Hi Chris , I don’t take any bowel meds for exactly that reason - which would I take?? I have a good diet usually, but if I have too much fibre I get terrible diarrohea (I think that’s spelt right!!), but if I eat a little less I get constipated. I seem to just flick between the two with no happy middle ground. So I am on a low fibre diet at the moment to stop the squits, which are much worse than constipation. This makes the frequency much higher, the poo more acidic and the pain incredible. So I eat around 2-3 portions of veg a day (I usually have well over 5). I think the antibiotics and chemo at the same time did it (which was in Feb when this all started) - I don’t think my bowel recovered. Let’s hope that when I have finished the chemo it all gets back to normal as I would hate to live like this forever. I have also had thrush up there - which I call tell you isn’t nice!! Twice so far. This time the thrush meds took a week to work, I needed to have extra tablets to get it gone. I am still smiling though and walking the dog each morning and afternoon.
Today I am (at some point) going to get the house cleaned ready for my friend who’s here tomorrow. I am making spinach and pine nut tart for our lunch. Just need to pull my finger out and switch the computer off!!
Alison xxx
Kath, you have obviously inspired the creative side of Alison, well done luvd it Alison x
LMAO at your poem Alison. Superb and so true. Well done!
What a mess you are in. My onco told me what a fine balance you need to strike with diarrhoea and constipation, and how careful you have to be with the tablets. Have you tried the BRAT diet? This is to help with diarrhoea (accepted correct spelling) and general bowel problems. Bananas, Rice, Apple, Toast. Not all at once I expect. It seems to help me, except i don’t like rice except in rice pudding. If I start to feel a bit bunged up I stick a tin of baked beans on the toast!
I’m waiting for the district nurse to arrive for my Neulasta jab, and have my course of paracetamols ready to start the minute she leaves. It worked last time. 2 tablets every 4 to 6 hours (except overnight) for 3 days. Then stop.
Good luck to all having treatment today, of whatever sort. KATH where are you?
Love and hugs to all, Linda xxx
Angie - I will PM you the FB link in anticipation of your immenent release (she says, with all possible body parts crossed).
Alison - loved the poem. A little bit of self-deprecation can go a long way at times like these.
Kath - see… you are inspiring! Where are you though? We’re missing you…
Gill x
LOL! Inspired poem Alison 
No wonder you are feeling sorry for yourseld Angie, I think any of would be in your position. Good luck with the blood test. Hope you are home real soon and look forward to seeing you on Face book. Hugs xx
I wish I had the energy to sort my wardrobe Mandy! It’s bee turned over so many times in the last few weeks as I look for suitable “fat” clothes to suit the weather, it’s in a right mess in there, think I need to set aside a day, make myself a packed lunch then go in ready for action!
Hope the Tax SEs ease off soon Caroline xx
Managed to go food shopping this morning 
Lovely to have a fridge full of healthy food again, although there is a bar of lindt dark chocolate intense orange in there too! I couldn’t resist after your post the other day, Paula!
Hope PICC line went well Dyane x
Hope last treatment done without any glitches Karan (W), wishing you minimal SEs xx
Best wishes to all Vals whether for treatments or dealing with SEs or life in general
Hugs
Elaine x
Good afternoon Valentines
I have good news. My rather large lump in other breast was a cyst. Thank God.
Phew phew phew!!!
Right i,m off to Devon for a week on Friday our treat for after chemo had finished. Better get packing.
So sorry to hear so many with really horrible SE’s please get well soon.
Angie I can totally relate to your hospital experience it sounds so similar to mine at East Surrey. Hang on in there. I,m not too far and can also turn up with a very big spade to get you out!! Lots of love.
Big hugs to all
Jackie xxxx
Great news Jackie Have a great time in Devon! xx
chemo 5, FEC 4, Day 21, Nottingham City Hospital
Evening All
Alison, brilliant poem - do you want my job? 
Went to bed on Saturday night feeling great. I’d given the old hemorrhoids the heave oh! (wrong phrase). Woke up at 4am with a yukky tummy and had to rush to the bathroom (not quite Usain Bolt style, more like a demented tortoise). Sat there for an hour with constant runny diarrhea (I don’t care how it’s spelt) non stop. Good job I took my bucket with me as I was also sick - twice!! And you know I’m never sick!! So I had this yukky brown liquid pouring out of both ends. 
Rang the emergency number at 6am but had to wait until 10.20 for an ambulance as DIL and son ( who would normally have taken me) were up north taking part in a paranormal investigation. Spent all of Sunday and Monday on a saline drip. Never found out what it was as all investigations drew a blank, but I wasn’t neutropenic. Got home around 3pm Tuesday. I was told that treatment would go ahead as normal tomorrow, but I got a phone call from the chemo nurse to say they hadn’t got my liver function results back so I have to have another blood test in the morning before they decide whether it can go ahead or not. I wouldn’t mind, but I had three blood tests while I was in!! 
