Hi ladies,
looks like we are all starting within days of each other which will be a great support
Helen, you are the day after me, will you still be having Rads when you are finished Chemo ?
Sarah.xx
hi sarah, and everyone
lets get through this together,
scary though
Hi All,
No Donna, I know what you mean, I don’t wear much make-up but have always worn mascara as I’ve got very turquoise coloured eyes and they’re my “redeeming feature”! Vain I know on my part, but I’m going to feel lost without my eyelashes to paint up!
I’m now having to get used to wearing lippy instead!
Hi Sarah - yep rads after chemo, I’m not sure if said it somewhere else on here but reason I’m having chemo is cos the little b**gers got in my blood.GGGRRRRRRRRRR!!
Lots of love
Helen xx
Hi all, I thought I’d report back, one down five to go!! Was pretty nervous this morning but the acutal chemo (FEC 75) was totally doable. Nurse sat with me the whole time, first they ‘pushed’ through some saline, then steroids, then I think 3 x large syringes of F, E, and C, didn’t notice the order, as I may have been chatting alot 
This was followed by a final bag of saline. The whole process took about 45 minutes. No major sensations as the drugs were put in, a little warm perhaps at the needle site but nothing to worry about at all. Now the cold cap, for my type of chemo I need to wear it for half another prior to the treatment begining and then two hours after. The first 10 - 15 minutes I really doubted I could carry on with it. I consider my self to have a high threshold for pain, I have very thick hair and I live in Scotland, where -5 is a summer day (well almost). However, I really wanted to give it a try so I put my ipod on very loud, I think I may have rocked a bit in my chair and thought about nice hot holidays I have had. Tapping my forehead also helped (I may have looked a bit crazy!!) but it worked and after the initial 15 minutes, I really didn’t feel anything.
Almost 7 hours since I completed the treatment, and I’m okay, feel like I’m sitting waiting for something nasty to happen. Just wanted to wish everyone else a good session. Good luck, take care of yourselves, love Donna xxx
hello there Donna
congratulations on your first one down,how wonderful it was to read your post, im going on thursday to start my FEC,did they give you anti sickness drugs whist you was there and to bring home? reading your experience re the cold cap was fab as i too have booked myself for it,keep up the good work
love and hugs
Donna !!! xx
Donna, Congratulations on one down & Thank you, I’m trying the cold cap next week and reading your update has been really great, especially as I’m having FEC 75 too. I hope you have a good night’s sleep tonight and are ok tomorrow.
Good luck to you too DonnaP - I’ll be thinking of you.
Helen xx
thankyou Helen xx
Hi Donna P, thanks for your kind words They give you anti-sickness med’s through your drip before you start, and a some pills to take home with you. I also got some steriods, probably why I didn’t sleep too well last night 
However, I know it’s early days but I don’t feel too bad at all, the anit sickness tablets seem to be working. Feels a bit like a hangover, just not quite right. Good luck for tomorrow, will be thinking about you. Donna xxx
Hi Helen, good luck with your first chemo session next week, hopefully you will feel as well as I do. Take care Donna xxx
Hi all - Good luck/well done for the 1st one.
I had FEC2 on Monday and thought i’d share my experiences so far.
FEC1 made me woolly head and strangely detached from my body, although i am taking injections from day 7 - 12 to keep whire blood cells up and think they might have been the cause more than chemo. My hair fell out (well, i shaved it off as it was looking a bit grim) on Day 18. I have drunk, drunk, drunk throughout and cleaned my teeth and used mouthwash everytime i’ve eaten something but this paid off with a fairly normal mouth. I’ve mostly felt fairly normal and even managed to squeeze in a weekend away, although i was surprised about how tired i felt week 3 as i was expecting to feel the best that week.
So far FEC2 (day 3) has been kind.
I hope you get thru’ this and the continuing weeks to come.
x
Hi All
I have my 2nd chemo on valentines day.
I was only ill on the Monday PM Nausea and bad head ache.
Ginger biscuits and ginger ale good for helping to settle tummy.
Not been able to sleep much either due to hot flushes.
Been to dr and she has now given me something to help me sleep.
Just starting to get a sore mouth now.
But other than i’m doing ok and energy levels not to bad at the moment each good daty is a blessing.x
Starky1
Hi All,
Does anyone have any ideas what else I can try should I have the nausea as I’m allergic to ginger??
This is really starting to bug me now.
Thanks to you all
Helen xx
Hi Girls thought id drop in and say hello,im nearing the end of my treatments,last radiotheprhy next weds! hurray its also my birthday that day so double celbration.i had 6 lots of fec and although its not easy it is doable,something i learnt was not to sit around waiting for the side affects,get on with life as much as you can,sleep when you need to.i was very very sick after my first 2 lots,ended up in hospital both times,but they then gave me amend anti sickness one hour before my fec and then for 2 days after it worked a treat,better then the anti sickness they normally give you so dont suffer ask for a different anti sickness,its a bit of trial and error before they get it right for you.my veins started to shut down after my 3rd lot also so i had a pic line fitted into my arm it was so easy then to give blood and they can put chemo through it so no more needles.reading the threads i remember when i was first starting mine and i felt just the same as you all did,as for sickness when i felt better i made up a big batch of carrot and ginger soup and froze it ,it helped me through the days when i didnt want to eat.take very good care of yourselfs and talk to your loved ones,because at first i didnt talk much,it takes some digesting!but they suffer to and sometimes we have to ask them to talk back to us.love Lynne
Troymaiden, Peppermint oil capsules from superdrug are an alternative to ginger. If you cant swallow them, they can be squeezed into hot water for a soothing drink. I’m day 7 post FEC 100 no 2. Very tiring, but eating ok and drinking lots of water. I have never been a fan of bananas but since FEC I eat them all the time. You never know what might take your fancy. I bought some dry crackers to eat, but as yet have not touched them. Good luck everyone…x
hello lovely ladies,
well its nearly here i go in the morning for first FEC
oh im so scared and not been able to eat all day but i must have somethink as i feel sick to my tummy through nerves, ive heard that you can start using difflam on day one as to stop nasties before they start, any tips for breakfast lunch and dinner, oh my oh my oh my,
im going to london on the 18th february to see The Jersey Boys, it will be in my 3rd week so i hope everythink will be ok. it was a christmas gift to my husband he cried when he opened the tickets, then BANG this came along, but hopefully i will get on that train and go for the weekend,
what do you all do on your good week ?
thankyou
xx
Hi All
I start my FEC tomorrow and am feeling sick to my stomach. It’s been a whirlwind. Diagnosed IBC two weeks yesterday, tests finished today and in at 2pm tomorrow for the kick Off, oh FEC!
I wish everyone strength and have to say It’s a pleasure and a great comfort reading all your posts and having the benefit of your experiences.
xx
Donna
Keep positive about going to The Jersey Boys if it’s your third week since you should feel ok by then - maybe down in energy but “ok”. My advice having had 6 FEC in the summer is that if you get any side effects then go to hospital or GP to get help - I had stronger anti nausea tablets and they helped, then constipation tablets to undo the jamming of the nausea tablets and then I got a rash and had some anti- viral drug for that - so don’t suffer in silence and anyway you might not have problems - keep positive. I kept doing special things throughout my chemo on good weeks - theatre visits, overnights, going visiting, choosing walks along lakes and rivers to keep me calm - it made the whole process ok as I felt that I could pick some treats for a change!!
Fran
just realised its the end of my second week when i will be going to london,
fingers crossed then Donna - you should cope but try to pace yourself with rests during the day
Fran