank you Patchit, and it’s great that you visited us, come back any time. the tips will be very useful to us all, so thanks again.
FEC 75 Starting Thursday 21 Mar
Quick one before tomorrow. Had a lovely lunch with hubby in Winchester. Black ink squid linguine and calamari (so much for a vegan diet!). Then a decaf soya latte - mmm! Weighed myself and I seem to have put on 4 pounds in one day - HOW did that happen?? Looks like I’ll fall into the higher range for chemo doses.
I’m originally from Malaysia. Came here as a sponsored student to do my degree (I was the only lass. 57 chaps!) and met hubby. Lol Suzy , you’re very close! I’m chinese Malaysian 
Got my youngest to take a pic today and plan to update profile pic soon.
Angela , the cow bell story made me smile. Love it! I’ve given boys n hubby their special rings so they know who I want!! Is there anything you can do to ease the tenderness on your scalp? Would olive oil help? Mum used to rub beer on my head as a baby cos she thought I didn’t have a full enough head of hair! Most Asian babies are born with a thick mop on their heads!
Christine - Boys have being doing my head in. Arguing every morning this week. Today was the worst - both hubby n I ended up yelling at them. Started arguing again within minutes of getting home from school. Were yours as anxious about chemo as mine? Our house has been a building site for about 19 months now. I was without a kitchen until Christmas day last year when I found my lump (16 months of processed food which helped the tumour grow). We have one bathroom ie. one toilet! Only kitchen and office done as hubby doing most of the work.
Roadshow - can’t believe how many of us have had extractions and root canall fillings. I’ve had both! All the best and I hope you get it done at another time. Hope to get temporary dentures fitted. Will try to save for implants later but need the money for building works!
Suzeeeee! Why didn’t I think of pate? That’s a fab idea! Tre bien! I luuuurve pate.The liver soup was disgusting. We used to have to have it regularly too, ugh. Lots of ginger and liver … I can still taste it!
Off to bed. Didn’t manage to clean the bathroom 
Love,
L x
Hi everyone ive just started chemo my plan is tax then fec my diagnosis is carcinoma left breast t3 nx mx er postive her 2 negative the plan is shrink the turmour i am scared and need someone to speak too my lump is 6cm is that big also ive had ct scan worried about that too my first tax was not bad into my 8 day and feeling like myself again just scared best wishes to all love this page helps alot
Shells64 - you’ll be fine. i meet someone with 10cm n she went thru neo adjuvant chemo. She’s looking great n feeling great!
I’m leaving the house for my chemo in a few mins! Terrified - the first always is I heaI.
hope to let u all know how laterslaters
Thinking of you today Nipinuk! hope all goes well.
MM x
Hi Shells,
Welcome! I hope you find this thread as helpful as I do; I realise that these SEs are perfectly normal under the circumstances, and I am not going mad!
I did not have neo adjuvant therapy, but I have read stories where it has been so successful that the tumour all but disappeared. I hope your treatment is just as successful. As far as I understand (someone correct me if I am wrong), the CT scan is useful to accurately size your lump and be used as a comparison during treatment to assess how successful treatment is being.
FEC-T round 1 day 7
Woke up this morning after a full night sleep (thankfully had a steady supply of sleep fairies!) absolutely exhausted. Hoping this is just another cyclical “phase” and energy will creep up later. Lots to acheive today! Constipation is the worst SE I’m coping with at the moment, Senokot doesn’t seem to have the strength to cope with the anti nausea meds!
Have a good day everyone,
Christine xx
hi nipinuk will be thinking of u today and thank u also thank u christine my day started early not feeling to bad today tax day 8 im just sleeping alot have a nice day everyone will pop back later to see how everyone is shelley xxx
FEC75 CYCLE 1 DAY 17
Morning all! There’s a blink of sun out there to make us feel better. Hope it’s shining where you are 
.
