***TAMOXIFEN number 19***

[MaryAnnSingleton]

ta daa !

That goes for me too. xx

Morning all. Bleurgh. Feeling sick, but trying to drink lots. Not actually been sick, which I am pleased about. Feeling a bit shaky and washed out. Drained, I guess. Slept well, except for very pink wee stop at 3am. . .

Sorry to hear about Wendy, although I didn't know her - her DHs post was very moving. thinking about her lots. I agree topsy found her dream very comforting.

kurri I agree totally. Feeling so supported and loved by all the ladies on here. Just having a little cry typing this. . .

Candle lit for WubblyBubbly.

Ned - hope your feeling O.K. today. I am much better with the Emend so beg for this if your struggling this time roound.

Topsy - love the hair - I am glad your appointment went OKish. The endless waiting game must be tiring though.

Amber - glad you're enjoying yorself too. You certainly deserve it after all your terrors with the herceptin.

I must be feeling O.K. as I am tempted by those Lindt bunnies on the FBS trolley - had completely gone off anyhing sweet last two rounds but think we will delay pancakes to the weekend - that might be one step too far.

Hope everyone is having a good day.

Hey eight glad you're feeling Ok. I've got dexamethasone steroid ones and metoclopramide anti sickness ones. Also got scary suppositories and injections on stand by if needed. I have been snacking a bit this morning, just a few crackers and some dried fruit.

Question- what is the pineapple for? bought some juice, but is it for sickness or mouth stuff? Any enlightenment welcome

Can offer Banana chips on the fbs trolley this morning or bread fresh from bread maker?

Big hugs to everyone in need today x x x

Will pass tissues and pat your hand Ned as also tearful. Think I need a sleep. I only hope can be as brave as you when treatment starts.

Hi to chemo girls - I'm glad the sickness is at bay for the moment, and you are feeling better this time round 1in8 - good advice to Ned - don't put up with any sickness, it is something they can sort out, just takes a bit of trial and error sometimes.

Pineapple from what I remember has an enzyme in it which cleanses your mouth, - so it's a help with preventing ulcers 9Sucking a slice of fresh pineapple is good apparently) (also the difflam you will have been given - use that regularly through the day - because avoiding ulcers is a good thing to do!) - if you do get the ulcers, then they can give you things to help, - but if they come then don't have pineapple - it will hurt too much.

snacking and nibbling is the way to go, just try to get something in to keep you going, - anything you fancy, that doesn't taste weird is good. 1in8 - I found I liked stuff I normally wouldn't like - different tastes from usual - the havoc played with your taste buds is one of the yukkier S/E's IIRC.

What KK said.

And I think the enzymes in the pineapple are good for a nauseated tummy too. But obviously only if you feel you can eat it, don't have it if it doesn't appeal. It's important to eat and drink anything you can face, just to keep you going. In my case that was red wine, but probably not a recommendation I should make

Haven't been given difflam kurri what is it? Should I ring and ask for it, or can I get it from pharmacy?

Might see if I fancy some pineapple juice later then. . . Maybe with some fizzy water? Quite liking fizzy stuff, seems to make queasiness better. Not too weird taste in mouth today, which is better than last night, where I had a nasty metallic taste.

DH has buggered off to London to work today so I'm on my own. Wish he was here, really. Good mate coming over this afternoon and then picking up DS for me. Decided that I would be a bit of a liability behind the wheel of a car!

Have just enjoyed choosing some stuff from iTunes with gift card from my DB and some things from Amazon with a gift card from 2 lovely friends

Sorry, self indulgent posting. What news with everyone?

sometimes on the red wine!

Ned, fresh pineapple would be best as any enzymes will be destroyed in canning process.

Sometimes -my boss (consultant neurologist) told me alcohol would be no problem!! I liked this view so decided not to seek a second opinion from oncologist.

Difflam is a mouthwash that I was given, too. I think you can buy it over the counter, or you can ask the unit for it. Personally I didn't use it and stopped taking it off them, preferring to use dilute saltwater. But then, I got off pretty easy with my mouth. I found using salt water several times a day before and after each cycle was enough for me. If your mouth suffers a bit more, Difflam would be the way to go.

I've still got a couple of bottles - shame it's not postable, really...

OneinEight - My onc did too! And the BCN seemed positively in favour, though I think that this was personal preference rather than medical fact. She was a bit of a party animal.

Good advice on the canned pineapple, by the way. Fresh is most definitely best. You can buy it sliced up, it's far too much faff to do it yourself.

Candle lit for Wubbly, thank you for posting Pennies. What a lovely message from her dh. My thoughts are with her and her dh and little boy.

Ned - hope the sicky feeling is abating, and brandy snaps are helping. For me fizzy ginger beer really helps with nausea...although could just be cos I like ginger beer

Big cheer and FBS for sparkle as scales said this morning what jeans have been telling me for a week, I have finally lost some weight, albeit only the weight I had put on recently rather than the weight I was trying to lose...but down wards is better than upwards.

Ds's feet look awful this morning, but he has gone in happily, so small mercies.

Love to all, and hugs to all my special friends, all of whom I value so much.

Heck, so much on here. But I have caught up a bit. Candle lit for Wubbly and I'll burn it bright all day for her and her wonderful DH and DS.

Hooray though for seeing everyone safely back after chemo and appts. Ned, really well done on first FEC. That red syringe full really is quite something. I'd say watch a DVD - I mainlined through a box set of West Wing on chemo. It goes so fast that you have to focus and it takes your mind off feeling icky.