Sorry there are no personal messages, needless to say my love and best wishes go to all Valentines whether they are feeling good or bad. Anyway, I wrote a poem before I went in but didn’t have time to post it, so will do so in a separate post.
Kath xx
_ Poem _
_ Absently I lifted the brush _
_ And went to do my hair, _
_ then suddenly remembered _
_ there wasn’t any there. _
_ I looked at my reflection _
_ and had to shed a tear _
_ as I looked so old and haggard _
_ it filled me with dread and fear. _
_ I had planned to go shopping _
_ but instead I’ll go back to bed _
_ as all of my joints are aching _
_ and so is my poor old head. _
_ Love Kath xx _
The best news ever Jackie. So pleased for you. Get packing and have a wonderful holiday, but keep in touch!
Kath, what a nightmare, but you are now home and safe. I hope whatever news you have regarding your blood test is what you are wishing for. Fab poem, one of your best.
Angie, are you out?
Home made deep meat and spud pie for tea, Soaps, a bit of Kevin and those amazing house designs (weird or what?) then the Apprentice, then bed. Last steroids taken earlier, now on paracetamol course for Neulasta… So far so good.
Take care everyone xxx
Two pieces of good news this afternoon - whooooopeeeee!
Jackie: sorry to hear you have a cyst but so pleased to hear that it’s nothing sinister. Enjoy your break - you’ve earned it!
Kath: lovely to have you back from hospital. Great poem too (I’ve stupidly reached for the brush on so many occasions). Hope the test results are good tomorrow so you can join others in the car park.
Now just need to get Angie out…
Gill
x
I’m home! Will read and respond to posts tomorrow but thank you for your concern and offers of help to spring me! For the moment I am enjoying being back with my OH and my dog.
Angie xx
Kath - nice to have you back. love the poem but think you have some competition from Alison.
Alison - have you tried Fybogel? It’s good to bulk up the squits but also makes constipation softer. I’ve sworn by the stuff for the past 30 years. It’s also good if you have piles as the poo’s softer so it doesn’t hurt as much. You can buy it in supermarket or chemist or get it free on prescription.
Angie - nice to hear you found the escape tunnel, just take it easy and get your strength back.
As for me, well after all the trouble I had last week when they couldn’t get a needle in and burnt my arm with too hot heat pads I emailed the hospital for advice for the next session. BCN though a Hickman line would be best but would check with ONC in clinic today. He’s dead against me having a Hickman fitted just for the last 2 sessions so is going to book me my own senior nurse to insert the line (she always gets it in first time… after the other nurse has tried and failed) PLUS I get a booking with the complimentary therapist. I hope it’s not the same one who tried to help me with breathing exercises last week as she really didn’t have a clue what she was doing. I’m going to download some breathing exercises and listen on my i-pod instead.
Something really nice happened today. I had a visit from MillyMolly. It was so nice to talk to someone who’s also having treatment. Thanks again for coming, you really brightened up my day.
X Yvonne
Kath, sorry to hear your tales of woe but love the poem. And Jackie…hidden tallent AND only a cyst weeeeeee!
Bother, Gremlins, cant edit that post…BTW, my small est right toenail fell off last night. No pain, no redness, just caught it on a shoe and off it popped. I now, rahter fetchingly have 9 very dark purple toe nails and one very pink toe!
MMMx
Evening all
Spent 6 hours at hospital today. Finally had TAX 2 when they managed to find a vein- but such painful experience. I triad so hard not to scream but ended up wetting myself! I have not had that experience since a small child! SO Humilating.
Onc has reduced my TAX this time because he thinks my body really suffered round one. Oh and Im anemic (can’t spell it)
Will catch up on posts. Good luck Mandy for tomorrow x
Tup
Yvonne,
Yes I have tried Fibrogel and have movicol on prescription which is similar. Personally I don’t want to cure constipation as it’s much easier. Bulking out sound dreadful - the last thing I want is more bulk. I have been doing quite bulky soft ones and they are really dreadful. I just don’t want to poo ever again!! But today was fine as I was constipated and did little and only once. Today I don’t hurt!!! I ate very little yesterday and haven’t had much today either. Hopefully this will sort it out. Constipated for a few days is good with me!!! Chemo will help that too.
Having a glass of cider now and hoping for a good sleep.
Alison xxx
evening vals
well final chemo over and done with yippe, almost skipped out, but still have to go back every three weeks for herceptin!
buzzing with steroids so just popped a sleeping tab to try and help me sleep, hope se not too bad, but ill have to wait and see. Hope everyone who has had or is having chemo this week does not suffer too much.
Tup sorry to hear about your bad day, I was anaemic, they still went ahead with treatment, said all will get back to normal after chemo finished.
Angie glad to read you’ve been released.
hope my sleep fairies come to me soon
big love and hugs karen xx
Oh Yvonne and Mandy, how nice you had a meet up. Let’s hope we can all have one when we are all through all this.
