Deleted as posted twice by accident
FEC-T cycle 1 day 13
Sounds like everyone it doing pretty good which is great to hear. When I went for my first chemo I was given iv anti sickness along with saline before they started the cocktail, is that the case for all you girls in the uk?
Cocobutterfly glad your second round was a bit easier - take it gentley, sleep is restorative!
Jess what a bummer! hope tomorrow goes without a hitch for you.
Angela its good to know you were given emend, they are expensive about £70 for 3 pills! but we’re worth it 
Your unit sound very professional and caring, just like mine, what’s with the beeping though? And thanks for keeping us informed re the coot - and bald as 
Daffodil66 I hope the sickness keeps away, I was a little nauseous with emand, but not sick.
Nipinuk I really love North African food, but I will go lightly with harissa paste in future there are so many lovely veggie dishes you might like, especialy if you like aubergines?
You wanted to know what DIEP is, well it is a type of breast reconstruction in which blood vessels called deep inferior epigastric perforators (DIEP), and the skin and fat connected to them are removed from the lower abdomen and transferred to the chest to reconstruct a breast after mastectomy without the sacrifice of any of the abdominal muscles.
It has the advantage of the recon being your own tissue, and you get a tummy tuck into the bargin
Have a good evening all
xx Suzy
Hi all,
Welcome Tabitha, brave lady with the razor! My OH took mine off last night, but our clippers are a bit blunt, so it looks rather bitty. I’ll get it professionally done in a couple of weeks, if it still needs it. After years with chocolate brown auburn long hair, I now look like a piebald pony!
I have had a tiring day at the hospital today. Went in early to get bloods done before my Nurse LED appointment, but the nurses were so delayed that i had to abandon my appointment and go for my heart scan. It was really quiet in the nuclear medicine department and the appointment ran nearly to time. I now glow AKA readybrek advert. Even though I informed reception of my movements, they failed to tell the nurses, who then rang home trying to find me, which worried my family. All sorted in the end, but rather frustrating.
Bloods showed my cell count to be borderline, but they decided to let me continue on Friday anyway. I will be having the injections too. I also persuaded the nurse to increase my anti sickness meds, so hopefully will have a better weekend.
Roadshow – we are on the Surrey/Sussex border in Cranleigh. You are in good gappy company; I have had a dental plate for nearly 20 years after an unfortunate, ironic accident with a toothbrush wrapper. Glad the ABs worked and you are feeling better.
Nipinuk – I hope your meeting went well. What do you do? (sorry if you have said before) I got a call from my old boss today asking if I was interested in a short term contract, but will have to turn him down. I don’t think I will have the energy, if today is anything to go by.
Calais – glad you feel better, and the brood appreciated the trip to the park. (mine wouldn’t get a look in on the swings if I took them!)
Daffodil – will keep my fingers crossed for your hair. I hope the cap works it’s magic.
Pammy – If your query is unrelated to the chemo, then your breast nurse should help, but you probably will need to initiate contact. Hope you find the help you need soon. X
Janey – any advice re coping with neulasta SE’s. Nurse suggested paracetamol…
Cocobutterfly – glad your wig is giving you confidence. LGFB was lots of fun, and because you make yourself up, you would only do as much as you are happy with. We did get a goody bag, lots of items I wouldn’t normally have bought, great to try them.
Jess – What a palaver! Sorry you had to make a return trip, best wishes for tomorrow instead!
Angela – glad it when well. I am beginning to get PICC envy; I had 3 cannulas inserted today, the last of which failed the first time, infact ever! (and you beat me to the definition of bald as a coot!!)
Daffodil – I’ll be interested to know how the increased anti nausea works, as I’m getting more!
Shelley – hope round 2 goes well tomorrow.
Suzy – I love aubergines! I make a lovely salad with chargrilled red peppers and aubergines, peeled and sliced. Dressed with olive oil and salt. I would imagine that some middle eastern spices would be a good addition. I might have to experiment!
I not only got a new mobile today, but we are also going out for a Thai meal tonight. Ending on a good note.
Hugs all round,
Christine xx
EC Cycle 1 Day 20
Hello Ladies!! 
Firstly it seems a lot of us are either on our second cycle or about to start (mine is friday). I do sense a general increase in confidence in dealing with the SE’s. I think we seem to be a bunch of practical ‘lets get on with it’ kinda girls. Let’s hope it continues for all of us.
