CANCER SUPPORT THREAD 66 for those with cancer or awaiting cancer test results. Rant, rave, laugh, cry, joke, scream - whatever gets you through the day.

[TwitterQueen1]

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 have a loved one with cancer you can get support on a different thread here

For old and new posters it's very helpful if you (re)introduce yourself in your first post with a summary of your diagnosis (chemo brain is a real thing and my memory isn't what it used to be!).

Wow this thread has moved fast lately!
Idabwells What type of lymphoma do you have? I've got Hodgkin's. Chemo starts tomorrow, hopefully!

I shaved my head yesterday, and the lovely hairdresser didn't charge me. I was absolutely fine and even found it to be a bit of a laugh until I went to pay and she said "I'm not charging you" and then I cried. As long as no one else cries, or is particularly nice to me, I can hold it together. But the second someone is really kind, I just lose it!

My ds2 is sick - just a cold and fever, but my temperature is up as well, and I feel rubbish. The hospital have done 2 viral load blood tests this week, and I've got another today, so I reckon they know. Hope my bloods are okay to start chemo tomorrow, I've been psyching myself up for it for the past two weeks! I also have my PET results tomorrow so I'll find out what stage the cancer is etc. I've been so busy with picc lines, hospital appointments and head shaving that I've not given it much thought! Getting a bit apprehensive now though.

Glad Emily didn't have to join the club. It reminds me of that mean girls scene : "YOU CAN'T SIT WITH US!" (meant with love)

Sorry to hear everyone is having a hard time, side effects wise. Hopefully things improve.

I'm off to buy some hats. It's bloody cold with no hair!

I'm finding a cold head quite refreshing. I tend to run hot after the menopause. I bought one of those fringes and stuck it to a headband for under hats, as I was finding my wig absolutely boiling. I'm usually in a bandana though.

I've found Vagisil helpful with dire rear, especially after the 'molten lava' kind. I'll call the unit once everyone is up and where they should be. Luckily DP coincidentally took VR/early retirement so he has been my slave taxi service. I'm so glad he has an outdoorsy hobby though!

Thanks everyone for making me feel that there is something I can do. I thought they might make me wait until my next consultation ahead of chemo to sort the meds.

Good luck symphony - hope you feel better soon. I was also told perjeta is a new drug for treatment of HER2 positive cancers along with herceptin.

Good luck for tomorrow Tahiti

Think you’re right about googling Mrs although I’m a bit of a psycho and can’t help myself. I will stop now though as it’s really not helping my mental health.

Thinking of you Leslie and purple

Have a good day all xx.

@Tahitiitsamagicalplace head shave yesterday and chemo tomorrow here too! I just found some nice headgear on Amazon so have ordered a couple. Will link if they're any good!

@SymphonyofShadows am docetaxel too but have only had one dose so far, second one tomorrow. In comparison I've been exceptionally lucky symptom wise and only had the lovely loose bowels (weight loss is NO issue for me though) and horrendous joint pain for first week. I didn't realise they could prescribe something for that though so am glad this thread has put me straight!

Am trying to keep up with the thread so am sorry if I get anything wrong!

Well since being awake since 2.30, steroids and the mouse one of the felines brought me! Then nervous about injecting myself with the blood cell thing! I've read the thread and it seems as if we've all had a busy day yesterday! Let's hope we all have as symptom free a day today!
I can't believe how worked up I got about injecting myself, as they said I didn't feel anything! I'm rocking a funky kids cat superhero plaster though so I can remember which side I last injected!
Christmas shopping lists were complied yesterday so I'm going to start shopping where I don't think there will be discounts between now and Christmas!
all round

@ranoutofquinoaandprosecco be kind to yourself, I'd have been nervous too!

A little christmas shopping tentatively started here too yesterday....

Now. Question of the day. What does one wash ones baldy knapper with!!? Fairy liquid? Mr Sheen??

I use baby shampoo for my baldy head.

Speaking of baldy things, the remaining hair I had in 'other places' is coming out and us causing terrible irritation. Thank god for metanium!

ranout I hate the thought of injecting myself but it's actually ok. It's just the anticipation, and remembering to do it. It helps if you take it out of the fridge an hour before too, chemo nurse face me that little tip.

