I have got a couple of strange symptoms (and lots of normal regular ones!)
In one way I was hoping that someone else might have these … so I can feel more normal … in another I hope you haven’t got these particular delights …
the strange ones …
NB I am on TAX cycle 3 - day 9 now …
VERY ODD DAYS
for the last 3ish days I have had the following paterns to my day …
get up 8.00 ish - don’t feel great - feel really really unwell to be honest
struggle through a few hours doing stuff e.g. to 12
then need to sleep for 4-6 hours! (someone joked work-life balance!)
can then potter about for most of the evening - nothing too strenuous - office work and wandering about the house! not too bad
then can’t sleep until about 4.00 a.m. - feel quite compus mentus
then up again .next morning…
it’s very hot here in the day - which may be part of it - does anone else feel awful during the day and then improve at night?? - I also sweat a lot from about 10.00 p.m.
SHARP PAIN ON QUICK INHALATION IN MY LOWER BACK
I am praying I am not going to sneeze …
If I fill the very bottom of my lungs it hurts … right down the bottom
I have been prodding about and nothing hurts on pushing
you’ve got to laugh as there is an outside chance this might be muscular from overdoing the lymphoedema exercises!! … can’t win eh? I think things might have moved that have been stuck in place for 6 months! … am a bit concerned though … had it for a few days …
INCREDIBLE HUNGER AND FEEL VERY ODD IF DON’T EAT
When I get hungry I get desperate to eat or I feel very not well indeed
I can’t taste much - except highly flavoured crisps …
anyone else desperately and urgently hungry …
I STINK!
My own body odour is positively rancid … I just don’t smell like me at all … I thought the cat might get upset but luckily we are alright on that front …
if you could let me know if anyone else has any of these …
thanks a lot
lots of love FB xxx
Sorry that you are having to go through all this and I know that the delays havent helped. My regime was different to yours but I identify with the ravenous hunger (on reflection I am sure the hunger is because you cant taste things so whatever you eat, you NEVER feel satisfied) Also I did feel better as the day progressed, so much so that I used to be reluctant to go to bed cos I knew it would start all over again…although the sweats started every evening (and still do) and I have to be bald & horizontal on the couch for about 10pm with the electric fan madly going…but apart from the sweats please be reassured that most of my other symptoms HAVE gone away (or are easing) and hopefully so will yours! I changed my pillowcase very often, that helped with the smell, and was nicer psychologically.
Thanks so much Louise - especially the bit about the evening - I might turn into a party animal rather than an early bird after all these years !!! - when did you finish ? … somewhat naively I was expecting them to go away 3 weeks after cycle 8!!! … glad you’re feeling much better … lots of love and thanks again FB xx
It was ALL ghastly FizBix. Sweats, aches, pains, taste, smell, one’s own body - ALL ghastly. I made myself a comfortable cocoon in the room where we keep the telly & the books - spent a lot of time horizontal with my laptop in my lap - and DID OTHER THINGS. Joined chat rooms, kept editing the journal that’s in my charge, learnt about blogging - just built a world away from the physical prison that my body became. Slept whenever, watched silly TV at 2 in the morning; skipped the dinner hour and snacked at 3 am; got someone to change my sheets etc. every day or so. I tried to live outside my body - while listing the symptoms occasionally for discussion with the carers. I had all of these - inhalation pains, weird hungers, horrid body odour - and they were all considered “normal”. Twice things weren’t - but the thermometer told me to pay attention, and it was a more demanding kind of ‘ill’ in both cases. As for the rest - every time you feel bothered, I suppose you should take yourself to ER - they won’t mind, I’m sure, and if it eases your mind, it’s worth it.
Hang in there, not too long to go.
M-Lxx
I can’t say i’ve experienced what you have but on the tax i was really lathargic and found even walking up anddown stairs hard work. To be honest it still it and legs hurt a lot when i bend down especially in the up parts. I also get a weird kind of cording down the back of my legs when bending or stretching or even walking. i didn’t get any sharp pains but i do thing 7 wks after my last tax i am still suffering from it. I didn’t feel the urge to sleep during the day but i must say i still cant sleep at night andt tend to go to bed at 11-12 ish and i’m up at 4/5 ish in the morning and this is still happening. for t he last two days i have taken diazaphm just to get some sleep because the lack of it is giving me dark circles under the eyes and i’m scared i’ll never get rid.
hunger is never ending - no matter how much i eat i still don’t feel satisfied. Its a bit like a phantom pregnancy i think.
i’ve even developed something called nuro nurpathy i think thats how u spell it and its in my forfinger its a flickering in my finger and my finger feels week and this started about 2 weeks ago - 5 wks after tax.
It’s been a while since my chemo but I remember it very clearly (only 9 months ago). The TAxotere made me sleep and that was all I could do for the first 2-3 days - it was so weird. I couldn’t watch tv, talk on the phone, use my computer or even walk as nothing seemed real and everything moved around. Additionally, the hunger thing comes as a result of the steroids, they can make you ravenously hungry - which I suppose is good in a way as you need the energy.
It will wear off and things will get better. Everybody has different side effects and they are really unpleasant.
when on taxol had all of your symptoms very short days did not get up until 1pm sat in front of tv and lap top came to life about 10pm well not life just a bit more awake.
Stank like an old tramp looked like an alien and worst of all and no one has ever mentioned it so it so here goes my poo had arms and legs.
I so hope this thread gets lost!
I can sympathise. Although not on tax, i have noticed a horrible smell about me when having chemo. i am on xeloda and have a horrible ‘smell’ about me that no amount of washing seems to get rid of. My poo is quite normal though. Also I can relate to the hunger- i am never satisfied. I am sorry to hear that you are going through the mill- I hear that tax is an aggressive kind of chemo on the body. I hope you feel better soon and have no more delays with your chemo.
FizBix- I finished chemo 5 weeks ago. Like you, I expected that exactly three weeks after the last one, all my symptoms would miraculously disappear. Onc said 8 weeks for the more acute things (like “emergency! you have 20 seconds to reach the loo” poos) but I have also been told that they estimate it takes a full year for your body to recover completely from chemo.So don’t worry, you are indeed NORMAL
Hunger-oh yes! But I view this as a positive t be honest, and preferable to continual nausea/inability to eat, which we could potentially have. My sense of taste is also very depressed-but it doesn’t stop me eating. Am eating a huge bowel of muesli as I type…I try to eat “good for me” types of food, but happily eat trash too.With all that going on in our loves I think we can be allowed some leeway on this one!