November 18 chemo starters

[Po]

Hi there

i have just finished my chemo treatment but I have to be honest... there is no way i could have worked throughout it.  Apart from the nausea, the sheer exhaustion after chemo is overwhelming.  Could be that everyone is different though.  Good luck x

[Gogga]

I went for about 4mm myself for the first cut but feel i look  like a concentration camp victim so will probably take it all off this weekend if it doesnt fall out on its own.

[Liloc]

Just joking, let’s just say I haven’t been the best company!
Sals, sorry to hear about the swollen leg, scary! And the injections, that would freak me out even more. I am having lots of pains in my muscles and bones where I feel like the blood isn’t circulating properly but no swelling or redness so I think it’s just part of the general malaise.
Still in bed this morning but my old antenatal girls are coming over for a Christmas coffee (they’ll make their own) this afternoon so have to get my hair on. Hope I don’t fall asleep on them as still struggling to function. Will be nice to have some company though.
My sister tidied up my hair with clippers yesterday but only dared use the No.2 setting. So I’ve gone from looking like a baby chimpanzee to a baby hedgehog. Think I would have preferred the completely bald sexy Sci fi look maybe, is that what the rest of you have done? Down to zero?

[Liloc]

😂😂😂 Tigerlilli, shall we all say it’s just you and nothing to do with chemo at all 😂😂😂???

[Tigerlilli]

Thanks Sals, I will definitely be doing that every day from now on. How's your leg? Anyone having problems with bloating and wind? It's quite revolting. Seems to be a gale blowing most of the time!!!! Really antisocial : /

[Sals]

Thanks Tigerlilli, I din’t Know if this is just luck but years ago a doctor told me to drink a hotblemon every morning in winter, I started doing this again after my diagnosis and so far fingers crossed no colds and the boys have had colds but amazingly I seem to have resusted. Half a lemon squeezed in hot water can add a teaspoon of honey too which is anti inflammatory and anti bacterial - it might just be this that’s doing the trick 🤷‍♀️ Worth a try

[Tigerlilli]

Wow! How frightening for you! Thank goodness you contacted your nurse when you did... I'm so pleased you are getting sorted now.
How is everyone else coping with every blinking cold on the planet buzzing around? I have practically become a hermit. But my whole family seem to have one bug or another! Any tips? X

[Sals]

Evening ladies, just a little warning - yesterday I ended up back at the hospital, my lower leg swelled up so I thought I had better call my chemo nurse, she said suspected blood clot, apparently it’s not an uncommon side effect - yes yet another one! So I am now self injecting blood thinning stuff everyday for 10 days. I found this a really scary one couldn’t sleep last night for thinking about it. One more week of more or less normality and then #round3 - it seems to come round so quickly. I don’t know how you girls who are having chemo every week are coping, hats off to you 😘
How is everyone coping with their Xmas prep I was doing so well now haven’t wrapped a thing or written a card and still have a few presents to but 🙈
Take care all

[Tigerlilli]

Hi Holeinone, thanks for your tip about the chewy mints, I will definitely try that. I am sorry to read that you passed out and have been suffering so much. I totally understand, don't feel bad. We are all coping the best we can with a tough situation. I just try to remember that the chemo is my friend, trying to cure me and that each day is one day closer to the end of treatment. I'd like to offer you a virtual hug and say you're not alone my friend. Xxx

[Holeinone]

Tigerlilli, just seen your post about taste buds and mine are OK so far this time as I ended up eating a chewy mint while having some of the chemo. It has really made a difference to what I can still taste. Also, I brush my tongue as part of tooth brushing and this removes any build up before it really gets going. 

[Holeinone]

Nice to see fellow November ladies bearing up well.

I'm letting the side down a bit.  Not doing too great on round 2. Disgraced myself at the hospital by fainting in the chemo chair, I was so stressed. Poor hubby was so shocked. Other people are just sitting there getting on with it and I'm making a drama out of it all. Thankfully no nausea this time either, and thanks to tummy calming meds and slightly reduced steroids, I'm not trying to eat everything this time around. Really tired this time, think I was on adrenaline last time and I'm thankfully sleeping a lot now. No night sweats so far (4 days in) as I've been drinking plenty. Just lacking in any energy whatsoever.

