Hi Everyone,
Well it was a second time for me at A & E yesterday night.
temp climbing all day and eventually went in at 10.30pm (kept hoping it would settle)....... you know what it's like.
Got home at 2.30 after arm full of blood tests, antibiotics and fluids. Neutrophils ok but they did find a wee infection so have giant antibiotics to take.
Exhausted but safe.
Georgie xx
Hi Jude,
Yeah unfortunately you can't have it done during chemotherapy. A lovely lady squeezed me in to her busy schedule when I told her about the time pressure, she had also been treated for breast cancer recently so completely understood.....and she also gives a discount to her clients with cancer.
Let me know how you get on with LGFB, I'm sure you will enjoy it and they will show you how to do your eyebrows :-)
Take care, Cat x
Hi Georgie,
Great that you have had your final EC and good luck with the SEs - I hope they are kind to you. Thanks for the info on Polybalm, I think I may give it a go too.
Hi Jude,
I went to a Look Good Feel Better session on Wednesday. The nearest one to me was about 45 mins away but well worth the travel. They go through a step by step process of removing and applying makeup, including eyebrows which I think make a huge difference to framing the face (I cheated and had microblading before I started chemo!). Plus you get a great goody bag of skincare and make up products - what's not to love!
Take care everyone!
Xxx
Hi Ladies,
had my final FEC today - glad it's over! Now for the joys of S E's 😫..........
I asked the nurses about the black nail varnish use with ppolybalm, since the hospital I go to took part in the trial. They said that as long as you start using polybalm straight away on starting T part of chemo, it should work well, applied 3 times a day, without using black varnish. One reason for this is that the varnish removers, which would presumably dry the nail out, would spoil the benefits of buying the polybalm, as over the 9 or 12 weeks on T, you would be bound to need to remove it from time to time?
However, I am also aware of so many people saying about black nail varnish being brilliant..... without a mention of polybalm, possibly because the study and sale of it are quite recent.
I have included a link that I looked at. Hope it helps.... after reading a great deal about the polybalm trial, I am going to give it a go. Even though it is £39 for two tubes (one for feet and one for hands to avoid cross infection), and should last the whole course, I figured that the nail varnish and remover over that period would possibly cost similar for 20 nails for 9 or 12 weeks.....
I am going to post the info about this onto other recent monthly threads, to see whether anyone else has tried either method, especially polybalm, and I will report back. 😊
here's the link.
Hi Lovely Ladies,
Georgie – so so pleased to hear about your new oncologist – what a difference! Thanks for the advice about polybalm, will be interested to hear about wearing dark nail varnish whilst using it. I shaved my hair very short, it is still patchy but I am sure more will fall out. I have kept some of my eyelashes and eyebrows so wondering when I will lose them…
Jude – I haven’t been asked to go for another heart test ahead of Herceptin/T but I did have a test prior to staring FEC. Seeing my Oncologist on Monday so will add it to my list of questions! Glad your nausea is improving, I hope my 3rd FEC cycle isn’t as bad as the first 2 either!
LaLa – hope you’re starting to feel better very soon.
Multitasker & Jo – sorry to hear you have been feeling low, I hope you start to perk up soon....I think it’s normal to have ups and downs so I think lets go with it and not beat ourselves up! :-)
Take care lovely ladies,
Cat x
Sorry,
I just wanted to correct myself when I said about black nail varnish........ I am going to check with the chemo nurses tomorrow that nail varnish can be used alongside Polybalm treatment.
Thanks
G G xx
Ladies,
I have just looked up Polybalm. It is quite expensive at £39.50 for a pack of 2 tubes, but that is deliberate, as they recommend one for your hands and the other for your feet to avoid cross infection.
I am am going to buy some, as I don't think I would be able to cope with nails going funny as well as so much of the rest of me! The black nail varnish is also recommended by my oncologist too.
G xx
Thanks ladies for advice....
Judy, sorry you're still having the nausea. It's so horrid isn't it 😩.
Thanks for the info on the heart scan. I think I'm having one too now.
I saw my NEW oncologist today, and have to say it was like seeing an actual oncologist for the very first time!!
She listened, asked me about S E's, showed me what nails can get like on T by googling it with me!! And changed some of my drugs for last FEC tomorrow, plus so much more!
Asked me about when the bone protection IV had started, and was shocked that I hadn't had any yet!
Asked about 'when' I was having my ECG for starting T, and again was really surprised I hadn't had one, and filled in a request form for one straight away.
I hadn't signed consent for T or herceptin either, or had info sheets, so again she was very surprised, and we did it all today.
So very very pleased with this oncologist. She also said that there had been a trial on a nail cream called polybalm, and recommended it for T. Said it is available online.
I feel I may have turned a corner now, and that I have expert help from an oncologist who wants to be one!!
So tomorrow's chemo looms, but I feel more secure now.
Lots of hugs everyone
Georgie xxxxxx
GO ON TO THE BBC RADIO PLAYER SELECT 5 LIVE AND THEN PODCASTS IT WILL BE LISTED THERE.