Nipinuk - i don’t know if there’s any relief to be had for the tender scalp, i called my breast nurse to ask, and am waiting a reply. However, i’m wondering if it’s time to go back to my hairdresser for the chop of my life, go the whole hog and embrace my new hats and scarves and wig (her (the wig) name’s Linda!). My head felt so tender last night that i had to wear my hat in bed in order to put my head comfortably on the pillow. I expected my hair to come off with the hat, but… nothing yet! Hope you are not feeling too tired etc tonight. I’m thinking of you today xx
Shells - it’s natural to be anxious, we all were to one degree or another, but as you’ve probably picked up on this thread already, it’s far far worse in our heads than in reality, so take some comfort from that. My tumours were 4 & 5 cm each (i think the invasive one was wrapped around the other. my treatment was a lumpectomy which thankfully removed all cancer, with no lymph node involvement. I hope the same will be true for you. If you need to talk, your breast specialist nurse or someone from this site would talk to you. It’s only a phone call away. Don’t delay and worry more, make the call xx
Christine - keep on with the senacot, it should take effect soon, and if it doesn’t, tell your nurse, and she will change your meds next cycly to avoid the constipation inducing ones. That’s what happened with me.
Also, the SE’s seem only to last for the first week, and then the next 2 weeks are life as normal. I’ve been tip top this last week and a half. I was surprised that the middle, low immunity week, had no fatigue. That’s what i expected to happen. But when i mentioned it to the registrar, she said low immunity has no side effects at all, that’s why we need to be careful that week to avoid germs from others, because we feel so normal that we relax and forget the need for care.
Have a great day everyone, and hope your SE’s are not too great
Angela xx
Hi angela yes the sun is shining i shaved my head yesterday and i got some headscrafs i pick my wig up on the 28 thank u for your help speak later take care will pop back later shelley xx
Have you room for another new recruit? I have my first of 3 fec (3 of the t part afterwards) lined up for Tuesday. My surgery will be post chemo. My emotions are everywhere. I don’t know if I’m excited or nervous. Never the less tuesdsy is the start of something big!
Karen x
Good morning ladies!
Despite being a February Valentine, my chemo has been delayed yet again and I will be an April starter, not even a Marchie! Sick and tired of being in the Waiting Room, but thanks to all the Valentines and Marchies I will be starting mine as well prepared as anyone can be. So thank you everyone!
I’m a little concerned about you eating liver pate. This is one of the foods to avoid, along with:
raw or lightly cooked eggs
shellfish
liver pate
soft cheeses
takeaway foods
pre-wrapped sandwiches
cooked sliced meats
smoked fish
reheated food that has been allowed to cool beforehand
We have to be very careful not to eat anything that may contain harmful bacteria.
Take care everyone, and hope you are all as well as can be expected
xxx
Linda, How frustrating! I saw on the Valentine’s thread how the appointments had messed you about, and sympathised with the frustration at the beaurocratic behemoth being unable to link up appointments! I had my heart scan scheduled for 1 hour before my second FEC! After much ringing around, the nuclear science dept agreed to bring my appointment forward to make sure I could fit it in with my Nurse LED appointment two days before. However, everyone I dealt with was helpful and polite!
With regard to the liver pate - I suspect it is the pre packaged, eat straight from the packet foods we need to avoid. If we are cooking it up from scratch and eating immediately, I should imagine it is OK, but worth checking. I am going to miss the soft cheeses though!
Hi Karen, welcome to our merry band!
Sunshine avoided me here, and it is bitterly cold. Seriously considering getting the knitting needles out again and knitting a cloche hat to keep out the cold. My ears have not recovered from the pixie cut I got last week, and it can only get worse!!!
Hi Karen, I’m a new recriut too & like you am having the chemo first then surgery. I had my first fec last wednesday & even though it’s rough for a few days, you do start to feel much better after a week. I also find I am coping better now that my treatment has started, you can start counting down chemo sessions & looking forward at last. I hope this helps a little x
Linda I’m so sorry your start date has been set back again, is this to do with your port? Hope all is sorted soon, I known that lurching from start to stop feeling too well.
Hope your 1st treatment went ok Nipinuk and your feeling comfortable. Linda reckons we should’nt be eating liver but I had n’t heard that - where did you get your list from Linda? Its all a bit varied and vague on the dietry front. I was planning on sticking to my usual diet pretty much, which does n’t include ready made meals. I will stop the coffee, alcohol and non pasturised dairy and rare meat. Seems I enjoy more of a veggie diet as I get older anyway.
Hello to Daffodil. Karen and Shells sorry you had to join us all, but happy to get aquainted as they say.
Just a thought re constipation - has any one been prescribed lactulose, its very good and can be taken with senacot if a rocket is reqired 
Off for my 1st chemical warfare tomorrow
All for one and one for all xxxxxxxx
I’ve had a look at the chemo thread and taken on board some of the hints and tips but feel free to pass on any more that anybody has.
Karen x