**OCTOBER CHEMOTHERAPY CHAT 2019**

Hiya Ruby  / 

 Blimey, where did that time go - Only seems a few weeks since you joined 

Hopefully they will have an end of chemo bell for you to take it out on lol - Wasn't a bell at ours but we took in a load of various McFlurries.

btw - If you look under your messages you will see a button named 'More' if you select that you will see an edit button 

Good luck for no swan song surprises, G n' J

Thanks

i can’t believe how fast it’s been either, when I started and was told it would be 18 weeks of Chemo it felt like a lifetime.

There is a bell but I’m not sure I would want to ring it just yet. Still surgery, radiotherapy and 18 x Herceptin to go don’t want to tempt fate

i might take in the Mcfurries anyway :-) 

Ruby 

ps good tip on the correction

It was a hot day when J had her last chemo so we thought McFlurries would be a welcome change from tins of Heroes or Bikkies 

18 Herceptin meant J had a Groshong iv line in her chest for 15 months, was she well pleased to be rid of that.... Luckily she had surgery first so only had the rads to get through. Should be all done and dusted by Christmas for you - yey!

G n' J

Hi ...love your sense of humour and your strength of character shines through (what a journey you've been on!)...good luck with the rest of your treatment x

Hello HockeyNut, I'm post surgery from 6th August and still sore, waiting for wounds and pain to heal and waiting for my dates to start the dreaded FEC and T chemo stuff, like you.  I had a mastectomy and DIEP flap reconstruction, so still sporting a sore and taut tummy, belly button and breast.  This Look Good Feel Great class sounds good to me.  I will have to find out when the next one is at my hospital, but I'm back there on Monday for the PICC line to be inserted and just hoping against hope, that I can still get to my Specsavers appointment that has been delayed due to the surgery, next Tuesday, Thursday dentist for two fillings and Friday, out with former work colleagues for lunch, before the chemo starts.  It's throwing all the balls into the air and seeing which come down first, trying to fit everything in before treatment starts, as I'm all behind due to not being allowed to drive for eight weeks post op and not feeling good enough to try anyway.  Went down to the Oncology Dept yesterday for a pre-chemo group chat, all good so far, though it takes up most of the day, getting two buses down and two buses back home.  When we came out of the Oncology, we'd just missed one bus, so we had 53 minutes to wait for the next one, but the connection was okay, just three minutes to wait between getting off the one and getting onto the other for the last leg of our journey.  Then relax with tea and Elementary, wonder if that was the last one in the series?

Hi all..... I’ve had my 4th cycle today, started on Pertuzumab, Trastuzumab (Herceptin) n Docetaxel. 

Tired during first dose but no side effects during treatment so we’ll see what next few days bring.

Think it’s going to be early night tonight xx

Hope side effects aren’t too bad

Good luck to everyone having treatment xx

Northerner, Still trying to figure out exactly how to use this site and getting muddled, but no matter, so long as this post is showing on the site eh?  Can't sleep tonight, worried about hubby now, he's developed a cough and difficulty swallowing, so will try to get him to see his doctor, who he's rarely seen, ever.  Anyway, my question really is, do I need to buy stuff before my chemo treatment starts?  I'm still waiting for my appointments at the moment and they should arrive any time soon now, as I'm having my PICC line inserted next Monday.  Learning that skin can get dry, I wondered if I needed "Simple" body lotion and hand creams?  I had some samples of the Australian QV stuff from the hospital I had my surgery done at and managed to get my doctor to prescribe a big bottle of their body wash and some scar gel, but think I may need to go back and ask for some of the moisturising cream they do in that range too.  I also guess that we need to buy some Evonail ourselves, to help with brittle nails?  Cheers.

Hi Guiliella,

I hope you've gone to sleep but in case you're still around......I'm awake tonight. My husband isn't well either. The cold and sore throat he had has turned to very unpleasant cough.......

I had chemo in 2016. I was very lucky because my clinic provided everything on prescription 'in case' so I had them at home ready to be used if needed. I don't know what yours does but these are some of the things I found helpful.

I had anti sickness pills.....Amend for the first three days and then others.....sorry I'm on holiday and can't check the name....but they were for nausea and are often prescribed for vertigo.

I had both laxatives and immodium for diarrhoea. I found at times I needed both.

I had a mouthwash.....one that doesn't contain alcohol..I was instructed to start using it at least twice a day from day 1 to prevent mouth problems. I did use it ( and sometimes more than twice if my mouth felt tingly) and although it may have been coincidence,  I never got any ulcers. I continued until after I finished radiotherapy and did the same with the evo nail.

The beautician who came to my first chemo session recommended the evo nail. Use twice a day for six days, remove with acetone free remover on 7th, oil with argan oil. Repeat. Start again from day 7.

