Awaiting chemo

[Carole666]

Hi all

Still waiting to meet oncologist but presume chemo will be starting in around two weeks. What can I expect in terms of good and bad days during the three week cycle. Will I be able to forward plan based on treatment dates?

Thanks

Carole

[Lyndy]

Hi Carole

I did chemo this time last year.. seem to remember that days 1-5 were about feeling tired, constipated and then I would pick up until around days10-15 which was the danger time for infections. The final week of each cycle was the best and I used to save nice things to do for this period.

Every one is different and each cycle can present new challenges. Don't put up with feeling sick or in pain because your team should be able to help.

Best of luck with it! Lyndall xx

[Hidden]

Hi Carole as lyndall says you will get to know your days for not feeling so good, my days were days 2-5 then I would pick up again and do nice things like meet up with friends for a coffee or go to walks etc, I would say drink plenty of water the day before you have your chemo, during and after it really does help with side effects. Rest when your body says rest and have some duvet days on the sofa and watch some DVDs etc, read some books.

We are all different so hopefully you won't have too many side effects, wishing you all the best, let us know how you are doing.

Karen

X

[Microbabe]

I did not find chemo as bad as expected ... The best advice I was given was to plan some social event on the days I was well ... You will get to know your pattern as everyone is different my worst day is on the Monday (day 3) start feeling tired and achey on day 2 but then start to pick up on day 4-5. I have found the chemo is cumulative for me the more cycles I have the tiredness is worse.. Chemo for me is just something that I have to get through to make me well. I hope this helps a little as to what to expect 😃

[Yoshbosh]

Like the others have said, it's not as bad as I imagined it would be. My worst days are 2-5, then picking up quite quickly to feel 'well' again by around day 10 and able to function like a normal human being.

Constipation can be a problem, and I suffer from bone pain as well (I'm on docetaxel, rather than paclitaxel and this is a normal side effect), so I enjoy Epsom salt baths to ease the pain, although Epsom salts are a blessing for improving mood/lethargy etc.

[GBIRVMIC]

Hi Carole I finished chemo in June and for me I was hypo with the steroids for 5 days and needed sleeping tablets as couldn't sleep.. I live alone which was dreadful. By the 2nd chemo my hair was falling out, I had Carbo and Taxel plus Avastin. I found chemo cumulative and by the 3rd session I was very ill and admitted into hospital. My white bloods were very low, I was depressed and the chemo was too strong for my body. I would suggest taking a sachet of Laxido a few days before chemo then doubling up on it the day before and on the day then back to one the day after chemo.. It does make you constipated and drink loads of water! By day 10 stay away from anyone with colds/infections and don't go to work (if you are still working) by the 3rd week you've pretty much recovered then to start all over again. It's a brutal journey and hard work. I'm now on a maintenance programme with another 12 cycles on Avastin. I feel loads better now chemo has finished. wish you loads of luck and keep us all posted how you get on. Love Michelle xx

[January-2016-UK]

Hello Carole, During your first cycle, try and keep a diary. It will prove invaluable for future planning as each cycle thereafter will be approx the same. Some people have constipation, whereas I had really rather virulent diarrhoea on days 4 and 5, coupled with severe ankle pains. Slowly things would improve, even during the time when most at danger of infection, and slower and more breathless when walking the dog, etc. Then comes the third week, just before the next infusion, when you're nearly normal, that's the best, until you're hit again. All the best.

[Barlow1951]

Hi Carole, as the others have said, we all have different experiences of chemo. I found days 2 and 3 were usually good because of taking steroids which boosted my energy. Days 4 to 7,8 or 9 were when I was wiped out by fatigue and had to rest much of the time. Then by day 14 I would be more or less functioning normally and found that 3rd week was best one for making plans to do things. However, I was hospitalised after 3 of my 6 cycles, so a lot of plans had to be changed.

As other ladies have said I did not find chemo to be as bad as I had expected so hopefully you will have a similar experience. I am sure you will have an appointment to discuss what drugs they will be using and to talk you through the whole procedure. You will be able to ask them questions about it then.

Hope you soon get your oncology appointment and do let us know how you get on.

All the best,

Barbara

[Dee345]

Not much to add except to emphasize the need to drink lots of liquid while going through chemo. The toxins are excreted through the kidneys so you want them out of your body and to be very dilute passing through the kidneys to avoid damage.

Keeping a symptom diary was one of the best pieces of advice I received, I found there really was a pattern in how I felt not just physically but also emotionally.

Constipation was probably the worst symptom for me and I was very concerned about intestinal obstruction.

As far as planning ahead, there are some unknowns such as adjustments to schedule due to low blood counts or fever if they occur.

I completed chemo a couple of months ago and now feel pretty back to my normal self. It's tough but you will get through it!

Hope this helps. Good luck!

Dee