You are absolutely right Treehouse, smokers should not be smoking right outside the hospital where it can blow back indoors and where patients are trying to get "fresh" air. Unfortunately their addiction often takes over rational thinking including courtesy towards others. Thank goodness it's now banned indoors and you no longer have to put up with cigarettes being waved in your face or caught on your skin and clothes. It's a valid rant you have there! Are you still in hospital since the transfusion or back home?
dont know about amazon, but instead of a pencil I have a wee powder eyeshadow (brown) with brush which works really well, you can be as defined or otherwise, easy to apply, and if you overdo it, removal much easier!and as I see that my hair regrowth is going to be absolutely white, which will be lovely, I may invest in a grey powder shadow.
Thanks Mai7 re Epsom salts. I had read that somewhere too and used it this morning, it has eased it quite a lot. I tend to use Epson salts every so often anyway, it is good for constipation too as it lets your body absorb minerals especially magnesium, if you can't manage a 20 mins soak then used in a bucket as a foot soak, your body absorbs as much as it needs. Sorry I forgot to share this earlier talking about constipation, I just remembered, silly chemo brain.
Rosie, hope your platelets are ok. I know what you mean about getting ready to go out, it's like doing a fancy dress just to look "normal", I have to draw in my eyebrows now as they look a bit thin, luckily there is enough hair to use as a guide and fill out the gaps! Wow, the BRCA1 gene really is nasty but thank goodness science is progressing to be able to test this and give options, as hard as they are. I'd be offloading hormonal equipment like someone in a hot air balloon who wants to rise! I haven't been tested but doubt I have the gene as there's no strong family history, however, since having the end of my cervix removed and now BC I'm thinking less is more with the hormonal equipment!
Raitchr, the nails story ...... fingers trapped in a door. Sounds a bit unpleasant. I forgot to mention before, on the March starters they recommended putting Epsom salts in your bath water to relieve pain.
I'm on treatment this week Katie, blood test tomorrow, Oncologist Weds and (all being well) treatment on Thursday (1st Docetaxol) . I'm going to be able to drive you crazy this week as I can call it.....Chemo no.5! If that ear worm had gone, you'll now have it back again! My Son is home from Uni for the summer, yippee! It's so nice having him around again. (I do remember how hard the summer was when they were young - finding ways to keep them occupied and trying hard to make the summer fun can be exhausting)
I know what you mean about discussions outside of this forum, sometimes I've got so used to being able to discuss anything I forget that people in the outside world find it disturbing, but then, we all have bodies don't we? Sometimes people wish you well at the beginning and then you don't hear from them again, I think people just don't know what to say but it's easy for us as we understand each other. We know what it's like living with hope, fear, statistics, sore bums.....
Anniej, aaaahhh, you rang the bell! I'm having serious bell ringing envy! 🔔🔔🔔
Treehouse - these things do get a bit distorted over text. I always feel that people really only want to hear that everything's going well and don't want to hear about anything negative
My niece and daughter had their blood tests done for BRCA1 and were told that now they've identified the gene in me the results will come back more quickly as they know what they're looking for. They will do breast MRI from age 30 and suggest ovaries removed in their 40's if they have the gene. There isn't any reliable screening for ovarian cancer. Will also remove breasts in their 20's if they want that (my sister had bc at age 29) So now they just wait and see. For my son main risk is 50% chance of passing it on to a future daughter.
I have another sister who is older than me and she hasn't had any risk reducing surgery and hasn't had test yet. I think she thinks that she has escaped inheriting it but it really is 50/50 and we could all three of us have it. But I guess each person has to make up their own mind
I had ovaries out when I was 48, am 51 now, it's just day surgery, and I did feel great peace of mind when it was done, so much so I forgot about the breast cancer risk lol
Morning ladies, hope everyone is feeling ok this week
Had a lovely weekend and also felt quite normal. My son and his girlfriend stayed and we all went out for a big family meal. I still feel strange getting dressed up and then putting the wig on, almost like I'm not really me.
Annie j really pleased for you, that must have been a great feeling
Think my platelet levels must have dropped - I keep getting nosebleeds
Hi Annieij, thanks for the advice re sun. My chemo nurse just said use at least factor 30, I use 50. I was tanned before chemo started and don't burn as have mediterranean olive skin. I haven't sat out in the sun recently and will be more careful.
My fingernails hurt yesterday, a bit easier today. They feel like they have been trapped in a door and Onco said to expect this. He said they would slightly reduce next dose if uncomfortable. Tiredness seems to have eased today, did spend much of yesterday resting on the bed. Mouth less sensitive, just a bit of back ache this morning.
Hope over the worse now.
Heather
We had a lovely walk out today through the woods and across a local golf course and sat outside for a club sandwich. It felt like normal life!
Treehouse, you seem to be getting your bounce back which is good to hear.
Hope everyone is doing well.
Hi Heather, re sun, from pre chemo assessment was warned that I needed to use factor 50, stay out of the sun if possible, otherwise ten minutes was maximum ! Very shocked of course as I love the sun and tan easily. The explanation I was given is that the chemicals pumped into us cause a photo sensitive reaction, and us chemo girls will tan (burn) too easily. This will store up possible skin related problems for us later. I assume she meant skin cancer? My chemo nurse also advised keeping the skin in as good condition as possible ( not burning) ready for radiotherapy, which may also cause burning. She was religious about checking that I had sunscreen on when I went to chemo on sunny days. A bit like a mum really, so I've just always done it. I have straw hats as well as the sun really bothers my eyes now the eyelashes have gone. Sorry if it's not what you want to hear, Heather.
