Starting chemo in February

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Adi, I’ve got a bit lost with who’s on what, are you on Tax or FEC? Are you taking any other meds apart from the steroids? I know metaclopramide can give scary hallucinations, so if you’re on other things as well, they should be able to change your meds so you can first of all get some sleep and secondly not have mountains and snow in your bedroom!

Give your chemo unit a ring, and the helpline too, they might be able to make some useful suggestions.

Meanwhile, have a virtual hug and a virtual sleeping pill.

CM
x

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Hey all.

I’m really sorry you’re having such a bad time adi. Sounds like a miserable night. I hope you can get some relief, or get some kip during the day instead, without any weird nightmares. Being on FEC i haven’t had as many steroids so haven’t had the same problems, but I am a rubbish sleeper so I do empathise with you. Could you maybe get something from your GP to help you sleep while on steroids?

I thought exactly the same as Lisa about Ascot - it looked very wet on telly this morning, so perhaps its best to watch it from the comfort of your own home instead. You don’t want to overdo it with all those nice things to look forward to at the weekend.

Sadly my night wasn’t much better - as soon as I lay down in bed, my stomach felt terrible and I was on the loo til 3am, evacuation from both ends (sorry if TMI). Think I’ve lost about a stone. Not sure if its something I ate or a bug, but my husband is fine, so who knows. So my plans to go to work have been shelved for the day! I did manage to drop my hubby off at hospital for a wee op on his finger and will have to pick him up later, but i might head to bed for a bit inbetween! It made a nice change to go to the hospital and not have to go in myself.

So fluids only for me today until my belly feels like it can cope with solids.

However, the dead arm is improving, just back to sore bruised veins, which I can cope with. And until last night’s episode, i think my taste is returning and mouth less sore. So finally FEC6 is heading out of my system, phew. How was your last tax Lisa? I bet you’re glad its over, hopefully it wont be a bad one and the tax truck remains punctured. Is a trip to the dentist required then? Must have been some chewy soup you were eating!

Yes, race for life is on Sunday Lisa. Will have to replace my lost stomach contents with plenty of pizza on Saturday to give me enough energy to get round it. Weather forecast doesn’t look great for it but that’s Scotland for you…

My OH gets it in the neck from me a fair bit too even though he has been great all the way through this. My parents get some short words too sometimes - its hard with people you’re close to not to snap sometimes! Whereas I’m on better behaviour with my mates for some reason. Hopefully my family know i am not being nasty to them on purpose…

Sal - that is an early appointment time for your rads (and very specific!). Mine are at 11.30am for the first 20, then 11am for the 5 boosters which allows a relatively long lie. Reckon it’ll take me about 50 mins to drive there, or an hour and a half on the bus. And then the same back. Joy. So I’ll be lucky if I can do half days for those 5 weeks. Still, it should keep my lunchtimes clear for any lunching I can arrange.

Lizzy - best of luck for tomorrow. And if you have some sun there, please send it over here for the weekend. Its not bad today but I dont want a cold baldy head on my run…

Lots of hugs to those in need (virtual, in case I’ve got a bug).

Al x

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Hi All, I have had such a poo week didn’t want to come on here and bring the side down… but feeling a bit better now. My computer was dropped by my daughter and so now I am trying to use this crazy little thing of my other daughters fwith a million broken keys! So excuse not using an enter button, backspace or delete!!! Adi, I hope you ae feeling a little bit better now. I have had some strange things happen to me at night in bed, including the terrible weighton my chest but nothing quite as mad as yours. I think its a build up of the tax and you are having such intensive sessions I am not surprsed. Hope your onc can give you some answers and you are not too exhausted. Well done Lisa o n completing yours I will be thinking of you during your surgery honey, just get good and strong for it… nearly over now. Sal glad you got your directions from rad person, did you get the same 3 tattoos as me, middle and either side of body? Al I am hoping your mouth got better. I keep a cup of salt wter in the bathroom and swill and gargle it everytime I go in there. Its when your mouth ulcers or any ulcers open that the infection can go in and cause mucotosis, apparently you can get these ulcers anywhere in your tract between mouth and anus!! Lovely. So must keep them clean to avoid infection. OK thats my tip for the day lol. Supposed to be having my last tax tomorrow as you all know, thanks for the well wishes, but I have been so stressed out that my body feels very weak, my legs are about to give out from under me, so cross finger s my bloods will be good enough. Maybe I should try Lisas beetroot soup for a good 4.7!!! It is too hot here and I sa shall waft waves of sunshine your way guys… waft waft… Making fathers day presents with the kids just now, paint and glue everywhere, not helped by a bottle of g fanta that just exploded all over the kitchen and managed to land on every conceivable surgace surface! bloody computer. Love to allxxxxxxxx

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ps. hope your tummy is better now Al xxx

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Hi everyone still not managed to sleep. Even walked into town and got myself a new dress for the weekend. Phoned the Oncology department and suggested I see my GP as think the steroids may have given me asthma and that is why I am struggling with breathing so going there soon but will drive this time. She also mentioned that I may need an xray. More radio!!! Hope it isn’t asthma!!! HAve to say I have not been right since that nasty chest infection, had so much more energy before that and it has totally wiped me out don’t think I have actually recovered from it.