Had a lovely Easter weekend, and it’s nice to have the kids with me this week while I am well. My youngest is going the in caravan next week with grandma and gramps, so am glad he will not be at home when I am at my worst. My teenage daughter is happily looking after me. Went out for a lovely lunch on sunday and had a small glass of wine on sunday and felt really naughty. Silly thing is I would have normally had 2 large wines quite happily. Seems my body is now a temple.
Hair is falling out all over this thread as well. I was most impressed with my jersey hats from anna bandana that arrived in the post this morning. I only ordered them on Good Friday. I was even more pleased when it meant that I could wear one to an afternoon tea I’d been invited to. Met up with my work mates for the first time since finishing work and it was lovely to catch up on all the gossip. My house has not been without flowers since my mx in february, and was most pleased to be given a beautiful bunch of yellow roses.
Is anyone else suffering from itchy/gritty eyes? Not sure if its bits of hair irritiating them or not. Trying not to scratch them and I still have my eye lashes. Started using Mavala eyelash conditioner a couple of weeks before starting my chemo and hope it helps me keep them. A few ladies at my support group have told me that they did not lose theirs until later chemo cycles and that they grow back more quickly than head hair. So I am hoping for the best.
Going to enjoy my last normal day tomorrow and won’t make the mistake of having tea after my chemo on friday. Hope this helps me avoid being sick as I was last time.
Good luck to all of us, here’s hoping for an easy round 2.
XXDianneXX
Shells64 good luck tomorrow
Best wishes
Karen xx
AngelaG so glad it went well today and you’re feeling much better this time
Jess just read your post all the best for tomorrow
Mrs B, the roadshow and myself are all up for round 2 on Friday, anyone else? Best wishes to everyone
Karen xx
FEC75 CYCLE 1 DAY14 PICC on 10 Apr
Oh FEC! thought I’d click on the bloomin smily face for an interesting emoticon n lost my post!! Will try to rewrite…
i was stuffing my face with melon and I was charging my tablet …doesn’t sound as relaxing as before as I’m still steaming!
Tell you a true story. Many years ago, I arrived in England as an innocent, naive girl to do electrical n electronics engineering. After a year, I picked up the local lingo from the boys and started using them in my everyday conversation. One of the words was bollocks. When hubby n I started going out soon after, I remember dropping a pen or something and exclaiming, ‘Oh bollocks!’ His eyes went wide, big grin and he asked,‘Do you know what that means?’ ‘Sure’ I replied ever so confidently. ‘It means Oh poo!’ He then grins even wider and proceeded to explain what it meant. I went red! Used it a lot before too!
Much calmer now, where was I? Oh yes, Suzy , I was given Ondansetron (8mg) n Dexamethasone (8mg) to take orally before chemo. Anti sickness via iv is better as it’s in your system quicker. dIEP sounds amazing! Think you’re very fortunate to have it as I think it gives a more natural feel than using the muscle from the back which is what my surgeon would do. I may be wrong as I didn’t have mx. Wait mx recommended to you? I had grade 2 idc with one node positive as well. I was told that the node had micrometastasis so it was just starting to spread. I was recommended WLE. I chose to go ahead with chemo. Onc recommended radion n tamoxifen as well and I’m dreadthat all that.
I love aubergines too! Any veg really. I did proceed to write a detailed account of what I cooked for dinner but cant do it again.
Christine , Roadshow has Neulasta n she recommend Clarityn. Sorry to hear you had such a tiring morning. What a palaver for you too. Have you got your scan results? My neutrophil results was 1.4. I was supposed to have at least 1.5 but nurse thought it ok to carry on.
What does a piebald pony look like? You must update your profile photo to show us
I work on websites which I fit around the kids. It’s great that this client is happy for me to work at my pace. It’s nice to be able to do something. What do you do? Is the contract something you could do at your own pace?
Was Thai food yummy?
All the best or Friday Christine & Dianne (wishing you now in case I forget)
Dianne - Itchy or gritty eyes could be conjunctivitis which is one SE I’m aware of. Call chemo ward for advice. Maybe GP can prescribe drops.
Great that you like your jersey hats. I’m so happy to hear that you had a lovely time with your work mates. I got my fill of gossip today from Roadshow’s post
jess, Shelley - all the best tomorrow
Take care all xx
Hi Karen,
I’m Friday too, and I think Lisag has had her cycle 2 delayed until Friday too. It’s a busy day for the Marchies!
Nipinuk - a piebald pony is what’s called a coloured horse, with patches of black and white on their coats. 
Christine
Christine - I still can’t picture it. It’s my FEC’d up chemo brain. Really think u ought to show us your pic (even bigger wink!)
Ran my fingers through my hair n 4-5 hairs off every time! Think it’s starting. Ordered some melon n hubby’s gone to cut me some. Why wasn’t he like this before?
