Hi is anybody still on this thread? I'm kinda new to this club and just about to start my 1st cycle of FLOT before surgery. Still so many unknowns including how much stomach I'll have left (if any). Won't know 'Until we get in there, and you might have an osopharectomy too'' is, though understandable, not the most comforting quote I've ever heard. Anyway just thought I'd say HI if anyone is still around!?

Hi Shayde, I still get updates when people post as do others so still active.Sorry to read your diagnosis but get the chemo and surgery done and hope it goes well. I’m nearly 3 years post chemo with FLOT and then surgery then more chemo. I found the cumulative effects challenging second time round but got through it. Take it steady I found round one felt ok day 2-3  round 2 about day 3-4 and so on. Made sure I got out and about as much as possible when felt ok in between ie pre-habilitation get as fit as you can for surgery as it’s a big op! Eat as much as you can and try and gain weight you will lose it post surgery and recovery I ate ginger biscuits as helps nausea and get a soft toothbrush and used difflam oral rinse also. Good luck and if not sure ask here

Thank you so much for replying. My weight is a problem child though it's why I left something here cos I think the OP said she was the same. My normal natural weight is 7-71/5 stone and didn't matter what I ate I couldn't put weight on. (even during my pregnancies and it could fluctuate by that 1/5 stone within days so I was never sure which I was really) I just about reached 8 full term. I'm 8 now and they're counting a pound if it changes but I put 2 stone on during menopause and it was just coming down when this all started LOL so not the best timing for people watching my weight! I can still eat with occasional 'stuck feeling' but it's mostly food fighting wind cos after some burps I'm usually OK...that's why I had symptoms for 2 years before I had any tests done. Wish I'd known earlier that indigestion could be something else, but here we are. I've got the shakes as back up as well so there's that at least. As for ginger biscuits I love them but they didn't help with morning sickness but Rich tea did so we'll see :) I seem to be thirsty a lot though but water makes me gassy so it's cornflakes a lot of the time with ice cold milk, they go down surprisingly well. But I had a much better appetite BEFORE my biopsy. The hospital that performed it was not my regular one so didn't know me so while I was out the gastroscopy couldn't so they did it alongside the laparoscopy under a general.So while I was out they saw the 'gap' or apparent lack of and assumed I couldn't eat and put an NG tube in but they also gave me a throat infection. Cos of the tube nobody understood my sore throat I was complaining about was NOT the reason for the tube so it was allowed to get worse till I took my hubbys antibiotics out of desperation 2 weeks later. They worked so I finally got past the rottweillers on the desk at my GP'S and saw my Dr who gave me better ones and since then I've had less interest in food which is a pain in the neck. I mean my eating habits were erratic anyway but I'd got some sort of rythm that worked for me but now I don't even have that but I'm doing my best to work on it. Thanks for the tips too, 

The unknown about the surgery "we won't know how much we're taking till we get in there" is both understandable, but very worrying too. But my latest CT scan showed shrinkage apparently and my first cycle is on the 23rd! So fingers crossed I guess. 

Thanks for the tips what's special about the Difflam oral rinse? I'll try and find some.

Hope you're well. Sorry for such a long post!

Hi Shayde 6 years ago i had 7 sessions of FLOT it gave me 6 years of cancer free in the middle of it I had major surgery to remove oesophagus . Unfortunately the cancer has returned and it aggressive this time and is terminal 

Oh I'm so sorry to hear that. This is the suckiest disease ever and the outcomes are just so random and unfair. Hugs Bud (not that that helps much but I'm still new here so don't have the right words yet) What's acceptable and what's just blah blah kind of thing, you know!? Sorry, 1st cycle yesterday so head just getting back to (my) normal and words are never my best quality. X

You need to think positive and cancer can bog off . You got a family to support you like me so please think positive and let them do whatever its a bar tead cancer xxx

I promise I'm doing my best. It's hard to feel sick when you don't feel any different though, anyway. I suppose this group is one of the few that can understand that. The salad for the rabbits bit me this morning (straight out the fridge...it was weird I honestly thought the cabbage was prickly) so I guess my fingers are going to play up today now LOL Take care buddy Xx

Wow you need to be careful are you on blood thinners . Luckily I am not this time round . I am waiting for my chemo to start been here since 8.00am bored though xxx

Wow you need to be careful are you on blood thinners . Luckily I am not this time round . I am waiting for my chemo to start been here since 8.00am bored though xxx

Well had my 3 cycle of chemmotherapy yesterday seem ok just feel tired out so jot 36° yesterday factor fifty all over ecposed bits got to do some shopping soon catch up later 

Had my chemo eventually came home with pump fitted to arm had thst taken off today . Om Monday this week went to Maggies to get some information about ehat I can claim. Need this form to signed by doctor which havent done yet they are so busy  . It will be done asap though

No I meant the neoropathy in my fingers kicked off. Cabbage is not prickly (was just cold LOL) But no, I'm not on thinners either. Sorry not been online the first 6 days were ROUGH, but probably only by my standards. I hate throwing up so any nausea panics me then I got incredible wind (though burping without being winded like a baby or retching) has improved already) so couldn't face ANYTHING properly and wind pain etc then the retching....caused by all the excess slime (as I call it). Noone told me chemo would make that worse LOL. Anyway day 7/8 things started getting better. Got Windeez, Oxo and chicken and Leak cupasoup on the regular better sleep and currently feeling pretty reasonable though I have a lot of improving to do and less than a week till next cycle (Literally a week today) oh joy. But I will get there I hope. Also countless issues and stress over the weekend with my 'team' and the 24 hour hotline that HANGS up on me!!! but yeah not too bad today.Thank you. 

Again sorry I wasn't here. I'm not normally so flaky. I'm so sorry you're going through all this again. Hated that pump but I guess it's a necessary evil we must endure. I had a problem getting a telephone appointment yesterday at my Gp's.... Desk Sergeant told me to ring 111 (for uncrontrollable wind LOL hubby just said to her have you had cancer or chemo?...Next minute put through to the clinical team They were SUPER sweet and gave me my own direct number to THEM saying "This will save you the rigmarole at the desk!!" Then the told DR what I wanted and the Dr rang me back and I'm getting what I wanted on repeat prescription LIKE I ASKED IN THE FIRST PLACE LOL. ( I don't take things easily LOL) Good luck with your GP and I hope you can still have some fun somehow. Hopefully I'm better prepared for Round 2 so I'll try and pop in more often. XX

Quick question if you don't mind me asking. Why did you get a pump are you still getting FLOT?

Not flot this time its filfax or something I have thing connected to my picc line for  48 hrs bloody awkward 

I am having different chemo this time and have thing connected to picc line fir 48 hrs bloody awkward 

Oh hell 24 is bad enough sorry bud. I was confused cos I didn't think you'd be on FLOT after what you've said and stuff but it's the only temp pump I know (so far)

This time I am on a different chemo gives me the upset stomavk and po#s plus flaking skin extremely tiredness . I take lopomarade pills for p##os and just chill on sofa fed up with tv though got appointment tomorrow for picc line dressing change 

Aww sounds awful.