Sarah - thanks for your words of advice this morning.

Sal - would love to go on a proper retail therapy trip. Your appointments are rather early but hopefully that will mean you can go in and out without delays. Al - good you got your dates too, nice to know what we are doing can’t do limbo land. Good luck sunday with your race.

Lisa - so glad you have finished this bit. Good idea about the dieting you are so inspirational. Not bothered about Ascot now as you say it is cagool day rather than dressing up day.

Lizzy - good luck with your last tax. Yippee!!! Another over this horrible finishing line.

Chocciemuffin- I have had 3 FEC and now 12 weekly Paclitaxel ~(Taxols). 3 more to go and can’t believe it! I find it amazing at all the individual treatments we are all given. I dont believe in googling so a bit green with all this. Just terrified of reading something I don’t want to know. Call me an ostrich:) lol

Fingers crossed that I come back from docs and it is just due to me being overweight. But Onc nurse could tell by my breathing on the phone that it was bit more serious unfortunately.

Take care everyone. Sun is actually shining here - at least bedding is geeting dry. Lots of love Adi x

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Morning girls, just getting me and the kids up to shoot off for my blood tests and hopefully last TAX… yippeee!

Adi… so sorry you are still having problems, please keep us posted, I am sending get well vibes and lots of strength hugs your way this morning.

CM… is this now the real you on your profile pic?

Everyone else… keep the faith!!!

Will catch up once the steroids have kicked in!!

Besitos… (thats spanish for kisses) xxxx

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Morning Ladies.

Lizzy good luck - nearly there! Thanks for the Besitos!!

Did manage to go out last night to Midnight Tango with Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace at MK theatre it was very good and goodness me wish I could just move a little bit like them… Anyway probably wore me just watching so did manage to sleep till 2.30 and went back to sleep till just after half five. So thank goodness for that. Feel bit better for it all.

Told to reduce the Steroids so only one today and confirmed that they have given me asthma so got stuff for that now. But good news is that it should go once finish chemo. Fingers crossed!

Hope you ok Lisa.

Got to take car in for brakes change today so that will put hole in pocket. Making the most of my hyper days before the weekend but going to fight the fatigue and try and enjoy this busy one.

Love to all. Have a good day everyone. Adi x
Have fun everyone. Adi x

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Woohoo… FEC done, TAX done, Rads in 3 weeks, Herceptin continuing… feeling good. (steroid high). Have double strength blood booster shots to take for seven days but not allowed to start them for a week. Extra steroids to take tonight and tomorrow morning (good can get the house clean). OH back tomorrow for a weeks hols, and boy do I have a list of chores for him to complete!! Heater packed away, fans out… its too hot now to go out in the sun!!

Have a great ‘fin de semana’ (weekend) everyone…

love and mas besitos,(more kisses) I will have you all speaking spanish yet! lol

Lizzy xxx

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Hey, well done Lizzy! Finished at last (the chemo at least). Hope the steroid high continues, at least until you want to go to bed and sleep. Don’t do too much housework though, leave that for when the OH is over for his holidays too! What date do your rads start?

I made it out for a short walk today which is progress. Knackered now, but I thought I’d better get the legs working for Sunday. And I have eaten proper food again so stomach problem seems to have resolved itself. Phew!

Ah, for it to be warm enough here for a fan! Its back to warm jumpers and umbrellas here. More wafting of that sunshine please Lizzy…

Glad you got out last night adi and also managed a bit of sleep. Hopefully the reduction in steroids will mean you get a bit more sleep and fewer nightmares. I hope your car is fixed and wasn’t too expensive!

How are you doing after your last tax Lisa?

I’ll report back on how I survive my race for life on Sunday,

Hasta luego,

Al x

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Hi everyone, Lizzy, well done for getting to the finish line, makes us all feel like the end is in site. My daughter lives in Madrid, so is lovely to hear the spanish lingo, Ive just booked a holday to Madrid for after the rads have finished in sept, I cant wait, I will deffo sink some tintos then :).My last fec is on wed (hopefully), seems a shame to poision me when I feel so well.Next time Im coming back as a bloody man, (no boobs!!!).xx

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Buenos dias chicas,

It’s good to hear evryone in better spirits.

