Tamoxigang - 41 and counting

[KurriKurri]

Morning all, new thread, croissants on trolley, and I'll put a brew on.

? And here is a hangover cure bbc4 9pm today- you can have him if I can have fazio

I would imagine infection plus chemo is horrible. I spent most of last August with infection and was flattened- I did revive after infection gone.

Oh dear topsy lots of carbs and water for you !
Betsy sorry you're still feeling knackered can I ask how many steroids you had to take, I've had 4 for 3 days with fec but have 8 a day with tax starting the day before treatment seems a hell of a lot ! Let me know if there's anything you've found which helps with the SEs too please I'm a bit worried about it. Hope you feel better soon car will pick you up I'm sure, dh still obsessed with his I've not driven it yet !

and that topsy one is bound to blame me. In my defence, i would like to say that I don't force her to drink - just being neighbourly and a good friend buying her a wee bottle of wine when she has post holoiday skint-ness. The vodka was, however a bit of a mistake, but she was so excited to see ginger beer to mix with it !

Malt I am only on Tax and take just 3 steroid tablets - one on evening of chemo and the others the next day.

malt I had 2 steroids for three days on FEC (onc used minimum dose as it effects my glaucoma) on tax it is 8 for three days, starting day before, so same as you I think? They give you more on tax to reduce the chance of an allergic reaction.

Definitely ask for painkillers just in case - you are a Thu like me, so SEs likely to kick in on Sunday (day 3) and you don't want to be fighting with OOH service to get pain relief. I got tramadol - onc said I could double the dose if needed, but that wasn't enough for the first 36hrs (so I'll be asking for something stronger!) Hoping you won't get the bone pain though, not fun. I was also advised to take paracetamol/ibruprofen alongside tramadol if needed, so worth stocking up.

Heated wheat bags are great for the pain - I had four on me at one point! Also hot baths. For me it really was just give in and stay in bed - if you've ever had "proper" flu (the "can't get out of bed even if you want to" type, not the "man flu" variety!) then that's the most similar thing to how it feels. Also be prepared for visiting the loo frequently - maybe have some imodium ready.

Having a variety of things to nibble still holds for tax, not from a sicky point of view (which you don't get anyway) but everything tastes/feels odd and I didn't have much appetite. Melon straight from the fridge, fresh pineapple and bananas + milk to drink (only thing that didn't taste/feel odd for some reason - I would never normal choose milk as a drink!) were the best things for me.

One top tip I read online is to paint your nails black/dark colour, so I'm sporting a rather fetching Russian Navy at the moment - tax reacts with UV(the infusion is covered by a brown bag to protect it) and the theory is protecting your nail beds from UV will stop your nails falling off - no idea if it's true but it something nice/fun to try (you have to wear it for a few months after treatment too)

All this said, I'm hoping you will sail through tax as you have with FEC, but better to be ready just in case. (sorry this has turned into an essay!)

Betsy that's really useful thank you, I'm seeing my onc ( or probably not actually her !) on the Tuesday before so will make sure I ask for anything that might help.
I'm just worried I'll never sleep on 8 steroids ! funny you have a lot less lily
They told me about that allergic reactions are quite common with tax
Sounds scary

Hnd and topsy I'm jealous of your piss ups and not far to stagger home afterwards, perfect !

Gigs have you been released from purple dinosaur hell by now ?

Blimey Betsy, that's not a good start to the day. Hope antibiotics kick in soon. I reckon talk to them again about how hard you were hit, as those SE's sounds way too butch. I had my dose reduced by 20% (though that was when on FEC as my neutrophils plummeted and they realised they were overdosing me). I think Oncs go on those rather than side effects, but mine said chemo should be tolerable and nobody should be bed ridden, so you should query it. Anyway, does it feel good to know you've only two to go. You're so nearly there now.

Yay for your wound, Gig. Was becoming a bit epic.

HND, didn't realise you have to have another op. That's annoying, but will be good to swim. Seems to be a bit of a Tamoxifen trend, with MAS blazing ahead as usual.

Yay again for 2 years, Jane. That's brilliant. Sorry to hear about your dneph though. Sounds a bit dramatic. Hope he's okay.

reallyw, definitely take the two weeks. Wise decision I'd say. Takes a while to get over any surgery.