I decided I didn't want to try the cold cap as my hair was very fine anyway so I bought several bright turbans in advance online. I also bought two bamboo pull on caps in blue and red which I decorated with head bands that I bought cheaply from Claire's accessories in patterns that matched my clothes. The bamboo is brilliant as it cools or heats depending on the outside temperature.  The beautician recommended putting argan oil on my bald head to stop it drying out.

I was quite sick with the chemo( remember everyone's different)and didn't eat for several days each time but my husband made me a ginger infusion into which he put glucose. The ginger is very soothing if you feel nauseous.  I know some people like ginger biscuits for the same reason. Others have recommended freezing pineapple cubes so they can suck them. They are all things you can have ready.

If your husband needs a bit of help cooking.....I put a number of meals in the freezer which were easy to digest once I felt like eating.....shepherds pie, fish pie, plain roast meats. I didn't want anything too rich or spicy but others may be different there. 

On the days I actually went for chemo, I chose to go alone. I didn't want anyone talking to me if I wanted to doze but I also took magazines because there are so many distractions a book was impossible and some very simple plain knitting that I didn't need to concentrate on. It took about three hours for my chemo. I didn't eat because I knew I was likely to be sick and I had an hours car ride home but I know lots of people take nibbles with them.

Finally you need a good thermometer and I put all the emergency instructions clearly on the kitchen cork board so my husband knew what temp to act upon and who to ring. 

I'm sure you'll get plenty of advice from your own clinics but hopefully some of my experiences might be useful. Whilst I had some side effects I couldn't control, my nails and mouth and head were ok!

Hope all goes well for you.

I'm off to sleep now I hope.

Love Karen

Hi Giuliella,

Sounds like we can share this journey together. I had my op on 21st Aug - lumpectomy and lymph nodes removed from under my arm. My chemo has now been put back 2 - 3 weeks as the infection has only just cleared and the wound still hasn't quite healed yet but heading in the right direction. The look good feels great session does sound good - will have to find the one near to me as well. Hope you get all your appointments sorted out. It's frustrating not feeling comfortable enough to drive and also the difficulty in making plans. I am really lucky as my husband has taken me to my appointments as it would be difficult to get to by public transport.  It must be a real challenge for you with the buses etc 

Do you have a start date for your chemo? There is some great advice here and wonderful people to share things with so at least we are not alone.

Morning all
2nd month for me, have 3rd (of 4) EC next week and have found that post 2nd am super woman! Amazingly felt better post 2nd than I did before treatment (boyfriend thinks they are giving me Tizer by mistake!).
Let's hope it carries on. Not sure if this is available widely spread but went to a "relaxation & visualisation" workshop through MacMillan yesterday, although I am a reasonably doubtful person when it comes to such matters it was interesting, good fun (*note I will always find fun on everything though) and lovely to meet the others in the group who were at different stages with differing cancer conditions, love meeting new people! (Hopefully most of them would concur).
So if you haven't availed yourself of the free courses available may be worth looking into.

Giuliella
Thanks for the really detailed notes on what you've gone through re DIEP, you've certainly opened my eyes more & think I need to do some more homework, and, as you suggest, talk to those who have decided on the various options available.
And am glad no parts of your body have left you yet when removing the body clincher!
RE your query re buying stuff before chemo I would do so with things you'll definitely need but (as I have learned) don't go overboard ( I have some mouthwash & liquid tears that have yet to be opened for example), may be best in some cases to get things as you need them? I also have enough false eyelashes for all the drag queens in Soho (may well need these later though...)
And reading Lacomtekp's reply my top (not wasting your money) tip is don't waste money on a digital ear thermometer - mine is always telling me to rush to the hospital, I have it on good authority (from hospital and bought one myself) that the under tongue/armpit are the most reliable (and far cheaper!).

Ah yes I recall the York floods when lived in that area oop north, enjoy, down south a small puddle is cause for a report in the local rag!
Have my look good, feel better in Nov, used it as an opportunity to spend a small fortune on new make up, can't wait! Do enjoy and have fun with some "new" eyebrows (as long as they're not like those I see on some of the youngsters now that are a little full on! (Though quite suitable given Halloween approaching).
BTW saw a very good youtube vid of a young lady "doing" fake eyebrows that looked extremely natural..may be worth a look there? (Eyelineherblog, recreating eyebrows with makeup though there are lots of others on there.

If you're still logging on the above macmillan courses have one aimed at the issue of F&F expecting a sudden return to "normality" and how to manage this through my hospital - maybe be something available where you are?

Am loving your post chemo dinner, big yum-yums all round!! Although its breakfast time here now have a hankering for haggis - thanks!

HockeyNut
In a similar position though having chemo pre surgery, I have 4XEC then 4X paclitaxel. Have generally been fine on the EC so hopefully you're the same. Good luck!

Hope all are well with no pesky side effects

Sam X