Hubby just came in with melon n told me that I’ll look like one cos I eat too much of it.
Big sigh, at least I’m not the only one. I’ll post my pic when I’m clippered…unlike some people!
does mungo still recognise u?!
xx
Hi marchies
ermmm im intrigued- why is everyone eating so much melon and does it matter which variety?
love ( a very nosy) LS
One piebald horse… I will upload a piccy of me tomorrow
Sleep well Marchies,
x
FEC cycle 1 day 20
Hello Marchies
What a day. Friend came to visit so thought I’d make the effort and wash my hair for the occasion. Big mistake. Looked like I’d shared the shower with a big hairy dog at the end of it. Lost 1/3 of my hair and then a fair bit more with a gentle blow dry. Gave up and stuck a hat over it in the end. Twin sister popped round tonight as I was considering taking some clippers to it. She persuaded me to hang on to whatever’s left. Hmmm. I’m a bit worried about wearing the cold cap now as it’s going to be a lot colder now my hair’s so much thinner. Got an alarmingly wide parting now. Husband came home from work with his customary ‘hello gorgeous’ and then we both fell about laughing as I’ve got a gappy mouth and very thin ‘hat-hair’. My friend and I popped to the local pub earlier today and nobody batted an eyelid at my missing tooth which was lovely.
Cocobutterfly , to answer your question I’m gonna give it one last shot on Friday. If I lose another 3rd then I’ll give up on the cold cap because it’s more trouble than it’s worth. Every time I go to eat something there’s a hair attached and my clothes are covered in it. There aren’t enough lint rollers in the world. Eyebrows a bit patchy but hanging on in there. No change to lashes.
Angela G – glad things went better this time and hooray indeed that you’re back with the programme. Also lovely that you’ll be moving to such a beautiful area of Spain once all this is over. Certainly something for you to look forward to. And thanks for the bald as a coote clarity.
Nipinuk – hope you like the Manuka. Try a pineapple, banana, tsp manuka honey and cinnamon smoothie. Yum. Actually, might want to throw in some oats to slow down the sugar absorption. No, my little sister doesn’t have any other children. This will be her first and either my 4<sup>th</sup> niece or 2<sup>nd</sup> nephew. I love being an auntie. You must be so proud of your clever niece! Glad I gave you your fill of gossip for the day, hee hee. Plenty more where that came from.
Suzy52 – yeah, saline, anti sickness something or other and then the stuff in the syringes. Was also given 3 emend pills but needed more as was really sick for days. Had no idea that’s what a DIEP is, how very clever, thanks for that.
Mungos Mum – how very ironic indeed. Can’t imagine how you managed to injure yourself with a toothbrush wrapper. What was it made of??? Love Thai food – enjoy.
Hope you all have a peaceful night and love seeing all the updated pics. Take care x
Haha! Looking forward to piccy tomorrow! roadshow, wanna see the wide parting n gappy smile. I dare u!
littlescoot - not sure about everyone. Just me testing how effective it is at minimising hair loss! It’s rich in folic acid u c. Not working very well as I’ve got about 20 hairs from running my hands thru my hair just now 
ya, Christine tell us about this 'ard toothbrush wrapper! takeic without your plates in. Dare u!
might do a Jess tomorrow with hair in mouth
xxxx
Morning Ladies,
FEC 2/6 Day 8
Hope that everyone had a good night. Not posted since my second treatment, but ondansetron for a couple of days definitely helped with the nausea and now taking domperidone until it passes completely. Main SE the day after infusion and for a couple of days was pain (what felt like bruising) in treatment arm, and not just in the vein that it was given through. Do others suffer with this? Also had muscle aches like JLR around shoulders.
My hair is still hanging in there,all be it patchy. No sign of brows and lashes thinning yet, which is great. I wore my wig out a few times over the week-end, but didn’t feel comfortable in it. Still too tight on my head and a little too much hair. Will have to have it trimmed a little when I go back to wig shop next week, in meantime rely on buffs and hats for majority of the time.
Hoping for the sunshine again today so that we can enjoy the fresh air.
Jude x
FEC75 CYCLE 2 DAY 2
(could we all give this info each time so we can remember what treatments we’re following, what do you think? it would certainly help my memory)
Afternoon all
Well so far SE’s are very minimal. I won’t hold my breath, but looks like theatre tomorrow evening might be ok.
