I learnt yesterday that I will have chemotherapy and I want to know how it affected you

[Phinou]

Thanks for the tips!

[blueash]

Hello, I was going to do a detailed reply but CK beat me to it. I had HER2 positive too and am now finished with all treatment.

I had the surgery first, then chemo which was cut short because my blood count went too low so I had 4 but was supposed to get 6. Then I had radiotherapy and 18 injections of Herceptin.

You might want to have a look at fasting when on chemo - I did it and had far few side effects than most other people. Have a look on Google just type in Valter Longo, chemo and fasting.

You should take claritin hay fever tablets all through chemo and Herceptin and this is why:

http://myangrycancer.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/claritin-is-worth-its-weight-in-gold.html

I put on about 6 kilos from the day I was diagnosed to the day I stopped Herceptin but now that I have finished the weight is coming off. It was mostly water retention. You will cope, I know it is daunting but nobody was more scared of it al than me. I also cold capped and kept lots of hair so never needed a wig.

[Phinou]

Thanks Moijan! It is good to see that people are still able to work through chemotherapy. I think that it is quite good tips for mouth sores.

[Moijan]

Hi Phinu, hopefully your chemo will prove to be tolerable. I had docetaxol about 17 years ago and I worked..I took a flask of chopped fruit to work and just picked at it when I felt like it. I believe the doses today are even smaller.  

Hopefully you wont get a sore mouth, but last year I did once when on chemo and I found regular rinses with sodium bicarbonate water (1 teasp- to a glass of water) really helped. I think rinsing after each time we eat or drink is good anyway, as it keeps down the amount of bacteria in the mouth.

some people put teething gel on mouth sores too,

remember to drink  loads of water...at least two litres daily when on chemo.

you are in good company....and will be finexx

Moijan💚💚💚.

[Phinou]

Hi CK
Thanks!
Congratulation for finishing your chemo.
I am going to have the same treatment you had but 4 EC and 4 Docetaxel and one year of Trastuzumab.

[CK]

Hi Phinou
I have just had my last cycle of chemo yesterday. I had 3xEC and 3 Doxetaxol every 3 weeks and have had 3 Hercepton out of 18 every 3 weeks.
We all react differently and SE are different but being in control and stocking up sweets to suck on, mouth washes, v shaped pullow, digital thermometer, satin pillowcases and sleeping caps if not cold capping all help at the beginning.
I ru my own business so I guess it was easier for me to go in when I felt lime it and rested up wben not.

On my first 3 I had extrA Amend anti sickness drug along with the 2 they give you. I wasnt sick and I also wore sea bands/ travel sickness! Gi ger and lemon cordial helped when water tasted awful!
You will get a metslly taste in mouth so need to suck on, murray mints, pear drops, ginger drops, chewing gum.

Every cycle your taste buds change so stock up freezer. Carbohydrates like baked potatoes, spaghetti, rice, soups, smoothies, rice pudding, spaghetti hoops, croissants, have all been good for me and last cycle was fried food. Fry ups, macdonalds(sorry) , chips, crisps, but I just ate what my taste buds wanted! I had steak b4 each treatment to build up iron for blood.

The T has less nausea but aches and pains severe forst one, 2nd one easier a d now juzt waiting for tnis one as only day 2! Epsom salt baths every night and sometimes 2 a day helped and paracetomol and Ibroprofen to keeo the pain and temp down as T can give you high temp too.

It has been manageable and during treatment Ive raised over £5000 for Cancer charities. By focusing on this and work(sometimes from home) it has taken my mind off treatment at times which also helps the mental side. I also joined local cancer care centres which helped very much!

Of course there have been a few meltdowns but thats normal to have a good cry, as long as not too long. I found myself talking to myself a lot and at first it was telling myself off with frustrration but then it changed to patting my own back and telling myself how well Im doing!

The best way is to surround yourself with positive people and sack any negativity arlu d you. Some friends will dissapear yet you will be pleasantly be surprised at who steps up to help.

Always take a noteboik to appointments and jot everything down and take someone with you so 2 seys of ears.

I have a few threads from back in Sept starting treatment. Please loom for them. The latest What to say or what not to say will prepare you for if someone says something stupid as we are more
sensitive through this! It can be quite funny if we let it.
I hope your treatment will be manageable and looking on the chemo threads could help although they scared me at the beggining but very helpful and we are all in the same boat. There are some lovely ladies and CCs who are very helpful and supportive.

I still have my op to take lymph nodes out and rads after that, so still a long journey but with positiviity and doing things on your good weeks and joining a weekly centre will certainly help you through your treatment.🖒🖒🤞🤞

[Jill1998]

There's no right or wrong place to post P - you just may get more response depending on where you post a particular query.

[Phinou]

Hi Sue,
Thanks for your answer. I guess I will know more when I will have started. But you already reassured me about the sickness. I work in an office but I am planning to work from home as much as possible.

[Phinou]

Hi Jill,

Thanks for your answer. Sorry I didn't raise my question in the right place. I don't know yet all the details. I just know that I will get 8 sessions in total, one every three weeks. I will have also targeted treatment.

[Sue C]

Hi

Chemo treatment these days tends to be once every 3 weeks. The amount of times on average is 6. The first week is the toughest, when fatigue can be challenging and sickness may happen. However, sickness can be medicated and is not the problem it once was. When it comes to work, only you will know what you can and can't do. However, generally I would say take that first week off and then see if you can do a little bit the following 2 weeks. If you work in a school or around children or even in a big office, it's not recommended at all because of risk of infection.

Hope this helps and best of luck with your treatment. It maybe worth joining the chemo monthly threads when you have a starting date, so you can chat to other ladies going through the same as yourself.

Sue xx

[Jill1998]

Hi Phinou ,welcome to the forum ,you could also post this in the going through treatment section of the forum under chrmotherapy .Do you know what chemo regime you will be having ?

[Phinou]

Hi all,

I learnt yesterday that I will have chemotherapy and I want to know how it affects/affected you. I have the memory of my mum going through chemotherapy which was really hard. She had 5 sessions for a week every 4 weeks. She was really sick the 2 first weeks and was totally unable to work.

I know that treatments are really different now and it varies on people and the kind of chemotherapy people get. But I wanted to find out, if you are/were able to work during treatment? How many days you were feeling sick or really unwell after each treatment. It will help me to anticipate and make plans about my future.

Many thanks,