Julie - OH and I have registered as you would know the area better than us if you decide to do it let us know and a place to meet. I wonder if the north east thread would be interested?
Well girlies its finally the eve of the first EC. Thank goodness will finally be a fully fledged pinky. Trouble is ive been aching over the shoulders all day and heads convinced me its bone mets. And the headache that must be brain mets. AAARRRGGGHHH. I dont even feel that nervous for tomorrow so why is my body playing up today.
Love to all. XX
Weena - we all feel this at times so dont worry - big hugs for tomorrow.
Reeb - Are you all sorted now - not a pleasant job for OH!
LIF - can you take on some temporary staff to give you a bit of a hand for next couple of months.
I am keen to join in for a weekend away april/may if you have decided to go ahead with this. Dont mind were. Just be good to meet all of you.
Little angel - I know the feeling - I was back in hospital again at 4am after FEC 4 s/e’s and had sats, ecgs and bloods done even though they were only done 12 hours earlier. Suffering from sensory neuropathy like you Bacca which the hospital told me was not FEC related but onc disagreed!! Did not realise it was the dex as they have just doubled my dex in the drip. Have emend as well so hopefully will cope over next couple of days. Also ECG showed a “flutter” but they tell they are not worried. Funny how I am!!
Hope everyone is feeling ok with s/e’s and big hugs to those with chemo this week.
Roll on next week - expecting bad day tomorrow. Not slept for 24 hours so hopefully will sleep through it all.
Janvis xxx
Good luck for tomorrow weena:)
Janvis and trish - my onc has cut my dex out, just have it with my cocktail-because i was so out of it, feel sicky all time but better than being ‘dexed’out.
In conversation today i have been told that fresh air is "good’ for cancer, and that i am getting a ‘free’ boob job! Oh, and that i am lucky that i work for t’husband, so dont have to ‘worry’ about getting hassled about going back to work …arrrgggghhhhhhhh!!! Wish people would engage brain before they spoke. Am seriously friend trimming!!!
Feeling better today, feel sicky all time, horrid taste in mouth, 2 more jabs to go:)))
hugs all round xxx
MrsB if i friend trim anymore im in fear of being friendless!! XX
Julie,
I’d definitely be up for a weekend awawy, it would be lovely to meet you all…
Also my hair is starting to grow back and ive now got stubble on my head - has anyone else had this on Tax?
Hugs to all who need them and also for those who are ok :))
Sarah X
I’d be up for a weekend away too.
Hi sarah
Im on tax and i wish my hair was growing you lucky duck x
Maybe we should write a book with a collection of comments of what not to say - an idiots guide should do it. Should sell well as there appears to be plenty of idiots out there.
Good luck for tomorrow Weena and anyone else having chemo tomorrow .
I think the Idiots Guide is a brilliant idea Reeb! People just dont THINK - and it’s meant to be us who have the ‘chemo brains’! I’m usually quite a tolerent person but all that’s gone out the window now…if they don’t think first then I won’t either!
Well FEC3 done & dusted today - felt instantly ‘toxic’ this time afterwards, just as I was feeling so good as well, it’s back on the poison. They managed to test the Groshong line and after me lying completely flat, head turned to the right and left arm puching up & down in the air, they managed to get blood flowing out again of the valve. Felt like i was playing a game of ‘Twister’!
Went upstairs this morning to choose suitable hat from extensive wooly collection and got wedged in my dog stair gate! The shame of it! Hmmmm … chemo or too many mince pies/baileys/sausage rolls? Chemo gets the vote I think.
Thanks for tips about injections etc. re. neutropenic sepsis. I have to self-inject for 5 days from Day 5, Filgrastim, into the tummy. Apparently, although they help boost your white cells, but in doing so they lay you up with the back, shoulders, arms etc really painful (which is what I get Day 6, 7 & 8) cos its working hard on the bones & bone marrow. Really dread Day 6 but fingers crossed, it may not happen this time.x
Reeb - good idea on book. My OH is a publisher so he could publish it for us! Also hope your drains are sorted out now.
Weena - good luck for tomorrow
Barneypaws - well done for FEC3 and hope you have a good night’s slee with minimal SE
xxxxx
Sarah my hair started to grow after Fec 3 so you probably start to se it coming through now although it was very slow but i did have new growth and quite a bit of stubble by the time i finished chemo
Reeb yes i think the northeast thread would be interested in signing up ill have a look and get registered and let you know xJulie
well done those who had chemo today and good luck for tomorrow Weena big hugs xxxx and try and get some rest it really isnt as scarey as you imagine once you get 1st one over and dont worry its not brain mets or bone mets its called tension lol x take care
Good luck Weena for tomorrow. Will be thinking of you. Try not to worry about the pains. We all know how you feel tho.
On the subject of insensitive remarks my GP asked me yesterday what my prognosis was. It floored me a bit really as I hope my prognosis is good but haven’t asked. Seeing onc tomoro and now feel that I want to ask as she’s raised the question and it keeps going round in my mind.
Would be keen to meet up too. Having Mx after chemo and then prob rads. Don’t leave me out tho!
Sorry bout everyone having all these SE’s . Will be climbing on board t rollercoaster again on fri all being well with the bloods tomoro.
Nite all. Sleep tight hopefully.