Well done Lizzy for reaching the finishing line. I hope you have a fab time with your hubby home. Make sure you put your feet up!

Al- Goos luck for tomorrow, hope you enjoy your pizza today. Will you be lunching after your run?

Adi- How are you feeling now? Hope you’re ok and have managed to get a good night’s sleep.

CrazyLesley-it’s great that you’ve got holiday booked. I can’t wait to get away although I don’t know when I’ll be able to. I’ve got surgery then rads so maybe not until October/November.

The tax truck got me yesterday. Someone fixed the puncture and it run me over. Think it’s a weekend of doing nothing and resting up. Just taken loads of painkillers so will no doubt be asleep again soon. Will check in again later.

Lots of love, hope you all have great weekends xxxx

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Hi Girls,

Just a quickie as packing!

Well done Lisa and Lizzy!! Another 2 done!

Adi, i hope you are feeling lots better

Al Good Luck tomorrow, i will be thinking of you! Hope you can fit lunch in! :wink:

Had my hair cut today that was so so weird, but it looks great. Off now as go away tomorrow, speak to you all in a week or so, i hope you all have a great week and the sun shines on you all.

Lots and lots of love Salxxxx

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Hey ladies. How are we all?

Hopefully as we speak Sal is having a ball on holiday. Hope you have a lovely week away, i’m looking forward to hearing all about it.

I survived my race on Sunday. Even managed to run some of it. Two of my friends decided to run it as a three-legged race, tied together, so that helped slow them down a bit! We got to the finish line in 45 minutes, which is quite slow compared to how I used to run, but under the circumstances, I thought it would take a lot longer. There was a LOT of pink - some excellent pink wigs, and pink furry leg warmers. Two people were doing it on spacehoppers too. That must have been hard work. And you’ll be pleased to know that we did manage to lunch after it! It was an al fresco lunch - had buffalo burgers from a van. Yummy. The rain almost stayed off, so it was a nice day out and I managed to raise £1200 so it was well worth it. The pizzas and wine the night before were very nice too…

I’m suffering now though - not my legs, but I have picked up a stinking cold from someone. Can hardly swallow and have very fuzzy head. So yet another day at home on the sofa.

Hope you have recovered from your tax truck Lisa. Did you manage to relax and recover over the weekend, or are you still feeling a bit rough? Hopefully the painkillers helped a bit.

Did you have a nice weekend adi? You had a lot planned I seem to remember. Hope it went well and you’re not too knackered as a result.

How was your last tax Lizzy?

Good luck with your last poisoning on Wednesday crazylesley. Hope it goes ahead as planned.

Al x

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Morning Ladies

Well Done Al!!! You superstar - its a great feeling getting to the end… and all for a good cause.

I had a lovely weekend thanks but so tired yesterday and could not get out of bed. Want my energy back please. Back for more poison tomorrow - number 10 and that will leave just 2! Counting the days and just wishing my life away I know but desperate to finish this weekly poisoning.

Lizzy - you can officially say that you have completed this part of your treatment. Well done hope you ok.

Lisa - how are you feeling?

Good luck tomorrow CrazyLesley.

And as for Sal I bet she is having a wonderful time - and well deserved too. Bless her.

Keep well everyone. Adi x

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Hi everyone

It seems as if most of us have finished or nearly finished now. Hope all the SEs are going away. I’m coming up for four weeks since my last FEC and starting to feel more normal. Although still not quite there and getting bit impatient waiting to feeling full of energy (though thinking about it I never was that energetic!).

Al - that reminds me well done on your race - I’m very impressed! Hope your cold is clearing up.

Thinking about having my hair cut. Where I had the cold cap I have some long bits where I kept it and some short sparse bits where it didn’t work so well and I had a few bald bits. Though on the other hand I can use my longer bits to ‘comb over’!

Am starting rads in a couple of weeks - its 25 over 5 weeks which was a bit more than I thought it would be. Have been in for CT scan and tattoos. Now I’m just going to make the most of my bit of treatment free time.

Well done to everyone that’s finished and good luck to those that aren’t quite there yet. First day of summer today (according to Google!). Hope the rain clears up and we are able to make the most of the summer.

Love
Helen x

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Hi, hope to have last fec tomorrow, but ended up in hospital yesterday for 10 hours with a temp brought on by a head cold. Had IV antibiotics & some to take for 5 days. My bloods were ok so the unit have said to go in tomorrow & they will decided if I can have the last one. I seems to have a problem with my big toe, the nail feels like it has something under it, its a bit sore, could that happen with fec?I seems to be worring about everything & anything at the moment, just wont it over. Keep your fingers crossed for me tomorrow.

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Hi crazy lesley, sorry to hear about your hospital stay, especially just before last fec. I hope all goes well sweetie.