Malt, I was really nervous about starting Tax, but found it easier than FEC. I was horribly sick on FEC, so having just low level nausea was a relief. I did get the bone and mouth pain, but it was bearable for me and pain killers got me through. Poor Betsy's been hit hard, but it doesn't mean you will be. x

Topsy, how's your head??

gigs you will be sad to know that we gave away the talking Barney toy that DBIL gave big pigeons, it interacted with the TV, supposedly educational but "that's grrrrreat" on repeat alongside Barney on TV at 6 am = true torture. I will have to try to find one in the shops

Always welcome around here to share the wine, can't promise Vodka though, and you will have to put up with Dh snoring loudly on the sofa ( really annoys me as he will not go to bed once he has nodded off on the sofa and even occasionally wakes up to tell us to turn TV down or not talk /laugh so loudly, of course we comply )

lily I know plenty of people who have taken Tamoxifen without any real side effects. I put on weight around my middle (but may have been cake) which seems quite common but no other side effects. The sweaty nights started after Tamoxifen. It can prompt the same side effects as menopause but two thirds of people don't have any side effects with menopause, I think your mother's experience is the guide, and my mum didn't have any. In any case menopause is so important for those of us who have ER+ tumours. I was very relieved to get rid of Estrogen and also felt so much better without the monthly cycle of horrible periods.

I think that article over egged it a bit in terms of side effects. I know some people have to stop taking it because of side effects but there are other drugs you can take which do a similar job and which they now give you after tamoxifen in any case. I suspect it was aimed at those who stop taking it after a couple of years because they feel fine or have a few minor SEs and don't think they need it anymore, there's always the idiots......

hnd glad DSs is going to see you . I probably did go OTT on advice been a bit of a big part of my life in recent years.....

Thank god you did give it away. It must be an annoying interactive thing for toys of a certain era as mr gigs complains about a similar talking elmo toy dsc had . And sadly malt , Barney seems to have taken hold and may even be more popular than peppa!

I can ignore snoring pigeons - we get a lot of that here too.

quite looking forwards to gossipy afternoon with friend- have cake made and will start on my embroidery. Then strictly then young montalbano . It's rock and roll here - just a question of red, white or fizzy later.

Good afternoon from me. We are off to a mini festival type thing down the road for the afternoon, camping chairs and alcohol hidden in innocent looking water bottles at the ready.

I feel for you gigs with an early waker. My youngest did that for years and still does but she is old enough now to to and play in her iPad until a decent hour. She still likes to wake us to let us know she is awake

Snakeskin and horrible aches here already, I am so not looking forward to the next few weeks. I am thinking trying to buy and sell a house now is not a good idea.

Hope the head is better soon topsy full fat coke is a good hangover cure !

Every bit as rubbish as usual in trying to follow the thread, but waving cheerily at people and adding to the .
Good night, was it, Tipsy?
Naffed off, as we were supposed to be out partying this eve but dh now battling virus and mine's reduced to thumping headache.

Malt, and anyone else with Tax, do the frozen gloves/frozen veg trick for nails. Dark nail polish can't hurt either. But there's that good bit of research showing that keeping nails cool during tax will help half of people not to have nail problems.
You might well have some nerve problems in fingers and feet during or afterwards as well. Some do. I did. I still have it but don't notice any more. It was scary when it first happened. but now I'm v relaxed about it and just adapted round it.

Hope everyone's having a good afternoon
Amber sorry to hear dh is ill hope he feels better soon, and you of course. Will do the dark nail polish dd has hundreds of bottles so I'll have a good choice
What about the frozen feet and hands do I need to take bags of frozen peas into the chemo suite

I have tons of spare nail polish if any use to you malt not that I am a make up addict.

It's all biscuits, tv and stitch and bitch while dh and kids at rugby plus no frigging Barney while mini out.

Sounds a nice afternoon gigs :) I'm fine for polish thanks dd has loads. My nails are growing really fast on fec

Dh making nice dinner, ds moaning that he's starving and why is it not ready yet and dd just text to say can't she just have pasta, ungrateful kids !

I did indeed taken frozen peas into the chemo suite. It worked, too.

If it works it's worth it

malt my nails grew faster on FEC too, weird (in fact "best" nails I've had in ages )

I'm starting to feel so much better, so it seems like the ABs are doing their job. :) (can't remember last time I was still up at 10:45!)

Aaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Can't sleep just can't get comfy! Have moved to living room sofa to see if that helps! I am so tired and am now pathetically sat here crying because????? Actually I don't really know why!?

Hope everyone else is having a better nights sleep!

MOAN OVER!!

Xxxx

Betsy glad you're feeling a bit better you were up later than me !
Really, hugs, I hope you managed to get some sleep. If not can you rest today ? I'm a rubbish sleeper, getting bit better now but at the beginning I would lie there crying imagining the worst possible scenarios, better to get up and make a cuppa and put some rubbish on the tv to take your mind off it a bit

Oh really - if I had known you were up, I would have opened the night bar as I couldn't drop off for ages last night( think wine drugs and not much dinner just made me extra wired).

Malts advice is good-if you can't sleep, get up as it makes it worse. I found making a pillow mountain so don't move chest ( I didn't have bc but have had back ops/ leg op so guessing its similar thing of only one position is good). Sleeping tabs or anti depressants (ned had a good type that helped her sleep) might also help.

Morning malt -cant you have lie in or are kids up? How is dh love affair with his new car?

Quiet day here- I had a lovely time nattering with gigs god mum and they had fab time at rugby with mr gig but was a lovely time. EExcept they are now tired and whining/fighting. Sigh more needed I think.

Thanks malt and Gigs I did get up and have a cuppa. Then I cried, lots I think I needed to let out some emotion, been feeling a bit wobbly since I left hospital. But have continued with the 'yes I'm fine' 'I'm doing okay' 'it's no big deal' 'it had to be done' etc etc!

BUT it is a big deal and I think I have to allow myself time to feel sad, or angry or however I NEED to feel. Think I am slowly realising that being diagnosed with 'cancer' really does change the way you think about everything! I think that's why I wanted to go straight back to work! Then I wouldn't have time to think. But the truth is, I can't run away from this, I have to face it head on! Just like you all are!

I hope someone on here will tell me that that made sense and that it is sort of 'normal'. I feel knackered this morning, but also feel that I understand my feelings a bit more now!

Sorry for that long winded waffle!

Hope you all have a good day! Oh and thanks for the hugs

Xx

No it is absolutely normal. Topsy described it as the need to grieve for your old life and what might have been. So crying , moping and bring angry are part of that.

I definitely think letting it out is good -so do cry and vent away on here as I think we have all had our times where have needed the gang to hand hold , give hugs and feed you fat boy snacks from our virtual trolley.

One of things I found hardest was that you never can leave this -even after treatment , your attitude to your health, body and life is changed. You don't trust anything to niggle and you worry about cancer returning. Plus have ongoing checks etc.

But you do adjust and the illness becomes just one thing about you- not the dominant all encompassing , never forget thing it seems on days like today.

You will get to feeling new normal at some point but it will take time and shitty tho it is, think you have to go thru the weeping.

On a practical level, I would not pretend to family it's ok. This is a time to weep, mope, comfort eat, online shop , watch Peter Andreoh sorry that's just malt and just give into it. Also are you taking all painkillers you can and eating/drinking? if you are tired, dont need to add be hungry or in pain to the mix.

To nick a Mn phrase, this too will pass.

Good morning everyone.
Argh, really thought post op healing was in full swing.. I was off the painkillers and was feeling good. Then had to go back into town in Thurs to see my surgeon and I'm still paying the price for it!

really I'm 10 days post op and still can't sleep properly. You're doing great, just keep taking the painkillers, keep doing exercises and you'll get stronger every day

betsy glad you're feeling better.
Enjoy the festival not
And Happy Sunday to everyone!

Oh and i lay in bed unable to speak properly , only really able to talk on here , when I was diagnosed with my cancer spread.I was of frightened to eat or sleep and thought it was pointless to be with my kids as I would soon be gone.

Mr gigs got so worried he even rang my mum to ask for hep ( I think in one of her all time classic responses my mum said she would come round but had to fit it round a hair appointment and book club lunch...).

At that time, I never believed I would be happy normal or anything like I was before. But I am and at risk of trotting out a cancer bollocks line, it has been quite liberating as I don't sweat the small stuff so much so day to day can be lot more content with the everyday stuff that makes life good.

Oh no ecori- its tricky when you have setback. Sending you nice Sunday healing vibes.

Better get up as bacon sandwich on menu -will share fir those who want it and offer some vanilla coffee which dh bought from the states and is yummy .