October 2017 Chemo Starters

[Runnerbean]

I think I was the day after Shi, I’m always confused if day of chemo is day 1 or day after. I have Imodium on prescription as I suffered a little with this on FEC but the first T is a whole new ball game 🙁at least I know there is nothing really wrong just need to look after myself better and maybe I also need a bit of botty buttering now 🔦! They have just had some little kids on the ward singing Christmas carols. I watched from the safety of my room and it made me cry. Must be getting soft in my old age. Still no sign of me escaping this place xx

[SueW]

Appointment at 11 but they were running late so only just gone out 4 down 2 to go xx

[Shi]

Hi runnerbean, did you switch to T same day as cassie and I then last week?  Very glad to hear bloods are ok for you.  May ladies have said use Loratadine tablets, i started mine the next day. My mouth went down hill fast and luckily onc had given me 7 day course of fluconozole which I started day 5 so hope that keeps that at bay.  The May ladies also said take immodium tablets to stop hurricane botty, there is quite a juggling act on the T chemo, its just a case of balls in the air and pray.  I just wish we could all be like those ladies I meet in the onc clinic who have luckily sailed through fec and are sailing through t, I wish everyone going through any kind of chemo was a lucky as them.  Also May ladies advise us to up our carbs to help ttry and keep food in tthe body longer during T.  Think because I was on steriods and the antisickness tabs too that blocked my botty up good and proper till around a couple of days ago and I was actually on the senokots till then.  Keep the fluids going into you too runnerbean and sending love and sparkles to you darling.  love shi xx

[Runnerbean]

Hi ladies, hope everyone is back from treatments safely today. I’m still stuck in casa NHS having my second 8 hour bag of fluids. They won’t let me go home until my bottom behaves itself so the only answer may be a cork 😳good news is my blood tests show there isn’t actually anything wrong with me so hopefully I will be released soon and can get a good nights sleep in my own bed 🛏. Ali it is day 8 for me so it seems this may be something we should be looking out for around this time. I just find it frustrating explaining to the Doctors over and over again about white blood cell injections and other medications as they don’t seem to understand them. One actually said to me today so why are you having chemo 🐟🐟🐟xx

[Shi]

😁😁😁brilliant attachment Ruth, Just what we all need to get the 🥊🥊🥊🏑🏑🏑back to keep going, thank you 😘😘😘💕💕✨✨shi xx

[Ruth07]

Welcome home safely Dizzy. We do like to count them out and then count them back in 😁♥️♥️💕💕💕

[Ruth07]

https://youtu.be/q5_8ZisNSk8
Hope it works!

[Shi]

😘😘😘welcome back on board dizzy 😁😁😁rest up and fluids lovely 😘😘😘💕💕✨✨shi xx

[DizzyBrummie]

I’m back from FEC 4. Slept through it again. I’ve had lunch and I think I’m off to bed 😳

[Shi]

Hi chaffinch, bet you can’t wait to see them it’s crazy how quick Christmas has come round now isn’t it. Yep naughty 🚂👨‍✈️Back under the 🔫🔫🔫of meesh now and those currently having a quick ☕️🍰stop are also picking up a few next catalogues to see if there are any rads pants we fancy ordering ready for rads with all the surfing and spinning going on this cycle the gold hotpants are having their Lycra content put to the test a bit 😁😁😁😁cassie try not to rub or touch them, I’ve just used face wipes and acqueous cream on my face and no mascara since start of chemo (I’ve not been out other than to appointments) so not had to bother. Hope that helps keeps yours a bit longer lovely. Ha ha that horse box will be busy, we’ll get moms hotpants to distract security while shoving skateboards under it for easy movement and rolling up into horsebox, anyone got any skateboards? 😁😁😁💕💕✨✨shi xx

[Chaffinch17]

