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Hi Hbunny, Slyolddog and Karen,
Day 5 of tax has kept me home, not able to go to the office today. Sleepless night because of bone and joint pain, throat feels swelled up and can barely walk 😞 Not to mention constipation ouch ...
I am hoping that this will improve over weekend, as I cannot bear the unwellness for too long.
I wish someone that has gone through tax would give me some hope 
Keep in touch, going to slump on the sofa for a bit
Love,
Flossie
Morning ladies
It has been abit quiet on here for a few days. For myself I can say I've been laid low by Tax, not feeling sick which is great but having to give in and medicate for the odd pains, which either shoot in like a lightning strike or are more persistent. Yesterday my sciatica was reawakened which was uncomfortable to say the least, and last night I could neither get to sleep or stay asleep, for some reason my heart was racing. Anyway all calm now. While I don't feel tip top the main lingering issue is the fact that everything tastes awful, which means I have managed to drop a few pounds this week. I seem to be living on tinned fruit and cream crackers. Oh, and the odd cake! Someone has to keep Mr Kipling going.
Cath - I hope all will be well with your liver results. Personally I feel that the radiographer shouldn't have said anything to you, that just adds extra worry days to an already overloaded worry schedule. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you.
Wendy - glad to see you've had minimal SE's this time and your radiotherapy is at last on the horizon. Enjoy your week away next week, it sounds idyllic. Good weather will make it better but I'm sure the scenery and the rest will do you the world of good.
Claire - congratulations on finishing your chemo, it must feel amazing to have done that. I'm sure I'm going to cry when they take the final drip off me and its all done, even though there will be at least a week of side effects to follow. I hope yours aren't too troublesome.
hbunny - I can't believe you're back at work already, you must have the spirit of an ox. I'm beginning to worry that when I go back my brain will have gone to mush and I won't remember how to even write a basic letter. I'm sure I'll get back in the swing eventually. You're amazing though, I could not have worked this week, I could barely get off the sofa for a couple of days.
Karen - I bought my treadmill from Next, I think it cost me about £200. I wanted one which could be changed to an incline to give a bit of extra workout. I have no aerobic capacity whatsoever, I can only run for about 3 minutes before I can no longer breathe. I keep meaning to improve this by just doing regular short runs but as yet I haven't. I have only been walking at about 4K an hour for 45 mins, nothing strenuous. Ironically I've done more exercise in the last 2 years than any other time in my life and yet still I got ill. Oh well, I think you're either gonna or you're not.
Berkshirelass - I can't advise on treatment before operations as mine was the other way round. I do have a friend who had treatment first for a 5cm tumour which was practically gone by the time she had her op. With regard to the length of time you're suffering the side effects the only thing I can recommend is drink as much as you can. It really does make a difference as I think it helps to flush things out.
Anyway, off to hang the washing out now, make the most of the good weather. Hope everybody has a good weekend and gets to enjoy some sunshine. 
Karen, thanks for the good wishes re my ultrasound tomorrow. I probably won't get any results tomorrow. I'm guessing they'll go straight to the onc. Why tell the patient what's going on, it's only my body. Ghrrr. (Oops, I sound a tad testy there.
)
I bought my treadmill a few weeks ago, motivated by the ladies on here. With my AS I can't do a lot of walking so it's the perfect solution. I can walk as often and as little as my body allows.
Most of the treadmills on line were very expensive and I didn't want to buy anything too dear in case I never used it. I actually bought mine on line from Argos - £150, which I though was a brilliant price. It isn't the most gadget intensive one on the market, but it suits all my needs.
hbuuny - do as many sinful things as I can think of? Hmmmm, I have quite a vivid imagination. lol
Looking back the time does seem to have flown, I guess it's hard to see when you think about how long is still ahead.
Did you leave work at 3pm? I honestly don't know where you get the energy. I have to have an afternoon nap most days now and I still walk about like a zombie.
As for bone pain...I'm so used to that with my AS that I don't think much of it. I take my strong painkillers as and when needed. A good hot bath also works wonders.
If you're finding the bone pain is lasting a long while for you maybe you should mention it to your doc and they can give you something stronger.
Hoping all the July ladies are doing well.
Hugs
Cath
Welcome to the July thread Berkshirelass.
I'm not sure how active everyone is. I know I'm definitely not. Fatigue is a major problem and gets worse every day.
As for chemo before op...sorry, I had my lumpectomy first. Maybe one of the other ladies will jump in.
