Thanks Beverly, I’ll keep on with it then. For a bit at least. Good to know at least someone’s got some hair then. Good luck for chemo 5!
It’s hit and miss with the cc I think, even though I lost most of my hair day 20 first fec and still grit my teeth at every session (done 2 fec/2tax-c) I will carry one for the last two cycles, I emailed paxman they say it could help with regrowth. Sue, are you still planning on attending the ywf in Swindon? I keep confusing people with the hair/no hair look, especially the children on the school run, mornings with hair, pm with hat/cap! There is no denying the hair thing is for me quite challenging, but getting the hang of doing makeup without lashes&brows.
Hi all
Just back from chemo. Had a couple of anxious moments and lightheadedness. Might go for a nap. hopefully the SE’ s won’t be too bad. Debx
Hi Deb - Hope you’re not feeling too icky. Maybe a nap will help. I think the whole idea of chemo is a bit alarming, so you’re bound to feel the need to collapse a bit afterwards.
Hi Julie
Have just taken second anti sickness tablet. Def don’t feel like eating, am trying to drink lots. Wishing you all mild side effects. Die cancer cells die!. : D
Hi all,
Starting chemo on Thursday. Really not looking forward to it. It’s just hitting me that I can’t protect my poor little boys from everything that is going on.
I’ve told them the truth the whole way through but have always managed to minimise the impact on them. Today though I feel like I’m having a bit of a melt down.
It was my little ones birthday on Saturday and my oncologist let me delay chemo by 10 days so that I could celebrate with him and have party etc. I didn’t realise though how bad I would feel after his birthday and how much of a countdown it would feel like.
Sorry I am rambling but I’m hoping that you’ll all understand how I am feeling and will tell me that I’m not going mad! Can’t sleep now either, I was like that too when I was waiting for the op.so not too worried just annoying as I’ve got that tired headache.
Here’s to mild side effects and happy children, keep your fingers crossed for me.
Love Joxx
Hi Jo
Sorry don’t know how old your children are but mine are 2 and 5. When I was diagnosed my first thought was them. I wanted to protect them from all bad things. It is so hard. But they have been very good today while I have felt a bit off. Just get as much back up as you can. In terms of child care plan for the worst and then everything is a bonus and you will feel much less stressed. Better that than hoping you will cope and then feeling guilty for having to give up for a while.
Remember they can do a lot dot side effects now and children are mighty resilient. They know I am on yucky medicine and my hair is going to fall out. Oh and playgroup and school have been great.
Very best wishes. Debx
Thanks Deb,
The boys are 4 and 5.
Bless them aren’t children wonderful. Was it your first chemo? I hope you are ok and side effects won’t be too bad.
My husband is a firefighter and the fire service have been amazing they have given him the first week of chemo off and have said he can take as much time as he needs so the childcare is covered.
I think if I’m honest I’m just freaked out as I am usually so in control of everything and I feel a bit like I am about to board a runaway train.
Thanks for your support Deb,
All the best,
Joxx
Hi everyone,
Deb, hope you are coping ok…well done for getting no1 out of the way. Take all the medication, eat little and often and of course the drink loads is v important. If you feel a bit yuk remember it will pass and after a few days you will wake and feel normal again!! It’s a great feeling when that happens:-))
Jo good luck for Thursday, you will be fine, I have my 2nd FEC on Thurs and 3 weeks ago I was panic stricken and felt like the runaway train was where I was heading too…so I can tell you…you are normal.If you’re worried ring your bc nurse as she will help a lot with your concerns, mine was great and although no one ever ever wants this treatment your nurse will help you stay calm through it.
My hair is receeding now from behind my ears and thinning all over (even though I used the cold cap) it began to come out on day 10 after 1st chemo, a little at first then more each day. Had it cut really short on Friday and still coming out in handfuls. I keep thinking that if it continues to work upwards from my ears I will end up with a mohecan HELP!!!
Hugs to everyone
Suze xxxx
Hi, Suze, my second FEC also on Thursday as long as my WBC back up. Am I right in thinking you go to Tameside? If so might see you there!
My hair also disapearing from the sides, perhaps it’s because we sleep on our side & not standing on our heads! I think my eyebrows are thinning out all by themselves, saves on plucking!
Good luck for Thurs.
Carol x
Well yesterday was the first day off anti-sickness and steroids and I am really glad to be off them! Last night was the first night approaching good old fashioned sleep that I’ve had in a few days, plus my eyesight is gradually returning to normal (distance vision had gone all blurry), so next chemo session I’m going to ask to have the steroid dose reduced, I think it’s too strong.
Managed to cook a mild lentil biryani last night which was yummy, and didn’t upset the heartburn too much!
Acupuncture and briefly popping in to work to say hi to everyone today, will mean a trip on the tube in this awful hot weather so I’m loading up with water, sandwiches and ginger biscuits!
Hope everyone else isn’t doing too badly!
Hi all,
3rd FEC yesterday passed without incident - veins a bit reluctant but 2nd attempt worked thank goodness. Will feel like I’m half way once the next few days are over. Got a new prescription for the indigestion I got last time, so hope that works.
Jo - I felt much better once I’d started the chemo. The waiting really is the worst part, so hope today passes quickly and Thursday (tomorrow or next week?)goes well.
Suze - think you should go for the Mohecan (spelling?). Would give the neighbours something to think about! I gave some studenta a bit of a shock yesterday. We’ve got some tennis couts belonging to a college right behind our back garden wall and a player called over for me to throw back a ball they’d hit over. I kindly did in my at-home-bandana-less state. They did look a bit surprised. My children (9 and 11) thought it was hilarious. They’re totally used to the bald thing and adapt v quicky to the whole chemo thing think.