Wow ladies, didn’t get on here yesterday, marking preparations for YD coming home from uni today. 101 posts, we really are a chatty lot! Plenty of laughs as usual ❤️
Just had a lovely text from YD she just said so excited I could literally burst and when I asked why she came back an said because she gets to see her mum. I burst into tears. I’ve only seen her a couple of brief times since the middle of September because she is paranoid about making me ill with fresher diseases. She is such a sweetheart, I’m so lucky to be so close to my children I have never had that kind of relationship with my mum, we get on but not really close. I couldn’t wait to leave home and I couldn’t live with her for any length of time like others have said. My son also sent me a rare message the other day saying how much he’s looking forward to being home. I haven’t seen him since the beginning of September and have only actually spoken to him once. We message each other every few days though.
Hope you are all having a better day today, there do seem to more hospital visits etc going on the more we get into chemo 😞. Our office is full of lurgy at the moment just waiting for OH to get something. It’s Christmas jumper day today which we always go for in a big way plus it’s always one of our busiest days of the year but I’ve had to stay at home. I’m all dressed up with nowhere to go 🙄. Going for a walk in a minute where I might get some funny looks. 🤣
Take care ladies and good luck to those of you on the 🚂 today x

[WhyteFawn]

I can really tell my eye lashes are coming out now. I'm having to fish them out of my eyes every few minutes. 👀

[WhyteFawn]

Sorry to hear you've had an unplanned mini break. Any other location this would be a good thing. Hope you feel better very soon.
Popped out this morning to the local farm shop garden centre place to stock meat up in freezer. Saw the most amazing thing ever. A huge singing reindeer!!!! It was awesome I stood mesmerized watching it. So once we've liberated the unicorn in Selfridges in Brum we need to head up to north east Derbyshire and liberate the reindeer. Sue's gonna help as it's too big for me to carry on my own.
🦌🦌🦌🦌🦌

[Shi]

Buddyfan have a safe trip with the flush 😘😘treatment girls let us know when you are back home safe lovelies 😘😘😘runnerbean how you getting on this morning? Sue please say hi to jencat from me too. Mrs rims, let us know how the ticket change is going we’ve still got your seat and glass of champagne onboard for you 😁😁😁💕💕✨✨shi xx

[buddyfan]

T time, I’ve got a Groshong line and mine took about hour, inc flush each end. Taste goes quickly, day after. Sounds like pain for a lot of you so get those co-dydramol or co-codamol (I prefer co-dydramol, less likely to bung you up), ibuprofen and Loratadine. Flushed, breathless, high heart rate, all SE I had.

Do you know, I rarely laugh out loud even before chemo, but this board succeeds every day. Thank you ladies. 💕💕

Runnerbean, they’ll get you sorted, hang on in there. I’m avoiding everyone atm for risk of infection.

Meesh, have a lovely day but don’t do too much. I haven’t seen my sister since July as she lives in Spain. Last time she was over I was in hosp with infection and as she’s a primary school teacher and just come over on a plane we thought better not to visit. Hoping to see her at Christmas in my ‘good’ week.

Temp, my first in the ear thermometer (Braun 5) consistently read higher than nhs. I don’t know if it was faulty but got money back and bought Braun 3. Much better, I put mine in and slightly press it upwards. My two ears are usually different and left ear (paralysed side) can go from 38.3 to 37.0 in 10mins so unless my right ear is high I generally ignore that. As long as you’re consistent, really you’re measuring the difference between your normal and going high. Our unit uses the forehead ones and again, my left side is often higher. I have to remind them to use my left side.

Ha, I never jumped my big old ex puissance horse to that level but I’ve got a great picture of me going over a jumps with about a foot+ of air between me and the saddle!

Good luck to everyone today. I’m trying the chemo bus for the first time today, for my flush. 10mins away instead of 45mins.

[karana23]

Very true....Christmas dinner may not happen if you did!! 🙄🤣🤣🤣

[Meesh73]

Gluhwein I think is more or less the same as mulled wine. I get bottles of it from Aldi after having it in Brussels at a Xmas market. It's also where I got the idea of adding a shot of ameretto as they add shots of stuff to it. I would've had some this year, but as OH doesn't drink it would just be me and I've not really fancied alcohol plus I couldn't and probably shouldn't drink a whole bottle to myself especially with added ameretto 😳😳😳

[karana23]

May have to try that, although I still may do mulled wine and just have a little!! Never heard of mulled gluhwein...what is that?

