**OCTOBER CHEMOTHERAPY CHAT 2019**

Hi all,
Just to update all, am still doing annoyingly well.

This is my good week where I feel normal, side effects still pathetic compared to some and don't (so far, touch wood and all that) progress beyond feeling a bit rough week after EC along with constipation (though my poo diary does make for a very interesting read - if there's any publishers out there...)...and that's it, no nausea/sickness at all. I do consider myself VERY lucky reading some of your posts.

The FSG (or whatever the letters are) prevented any further trips to A&E and hospital stays post 1st chemo so stabbing myself in the stomach has obviously done the trick.

First MRI showed an "excellent" reduction in lump size, especially given am oestrogen positive.

The only things I still can't face diet-wise are alcohol (boo!) and my favourite naughty food, pizza. Am really annoyed still that can't eat dodgy cheese that smells like ripe socks too.
For me personally the changes in taste above are even worse than hair loss (yep, odd priorities I know). Although was well miffed that although I had given the whole cancer "victim" look/tale to the barber was still charged £11 for a grade 1 (I blame the south).

Again lucky that I have been able to (in good week mainly) go for walks, bike rides and the gym (makes up for the previous 2 yrs when paid membership only, felt mentally fit!) as well as get out with a flurry of visitors from the motherland.

Chemo no 4 next week and then onto accelerated (I do think it will make me go faster) paclitaxel until the New Year...the journey continues...

Good luck to all and hope that your side effects are even better than mine.

Sam X

Hi Giuliella

Hm'mmm!  as your message is on page 30 maybe you cannot see it but I'm replying with a link to This Page so hopefully if you get the notification email, you can get to page 30 that way ?

Meanwhile you could try switching your iPad off and restarting it to see if it all resets itself ?

Having said that there does seem to be a few community gremlins about recently 

Fingers crossed you can get back here, G n' J

seems like I can read this at the moment, but will switch off my iPad shortly to see if that clears the problem.  I think it's our Virgin Media broadband, as that keeps cutting out too.  There's a word for that, but I won't quote it here!

Everyone else, I've been back to see my oncologist yesterday and she's happy with how I've been, apart from the sickness and she's going to give me a higher strength dose of some different anti sickness drug next week, when I get my second FEC dose, to try and get on top of it.  Apart from the first week and a half of feeling and being sick, with not eating and losing a half stone in weight, I've got back into my usual rythmn and tastebuds are back to normal.  I listened to my body and ate what I wanted, when I wanted and it craved sweet stuff to begin with, so I gave it honey and some surgery cereal, which I've been told, was the right thing to do.  I'm happy with the weight loss, but will keep an eye on it through the next chemo, looking forward to that, not!

Hope everyone else is doing okay out there.

Hi Northerner

My oncologist also has me down for Bisphosphonate infusions once every 6 months for the next 5 years too, so same boat as yourself.

Will be seeing him again early November and, like you, hoping to find out more then.

Looks like I'll be doing more research on any side effects and if there's anything complementary you can do to alleviate/reduce/fight them.

One big, fat learning exercise this cancer malarkey!

Oh well, suppose it keeps the little grey cells working as Hercule Poirot (David Suchet!) used to say  

Hi  

will let you know what I learn on Monday up til now SE from EC  for me   Have been minimal and manageable so not looking forward to adding something new to mix . So have some questions ready .

margaret x

Hello again everyone.  I do hope that you have all had a good week with few side effects?  Surprisingly, my third week after the first chemo (FEC) has been pretty good, but not looking forward to this Tuesday, when I get my second chemo dose.  I did see my Oncologist last week Thursday and she said they would change the anti sickness medication to something stronger for me and that I should take it as soon as I get home, or try to avoid being sick in the first place, as it's then more difficult to control it.  So we will see if that works, as the plastic surgery nurse said there wasn't anything better than the Metoclopramide I was already taking!  But the new ciclizine hydrochloride my GP prescribed because I felt the Metoclopramide wasn't working well, was even worse and the Oncologist agreed, it does make some people feel odd, which is what it did to me.  As I never normally take anything other than the odd paracetamols, it's alien and not good for me to be taking so many drugs, can't wait to get off them.  As for injecting myself again for seven days, that fills me with dread too.  Yes, I'm squeamish about it.

My hair is very short now, but I've noticed its beginning to come out worse now and that's before my second dose.  Looking at my appointment chart I noticed when I move onto the T cycle, my appointment is marked up as six and a half hours!!  I've heard it's the mother of all chemotherapy drugs, oh joy!  Not looking forward to that.  Is there really a light at the end of this dark tunnel?