Angie, wonderful news. You just enjoy your little family for now, feet up and relax - and have some decent food!
Yvonne , that sounds a bit mean of your onc, so I hope his special nurse comes up trumps and the therapist helps.
Mandy, sorry about the toe nail, but good news it doesn’t hurt.
Tup , how awful for you. I just cannot understand why some hospitals allow people to go through so much unnecessary pain when PICCS and Portacaths are available and given freely at some hospitals. It is cruel. I hope the Tax reduction works.
Karen W, congratulations! Everyone says Herceptin is a breeze compared with chemo. I do hope so!! I’ve had 3 herceptins so far at the same time as my TC.
Alison and Kath , may your bowels and bums behave themselves in future.
LOUISE - WHERE ARE YOU?
To everyone, sweet dreams, and to everyone on treatment tomorrow - good luck. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Yvonne, or posts must have crossed so I didnt see yours when I last logged in. It was lovely to see you toobut hope I didn’t exhaust you too much - I’m a bit ‘Duracell Bunny’ because of the steroids. Wuood be good to do it again soon but with more forward planning so I can pick you up to come too Paula!
Thanks to too pre TAX dose of steroids I’m still bouncing. I’ve laid in bed for the past 3 hours trying not to thrutch about through ever hot flush so I don’t disturb OH but have finally given up and com eon the wander. It’s partly my fault because after I left Yvonne I went to Lidl and Aldi to pick up things I specially like from them so I don’t have to go anywhere next week if I don’t feel like it. By the time I’d finished I needed a wee so made the rash decision to ‘pop’ into IKEA across the road. Anyone with half a brain knows it’s not possible to ‘just pop into’ IKEA. The place is designed to force you to walk in circles to get where you want to go. Whats more I’m now convinced that the staff are trained NOT to send you on short cuts even if they know them. I spent ar too long looking at all the pretty things and completely forgot I had to be home to take the damned pills. As a result I didn’t take them til nearly 5:00 and I’m suffering for it now.
I did manage to buy a bargain 6 tog quilt (reduced to £15 from £30 because it had come out of it’s packing) there though which I can put on the spare bed for when I want to run away to toss and turn by myself. OH and I actually ended up having very cross words about sleeping arrangements last night so I had to do something.
Needless to say I ended up buying lots of other bits and bobs too, which I’m sure I could really live without but as we’re going camping again this weekend I believe will turn out to be essential 
This evening we went down to natter with our boating friends and see how there house conversion is going. I ended up having 2 quite big glasses of wine. Then I had a panic in case I got into trouble for it tomorrow…oh well, too late now! They’ve asked us to go with them to take the boat through the Standage tunnel with them in on August Bank Holiday weekend, which will be fun.
Right, ell I’d better stop boring you all to sleep and see if I can get some myself.
Pass me a fairy someone!
Yvonne, or posts must have crossed so I didn’t see yours when I last logged in. It was lovely to see you too but hope I didn’t exhaust you too much - I’m a bit ‘Duracell Bunny’ because of the steroids. Would be good to do it again soon but with more forward planning so I can pick you up to come too Paula!
Thanks to toe pre TAX dose of steroids I’m still bouncing. I’ve laid in bed for the past 3 hours trying not to thruch about through ever hot flush so I don’t disturb OH but have finally given up and com eon the wander. It’s partly my fault because after I left Yvonne I went to Lidl and Aldi to pick up things I specially like from them so I don’t have to go anywhere next week if I don’t feel like it. By the time I’d finished I needed a wee so made the rash decision to ‘pop’ into IKEA across the road. Anyone with half a brain knows it’s not possible to ‘just pop into’ IKEA. The place is designed to force you to walk in circles to get where you want to go. Whats more I’m now convinced that the staff are trained NOT to send you on short cuts even if they know them. I spent ar too long looking at all the pretty things and completely forgot I had to be home to take the damned pills. As a result I didn’t take them til nearly 5:00 and I’m suffering for it now.
I did manage to buy a bargain 6 tog quilt (reduced to £15 from £30 because it had come out of it’s packing) there though which I can put on the spare bed for when I want to run away to toss and turn by myself. OH and I actually ended up having very cross words about sleeping arrangements last night so I had to do something.
Needless to say I ended up buying lots of other bits and bobs too, which I’m sure I could really live without but as we’re going camping again this weekend I believe will turn out to be essential
This evening we went down to natter with our boating friends and see how there house conversion is going. I ended up having 2 quite big glasses of wine. Then I had a panic in case I got into trouble for it tomorrow…oh well, too late now! They’ve asked us to go with them to take the boat through the Standage tunnel 
with them in on August Bank Holiday weekend, which will be fun.
Right, well I’d better stop boring you all to sleep and see if I can get some myself.
Pass me a fairy someone!
MMM x