Woollycardy, I have 25 over 5 weeks too, although at the moment I have been smashed down by tax worse than ever. I am just so glad it was the last one and wishing the time away until i can feel more normal. I don’t know if its just the sideeffects or lifes circumstances at the moment but I feel so depressed and can’t stop crying, which is so very not me!! God I hope this passes!

I can’t remember if I said well done to all the life racers! But well done girls if I didn’t… my brain is smoosh right now and the temperature is so hot, it is unbearable!

Trying to think positive for the future, looking for jobs in the Uk and wondering if they will be hiring baldies!!!

Hope you are having fun Sal, hope you feel better Adi & Al.

Going off to get the kids ready for the pool, and not looking forward to it!!

love to all… super duper energy vibes coming your way

Lizzy xxx

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Hi Lizzie, sorry to hear you are not feeling too good at the mo, I do think the chemo makes us all feel sooooo fed up, the treatment takes so long our lives are totally taken over by it, & its bl…dy hard to remain upbeat. Only ladies that are going through this can understand what this does to us.My daughter lives in Madrid and has said how hot it is at the moment, I would just like a bit os sun, lots of us over hear seem to be catching colds,the weather is just awful wet & cold, doesnt help the mood. Take care & hope you feel better soon Lesley xx

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Hi all. Sorry people are feeling a bit rubbish/down/weepy etc. I’m afraid I’m still feeling rubbish too so I’ll join in with you. I still have a horrible cold - I haven’t had a cold for ages and ages so I really shouldn’t complain, but I can and I will! I think our last chemos have all been the worst and the fatigue and side effects are taking far too long to go away.

We’re having the opposite problem to you Lizzy - up here it is cold and wet. Well, I think its cold. I haven’t been outside since my race on Sunday. Festering indoors with my germs. Hope you survive the trip to the pool. I really admire how you manage to cope with young kids with all this - I just have myself to look after and that is enough! Plus my OH is here to help out so you are doing really well to cope. And we’re all allowed to cry. Sending lots of hugs. x

Sorry to hear you had to go into hospital crazylesley. Glad they let you home with antibiotics though. I had a slight temp yesterday but it had gone today so fingers crossed no IV antibiotics required here. My veins aren’t up for anything being stuck in them again! Fingers crossed they give you your last FEC tomorrow and that it goes smoothly.

No haircuts for me Helen - though I’m tempted to shave off the fluffy stuff I have on my head. Its too fluffy and white for my liking. I was hoping for dark normal hair to reappear, but I still look like an owl chick at the moment. I’ve got the same rads as you and lizzy too - 25 over 5 weeks (20 + 5 boosters). Starting a week today, which will be just less than 3 weeks since my last FEC. Not really time to recover so I’m going to be knackered before I even start! I’m also worried that i’ll be sneezing and snotting all over the simulator for my rads planning on Thursday… You seem to have been given a bit more recovery time before yours start Helen. Enjoy your ‘time off’!

Good luck for number 10 tomorrow adi. How are you doing with your reduced steroid dose? Are you managing to sleep better now?

Right, more hot drinks required for my poor throat.

adios,

Al x

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Evening All,

Lizzy- Sorry to hear that you’re down in the dumps. You have done so well and had 8 lots of chemo too. Hats off to you girl! My emotions have been all over the place. I had a major breakdown at Brads birthday. We went for a meal, wasn’t allowed to book a table and when we got there, we were told there was a 2 and a half hours wait. The staff were really unhelpful and I got so upset, I took my wig off, threw it on the floor and cried. This is so unlike the normal me, I would never make a scene and I’m quite embarrased by it now but I think it goes to show how I can’t control my emotions. sometimes we just have to let go.

Al- well done for finishing you race for life. What a fantastic amount you raised! It’s a shame that you haven’t been given much of a break between chemo and rads but at least you can get your treatment over quicker which means that holiday will come quicker too!

Helen- I’d go for the haircut rather than the comb over!

CrazyLesley- Hope you get your FEC tomorrow so that you can get it over with. One of my friends had problems with her toe nails on FEC too. Sounds painful, ouch!

Adi- Glad you had a good weekend. Good luck for tomorrow, nearly there girl!

I had a weekend in bed, floored by the Tax but felt so much better today. Just hoping the good feeling lasts! Had a trip to A&E. I hurt my foot last week. It didn’t hurt too much whilst I was in bed doing nothing but when I finally started to walk about on it,it swelled up and became painful. Had an x ray and it’s fine, just ligament damage. Phew! Me and my paranoia!

Thinking of Sal and hoping she’s having a lovely time!

Lots of love and positive vibes. We’ve nearly done this!

Lisa xxxxxxx