Chemo

Sorry you're having a rough time but it can happen.....different reactions for everyone. 

It will be a good idea to either jot down( or ask someone else if you feel unable to write) exactly how you felt yesterday, today, tomorrow then chat to your doctor before your next chemo cycle. It may be possible to change your antiemetics which could reduce the nausea but they don't always work. Unfortunately only an injection worked for me to stop vomiting but that's  not common.

So to help you today.....Ginger is good for settling nausea. If you're not vomiting have a ginger infusion and if you haven't eaten much, put some sugar or glucose in it to give you a bit more energy. 

For the mouth, use a non alcohol mouthwash at least twice every day and don't stop when the mouth feels better. Ask the pharmacist for a wash that's different from the dental hygiene kind. Mine was prescribed and I began it on the first day of chemo and used it until after radiotherapy finished. No mouth problems.....coincidence or not...it wasn't a difficult regime to follow.

I found it was really helpful  for morale to set myself very small daily targets as challenges.  As I said, I was actually very sick ( I couldn't  move my head in bed without vomitting....what fun!) so my targets really were small....get to the bathroom and wash my face, change my pj's.  Next day try to have a shower. Next day get dressed. Next go downstairs and sit for an hour or so.....until about day10/ 11 we could go out and I could sit at the cafe terrace while OH did shopping. I struggled to walk for most of the cycle and then it restarted but in addition to the sickness my white cells dropped several times causing delays and this won't have helped. 

Sorry, I haven't meant to sound so gloomy but I want you to see that if you aren't feeling good after several days, it's  not your fault. You don't have to feel guilty about it. It happens to some people. Despite feeling so awful now and perhaps for the next six months, it will come to end. You will persevere, you will adapt your own coping mechanisms and manage the side effects in a way that you can manage and it will end. My treatment was in early 2016. It is five years since I was diagnosed on Oct 1st.

Just a word of advice.....keep your eye on your temperature. Remember to phone your unit if it goes higher than the unit's recommendation. 

I hope things start to feel better today. They might. 4/5 days used to be quite common. Moden drug changes have made it easier for some but not everyone responds as well.

Take care. Stay Covid safe.....and if you need today in bed...take it. Only you know what helps you feel better!

Love Karen

Thankyou so much for your reply it’s really gonna help me focus today I have to listen to my body and just do what I can I’m not being sick just the extremely nauseous so will def get ginger tea see if that helps your advice has been great thankyou again, all new to me so still trying to get my head round this but it’s all real now xx

Hi, I am currently undergoing chemotherapy and have been in hospital twice for the Sickness and dizziness so had 2 chemos postponed... unfortunately I found nothing worked and my body just needed to rest after they tried numerous anti sickness tablets I speak with my team tomorrow to see where I go from here with treatment 

Hi that’s not gd you had to be in hospital and have chemo postponed, hope it didn’t get you down to bad, hopefully your team can get things worked out for you and get back on track with things, I’m 5 days in now went bk to hospital today to get new anti sickness tablets as keep waking up during night feeling nauseous too and got  a mouth wash as moth is sore so will see how I am next fewd ays still fell weak and shaky but better than yesterday I think. keep strong