Chemo starts Monday, tips & tricks?

Hello Laura I am not able to give you any Tips as I am only due to have first dose today at 1.30pm but just wanted so say hi. It’s okay to be scared! Who wouldn’t be? Recruit your family and friends into your invisible army to cheer you on. We will find out soon enough what we need to know. I am taking Mints and warm socks and my iPad with me . I’ll tell you later how it goes

Kate

Hi LauraJD

chemo is scary,  but it will be really well managed,  the staff in the chemo unit are lovely,  and there are lots of things you can do to help with the side effects. I'm guessing you're having (F)EC followed by either Paclitaxel or Docetaxel? They both have different side effects, but you are much more likely to feel sick  on the first one,  so if the medication given doesn't seem to work contact your team and they can organise something.  I had Emend (amongst others) and its considered the best,  though the three capsules cost about £38(!) so some hospitals don't offer it at first.  You are more likely to be constipated for a few days after the (f)ec, so drink lots. Lots of people use a daily medicated mouthwash,  which can stop any mouth ulcers (I missed a day and realised it was working for me!), I used evonail and my nails were/are fine, but I think it's not made this year so use polybalm. My toe nails were a very dark blue when I started last year and 2 weeks after my first chemo I saw they were turning yellow,  so off came thr nail polish and  on went the evonail!

I took a kindle with me so I could watch films/tv shows/ read books add I wad cold capping which meant being there hours! Our unit have tea,  biscuits,  fruit,  yogourt and sandwiches so I wouldn't take much foods but brought a big bottle of water. Buy a GOOD thermometer for your temperature and don't be afraid to call the unit/ helpline if you have any of the symptoms they say should be checked. 

Take a look at the chemo thread as well.  It was so helpful and a fun thread when I was on it last year:)

Good luck!

I'll be thinking of you GoldenGriller, sending you love for today xx

Thank you Londonmumof2 i hadn't even realized it will affect my nails! I've added medicated mouth wash and the nail treatments onto my shopping list for today. I am worried about everything but mouth ulcers will just top everything off.

Can I ask how you found the cold cap treatment? Did it work for you? I'm toying with the idea of just letting the hair fall out and embrace it but i change my mind daily.

Thank you for your reply, i'll pop over to the chemo thread now!

Thanks,

Laura x

Hey! I didn’t cold cap, had a buzz cut and wore head coverings....bobble hats in the winter (with Pom poms of course). I bought a silk pillow case (about £20 on Amazon...make sure it’s silk not satin) apparently it is kinder to your skin...I still use it 2 years on...

I would second polybalm...particularly for 2 nd half of treatment, in my case T. It is clinically proven...and whilst my nail were poor they didn’t come off! 

Stock up on nice squashes...really tasty ones as your sense of taste is wrecked! Frozen fruit pieces (Tesco) soothing, tasty and good for you. I had some jelly pots too in the fridge when I didn’t feel like eating much. 

I bought a light weight mascara....managed to keep my lashes til just before my last chemo. And then used revitalash everyday...they came back quickly and it made me feel sooooo much better. 

Sleep but try and get outside too....it will make you feel loads better. And lastly, don’t try to be superwoman!

Good luck, tell us how you get on...any questions just ask...

Hi LauraJD

I think it's a fear of the unknown when you have your first chemo session and we all feel scared and apprehensive. Once you have had your first session  you will feel more at ease and just want to get on and complete your treatment. I'm  on my 4th chemo session.

Ask your chemo unit to prescribe a mouthwash and use from day one twice a day and gargle with it.I havent had mouth ulcers but had throat ulcers which were not sore or painful and was able to eat and drink normally.

I cold capped for my first two sessions. You will feel very cold and if you can put up with it for the first 20 mins it will get better. I stopped  after my second session  as I lost a little hair but I think this was because the cap was not fitted correctly. I only buzz cut my hair yesterday as it had thinned alot and was very patchy. I did keep my hair for 11 weeks. 

Make sure you have some constipation tablets around as I found I needed them for a few days after chemo.

With regards to nails, I painted my finger and toenails with navy blue polish. I have black and a dark burgundy as well. Put on a base coat, two coats of nail polish and a top coat. My nails are fine .

Finally please have a light evening meal on your first chemo session. I made the stupid mistake of having a lovely pizza then bought the lot up a few hours later.

Best of luck next week. Feel free to ask questions. I have found this site invaluable with their support and advice.

Linda x

I cold capped for all of my chemo sessions (11), and I'd say that if the machine is working properly (one of ours wasn't) then it will be painful for 5-10 minutes,  but then pass.  I took a painkiller an hour before the cap to take the  edge of it. They spray your hair to wet it so the  cold transfers more easily to the scalp, they also put conditioner on the top so it doesn't stick if it freezes (you also wait 10 minutes before removing it). Look at the Paxman website for lots of info,  as they supply uk hospitals. 

I lost most of my hair in the end of EC, but wore a scarf (mummy pirate!) And my hair grew back during Paclitaxel, which finished last December.

Hi Laura it is totally understandable to feel the way you do .I finished chemo last July and managed the scalp cooling cap for all of my sessions I found the first 10 mins hard but stuck with it definitely take a blanket etc, drink plenty of hot drinks .The chemo nurses are excellent at their jobs and there is a helpline too don't be afraid to use it .You will get to know the pattern of your bad days so listen to you body .Don't look towards your completion date I did and found my treatment was delayed due to bloods levels not being safe for treatment should of finished mid June but finished mid July just go session by session .Sending you best wishes 

Thanks Laura I am just surfacing after a 24 hour bad hangover without the gin! The actual FEC chemo only took 45 minutes and I was home within 2 hours. Now the nausea is settling but my head hurts and I can’t concentrate. Will pop over to the chemo thread. See you there x
kate

sending you a virtual hug   Have you tried anything with ginger in? I've heard that helps with nausea x