Starting chemo July 2012

great news smudge xx

Quick update - Portacath is in - ouch! Woke up from surgery with severe shakes and in more pain than with the other two, much bigger, operations I have had. Went home that evening though having managed to convince them to prescibe me Tramadol so I could bear the car journey and to have at home so I might sleep. Now just need to recover from 3rd GA in 2 months and then get on with Chemo. Glad to have it in though as veins were difficult as usual yesterday and won’t need to worry about that all through Chemo. BCN looked please about it all too. Thanks for all the support

CoachK

Glad you are at home, hope the pain goes soon xx

hi both do u no if its ok to go dentist with picc line in i no this sounds like silly question lol but am scared of dentists also xx

Quinny - I can’t see why not - just ring and ask the dentist I guess. Hope all is OK.
My Portacath pain is settling down but I am feeling a bit sick!!!

yh i felt like that with mine till bout the sunday its a lot better now still get the odd pain but nothing to shout bout xx

Hi Hazza,
Im starting chemo on friday the 13th, i know exactly what you mean sureal isnt the word. Scary but I just want to get started now. I have invasive ductive, triple negative and the lump is really big so they are doing chemo first then either lumpectomy or masectomy depending on results followed by radiotherapy.
Apparently I cant have a cold cap as it wont be any use with the chemo I’m gonna have. So I have gonna try and get a wig, I have really long hair and dreading losing it.
If you want to befriend me feel free, would be lovely to have a friend that I can talk to with the ups and downs ahead.
Lots of love
A
x

Hi Ladies, Hope you dont mind me joining you on your July thread, i started chemo on monday (second time for me grrrrr) am haveing Taxotere,Carboplatin and Herceptin together so the tripple whammy, am on day 2 now and feeling ok, have managed to get out and about lots for the last 2 days so all is good, have finished my steriods for this cycle and will finished my anti sickness tabs tonight i havent needed to take any top up sickness pills yet so thats a bonus lol am a bit constipated which i expected again from all the meds but am stuffing prunes and taking Movical which should get everything moveing soon (she says lol) anyway, just wanted to say would love to join you all on your thread ,we can maybe all cross the blooming chemos off together and help and support each other through it all, i know its very scarey faceing chemo for the first time but you will all be ok promise and we do get through it all in the end, keep positive ladies ,hope its ok for me to join you all.
Big Hugs to everyone, Linda x

Thanks Linda, great to have some experience on the team. Sorry you are having second whammy. I have a few weeks to go yet - any tips on preparation? Anything I can do to be in the best place to start it all?
I am seeing my BCN next week for a preparation chat.
Hugs Kirsten

Hi Kirsten, big hugs to you too, i know how scarey starting chemo can be but often the fear of it all is worse than it actually is, im not saying it cant be tough at times but there is lots we can do to make chemo as manageable as possible, and you will have lots more good days in there than bad, ive stocked up this time on the things that helped me last time around in preperation as its much easier to try and aviod or ease any of the usual SEs than to try to cure them once they start, but please remember all chemos are different and everybody reacts differently to all chemos so you may not have any the same SEs as me so try not to worry to much pet.
I have stocked up on Movicol and prunes lol for the constipation which sometimes happens with all the sickness meds ,omeprozole for acid indigetion (i suffer from this anyway) as chemo can be hard on the digestive tract, Difflam mouth wash and Difflam throat spray to help aviod/ease any mouth probs , travel bands i found good too for any nausea last time around though i havent needed them this time, a soft toothbrush ,drink loads and loads of water to flush the chemo through quicker and most importanly to keep you hydrated , and listen to your body and rest up when you need too.
Your BCN will be able to help you lots with any worries you may have so its great to have a chat with her, and always remember you can contact your hospital 24 hrs a day with any probs you may have, the chemo staff are very good at making sure that you dont have to suffer any SEs in silence and there are loads of different meds available to help ease any you may have, youll be ok pet just hang in there, its surpriseing how quickly chemo gos once you get started and you WILL get through it and come out the other side promise, make sure you have lots of treats lined up to look forward to (retail shopping works wonders lol) and just be kind to you.
Keep positive Kirsten , i know its all scary stuff ,but apart from a few tough days last time around i was able to carry on with my life pretty much as normal as possible , some ladies even managed to carry on working throughout chemo so try not to worry to much yet pet ,take things one step at a time then everything doesnt seem so daunting , hope you have lots of help and support at home , big hugs to you.
Linda x