Polly xxx
Had 3rd weekly tax today (9 left!) Sarah - you lucky thing with hair starting to grow back! AAARRGH…I’m afraid to say I now have about half my eyebrows, no bottom lashes and very few top lashes. Have bought some false lashes and ‘browzings’ makeup from Benefit but have never used anything like that and not sure if I can be bothered to do that every day. Am quite fair anyway so will and see what happens if all lashes do a runner.
Barneypaws-hope you don’t feel too bad over next few days
weena - lots of luck
Reeb - couldn’t believe what happened - hope all sorted by the time you got back!!
Kaz - wondered where u’d been, hope interneted-up soon!
LIF - so glad you’re out, but yes be sensible and just keep things ticking over. neulasta injec’s will help in future.
Good luck tomorrow Weena!
Hope everyones ok…flipping heck Reeb…yeeeuch!!!
Have taken it easy today and been good…other than cleaning out fridge and washing kitchen floor and doing 3 loads of washing…well I had to as there was something nasty lurking in fridge, floor was appalling and I had no clean socks!..all males here cept me, sheep and one dog!
Still feeling a bit wobbly…
Business wise its complicated! I have really specialised machines and though I have a team of temps who come in for one specific job type the stuff that is outstanding requires me to be there…or my right hand woman who is off with a rhumatoid arthritis flare up at the mo…dosent rain but it pours. The work is technical and heavy and some machines can be very dangerous so anyone using them must be trained and not alone.
Lulu…if you have a delivery of meat from the organic company beginning with R the 2 insulating interior packs with the pictures of a little sheep on it are one of my main products!..we produced 12,000 of them in the 3 weeks prior to my last chemo…1st tax!!!
Talking of tax…theres the other sort to do too…Theres the online paye to get in by 31st Jan and the VAT return…oh and there is the working out of all the VAT increases…
I am beginning to dream of those letters TAX !!
Seriously considering becoming a hermit!!!
Janvis…the neuropathy is FEC not dex. The dex SEs for me were rapid cycles of being up and down (20 mins with full dose) plus REM. NOw down from 12mg tabs and then 8 day 2 because I refused 12 again through 6 and 4, to 6 and nil. Interestingly slightly flushed tonight (new for me…thought dex caused that but seems not…no bug eyes yet though).
Barneypaws…I do my neulasta in my left thigh as tum didn’t appeal one bit. You could ask your nurses about different sites. My SE is 36hours of muscle discomfort from neck to base of spine. A single paracetamol fixes it but only taken one when had to go out. Pelvic bone aches more common…but worth it to stay out of hospital. Good luck :).
Best of luck Weena x
LIF…bed!!
hi all
just spent an hour catching up - oooh we do natter don’t we!!!
had bloods today & wound swab to check if antiBs have cleared infection but it does finally look like it might be healing HURRAH!!! they had a prob getting blood out of the line like some others on here but she laid me flat & flushed it & it worked so fingers crossed it will all stay OK.
went mega shopping in the sales today after bloods - a splurge before Fri Fec 2 - bought loads of tat & toys & clothes & stuff we don’t need but enjoyed every credit carding minute of it.
My lovely sister is having Sophie after nursery & overnight on Fri in case I am sick again so she won’t have to see me being ill which helps a lot cos I’d hate her to see me (and hear me!) actually throwing up. My niece of 19 has offered to share her room with her which is just so sweet as sophie adores her so it will make it a real treat & she has a Gym party sat lunchtime & rob has tickets for Tangled the new disney on Sunday so she’ll probably have a wonderful time while I am feeling B awful but at least I won’t worry about her.
they are doubling my steroids in the drip this time too but having it at 10.30 so hope I will be able to sleep - will have my other anti sickness & sleeping stuff (levo something or other)to help. though the fact that it is also used for schizophrenics or relieving anxiety in terminal patients is a bit of a worry!!!
Good luck for tomorrow weena!
Big hugs to those who had chemos today and cross fingers for kind SEs.
jbt - can we go to bettys for tea in York, love that place!
Maybe we could include appropriate responses to remarks in the dummies guide.
Feeling ok after taxol #1, bit tired and bad taste, crossing fingers it stays this way! Does anyone know the difference between taxol (paclitaxel) and taxotere (docetaxel)? Even the chemo nurse couldn’t tell me!
Off to count some of LiFs sheep zzzz
Cat xx
Docetaxel differs from paclitaxel at two positions in its chemical structure. It has a hydroxyl functional group on carbon 10, whereas paclitaxel has an acetate ester, and a tert-butyl carbamate ester exists on the phenylpropionate side chain instead of the benzyl amide in paclitaxel. The carbon 10 functional group change causes docetaxel to be more water soluble than paclitaxel
Ok so I copied that from wikepedia - if you understand it you’re a better person than me - no wonder the nurses couldn’t tell you!!!
It’s something to do with american versus european yew treesor something or other!!!
Thanks Bacca
Your Dex seems high. Not sure how much they give me in the drip but it has been doubled up. I then take 8mg of Dex on day 2 and day 3 with 4 mg on day 4 and 5 on advice from BCN (-rather than 8mg a day for 3 days. I also get REM and sometimes feel as it I cant relax after takinng it.
When I first got the neuropathy - the chemo unit insisted it wasnt FEC related and sent me to A&E with very unhealthy people sitting around coughing and sneezing till I told them I had to be separated - but was there for over 5 hours for them to tell me it could not be anything else but FEC related. Onc agreed it was uncommon but was FEC related and he has advised that he has room to move after FEC 4 to reduce the dose slightly if I want to - so that it will reduce the effects.
janvis xxxx