Mai, paraban free udderly cream is available from the Live Well with Cancer site . I got some for my brother who is in palliative care. It has worked really well for him. They also do a great nail oil which has been super.
Good luck all you ladies battling on. I had my Hickman line out Friday, and, as usual, not problem free, but when they rang that bell and cheered as I walked out I felt GREAT! Wishing you all bells and cheers. 🏅🎉 💋
Oh, and periods: I'm 48 and had no symptoms of menopause before. I'd had a mirena coil for years before chemo which stopped my periods. This had to be removed as its impregnated with Progestogen. After the first two chemos I had a period, first 5 days, then 3 days and nothing since! Just had one hot flush following the second period (hopefully that's the menopause out of the way for me Lol!).
Morning ladies!
Yes, treehouse we are all in the tunnel and if anyone gets disoriented and faces the wall, we spin them back to face the light. A deep but good analogy. I had a weird dream recently - I was in a pub with my partner and a man standing behind us keep trying to poke his fingers into the mesh in my wig as if he wanted to prove to himself that he was correct in thinking it was a wig! Paranoia dream or what!!
I too kept a sick bucket beside the bed for the first 3 FECs but as is started to become a storage solution instead of a sick bucket I moved it to the bottom of the wardrobe! I'll probably put it back after I start Docetaxol, even though it's lower risk of vomiting, it's still going to cause change anxiety!
I stopped shedding hair after the first 2 FECs and still have about 45% of my hair (still more bald on top). My eyebrows and lashes have definitely thinned.
Raitchr, I now have a vision of you walking round with your hands in a fist all the time, looking like you're ready to punch someone. Although, after everything we've had to endure with chemo, we probably aren't too far away from that feeling! 💪🏼 I know what you mean about the dark nail maintenance though, I tried it at first and got tired of the chipping. Plus it can't be good for the nail condition (the CND solar oil treatments have definitely helped). I'll try it again for Docetaxol and see how it goes, failing that, I'll walk around with fists or wear long dangly sleeves!
Im 48 and have the flushes too, had 2 periods on chemo nothing on 3rd FEC been irregular sinve Jan when had a Polyp removed, so me too hoping thats me done 🙂
Forgot to say I have been having hot flushes at night and a few in the day. I am 46 and since starting chemo my periods were more regular as in 28 days rather than usual 35 days. Then after last FEC had one 2 weeks after last one. Hoping chemo knocks them on the head as assume I am naturally close to menopause anyway.
Morning! I too have a sick bucket next to the bed, never used it but it also goes in the car on chemo day. Not saying that my husband or mum are bad drivers but you never know what gifts chemo will give you!
Re nails, I tried the black polish from day 1, maintenance was too high to keep it on. Now stick to lots of thick layers of glittery polish on toes which completely covers nails and keep crocs on sitting in garden. Fingers nails just have a couple of coats of clear as that is all I can manage. I try to keep hands out of sun as in loosely scrunch my fingers up if I sit outside. My finger nails have a darker ridge which is roughly 3 months growth so 1st chemo damaged the nail bed straight away despite trying black polish. My only concern is keeping toe nails as it will hurt in winter shoes with no nails. Finger nails would be less painful for me I think.
T s/effects so far are less than on FEC as in nausea so much better, but tiredness is worse and came on sooner so guess its from end of steroids.I still have slightly irritated nasal and digestive tracts but not major. Have started taking hay fever tablets as supposed to help bone pain, T is made from Yew tree needles so that's the link, mine are Clarityn with Loratadine.
Heather
Heather you will have to keep us posted how your nails hold up and any other SE. I am like you I can't stand the taste of water which is diffult when they say to drink loads of water
Rosie, same here, I used to give blood (for about 10 years) but after exotic holidays, pregnancy and now cancer it's unlikely they'll want mine!
I asked the March starters about Docetaxol and they said get some Udderly cream for hands. I looked it up on Amazon and it contains parabens but there is a similar paraben-free cream called "muck off" anti-chaffing cream used by performance cyclists. Sore eyes is another side effect so wear sunglasses as much as possible.
Katie, well done on surviving the party!
Trisha, I stopped ironing about 7 years ago. I just decided one day "if it needs ironing, don't buy it" I threw out all clothes which crease and have never needed to iron since! 😂😂
I had 8 steroids on my 1st T this week, starting the day before chemo. I take them to bed so I take 4 as soon as I wake up, I have a drink and packet of ginger biscuits on bed side table so I can take them asap in morning. Then I take the other 4 at lunch time to get them out of the way and never after 2pm. I have trouble sleeping at night and wake between 3am and 5am and nap in the day. Much prefer the 3 days of steroids starting before chemo than 3 days after, get it out of the way. I am tired and have had 3 naps today but hoping that will pass.
Not given vitamins by Onco but I take a multi vitamin which they were happy with. Mouth is sensitive but drinking coke and using manuka honey is fine. I have taken constipation meds from oncologist from day 1 of t chemo and no problems so far but have gone off drinking water as tastes yucky.
I have very dry eyes again, mentioned it timing I he just said gingernuts counter dry detectors but if pain in eyes then call helpline. Mine feels like I have been swimming in the sea or underwater without goggles, drops help but have to use then hourly. Clears after a day or two.
Hoping for a less tired day tomorrow, have no energy and a bit bored but it will pass.
Heather
Was given a leaflet for Pertuzabeb but not sure. I have a PICC so not had any probs with veins. What your diagnosis? Mine HER2positive with they think no lymph node involvement. Lump 3.8 cm x
My FEC was delayed by 10 days to give my body time to work with the Vitamins. AT last blood test they said didnt need to take them anynore. Maybe I should?