Lung cancer surgery 3 weeks ago now need chemo

Hi Rose,

When you say chemo is not easy, what do you mean exactly. Glad you haven't lost hair, but are you feeling sick or very tired etc.....

I am going out for lunch today with sister and brother, it is something we continued after my mum died end of 2019. We used to have lunch with mum most Saturdays. I still miss her a lot and talk to her photograph I have. She was nearly 99 when she died and I thought I would have been more like her. She smoked all her life, had her whisky at night, never had routine tests for illnesses etc....I guess there is always one out of the box.

Saw my GP yesterday and I think she was trying to lean me towards doing the chemo. I am leaning that way I think, have until this Friday to decide.

I haven't heard of free councelling as yet. What a roller coaster this is!

Sharron x

Hello Shas,

Great that you are meeting family and they are close. It is important to get out and about. Hope the lunch was good.

My mum died at 84yrs, 14 years ago and I still miss her, so I understand!! I miss the telephone chats the most and knowing she was always there, but thankfully  I have those happy memories to recall

Yes allot of fatique and slight nausea but no vomiting. You have a differed sense of taste, so allot of the foods I usually like are no longer my favourites. I am eating more often usually every 2 hours and smaller portions. I have switched from loving vegetables to fruit.

If I feel nausea I have a wine gum sweet, as it helps, or even in the middle of the night. I do drink allot of water normally so its not a problem, but it is helpful during chemo to take plenty of fluids.

I try to be extra careful with oral hygiene and brush my teeth after eating. I use a children's toothpaste, as regular paste seems too harsh. 

Try to take walks when able. Some days can do my normal time of an hour then other days just 10 minutes. Just, short term, you have to go with what your body dictates.

Rosex

Hi Rose,

How's it going? I think I had another UTI happening yesterday so I took some antibiotics that I had from last year. Went to Dr today and she said if it happens again to send urine sample for testing before taking antibiotics. I think I am ok now and have one more to take. I hope I am not going to keep having these now. My main worry is that it goes to the kidney and I end up in hospital again, so didn't want to muck around.

II did blood tests today for the Friday appointment, hope it is ok as I am thinking I will give chemo a go. But with this infection happening again I am unsure if they will want to do it. I just seem to get over one thing then I get another.

Are you not going out much because of having lowered immunity? I don't like the thought of having to stay home all the time. I am one of the minority I think that hasn't had covid yet. I am a bit worried about catching it when doing chemo.

You must be glad you are now more than half way through......good for you! Take care

Shas x

Hello Shas, sorry to hear about your UTI. I have had a few over the years and they are not nice. That’s what I would say with the chemo, they tell you to drink allot of fluids and I am ok with that, in fact sometimes I overdo it. I do love my tea and usually have either English or Irish breakfast. My husband has been converted to green tea, so on occasion I add that to my own black tea & milk, as I can’t take the green on it’s own, but it is good for increasing your immune systems!

Glad to hear you are coming around to the idea of the chemo. It!s probably the right decision in the bigger scheme of things. I am still getting out and about, but with chemo ongoing would not be in crowds ie the cinema etc.  Wear an N95 mask if in shops etc, as with the Covid thing ongoing my GP who has also suffered cancer advised it.  I do have lowered immunity currently and so they cancelled last week’s chemo and a further 2 next few weeks, so now I have only 3 treatments remaining and I am done. Going quicker than I thought it would, so all good.

Keep me posted with your news. Signing off!! Rosex

Hi there again Rose,

I had my oncology appointment today and my bloods are looking better so she said she is happy to start chemo if I am. She has suggested a different medication now......still the cisplatin but also pemetrexed instead of vinorelbine. This treatment will be once every 3 weeks instead of going for 2 weeks and then a break, it is stronger but you have 2 weeks to recover. I guess I can only see how I go. I will  most likely start Tuesday week.

The oncologist went on to say my  particular cancer is a minority one and one that would respond to  pills should it come back. She was in a hurry so I didn't get much information on that, but that is for later I suppose should it come back. I hope I don't get infection again, it is  a bit of a worry, but what do you do. I will see what happens next. What a journey this has been this year and still ongoing. I sometimes just can't believe it. 

The oncologist said the different treatment they are going to use now  is less likely to make all my hair fall out, maybe just thin a bit. Will see.

Bye for now

Shas x

Hi Rose,

Hope you are ok, haven't heard from you for a while. 

I am starting chemo on Monday. I am very nervous about it. I have started taking folic acid and they gave me Metoclopramide for nausea if needed and have to take Dexamethasone day before, day of and 2 days after. I think it's for inflammation and other things.

I hope your immunity is improving and you can finish your chemo soon. They said I will be there around 5 hours and they  give you sandwiches and tea and coffee. I might take a book to read and have my phone. They have given me emergency numbers to ring if I have problems. All a bit daunting.

Well bye for now. I look forward to hearing more of your journey.

Shas x

My husband has been on pemetrexed and carboplatin… the 2nd round he was sick for 3 days, when we told the consultant they have give. Him a pill for anti sickness that actually lasts 5 days ! My husband says chemo is not as bad as he thought, he says a lot of it is in the mind, he is positive and just gets on with things ! 

Hello Shas, sorry I missed your email somehow. Yes agree with the recent reply, being positive definately does help.

I had a short admission last week, with blood values unstable. So again, great Drs and hospital and very supportive. Just 1 or 2 treatments and I am done. Looking forward to some travel soon.

Hi another day,

Thankyou for your response.

I do try to be positive but I am a naturally anxious person so it is hard. I hope I am saying what your husband says after I start my chemo. x

It must be so hard, and frightening, I am worse than my husband for worrying. Be strong