Hi Liz,

Your list looks pretty comprehensive. I notice that some people bring in some ice lollies in a small cool bag to help protect their mouth.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Liz,

Your list looks pretty comprehensive. I notice that some people bring in some ice lollies in a small cool bag to help protect their mouth.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Good evening Jolamine, how are you?

thank you for the tip, I'll ask at the chemo treatment unit, I spoke to my BC nurse today who says they're booking me in for a tour. I know the BC nurse I saw last week said they provide snacks, sandwiches, soups and drinks, maybe they supply ice lollies too. I'm also going to ask if they have cold therapy gloves and socks available before I buy any as I know they offered cooling caps. It's a brilliant unit.

take care Liz x

Hi Liz,

You'll have a tour of the unit before you start your chemo. There seems to be a difference between clinics as to what they provide. I see that you've already bought some wigs, but you should also get a voucher towards the cost of one. Don't forget to ask about what they supply, because, as you're beginning to discover, costs can mount up.

Here's hoping that it all goes well.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

As I'm awake, yet again in the wee hours, I'd thought I'd give an update from my first chemo treatment.

Not too bad having the actual chemo itself, felt a bit woosy at one point and they stopped for a few minutes. I drank a huge amount of iced ginger tea and sucked on sugar free rhubarb and custard sweets.  I used the cold therapy socks and one glove as I had a cannula in one hand, I just rested my cannula hand on top of the iced gloved hand and hoped for the best.

Side effects over the last week or so have been a bit uncomfortable, constipation relieved by eating prunes, dry mouth, oh and the constant nausea even though I've been taking anti sickness tablets. My appetite has gone through the roof, I feel less sick if I'm actually eating but the nurse has said just to get through it anyway I can so doughnuts it is! 

I slept on and off for most of the first 6 days and slowly felt a bit better each day and have managed to get out and about. Had a very thorough heart scan yesterday to give them a base line.  Lots of headaches and general aches and pains.

I've also had to give myself a daily injection of Filgrastim to encourage wihte blood cell count. Self injecting is rather grim and I'm glad it was only for a week. I now have lower back pain and hip pain to deal with which is apparently a side effect.

With only one down and two more of EC to go I can honestly say I'm really scared of how this is going to go, I definitely didn't feel like me for the first few days and I've heard it gets progressively worse.

One rather lovely thing was receiving a beautiful box full of useful things they're put together by a volunteer team for all the people receiving chemo. Chocolate, water bottle, headscarf, notebook and pen, lavender spray, handcream, mug with coffee/tea/hot chocolate, biscuits, sweets, mints and a voucher for a complementary therapy of your choice. I'm going for a full body massage with mine, it's a beautiful gesture and a complete surprise. There's also a unit therapist who comes round to give hand, feet or head massages during your treatment. I have to say I was a little emotional when they gave me the box, I think it was just a bit overwhelming as I'd worked myself up a little during the day.

Anyway, I'm having trouble sleeping longer than four hours at a time, so pop downstairs for some fresh ginger ale and read for a while, oh my how ginger ale has saved me. Can't tolerate tea anymore at all and I used to be a ten cup a day person.  I had a good hours walk yesterday and only allowed myself one nap during the day but it doesn't seem to have made it better.

I hope everyone going through this is being treated with kindness and compassion, it's so hard being in your own head at times but I'm glad I've got this forum to release all my thoughts knowing there's others who know how I feel. I'm lucky I have practical support and love from my husband and strong emotional support from good friends.

Liz x

Hi lizjon, so pleased to hear you have now got through your first chemo session. Lovely to hear of the wonderful box you received, it must have really cheered you up. Haven't been offered anything like that where I am. Lovely to have the opportunity of complimentary therapy too. It's sounds like you're having a bit of a difficult time with side effects, hope this improves for you. I had my second round of chemo on Monday, luckily so far side effects minimal like last time. A bit of constipation, but think this will ease once I come off the meds. Sleep can be disturbed due to hot flushes and needing the loo, but last two night's a bit better. I usually manage a nap for a couple of hours in the evening, which helps catch up on lost sleep. I have been getting out for a 2 1/2 mile walk each morning, weather permitting, which strangely seems to boost my energy levels. I'm wondering whether to try the cold therapy on hands and feet when I start the docetaxel, will have a chat at my last EC treatment abd see what they say. Wishing you well moving forward  xx

Good morning Pippin, glad you've done your second round and not feeling too bad. I think I'm struggling a bit as I'm still recovering from abdominal surgery in November, had a few stomach issues after my tummy tuck/reconstruction so that's maybe why I feel a bit rough.

That's very commendable doing that much walking, I think I'll have to try that to help get my insides moving a bit more too. We're off to the zoo today so that's a good walk around.

By the way, I bought a second pair of Suzzi Pad cold therapy socks on Amazon, about £20 and they lasted a whole hour. I know EC doesn't tend to cause neuropathy and its the T that does but I decided I may as well wear them every session. Surprisingly the chemo unit nurses said they didn't know anything about them but were happy for me to wear them.

What meds do you think is causing your constipation? Anti sickness?

Have you been checking your temperature with the hot flushes just in case? I'm already through the menopause so don't have hot flushes.

take care Liz x

Sorry you are still struggling with your recovery from the surgery, must make things a little more difficult to cope with. I think that is the surgery I'll be having after the chemo is finished. Do you have to buy the gloves and socks for each session or are they reusable? It's definitely the meds causing the constipation, so will hopefully go once they're finished in a couple of days. My injections start tonight, hoping that goes as well as last time. Have started to get a few shooting pains in my boob, which I did get last time too. Hope this us a good sign that treatment is working.I have been taking my temperature regularly and all has been fine so far. Good that you are no longer getting the hot flushes, this has been the worst bit for me. Hope you have a lovely Easter, always here if you want to chat. Xx

Good evening Pippin, I had a 5 year delayed diep reconstruction, that's when they found the new/old/hiding breast cancer behind my rib, they don't seem to know if it was missed last time round. If you want to know more about diep when the time comes please ask anything, I'm not shy. I have to say after 5 years of wearing a prosthesis I'm still amazed every day with my new boob, it's been fabulous, and now I'm smaller I only need to wear crop bras or pull on ones which is amazing, no more digs in my shoulders. I also had a mastopexy to reduce my normal boob so I'm lovely and symmetrical now.  I was treated at Whiston Hospital and they were an amazing team.

The cold therapy socks/gloves have compartments in them and come with resusable ice packs, just freeze them before your chemo and put them together before you leave home, I've got a picnic freezer bag that I took with me to keep them frozen.

I realised today that most of my stomach problems happen if I overindulge, which I did today as I had no sickness at all. Now I'm just struggling with wind pains. Totally my own fault and won't be doing that again.

Happy easter and best wishes Liz x

Thanks so much for all the info regarding the reconstruction. Will definitely talk to you more about that later. I will be looking into the cold socks and gloves, as concerned about the risk of neuropathy. My mum had a couple of chemo sessions, after surgery for bowel cancer. She still suffers the neuropathy slightly, a few years later. Hopefully, now you know what is causing your stomach problems, you'll be able to control it better. Take care and have a lovely weekend. Xx