Still waiting for an appointment for hubby to have a biopsy and can't find a hospital phone number to ring, as they said I should ring if we hadn't heard by the end of the week just gone!  I asked up at that hospital reception when I had an appointment up there on Friday and she wasn't sure either, but I have one number to try on Monday.  Wish me luck, as he's still coughing and spluttering with this chest infection on top of the shadow on his lung and as he makes so much noise in the night, constantly clearing his throat and sounding just like a didgeridoo, I can't sleep well either.

Hi...my hospital uses Granisetron as the 'strong' anti sickness and I was given it a a premed before all my chemos and for 3 days after when getting FEC. I was rarely nauseous and never sick. I've been slightly nauseous with the Paclitaxel and taken Metoclopramide.

The maternity unit where I worked used Odansetron for hyperemesis (excessive pregnancy sickness) so I would say from experience these 'setron' drugs are effective...might be worth noting the names and asking.

Hi Giuliella (and all on the thread),

I’m glad to hear that you have had a good third week, and that the nausea symptoms have subsided.  It’s good that you will be given better anti-sickness meds for the second cycle, and hopefully they will do the trick.  Metaclopramide is often the first drug offered as it is apparently one of the cheaper ones and works for many people (it did for me when I was on EC, but I was lucky enough not to have much nausea).  There are several other options, such as Emend, which are more expensive but are offered if the first drugs tried are not effective.  My unit also tells people that it is better to prevent any vomiting in the first place if you can rather than treating once it starts, so hopefully they will be able to advise you about the timing of taking the medication, and when/what to eat after treatment, to help minimise any symptoms.

I have a treatment coming up next week too (Wednesday) - it’s my fifth of six cycles, and is of docetaxel/herceptin/perjeta.  I know what you mean about dreading the side effects of a new cycle and about not looking forward to doing the injections again.  Once I get to the third week and am feeling well, I always think how nice it would be to have a few more good days.  On the other hand, each treatment we have is one step closer to the end of chemo, and to getting better.   So on the day of treatment I am always glad to go and am relieved once the drugs are on board, even if I then have to deal with fallout of the side effects.

I hope that all goes well for you on Tuesday, and also that your husband’s appointment comes through soon.   I hope that all on the thread will have a good day and will be able to enjoy the sunshine which the forecast is promising!

Blackcat xx

So today is the day before my first chemo tomorrow and well, I’m not good. Keep bursting out into tears and just feel so scared and just awful. I’m so trying to be brave, but failing miserably. I’m reading all of your stories and you’re all doing amazing. I hope after my first one I’ll be able to cope better xx

Hello Giuliella

Hang on in there!

Yes, there is light at the end of the tunnel, just keep going and you WILL get there.

I had my last T chemo cycle 18 days ago and am definitely finding the light now  

The FEC cycles I felt rough for about 7 days or so after treatment. Try making some ginger 'tea' for your sickness and nausea, I know that definitely worked for me and it is medically approved and kind to your system (no drugs). My partner (and sister who stayed over a few times) made up a much bigger batch for me in a pan which was decanted into a jug and stored in the fridge where it will keep fresh for a couple of days. You can drink it warm or cold.

NOTE: Don't drink a whole cup! I found a couple of mouthfuls was enough to do the job. I repeated the process every few hours if the nausea came back - which it does. A side effect of the daily injections you are doing to boost the white blood cells back: makes you nauseous - they did me! The steroids you take the day after FEC chemo also made me feel sick, the opposite of what they're supposed to do.  I didn't take my day-after steroids on the second and third cycle of FEC, but that's because I'm a maverick! I felt a lot better for not taking them, but I wouldn't advise you doing the same - always talk to your chemo nurses.

Your body is having to fight on all fronts, but it does all pass and get better, honest! 

Here's a quick recipe for just one serving in a mug to get you going:-

Easy Ginger Tea Recipe

I hated the injections too, but was lucky and got my other half to do it. We used to have cats and he'd got used to using a needle to inject them at home (after instructions fro vet) when they were ill. If your or your husband find it difficult I would definitely pester your GP and see if you can get a district nurse to come out and do them for you for the duration. They are supposed to be able to offer this service so I would press them hard. Throw a wobbly, tell them you can't cope (which is not a lie!) if necessary and make a real pest of yourself. In other words don't take NO for an answer! This is your life and your health at stake and that's more important than anything.

Don't worry about the T cycle just yet, cross that bridge when you get to it. All you can do is take it a day at a time.
The T cycle is different. I didn't get any nausea during it, which was a plus.

I will reply with more stuff that might help later, sorry have to go out just now....

Keep your pecker up, kid! We're all thinking of you and rooting for you all the way 

Marie  xx