**SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER 2021 BREAST CANCER CHEMO**

Hi, I had my first cycle of chemo yesterday, I feel sick as a dog at the moment. Has any one else only just had their first cycle? How did you get on? x

Hi, just looked back at my journal to check your I felt. (Even now a few weeks post chemo the memory is fading). Yes, I too felt very sick immediately after chemo. You must take all the meds to combat it. If you are actually sick do consult the BCN as they can change your meds to better suit. Try to distract. Walk, jigsaw, reading, tidying, cooking, anything. I sometimes found eating helped... As in I didn't feel sick for the short time it was going down. But maybe try to nibble on fruit. Make an apple last forever! I also experimented with different teas... peppermint (hmmm), ginger (not for me), green ( not bad). Some worked on different days... Again I sipped and made them last. Good luck.

Hi  I had dreadful nausea at the beginning but was never actually sick. Tell your team and they can adjust your anti nausea meds. I had Aprepitant for 3 days and that was great. Metacloperamide worked for a bit and I had cyclizine which was good at night as made me sleepy. I initially didn’t take all the tabs but then realised I was making myself feel worse! Take the full amount of meds and if it’s still not working contact your team. Mine settled to something like morning sickness nausea and disappeared after about 7-10 days on EC. I didn’t have it at all on Docetaxel. 
Trial and error for what works for you. This is what worked for me.  
Eating small amounts regularly, nibbling on fruit or ginger/tea biscuits. I literally ate every hour so if that works try and make it reasonably healthy stuff, at least at the beginning! 
Sucking sugar free sweets. Ginger ale and ginger beer. Fruit teas. 
Distractions - Netflix, HGTV, binge watching a series, jigsaw puzzles, going for a short walk, reading, scrabble…anything to take your mind off how you feel. 

It’s not nice but can be managed. Rest up, hope you feel better soon

denise x

Hi, I had my first cycle this morning. I already feel really sick so I'm having a good read of everything thing on here.

I hope you feel better soon? x

Thank you Dclem4. That's really helpful. x

Hi

Hope you’re all doing ok. 
just had the plabotomist ring. My bloods from

this morning aren’t  good. Got my 2nd carbo platin cycle on

thursday and it looks like it may not go ahead. White cells are down and liver function flagged. I was doing so well during EC but this next lot of chemo is not playing nice. Has anyone else had problems with their blood tests? 
xx

Hi Kas79, 

I've just had my 3rd paclitaxel and carboplatin, on my 2nd infusion on 6th September, my white blood cells were also low and liver function was not at 100% and I had lost 4lbs, so they recalculated my dose accordingly and still went ahead with the dose.  This caused only a short delay, but did slightly worry me. They said that carbon is well known for causing disruption with the liver and they always look into this thoroughly via bloods. 

I have lots of faith in what they are doing as my lump which was 33mm x 34 mm seems to have drastically shrunk already. When I try to locate it, it seems to have reduced in size and gone within my breast. I am due my next mri on 15th October, so time will tell me more then.

Hi Mrs Spider

It has really peed me off as I was doing so well and yesterday and today I actually feel normal again. I’ve had no sign of an infection so it must be the Carbo being an arse. 
that's brilliant news about your lump. My surgeon says mines not as predominant as before and I think it’s smaller so hopefully my mri says it’s shrinking which will definitely make me feel better about all this. 
xx

Good luck with your final chemo today BelleStar. Hope it goes smoothly xx

Good morning Kas79

Do try not to be disappointed with the small hurdles that we face on a daily basis as chemo patients have many many good & bad days.  I tend to sleep away the bad times, which are infrequent.  I just take my arse to bed haha x

This week is a game changer as I am losing my hair quite quickly this week, it started on Monday (week 3 of PC/EC treatment. I am embracing the new look with both hands though, rocking the look.  I have bought lots of headscarf's and beanies, not feeling a wig, but never say never!  

It is our wedding anniversary on 30 September and I am unsure whether to brave a restaurant as I am concerned about possible infections/viruses.

Take it easy & just do exactly what you feel like doing x  This is your time now x