Hi

FormerMember over 4 years ago

3 replies
176 subscribers
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Hi was diagnosed on 31st Dec what a way to bring in the new year. I have two daughters 14, 17 years old and a husband , took it well and been a great help at the moment. My chemo and radiotherapy starts Monday 15th Feb. Is there any tips anyone can give me which helped ? One tip in was told was to wear dark nail varnish but not sure if right. I have my preassement on friday 12th Feb so will ask questions but thought with deliveries been slow might be good to get ready .

Kareno62 over 4 years ago

Hi and a warm welcome to the board from me. It’s a huge shock isn’t it but Bowel Cancer is very treatable nowadays. My usual first advice is to stay away from google - it’s scary and out of date - ask anything you want on here and you can click on people’s names to see their profile pages.

I’ll be honest - the nail varnish tip is a new one in me! You will be given tiny little tattoo marks at your preassessment which they use to line up the machine at each treatment. I was also given a carrier bag of ‘goodies’ including immodium, diarolyte, chemo tablets, anti sickness and a few others which I can’t remember now! They will also give you a cream to use around the area they are treating and it’s important to use this cream for any soreness and not anything that might include tiny metal particles like a zinc oxide cream. You will be asked if you’re having any problems before each session and told whether you need to have a full or empty bladder.

The chemo tablets must be taken with food and not handled - I used to tip mine into a bottle top and take them from there. Keep your hands and feet well moisturised - Aveeno with Shea butter is recommended by the nurses - and mention if you get any soreness or redness. The chemo tablets are a lot lower doseage than those given post surgery and I tolerated the 5 weeks quite well. I asked for early morning appointments as there tended to be less backlog then - if you have to have a full bladder it’s not a comfortable wait!

Hope it goes well for you and please let us know how you get on

Take care

Karen x

Macmillan Support Line - 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week between 8am-8pm

FormerMember over 4 years ago in reply to Kareno62

Thanks for info really helpfull.

Nelly1955 over 4 years ago

Hi Sarah234, sorry you have been diognoised with bowel cancer. I had chemo tablets 10 a day and radiotheraphy for 5 weeks. I had 1 leigionNO/MO so caught early and responded well the treatment. I was never told to wear dark nail varnish. Karen is right don’t google I did and got myself I n a right stare. It is better to phone the Macmillan help line they are so amazing with answering questions and emotional support. I did feel sick and fatigued, but you are given meds to help with side affects. It doesn’t take long once you on the bed and there’s no pain, what I didn’t realise that when you get there you have to drink water and wait about 40 minutes. I just thought I would be in and out. So I would ask them about that. Wishing you luck with your treatment and sending hugsxxx