[Tigerlilli]

Hi Tbird, my chemo was reduced by 20 percent this time too. I'm actually more nauseous this time but hoping to avoid the hospital and neutropenia again. Here's hoping ; \

[Tigerlilli]

Hi all, it seems we're all pretty much in the same boat (albeit a bit sea sick)! Day 5 post FEC#2. More nausea this time. Had constipation and then the opposite. Taste buds are nuts... Still trying to find some flavour and all fluids seem slimey at the moment.
I went for the shave last week as my hair was falling out all over the place... In my food etc. Its a relief actually.
I am looking on the bright side. We are v almost at the half way mark ladies! Hang in there. Xxx

[Kateday]

Thank you liloc
I also suffer with the nausea and awful taste
One more EC to go then I will be counting down 😀
Well done on the shave Gogga
Mine appears to be growing back
The nurses were shocked at how blonde it has come through and even said there’s more hair than they thought it’s just so so blonde xx

[Gogga]

After 4 days of sheedding hair - since day 14 post first dose of AC, I transitioned from major anxiety and sadness and stress to just being so irritated by it all I shaved it short last night. Feel so relieved. its happened and its over and now i can work on ways to live with it. First day with wig at work and got complements for new highlights! Tonight I think i will tackle those last grey stubbles because they add to the sensitive scalp when i want to sleep. Not all as easy as it sounds though - keep on telling myself that Im bald 

[Liloc]

Afternoon all, day 6 after EC#2 and going through my rough patch queasywise. Was the same last time, I think it’s when I come off the steroids and main anti-sickness pills and am left with the “as and when”. Was given a bigger supply this time so there’s currently quite a bit of as and when (within stated doses, of course). Horrible taste buds at the mo too, everything tastes metallic or weird. The things that worked last time, like lemon and ginger tea or lime cordial in water, still aren’t nice. Have just had a lovely cheese on toast with mature cheddar so maybe I should just go for stronger flavours. Any suggestions? Funny, all this reminds me of being pregnant - nausea, going off alcohol, things tasting funny, cravings for certain foods....but no baby to look forward to ☹️.
Clarabella, thanks for the note about the port. Glad I did the port in the end, took a lot of my pre-stress angst about needles and cannulas away.
Kateday, thinking of you today, hard I know but try and remember it’s 3 down. And you should be hunky dory to celebrate Christmas nicely, so that’s a bonus xx

[Kateday]

Hi ladies
Good to see your holding up better
I’m of for round three tomorrow, ant to top it of it would have been my mums birthday
Well I had to shave my legs yesterday, I’m not sure how normal it is to regrow hair after cycle two , but now I’m hoping it stays
Haven’t lost any head hair this time and only now have a bald ish patch the side I lie , don’t get me wrong it’s thin and not much of it but there is some there
Xx

[Clarabella]

Hi All,

So I had my second chemo on Thursday and for me Saturday has been the worse both times so far.  Just feeling like I've been hit by a bus.  Both times I've gone back to bed for the afternoon.  Having said that I think I've got off quite lightly compared to some of you so far.  This time the headaches have been much less, although I'm wondering if that's because we used gauze on my forehead under the cold cap this time, so I didn't end up with a frozen forehead unlike round 1.  

My hair is still hanging on.  There's days when i think it's shreding more and days when I think it's not.  Hair washing is becoming ever increasingly stressful.  Even my ladygarden seems to have stopped coming out at the moment which has left me with an interesting pattern down there!  

The nausea was much more managable this time too, following the eat little, often and when you wake up in the middle of the night rule.  

For those with ports I asked the nurse about bruising and was told that because our platlets are killed off too we will bruise more easily and then take longer to heal so everytime they access the port we'll bruise.  

[Lou43]

Hi ladies, thanks Liloc I'm doing better today after chemo 2, that's to say I didn't end up having to go to A&E like I did after last one. Have had more energy and managed to get the tree up and decorated with a bit of help from the kids.