OneinEight, good to hear you're through another too. Is that just one more FEC left then?

Topsy, HOORAY for ct results. i know it's not wholly good news, but a lot sounds positive. Hope you're okay - can't imagine how stressful those appointments must be. Have scattered jammy dodgers on the FB trolley. Those might help.

LJ, YEAY and PHEW for you too. That first mammo's quite something. Good that you're having ribs checked too. Hope the fact that MAS, Sometimes and me all have similar pain is a bit reassuring though. Actually hearing they've got the same has reassured me too.

for Amber for disgraceful behaviour - though am sure we still need more details.

Holstein, I didn't have counselling, but looking back I wish I had. I was just too exhausted with all the treatment to fit it in. v.good idea, I think.
Sparkle, your poor little DS - he does have so much to cope with doesn't he. Hope the next appointment yields some answers and some relief for him too.

MAS, if it's too stressful to read and it's not for your Dad, then let him. But I'd say you'll read it sensitively and incredibly well, so if you can do it, then do! Lovely poem btw.

Sometimes, hope the brochure's done and dusted. + your DD's always cute sounding to me, though I can see snot analysis is a bit waring. If it makes you feel any better, DS collects his - a little while ago I found it in a little cup under his bed.

Gig. hope the wound redressing is reassuring. Are you getting enough sleep with your new DD??

Waving to Pennies and SR. Really lovely to see you, even if it's for a sad reason. Waving to Figgy too - don't disappear again. We know where you are..

Sorry if I've missed anyone. Had a ridiculously long day yesterday. Left at 6.30 and returned home at 10.30. Now have huge mountains of work to clear, so had better get on. Lovely day here though.

Wow smee I am impressed by your post! You must have a mind with capacity to dazzle.

Am making a for you and wheeling out the fbs trolley. No Cals on the fbs trolley

Well done Sparkles! Weight loss is terrific. I am trying again, it's a long old haul. One dress size to go. Have refused all FBSs for two days now. it won't last.

Smee at pots of snot I guess that's boys for you. Very well done for venturing under the bed though, were you cleaning? [impressed]

I have just sent the brochure off. I imagine they'll be back with changes but i just decided to send it over as a work in progress and see what they think. And in the meantime I can move on down the pile....

Am wondering if the weight loss is actually due to fact I hace had no alcohol for a week, since I called time on dh's drinking and staged my very own intervention, to use an american saying! I never drink a lot, but a glass of wine every night does add up rather

I was give difflam, - and certainly if you want some, get it from your unit or from Gp so its free I only mention it because I was a bit kind of 'use it when I remember' about it. But then I had a bout of horrible mouth ulcers, and at one point my white blood cells got very low and I was in hospital - where I watch lectured on the frequent use of my difflam (3-4 times a day IIRC) - so it was rather drummed into me.

Thing is - everyone you see will tell you something different, - which is great because you get different ideas of things that might help - but also can be a bit of an information over-load! - so it's just a question of knowing what's there and what's available, and finding what works for you

Smee - you were brave to look under a boys bed - why are kids so fascinated by snot?

Good luck with the mountain of work. Well done to Sometimes for getting your horrid brochure finished

Well done on weight loss Sparkle - do you want to be my diet chum? - we can encourage each other, and only each virtual fatty things

Poor DS - sore feet are horrid to have - but he's a proper little trooper isn't he?

Can we be a weight loss trio, please? I think it will help if I have company. Sparkles - i am sure the not drinking alcohol is a factor, which is good, because that's relatively easy to keep a handle on. In the sense that you know whether you have had a drink or not, whereas it seems to be easy to forget all the little nibbles you have in the day.

I am also on a drink ban with a view to losing weight, except for Friday nights, when i can have a bit, as i go out. I hope it will work [crosses everything, puts back out]

He is a good boy kurri, and takes much of it in his stride. My mum got quite upset about it over half term, don't think she had registered how much pain he is in every day, as she usually sees him at our house, when he is relaxing and not moving about too much. Was a bit for her.

I would love to be your diet chum, it is so hard to keep it up. I woke up this morning absolutely starving, but I want to lose 5 kg in new money, as a minimum...and keep it off long way to go.

xpost sometimes...this sound like a plan It is true about losing track of the daytime nibbles.

Am off now to do 40 mins aerobic exercise on the wii, which gp says I must do to increase my metabolic rate....not fun, hurts. Will check back in later, when making pancakes for dc after school and not eating any myself Will put some on the fbs trolley though.

Am mighty impressed by the weightless too, Sparkles.

Sometimes, sending jobs off is always good. I am a v.long way off sending any of mine. Have just had to turn something down too as I've got too much stacked up. Bit annoying, though it's good to be busy.

Venturing under DS's bed is far from wise, but fearless smee had to retrieve several kitchen utensils which he'd borrowed for his 'laboratory' - the snot was one discovery of many..

a Smee junior's laboratory.

Of course we can be a trio Sometimes - the more the merrier. Nibbles are my downfall too, - I think the little bit of success I've had recently has been due to keeping track of daytime snacks, and not eating anything after I've had my evening meal - I am terrible for evening grazing.

So there's a plan, then. No booze, no daytime snacks and lots of aerobic exercise. Woop-de-doo

I'm game though. Consider me in.

Poor sparkles junior - and his gran.

Ooh, smee - turning work down is always a downer. It is good to be busy, though. I nearly turned one down earlier, but it is not too big, and so I am going to try and shove it on somewhere.