Hi ladies
8 day's since cycle 2 feeling pretty much yuk. Bad night with heartburn and now my mouth is sore but no ulcers also a slight sore throat.
love to you all keep your chin's up, tomorrow WILL be a better day
LALAXX
Hi all,
I have just had my third and final FEC and as you have said Georgie that red stuff makes me feel sick, even just thinking about it.
I am also feeling really down the last few days. I completely lost it in the chemo unit yesterday, heaving, feeling sick, and in floods of tears. Just felt like I couldn’t continue with it. I don’t know why but even though I am half way, mid Nov seems along way away and I suppose radiotherapy for 4 weeks after that.....I totally agree with your comment about staying positive! It is really hard work staying positive all the time. I try to for my kids(16 and 13) but sometimes I think it is good to have a damm good cry!,
Multitasker- I didn’t cold cap but still have hair, very patchy but like you I shaved it to a 4. It’s too patchy and fine to go without my trusted wig but I am putting it down to the fact I had quite a thick head of hair in the first place. I think whilst a lot do completely loss hair some do keep small amounts. However, I am sure more will fall out before I am finished.
Take care everyone.
Jo x
Hi folkloricos
Hope chemo goes OK today Caroline. My third EC is due on Friday, I coldcapped for the last 2 but I would say 75% of my hair has fallen out. May still go ahead witht the cold cap. Its definitely helped bc where it didnt fit right the first time (newby mistakes) it has fallen out completely.
Quick ‘heads up’, AVEENO is a third off at waitrose at the moment. Bought several tubes to stock up.
Georgie, I hope everything goes well with the new oncolgist. Your Picc line seems really troublesome but hopefully it will start getting better with different dressings? It sounds such a lot to deal with as well as just surviving the chemo treatment. Lots of hugs.
I’m feeling really f**king miserable with myself today. Woke up early and cant stop thinking about chemo on friday (3rd out of 4 EC, with 4 more taxotere to follow) The treatment just looks never ending. Just the thought of going to the hospital to have that toxic **bleep** pumped in my veins and feel so crap for (albeit only) 4 days and then slowly build up strength to do ot all over again just seems like the most miserable version of groundhog day.
Generally I have been coping so well, seeing friends and family, getting on with life, expert at sick humour jokes, supporting others at a couple of groups. Not sure what has set me off today.
Sorry for the moan, I will have strong words with myself......but if anyone I bump into today says ‘keep positive’ I might just explode! Or maybe it would be kinder to just point them towards Rachel Blands blog, as she says some pertinent words about that throw away comment!😀
Hi everyone,
Thought I would give an update on my various issues..... 🙄 Trust me to get them!
I went for my pre chemo check up and bloods today, and all is apparently good for Thursday. Whenever I think of the drugs (particularly the red stuff going in (part of FEC) I feel sick. But this will hopefully be my last ever FEC, so onwards I must go, as we all must!
Picc line dressing was also changed today, and the nurse saw how sore I was where the plastic dug into the inside of my elbow, and it was also decided that (as I had thought....) I am allergic to the dressings, and that liquidy square bit around the line actually going in to the vein. So no wonder I've been in a mess with that arm.... sigh.....
as ever, I still blame the first oncologist for not listening to me about a port being by far the better option for me, as I had told her abut all of this in my first appointment. I have the new dressing on today, but where the liquid bit was, I am now very itchy 😩........ so desperately hoping I'm not in trouble with this one too!
I get to meet my replacement oncologist on Wednesday, as I successfully got a transfer. I see from another thread that others too have had to swap to a Dr who actually listens and doesn't mind answering questions!!!
I am told by the head breast care nurse that the 2 lady oncologists are friends outside work, so I hope this isn't going to be awkward. The one I had before was new, and very defensive when I took a breast care nurse in with me last time. I think she must have had the same kind of issue before. Wouldn't surprise me. There are so many things I want to ask my new one, who is apparently lovely.
Has anyone else still got a bit of hair in patches after 2 FEC rounds? I didn't shave mine, but my daughter took it down to a number 4 very short cut with clippers. Because of skin allergies I was scared to shave it, so now I have a very much thinned out covering of white hair left, with some bald areas and then little patches of hair. Like others I have worried that perhaps the treatment isn't working any more..... I expect it is, but sometimes I wonder.
Another question; does anyone know whether we get any scans part way through chemo, to see whether there are any changes? If I were an NHS boss, I think I would say we should. Just for reassurance, but also to catch anything early which might be lurking (my tumour was grade 3 invasive and already in lymph nodes).
All the best to others in the chemo boat with me this week. Judy I so hope your nausea subsides. It's so horrid feeling like that for days isn't it... 🤢
Lots of love to you all. It's so great to have one another isn't it.
