The final days of EC Round 1 passed without incident, other than accelerating hair loss, despite having used the cold cap. By the time we got to Wednesday and the appointment at HODU for my 2nd round, I was down to about 20% coverage across the top, although it was still a bit thicker around the back and sides. Not feeling the monk look was something I wanted, I had been using various scarves and turbans for a few days. I had also used my wig for some meetings and was finding the hair I still had was making it difficult to keep the wig liner in place, and the wig was too uncomfortable without a liner. So after a brief discussion with the nurse, I decided not to continue with cold cap. The day after the infusion I got my husband to clipper it all very short, which has made the ongoing fall out a lot less stressful without me feeling the need to shave it completely all off.
I thought not using cold cap might help reduce the time taken for the visit, but I was still there for 4 hours, rather than the 6 hours of last time. Some of that was waiting for a chair to become available and then the pre-treatment time of waiting for the anti sickness drug to do it’s thing. This time I was placed in a private room as that was where the available chair was. I much preferred being in one of the bay areas with 6 chairs as there wasn’t much to watch other than people going in and out of the room opposite, which was being used for people needing chemo infused into their bone marrow.
I have a Bard power port portacath and this was my first experience of the nurse docking into it with the Huber needle. The port had been fitted the day before EC1 and the surgeon had left the needle in place after testing the device and drawing my bloods, so it was ready and waiting last time round. I had also chosen to get my pre-EC2 bloods taken from my elbow to avoid being punctured in the same place twice in 2 days. Of course, there was nothing to fear. You apply a tube of numbing cream over it before leaving home and cover with a clear plastic dressing. The site stays numb for 4-6 hours. When the needle is attached, you feel a bit of pressure as it’s pushed in but that’s it. It did take the nurse 2 attempts to dock, with the failed attempt more uncomfortable than the successful attempt. Then the infusions happened in the normal way, and the tubes didn’t look as big and frightening as last time. Had a pleasant few minutes making small talk to the nurse as the Epirubicin has to be hand pressed from the syringe whilst saline is on free flow from the drip.
So far EC2 has followed the pattern of EC1 in that I felt a bit light headed the day of the infusion and need to be a bit careful with my ‘energy envelope’ over these first few days. I tried going for a run this morning, which was an unmitigated disaster, that will have to wait until later in the cycle. The Omeprazole and peppermint oil I have been prescribed seem to be stopping the gastric reflux and occasional IBS type symptoms I had last time, so I am feeling close to normal except for not being able to run. I won’t hesitate to stuff myself full of ibuprofen when I get to the Filgrastim stage of the cycle on Sunday in the hope that manages the bone pain rather better. As with last time I have escaped without any nausea or mouth problems and am able to fully taste food. I do a reasonable amount of work in association with some Boards I sit on (not full time work and all desk / brain work) and have had no difficulty with that other than on a couple of days in the Filgrastim stage last cycle, so again am hoping if I can reduce the pain I will also find it easier to work on the difficult couple of days
it’s good to feel I now have half of the EC on board and that I seem to be having an easy time of it compared with some other accounts I have read. I am hoping Paclitaxel will be as straightforward when I get there.