Hair has been shedding like a yeti and now look like a baby bird according to my 11 year old daughter, so am borrowing my brother-in-laws clippers tomorrow. Have got used to the wig but decided it's better without the wig liner. Was sat on the sofa earler and wondered why my hubby was looking at me and laughing. The whole thing had slipped backwards so the fringe was way back. Have tightened it a bit and decided to ditch the liner thingy. I agree the pretied bamboo headscarf I bought is lovely and soft to wear so am using this more around the house, going for chemo.
The PICC line fitting Thursday was a bit of a nightmare. It went in the wrong place (in my neck - eek!) to start with so had to go to Xray so they could see where it was then manipulate into the correct position. My husband hadn't even realised how long I'd been and was happily watching the snooker in the waiting room when I came out eventually.
Saying that the chemo was much easier with it so glad it's in. Just still feels a bit weird but I'll get used to it.
The side effects are pretty yuck this first week on the ateroids and anti-sickness but seems to be keeping the nausea at bay.
Good luck those going for cycle 3. Really hope you've found some more support Emily. We're here if need us. hugs everyone xxxx

[harkes]

Hi everyone, hope you are all doing ok. 1 week post 2nd cycle of EC and have felt much better than post 1st, am convinced it is through not using the cold cap as I have not been away with the fairies. I did work as a receptionist at a private health clinic but haven't worked since 1st chemo because of risk of infection. Anyway, have been having problems with my left arm (surgery side) so decided to go and see my boss who is a physio for more exercises as the ones I was doing weren't enough. He examined me and told me that my problems were nothing to do with my surgery or my chemo but with my neck! The point I am making is don't assume that all your problems are treatment related and get them checked out. On a lighter note it was the OH works christmas do last night so me and the daughter decided to have a girls night in and ordered pizza and nibbles,

and binge watched The Big Bang Theory! I absolutely loved the pizza and the fact that I could taste it, until 4 this morning when I woke with raging indigestion, I took every anti-indigestion medicine in my cupboard and am just now feeling.So that's another thing to stop eating.I will be surviving on toast and soup at this rate!

[Sals]

I’m lucky enough I think to have been covered by private medical through my company, so I can see the bills! OMG if nothing else girls we are expensive! I say lucky I think because whilst the accelerated speed of consultation to treatment was great and the luxury of a private hospital nice and my consultants great there is not much in the way of aftercare or community I literally haven’t met anyone else at the hospital/chemo going through treatment or been referred to any support groups centres etc..
My hair is just starting to shed but can you believe I just had to wax my legs etc couldn’t look at them any more it was the most pain free wax ever - just more or less fell off!
I was wondering what might have happened to Emily, I felt so sad for her she seemed so alone, Emily if you are reading let us know how you are 😘

[Liloc]

Seem to have found the right drug cocktail to keep my nausea at bay following round 2 on Weds. Do have to keep eating as soon as I feel a hole in my stomach (this morning at 5am!) but once I fill that, I seem to be ok. Even found the energy to pop into hospital for a headscarf tying session. Don’t know how much of the faffing around ones I’ll do but I bought a couple of lovely soft pre-tied ones for just wearing around the house so husband and son aren’t too scared of freaky mamma (haven’t cut my hair but Day 23 practically bald, just shedding on its own, so look a right state)...

[Kateday]

Hi
My oncologist is going to reduce mine to
The side effects were just awful I couldn’t do anything for nearly ten days well the basic get up get dressed
I will also have a pic line fitted but refused to have chemo put back a week so said I would deal with the vein pain this time , as I’m due Monday for next cycle and want to try and be coming out other side of the side effects by Christmas xx

[Tbird]

Hi Sals

im having my 3rd one on the 18th too so I will be thinking of you and all the others going through this nightmare.  Side effects are horrible aren't they, the way I'm looking at it is all my side effects seem to be the norm so treatment must be working and it's not going to be forever.

My oncologist has stopped one of my drugs from FEC and reduced the other 2 to 80% side effects are not so severe, but now I'm worried about the long term outcome - will the chemo still be as effective, after my 3rd session I will be having 3 sessions with the targeted chemo, I will be having a mastectomy after that.  I've asked my oncologist and she didn't really answer just said "we have to reduce it for you to survive the treatment" 😱.

