starting chemo fri 1st

Hi,

Well I’ve done it !! have taken the plunge and had picc line fitted today and start chemo friday 1st oct, onc and nurse were lovely, the lady who put my line in was really nice, we actually had quite a laugh, it wasn’t too unpleasant so that was good, was totally dreading it, chemo starts at 2pm tomorrow, will be nice to get the 1st one out of the way, I am having 4 x epi and 4 x cmf, fingers crossed all will be ok with not too many SE, Good luck to all going through and all who have gone through this roller coaster feeling !

Belinda xx

Good luck tomorrow Belinda. Hope your side effects are few.
Debs
X
PS That puppy is sooo cute!

well, todays the day, I am really nervous and apprehensive that I don’t feel too bad after my 1st epi, fingers crossed.

Hee Hee isn’t she gorgeous, she’s a year this month and sooo cuddly, I have 2 retrievers and 2 cavaliers too, so lots to cuddle If I feel low :-)+ my 10 neddies !!!

Belinda xx

Good luck today Belinda hope you have as little side effects as possible.

Just what i wanted while having chemo so they will keep you going. Very cute.

LOL Jxxxx

Well, had my first lot of chemo today, had a wonderful guy do it, fantastic sense of humour and made it a positive experience, they have offered for me to go each week and have my line flushed and dressing changed, which is super as they can keep an eye on things too, I feel very honoured to have been treated so nicely, they are all fantastic people and so caring, thanks for your good luck wishes really appreciate it, feel fine at the moment, long may it continue, fingers crossed :slight_smile:

Belinda

Good luck Belinda - just had my second chemo this week. Hair now well and truly on the way out so just shaved it off. Happy daze x

Oh dear, waves of sickness coming now, but walking round eac time eases it and thinking of riding my neds on the beach helps !! anyone any other tips for keeping it at bay !!!

thanking you Belinda xxxx

I was advised to take my meds as prescribed even if I didn’t feel like I needed any, sometimes nibbling bland things can help, too. Take care! Tina

Tiny sips of very cold sparkling water helped me but I found I was only sick on the evening of the day I had the FEC and then it went off to be replaced by nausea and a raging appetite for inappropriate foods at odd times-anyone for egg and chips at 2.20am??
All the best,
Valxx

Hee hee - thanks Tina and Val, just had some chicken and a few chips, settled a bit now, phew !!! had some elderflower water too, thought that better than coke !

Thanks for you help :slight_smile:

xx

Hiya,

Good luck with your chemo, I wish you minimal side effects. I’ve got my last one next Thursday. I was really sick when I had my first FEC. Each one got easier though as they changed my anti-sickness until with my last FEC I wasn’t sick at all.

My main tip would be to eat little and often. Small amounts of food are easier on the stomach. It’s easier not to eat when you feel sick but it really does make it worse.

Drink LOADS too. As it’s really easy to get dehydrated.

If dry mouth is a problem try chewing gum seems to work the best.

Also if you do get v sick ring out of hours dr or chemo unit as they can give you different drugs.

My ONC told me before first chemo that there is no need to suffer the side effects. It’s the best advice I’ve had. When I got v sick with chemo the out of hours dr came out twice in one evening with no complaint at all. They managed to get sickness stopped at home and so didn’t need to go into hosp.

Keep a note of side effects too as when you go for your next appointment your ONC will ask you about them and prescribe things to help. They need to know what SE and what day. So for example nausea from day 1-4.

Good luck,

Joxx

Thanks Jo thats fab advice, will definately write symptoms down, have got pleanty of plain biscuits in stock too !! The guy I had today was wonderful and said to phone if needed about anything so I will take that on board too :slight_smile: I have noticed thant where the line goes into my arm it has bled slightly, is this normal ? it doesn’t feel too sore just bit tender where it went in as it’s bruised

Belinda xxx

Hi Belinda,

I wouldn’t worry too much but give them a ring if it’s still worrying you in the morning.

Honestly, do ring, I’ve never received anything but kind responses. The worst thing would be for you to be sitting there worrying about it.

Take care,

Joxx

Val - I understand completely about the inappropriate foods. During FEC2 cycle I took a toffee cheesecake out of the freezer at 11pm and sat and waited the two hours defrost time to go on to enjoy almost ALL OF IT at 1:15am - just to satisfy a craving and rid my mouth of that awful wooly taste. LOL!

Karen

Really pleased, I had an unexpectedly good nights sleep ! just had my anti sickness tabs, still feel bit queesy but hopefully it won’t come to anything (touches wood)hope everyone else on treatment is ok :slight_smile:

Belinda xxx

Hi
Had a picc line fitted and yes mine bleed a bit around the site as well. Was due to have chemo the next day so they changed the dressing and said it can bleed a bit but to contact them if it carried on. They are more worried if we get any reddening around it as I was told to ring if this happened especially if temp goes up as well.
Know what you mean about the toffee cheesecake Karen. Went out for a meal last week and they had a toffee choc fudge cheesecake on the pudding menu, chocolate pastry, toffee an inch thick topped with choc fudge sauce and served with clotted cream. Sickly sweet but it tasted soooo good, I could eat it all over again now. Just need to find where I can buy a whole one!
Here’s to a good weekend for us all, so far no rain here in Devon
Ali.

Hello, I’ve just finished my 7 months of chemo and I just wanted to say that my PICC line was absolutely brilliant! It saved me so much stresss over the last 4 months - just fantsatic! Good luck with your’s.
Sandripples

Hi again,

Not doing too bad, still quite queezy but very lucky not to be sick, have had little fluttering feelings now and again here and there, anybody else have these ? eating little and often which helps, not much of an appetite at the moment tho’ - feeling bit tearful but think thats down to the lead up to everything happening, hope everyone else is doing ok :slight_smile:

Belinda xx

Hi
Funny but I’ve had fluttery feelings over the weekend. Due to have picc line flushed later this afternoon at the chemo unit, for me the hospitals closer than my doctors and it saves waiting in for the district nurse to call, so will ask about them and post later to let you know what’s said,
Ali.

Sorry, meant to post last night but so tired. Spoke with nurse yesterday about the fluttery feeling and she said it was more likely to be due to low blood counts than the picc line. As the days i felt this was days 3-7 and when i have been really tired then that makes sense. Far less tired today and no fluttery feeling so it lokks like she was right. FEC3 se’s far more manageable than 2, just indigestion and tiredness, quite mild compared to FEC2. Have a 3 huge ulcers on my tongue though.
Good vibes and hugs to all those having chemo this week,
Ali.x