They use the digital thermometers at my hospital and told me to get one of those which I did! Glad your rash is starting to clear, wonder what caused it...I do think our bodies are starting to retaliate a little...👾👾👾☠️☠️☠️

[Meesh73]

Karen also meant to say I take temp with oral thermometer 🤒 As that's what hospital gave me. I usually take mine in the morning before I get up as opening your mouth, talking and drinking stuff within 30 minutes of taking temp can affect the reading and the only chance I have of not having done those things is when I first wake up. 🙄

[Meesh73]

Runnerbean, sorry to hear you're in case nhs. Hope they let you out soon. Here's a dance to help get your botty under control 🕺🏻💃🕺🏻💃🕺🏻💃🕺🏻💃🕺🏻💃🕺🏻👯👯‍♂️👯🌟✨🌟🌟🌟✨⭐️🌈🦄💃🕺🏻🦄🌈🌟✨👯🌈🌟✨⭐️👯‍♂️

Shi, funny you should mention the st. Trinians as I had the same thought last night. That's what I keep picturing now when I think of our little unruly band of travellers on our chemo 🚂 🏑🏑🏑🏑🏑

Karen, glad you're feeling a bit better. My rash is also looking a bit better too so I'm going to carry on with cream and antihistamines for another day and see how it looks tomorrow.

my friend didn't give me any quantities for mulled apple recipe, she said it's got 🍏 juice, some cloves, star anise, cinnamon sticks, piece of ginger 🤢and some sugar, put in saucepan over medium heat and leave for 60 mins. She also said she sometimes does it in the slow cooker. I usually slow cook my gluhwein or mulled wine on Xmas day that way there's always some on hand, I usually add a shot of amaretto to my glass and then add the slow cooked gluhwein 😋😋Won't be doing that this year though ☹️, so thought the mulled apple juice would be a nice replacement as OH really liked it.

[Shi]

Karebear on Dec thread is a 6xfec and would like some tips please our 6xfec girls. Thank you 💕💕✨✨Shi xx

[Meesh73]

Sue, I take lorazepam. I usually take them each night I'm on the steroids.

[Ali49]

Runnerbeam sorry to hear you are in hospital. My heart rate was up when i went in and i had to have a huge bag of fluids too. I did have diaorreah too but not uncontrollable. Hope they let you out with oral antibiotics soon. Are you 9n T Runnerbean?.what day are you on?

Karen i noticed that with the nurse, she just placed the thermometer in my ear wheress i put mine right in. Either way as long as we are consistent, we are checking our temp and thats all we can do. Take care mixing with everyone. Try to stay away because there is so much going around at the mo! I never left my hospital room for the 3 days i was in last week xxx

[karana23]

Oh and Meesh have a lovely time with your mum and sister...the mulled apple stuff sounds lovely...you may have to share the recepie with us 😊🥃 xxx

[karana23]

Runnerbean...hope you get out soon and they sort your botty probs....not nice to use a commode, is that coz they worried about infection?  Have they fed you yet?? Sending you lotsa love 💖 xxxx

[Shi]

Runnerbean, sorry to hear you are in casa nhs, hope they get you sorted and you can get home soon, please keep us posted. Karana hope you had a good night and the
Colds on it way out. Meesh have a lovely time with Mum and sister and keep check on that rash if the creams not made it go away or have you started those antibiotics yet? On the t, they flushed a bag of stuff through canula 1st then had the t then another bag of stuff flush after, took about 2-3 hrs total in chair no cold cap. Good luck t switchers and good luck dizzy with your fec and anyone else who has another fec😘😘😘we are getting their girls, together step by step 😁😁😁ruth I do the same like a little video clip of us all on the train, might be something to do with seeing the st trinians train robbery just before starting chemo, the old black and white film🏑🏑🏑🏑🏑😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂mishy we’ll be following you into nana rads pants soon, and as meesh said the other day titty free swinging on top during rads to help with getting air to things. We’ll still be peeing away too as still have to have the 2-3l of water during that too 😁😁😁do you think we could have filled the hoover dam between us by now🤔💕💕💕✨✨✨shi xx

[karana23]

Morning ladies....went to sleep really early last night and slept pretty well, woke up for an hour or so but managed to get back off!  Temp is back down to 37.6 and cold has dried up just got a bit of an irratating cough!  Quick question with temp...when they took mine yesterday at hosp she hardly put it in my ear and it was a lot lower than I had made it at home but I stick it right in....what do you do?  

Its xmas jumper day today so gonna put my unicorn one on and try and feel a bit Xmasy...I did have a few peoples nails booked in but I’ve moved them to tomorrow to give myself an extra day to feel a bit better!