Im going to stop worrying and think positive, they wouldn't be continuing with treatment if they didn't think it would work (my surgeon said it cost £40.000 just for the drugs).

My sister has put up my Christmas decs for me, my house looks so cosy and warm, it looks so wet and gloomy outside so feet up and Netflix for me.  Have a lovely weekend everyone 

love Tbird xx

[Sals]

Congratulations! T-bird 👍
Saw my oncologist last night and was discussing the chemo side effects and discovered nearly everything I hate is all down to the steroids but without the steroids I would probably feel much worse than I do from the chemo so I guess it’s - suck it up buttercup!
Feeling much better this week and trying to take part in a few Christmas activities-even managed a small wine! #3 on 18th Dec so have week and a half to get Christmas done and dusted. Wishing everyone well with their next round 😘

[Tbird]

Had ultra scan today yippee my nasty has shrunk by 6mm - happy days 👏🏻👏🏻

[Gogga]

Getting # 2 EC next Friday. Trying to get all Christmas shopping done before then! Hair shedding starting today.

[Liloc]

Hi all, back from EC round #2. Port worked well and I was much more relaxed. Am beginning to feel effects now though, very woozy but have popped more pills than an entire episode of The Wire. Just wanted to wish everyone due to go in today, tomorrow & Friday the best of luck. Pinklily, hope #3 is not as harsh as your last one. Hugs to Lou43, Holeinone,Clarabella, Milo and anyone else coming up for their second instalment of this surreal drama/sitcom/soap.

[juzcooper1971]

Hiya all!! Had some good news for a change on Tues. Got my results back for BRCA and they have come back as negative thankfully. I'm so relieved for my 25 year old daughter more than anything else and of course not having to worry about any preventative surgery. So back to worrying about the matter in hand and smashing it 😉 Didn't have a great week last week after my double dose (Carboplatin and Paclitaxel) but managable and been fine this week after just the Paclitaxel. As far as I can tell my lump has all but gone as I cant feel anything. It was really prominent and painful before my treatment started 6the Nov so I'm chuffed to bits it seems to be working 😉 Thinking of you all, take care xx

[Gogga]

Thnks that's reassuring! Good luck!

[Clarabella]

Hi Gogga, 

I had my port fitted on 14 November and I still have bruising around it.  Like you it appears to come and go.  I've also noticed that the site over the line around my collar bone doesn't appear to be healing as well as I would normally. 

[Tbird]

Thank you all so much for responding about the vein thing, it makes sense now as they have used the same spot in my hand 3 times in the last 3 weeks, once for 1st chemo, second for iv antibiotics and third for my 2nd chemo no wonder it hurts.  I haven't had my mastectomy yet, mine is chemo first so I will insist they use a different hand (if I dare ha ha).  

Im still in denial that I have breast cancer and wake up wondering why I feel rough and why is this happening to me.  I can't look in the mirror at my bald head and just want to wake up from this whole nightmare.  I'm sorry to rant like this but I can't to my family, they look to me to be strong and I'm fed up of been strong.

on a plus side I have fantastic sisters who live nearby (one two doors away) the other just up the road, they look after me so well that I feel bad about bemoaning what's happening to me, this horrible cancer thing has shattered my sisters and they are been so brave.  I also have a grown up son and daughter who are struggling to cope, I try to protect them as much as I can and won't let them see me on a bad day.

Sorry there I go again ranting.  I am lucky because I will beat this and providing I can survive the treatment ha ha, my prognosis is good ( I have 2 lumps one her+ other invasive ductal carcinoma) sorry don't know abbreviations.

tHank you all for listening and I hope others are well and coping with treatment.

love Tbird x

[Lisajayne11]

Hi everyone, hope you are all feeling relatively well today and managing to keep up with the festivities!

Hi Liloc, yes I have an 18 year old daughter and I'm 48 this month so realistically I'm not planning on having any more children and more than likely on my way to the menopause, so I guess this process just speeds things along a little!

Hi Milo & Holeinone, welcome to the thread.  You'll get lots of support and tips from these wonderful ladies, hang on in there

Hi Sals, OMG I am so with you on the wine front.  I too can only manage a glass now, but at least the lack of alcohol outways the excessive food intake!!

