Lol Pesteringpixie I know the feeling!!After years of dizzy spells and being terrible traveler I have been diagnose with Vestibular migraine, they said I have a very sensative balance issue. Hate Waltzers roundabout etc as a kid or anything that spun!! so I was worried about the chemo making things worse. Had my second dose a week ago & although no nausea felt a bit off?? Not unpleasant, kinda like coming out of anaethstetic??? Concentration was awful, having to do things over and over… do not trust myself driving either:) but by day 5 back to my old self. wee tummy cramps & did take some lactulose as felt not clearing out!! My body temp has dropped and hospital say not to worry…try telling hubby that, as chemo record book say to call if temp goes above 37.5 or below 36…mines been as low as 33 -35…but maybe that is me naturally, never took my temp before all this!
Hair started to go dead on 14th day, so took the buzz cutter to it on sunday…good enough for GI JAne - Demi Moore good enough for me:)
Hope your chemo goes easy. if you feel sick then demand help. The NICE guidelines apply uk wide. there should be no difference in care not matter where you are!x
This is really great as i am about to aproach chemo and to have lots of info that works becasue people have tried it is comforting.
I am really scared still though.
I have never been very vain and only haveing my hair cut a couple of times a year to keep it neat, i find i am worried about loosing my hair already.
Viv x
Oh vivibell - sorry you have had to join us but you are in the right place for support and advice, especially if you can find a thread where the ladies are about to start at the same time as you. I finished my chemo in March 2010 but I know that the worst thing was losing my hair. That was really the only time I cried much. But the good news is that it grows back. Get a wig before you start chemo because I didn’t get mine until it started falling out and that week was most distressing. In my part of the world the Health Authority paid the full price of mine which was going on £200 so hope you have the same. Started chemo Nov09 and hair all back by Sep 10 when school started. Good luck and keep smiling. Marli xx
Hi Vivibell
Along with the information from your fellow users, BCC have published information about hair loss and provide services to help you through this, you can read about these and more via the following link:
breastcancercare.org.uk/treatment
Best wishes
Lucy
Thanks for the useful tips on here, I feel a shopping trip coming on!
I have just been diagnosed with IBC and am waiting to start FEC-T and Herceptin early May, before surgery and rads.
I was offered the cold cap for hair loss but my oncologist said in my case they are having to nuke the cancer with the max dose of everything so it would probably not be effective.
My top tip for chemo is to suck ice lollies while its being infused. I had the most horrendous mouth ulcers after the first one. So bad it was taking me nearly and hour to eat my dinner. I sucked a lolly during each chemo (it works like the cold cap) and I didnt get another ulcer the whole time.
I found hot chilli was good for my sore (but not painful) mouth
Hi
I’m an April 2012 chemo bunny and have had 2 blasts of FEC in my 6 week FEC-T regime. This time round I’ve had a troublesome side effect of very sore watery eyes which my chemo nurse has said is common with the F drug. She said I needed some eye drops or wash that wasn’t medicated but my GP and the pharmacist say everything they have and can prescribe is medicated. Someone on my regular thread has said there is a tip about this on this thread but I’ve scrolled through lots of pages and have only scratched the surface of my search. Can someone give me a heads up as to where to look in the 527 posts above, or else just tell me what is recommended?
Much appreciated.
Thanks, margietee
margietee , did you see this on the summary post?
Sore Eyes
- Boots hayfever relief drops
- Cooling/chill eye mask
Hyzenthlay
xx
Hi Hyzenthlay
Yep, I did see that on the first page - thanks for flagging it though. I think somewhere there’s supposed to be something about Optrex but with so many posts to check through I lost the will to look for it. My eyes improved over the weekend so I’ll ask the chemo nurse when I see her next if she can remember which product I should be using for next time. Thanks. margieteex
bumping up for Janet62
Thanks for the list, have written notes so I can go shopping and get everything I need. Due to start chemo in the next 2weeks and bricking it if I’m honest.
Have to tell my children this weekend, so not looking forward to it. Where do I find the words! Summer is only just 7 and David is 9 my poor babies.
I get so much inspiration from all your posts, thanks girls!
Lots of love to all + keep smiling!
x
Hi Mandy
I thought you might find it helpful to read our publication entitled ‘Talking with your children about breast cancer’ so here’s the link to the page where it can be downloaded or ordered:
Hope it’s useful.
Best wishes
Louise, Facilitator
Hi Everyone
I am due ny last Tax tomorrow and am dreading it as with the last 2 I completely lost my taste buds. I have found it really difficult to eat anything as putting solid food in my mouth made me gag and feel really sick. At one point I didnt eat anything apart from having drinks for 6 days!! When i asked for help at the unit I was told to drink Pomegranate juice which I did but it gave me the runs!! so wont be having that again!! If anyone has any tips to help with nutrition I would be grateful. Unfortunately I dont feel I have had much support with this from the unit!
