Hi Rattles
Sending you big hugs.
Good luck to all you ladies who are having chemo today.
Hope everyone is getting a chance to enjoy the sunshine.
Take care Gillian xx
Rattles, you are indeed a very brave lady, going through all that crap, and then worried about upsetting your mum, bless ya, I really hope that things get sorted for you and the swelling goes down quickly, and that the steroids do their thing, it’s not fair that you have to go through another op and chemo, we are all here for you, if we could make it easier for you, well…I think you know we would, try and stay positive, you will get through this. As for the cyber vent, I think you more than qualify, :-), don’t worry about having a rant, if it helps go for it 
, whenever you need to chat we are always here, so keep posting, keep smiling, Toni xx
Hello everyone,
Rattles I was so sorry to read your post, you really have been through the mill, I hope your Doctors can get it sorted out for you and ease your mind a bit. I recently had an operation to remove my ovary and womb because of BC and have had a breast removed 18 months ago, this disease really is the pits!
I’m starting my first round of chemo today, Tax. A bit apprehensive but I’m going to try and drink as much water during as possible as I’ve read from other postees that this helps. I don’t know what to expect and have got everything crossed that any SE will be minimal. It seems such a shame to be hanging around the hospital for hours on such a beautiful day. Good luck to everyone also starting today.
Harry Duck, re my temperature, I took it when I got home and it was normal. Saw ONC yesterday and apparently a lot of patients seem to be suffering with hot ears! Think they should change their thermometers! The ONC also said I could have a blood transfusion for my low red blood count, 8.3, but I’m not sure whether to go for it or not, I do feel quite tired sometimes and that is even before chemo! I had really bad flu before my operation five weeks ago which I think was the cause of it.
Anyway, looking forwarding to reading everyones postings who are starting today once they are back from treatment.
Claire
Rattles- what a lot youve been through and more crap to come, its just so unfair!! Your posts are aways funny and positive and they’ve cheered me up loads at times when I’ve felt really low. I hope we can do the same for you now and give you a boost to keep you going - we’re all here for you sweetie to listen to your cyber rants or just to give you a great big virtual hug!!! This time in our lives will pass and we will get through it, I know we can, especially when we draw strength from each other when we need it - so you have some of mine today ( I’m sure to need it back later!) Em Xxxx
Good luck myfanwy and everyone else being FEC/TAX’d today!
Oh Rattles i so hope the steroids work. Will post properly later as Elizabeth has worked out how to cry… xxx
Brilliant news Harryduck! Hugs to Rattles Good luck to all those having chemo this week - I had EC 2 this morning so far no SE’s - hoping it’s the same as EC 1! Hair is falling out rapidly - I’m sure I’ll be having it shaved by the end of the week. Julie
Hi
Just got back from first FEC. Wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. The nurses were very kind. No SE’'s yet fingers crossed. just feeling tired.
Hope everyone else is doing ok.
Gillian xx
That’s good news Gillian, let’s hope it stays that way Toni xx
Hi All,
Rattles what a star you are! We are all here for you to rant to.
I felt over whelmed with all the offers of help for the very same reason, that, now and again you just need to be able to have a cry and feel a bit sorry for yourself. Most of the time we modern ladies, work, keep homes, kids, older parents and support the whole family!! Now and again we need to allow ourselves to stop and have a break from being everything to everyone else.
Sending you strength and Much love,
Viv x
Hey,
Has anyone tried using sea bands to use against the sickness? I had really bad SE’s last time for three days, and felt even worse and very weak as i couldn’t eat .
viv x
Hi ladies.
I have my first FEC tomorrow (after they try and get the picc line in (failed after 5 tries today ;(
Feeling a bit scared and teary. I’ve sailed through the op and fertility treatment in high spirits, but this seems the scariest bit by far.
Any tips on getting through the first one?
xx
Well done to the ladies who had their juicing today. Hope you are all well and have min SEs xxxx
hi josiejo was thinking of you. Had remembered that your first go was tomorrow. Sorry about the Picc line. How rubbish. Hope you were numbed up and didn’t feel it.
I am sure that tomorrow will be okay for you. The actual getting the chemo was not that exciting. I had a lovely friend with me who was getting quite involved with the questions. She sat on the bed in the end to get a better view of what was going on!! I felt fine during it all and went for a pub lunch after (in a kind of f cancer way). Started vomiting later though. Had a rough two days and then completely normal. I don’t want to tempt fait but not too bad at all. Definately doable!!
