CANCER SUPPORT THREAD 65 - for anyone with cancer or waiting for cancer tests (pets welcome!)

[WhatWouldLeslieKnopeDo]

Good morning everyone,

Welcome to the new thread, and the club that nobody wants to join. Our previous thread is here.

Anyone with any type of cancer is welcome. And we will hold your hand if you're waiting to find out whether or not you have cancer at all.

If you've got a loved one with cancer then you can get support here.

Please feel free to reintroduce yourself so we don't all have to remember from the previous thread!

Genuine question here about 'flushing the chemo through the system quicker'. Strangely it's not one I've asked of my nurses - Leslie do you have any comments here? - is it a good thing to flush chemo through? I would have thought it's better to keep it in the system surely? to make it work for longer?

Sorry you've missed an evening out Leslie. You are allowed to feel sorry for yourself!

Noodles Uggs were no good for me because the ankle space was just too tight. I needed more space to gently get the foot through... I got a cheap pair of somethings from Animal in the end - about 34 quid. Otherwise, having got Birkenstocks this summer I would recommend them with a pair of thick socks. They are very comfortable and the cork footer keeps the foot very warm. I have to say I got massively pissed off that I would tell people about my toes and about how debilitating it was and everyone would just dismiss it - NO-ONE UNDERSTOOD!!!! You have my utmost sympathy.

TQ I see what you mean. I have been told to drink tons but I don’t have an answer to your question. I think the reality is that I don’t really know how chemo works!

I’ve been a bit sick/horrendous dire rear (love the phrase) so been on a drip and all that, and been taken off my capecitibine for a bit which has upset me, hoping it’s just temporary though. Everyone in triage has been amazingly lovely though. I think the nicest people seem to end up working in oncology.

TQ & Lesley thanks for the toe/shoe tips. I will paint my nails and have a look at the footwear & podiatry suggestions.

TQ I didn't question her when she said about flushing it through your system, she did say if it just sits there not moving then side effects can be worse/build up. I just assumed it does its job going through, however quickly it does it. I should see her on Monday and will ask.

I always think the exact same thing TQ - in fact I almost posted about it earlier! I wonder if it's actually about flushing out the byproducts rather than the chemo itself. Presumably when it attacks the cells it creates all sorts of mank (yes, that's the official medical term ) which you wouldn't want swishing about the body for long. But I am only speculating. I guess even if you didn't drink much it wouldn't hang around for very long, so it must work quite quickly. I might ask my oncologist about it!

I barely drink anything on chemo day. I don't know about anyone else but with all the drugs and the flushes I get at least two litres of fluid.

Namechange sorry you're feeling rough. I hope you recover quickly I had to finish my capectabine early nearly every cycle. I know I'm not exactly a positive success story, but my oncologist wasn't worried about it.

Good luck noodles. As TQ says, it's surprisingly debilitating having painful toes and nobody takes it seriously!

I was told that my chemo (urea based - yuck!) was breaking down the excess/immature white blood cells that were crowding out normal ones. So I was advised to drink loads as it would help carry their little corpses out of my veins.

Nothing exciting happening here, except getting my flu jab and (even though I’m too young to qualify on age grounds) also a pneumonia jab as a chaser.

DC also got done on NHS, as resident germ factories qualify in the interests of protecting my well-being. DS beautifully stoic. DD utter dramatics!

PS: my toenail continues OK since the flaking incident

Eeek I totally forgot to get a flu jab. I’m an idiot.

Tahiti yey for having an op date! Bugger about the toast though, plenty of tea and the not so lovely hospital soup

Good to here from you Noodles but shame about your toe, as TQ says Birkenstocks are good for the feet, I saw some lovely purple ones a while back

I did wonder about flushing the chemo out of your system too fast, I think I've been poorly so soon this time round as I normally force myself to drink loads on chemo day but I didn't this week. I'm feeling a bit better today, I've even managed some housework. Although dusting is hardly taxing

Hope you're feeling better today Leslie and you haven't been sick anymore

Does everyone on chemo need the flu jab? I've never had one and nobodies mentioned it

Does everyone on chemo need the flu jab? I've never had one and nobodies mentioned it

I was told to have it last year but nobody mentioned it this year, so I’m sure there isn’t a hard and fast rule.

I know I'm not exactly a positive success story, but my oncologist wasn't worried about it

I am completely in awe of how well you’ve managed this for so long so you are a positive success story to me and it makes me feel a lot better to know it’s not just me who’s missed some.

Hi purple I haven't been told I need one. My daughters get a flu vaccine at school and the eldest has hers booked in for after my chemo stops, so that is fine, but the youngest is due to have it in 2 weeks, so I need to book her in at the doctors for hers after chemo ends for me. I wanted to book my youngest in for a chicken pox vaccine before I started chemo but didn't have enough time due to the incubation time. It is probably best to ask your consultant.

