**AUGUST CHEMOTHERAPY CHAT 2019**

Oh sorry Londonmumof2 I keep forgetting that my team don’t believe in overmedicating. I do hope that your stats improve for the next one.

i couldn’t tell you what mine were for the 1st and 2nd ec but for the 3rd on 7th August they were 

Hb-  112

White blood count 3.5

Platelets 247

Neuts 1.9

They mustn’t have changed much tho as I didn't have any problems, true to form nothing given or advised just got a belter of a head cold the other weekend but it’s gone now. Hopefully you’ll be fine too and I’ll see what they are tomorrow, seems that they are all good again.

i’ll be thinking of you xxx 

Elsie77 50% hair is a bonus in this weather as your head (especially the middle bit!) stays cooler. It sounds like we have the same pattern of thinning, though I may have made one bald patch underneath when my head was unbearably itchy a week or so ago.

Northerner Knitted Knockers are are so good, and they are made to bra size with the option to add or remove stuffing. I also requested the swim one when there was a chance of still going on holiday, but they will be used as soon as I can swim again! They send them reallt sweetlt packed, and with a little pack of Lovehearts:)

It's such a relief to get a comfy bra...as it seemed impossible after my mastectomy and my remaining boob may have suffered from being unsupported for quite some time. I might ask for it to have a makeover when I have my reconstruction next year (hopefully)

Blackcat20 You'll love the Look Good Feel Good session. I was so lucky as I saw a sign for it when I had my PICC line dressing changed, emailed them and was offered the last place for the next week. Let us all know what treats are in your bag as it changes, though usually from the same mid-high end companies. I really love my D&G eyeliner, IT eyebrow pencil and brush (which is not going near my eyebrows until they fall out or regrow after chemo) and Chanel foundation. The other stuff is also really good, and the packs are organised by skin tone.

Good luck tomorrow! As says, take it easy on your week away, and maybe stock up on a few meds before you go just in case!

I was like you with eating - pesto pasta with chicken was a particular favourite as bland carbs are so good! I've started to buy the M&S 3 for £7 deli items to graze on as well as GAils seedy sourdough bread with carmelised onion humous being another favourite. When I feel OK I make pots of soup with lots of veg and lentils to sup on as well. I think that I'm likely to lose weight this month though as I feel horrible today, and based on my blood results am likely at least one hospital trip:(

How are you feeling? x

Hi guys,

I hope that everyone has enjoyed the sun today - we have a grey sky tonight, so it looks as if the weather is changing.

Londonmumof2 - I’m glad to hear that you are back from your third EC, and I hope that your neuts stay at a safe level and that you will feel better over the next few days.  It is great that you have now completed three treatments, and are half way there!

Ruthie2 - I hope that your bloods are OK, and that your first Docetaxel treatment goes well tomorrow.  Thanks for your good wishes for my second EC tomorrow.  I had my bloods done today, but will only find out tomorrow if there are OK.   I only have 2 x EC, then 4 x Docetaxel/Herceptin/Perjeta, so I will soon be experiencing a new set of side effects too.  I do like the idea of a pink wig, and think I might look for something similar - unfortunately the lady who did my wig fitting did not offer anything so exciting, and so my two wigs are both a boring brown.

Holbox123 - I’m sorry to hear that you have been locked in the chemo bubble, but it sounds as if you are now emerging and that things are beginning to look up.  I hate being unable to do things too, as it is so frustrating.  I hope that you will be able to get back to work tomorrow, and that you will be able to do some normal things without being dragged down by side effects.  I’m sorry to hear the Ridley has been wiped out by the heat (my two cats, Esme and Trudi, have been exactly the same).

Feemcg - I hope that your treatment went well today, and that you are feeling OK.

Northerner - It’s good to hear about the bra fitting and the advantages of going to a specialist shop.  As I will only have my surgery in December, I have not really thought yet about what happens after the op, but I will definitely try to find a specialist shop too.   I’m glad that you are getting more sleep, and that the chemo has had a positive effect on your digestive issues.   I think I have had a similar effect in relation to my hay fever, as I don’t seem to have the constant sneezing and watering eyes I normally get.   So perhaps there is a silver lining to it!

I hope that everyone on the thread is having a relaxing evening, and that everyone will have as good a day as possible tomorrow.  Each day is one more towards the end of chemo for us all, and bit by bit we are getting there together.  

Blackcat xx

HiBlackcat20

 Thunder and lighting arrived here, Dexter now alternating barking at thunder or hiding under table .

Would def make a point of finding a good specialist even if it means a slight journey . I'd heard about the original "Sadie " fitter on tv a few year ago . She is local to North East with 3 shops franchises I think and on line . 

It was such a comfortable experience I had no problem standing in front of mirror with wound .Although I had been offered privacy .Today I wore on their advice a pocket bra I already had .. a band size down .should really have been cup,size larger . Comfortable all day and Freda stayed put . 

Glad you got a silver lining too have to grab any little benefit we can .

with regards wig think my daughter will disown me if I don't get a pink or purple one . She still excited with my pixie cut thing she thought at my age I'd just go run of the mill . She forgets I owned the Sixties !! 

Thanks so much everyone for your comments about today's treatment....I find it so hard with my chemo fog dizziness to tag everyone back.

So....went in and my neuts were 3.04!!...highest they've been pre chemo. So as you know I reacted to the Herceptin on Friday so was dreading the Perjeta today...2 attempts at cannulation....was refused premeds again because 'no one ever reacts to Perjeta'...everything was going so well then 45 mins into the 60 minute infusion and my head starts spinning and started mild rigors....nothing like Friday's shakes but they ran and got me the steroids and IV Piriton and all was fine again. Had a wee doze off...decided I really like IV Piriton lol.

