had first r-chop last wednesday.........

Hi polly         we have all been there with side effects, never put any aches and pains down to steroids but we all react different. But that is why they say ring with any questions and let us know any side effects. Like you I thought they are too busy to bother, but you will learn they are there for you so ring them and they may give you some different meds or change yours.

So don't be frighten and call your specialist nurse and talk to them, they will sort you out.

good luck

john

Hi Polly,

John is so right. I  contacted the help no. several times & found the staff so helpful. They really do want to make the treatment as easy as possible for you. It is so confusing at first but you really do get into the routine of things. Good luck, I found the more confidence you have in your treatment & the team the easier it all became.Let us know how you get on,camio

hi polly..

have you got a mac nurse ?

if not tell your gp you want one...

then you can phone your mac nurse up during the day when ever you have any worries

you can also phone up the chemo unit were you have your treatment and one of the nurses will find time to answer any questions

on a night time.....well theres pal call........mac nurse will give you the number....you can phone that one any time of night or day if you have any worrys...

sooo you should never be with out a number you can call day or night.....

and if all else fails the nurses in the local hospice can be a great help if you have no one you can phone...

in my case phoning the local hospital or the gps on a night is never that good.....

all the contacts i mention have specialists in chemo...cancer and treatment...

get a mac nurse.......if you dont have one..

iv had r-chop, well in my case i had the c-h-o-p and not the r because of a reaction ...

feeling sick and your anti sickness pills dont seem to work then theres quite a few other anti sickness pills they can try...

with me the steroids made me wide awake for the first 3 days after chemo.......then i would have maybe 10 days of being tired out......a few days of feeling ok , then it was time for the next dose...

they may give you a scan after the 3rd or the 4th dose...

r-chop is good cancer fighting cancer stuff and hopefully it will be wacking all those nasty cells on the head...

think of it this way.......

every dose is a dose nearer to hopefully getting into remission....each dose is more of those cancer cells getting there bums kicked.....

think of the next dose and try not to be thinking about the 3rd and the 4th and the 5th dose...

one treatment at a time..

the thing with chemo is it can effect people different....if one dose really tires you out then the next dose may not make you feel as bad....

so...tell doc you want a mac nurse

ask mac nurse for pal call phone number and any time you need advice phone nac nurse or pal call....or chemo unit or local hospice...

i live on my own polly but with those numbers i am never on my own as i have a few places i can phone including a 24 hour 7 days a week one...

all the best.....you can do it polly....

hugs

hi , thanks john, camio and graeme, it's reasuring to have people talk to you, i had my second chemo last wednesday and was dreading it, but after the first lot i felt more sort of in control of the situation,and the side effects are pretty much the same, im going to visit the doc and ask for a mac nurse, ( thanks graeme for the nudge)....im takeing each day as it comes as i tend to feel off colour in the mornings, like you graeme the steroids keep me wide awake for days ( only last night did i sleep through)...then feel ok for a few days then last time i got the biggest cold sore ever....my white cell count dropped and had to inject for 5 days , its still visible, i got an injection this time to hopefully stop that happening this time...fingers crossed..camio things do seem to get into a pattern so at least i know what to expect,well ill stop ranting now lol thanks for all your support