**APRIL & MAY 2021 BREAST CANCER CHEMO**

I haven’t seen my oncologist since before I started chemo but her BCN specialist team are great at helping out with any issues on blood/review days.
I do have a F2F with her colleague next week (they each work in different hospitals) after my 1st Docetaxel which I assume is to say whether I get 2 more of those or 6 Paclitaxel weekly depending on my bloods and SE? Bit gutted it’s not the same oncologist I saw previously but they are in the same team so assume they talk to each other? 
denise x

Well done on finishing, hope you manage to get some rest before the surgery.  Hope everything goes well x 

I see my oncologist after every 2nd treatment for a hand measure of tumour.  
 I use biotene toothpaste & mouthwash for dry mouth. This round I woke up once with my lips stuck together and it hurt to peel them apart. So I started using chapstick more.  Also every time I got up to pee, I drank a cup of water. 
I paint my nails dark the day before treatment and remove a few days later. I try to keep them really short. Only my 1 thumb nail has a dark spot under it but they all have grooves in them.  I use a cuticle massage oil nightly & use a clear strength treatment on nails when not painted dark. 

Hi lynne. LHM. I am not seeing my original Oncologist as he is based in Brighton but am seeing the same one I have had my telephone consults with. I want to feel normal again and on my third round of EC even two days before the fourth round, after 16 days they were still not sure they wanted me to have the last one! Eventually after CT scans they agreed to do it snd I am so glad it is gone and over. I am on day 6 now and feel rubbish. Shaky, feverish and bone weary. No constipation which is an absolute blessing though! 

I want to make an informed decision about paclitaxel as not so many of you are on that regime. The pain side of it is shiver as I have arthritis already but need to understand other SE’s. Apparently constipation is not one! Thank god. Anyway consult is tomorrow so they can see me when I am low and  understand my reservations.

love all your support you lovely ladies band hope your journey is smoother x Gwennie

.....I had some problems with the Taxotere( same type of drug) but my treatment was five years ago and I think treatments have become more personalised since 2016. 

I suggest you do discuss your arthritis with your doctor before you begin as there can be some problems with this drug. Make sure you contact someone if you begin to experience burning sensations....especially feet and hands....or notice skin peeling. I made this mistake. I had been very unwell with EC but thought this was inevitable so when I got different side effects from the taxotere... I thought this was normal too and despite the pain( I couldn't put my feet on the ground in the end) I left it too late to inform my oncologist.  The result is permanent nerve damage but I stress this is not common, especially today when the drug is often given in either weekly doses or reduced three weekly, that the body can cope with better. Unfortunately I didn't find Macmillan until I had completed the EC and I was a little nervous to ask the right questions about the Taxotere. By the time I asked and everyone advised me to contact the hospital , the damage was done. My fault for being uninformed. Later I also needed a decompression operation on my spine and the neuro surgeon is convinced the chemo drugs accelerated the condition although he told me oncologists won't admit it. Both the surgeon and physio told me they saw so many post chemo patients, there had to be a link. In the end , my last T was cancelled because it was thought my feet wouldn't cope with another dose. My oncologist told me that six doses seemed to be a successful scenario but having five or one or none might not have any influence on the final outcome. For me having five made no difference as I was signed off last December because triple negative cancer tends not to return after the five year mark.

However, I don't want you to panic. I have followed this site regularly since 2016. I know that there have been changes which mean the side effects can be reduced. Just be aware of what can happen if your body isn't coping as well as it might and make a specialist aware of it quickly. 

I hope all goes well for you and you have a successful consultation with your doctor.

Love Karen

Hi Lynne

I see my oncologist every second visit to chemo there are a team of them so don’t tend to always see the same person. The others times it’s a telephone consultation the day before chemo. I was thinking the same thing why don’t they give you the hard one first when your body is relatively fit and much more able to cope with it. I had very few SE with EC. There obviously is a reason behind it all. Don’t feel quite as achy this morning hubby is going to get dry mouth spray. Oh a least my nose has dried up no more dripping.

Anne Xx

Hi Denise

Do you think Naproxen is better than co-codamel for dealing with the achy feeling? Hubby getting me some dry mouth spray today so see how that goes. I’ve just been putting a clear protector on nails since chemo must admit my nails have never looked so good and growing really fast. 

Take care 

Anne Xx

Hi Gwennie

I had 4 rounds of Pacitaxel after my EC. It was ok although i think it has contributed to an old sports injury flaring up again but that could just be me having overdone the tennis. Didnt take much tennis for it to happen though. I did get constipation with Pacitaxel although i gather its unusual. Also very sensitive itchy skin but once i started using an emoiliant that settled down.

I found the symptoms of Pacitaxol unpredictable and preferred the EC. I have been lucky with my consultant onocologist she is very caring as have seen the same person face to face every 2 weeks since my initial assessment in mid december. I am absolutely horrified that some people are not seeing there onocologist regularly clearly there is alot of disparity in chemo support !!

Hi Anne, Diamondgirl I found it worked for me in combination with paracetamol. Codeine tends to upset my tummy  and give me constipation so I didn’t try taking that so I’m not sure if it’s better? GP and chemo nurse said it’s an anti inflammatory and would help so I went with their advice. As I’m taking Omeprazole anyway the Naproxen is fine with my tummy. Hope that helps and aches ease up soon. 

denise x

• Hi Lynne.  @lhm.  I was led to believe that EC was the worse and that if I struggled with that I could drop out of the Paclitaxel rounds and still expect good results.  I take Neproxin for my arthritis and Omeprazole so have enough armour to get through it is just whether I feel I want to feel ill for another eight to ten weeks.  The mouth ulcers started this morning and it’s things like that I want to know about.  I want to have everything medication wise up front rather than have constant changes, and delays, every round like I did with EC.  Will let you know how I get on tomorrow x