Daffodil, emend is £70 per 3 pills apparently! My public haven’t seen me in my wig yet, only hats and scarves. I think I might keep the wig for the rare occasions when I’m with strangers, though not sure really. We’ll just hope and pray that your lump shrinks and not the other alternative. That must have put another worry in your mind, as if we need those little extras. Keep us informed xx
Suzy – my anti-sickness meds come in tablet form: emend 80mg, dexamethazone 2mg & cyclizine 50mg. The beeping is the machines when the meds need changing etc, really annoying, and the staff must dream of them at night as it’s pretty constant.
What I’m wondering is…when a breast is reconstructed, and then we grow older and (putting it bluntly) saggier, does the reconstruction also sag? It’s just a thought, a crazy one I know, but that’s the kind of thoughts I have!!!
Christine – did you enjoy your Thai meal yesterday? Those occasions do help to lift the mood a bit and give something different to think about don’t they?
Dianne – I think we’re handling things pretty well mostly. It doesn’t hurt to slightly exaggerate the sickness nausea SE’s to the onco at clinic. I didn’t, but told her sickx1 and quite nauseous for 4-5 days with reflux, and then she changed the meds for me. It’s great that you enjoyed good times with your children over easter. It would seem that mine have better things to do!!! My OH did the shopping today and came home with some lovely “old fashioned” pink n white roses for me. It’s unusual for him to buy flowers for me, which made it even more special. For my first chemo cycle I’d fasted for the day before and the actual day, and was still unwell, so cycle 2 I didn’t, in fact we had fish n chips the night before, which I thought might have been a mistake. However, so far so good. Phew!
Nipinuk – up until last December we took in as paying guests, foreign students from all over the world. I was shocked and disappointed to discover that they were taught all the expletives under the sun, without the explanations or the level of rudeness or the fact that some people might be offended when they were used in the home! We had to put quite a few of them straight!
Roadshow – it certainly helps to have a focus for the future, there’s so much to do and so little time to do it in. Back in January some friends from Norway came to stay, and on their penultimate day they told us that we were going to clear the attic room together. The whole room was cleared, stuff went to the dump, they even went under the eves and cleared 30 years of junk from there. It made it so much easier to continue, and even easier to “let go” of the home we’ve had for 33 years. I thank God for friends.
Jude – will you be asking about the shoulder aches? Do let us know of any remedies if you get some answers. It’s just been fine snow here today and really quite cold again. Come on spring where are you?
Mrs B, Roadshow, Karen, Christine & Lisag, hope tomorrow goes really smoothly for you all tomorrow. We’ll be thinking of you xx
TAC-2nd day1
Hi everyone
Just got back everything went well .Gald to see everyone is doing ok
My hair is still hanging on lol
well not alot to say will pop back later to see how jess got on i hope i have got that right chemo brain is getting worse lol
take care all shelley xxx
I expect everyone is already aware of this, but as cancer patients we are entitled to free prescriptions just need to obtain a certificate from the gp and send off.
FEC-T cycle 2 day 8
Hello lovely ladies!
Well am feeling all spritely and full of joys after visiting my best friend and her two lovely daughters for lunch. Was so lovely to just have normal conversation and have other things to chat about that didn’t involve a hospital or nurse in sight. It did involve a lot of build a bears though (long story lol)
Currently side effects are much less than first time around. Not nearly as tired. The muscle pain in my back has gone, I just took paracetamol and am definitely putting it down to the neulasta injection so will be prepared for it next time. I do have a very dry furry mouth but that is nothing really. My arm is still sore after the surgery but then it’s only been 6 weeks since the op so I believe this is normal after a full node clearance, I have definitely developed cording and also a couple bruises have popped up in same area, but I am doing my exercises and hopefully it will settle down.
I honestly feel great today can’t explain but just feel like singing lol, amazing what a couple of hours in the company of a good friend will do for you! And minimal SE too.
I hope you all that are either still on round one or just starting round two feel exactly how I do, come on girls let’s kick this crappy disease into touch!
Take care lots love janey x x
Cooking at the mo but just have to say you look fab Christine!!
TC cycle one day 22 day over to see onc tomorrow)
grrrr just lost my blooming post pah!
AngelaG I have thought exactly the same about reconstruction sagging too lol. you say you’re going to the theatre tomorrow night, if you don’t mind me asking what are you going to see? I love the theatre and used to dance on stage when I was younger. Love and nuisance the smell of greasepaint. Odd I know lol.
Shelly lucky you to have kept your hair I’ve lost the majority of mine now so keep up that good work. Im right behind you on the chemo brain so you’re not alone.
Woohoo good to hear round 2 has been much better for you Janey it sure shives me hope.
Hope everyone’s ok Lisa xxx