Hi to you all

Thanks for all your good wishes.  I am getting quite handy with that rolling pin - as a kitchen tool and a weapon!  Jonathan is making steady progress.  He is still very uncomfortable, but eating is getting quite a bit easier.   Some venison casserole today - cooked for hours and served with mashed potatoes.   Progress!

Best wishes to you all,  Grace/Buzzie

hi all,

just a quick question gerald has my computer for the next few weeks, he is now to start ecx chemo can you please tell us the side effects or experiances you all have had, we have the one from the doctors but we want the ones from people, and how long before you lose all of your hair the sheets said 3-4 weeks but we need to know before you lose it all

please let us know i hope all is ok or doing as well as they can be

take care

li

Hi, Ed is on ECX and has had 2 cycles each lasting 3 weeks. He found the first week of each cycle the worse, very tired and trouble eating and he said he couldnt think straight. He has had to have a break between each cycle as his bloods were down but built themselves up without doing anything medically. Ed has lost some hair in that it has gone thin and wispy, coming out when he combed it but he still has a covering and I dont think a stranger would notice. Maybe it is the breaks that have helped him keep his hair so far. Ed was told he would have 6 cycles but we see the oncologist between each one. See him today for results of 1st scan since start of chemo so are a bit nervous.

Still even after the first cycle Ed could eat a bit better and can manage a little lamb chop whereas before he couldnt tolerate any meat at all. Ed has had his stomach removed and a bowel op as it spread to his pancreas and bowel. Still we have been fighting this for over 2 years and had some good hols in that time so I wish you both all the best and hope it goes well for you, love leisha xxx

Hi Li

Jonathan got through six cycles of ECX without too much difficulty.  He did not lose much hair (although he might dispute that!).  However, he was given a 'cold cap' which is offered in some hospitals.  This is a very cold and uncomfortable process - and I think many might consider it not worth the extra anguish, although  the fact that he did not lose his hair was good for his morale.  As for other side-effects, the one he complained about most was the change in taste - a lot of things tasted horrible.  He was more tired than usual, but it only slowed him down a little and he kept on working much as usual (he is self-employed, so the pressure is always on!)

As I have mentioned before, we did really go all out with lots of good things in the diet, particularly juicing - lots of carrots, berries, apples and so forth.  Even if the good of this approach in an 'unknown,' it certainly does no harm.  

Wishing you all the best, Grace

PS Hope all is going well with everyone else.   

Hi LI

Tom had 6 cycles of ECX and apart from hair loss had no side effects at all .The first day after each infusion he felt a bit tired but it never stopped him doing anything he  carried on as normal walking the dogs doing jobs around the house.He started to lose his hair during cycle 3 but it took a long time as he had long hair in the back  he still has some on the top so it didn't all fall out .He felt the benefits after no 1 and was eating meat after a few weeks something he had found really difficult before .Hope everything goes well

Marianne 

Hi everyone

Visited Roy in hospital on Thursday night and he had a bit of colour in his cheeks, off the oxygen and stayed awake whilst we were there so it was good but then we are told that he isnt as good so perhaps on the outside we thought he had improved but he hasnt.  They are waiting for a bed in the hospice so he may be moved on Mon/Tue.   The visit was good and the girls were ok until they heard the 'hospice' word so its been a bit upsetting yesterday.  This morning when i phoned they say he is just sleeping a lot more now so we willbe visiting again tomorrow so we will see how he is then. Hope everyone has a good weekend - although its cold its lovely to see the sun shining

Gillx

Hi Gill, I think you are doing a marvellous job supporting Roy and the girls through this emotional time. At least he is comfortable and well cared for. It is so sad but the girls have a great mum to see them through, love leisha xxxx

Hi Crystal

I posted on this site a few weeks ago about my partner having the dreaded OC, he starts MCX Chemo on the 8th Feb, can anyone tell me if they have had this chemo and how it went? what side effects there was? and if it was successful in shrinking the tumour.

Many Thanks

Steph

Hi Steph

Yes, I remember you posting in the oesophageal group and I hope your partner is doing as well as possible.

The usual combinations of chemo drugs for oesophageal cancer are the ECF and ECX, although doctors do use other combinations depending upon a number of circumstances such as the location of the tumour.  The MCX your partner will be having is used for various cancers including gastro-oesohageal cancer, so it could be that the tumour is located very close to the stomach.  See this link, which explains about MCX: 

http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/type/stomach-cancer/treatment/chemotherapy/chemotherapy-drugs-used-for-stomach-cancer

Side effects vary in each person, but generally the main ones are extreme tiredness, nausea, partial or total hair loss, mouth ulcers, itchy skin.  Some or all of these may be experienced, but there are remedies that can help ease the discomfort.

This link is a useful resource for oesophageal cancer:

http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation/Cancertypes/Gulletoesophagus/Gulletcancer.aspx

As I had the ECF regimen, I hope that someone that has actually had the MCX combination will be able to help you further. 

Wishing you all the very best and good luck.

Love Crystal xx

Hi to Everyone, I hope all is as well as it can be. You’re all in my thoughts. xx

Hello everyone,  Unfortunately i have bad news.  We were called to the hospital yesterday afternoon and sadly Roy passed away this afternoon with the girls by his side.  They  are coping as best they can and i know the near future will be hard but Roy  is now at peace and in a better place with no pain.  Thank you all so much for the advice, encouragement and sympathetic ear!   I hope that all of you fight this disease as hard as you can and beat it. xxxx