Georgie Gee xxxxxxxxx
Hi Lovely Ladies,
I haven’t been on line for a while…..day 11 of my 2nd FEC cycle and just starting to feel close to normal (whatever that is nowadays!) SEs were similar to last cycle, the horrible nausea subsided very slightly earlier but the tiredness definitely worse.
It’s been great catching up on all your posts.
Georgie and Judy – I will also have Herceptin when I start T so interested in discussions on this point. I’m slightly behind the 2 of you, if all goes to plan I will have my 3rd cycle of FEC on 21st Sept and 1st cycle (of 9) of T on 12th Oct.
Georgie – I hope you got your PCC line sorted.
Caroline – welcome to the group!
Wishing everyone a great week, whether you’re having chemo, managing SEs or enjoying some good days!
Take care,
Cat x
Hi Jude,
God luck with number 3. Hope bloods are good to go!
Do you go onto T after this ?
I will be. Not sure how I feel about it as it seems to be the worst one. Only things I have read on dreading google mind you! One of my friends had T and didn’t really notice much difference, so I suppose it willl hit us all differently.
x
Caroline,
Welcome.
Good luck with the chemo on Tuesday. I’ve got my third round on Monday.
Hope you manage to have a good weekend.
x
Hi all,
Just thought I’d check in to see how everyone is doing.
I am pleased to say that I have actually had a good week physically although a little emotional yesterday when everywhere I turned where pictures and stories about the Radio 5 presenter Rachel Bland. I know everyone’s cancer is different and our treatment is tailored to us as individuals but hearing about it really hit me hard yesterday, especially at 2am when I couldn’t sleep!
sometimes the emotional side of things is so much harder than the physical journey.
i saw my oncologist yesterday and bloods are all ok, so round 3 of FEC on Monday. Strange, I really don’t want to go through it again but in someways pleased that all is ok to go again! Does that make sense?
I think mentallly it is because I will be half way through the chemo treatment which is massive milestone. I cannot believe I am half way through but in other ways mid Nov when I am due to finish seems a long, long way away.
Hope you are all doing ok
Best wishes
jo x
Hi Georgie Gee i had my PICC line in on Monday and the anethestist doc cut that plastic piece off because of that reason.
Sorry that you are having problem's, i have a lot of bruising but it does'nt sound as bad as your's i think because of the inflamation you should get in touch with the hospital sooner rather than later good luck let me know how youget on.. love and hugs xx
Just wondering whether anyone else has noticed any bruise - type pain in the PICC line arm?
I have one of the small plastic parts attached to the line which is digging into the inside of my elbow. It is getting red and inflamed. Then further down towards my wrist, following a defined area of bruised sensation. No redness around this part, just the pain.
I may call the hospital tomorrow. Oh dear. Never wanted this picc in the first place 😩.
Good morning ladies as you can see not a lot of sleep, went to bed did try but gave up after an hour or so. Got up cleaned hob hubby tries his best just having a cuppa and catching up on holby. xx
Good evening ladies, had my 2nd cycle this afternoon, not feeling too bad although wide awake. I braved the shave when i got back a bit of an emotional rollercoaster but i am glad now that it is gone, i knew it was going and to be honest my head was so uncomfortable i just knew the time was right. Inner strength there when we need it we just have to use it. Eh enough of this serious stuff, let's all go to bed with a smile.
nite nite love and hugs
Hi Judy,
I have my last FEC on 13th September and 1st T on 4th October. So about 3 days between us...
Georgie
Thanks Judy.
When do you start this?
Hi Everyone,
I have a question which I think only people with herceptin to come might be able to answer.....
I'm currently on FEC.
I've been told that the herceptin will start with 1st T cycle.
Ive been looking at herceptin closely (on good sites not Hello magazine articles..... 😬)
There seems to be a theme that from oncologists point of view, nobody gets side effects from Herceptin.
But from patients, there are plenty of side effects, and their oncologist says 'it is from the chemotherapy you're getting S E's'. Or that it's the tamoxifen, etc. But I'm not going to be having any hormone therapy.
I want to ask my oncologist whether I can start my herceptin with the 2nd T cycle rather than the first one (have to have a whole year of herceptin 😩).
On this and other monthly threads, the T part of FEC T can be full of side effects which may be different to FEC, and I want to be able to know what is causing anything that happens. I also don't want T and Herceptin side effects at the same time, both being the first doses..... does that make sense?
Thanks for any thoughts or knowledge of this.
Georgie x
Thanks for the welcome everyone...and I'm definitely making the most of having no side effects so far (insomnia at times now seems to be a side effect - hence sitting at the computer at 4.28am - but that's not a big worry in the grand scheme of things) x
Hello Ladies,
Can I ask if any one of you has a central line fitted & if so what their experiences of this are.
I had mine fitted 2 weeks ago and am already having couple issues with it.
It’s feeling very achy tonight & I have an ache in my shoulder above where the end comes out. It has bled ever so slightly. I’ve checked my temp & it’s ok. Just wondering if this is normal.
thanks in advance for any advise. Jacqui x