First Timer

Just wishing you all the best with your chemo.if you know the name of it,it would help the relevant people to answer any queries you have.

In the meantime do click on user names to read peoples stories

Kath

Thank you for the insight Kath

Update : I am receiving oxaliplatin and capecitabine chemotherapy 

Hi Gregg

im currently half way through my treatment plan of copax

like you it was all new to me but there’s lots of support and advice on here

i experienced tiredness , sleep when you need. Tingling in hands and feet and nausea.

the nurses have changed the anti sickness now so if you experience the same please tell them as there’s lots they can do to help

Make the most if your week off and do what you enjoy, this helps prepare for the next lot

not everyone has side effects so sending luck and best wishes your way

Nicky 

Thank you for this insight Nicky.

My mindset is positive as well as my attitude. I will still be working full time during the chemo course so I am hoping I don’t take any major negative side effects from it. 

I wish you all the best for yourself. Stay strong.

Hi Gregg. I managed to work through mine apart from 1 day when my arm was too sore. I think sometimes the ‘reputation’ of chemo can be worse than the actual experience so see how you go? As Nicky says there are pills and potions for most side effects and, if one doesn’t work,then sometimes it can be as simple as a change of tablet or a drop in dosage. Have you seen this post that we have?

 CHEMO TOP TIPS UPDATED 

Take care

Karen x

Really appreciate your reply Karen. I’m gauging that this is the general case - folks get “anx” over the whole chemo plan. 

thank you for the link, I will look into this 

I'm starting capox  for 18 weeks, pre surgery, in Oct for stage 3 bc.    I'm staying positive.  My warped humour remains in tact.
Friends (breast cancer) have said  'it is nothing like on the telly'.   lol.     I think the art is to yell about every symptom as they can tweak things and up the anti sickness meds.    Bit of a bummer doing it in the colder months when cold air is an issue, but hopefully your team will alert you to that. 

Wishing you all the best, let me know how you get on. 

Well the first batch has really kicked my a***. When I got the surgery to remove it, my trajectory for recovery was going good and I naively thought “Hey, you can do this chemo and work full time” 

NAH NAH NAH. I was wrong. ( I have a remote job and yet my work were stressing me out over things I didn’t need on my plate - got it sorted with a couple medical letters and some chat with the HR )

The weekend just there, I spent a couple nights in hospital as I couldn’t get an appetite and the side effects ( bad sickness and the opposite way ) they took me and had me connected to an IV for everything. Most I could tolerate to eat was literally = 2 grapes, barely two slices of toast, barely eaten bowl of rice krispies and a bunch of water ). It didn’t help being restless in an assessment unit but I’m grateful for the NHS staff who helped me. Truly truly grateful. 

I felt better once the antibiotics kicked in and I got home and all I wanted to do was catch up on the sleep I missed. Being back home with my fiancée. Second day of my home return has been educational and I’m noticing little things with the medication that truly helps my mood and keeps me on an even keel. 

Hi Gregg and it’s good to hear that you’re home - always nice to be back in your own bed. Sounds like you had a rough time with your 1st session but hopefully the next ones will be better. Sometimes it’s the little tweaks that make a big difference - having the iv over a longer time period, reducing the dosage slightly and trying a different antisickness tablet? 
Keep talking to your team and sod work - your health and well being is more important 

Take care

Karen x