Anyone starting chemo aound end of May?

[Lulu34]

when they were low before (0.16) it was midway through epi no 1 cycle to see if i could go camping at a music festival but cos they were low i was advised not to go.

when they were rechecked before chemo was due (1.75) so had come back up... was told if between 1 and 1.5 would get antibiotic cover.

this time was 0.88 so not sure what happens if under 1.... anybody any ideas... i think i did know but cant remember due to good old chemo brain... would it just be postponed till they are normal or would i get the gcsf injections and get it anyway?

[Guest user]

Thanx Lisa yes it does help me a lot to know that someone else had to go tru same regimen and DID it cause after the 3 fec i was to give up ...so now feel half human again ...Thank you Lulu for the replay ..i noticed you had low neutrophils before .what do you think about taking suppliments?want to know what is your oppinion about it..my neutrophils were 1.4 for 2 fec they say it was ok ....-i think you say-has to be more 1.5 for chemo to be given..i feel v anemic at the mo my nails and i cheked my eye look v pale..What do you think about the book Jane PLant has written about the breast ca?...Christina

[Lulu34]

kris i have to get 4 epi and 4 cmf.

had my blood results back today and my neutrophils are 0.88 so have to get them rechecked tomorrow to see if they are up enough to have chemo... not sure what happens if its still low... cant remember if i have to get gcsf injections or just have to wait till neutrophils come back up.

lisa glad you got your tooth is out hope it is more comfortable now and stops causing anymore pain.... i was up til 5am on tues am... feel tired but also have insomnia.... its a b*gger hey!

debs thats good service from your onc.... and glad you are coming to the end of treatment.

lulu x

[lisa_lisa]

julie , that really made me smile kids ,cant get any think past them ,
Christina if it helps I had 3 fec and 3 tax I do keep forgetting it was my last one cause of all tooth ache but yes I will make most of it when not going up the hospital every othere day .....Lisa going for bloods just before lunch 2 day c if its quicker ..

[Guest user]

Hi,everybody i wish i was in your place LIsa and Debbie already finish or waiting for last one...sorry to ask did you had TAx or FECs last 3 Debbie??chemo brain doesnt remmember ..Good luck to Annie Pauline Sally.....How many CMF you will Have Lu-Lu? Christina

[Guest user]

good morning all
lisa i to was up at 1.30.then 2am. my 6 year old had a spider in his room tiney weeney,i could not see it so pretended to catch it, which back fired on me, because yes you guessed it, it resurfaced at 2am so he though he`d had 2 in his room and was hysterical,so i put him in my other sons room ,few groans from him,but then all quite,
when my oh saw my tv he said "was it from the pound shop" cheeky mare,i also have a pink mobi,pink satnav and laptop, so he is probely fed up with pink,another rainy day, wish the sun would come back feeling quite down,
julie x

[Guest user]

Another day, another dollar - good luck to everyone having treatments this week. Gearing up for what is hopefully my last chemo next week. Complained to hospital that I was not due to see my ONC until nearly 6 weeks after the last chemo and I had loads of queries such as when do i start tamoxifen, why no rads, how do they check the bone mets are under control etc and they rang me yesterday to say he will come and see me when they are giving me the chemo next week to answer all my queries. Thought that was quite a good service! Have got my pad and pencil ready!!! Keep going girls - we're getting there! xdebbiex

[lisa_lisa]

It great L G F B helping us all we deserve it ,

Quick recape wisdome tooth out , prob was dentists said xray looked ok and was not sure if that was giving me gip or sinuses so It was up to me GREAT .....Im a denstist and doc now any way its out and lets hope when pain relife wheres off It stays aways . or they will have to close there eyes and just pick one !!!!!
Fab pal cooked and brought round our tea in a bit of a rush when she offered she never told me it was her bday and was also cooking for 20 more . thats how you know who your friends are It was fab she is a great cook . Just not sure how I will repay her when Im up to it ....

