Gooday Valentines – can’t believe we have another nice day here in Hampshire. Big day for me – first time I left the property for anything other than a hospital appointment since lunch with my cousins before Christmas! Only went to Tescos, but there seemed so many changes on the road, I felt like a foreigner!
Sandra51 - hold in there, your’re almost there – I noticed a real change in how I felt during FEC1 after 10 days, and other people seem to have posted the same result
Dyane - I understand completely your feelings at the moment, we have all been there. At times like that I repeat over and over the Serenity Prayer to myself. I posted in earlier in the thread on #131.
Angie - hope you are better soon. Good thing you were past your danger days when it struck!!!
Im starting my 1st session on Friday - Had pre chemo session today with nurse. I just want to get it all over and done with now.
I have seen a few posts about using mouthwash - which one is the best one to buy- any advice would be welcome.
Take care
BMW , I use corsodyl alcohol free , but also found using salt water very soothing when my mouth was sore & a childs soft toothbrush. You can get one on prescription my bcn mentioned difflam but the pharmacy didn’t dispense it with my meds & I managed without it . My mouth was sore & fuzzy but I didn’t get ulcers .
Good luck x
Louise, thanks for updating my info on immunity, I’d assumed that as I have injections from day 4-10, the immunity dropped from day 5. .
Kept waking up last night, as head is very sore and the pressure of it on my (very soft) pillow, and when I turn over, quite painful. Combing hair hurts too. I’m wearing one of my hats around the house now, as I’m shedding single hairs all over the place. I’m like Pigpen from Peanuts!! Armpit hair has practically all gone, and ladygarden looking a bit sparse. I can quite easily pull face hair out without it hurting, so that’s a good thing.
Sandra, I’m not having shivering/hot moments, but I seem to be cold all the time.
Karen, good luck for second session tomorrow. Mine next week, can’t believe how fast the time is going!!
BMW - like Karen I have been using Corsodyl alcohol free mouthwash and it does the trick. Although a good ice cream helps!
Karen - thanks for reassuring me about the penicillin. I hope your second session goes well.
Kath - I too am leaving a trail of hair everywhere I go. But it still pales into insignificance alongside my dog’s permanent shedding.
Jackie - how are you doing?
Love and hugs
Angie, OH has OCD so it wouldn’t be good for his peace of mind to keep finding my hair all over the place. I make enough mess for him to clear up as it is!!
Karen - I wondered if you were from Newcastle area too, or even S. Wales like me …because I noticed you write ‘Mam’ not ‘Mum’ ! I have to scour card shops on Mothers’ Day/birthday, to get a card that says ‘Mam’ on it!!
Hi all,
I use corsodyl too - both corsodyl daily and corsodyl alcohol free. The main thing is it should be alcohol free. I brush my teeth after each meal. In the morning I use floss and interdental brushes as well as sensitive oral B toothbrush and then mouthwash. The other two I brush and mouthwash only. I have gum issues so have to be on top of it. Every third day I use the corsodyl alcohol free - it’s too much for 3 times daily all the time as it makes my tongue numb.
Don’t worry if you don’t do everything I do as I have issues and have suffered for many years with bad gums and persistent infections. I have to be really careful normally - but now I am really obsessional.
Alison xx
Well, I got my wig today - jumping the gun as I’m still in the Waiting Room and will be for some time, but I am so pleased and feel such a lot better. It’s like a weight off my mind. I wore it to come home in and kept it on for a few hours at home. I intend to wear it quite often before chemo so by the time I am bald I will have forgotten it is a wig, if you see what I mean. It will hopefully be part of me and I won’t be self conscious. I chose one very similar to my own hair - you can see it in my picture (out of focus and blurred - blame OH) I also bought the starter pack of wig stand, brush, shampoo, daily conditioner spray and a hair spray. Just hope the dog doesn’t find it!
Dear Linda – your picture wearing wig and Lola looks great. I go for mine tomorrow hope I can be as positive about it as you are!! Nightie night, Louise
I too have given up alcohol. No idea why, just some random idea that going in to battle with a flushed out system might make things easier.
I must say I keep sniggering to myself as I remember the scenes in ‘Airplane’ - ‘Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit …’
’ Mandy x
Good luck for round 2 today Karen , can’t believe it’s here already!
