Hi Carole 

I do believe chemo affects everyone differently so I can only share my experience and what I did and didn't do. Apart from some temporary side effects I actually sailed through it. The hair loss is one well known side effect. I was mentally prepared for this. I bought lots of scarves, hats and a couple of wigs ( my free one from Robert Ogden charity was the best). Its grown back now & I do like my new style.

I had issues with my white blood count a number of times which resulted in my chemo session being put back but I got through that. They gave me injections after each session to try & manage it. I also looked after myself very well. I stopped drinking throughout, kept away from crowds & ate healthily. It did the trick, for me anyway. I was able to work throughout it too.

I had no sickness whatsoever, they gave me meds at the beginning of each session and they worked a treat. I was quite fatigued after 6 months of it but just rest. It will pass

Be kind to yourself 

Hope this has given you a little reassurance & the very best of wishes

Love Dawn xx

Thankyou . I really appreciate your input and honesty.

C x

Thankyou. I really appreciate your taking the time to reply.

C x

"On a slightly different note-is it normal to live in almost constant fear of it returning and of suspecting that every illness/pain is due to it returning?"

I suspect that yes it is normal  -  maybe not so much constant fear, but certainly always at back of mind if have symptoms that COULD be cancer. I've had tongue (nearly 6 years ago) and prostate (nearly 3 years ago), so stomach problems etc and I think the worst. 

The plus side is that I know enough to convince GPs to refer me to specialists if I consider it necessary. Awaiting such referral right now. 

On main point, I am a little surprised that a lack of research papers. 

Good luck.

Hi Carole,

Those are good questions, as someone now ten years post chemo, I’ve asked them myself. Searching for “late effects chemo” should be productive. The most up to date article I’ve found on this is at https://www.cancer.net/survivorship/long-term-side-effects-cancer-treatment it also touches on your second question.

Have you come across this group https://canceradvocacy.org ? They do a lot of work around survivorship.

I can only speak for myself but that constant nagging fear is always in the background. Not surprising given I was told my cancer was incurable and only given chemo as part of a palliative care regime. My oncologists had, until a couple of years ago insisted that I was on probably borrowed time and that my remission was only temporary. It’s only recently that I’ve dared think of myself as a survivor.

There are so many types of chemo and we all respond to them individually that it’s hard to answer your second question. My own neuropathy slowly disappeared in the first twelve months after chemo. I developed cataracts prematurely, possibly as a side effect of the steroids I was given to counteract the chemo’s side effects. I don’t have the stamina I had pre-chemo - but I am ten years older and 65 years old, so that may just be a result of the ageing process. 


I hope this helps!
Dave

Hello Carole63,

                           you have received some interesting posts from Jolamine and Dave k , which l found raised some issues to my mind. We humans are both blessed and cursed with a mind that can work on overtime relentlessly if allowed

. Any of us that went through cancer treatment  and came out the other side would have had the mother of all battles , so l find it hard to hear when you have fought so hard to have a future, you seek to constantly look over your shoulder to see if there's a monkey on your back.

Thankfully for me l have been given this chance and l embrace my second life completely and only have eyes and mind for the future and each day that takes me there.

No fat ladies allowed to sing in my world,

                                                                    David

HI DJ48

Thanks for your honesty and I'm sorry to hear what you too have been through. It is reassuring to me that I'm not alone in feeling like this. It's not something I discuss with family & friends for many reasons.

So, thank you for taking time out to reply to my post.

I wish you all the best,

Carole

Hi Dave

Thanks for your honest reply and I'm saddened to hear of your experiences but pleased that you are a "survivor". Thanks also for the links. They are useful especially as I don't do a lot of internet searching (this is to avoid all the doom online diagnosis which it is so easy to stumble upon).

I agree that it's hard to know how we would have felt if we hadn't had chemo and maybe you're correct. I'm nearly 59 so perhaps these physical symptoms are just part of entering my golden years!

Thanks for taking the time to reply and I wish you all the best,

Carole

No problem. And to you. DJ