Good luck. Keeps us up to date with how you get on xx
Hi JosieJo
Sorry to hear about your PICC line experience, hope you are not too bruised. I don’t have one (they don’t seem to do them at my hospital) and my first chemo with a canula was fine, sat chatting to the nurse throughout. They generally let you bring someone with you and on our ward they let us use phones. They will give you a load of anti sickness meds etc to take home so bring a big bag. And drink loads of water before, during and after and bring some boiled sweets to suck as some of the chemo drugs give you a funny taste in your mouth as they go through. Hope your chemo goes OK today.
Viv - you asked about sea bands. Do you mean those accupressure wrist bands for travel sickness? I used them during my first chemo and had no sickness, but don’t know whether this was due to the meds or the bands. However its certainly worth a try and can’t do any harm.
Hope the chemo newbies have a reasonable weekend without too many SE’s and anyone out enjoying the sun remembers to use loads of sunscreen!
Take care
Squeakymouse xx
I am having my first Chemo today as well JosieJo so will be holding your hand xx
Hello Ginger1 and JosieJo,
I had my first Tax yesterday. The nurses were great, only had a little bit of red which came and went and minimal pain which only happened when I got up and went to the loo, so I supposed I pulled at the needle site a bit. I did drink plenty of water, 3lr before and during which helped with the veins to. I felt fine when I went home, very hungry actually and have woken up feeling fine, better than I did yesterday morning actually. I’m going to keep the water thing up, it can only help I suppose. I sure you will both be fine although I know its not much fun being in hospital on such a lovely day, hope you can enjoy your evening feeling fine.
Kind regards.
Claire
Hi Buds,
Hope everyone who had their treatment yesterday os Ok. I had my 2nd FEC yesterday and had Emend this time and its been fine so far. No sickness or nuasea and this time last dose was prostrate vomiting every 3 hours. So I feel very different. Tired but OK.
Rattles ,Please please use us all to let your emotions out as we can all empathise even if we have not had the immense challenges that you have had. I really hope they gat it sorted out so you can continue without too much extra pain both physically and emotionally. I think we will all be expery at coping with pain, needles anxiety etc by the end of this and remaining positive for our families. So the only place to be able to rant is here. Its safe and supportive. My hugs and thoughts are with you.
lots of love to all
Sarah
Hello to all the buddies, and thanks so much for all your encouragement and support.
Good luck to Josie and Ginger today!
I did get my chemo yesterday, but had to wait three hours while the two consultants got in touch to agree this new plan. I live in London so nightmare journey both ways- why do road and gas works at the same time as the Chelsea Flower Show? I thought Boris was going to stop such nonsense! It was a very exhausting day.
So, I take the steriods for a further 10 days, so 13 days in total. Extra drugs to help me sleep (although they do give you energy, they do stop me sleeping, which is fine for 3 days, not so fine for 13 days!) Right now, I am thankful that the swelling and pain is better. I had rads 2 years ago now so I don’t think anyone was expecting the rads to be a problem now. If I tell you I had a tiny bit of saline in the affected implant, but that it was still bigger than the other, it wil give you an idea of just how much swelling there has been. The dexamethasone is just miraculous though and it looks and feels so much better, it is just not a long term solution. My new (.) (.) ( sorry just love doing that!!) a have a procine dermis- think slice of bacon (ironically, haven’t eaten bacon for 22 years, so the poor pig is having its revenge!). 
My impression is that this has brilliant cosmetic effects but is causing some women who have had rads big problems. I dont think they know what to do, so its just trial and error. think I can cope with the idea of having the surgery after the chemo, but not stopping chemo, having an op, then re-starting chemo again.
Does anyone remember the Chumba Wumba (or is this my chemo haze?) song- ‘I get knocked down, but I get up again…’ Well, its a bit like that, except I am starting to feel that it is a bit harder to get up again these days. I try and find ways to laugh at cancer, partly because sometimes its genuinely funny (to me anyway), but also because it makes me feel like I am bigger than it. 
The problem with the new site is that it is impossible to go back and look at some of the previous posts without losing mine, and by now my memory is failing. We have all been through so much and I do hope that we can all feel able to put aside tht ‘brave face’ we all use to be honest about the low days.
I also wanted to say to myfanwy that it sounds like you have been through alot- personally, I have found chemo much harder on the back of surgery than coming to it with a clean slate, so while hopefully you will bounce back (and I have), it is more tiring so just don’t expect too much of yourself.
Why are my posts always so long?!
Sending you all lots of love and cyber hugs.
Rattles
Good morning to all you lovely ladies,i hope your are all feeling ok.
Ive got to send a special big hug to Rattles,you have and are still going through so much my thaughts are with you and hope you get everything sorted very soon.
I had my first chemo yesterday and so far so good,funny coloured wee lol slept very little lastnight but apart from that im good thankfully.I hope it stays that way because i need to go the shops 
I hope you all have a lovely day,take care
Donna xxx