Hi everybody
I started my first AC today … 3 more AC and then 4 more Tax … after i did my mastectomy operation one month ago
Chemo , radio then Tamoxfin
Very worried about side effects
Nothing to feel till now … Just the painful cold cap I tried … The first 10min are very very painful my scalp was freezed but then I used to it … I just want to give it a try and see if it is worse or not !!!
It is very awfull feeling to wait for something the side effects u hear from here and there …

Hi

Sorry can’t help with side effects as i havn’t started chemo yet, off to onc today for first meeting…hope everyone coping ok today with whatever they have to cope with xx

Donna

Just found this July thread, i’m starting chemo this morning 4 x tc cycles possible extending to 6. Good luck to
anyone else having chemo today! Michelle xx

hi michelle im having mine today 3 fec then tax …how u feeling this morning .what time is your appt xx were u having it? im at queen elizabeth in birmingham xx

Hi guys
Best of luck michelle and quinny for today. Starting mine on wednesday, absolutly dreading it! Had a bit of a panic last night, but things seemed better in the morning.
Just been to a Headstrong session, would recommend it, if even to have a laugh at the norah batty style hat thing that I tried on! And the fringe/ hair extension thingys. Nice!
xox Claire

Hi guys
Best of luck michelle and quinny for today. Starting mine on wednesday, absolutly dreading it! Had a bit of a panic last night, but things seemed better in the morning.
Just been to a Headstrong session, would recommend it, if even to have a laugh at the norah batty style hat thing that I tried on! And the fringe/ hair extension thingys. Nice!
xox Claire

Hi Ladies

Hopping in from the April 2012 thread - the easter Chemo Bunny Warren - to wish you all well as you start the chemo journey.
As others have said, you will get through it, some easier than others and at different times, you will have different obsessions… hair loss, wigs, constipation will all be definite obsessions, trust me. But our obsessions change as we get further on the journey. we are now all 2/3 the way through and you know, it doesn’t seem 2 minutes since we were the newbies on here.
I hope your thread becomes as loving supportive and downright good fun as ours has - we are now about 15 regulars and will be friends for ever. This is one of the positives of bc.

Tip - never give bc the courtesy of capital letters and never give the chemo drugs the same.
Remember, we have fec to tell the cancer to fecc off.
And if you want to raise a smile, send me a message and i will give you the link for my Happy bags.
have a gentle day ladies

pixie
xxx

Hi Quinny, hope your chemo went o.k yesterday? I had my first lot yesterday morning (being treated in Guildford) Felt fine and still feel fine this morning, so far…!! Michelle xx And Claire best of luck for Wednesday, if I can do it , you can do it! Does anyone know where I can get some pretty bandanas from (without looking like you are a cancer patient!) Some i’ve seen on line are just awful.xx

Hi everyone
I had my frest treatment thursday and I do feel tired but nothing terrible so far. So far anti sickness drugs working and already noticing increased appetite from steroids.
Off for walk with dogs now before rain starts yet again!
I was worried how I would feel and know it is early days but everyone seems to have such different experiences I think it’s best to wait and see what happens.
As for bandanas I too found most on line not great and old fashioned. My friend got me one with stars on rather than all the florals I found on line but think she just picked up when she was out on day trip. Just need to keep looking. At least when it gets colder some winter hats are a bit of a better option.
Kate

Hi all,
Pjust popping in from the April thread. There will be times when some of you are are feeling good and positive and other days when some of you are feeling knackered and low. Be lifted and supported by each other and share all your thoughts and feelings. It really helps to get things out and no one gets left in thedark place and you get through the treatment with a smile on your face. I have met ( virtually) some brilliantly funny people and made this e experience a positive one.
Stay tough ladies, you can do it.
Vannsx