With regard to the flushing things through your system, when I asked the nurse, I was asking her if fasting was a good idea. I think her reply was more advice towards eating normally/what I fancied rather than not at all, which she thought would slow everything down and potentially give longer/worse side effects.

Have you made it to your chemo today Lesley?
Sorry you are having such a rubbish time of it with side effects namechange ... I agree, I have met so many lovely people since being diagnosed and have felt very well looked after.

Waves & hello to everyone

Hi everyone - sorry to hear some are having a gritty time - Leslie how are you doing today? I hope things are improving.

namechange I managed mostly ok on the capecitabine but the oxaliplatin made me really sick, so although I got all the doses, the last two were reduced dose which was a shame, but who knows how much difference it makes?! It is toxic stuff and just not what you need when you're already feeling crappy so

Grotty! Not gritty!! well could be gritty I suppose, given the toenail symptoms

Oh and in general re the flu jab, it is for anyone who is immunosuppressed, and so those on chemo (or in fact with cancer generally) are usually included in the NHS swathes

Am doing whoops of joy here, I have just gone through my existing footwear and I have a pair of casual flat short biker style boots that do not squish my sore toe! Thank god as I didn't want to freeze my tootsies in the depths of winter in flip flops or Birkenstocks!

Noodles that’s awesome for you and your poorly toe!

I have so many gross toe stories to share!

Hello all

Just home from chemo. At least all the pre meds have helped with my pain and nausea! :) I've been busily knitting all day as I've got several gifts for people that I want to get finished for Saturday.

Anyone on chemo should get the flu jab for free. It's definitely worth getting as flu on top of everything else would be utterly grim (and much more serious than for healthy people).

It's not a live vaccine so the timing is not so critical from an infection-risk point of view, but best to do it near the end of a chemo cycle when your immune system is more normal (check with your consultant or GP first).

noodles I'm glad you've found some suitable footwear!

purple well done for doing the homework :)

Mrsemcgregor good luck for tomorrow. We will be here to hold your hand

Waving to everyone

Noodles great news on the footwear. I am cooler than cool though and am now wearing socks with my Birks...

Leslie so glad you made chemo today and that it's eased the nausea.

I think I must be a very ill-tempered person... Does anyone else sometimes feel like they're 'public property'? There for people to dip in and out of when they feel like it? A good friend of mine has not asked about my treatment / health / prognosis for probably 10 months or so and has not texted, popped round, made an effort to come round for coffee etc. Not too bothered - she has a new relationship, she's busy.

Now another good friend has obviously told her I'm on a downward path and this week I've had texts to say 'called round but you weren't there', followed by 'I can call round with a bottle of wine on Friday night'.

This is an AIBU really but AIBU to feel my emotions (which are pretty fragile right now) are not there for me to reveal when you feel like it? And that I can go out if I want and that I don't actually want you to come round on Friday thank you - I"d like to be asked if it's convenient and I don't want a Spanish Inquisition after months of indifference...

I am grateful for friends but I had a shit night, I'm working myself up to ringing the palliative care team and I feel don't want to feel obligated to anyone....

Firstly, TQ (as this is an AIBU) I simply MUST correct your grammar - it's 'obliged' not 'obligated' - in the UK anyway. sorry I couldn't resist after all the threads about threads recently!

But, seriously, you absolutely are not BU! I totally get what you're saying - you can sense when people are doing something to make themselves feel better! Also, I sometimes feel we really ought to just act on our feelings more instead of being polite. After all, when is there ever a better excuse than when you're unwell?! Plus, some people are much easier to see through - other are more genuine, and those are the ones who don't make you feel so

Ha ha you have made me laugh already addle.

Oh I opened this in the hope addle had told TQ she was unreasonable to wears socks and Birkenstock's

You're not in any way obliged to see her TQ after all that time of her ignoring you. Though you could maybe let her bring the wine round, take it from her with a cheery "thanks!" and close the door...

Good luck with the palliative care team. In my experience they really are the nicest people in the world. I suppose you need a lot of emotional intelligence to choose it as a career path :)

TQ will you feel better for seeing her? If not then the answer is easy. Be selfish. She has not been a great friend.

Glad to be of service TQ - and boy would I love to be a fly on the wall if you took up Leslie's suggestion of taking the bottle and sitting the door!! Genius!

*shutting!!! Damn fat thumbs! Or possibly neuropathy related clumsiness (that's my story and I sticking to it!)

Namechange has nailed it!
Will seeing her make you feel happier TQ? No? Then tell her it’s not convenient or just to bugger off if you prefer.