Hi TBird, I have my chemo through a cannula weekly, and try to alternate hands.  They put little heated bean bags or heated blankets on your hands at my hospital to warm up your veins first.  I found that after my second week my hand was still hurting as I'd used the same hand twice.  I think the pain can sometimes happen because of the speed the drugs go through.  You can ask them to turn the machine down a bit apparently.

My next session is Friday and will be the end of cycle 2 of 4 so will be half way trough my trial chemo, then off for three rounds of FEC. Yay!!!

Take care everyone and stay well

Lisa xx

[Gogga]

I had a port put in on 15 November - is it normal to still have bruising over the port and over the suture line - it seems almost as if the bruising comes and goes?

[Gogga]

Hi I had my first of 4 rounds of AC ( then 12 x PAC) on 22 November and am waiting for the hair loss to start- yet another uncontrollable wait ! 

[SB1610]

Hello Sals

I'm from the August thread and have just finished my 6 chemo treatments - I had rubbish veins too but they did manage to find enough for me to have all my 6 treatments in one arm. A tip I was given was to drink lots of water the day before and the day of treatment. This is supposed to plump up your veins which will help. As such I used to drink around 6-8 pints of water the day before (plus my usual coffees / juice etc) and then as much as I could manage before my treatment on the day. Keep your hands warm too just before your treatment - the cold makes the veins hide!

Good luck

Sue x

[Sals]

Sorry just looked at that post loads of typos! Nothing to do with hemp that’s meant to say chemo!!!

[Sals]

Hi T-bird, I too have thechemo through a Canucks, I’ve only had 2 cycles but my nurse won’t use the same vein twice - god knows where she will find another 4 as i’m not meant to have anything in the mastectomy side arm, so far she used back of hand, side of wrist so we have inner elbow and then who knows!
I think it’s more about how the cans goes in and where rather than the hemp drugs as I have had 3 operations this year 😩 1on my back and 2 for the BC and for these I found the after effects of the canula were one of the most painful!
See if they can use the cans in your inner arm next time I think it’s the boniness if the hand that hurts.
Back to work today for me after my 2nd cycle last Tuesday - not feeling it!
Take care all 😘

[Tbird]

Hi Tracy

the nurse did use a heat pad, but I had been in hotel nhs twice after my first chemo and had to have iv antibiotics in the same hand. 

I will ring nurse tomorrow if it doesn't start getting better, fingers crossed

tbird xx

[tracybev]

Hi Tbird
I too am having a cannula in the back of the hand for chemo, although I haven’t had any problems the nurse will only put it in if my hand is warm so they use a heat pad, are they using one on you ?
Tracy x

[Holeinone]

Hi all, keep going we can do this!

Kateday, keep holding off that cold, you can do it. I keep getting a mini sore throat, it might be the weakened immune system? Good to know about the head hair growing back already, thank you. I'm scrubbing my legs like razy in the shower trying to get the leg hairs to fall out, haven't shaved in ages especially!

Pigeon, yes my taste buds went very strange for the first week, actually could not stomach a cup of tea and other things tasted odd so stuck to bland and squash for a while. Thank you for the hair info as well, interesting to read it concurs with Kateday.

Tbird, I have no experience of chemo through the hand. Hopefully someone else in the same position may be able to offer better advice. If not, maybe phone your chemo unit if it is causing discomfort?

Think I've lost about half my head hair since 14 days after first FEC, although as yet you can't tell, the bathroom bin knows the truth though!  