Then got the premeds for the Paclitaxel....dexamethasone, granisetron and ranitidine and the infusion went through with no drama!

Feeling fine tonight but not eaten much despite all the steroids today. Sitting here quite awake painting my nails with Evonail...do them once or twice a day but got some blueish colour starting round my half moons....anyone else got that?

Hope everyone is managing....I've had a rough time post 2nd and 3rd FEC, as you say Londonmum....but I'm convinced if I hadn't had that faint it would have been so different, never having experienced a faint, or being medicated for anxiety.

So now I wait for what my new combo has to offer.... 

Hi Eileen

im still in the hospital, temp stubbornly refusing to come down below 38, apparently it just takes time!!! I am a rubbish patient but I’m trying to be positive. I’m hoping I’ll be in tip top shape for my final 2 doses

Like you I suffered from a hunkering down kind of mentality, I felt it was the only way to protect everyone else from how I was really feeling. The best thing that happened is my sister turned up for the weekend and saw straight through me! Result was a lot of tears and hugs and no more trying to be brave.

if you feel rubbish embrace it, I only feel well for about 5 days every 3 weeks but they are now so special.

xx

Hi

ive had 2 lots of Docetaxel after 2 EC, 2 to go!

i don’t know my scores, I just pray it goes ahead, sorry. All I can tell you is I ended up in hospital after feeling fine for 6 days, just fatigued. I took my injection and within the hour was vomiting and temp 39! 

As long as you are near the hospital and everyone knows who to call you should be ok. I’m won’t take any side affect for granted again, an I’m glad I had OCD on taking my temperature  

xx

Hopefully now that they know you react to 2 of the three drugs they'll give you the premeds and it's be a but easier. Are you having these weekly or fortnightly?

I woke up at 6.30am with wobbly legs but less sick than yesterday. Took the anti-nausea drugs and steroids and had tea, toast, jam and have had griping stomach pains for the last hour despite taking Gaviscon Advance. Also had a good chat with my chemo nurse yesterday who temps in the summer to pay his course fees at Kings College for a chemotherapy course there. I wondered why he was asking about side effects since the last time, then checking my hands and nails for signs of heart issue markers after I mentioned the palpitations and also checked the bloods from the last two sessions. He was saying that the cold caps will soon be like swim hats without the dreaded strap, and will fit better. Apparently my odd thinning patches are where it wasn't close enough at the back, which for me is quite a hot area of my head too - oddly hotter than the top, so I don't feel so bad about losing a lot of hair there after the first one now as it would have happened anyway, though not as much.

Emailed my head today with an update, including asking about working the odd Saturday now term is starting soon again. I'll need to be careful of infection as it's a school though. Another member of staff has also been off since April (when she had a mastectomy) being treated for breast cancer, but hers is triple negative, and I know that she's had chemo and several operations since, but don't want to really ask (though really want to know!) Our head is great, and really supportive. When I went in for Feast Day in July I was talking to two other staff who were treated for BC, 9 years ago and 2 years ago as well. It's funny how there are all these people that have had it but you never know about until they have a reason to talk about it....

Hi everyone

Just trying to catch up on all the posts - apologies if I miss anyone 

hope your stay in hospital is not being too awful and that you get out soon. I got stuck in after my first chemo dose, many because my oncologist does not require me to take my temperature unless I feel ill but only seven day phone call the nurse insisted and it was at 37.9! Guess who takes her temperature once a day now anyway 

if I caught up correctly you are getting chemo today? Hope it goes well and does not cause a load more side effects, you seem to have had enough all ready and deserve a break.

hope you bloods are okay and that you get your chemo today. I get my bloods checked at the start of my chemo appointment so have a slightly tense 20-30 minutes wondering whether I will actually get my treatment!

Blackcat20 I really enjoyed my Look Good Feel Better session. To be honest I mainly went to work out how to pencil in eyebrows  but the do a full cleanse, through to complete make up so was very helpful and thankfully no question was too daft.

Hope everyone who had the high temperatures this past few days coped okay - I was thankful for being virtually bald.

Good luck to everyone having treatment or appointments in the next day or so.

Hi ya!!!!

hope everyone is doing well and getting better, and those on treatment today do brilliantly!

cant say I’ve any complaints today at all! 1st Docetaxel went well, bloods were bloody fantastic, a few down such as hb, red blood count but I must have a kick ass immune system or sommat, neutrophils were less than 0.5 10 days ago- today 8.3!!!!  They were congratulating themselves on doing the right thing by giving me oral antibiotics, didn’t have the heart to tell them  that I didn’t take them!! Needless to say the Neulasta will be staying in the fridge as a high neut count can be serious too.  

Which got me thinking, I don’t take everything I’m given as I’m told too - as far as I can work out it’s the chemo that does the job the rest are just there for the side effects but when I read the bumf that you get with them, there are even more side effects!! I do take meds when I need to but that’s all. I’m not taking anything I don’t need. I certainly dont take steroids as I’m told, just the before treatment ones. Or maybe I’ve just been lucky and it will all bite me in the bum later. I’ll have loads of meds if it does!

did get an alert card to take on my hols this weekend but I did have to put in a fair bit of effort. 

Teas made and ironing pile done too, thought I would whilst I  could. 

Good luck to everyone hope we all have a good day xxxxx