Pink Dvd sounds great I had good deal with tesco it was on this morning with that bloke that saves you money 90 free trail as long as you cancel with in 90 days I did it and got 2 every othere day soon as you seen them back they said you next one ...
Any othere info needed let me know not sure if you needed code but I will check if anyone needs it .

More frebbies ladies bring it on ....
HOPE YOUR SLEEPING BETTER THAN ME ...2.45
NIGHT NIGHT
LISA

[Lulu34]

Hi Annie

the LGFB was fab today and have some fantastic freebies in my good bag... and it really does what it says on the tin.... i do look good and feel better 🐵

hello to all you other girlies hope your not feeling too bad.

[Guest user]

Hi All- Seems like everyone is going on to Tax now. I'm still on FEC, got 2 more to go.No new problems except eyebrows and eyelashes seem to be going now.

So good luck to Alice,Sally and Julie with your Tax this week.It will be interesting to hear how it affects you.

Julie- glad to have you back,sounds like you are doing ok. I'm very envious of the pink tv- I just love anything pink!Hope OH likes it!

Lisa- hope you got your tooth sorted, poor you.

Lulu-LGFG sounds good fun and another opportunity to meet other women with BC.I'm going on Monday-can't wait for all those freebies!

Hope everyone else is doing ok
Love Annie x x

[Guest user]

hi all
good luck with tax i to have mine friday, so hope its kind to all of us,
sorry lisa you are noe having trouble with tooth,if it not one thing its anouther
i have just bought myself a lovely pink tv/dvd for bedroom and am having aerial put in tommorrow so i can also watch freeview,well if tax is going to make me more tierd,i can watch all my feel good films, just bought mama mia which is a great feel good film, oh hasent seen pink tv yet, dont no what he will make of it, any other nice films to reconmend please!!!!!!!!!
take care all julie x

[lisa_lisa]

Good luck with treatments this week , look good feel better is fab , off to dentist in mo with sis in law armed with blood results ect hope he will take the begger out but its a big one so here goes !!!
Will let you know ...
Lisa
Thanks for all the support Ladies x

[Guest user]

Good luck Alice and Sally on tax, let us know how it goes! hope it is kind to you both,
love debs xxx

[Lulu34]

alice just wanted to add my best wishes with the tax.... and to you too sally for friday.... hope the SEs are bearable.

getting my bloods checked in the morning for epi no 3 on thurs and going to look good feel better in the afternoon... looking forward to it and getting my freebies.

Lxx

[hollymeg]

good luck alice with the Tax Tomorrow, hope it is kind to you.
Luv Pauline xxx

[Guest user]

Hi Alice
Good luck for tomorrow i start tax on fri so i'l be interested to see how you get on. im having herceptin as well but not until after radiotherpy..ive been suffering as well with dry skin especially on face i just plaster myself with e45..have bad complextion too.

All the best Sally xxx

[aliceblue]

Hi all and hi Lisa sounds like you've had a terrible time, hope you feel better soon.

Start tax and herceptin tomorrow, saw consultant oncologist today. Apparently might not have too many side effects with tax ... so he says, but there is always hope! Skin is all dry and have skin rash coming back apparently all normal, as is being sick a week later - as a delayed reaction to FEC. Have booked workshop for two weeks time, and also Haven in September - not sure if anyone is in or near London (2 other centres as well), but women with BC can have upto 6 hours free treatment/therapies - like yoga, reiki (onc recommended).

Good luck and warm wishes love Alice x

[Guest user]

Hi Lisa

sounds like your having a right old time of it, just wishing you well and hope your feeling better soon.....its pants isnt it

luv Sally xx

[lisa_lisa]

Ladies , after Tax just sleep , really tiring if I can sort out my toothache ill give it a try lol x
Lisa

[Lulu34]

awww julie its good to have you back but sorry to hear what a crap time you have had.... nothing like a doctor reading up what hes supposed to do in a text book to fill you with confidence hey.... congratulations to your sis hope she has an easy labour.

i seem to be about the only one not getting tax and asked my onc about it as im hormone and herceptin neg... although it sound quite tough i would rather have had it to blast the bugger to bits!

anyway wanted to wish you tax ladies all the best.

