Starting treatment and feeling a bit ‍♀️

Hi Pita and welcome to the Group.  I had my treatment at the Rosemere Centre too and it's a fantastic place, you'll be in good hands. 100 mile round trip is quite a way to drive on what will be, I imagine, quite an emotional day. I wouldn't think any physical effects of the treatment on the first day would prevent you driving, if you are feeling ok at the moment,  it's just a tough day emotionally to get through. Although I drove myself to and from the centre every day for most of my treatment I did take someone with me on that first day as I felt like I needed some moral support and I'm glad I did. When I arrived on the chemo ward and saw people sitting in the chairs having treatments it was a bit overwhelming and the reality of everything hit home. I felt like crying and running out of the ward. The infusion itself was fine, it only took about 20 minutes from sitting down in the chair to being finished. They also give you an anti-nausea infusion and you watch a short video on chemotherapy. After that it's radiotherapy time, which again was quicker than I thought it would be.  The radiotherapy itself only takes 10-15 mins. The radiotherapy staff there are so helpful.   Personally, I would take up one of those offers of a lift for your first day and then take it from there.  I hope all goes well tomorrow. If you have any queries or concerns please let us know, we have lots of experience and tips to pass on between us.  Bev 

Hi Pita,

Firstly I’d like to offer you a very warm welcome to our little corner of the Macmillan online community although I’m so sorry that you’ve had the need to find us. 

The mitomycin infusion tomorrow will only take a few minutes, when I had mine I was sat longer getting a saline flush & waiting for the mitomycin to come up from the pharmacy than I was actually having the infusion, it was done by a nurse with a syringe I wasn’t hooked up to a drip as per other chemo infusions. I was given anti-sickness prior to the infusion & was given some to take home to take before I took the capecitabine tablets twice daily thereafter, I was fine afterwards. I took the first pack of ant-sickness meds but didn’t renew the prescription after that as I didn’t need them. Everyone is slightly different but I had very few side effects from the chemo throughout, my hair went a little thinner but not that anyone else noticed but I was never nauseous & my appetite was ok throughout treatment. I drove myself in the beginning although I did have my dad with me for company as that first day is pretty nerve wracking, it can be a long day & the distraction of a bit of conversation was very welcomed. After the first couple of days I accessed transport to & from hospital via a local charity attached to my treating hospital although in hindsight I could have driven myself throughout as my hospital is only half an hour away from home. 

Once you get your treatment schedule & get into the swing of the daily hospital visits the days I’ll fly by & before you know it you’ll be through the other side. 

You’re looking at this the right way tomorrow will be the first day of you seeing the demise of this beast & rest assured the trepidation you’re feeling is completely normal. 

Nicola 

Nicola Thankyou for your reply and words of reassurance , this feels a bit like the nerves before a big exam or starting a new job, not being sure how one will cope with the challenge. Thankyou again, it’s great to know you guys are there x

You’re more than welcome Jane (Pita), this is exactly what we’re here for, to support each other going through probably one of the most challenging times of our lives. I hope your first day of treatment went well, now that first day is done hopefully the nerves will settle a little. Good luck for day 2 tomorrow. 

Nicola 

Thanks Guys. Day 1 went well and no side effects other than a metallic taste and tingly hands / scalp. A long day but everyone was very kind. The chemo room was like a well oiled machine and it makes you realise how many people, of all ages, are going through the same thing. It makes you feel very humble and grateful.

A long day and zonked when got home so apologies for not replying last night x

That’s great news Jane (Pita), that first day can be a really long one can’t it? & I totally agree when you’re sat in the chemo suite it’s a very humbling experience & really does bring home, as you say, how many of us are fighting this awful disease! There’s no need to apologise at all, I think it’s the emotional stress that’s attached to that first day & the relief that it’s over that causes that tiredness once you’ve returned home, I remember it well! Now that first day is over hopefully your radiotherapy appointments going forward will be a much shorter affair. Good luck for today. 

Nicola 

Hi Pita, 

it sounds like we're on a very similar point in our journey. I'm starting Chemoradiotherapy on the 29th starting with Mitomycin and then the Capecitabine with 28 days of radiotherapy. I'm feeling really nervous. Reality kicked in when I entered the waiting room for Ct planning appt last week. I really hope the last few days have gone OK for you. X 

Hi Hamfan, so sorry you are going through this too, please try not to be nervous and we will be able to compare notes! Because this is not that common, I don’t personally know anybody else that has had this to relate to, so this community is a godsend. I know what you mean about the CT planning, up until then for me it had felt like it was happening to somebody else really. It is all quite surreal. The sitting waiting for the planning CT on the radiotherapy ward you see all these people, some of whom are obviously really poorly and suddenly it’s like “oh my goodness will that be me? Have I really got cancer”. There feels such a taboo around word cancer doesn’t there? So I am not calling it cancer, I am calling it Colin. 
Please be reassured, the mitomycin drip is fine, and you will be kept entertained and fed/ watered by the lovely nurses. As said before, the mitomycin dose doesn’t take long to go in. I found it slightly unnerving in that I had my long hair cut short and dyed purple last week, and the mitomycin looked a very similar colour to the hair dye! 
It is amazing how quickly everything becomes routine as you become familiar with the radiotherapy. I hope everything goes as well for you. It really is the first step on the road to recovery isn’t it? Good luck

Hello Pita, 

I was just wondering how your 1st week of treatment has gone, I hope you're feeling OK x

Hi Hamfan21,

That is so kind of you to ask. I am feeling fine. Today (Sunday) not having had to taking any of the cape whatever they are tablets I don’t feel quite so tired ( or it could be not having to make the 100 mile round trip to the hospital yesterday !). I went to a hyperbaric oxygen chamber near here yesterday for a session. it’s a local charity and a friend who had breast cancer and another with bowel cancer went and thought it helped. Ready to give it a go anyway, I will try anything really ( as long as not too ridiculous, I have told my husband to give me a slap if he sees me swigging turmeric etc!
I hope your first week of treatment goes as well, it won’t be long now for you will it?