Ended up not getting chemo today. Once again my Liver function let me down. Have to go for an ultrasound on Thursday to see if there's any damage to the liver.
Back next Monday for bloods and Tuesday, hopefully, for chemo.
Sorry not to answer everyone individually, but hope you’re all enjoying the lovely weather at the moment.
Hugs
Cath
Afternoon ladies
Lovely weather here in North Hampshire, shame under Tax I can't make more of it, just sitting here looking out at the sunshine.
Hbunny - I think I'm suffering similar effects to the Tax as you. Days 1-3 were good, no sickness and feeling pretty good. Yesterday the aches and pains started, wasn't sure whether or not to take painkillers as I thought I'd see how bad it got. Took some this morning and feeling ok pain wise but very tired and 'can't be bothered'. The taste in my mouth is not as bad as on FEC yet weirdly things taste worse, how does that happen?? Mainly though things are better. Walked on my treadmill for 45 minutes yesterday just to keep things moving, would be better for me to walk in the fresh air but there's no sofa for me to flop on outside should I get too tired! I hope you're side effects clear soon. Will you be working through Tax like you did with FEC?
Karen - I was like you, feeling generally quite good but convinced I was in a fools paradise, which turned out to be the case. I'm not a great one for taking tablets so will try and manage the pain, medicating when it becomes necessary. Hopefully you won't get hit too badly. Like you I always slept off my FEC, which I'm not doing with Tax yet, although I am still tired. I still favour sleeping off the side effects though. And having your next one put back even a day is a bummer, those dates are what we're hanging on to!
Wendy - sorry to hear you don't yet have a date for your radio. I will be returning to work through radiotherapy otherwise I'll be on half pay. Like you I will be phased back in anyway to will hope to work around either early/late radio appointments. I think most of us set dates for ourselves once we have an idea of the timetable, with Christmas being the deadline for some sort of normality. I'm due to see my Onc before my next Tax and will raise the matter or radio with her, I would like some idea of when it will start.
Cath - hope all goes well with your FEC today and you have minimal SE's. Two thirds done now!
Horseslave - hope all goes well with your FEC, it will be interesting to hear which treatment you're better on. I'm certainly feeling extremely tired, no doubt this will worsen as we crawl towards the finish line. After your comment about losing a tooth you've made me paranoid about losing teeth! Hair is one thing but the teeth don't grow back. While I don't have teeth like Tom Cruise they are all mine and I want to keep them.
JuSt - I think getting a PICC line in would scare most of us! No need to 'man up', we know what you're feeling, all these different things are sent to scare us but somehow we just get on with them because we don't have a choice. That's the bottom line. We are all just getting on with what we have to do and coping as best we can and personally I think we're doing a sterling job. Well done us! 
Flossie - glad you enjoyed your week away. I keep trying to convince hubby to go away for a week somewhere by the sea but he keeps looking abroad. Like I want to travel somewhere hot with no hair and no energy!! Just need some rest, hearty food, open fires and plenty of ozone for a bit of a lift. Might just book somewhere and let him know after!
Time for lunch but don't have much appetite. Ate a whole tin of sliced peaches for lunch yesterday, at least it enabled me to get some fluids in, as water and stuff tastes awful. May do the same today, or go for pears instead. Big decisions to be made!
I hope everyone continues to enjoy the current run of good weather and minimal side effects from whatever treatment they're having. Try and stay positive, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and it's not a train coming towards us!! XX
Good morning everyone,
Feels like I've been away for so long. I had a week holiday in Wales for my friend's wedding and that was the first week of my 3rd and last FEC (w/c18th AuG). I had a good time and good weather and relaxed as much as I could with hubby and teens.
Then back to work, 2mad couple of weeks with some of my staff on hols themselves and had to be on fully involved. Luckily I felt quite well and normal.
Finally had my first tax yesterday and feeling quite well surprisingly, not much nausea either and manage to get about 6hours sleep on and off. Very alert this morning, thanks to steroids I guess...
CathC hope your tax goes well today and looking forward to minimal SE with this cycle
They gave me only 4 Filgrastin injections to take, anyone had the same?
Also some different antisickness tablets cyclizine, which don;t have to be taken around meals, but as soon as you feel nauseous. I only had one yesterday apart from the Emend and Ondansetron and they seemed to have kept sicky feeling at bay.
From talking to the oncologist yesterday, it sounds like all being well, the whole thing and radiotherapy should be finished by mid December, so I guess Xmas celebration will have an added meaning into many of our lives.
take care July ladies and hope to see everyone doing well this week,
Love,
Flossie xxx