[Guest user]

hi all
thanks lisa, has really knocked me back, kids have a playsheme tommorrow, but im not sending them incase they catch something, also oh is away all weekend so i have had to go out, weather is lovely though today,and my sister is due baby boy on wednesday so i have something to look forwards to, will have a look at other thread thanks pauline
hugs all julie

[lisa_lisa]

Hi Julie M
I also felt very bullied in hospital and also ended up crying , they had no one trained in the assment ward who was trained to use hickman line so wanted to use arm that had phlebitis ( caused by chemo ) as they knew I couldnt use lymphedema arm.
Hubby stayed with me all night as doctor said he was not qualified to use hickman line but would if I insited he would .
Hubby saw him looking it up in a book on the desk and he also asked me if he was doing it right ....What a joke when we are going through all this we dont need that as well . As you prob experienced a C ward is not the best place to be . Keep your chin up mate home now ...
Lisa x Its getting a bit better beening away from there .

[Guest user]

Julie good to see you back on here! doesn't sound like it was much fun, but glad you got to yr workshop i have just booked mine!

hope everyone is ok, love debs xxxx

[Guest user]

Cheers Pauline .... ive just had a read of the thread and its been really helpful.. im not quiet so worried now.. roll on friday then ive only 2 left yipee....

thanks Lisa too for your info , sorry to hear you havent been so well. hope your feeling better soon.x

Welcome back Julie m....weve missed you.. hope your feeling better now as well x

glad your ok Marion after your 1st its given me some idea as to how im gonna be next week..ive booked the sofa ready lol

Hey ive just noticed thers a few of us having 1st tax on friday.

hope everyne else is ok too

Sally xx

[hollymeg]

sally and anyone else starting tax, i have started a new thread called 'Advice on taxotere' and i must say the response has been brilliant, check it out.
Lisa and debs, hope your feeling better soon.
Julie, nice to have you back, wasn't the same without you.
looks like there are a lot of us having tax around the same time, just think we will all finish around the same time to, roll on end of sept.
have a relaxing, but soggy weekend, luv Pauline xxx

[Guest user]

hi all have missed you
just typed a big thread then lost it,thankyou all for your kind wishes while i was in hospital,
was a horrid experience,and i now darent go anywhere incase i pick something up,
can anyone clarify i was really pressurised into letting them use my bad arm for blood, in the end i said i have bc i dont want lyphodema as well,it got to a point were i burst out crying and said i wanted to go home, they never got it from my bad arm but i dont think they should have bullied me in this way,i ended up coming out a day before they wanted me to , on a lighter note the food wasent bad and i got a cooked breakfast each day,now at home back to porridge yum,
lisa and deb sorry youve not been well, i think i sync up with some of you ladys regarding chemo as i had it difered this week, so am due no 4 friday my first tax, will have to say good bye to eye-brows and lashes,
managed to get to the feel good make-up work shop and it was fab lots of lovely make-up and a 100ml covet perfume given to me,
take care all julie m

[Guest user]

Hello All

Not been on for a while so had to have a quick catchup. I am now on day 9 of st tax (chemo no4) I have had no sicknes and have now stopped taking the anti sickness. Was woried about stopping them in case it started. I have been really tired more with this one not sure if tax or just that its no 4. My nail beds are really tender and my hands are dry thank god for hand cream I have never used so much moisturiser in my life.

Is any on at the same stage as me? I know Annie is.

I feel a lot better to day I started to feel better last night but put that down to having lucozade and a fresh cream cake thought that I'd had a bit of a sugar rush!!!!!

