Started precautionary chemo

Hi Flo40 and a warm welcome to the board. I’ve heard people saying that we should treat chemo as our friend but I always struggled with that concept! Does it get better over time? If I’m honest no not really - I found the tingling tended to last for a few more days each cycle. If you’re struggling with the sickness then please mention it to the nurses as they can give you a different tablet to try. If you can manage a little walk each day - well wrapped up - then do but sometimes you’ve just got to listen to your body and rest if you need to. I’m from Yorkshire so drink lots of tea anyway! but I found blackcurrant juice with a splash of hot water to take the edge off was good for a change and getting down those big tablets.

Ive attached a link to a post that we have about chemo top tips - apologies if you’ve already seen it

https://community.macmillan.org.uk/cancer_types/bowel-colon-rectum-cancer-forum/f/bowel-colon-rectum-cancer-forum/221768/chemo-care-top-tips--

Chemo isn’t pleasant but it’s the belt and braces on your treatment and you know that you’ve done everything possible to prevent any reoccurrence - and you’re already a quarter through yay

Hope you’re able to do something nice in your ‘week off’

Take care

Karen x

Hi kareno62 thank you for your advice and the link. I will definitely give it a read. I’ve kept a wee note of how I’ve been feeling so that I can discuss it with the nurses at my next appointment. Have you finished your chemo? I just want to get to the end of it all and hope it goes in fast. I also feel like I’ve had a cold all week which doesn’t help with the energy levels. I have a 5 year old so he keeps me busy. It’s such a rollercoaster that I never imagined I would ever be on. Definitely best to prevent it from coming back in the future xx

Hi @Flo40. Yes I finished my chemo in 2017! There’s lots on here going through it at the moment though and, to be honest, it affects everybody differently so it’s hard to compare. I actually carried on working through mine as it was a distraction and made things feel a bit more ‘normal’?! It’s definately a rollercoaster and I felt quite flat when they told me it was finished - as much as I hated chemo it was reassuring to see the nurses regularly - like a comfort blanket. I managed 8 out of the 9 although the last 2 were capecitabine only and once I was half way it did seem to go quite quickly.

Take care

Karen x

Hi Flo40 . I agree with everything Karen 62 said . I think Chemo is like having a baby . Everyone can tell you their experience but you might be completely different . However  your side effects sound pretty standard . Just go with the flow . If you can’t get out of bed just don’t . Some days I was so tired I couldn’t even clean my teeth . I wouldn’t say it gets better with each round but believe e it or not you get used to it . If its really effecting you they can lower your dose ( which they did with me ) . The four rounds will be over before you know it . Take it steady , gentle hug

Hi Nellyb when did you finish your treatment? If they lower it does that extend the treatment at all or does it just stay the same amount of cycles? I was kind of hoping I would just get use to it but I’m now dreading the next lot as I don’t want to go back to feeling as bad as I did the first week. Once the treatment is finished how long did it take you to get back to normal? I’m worried about still feeling weak and tired even after treatment is finished. I just want to get back to normal health. Think Cos I had the operation too it seems like is been a long road to recovery so far, felt like I was just starting to get out and about and get a little bit back to normal and now the chemo has made me feel like I’m back at square one. X

I’m glad I decided to sign up and have a look around on here as it is definitely helpful. How do you feel now? Are you back to normal health and fitness would you say? I completely understand what your saying about being checked on by the nurses it just gives you that reassurance that everything is ok. X

Flo40. I’m pretty much back to normal apart from my feet. I moisturised them throughout my treatment but ignored the tingly feeling for a while. When I mentioned it to the nurses they looked at my feet, said they were red and I didn’t have my last session. This is a sign of peripheral neuropathy and it got worse after stopping and now my feet feel permanently sunburnt - they feel hot with tight skin and reduced feeling so speak to the nurses if this starts. The new research that showed 4 chemo sessions to be as effective but with less side effects than 8 came in just too late for me so hopefully you won’t have this problem.

I also had a doseage reduction after 3 sessions as my white cell was permanently low but this does not affect your number of sessions just the strength (they always start you on the maximum for your weight and height). I tried to carry on walking through my chemo although the cold weather often made my legs tingle. I would say I’m now as fit (or unfit!) as I was before being diagnosed.

Please don’t feel like you’re back at square one - the cancer has been removed and you have recovered well from the op. The chemo is not a set back but the finishing touches to your treatment. 

Take care

Karen x

Hi Flo I’m going through chemo, I just had my second cycle , I managed first one ok, this second one has made me feel tired and sick. I phoned the chemo line and they have added cyclising. I hate taking all this medication, trying it in hope one will help. Here is to getting through this sending hugs xx

That is cyclizine, get annoyed with predicted text

Hi I just got through my second having third this week first was a breeze second 1 sick tired all the time hope it gets better