I use corsodyl daily mouthwash too, my dentist has me use it anyway as I
have crap gums, and I mentioned it to the chemo nurses and they said that
was one of the ones they would have recommended anyway so to keep using it.
Hair is still going strong, no sign of shedding, I keep having dreams that
I’m out somewhere and it suddenly starts and goes all patchy and I don’t have
a hat or anything with me. It unnerved me so much that I’ve now got a scarf
in my handbag just in case!!
xx
TCH x 4, CYCLE 1 , day 5
Morning Valentines
Hope you are all coping well with SE’s, treatments and the waiting game.
Well, I am now on day 5 of TC . I,m not on FEC due to a heart complaint so a little different to the majority of you I guess. Yesterday and today I have achey joints but really nothing much to speak about.
My main problem yesterday was very low mood. I woke up feeling really low and worried, it was a hard day. It was weird just like the enormity of it all hit me yesterday and I really felt like I did when the news was first diagnosed. I didn’t feel like me at all it was just horrible. Even the sun couldn’t cheer me up. Not sure about this morning I,ve just got up. OH on night shift this week which is rare but I hate. I had the worst nights sleep ever I definatly saw each hour of the night. Thank God for TV in the bedroom.
Its half term so trying to keep my teenage boys amused with something apart from XBOX and laptops…not easy! I,m really thankful that i,m not half as bad as I expected this half term. My friends have been Superstars the boys are out on various outings with them, swimming , cinema, dinner etc its been such a help. Friends have been just fantastic.
My head is also spinning with worries. I,m terrified about losing my hair ( sorry to sound vain, i,m not , its just so much part of our identity isin’t it) Its like adding insult to injury! What if the treatment doesn’t work? t etc? I,ve been coping mentally really well lately I guess the rollercoaster is inevitable. Also worried about low immunity days …just how careful do we need to be etc??
Tonight i,m going to a monthly Breast Cancer meeting at a local cancer centre. Hope to meet some cheery people over coffee and cake. Angie I hope your throat is better. Lola I love your wig .you look fab xx Karen good luck with round 2
Well Bye for now. Thinking of you all.
Jackie xxxxxxps Sorry this was a bit moany xxx
Hi Jackie sorry to hear you we’re so low. It’s strange isn’t it how our emotions swing so out of control. When I woke this morning I just started weeping - my OH couldn’t get his head round it as it was so out of the blue! I’m still in “waiting room” so haven’t got excuse of SE’s. This BC really does turn the world upside down. Thank goodness we are able to speak about our “lows” here. Now I must put my own fears to one side and be available to my patients to hold their ‘personal demons’. We all need somewhere we can be heard.
Keeping all Valentines in mind today. I value your company on this God forsaken journey we’ve found ourselves on!
Tup x
Thank you Tuppence
I hope you feel better too. It can really hit you right out of the blue like that. Crazy!
Hope you have a good day
Jackie xxxxx
Ps hope you’re waiting isn’t too long xxx
Hello everyone. I have been lying low this month waiting for the results of my 2nd WLE which I got yesterday… And it’s clear margins all round!! I will see the oncologist this Thursday & chemo to start first week of March (not feb as I had hoped, but I’m sticking with you valentines). It is all your posts that have kept me going this far, and I’m now thinking I can really get through this so thank you. Kath - I’m a bit late on the Happy Birthday front, but hope you had a good weekend anyway. I’m going to be 50 in July so may have to postpone the celebrations (commiserations?) until the chemo/radiotherapy is over. Giving up alcohol - I love ginger beer… and often put a splash of elderflower cordial in it with loads of ice… really refreshing! Wigs - good idea to get it in advance & to get used to it before I need it. Sadly I had a wig appt booked for 1st March but they phoned me yesterday to re-arrange as they are doing a stocktake. This was the only day my best friend could come with me, so I’m feeling a bit let down & am thinking of going somewhere else… any hints or tips? Wig alternatives - I think someone on the forum mentioned a company called Suburban Turban who make head scarves and coverings for ladies having chemo or with alopecia. I had a look at their website yesterday & thought I might give them a go. Sunny days - It’s another beautiful sunny day here in Wiltshire, so I’m sending you all some love, warmth and sunshine wherever you are. I’m off to see my mum today.
Caroline
X
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I also bought the starter pack of wig stand, brush, shampoo, daily conditioner spray and a hair spray. Just hope the dog doesn’t find it!
Mandy x