Best to all
Sue
Morning all
Have big fat red chemo head this morning. V attractive- my children did laugh. But so far today have felt ok. Mouth a little bit not right but have eaten a ginger biscuit and a banana.
Am I mad for thinking the fact that I feel ok means its not working very well?
How long before side effects normally kick in?
Jo- if your chemo is tomorrow good luck. Watch out for the prickly hedgehog if your on fec. ( v strange side effect- you’ll know what i mean if you get it- nothing to worry about)
Hope everyone losing their hair is coping. Stay well and remember resting helps build up your white cells so dont fight it. Rest.
debx
The waiting for chemo to start is probably the worst bit, the first week after is when most of the side effects show, apart from low neutrophils which will show in your blood test, and for me the two weeks before the next session are like normal, my kids (9&10), got used to it all very quickly, my eldest (20) is home from uni now and very supportive. I think taking all your meds on time even if you don’t feel sick works, eating little and often and taking some time out works for me. I have now had 4 sessions and it feels good to be able to look towards the end! Big hug to all, we can do it! X
Morning all - lovely day here, so hope it is where you are too. Sounds like there’s a few of us booked in for Thursday, we’ll have to pool anti-SE vibes. Strength in numbers!
Hi Jo - sorry you’re here, but knowing others are out there does help somehow. Everyone’s right as the hardest part is waiting to start. Not sure if this helps, but I have a six year old boy and he’s not noticed anything so far. It’s hard sometimes when I’m tired to keep going as he’s a live wire, but I’ve managed the first cycle without affecting him really at all. Hope it’s the same for you. Honestly, it’s scary, but unless you’re very unlucky and have a bad reaction to the drugs, it is all doable.
Sue, three done that must feel good. You and Tina are the furtherest ahead. Hope you’re feeling good today and not too. Hope the indigestion stays away.
Mrs Sloth, glad you’re off the steroids. I’m not a big fan either. Manic moods in the middle of the night aren’t the best way through all of this. Lenti biryani sounds fantastic to me. How d’you make that then? Is it easy? Very, very healthy…
Deb, I’d say you’re doing okay if you’re not feeling sick. That seems to be the first one to kick in, so your meds must be working for you. They do for a lot of people and it doesn’t mean the chemo isn’t taking effect. The mouth problems in terms of alcers, etc kick in a few days later, so look out for those and keep gargling.
I’m off in a bit to get my bloods done for tomorrow. Have a bit of a cold thanks to my son. I’ll be so annoyed if they say I’m not fit. Already seen Onc for some different anti sickness drugs this time, so fingers crossed they’ll work this time.
Wishing you all much sun! xj
Hi Julie
I have my 3rd Tax tomorrow so I’m one of the Thursday club. I am going to have a day out today. I have been doing this through all my chemos (previously 3 EC) as I see it as my last chance of freedom for a week!! Although coping with a full day out is becoming increasingly hard (soooooo tired) I figure that I will be stuck indoors for the next week so I can make up the rest.
Hope everyone has a ‘good’ day tomorrow and the SE’s are not too bad.
Viv
.
Hi Gill, just wanted to pop in and say our oncs must have gone to the same school as mine said not to bother with the cold cap as I would definitely lose my hair on tax. Well I decided to ignore her advice and have been through 4 x FEC and had my 2nd Tax yesterday and so far my hair has thinned but if you didn’t know what I was going through you wouldn’t notice. I don’t know if it’s too late for you to start but it might be worth a try. The thought of losing my hair has been the most upsetting part of this for me (i’ve not had any ops except SNB so far though) and not losing it has helped me to be more ‘normal’.
Good luck for monday
Michele
Hi Ladies,
Hope everyone is ok, thank you all for the good wishes for tomorrow. It looks like many of us are going en masse tomorrow!!
Carole…I am at Oldham Hospital so sorry but we won’t bump into each other.I will try to start sleeping standing on my head to see if it stops hair from coming out lol!!
Don’t forget to ask for Lansaprozole if you have indegestion and drink and garle with fresh pineapple juice for mouth problems…the corsodyl was too strong for my mouth and the roof all wrinkled badly…the pineapple juice mad it back to normal so I’d deffo reccommend it.
Gill…sorry your hair is going on holiday without you (like mine) it really is the most awful part of all this I think, and don’t you hate it when people say it’s not forever and it will grow back…ok I think so do you want to swap with me?? I bet they don’t.
I don’t know if I’m missing something (like a brain!!) but I only realised a week after taking anti sickness pills that one of them was a steroid, I had no hyper episodes, nor did I stop sleeping nor did I wake in the night…I wonder if my body doesn’t react to anything (I hope it does react to the chemo - in a positive way of course) as the cold cap has not helped as much as I’d hoped and I was unaware that I had had steroids. Maybe the fact that I just thought I was only taking anti sickness that I didn’t have any steroid episodes…they worked in the sickness dept as I wan’t sick at all (not that I got off lightly as I has a lot of nausea)
Ok ramble over…offf to dance school…take my mind off tomorrow for a few hours
Hugs to all of us
Suze xxxxxx
Most silly thing said to me when I started wearing my buff on the school run was “hair is sooo overrated” by one yummy mummy tossing her blonde locks. I could have cried there and then! I not sure there will be one day I won’t miss the way I looked, but I am trying to look ahead. Good luck for all you Thursday girls tomorrow! Xx