Many thanks
Hi Peanut
I invested in a juicer and it has been brilliant. It means we can make our own juice & get goodness without solid food. When I was sick on FEC I had juice every day & it really helped - carrot, celery, apple & pear was my favourite. Also had teaspoons of Manuka honey ( £3,99 in Aldi), it helped with the sore mouth & is antibacterial. When I felt a bit better had honey on bagels rather than bread or toast as they seemed more manageable & easier to eat.
Hope this helps
Sx
Hi to everyone who is starting or is having there chemo at the momment. I wish you all the best with it and hope that your side effects are not too bad. I had 6 round of FEC in 2010. My now partner made me a chemo box before I started.
In it there was a purple dinosaur that goes in the microwave. I am lucky to live close to the hospital so I would warm him up and take him with me, he helped when my arm got a bit sore and kept me warm especially as I was using the cold cap. He’s called Barny!
Lemon sherberts, great to suck on when you feel a bit sicky.
A couple of funny DVD’s, perfect as I love to read but struggled with concentration a bit on the few days after treatment.
A recipe book for smoothies.
Lip balm
Hand cream
One of those thermal mugs so I could keep a warm drink with me.
A book on festivals as we had booked to go to Reading festival once I had finished my treatment.
And some calcium chocolates. Helped to get some nutrients in and they tasted good too.
Ginger and lemon tea for if I felt a bit sicky.
It was fantastic and she filled it with hundreds of blue paper stars that she made.
Other things I had were Manuka honey, pineapple in any form. Pineapple still tasted great and a friend bought me one of those things that cores and peels it in one go. You can get them from Lakeland and they’re brilliant.
My top tips would be don’t push yourself. Tje tiredness does get a bit worse as you go through. Enjoy the days you feel good and make the most of them. Treat yourself, whatever does it for you, just something to make you feel good. Eat what you can. I’m a totally foodie but I had a craving for chicken nuggets and potatoe smilies, so I had them with Tom sauce and they hit the spot that day! Speak to your nuse if you get bad side effects as they can usually help. And finally remember that you will get to the end of it eventually, I know at times it doesn’t feel like it but you will, and there are lots of people to offer support on this fantastic site.
Many thanks Southpool, I have been out and got a juicer, why I didnt think of it before I dont know!! The apple and pear sounds good. I also got some Manuka honey so will try that. Many thanks again.
Mary xx
Hello Ladies
It has been comforting to read all of your advice & comments. on 16th July I had mastectomy & LD flap reconstruction which went very well as i had lobulor cancer in my left breast. I was told by my oncologist today that I need FEC chemotherapy for 4 1/2 months. I am feeling scared & worried about having chemo & of course loosing my hair.
Litha xx
Hello litha
Welcome to the forums, I’m so pleased that you are finding the forums useful
We also have a free helpline where the staff can offer practical information as well as emotional support. The free phone number is 0808 800 6000 and the lines are open Monday to Friday 9.00 to 5.00 and Saturday 10.00 to 2.00
Best wishes
June, moderator
Dear Litha
Good news that your op went well.
I finished chemo in July and am now undergoing Radiotherapy until 21st Aug. I was fortunate that I had a lumpectomy but it had also spread to my lymph glands so had them removed under my arm.
I wont lie to you and say you will sail through chemo because everyone is different. I had 3 FEC which I coped with quite well apart from the first one when the nausea was bad but if you ask your onc for a particular anti- sickness tab called Emend which are really good stopping the sickness then you will be ok. I then had 3 Taxotare after the FEC and the worst part of that I found was loss of taste and some bony pain but if you take painkillers regularly its fairly managable. The best advice 24 hours before and after FEC is to drink as much water as you can because it helps the chemo to be flushed through fairly quickly thereby reducing side effects.
I did try the cold cap to keep my hair but unfortunately it didnt work so i bought a wig and some hats! My hair is begining to slowly grow back now. If you get the opportunity to try the cold cap then do so as I know it has worked for others.
I have had great support from the ladies here on the forum, I usually post on the “Starting chemo in March” thread so have a look to see what thread suits you for when you start chemo, there will be one for Aug/Sept depending on when you start. You are also very welcome to join our thread if you wish.
I was very scared and tearful before I started but honestly parts of it are tough but you will get through it, I did!!Any worries or concerns you have either use the helpline on here or ask your BCN or oncologist, thats what they are there for. I have not worked since I started chemo in March but am hoping to go back mid Sept. There are some ladies on my thread that have worked all the way through but as I said before everyone is different so take things at your own pace, listen to your body and rest as much as you can.
I hope you have found this info helpful but please keep posting on here if you want any further support. You will be fine, its all very scary to start with but there are plenty of us around if you want to chat.
Thinking of you.