Still a bit paranoid about picking stuff up so have not been anywhere for the past 8 days starting but to be fair havent felt like it either. Keep thinging have I got a sore throat or is it just dry. Its just dry need more drink!

Hope you all have a good weekend with no rain (whishful thinking) We are having the OH grandkids later for a bit of tea as its the youngset birthday next week. I dont want to go to a party full of 3 year olds so we will have a cake for him later and give him pressies.

Take care all Love Marion xx

[lisa_lisa]

Sorry Ladies not been to well and still quite down after hospital stay .
Deb
I do have to agree every session its got worse for me with side effects and tirdness but its to be expected we have been filled up with it time and time again its going to be more invasive I would think . But to you othere ladies I also know people that have flown through it so heres hoping xxx
Sally

Tax I found has completly different side effect no sickness !!!!!just want to eat loads so put all weight on I lost while on fec and more lol !!!!
Also feet hand and nails get really dry and brittle I found plaster feet in vasaline and put on bed sock over night not lost a nail yet I know that can happen .
Sorry but lost all my eyelashes and eyebrows on Tax but head hair is growing back !!!!!!
Get your self booked into Look good feel better loads of free bees and they showed my how to use free products to do eyebrows look better than ever with the posh stuff they gave me , google it about time we had freebies ....
I had my last treatment yesterday but didnt skip out of unit still really low so had to beg for treatment need to go back every othere day next week to check bloods had feeling id not seen the last of the place ....
good to get it of my chest ( so to speak lol )!!!!!
Thanks for listening
hope info helps Lisa

[Guest user]

Hi everyone

Im now on day 14 of 3rd fec and ive found the tiredness seems to be lingering longer as well, my eyes seem to be getting abit dry , my mouth has been dry for ages.

Im having my 1st TAX on friday so i'd be greatful for any input on dealing with it as i must admit im dreading it, then again I was dreading the FEC and its seems to have been quiet kind to me in comparison with other people. so fingers crossed for the TAX.

Hope everyones ok and resting lots

thought id just share this with you all, my eyebrows hae gone alot thinner so im having to pencil them in a bit now and this morning i wasnt quiet with it when i did it and ended up using the green eyeliner pencil instead.....tut. i nearly piddled myself when i realised half way through the 1st eyebrow......just as well i noticed really............ Im a typical blonde when i had hair so this was no surprise to me LOL

love to all. hope you all have a lovely weekend

Sally xxxx

[hollymeg]

hi there everyone, just catching up. feeling better now, day 10 after 3rd fec but extreamly tied this time. oh well not be long till the next one....
debs glad your doing ok so far, fingers crossed, dam the blooooody farm!!!!
Just to let you all know as she doesn't seem to ofmade it on her, julie m is home and well. i will let her fill you in when she gets round to it. just thought some of you might be wondering what happened to her. i passed on your good wishes.
Hope your all chilling and getting lots of wine down you this wet soggy weekend, take care luv pauline xxx

[Guest user]

Annie, glad to hear you got there!! hope the weather stays good for you! I think all the cooked breakfasts I had did me good as my blood count was up before 3rd fec!
I feel tired after 3rd, catches up with us!

Sally my bloods have been good too, its silly isn't we expect them to be bad and worry when they aren't!

have a good weekend everyone, love debs xxx

[Guest user]

Hi all-not posted for a while but have been keeping up with everyone.

Am in Norfolk this weekend and today has been beautiful,just hope it lasts for the rest of the weekend!

Feeling a bit more tired after FEC no4 last week but still doing ok.

