Chemo 14 march!!

Hi

I also have my first chemo at 8.30am tomorrow. I didn't know about eating things easy on the stomach the day before, thank you for sharing I will watch what I eat today.

I have been given the list of possible side effects, like you I don't feel ill so anxious about how I will feel once treatment starts.

I've been googling what to take with me tomorrow as been told I will I be there about 4.5 hours. Posts on google say water, snacks, reading material, phone/tablet/laptop, things to do. You can get a dry mouth while having treatment, some people have suggested boiled sweets & lip balm to help with this.

Good luck for tomorrow and your ongoing treatment x

Thanks, 

I didn't know about the dry mouth, I will head out for some supplies today.

Mines 2 hours but I'm sure this may change when it takes me a good while to stop panicking.

Good luck with yours, xx

Hi. I got through my 6 sessions of chemo at the end of Jan but found it was okay. My appointments weee in the afternoon but I ate normally throughout the course of treatment. I took a drink with me - usually a bottle of water or squash. I did try taking a coffee in a keep warm cup but as they needed access to my arms for blood pressure and other tests and a drip for the chemo in my other arm, I never really got round to drinking the hot drinks. They also had a tea lady who came round a few times a day when I could ask for drinks. What I would advise is wear something short sleeved when you go along as it’s easier if they need access to your arms and take some sort of wrap rather than a sweatshirt or cardi as you never know how warm the unit will be and once they’re treating you, you can’t slip your arm out of the sleeves. My unit advised me I could ask for a blanket if I was cold but I had a nice cost wrap I could carry with me and use if I wanted it - it saved me bothering the staff! I always find, if I feel queazy, a mint helps, so I made sure I always had a packet with me - if you have a similar sweet - take some with you. Also I found my iPad mini was good as it give me the option of reading magazines, books or doing puzzles and the time fleece by … found, as I was in a shared room, concentration on reading a book was impossible. I opted to use he cold cap which seemed to work well, but added a lot of time to the chemo - my hair lasted well during chemo, but has almost all come out sine my chemo finished - went on a Makeup course at Maggies centre while on chemo and many people there commented they found the same thing!  Last bit of advice - before they start, nip to the loo - you’re there a long time, attached  to Machines/drip etc,, so better safe than sorry! Take care & relax during your treatment . Good luck!

Wow, you done well.

I bought some mint imperials today's! 

It's good you were able to eat normally.

I'm building up a lot of negative scenes in my head, but from reading yours  it sounds like it's ok.

Just went to Sainsbury's looking at last minute things, like body lotion & hand creams, I just stuck to me usual stuff, which is pretty much fragrance free/ kind to skin.

Did look at nail varnish but had a quick Google in the store about it can dry them out ,so I read about olive oil instead to keep them moisturised.

I opted not to get cold cap, but have bought some foot ice cold packs socks from Amazon, need to get some gloves.

I don't have Maggie's where I am.

Feeling a little isolated really as no support groups for breast cancer everything is on line , even make up groups, due to covid. sometimes it's nice just to meet people in person.

Hopefully things will open up again soon.

Thsnks x

Hi cookie

so did you hair fall out all in one go at the end or just after? Which chemo did you have? I was wanting to try the cold cap but wasn’t aware it would go anyway…

thanks xx

Hi again. My hair started to fall out just after tge second chemo treatment - it’s wasn’t in chunks but lots of strands coming out together - it then seemed to ease off for a few weeks,then started again as day or so after chemo. I was warned by the nurse that the cap mainly protected the top of my head, so from below ears wasn’t protected at all but the extra strands I was losing were coming all over. They also said that hair loss tends to be 21 days or so after chemo (true!). I thought of giving up the coldccap after my 4th session, but decided I may as well carry on. What you need to be aware of is that the cold cap has to go on 1/2 hour before they start your chemo and remain on  for 3/4 hour afterwards so it also extends your treatment time and don’t forget if you start with the cold cap - you can opt out at any stage! Some nurses seemed keen on it & some didn’t at the centre I went to! I had a combined treatment to start of with, then, as I’m diabetic, they changed it for sessions 4-6. I was so confused that I didnt really register the treatment names. I was diagnosed, lost my mum, had lymph gland removal and was told the 8mm lump they’d found with negative lymph gland was a 42mm lump and cancer positive lymph node, so they wanted to do chemo, then operate to remove remaining lymph nodes under arm and started chemo within a few weeks, so really just went to appts when they told me! I had treatment in Cardiff - what did surprise me was the number of appointment I had… clinic with my specialist, bloods taken on the Friday before each Tuesday chemo session; heart scans after session 3 and 6, along with Having to attend covid test centres before initial and 4th session, and various other appointments. I’ve also now been operated on again for lymph gland removal so have been going to appts with that hospital, daily district nurses visitingvto dress ‘lymph’ wound and, as the treatment has lowered my heart rate, I’ve been referred to a heart specialist The. Cancer team are starting me on a single dose of herceptin every 3 weeks - normally people have a combined injection of this and another drug - this goes on for a year after chemo. I’m expecting to have radiotherapy soon too, but have to await results of the lymph gland tests (4-6 weeks) before the cancer centre start this! Good luck with your treatment! Your nurses will talk you through everything - if you’re not sure if anything, just ask them! Remember no question is a stupid question - theyve all come across it before!

Thank you for such a detailed reply. 

yes, I’m starting to get the notion that it’s not a quick infusion appointment once every three weeks, but loads of appointments around it. Dreading the next few months.

Hope everything goes well recovering from your lymph node surgery. I’ve already had this done prior to chemo and it wasn’t too bad as long as you keep on with the exercises. 

xx

Thank you for this info! I start my 1st chemo session on the 17th March, so very interesting read x

Update;;;; so had chemo, 

Horrific, hard to get canula in, finished everything at about 12 so nearly 4 hours.

So have to have picc line in April fitted ,as I'm 3 weeks for treatment.

I was pumped so much full of drugs, steroids, antisickness, as couldn't take pills as they all contain lactose I'm lactose intolerant.They had them all ready then had to get the liquid as the pharmacy obviously didn't check.

Also had hormone injection.

Was given a big bag of meds to take for side effects, & also the injections I have to do myself for 7 days, to keep white blood cells ok, ( they didn't tell me that ) I have a phobia of needles so calling in  the family

So much crying, and panic.

Most people were fine, just sat their like they were on a train journey.i wasn't expecting that.i was a mess .

Currently just sat down, on bed with waves of nausea, watching kids shows , ( nephew watching them) 

Oh gees, what a day, it seems it's never ending.

Treatment finishing in August, got another 3 of the EC ,then it's the pax weekly.

I really don't know how I will get through that, not sure I want to do that for 9-12 weeks.

Anyway, I thought I'd would give an honest account, of my first chemo day ! One which I wish they didn't do it Like this, that was a better way of doing things.

So much for modern time eh 

Hi Etna, 

Definitely recommend PICC line, I only had to have my anti sickness orally rest were done through my line.

My appointment was 8.30am same as you and I got home at 3.45pm  my chemo meds were not ready as whatever they do was sent down too late on Friday, so had all my pre meds then sat there until 12.45pm before they started chemo. If it got to 1pm they would have had to do pre meds again Said I would be extremely unlucky if that was to happen again.

I had Carbo/pacitaxel and feel fine at the moment, hoping it stays that way. I will be having paclitaxel weekly for 12 weeks & carbo 3 weekly.

Hope you feel better soon & your next treatment runs more smoothly xx