Hi everyone, just registered and wondered if anyone has had this prob…was due to have my 1st of 6 chemo’s on friday but was so sick and shakey they couldn’t give it to me! Have to go back monday dosed with valium!! Didn’t really even think I was that scared. has it happened to anyone else? I have butterflies just thinking about tomorrow which is the next attempt. Does it hurt? Will I feel ill straight away? Help…Julie
HI Julie,
I am going to see my onc tomorrow for the first time. I’ve had 2 ops to remove the lump and glands and have been told I need chemo due to poor margins and 3/10 glands involved.
I’m not feeling too bad as I have read loads on here and tried to talk to as many people who have been through the same.
From what I can gather everyone is very different. Some get sick straight away others it takes a few days, some don’t. They say if you had morning sickness then you may well have some nausea.
As for the pain, I’ve never really heard anyone talking too much about it. Some use heatpads after the treatment to relieve pain in their arm. Read the thread on Top tips and you might find something in there to help.
I am sure you will be fine, try some visualisation techniques, where you close your eyes and see yourself somewhere special or on a beach or something you would really like to do it may help keep the stress levels down a little.
Sorry I’m not much help I will probably be as nervous as you before my first too.
You will be in my thoughts tomorrow.
Loads of love and huge big hug
Lisa
xoxo
Hi Julie
Welcome to Breast Cancer Care’s chat forums, I am sure you will find them a great source of information and support.
I understand your anxiety about chemotherapy and want to assure you that these feelings are completely normal. No doubt you will receive lots of reassuring and informative posts from our other users, but in the meantime, here is the link to one of our publications on the subject of chemotherapy which you may find a useful read:
breastcancercare.org.uk/docs/chemotherapy_07_web_0.pdf
I do hope you find this information helpful.
Kind regards
Louise
Facilitator
Dear Julie I promise it is NOT as bad as you fear.We are all different but there is no need to panic.You can have someone with you all the time and you will be closely monitored by the nursing staff.You will be able to have a cuppa or some water or juice and should only have fleeting if any effects as the drugs go in.You will be given anti nausea meds and some to take home.I dont know what chemo you are having but for me on FEC I was sick only once each time,the day after chemo.The rest of the time I was hungry[steroids]!I was tired after 24 hours and stayed tired for about a week then picked up.By week 3 I was normal again.Tax was a bit different but I’d already had 4xFEC by then.Please honey dont panic,just think of the chemo as a strong army racing through your body,searching out any stray cancer cells and zapping them All you have to do is try to rest.There can be other side effects and you will find lots of coping strategies on here.You may be one of the people who sails through ,but this I know;it is doable.I did it and if I can anyone can.Love and good luck from Valxxx
Hi Julie,
I was really shakey before my chemo and they gave me something to calm me down - just took the edge off things. With me it’s the fear of the fear if that makes sense. Like everyone says the chemo is doable and really unless you are very unlucky the first one is really no worse than a trip to the dentist. so try not to stress too much.
cheers
caroline
dear Julie
…and I promise too, NOT nearly as bad as you are thinking! It really doesn’t hurt! And for me I didn’t feel sick at all at the time, just a bit nauseous later that evening. I was never sick once! (same applies to many on this board) The anti-sick meds work! (although sometimes you need to try more than one, so keep a phone number of on or more BCN’s to hand in case you need to swap).
I walked home afterwards, and felt pretty much as normal, except a bit tired and shaky from nerves - but that was only the first time, once I had calmed down the next sessions were fine. I ate sandwiches, read the paper and trashy novels, chatted to the nurses. The ward usually had a radio and tv on, altogether a cheerful and busy place, not grim at all.
The next few days I usually felt a bit odd, mainly from the meds. There are weird side effects like a funny taste, and being a bit hyper from the steroids, some constipation… Mostly I went back to work after a few days as it cheered me up not to brood at home.
best of luck, will think of you!
Sarah
Hi Julie
There are lots of tips on the thread Top Tips for Chemo (or something similar). I too got very nervous of hospital’s in general and could feel my blood pressure rising every time I went even for something straight forward (this has eased with time). They gave me some Lorazepam to take to calm me down if I couldn’t sleep after steriods and I ended up taking it before each chemo session. It did make me drowsy and I couldn’t drive after taking it. It also has a mild anti-sickness element to it which helped on the first night when I had run out of other options!
Your nerves will calm when you are more used to the routine and I did learn from experience.
All the best Pauline
Hi Julie
I have been absolutely terrified before starting Epi and then again before starting TAX. Luckily I had the worst of the nerves the day/ night before each time …otherwise I would have probably been the same as you.
Once you’ve had it you’ll be thinking “ooohh I just had it - and still feel the same-ish immediaitely afterwards” … but until you’ve had it you won’t believe anyone telling you so
I hope it goes well for you tomorrow so that you can be more relaxed about the others
love
FizBix xxx
Hi Julie,
you need to do this to give yourself the best possible chance, take a good luck at the people who mean most to you and walk on in there. You can do this, talk yourself into it and when your first one is done, the next will be easier because you will know what to expect. I thought I would probably die as soon as it started!! Of course I didn’t, I had a little cry and just let them do their job and before I knew it I was skipping out the door fine. Side effects yes but nothing I couldn’t manage, mainly I slept a lot but mine started on day 3 and I had lots of tablets to take whenever I wanted or needed them. I am back in on Tuesday and not looking forward to it but definitely not scared and I know what is coming. Really hope the valium does the stuff for you but you will be fine and then it will be one down and in your blood zapping the little wotsits.
Hugs and hugs. Hey we can’t all be telling porkers. It will be ok.
Lily x
Thank you all so much…I did it!! Felt like rubbish for 4 days but now I’m all ok.
I love this forum x x x x
Hi Julie and all the rest of you…
I’m so pleased you’ve done it!!
I’ve been keeping track of this thread (although it all happened last week!) and am so pleased that you are back and doing ok.
I start my chemo on Friday (now Monday) and am really dreading it. And if everyone, including you, is saying it’s do-able, I’m heartened!!!
Td xxx
well done Juliez and good luck Td - you’l be fine … try and think of something else! love FB xxx
Hi
Go Juliez!!! Now get out there and remind yourself why we are going through all this - life and love.
Waitingangel the best bit is knowing that one is over and that there is something working on those little bu…rs to zap them. Hope it all goes well for you too,
Hope everyone else is ok or feels much better very soon
Lily x
Just in case any of you saw me having a little panic about bloud counts earlier please know that it really is fine.
What I failed to mention is that when my bloods were at rock bottom last week I was having much fun in the garden and doing DIY (had gloves on, no risk of infections there then 
In the panic and worry about chemo I forgot to ask if there was still fun to be had. Yes it turns out.
Hiya
The way I looked at chemo was as another injection and took every symptom as they came. Dont get me wrong From the end of my chemo I was sitting waiting on sometging to happen but it never did and even called the hospital to find out if they had given me wrong stuff. The only side effect I have had so far is slighlty sore mouth and constipation which I hope will be better dealt with next round on wed. So take it as it comes no use worrying about all the bad things that might happen they dont always. Everyones unique and has different side effects and different reactions to each of their chemo’s
GOOD LUCK
Joanne