Hope everyone is ok

Love Annie x x

[Guest user]

Hi Lulu

Many thanks for the info...had another look at forms and its in the neu boxes..... but like you said the bodys had a chance to get better so thats is probably why they are up.... I'm still getting to grips with all the termernology(cant even spell it.LOL)..but to be honest I know enough as to whats going on without going into loads of details etc

Hope your doing ok

Luv Sally xxxxx

[Lulu34]

Hi Sally

my WBC are also still normal although slightly less than pre chemo... if you get an infection you WBC goes up but the normal range is between 4-11... they arent so concerned about the WBC though (unless you have an infection) but more concerned about the neutrophils dropping and you becoming neutropaenic as that is when your most likely to pick up an infection.

as you can see from your results your bloods are dropping a little bit each time... my WBC was 5 before 1st chemo and 4.3 before 2nd chemo.

when you get your bloods checked this is when your in the recovery stage and your bloods are starting to return to normal... if you had them checked during the middle week you would most likely find they were very low.... that is why they do chemo 3 weekly so that hopefully you are 'well' enough to get the next dose.

[Guest user]

Hi All

im starting to get concerned now cos so far my wbc has been really good, after 1st fec 7.6 after 2nd 6.7 , now im wondering if the chemo is working as my white blood cells seem to be really good.silly i worry when things are bad and now im worrying when thye are good.. i long for the day when i dont worry lOL

hope everyones coping ok

Sally xx

[Guest user]

Lulu, was just about to take my 1st dose of movicol and read yr post!! better have something nice ready to eat quick!!
I really hate that SE so uncomfortable!!
Still on sofa today, only 2 days after 3rd fec so early days!

Pauline hope you are feeling better, it has really hit you hard this time hasn't it, hopefully the tax will treat you more kindly!

love to all, Debs xxx
ps loved yr story with the little boy sally!

[Lulu34]

neutrophils are type of blood cell which is connected to immunity... normally it should be between 2 and 7.5 but with chemo it can drop to very low...

if its between 1.5 and 2 you will usually just go ahead with chemo

if its between 1 and 1.5 you may not get chemo or you may get with anti biotic cover.

if its under 1 its usually on hold till your neutrophils come back up and you may have to get the GCSF injection which help make new blood cells in the bone marrow.

but as we all know every hospital is defferent so that is just a general guide.

deb sorry to hear about the dizzyness... tehre seems to be no end of different SEs.

donna my veins are really sore too.... its driving me nuts... im always constipated due to being on tamoxifen in the past so just gloug my way through bottles of lactulose and dioctyl laxatives... a lot of people find movicol good but i think it tastes so revolting it makes me wanna puke.

sally im so lolling at you making kids fall off their bikes in shock.

love and huggles to all

Lulu xx

[Guest user]

Hi Alice

sorry to hear that youve had such a bad time on the FEC,it must have been absolutely awful for you, i seemed to have got off pretty lightly by the sounds of it, i find the tiredness the hardest thing to cope with.
I start my 1st of 3 tax next friday so i would be greatful for any advice on it as for warned is forarmed as they say.Im having herceptin as well but not until ive had the rads,
Lets hope the tax suits you better, mind you couldnt be worse than the fec by the sound of it.
Good luck with the tax anyway Alice

Sally xxx

PS TO ALL

nearly made a little boy fall off his bike last night, i was stood outside saying goodbye to OH and a little lad biked past and nearlly fell off his bike as he looked at me with a gapping mouth......Guess he'd nevr seen a lady with no hair before..... he biked past again just to check so i smiled sweetly and waved at him LOL LOL

LOve to all as it sounds as we all could do with some cheering up and Pauline when you get your new sofa for us all can you get some lovely looking semi naked men to wait on us too, mind you I think they would be waisted as non of us would have the energy to take advantage of them LOL...

love Sally xxxxx

[Guest user]

Hi ladies, neutropilatic a or however its spelt, yes thats a zero immune, poor you I hope you are feeling much better, I was Neutro whatever last week but managed to get away with tonsillitus only, and white count is up today so I have had 3rd FEC, knocked me for 6 this time! My arm veins were really sore to start with so the actual administration hurt a bit and now I feel a bit sick for the first time, mind you its still the constipation and haemorroids that are really doing my nut in!! (Just thought I would share that with you and all the other million web browsers LOL!!!) Dignity disappeared some time ago!

