**AUGUST CHEMOTHERAPY CHAT 2019**

These are good news. And I hope the changed treatment will be more gentle on you.

Good luck tomorrow with the MRI scan and appointment.  I've never heard of Forth Valley Royal Hospital before,  is it a new one? Let us know how you get on. 

Fee, after all ypu've been through it's no wonder that you're nervous around doctors and in the hospital.  I read somewhere about how people going for chemo can sometimes get shaky walking down the corridor to the unit.

I'm glad that everyone else seems to be doing ok.i can't believe how quickly the time is going... and if I do this to the end it will be November! It feels like such a long time since it all started, and then it begins again next April with the one-year check and discussion about reconstruction....

Sleep well everyone  x

All the very best for the MRI scan tomorrow, Jojodot, and also for the oncologist appointment next week. 

Congratulations Fee on the great news about the tumour disappearance.  The gentler chemo regime should be much less stressful on both body and mind.

I hope everyone has a peaceful night, and a good day tomorrow.  I am off to bed feeling quite prickly/tingly on the scalp, so I guess that I may find some loose hair on the pillow in the morning!

Blackcat xx

My hair didn't start to fall out until about a week after the itching began, and it doesn't usually start until about day 16 for most people  The itchiness can become really annoying though,  and it's  best not to scratch if you can avoid it:) xx

Hi All,

starting EC next Wednesday   Finding thus thread really useful .I've seen some mention of sore mouths as a SE ....so has anyone suffered from this and got any tips with regards lip balms ,mouth washes etc .   

Thanks 

Blackcat20 My hair didn't start falling out until 13 days after my first treatment, but i didn't need to shave it off until after my second. It became really thin but still looked OK. What surprised me was how much hair i had, loads seemed to fall out but like i say i didn't need to shave it off until 2 weeks after it had started falling out.

Northerner I got a sore mouth, i used a soft toothbrush, my hospital gave me some mouthwash that had an antiseptic in it and i also used OralGel which helped with any sores i got. I did worry about my gums etc but went to the dentist last week and was told my teeth were in brill condition :O) 

If you use an alcohol free mouthwash at least twice a day then you should be ok. Some use a salt mouthwash instead.  You could try one but if you start to feel it a little sore try the other.  X

Hi northerner, not a sore mouth in sight for me after 3 x ec, didn’t need the mouthwash at all. I did have dry lips at the start I used vaseline and burts bees lip balm.

however I have a runny nose and a tickly cough, whether it’s a se or not I dunno. I do find it difficult to differentiate between what is going on as a result of chemo or not!

good luck next Wednesday too xxx

Hi Northerner 3 cycles into FEC and not suffered with sore mouth although have had tinglings and little issues.  My mouth was a main worry for me as I've struggled with Gingivitus most of my adult life plus, due to a careless accident a couple of years ago getting something from the rafters of the garage I lost my front tooth and now have a plate which I don't really get on with. 

Before starting the chemo, and since, I've kept regularly using Corsodyl gel to give my gums some additional support and I also use Corsodyl mouthwash twice a day and I often just rinse after eating. My mouth has a prickly feel, especially for the first few days of the cycle but other than that no actual soreness.  I get a very dry mouth and also throat so keep a bottle of water handy everywhere I go.

I tend not to wear my plate in the house, which does mean that I now pose an interesting sight to any unsuspecting visitors and I seem to have an every increasing body count of extras that I need to ensure are in place before going out in public.

Leaving the house goes something like:-

Suitable bald head wear to not give small children a fright - check

Contacts in to ensure I can navigate safely - check

Glasses to ensure that I can read the small print - check

Gap filler to prevent toothless grins - check

Leftie to straighten out the chest area - check

XOXO

Hi everyone thank you for replies 

I have now purchased ( I say purchased but being a tight northerner I used boots points ) two large bottles of mouthwash and two tins Vaseline plus toothbrush . 

Think I will also get some gel for gums as I have  had problems in the past with bleeding. 

Love the checklist Justtheone

Think I need one only diff is don't use contacts and need to remember rightie to balance out chest .

keep smiling