Just wanted to wish the 'starting chemo class of January ‘13’ all the best!
Like clare83 - Hi Clare - I’m a January '12 girl, and I just want to wish you all well too - you can do this! Fear of the unknown is natural, but once you start treatment, that fear disappears. Please don’t let the chemo experiences of others worry you, I’m here to say that it was much easier than I was expecting.
My mantra right through was ‘water, water, drink more water’ - and I swear by Manuka Honey. Those chemo sessions will fly right by - life in three weekly cycles:)
Have a Happy Christmas, and here’s to a Healthy 2013 for everyone.
Hi Caroline, to reassure you, not everyone has a horror story to tell. I managed to work for 2 weeks out of every 3 in my cycle and coped with over an hour commute to London 4 days a week. I was never sick although felt nauseous at times, this was eased by eating often, and as you will probably read on this site, not many of us lost weight, quite the reverse! If sickness is a problem ask for Emend, you might not be offered it as it’s very expensive.
Clare x
Hi Clare, thanks for the sound information. I use to work in London also and had 1 hour ans 15 minutes commute to SW london as I lived in SE london. I just gave up my job as it is stressful and not worth the stress. I will ask for Emend from oncol and or GP. Someone also mentioned this medication.
I start on Jan with Chemo - so will take your advice re water and eating.
hi all , will probably be starting chemo in Jan 2013 too. This is my second time round , first had BC in Jan 2008 , not quite reached the five year !! had WLE FEC x 6 and rads, This time have a small lung nodule and recurrance to original site so will need chemo for spread and mastectomy after.
Seeing oncologist tomorrow so will know more then , hopefully will be after xmas now. Been backwards and forwards since diagnosed on 8th Oct with scans etc so keen to get started with treatment. Still have wig from last time, don’t know why i kept it , a sixth sense maybe??
Thank you so much for your advice.
Its good to know that not everyone has a bad experience with chemo, and it is the fear of the unknown
Take care everyone
Another one from the January 2012 thread here! Hi Clare, hi Samos, long time no talk!
As you can see we all made it through chemo - so will you. It is not as bad as you imagine. And I was one scared bunny at the beginning!
My advice? Put your head firmly in the sand and enjoy Christmas! Don’t build yourself up (I mean weight!) like I did, it is not likely that you will lose weight. Way back when I bought a sick bowl - never used it. It is now my feet soaking bowl.
The forum helped me tremendously! So keep posting - it is re-assuring you are not alone.
Will be checking back on you girls. If you have any question - do ask!
Hi all,
Has anyone found they’ve “gone off” alcohol? I used to enjoy a glass or 2 of wine with dinner but ever since the WLE any alcohol tastes absolutely disgusting! At first I just thought it was the anaesthetic still in my system but 4 weeks later and it’s still the same. I got a bit emotional last night and “forced” myself to drink a large glass of white wine but have had the most awful hangover today. It’s as if my body is telling me not to touch the stuff.
X Yvonne
Butterfly, good luck for tomorrow. Hope all goes well. will be thinking of you . Ive forgotten everything I was going to ask !!! Gonna be a wreck tomorrow, just know it x
Hi ladies, I am having a duvet afternoon as i could not sleep last night. I get nights where I sleep well then nights where I just keep kicking the duvet off. I can not lay on my right side at the moment as result of mx - have to lie on my back - which is unfalmiliar and uncomfortable. Its also just too painful. Feeling weary and sorry for myself at the moment. Will get over it as I usually do.
Hi Wendy, Im having FEC X6 over 18 weeks followed by radiotherapy. Calmed down a bit now but head is spinning trying to think of everything that I need to do and get.Any tips would be appreciated.
Many thanks.
Pat xxx
I will be having my first of six FEC-T chemo sessions on 15th January, (which will be given via a PICC line) to be followed by 3 weeks of radio therapy.
I had a mastectomy and lymph node clearance (24 removed of which 23 were found to be positive) in November and am having a bit of a fight with a seroma and just hoping not to develop an infection that could interfere with the chemo plan.
Thankfully, my bone scan and CT scan have come back clear, but because of the high number of lymph nodes containing cancer there is a strong chance that there are rogue cells floating around doing their worst. I have been told that the treatment is a ‘tall ask’ with a less than 50% chance of success. So now the next battle begins - I would like to say how I feel, but actually can’t make up my mind how I do feel, other than determined. So good luck all round and its good to know that we can share and support each other via the January thread.
Just had my appointment through for Christmas Eve to meet with my oncologist… in a funny way I cant wait to find out what and how many sessions I will be having… all i was told… chemo… rads… and herceptin so think I will be relived to know x
Have you read up on the Herceptin at all? must admit ive tried reading and nothing is sinking in… my BCN told me that i will be having herceptin cos it seems my hormones are feeding on the ca?.. oh all this jargon is so hard to take in isnt it? …have you got a start date yet?? x
Hi Sandra, I have a preliminary date of the 9th of Jan. My Herceptin will start on my 4th Chemo. I am thinking of being part of the trial - see link above. I wont lie - I am bloody petrified of Chemo and all the treatments im going to have.