I am now having some injections GL something? on days 5 to 10 of this cycle to prevent losing the white blood cell count again, anyone any experience of this? my nurses say ti may make me a bit flu-like??

Donna x

[Guest user]

Hiya, the neutrophil is the blood count I believe - if you are neutroponic its pretty much zero. I am taking much longer to recover this time (had fec no 5 a week tomorrow) suffering dizziness this time - hoping tomorrow sees an improvement. Really got the blues too - mum n sis came today and I was really tearful, which isnt like me - need a glass of wine - but for once dont fancy it !!!! No pleasing some people - take care all and speedy recoveries xx

[hollymeg]

settee getting a bit crowded now isn't it. Sorry you had to join me debbie, we new it was coming. Will have to buy a bigger settee at this rate.

Thanks for the sdvice, i'm sure numbness it just one of a long list of side effects we have to enjoy. It's not too bad, bearable just no one had warned me about it on fec but they have for tax.

Julie m text me earlier to say they were letting her out, but has since text to say they dont want to let her out cause her netrophil is not quite up yet, what does that mean? i keep seeing that word but dont know what it means, been guessing its white blood cells.

Getting fed up now with sitting about all day feeling cr.p, going to bed, getting up, sitting about...... you get the idea.

Take care, luv Pauline xxx

[Guest user]

Hi all,

3rd fec yesterday! I've joined you on the sofa Pauline!
Feeling a bit grotty, but hey ho expected it!!

Hope everyone is surviving and great news about Julie!
love debs xxx

[aliceblue]

Hi, I've not been around for ages, start taxotere on Tuesday after 3 FECs. I had a bit of numbness at night but nothing like you are describing Pauline.

Good to catch up on everyone's news.

FEC 1 and 2 were really bad for me and was in hospital for both of them with temps and infections. Apparently I'm really sensitive to Epirubicin which kept knocking WBC and giving lots of funny side effects. Delayed FEC 3 for a week even before they got the blood test results because they didn't like the look of me! - make up didn't do the trick. FEC 3 has been much better - apart from first 8 days or so. Start taxotere and herceptin on the same day next week, so keeping my fingers crossed.

Sending lots of warm wishes to you all. Alice x

[Guest user]

hi Pauline

Im now on day12 of 3rd fec, i didnt get numb toes but i did get pins and needles in my feet a few times for no particular reason, that was about day 3 - 6

I was given a SE questionare to fill in on first 2 fec and it did have listed numb/pins and needles in feet on it

Im still feeling a bit weary at the moment but managing to carry on with household chores

If you are really concerned give your unit a bell and they might be able to shed some light on it

Take care and rest up

Luv Sally xx

[hollymeg]

Morning ladies, still feeling cr.p, just wondered if any of you on fec have suffered with numb toes? i am at min, just in one foot, feels a bit like frost bite. still waiting to turn the corner as they say, now day 7 and not much improvement. oh well off back to my settee. Luv to you all, Pauline xxx

[Guest user]

Thats some good news at last! She must be so releived. Thats made my day byeeeee.....

[Lulu34]

Pauline im really pleased to hear that... send julie my good wishes when you speak to her next.

[Guest user]

Good news about Julie m sure were all releived...... i know im getting really paroniod about swine flu adn as i have a young son with a heart condition im extra causiouse..and weve very few cases around here too..part of me wants to stay inside the house and not step foot out of it until chemo is over but i think thats taking things abit far LOL

Hope everyones ok

Love to all Sally xxxx

[hollymeg]

quick update, julie m is still in hosp but she is ok, its not swine flu. she has a low count and she may be allowed out about thursday. Some good news for a change. i'm off back under my quilt, catch up soon when i feel more human.
Luv Pauline xxx

[Guest user]

Hope you feeling better and back home soon Julie M. It's my biggest dread whilst we going through this, getting a temperature and ending up in hospital.
Love to all
Julie C xx