November 2017 Chemo Starters

[JC1262]

I've discovered Riccola herbal sweets are quite good for a temporary relief of chemo mouth.
Just watched the Voice and am now off to bed. Goodnight 😴😴😪😪💤💤💤

[Elorac66]

Hi all
I hope you all have had a good day with SE being kind to you.
I am starting my pre-chemo nesting with stocking the freezer with at least a weeks meals and ensuring all school uniform is clean and ironed and that the house has been cleaned from top to bottom.
I am too on filgrastim injections, green ones, and have been since the first FEC, 7 injections starting day 4 and only experience achy bones, just chest and arms, for the first 48 hours.
Have a good evening ladies
Carole x

[Otter65]

Hi all

My injection are filgrastim too but are purple

Taste furry mouth and injection pain are the worst as of T also fatigue but get that with fibo anyway😱😜🤗😘

Hope you all have a good weekend

Xxxxxxxx

[lesley62]

hi Bythesea, fingers crossed a furry mouth is the worst of it - tastes are changing, can't bear any of my green teas and so switched to coffee..... just been out to sainsburys to pick up decaf coffee and returned with books, pineapple, banana and brocolli and no coffee..... trip to the village shop now!  Chemo brain!!

yes you can pick up clarityn over the counter - if you speak to the pharmacist the clarityn are about £10 a packet but they can give you the unbranded version (loratadine) for about £3 for the same amount 

.

My injections are filgrastim - nivestim, little green buggers!

love to all 💕

[Bythesea]

Morning ladies,
Hope we are all fairing well x.
First night if injections for me last night and so far so good. Lesley I don't think I really got side effects on t except the injection pains. Furry mouth crazy temps but bearable so maybe you'll be lucky. Fingers crossed. Can I just buy Clarityn over the counter? Don't want to be missing out ha x!
My injections are Filgraston anyone else on them???
Annakarenina loved the glitter body suit wearing champion!!!
Take care ladies and enjoy the weekend xxx

[lesley62]

Deal!

xx

[AnnaKarenina]

I'll remind you if you remind me! Deal? x

[lesley62]

thanks AnnaKarenina - right back at you!!

I too overestimated my abilities pre chemo 4 and wont be packing my diary with as much for 5 & 6 .... but you might have to remind me of that later in the month!

[AnnaKarenina]

Hello everyone, I am like you Harryfiddler pre-chemo. I am so grateful to be feeling 'normal' (or what passes for it) and pack the week or so before my next dose with stuff. I did find I overestimated my abilities before my 4th cycle and ended up tearful and exhausted after a particularly long day at external meetings, running round Central London buying things I could have bought anytime and then giving an evening lecture. Fortunately, I'd left the stage before the tearfulness kicked in! It was a lesson learned and when I was putting things into my diary yesterday, I was much more cautious about not filling every available minute with commitments. 

Lesley, long may the travel continue to be smooth rather than vertiginous. I really hope it continues, but if the horrid SEs do arrive, remember we have got you and will be supporting you through the dips. I know how prepared and informed you are for what might come, plus you've got your crew here and the wise women who have gone before us (especially from the October thread) in your amoury. Hang in there my glitterly bodysuit wearing champion. xx

[lesley62]

hi harryfiddler

yes definitely an uplift in activity pre-chemo, but then I let some things slide this time, and left them for to be picked up by the steroid rush.... which sort of came!

The injections are gsf injections (nivestim??) to promote white cells as you say.  For FEC I had a 5 day course starting on day 5, and for T its a 7 day course starting on day 2.  But not everyone over here gets them, some get 10 days, it all depends on the Trust and their funding and thinking.

Day 3 of T for me, slept ok last night, it didn't feel like a deep sleep, but woke up feeling ok.  No pains or any se yet...... I am getting a little nervous ...... when is the se 🎢 going to kick in???

Hope everyone else is ok and not having too bad a time of it

Weekend 💕 and 🤗 to all

xx

[harryfiddler]

Hi from sticky sweaty Australia!

I hope you're all keeping nice and warm, while I do my best to stay cool. I'm doing bloods on Monday then, all being OK, back to the cocktail bar on Tuesday for my first dose of T. *cheery big girl laugh* Does anyone else get that thing where you race around trying to do EVERYTHING in the days before chemo? Also, you've been talking about daily injections. Which ones are those? I've just had one the day after chemo to stimulate my white cells. 

Re claratyne, one of the onc nurses pressed a sheet of tabs into my hand as I left my first FEC and said 'take these now'. Made a big difference. 

Sleep well, rest up and thank you for keeping me company from the other side of the world!

Harryfiddler

[Shi]

Lesley darling, I’ve answered your question on Oct thread 😘😘💕💕✨✨shi xx

[Elorac66]

Hi ladies
Lesley, Annakarenina and Otter hope you are still doing okay and that the nasty SE are not raising their ugly heads.
JC hope you are feeling better soon, be kind to yourself, me I love an egg mayo sandwich
Feeling apprehensive as I I now only have 5 days left before first T, but have lovely dark navy nails, Epsom salts and udderly cream in the cupboard and the world of pain killers on standby, what could possibly go wrong 🤔 😄
Hope you all have relaxing evenings and a good nights sleep.
Sending hugs and positive vibes to all 💕💕

[lesley62]

oh bless you JC - I love a good egg mayo butty!!

You've got me thinking now!!

sending you hugs and lots of steroid energy over the www!!

take care and listen to your body

xx

[JC1262]

Afternoon everyone!!
Still struggling & in bed, phoned the unit this morning - said everything sounded normal but could ask gp for sleeping tablets. Had egg mayo sandwich for lunch - I don't eat egg mayo but it really hit the spot!!!
Lesley - you have a fine pair of pins in your gold suit!! Hope you & Annakarenina are doing ok.
Take it easy ladies and rest up as much as you can xx
🤗😗🤗😗💕☄💕☄

[lesley62]

you look after yourself Otter - build yourself up.

I'm feeling normal stil, but resisting the temptation to do too much, just going to nip out for a quick walk then more sofa time I think!

xx

[Otter65]

The night I forgot to take clarityn the next day the pain was bad so I'm taking as well even if oncologist doesn't agree😜😜

Only 1 left tonight 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

Got a bit of a sore mouth tongue and throat but temperature is fine and as both twins have heavy colds so think I've caught it😥😥

[lesley62]

It's in the post Bythesea!

Crazy that they didnt like the idea of the clarityn, it is standard practice in the states and as I said my onc is now prescribing it and using it for other patients as well.

I'm a bit of a rebel so I'd take it anyway .... anything to stave off the pains!

rest up now - don't go mad with anything

xx

[Bythesea]

Morning ladies, I too slept well after my late steroid dose last night! Not looking forward to starting injections tonight tho :0(
My onc poo pooed the clarityn and just told me to double dunt on paracetamol and ibuprofen!
Heading away with my family next week and don't want the super slow walking shuffle I had last time ha! Need to borrow that jump suit of yours Lesley x

[lesley62]

Morning all

good to hear you got thru your day AnnaKarenina, those Bridget Jones, big girl pants did the job then!! 

I think fear of the unknown is the biggest fear we can have. But you know we are all here for you and for each other. Without this thread, I think my journey thru chemo would have been anything like it has been.

I had quite a good night, dozed until 3am and then slept until 8.30 - so can't complain.  And woke up feeling normal .... well normal for me.

Obviously this is the calm before the storm, but I will try and make the most of it before the steroid crash tomorrow!!

Hope JC and Otter are feeling better this morning.

Sending hugs and love as always

xx