Good luck for those of you that are up today...hope the T is kind to you if your changing!  Meesh, Sue was asking if they could give us anything to combat the steroids keeping her awake and I said you take something but cldnt remember what it is 😱 

⛄️⛄️🦄⛄️⛄️🦄

[SueW]

Meesh have a lovely family day xx
I will text jencat later and let her know you was asking and hope she replies I don’t like to keep texting loads in case she feels I am harassing her x
I just going for a bath then chemo at 11.15 then lunch with mom butvwill pop on forum when I can
Wishing everyone a great day
Meesh what do you take to help you sleep when you pumped up on steroids x

[Meesh73]

Hope all you other ladies are doing ok and have nice things planned.

Karen, howre you? Hope your temp is still under control and you're not suffering too much with your cold. Make sure you rest up today and drink plenty of water.

sue, have you heard from Jencat recently? Is she ok?

My mum and sis are coming today 🤗🤗🤗 I can't wait! Need to have a shower and check rash as I've got loads to do before they get here. OH is hoovering so housework will be finished but I need to go to Tesco for a few things. My friend made me some lovely mulled apple juice, it's really 😋😋😋 so I'm off to get a few ingredients I don't have so I can make it for my mum and sis.

Have a lovely day ladies! 

[Meesh73]

Morning ladies! Sorry to hear some if you didn't sleep well.

Sue, Rach, Jellytot the 🚂 is on its way with ⭐️✨⭐️✨🌈🌟✨⭐️🦄🌈✨🌟⭐️And 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄it's plenty warm for you. Hope you gave your gold hot pants on and that Sue and Jelly have your surfboards ready for 🏄‍♀️🏄‍♀️🏄‍♀️🏄‍♀️On the roof. Cassie is on her gigantic 🐴 with her 🏹🏹 and I've got guns trained on 👨🏻‍✈️Shi, will be along with her glitter and tai chi as back up if things get out of control. Rach, keep twirling and enjoy vic reeves. Hope the chemo treats you kindly ladies, good luck 🍀🍀🍀🍀we're all thinking of you today 😘😘🤗🤗⭐️✨🌟✨🌟⭐️🌈🌟✨⭐️🌈

[SueW]

Morning Ruth sorry you had a bad night x

no more sleep oh well I going to ask when I go chemo and f I can take anything so hopefully I will sleep tonight

Jelly and rach see you on board x I will let you know when I am back

Love to all xx

[Ruth07]

Runnerbean sorry you are in casa NHS but glad it is making you feel a little better. Hopefully you will be home safe and sound soon. Glad the search party found you ♥️💕💕
Sue those pesky steroids 🙄 Hope you have managed to doze again this morning. I had a bad nights sleep too but not sure why? I think it might be my mind reengaging after being in zombie land for the last week. I have been ignoring everyone so have a huge backlog of messages from friends and family to reply to today. Also continuing to pee like that old drunk 😵 overnight so maybe the last of the toxins are coming out 🤞🤞🤞
Get the 🚂🚂 out of the station Meesh for our lovely ladies and keep safe everyone 🌊🌊🌊 🏄🏄🏄🌪🌪🏹🏹🏹🥊🥊🏇🏇🏇🏇🏇🏹🏹🔫🔫💣💣⚔️⚔️✨✨✨

[SueW]

Runnerbean get well soon lovely

I have joined wide awake club thinknits the 8 steroids today in prep for first t
Been awake since 3.15 lay in bed for an hour trying to go back to sleep but have no give up and come downstairs

Thanks for your info Ali i am so happy to take advice and guidance from those ahead of me and hope in the future the things I have learnt can help someone else in the future xx

[Runnerbean]

Hi ladies, had an eventful day today. Phoned up with out of control diarrhoea and a temperature so was told to go to a&e. When I got here this afternoon they did the usual test and decided my heartbeat was very high. I hadn’t even noticed this. I was put on a drip for an hour to rehydrate then given antibiotics as they say there are signs of an infection although they don’t know where it is. I’m now on another drip for 8 hours but have finally been moved onto a ward so at least I may get a bit of sleep. I have a private room but not allowed to use the toilet they have given me a commode which is going to be quite embarrassing with my botty predicament. On the plus side I do feel better with all the fluids so must have been really dehydrated so make sure you keep your water levels up. They didn’t even have a phone signal in a&e so my Mum sent out a search party to track me down which was a bit embarrassing but at least she cares xx

[Ali49]

Hi all, suew and everyome else starting T tomorrow - remember to ask for loperamide for diaorreah tomorrow - just 8n case you need it amd also ask for nystatin for sore mouth if they dont give you anything else.

