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Hi Belle,
No apology necessary, understand that short replies mean people are either not feeling too good or busy.
Sorry to hear you're suffering after fourth chemo 
although glad you're back is better and that you managed to enjoy your grandaughter's birthday.
I had third TC yesterday, so far nothing major to report (waiting in trepidation, who knows what each different cycle will bring), hot, red steriod face and chest but more worringly night before chemo my feet became really red, dry skin and tingling, burning sensation. Showed them to the nurses giving me my chemo who gave me a small tube of Diprobase and told me to keep an eye on it . Also tingling, numb sensation in fingertips. If it doesn't improve over the weekend I will phone helpline on on Monday.
Hope you feel better over the weekend.
P.S. Forgot my take my miso soup before chemo and was also supposed to try heat pad at hospital but there were none left! Anyway, got cannula in on second attempt. 
Hazel. x
Hi all,
Completely agree about the hideous depression post chemo. It's by far my worse side effect so far, though I have been really lucky not to have too many with FEC. Remains to be seen what happens with T! I know in my head that it's just the drugs making me feel low and that it'll only be really bad for a few days, but it's really difficult to 'feel' what's in your head.
On the half way point thing, I might be really unpopular to say this, but I've been really happy to have reached it. I think perhaps the difference is that my chemo is pre-op, so I've actually been able to see the difference the drugs are making to my tumours, so that's been a real boost. I know most of you are post-op (sounds a bit like I'm talking about gender reassignment!! 
) and not able to see the benefit of these drugs, please believe me that they are amazing things and truly kick cancer-ass!
Found my miso in Waitrose too. Really not looking forward to it, particularly double dose. But as they couldn't even do my blood test from my 'chemo-arm' today, I think I'll have to give it a go!
On the muscle cramp subject, someone told me that you can suffer from magnesium deficiency from drinking a lot of water and to eat bananas as they are high in it. I haven't checked this with any medical source though, so it may be rubbish. Anyway, I wondered whether the same might be true of potassium, a lack of which can cause cramps. It's just an idea, but as bananas are also a good source of potassium, it might be worth trying to have one a day to see if it helps. It can't do any harm anyway.
Belle - I hope your back is feeling better soon, what a nightmare to have that on top of all the chemo-crap. Amazing daughter-in-law though, tell her from me that she's a star!
Popkit50 - I'm sorry you've had such a rough time of it and hope you're feeling a bit better (nothing like a cream tea to help boost the morale!). I'll keep my fingers crossed that you're OK in time for your T.
xxx
Blimey, Hazel, what have I started?! 
Right, the original site I found this on (http://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/showthread.php?t=357436) suggests this:
'Here's what I found worked. The night before chemo, drink a ton of water. If you get up to pee in the middle of the night, drink more water.
Also, have a big bowl or double-size mug bowl of strong miso soup. The high salt content will help hold the water in your body. You can buy miso paste (usually refrigerated, but some types are in packets on a shelf -- don't buy "instant" or things in a box, just get the paste) and add it to hot water, and that's all you need to do. It tastes good as well.
The morning of chemo, have some more water and more miso soup. The more water you can get in you and the more salt, the better you'll find that your veins hold up. When I started doing this (after that six-needle-sticks episode, which of course made me cry), I never had another problem."
However, I bought the Clearspring Organice Miso Paste from Waitrose £2.35 for four sachets (only place I could find it!) and only drank one sachet the night before chemo and on the morning as I hadn't read the advice about doubling up. I may double up for future attempts as my veins are shocking at the moment: sore, swollen and painful. I don't know why the powder is sniffed at in the original post and so long as it's got salt in it I would think that it would work as well.
Let us know how you get on!
B x