‘Good things happen to me every day, just some of them take more searching for’

Wise words - I did a mindfulness course earlier this year, and actively listing the good things every day is something I definitely benefit from (I had a sad day earlier this week, with a family funeral and an admin issue, consciously noting the things that had gone well really helped)

And ‘hi’ to idab and of course tahiti - I’m another on the haem team, though it’s leukaemia for me, PMT (pre-monitoring tension) is just beginning to build up, as there is one reading that still needs to go a little lower before I can be pronounced in ‘functional remission’ and I’m nervous about whether I’ll ever get there

Oh just another aside on Docetaxel I think Noodles is right than the following rounds after the first may be easier. On my first round I had an allergic reaction on the ward and they dosed me up with piriton through the drip. Yesterday it went through no problem.

Keep Calm. Get yourself something stronger for the joint pain. I put up with paracetamol for my first 3 rounds and it just didn’t touch it and I was in tears with the pain. Then for round 4 I got over the counter co-cocodamol which helped more than the paracetamol but still felt I could do with something stronger. I’ve now got prescription stuff. I just need it for that 3 day period 3, 4 and 5.

Xx

I too use Tesco baby shampoo daily on my head. Don’t need much because obviously no hair to wash but think I just need to freshen my scalp as I do get hot flushes frequently.

If I remember I put some E45 cream on afterwards as well.

Symphony. I do wonder whether losing my hair down below has actually contributed to my thrush issue. When you have hair it absorbs the sweat doesn’t it and that must help to prevent infection. God the things we go through. Sorting out my nether regions is today’s top priority!

Hello idaB it's lovely to hear some good news, let's hope that continues.
Tahiti kindness is my undoing too. My dentist didn't charge me for the latest filling and I walked out in tears...

Hi all, I posted under a different username last month about having an MRI but had to change for privacy reasons. I had a pelvic and lumbar spine MRI on 20th October. I've been chasing results this week but have just been told my scan hasn't been reported on yet. Does anyone know what this means? I was kind of hoping that since I've seen waited nearly 3 weeks the chances of it being serious were smaller but of no one has looked at the results then I suppose not :(

My symptoms were back pain, alternating bowel habits, abdominal/pelvic pain and joint pain.

Keep chasing MrsK. Two weeks is the norm IME.

2 weeks (ish) is standard for me too - except when there’s an outpatients in the offing when they will do it in time for the appointment, but I do ring to remind when that’s the case. I have a very efficient specialist nurse and she chases all the right people,

I take it as s good sign when I’m in the ‘regular’ queue, btw, as I think it means they’re not particularly worried at that point. Bit like being seen by the registrar not the consultant.

The lady I spoke to on the phone said she would try and get it sorted today so hopefully results tomorrow or Monday

@SymphonyofShadows shall add baby shampoo to today's shopping list!

@Mrstraveller have spoken to the hospital today and they'll have a script ready for me for after chemo tomorrow.

Keep Calm

That’s great then at least you know you’ve got it for over the weekend if you need it.

Thanks to everyone who told me to call the hospital this morning. I'm currently sitting on a drip having my fluids replaced. I had an anti-sickness drug on IV too and was able to have some soup and a jelly. I'm currently eyeing up a banana.

I've had full bloods taken and my white count is very low so I have to make sure I constantly check my temp and come back if it climbs. I'm being given new meds to take home, so hopefully I'll be able to eat and drink a bit more.

I also called DP at home and told him to blitz clean absolutely everywhere 😈 I've not been up to cleaning this week and I've been clenching at his slapdash attempt. I've got a house of boys and can see some serious helping out in their near future!

The anti sickness IVs are bloody brilliant I think. I wish I had found out about them sooner!

Hello everyone, I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that my consultant suspected Non Hodgkin Lymphoma and I had to have more bloods done and a body scan. I am so thankful to report that f you nothing is amiss.

I don't know if it is the done thing to announce this - I worry that the good news isn't an appropriate thing to post. I wanted to give some hope to people who are awaiting results and, also, show my admiration to those who have had different stories and ware willing to chat about it. I have had the tiniest inkling of what you are coping with and sincerely wish every one of you the very best. Yours humbly ………..

Brilliant news percheron

Symphony

That’s good that you are getting sorted out in hospital. You will feel much better I’m sure once they have your fluids back to normal and have given you more anti-sickness.

Xx

Thanks Mrstraveller it was a bit scary when he started talking about infections and how they could be fatal with my white count this low.