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!).

Perch that's fabulous news! Thank you for posting - we love hearing stories like yours so we can wave you goodbye. It cheers us all up .

Symphony

After my first chemo my white cell count was wiped out completely & it does make you a bit paranoid. I was constantly taking my temp at first. Are you having the jabs in the stomach that are meant to help turn it around? I have them for 7 days following chemo. They kind of seem to keep it more or less stable. One week my blood count showed it had gone weirdly high though. This week it was about normal. It has been quite low too but never as low as after the first chemo when a GP insisted on doing a blood test because she thought I was anaemic because of my pale skin (turned out I wasn’t but unfortunately found out how low my blood count was!).

@SymphonyofShadows that's super news, so pleased it's helping you feel better.

@percheron67 that's fabulous news & delighted to hear it

Yes I'm doing the injections but I had to start a day later this time as I had the first lot of this combo over two days to make sure there weren't any reactions. I don't think that has helped at all. I'm massively paranoid now as they have told me to keep taking my temp. It it gets high they will admit me. Hopefully I'm at the peak for when the WBC is low so hopefully things will pick up in the next few days.

Symphony

This happened to me first time round and when I phoned the chemo hotline after finding out how low it was, they asked whether I was feeling well in myself and temp etc. They did say they would have expected it to start turning around at that point and by the time I went for my next cycle it was close to being normal. You probably haven’t been helped in your general well being by being so sick and not able to eat. Fingers crossed it will pick up over the next few days now.

Xx

perch we absolutely love good news! Thank you for sharing. Stay healthy.

Great news percheron. Only just caught up with Emily’s good news too.
I’m back from my little trip away. Was very wet and very windy. So keen to get away we didn’t even look at the forecast which might have pre warned us. Managed to pull a muscle in my leg - probably just over did the walking. Means I won’t be up to much over the weekend though. Surgery on Tuesday.
Sorry to hear so many of you are feeling rough with chemo. Hope the bad effects don’t last too long.

Percheron, that's such great news! I'm so pleased for you, and that you felt able to share the news here.

I've got an appointment with my new oncologist tomorrow, and I'm taking my DP so he can ask questions too. I just hope that he/she can confirm that outlook isn't so bleak at the moment. DP has taken my incurable diagnosis much harder than I have.

perch great news!

Ivamp good luck for your next bloods!

Hope everyone is doing well! I think my chemo will definitely be cancelled tomorrow. I feel rotten and my temperature is creeping up again. I'll be so annoyed because I've been psyching myself up for it starting. Isn't it weird that I hope I feel so shit because of cancer, and not the cold?

I fell asleep on the couch. DH is late shift. I've missed taking my DDs to their dancing and they didn't waken me and now it's too late. DD1 contacted their dance teacher and let her know without waking me.

I know it's a silly little thing. I know in the grand scheme of things it's a small issue but I was determined this stupid bloody cancer wasn't going to creep in and ruin things.

@percheron67 that's great news. Hope we don't hear from you again, in the nicest possible way!
@Tahitiitsamagicalplace my chemo has been put back on two occasions by a week, the first time I was a bit fed up, as like you say you get yourself psyched up for it, the second time I took as a bonus week of feeling ok! Look after yourself either way and remember there's certain aspects of our treatment we can't be in control of.

I'm sorry you are feeling frustrated and downhearted, KeepCalm, but you really need to be kinder to yourself. The fatigue is like nothing else, and sometimes it simply cannot be helped.

Thank you @BitOfFun I've snapped myself out of it.

We're now watching DIY SOS to remind me how lucky we are!

I was supposed to be taking steroids for 3 days after my last chemo 😳

I've just found them and the instruction card because I've to take some tonight 12hrs before and again 3hrs & 1hr before my treatment.

What an absolute balloon I am. I can't even follow simple instructions!!!

There's just so bloody much to remember with this cancer malarkey though, it feels almost like a job!

Oh, and I'm watching George Clarke! I love renovation shows.

I had to write everything down on a piece of paper at first and add reminders into my phone to take all the tablets at the appropriate times. There really is a lot to try to get your head round.

Also sometimes you do get different instructions. Sometimes with the anti sickness the instructions say take one in the evening after chemo but sometimes it has said to start the morning after chemo.

I swear they fold me that once I changed into docetaxel I wasn't to take steroids.

Time to start writing it all down indeed @Mrstraveller and@BitOfFun I literally just said that to someone today. It's like a full time job!!

Tahiti - It’s weird with chemo isn’t it because I kind of dread having it but then I know I have to have it and want to get it done as soon as possible. I hope it does manage to go ahead for you now you have psyched yourself up for it.

Keep calm. Hope yours goes ahead too. On the meds and things, no matter how tired I am when I get home from chemo, I empty my bag with all the meds in etc (injections straight in the fridge) and at least make sure I know what I have to take that night and the next morning. I’m a bit more used to it know so I know as a minimum I will have steroids and anti-sickness to take (just because I’ve had them every cycle so far). At first it was completely bewildering hence need to write it all down and use phone reminders as back up for my first couple of cycles.

Gin.

Sorry weather wasn’t great for your trip!

I hope you have a restful weekend prior to your surgery and everything goes well with that on Tuesday.

Xx

TwitterQueen Yes I’m a newbie lol yes I always have to be dramatic!

Still in hospital, my temperature wasn't coming down because I now have E. coli and the antibiotics I was on don't help with that. I can't currently have any more antibiotics as my cannula has stopped working and 7 hours later and despite asking the nurses a number of times it looks like I won't be getting one put in until the morning

Ive been trying to keep up with everyone's post but it's been so busy! 🍰 and for whoever needs them

Oh God purple sorry you are still in there and sorry to hear about your E-Coli now. Hopefully they will get cannula sorted soon.

I’ve been awake since 1.30 (steroids I think) and have indigestion. Always get this post chemo. Just been downstairs to get some ginger ale to see if that helps. Weird thing to be drinking at 05. 30 am!

Purple so sorry to hear about e.coli now too!! I hope you get antibiotics soon XXX

First chemo day (hopefully) for me. So I'm awake and nervous. I plan to do some Xmas shopping for the DC during. I love Christmas so that will cheer me up!

@purpleunicorns well that's a pain in the arse indeed, I hope you've had a reasonably peaceful night x

@Mrstraveller did your ginger ale help? I swore by magnum whites when I had heart burn and indigestion whilst pregnant. Probably just one of the reasons am overweight lol

@Tahitiitsamagicalplace handhold from here. Am awake and nervous too but second dose for me. Shall we chat Christmas shopping? I have 3 girls to buy for and sod anyone else lol