More chemo for me on Thursday 😞     

[Tbird]

Hiya all

Ive had both sessions of chemo through a cannula in the back of my hand - 6 days post 2nd chemo my hand is still very sore.  Any suggestions 😍

Thank you Tbird x

[pigeon]

Hi Kateday

Day 11 of round 2 for me, I seem to have little white/blonde hairs growing on my head too!? They’re so fine, I almost can’t even see them unless I catch them in the light. Very odd. I hope they don’t fall out, if only because I’m tired of finding little hairs everywhere! As for my other hair, my armpit hair is gone, lady garden is sparse, but quite a bit of my my leg hair is still happily growing 😩😂

Is anyone else having any weird tastebud changes on FEC? All of a sudden yesterday afternoon everything started tasing sour... at first I thought my lime cordial had gone off, but then realised it’s everything that tastes off/sour. I thought the taste change was more of a taxotere thing?! 🤷‍♀️

[Kateday]

Hi all
I’m still plodding along , trying to fight a cold or whatever it is , no temp at present just that ache sore throat headache so on o have a week to get over it though before next cycle
As for the hair loss we’ll after having so many patches and braving the shave, my hair is now well I’m scared to say appears to be growing and is so blonde it’s nearly white , no leg hair no underarm hair very little lady hair, now will my head hair continue to grow or will I hit day 15 of this cycle and it bloody fall out again let’s see xx

[Holeinone]

Glad to see everyone is still plodding through.

Milo, hello I'm new too, joined just a couple of days ago. My chemo started the day before yours so our treatment cycles are pretty close. 

Sals, hope you hold off that cold! I'm hoping to handle the appetite if the oncologist has tweaked my anti sickness meds for next time, it's the steroids in one that are the cause of it. 

Have had really bad headaches these past few days, I'm waking with them. Trying to up the fluid intake this week and see if it makes the first week of chemo easier. Not looking forward to no sleep and sweaty nights for a week!

Hair loss, I've stopped brushing my hair and am washing it gently, as long as there's still enough to stick out from under a hat I'll be OK for now. Really hoping to lose leg and armpit hair, like Liloc I'm searching for good points in this 

Keep smiling November ladies 

[Liloc]

Day 19 and my hair is coming out now, would have thought sooner as I didn’t cold cap, but still no bald patches so quite presentable. Having family and friends over for a Sunday roast this afternoon but think I’ll leave the cooking to my husband (he likes doing a roast anyway) as I don’t want to risk getting hair in everone’s food 🙄. Have just watched a tongue-in-cheek YouTube video with my 15-year-old son on how to hoover, so that’s his job for the morning to make the house shipshape and hairless. Hey, if having chemo means I can raise a son who hoovers, that’s not bad - ok, desperately looking for plus points to this crappity crapness but that might be a little one. 😉

[harkes]

Dear Sals, glad to see I am not the only up at stupid o'clock on a Sunday Had my 2nd chemo on Fri and actually feel better than the 1st time. I think it was because I didn't use the cold cap, the last time I felt as though I was away with the fairies for 5 days. This time I just have the nausea but no sickness, thank the anti-nausea tablets. My 3rd cycle is on the 21st Dec so not doing much on christmas day but going out for a meal on boxing day, with the OH, daughter and Dad.

[Sals]

Hi All, we did go a bit quiet there! Hope everyone is bearing up as most of us are heading towards or just past #cycle2? Sounds like for most of us the side effects have been similar to round 1, to be honest I was expecting worse, woke up to the horror yesterday morning that my 15 year old twins have stinking colds and have woken up this AM with a sore throat and blocked nose so I guess I just wasn’t strong enough to kick that one to the curb, hoping it won’t be too bad, I had my 2nd cycle on Tuesday. Getting in well with the Xmas organisation but very disappointed that I don’t seem to be able to get more than 1 glass of wine down me - i’m usually much more professional! My next one is 18th Dec just hoping I can recover enough in 7 days to enjoy the day - although like you holeinone there will be no problem eating the dinner I find days 3-7 post chemo I can’t stop eating just trying to keep walking too to balance out the weight gain🙈
Keep well and keep strong team, remember every day is a day closer to your last treatment and we need to get there as physically and mentally strong as we can.
Keep posting it’s great to hear how everyone is doing 😘

[Tigerlilli]

Hi Kate day, you are amazing and strong. I too can't show my daughter anything other than a brave face. Let's stick together... We've got this! One down 5 to go!!!

[Tigerlilli]

Hi Milo, I too have triple negative. Had my surgery first and am just about to have cycle two next week. I hope I don't end up in hospital again! Hang in there my friend. You are not alone. We are in this together. I just keep putting one foot in front of the other.