SueW,. I felt fi e the day after T and then on day 3 felt tired. My mouth felt off prettymuch straight away amd the pain k8cked in on the night between days 3 and 4. Make sure you have co codamol in or another effective painkillet. Then alternate with ibuprofen and keep on top of the pain for the few days that it lasts.

Cassie being aware of my heartbeat and a fast heartbeat has been a thing throughout this first cycle of T. The oncnurse told me it is the steroids and the treatment. I have also felt a bit breathless.

Good luck everyone having treatment tomorrow x

[Ruth07]

Evening lovely ladies - lots of 🤣😂😂😂😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂 on here this evening thank you ♥️♥️♥️💕💕💕💕
I love the gold hot pants pic - made me laugh out load - what attitude 😉😉
I now have a vision of Cassie on a huge horse jumping fences with buddy riding shotgun pinging out loratadine for all our t-birds out surfing 🏄 🏄🏄 on our 🚂 Whilst Shi and Meesh are running through the train spraying everyone gold and feeding us Philadelphia and peanut butter 🥜 Sandwiches 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣
Good luck all our girls for tomorrow T and FEC - get those meds down you and hope the steroids don't ruin your lovely beauty sleep too much 😴 😴

[SueW]

Only time they would re do that should have said

[SueW]

Gosh so you have to have your bloods and wait for chemo on same day?

I go for bloods 48 hours before and get straighgbin chair only time they would really do is if they come back too low from the previous test

Yet another hospital having different procedures x

[Fairydust 14]

Ahh thanks Sue. I will need a cannula and am not cold capping so will allow up to 2 hrs in the chair. I usually have an hour's wait to get in the chair as well so maybe up to 3 hrs in
total plus travel time plus blood test and travel time in the morning. That's my day done!

[SueW]

Fairy I had appointment for line flush and bloods Wednesday and I asked about length of time for t and was told about 1 and half hours but I have a line so don’t need time allowance for cannula
Have you got a line or need cannula? and if you cold cap adds tome too x

[Fairydust 14]

Hi Cassie. Thanks for your T feedback, but so sorry you're suffering. Can I ask how long it took for your T chemotherapy? I'm curious if I get T tomorrow how long I might expect to be in the chair.

[Meesh73]

🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂Sue, that's sounds like the normal way of things in my house. OH has just made some semolina, did he ask me if I wanted any ....no. I make his breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday yet he never asks me if I want a cup of tea or a snack🤜🏻🤜🏻🐟🐟🐟. Sometimes I'm tempted to just cook myself some dinner and see what happens.

[SueW]

Thanks for link buddy I know what to look for x

[SueW]

Thanks meesh
Dizzy 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Omg I don’t know if my patience vanished with this last round of chemo my hubby just raided the cupboards got 3 viscount biscuits and 2 cherry bake Wells sat there and munched them without even offering me anything. I didn’t want anything but just called him all the selfish b@st@rds under the sun for not even asking especially as I was standing getting his packed lunch ready for work tomorrow think he will be getting a dose of arsenic on his sandwiches x

[Meesh73]

Yes I've bought it off the shelf before. Although when I went to onco unit yesterday they asked me if I had any at home I said no because knew they'd then give me some for free!

[WhyteFawn]

🤣🤣🤣🤣 no it doesn't Each not really. OMG I can see where you get the nickname 😂
Buddyfan I love to watch the puissance but don't think I have the guts to jump a horse over 7ft myself. I do like jumping tho it's my favourite and very much missing riding as much as i use to.

[buddyfan]

Loratadine is off the shelf I think. Just checked, Tesco's anti hayfever/allergy is Loratadine https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/282027376

[Meesh73]

Cassie, 😂🤣😂🤣😂😂I lôve it that your Fitbit phones the police! 

Sue, I'll let you know about the Philly PB combo. Not expecting much but you never know!

Cassie, hope your bath helps ease your pains,

Rach, forgetting your antisickness 😳😳😳😳you're brave! Perhaps you are still dizzy after all!  My team gave me loads of meds after first chemo and just told me to tell them when I run out. 

[DizzyBrummie]

Oh my god WhyteFawn, does it really report you missing?

[SueW]

Thanks rach I will try that
As in dizzy my head is spinning like a whirlpool it never ends 🎶 ?
What a pain havingvto wait for snyisiciness to kick in before your treatment x