When do you feel better

[Manchesterlady]

Finished first treatment of carboplatin last Thursday, feel very tired today. When do things start to improve. Feeling very down today . 😢

[Lizz49]

Hi there,

Sorry to hear your feeling down, it’s completely understandable following on from diagnosis and now chemo, I’m in exactly the same boat and have good and bad days. The chemo is a necessary evil to get rid of any cancer cells in our bodies, so for me I see it as making me better (fingers crossed). We just have to take one step at a time and remind ourselves this time will pass, and there will be happy and healthy days ahead!

If you’re 4 or 5 days post chemo then I imagine you’ve finished your steroids and that’s probably why the tiredness has hit, it has for me on those days but only lasted a few days and by the middle of week 2 and week 3 I was feeling fine again. Get plenty of rest and some fresh air every day helps me a lot.

Take care

Liz xx

[Manchesterlady in reply to Lizz49]

Thank you lizz , I will bear your words in mind . Do I still carry on with the laxative? X

[Lizz49 in reply to Manchesterlady]

The constipation usually settles for me by the second week, so maybe reduce your dose on Thursday to say one sachet of laxido (or whatever you’re taking) and see how your BM’s are then. Keep drinking the water and I’ve been juicing fresh oranges everyday which might be helping!

Best wishes Xxx 💖

[Nancy222 in reply to Lizz49]

I found juicing oranges most helpful in the bowel department. I just use the lemon reamer and make sure I add all the pulp back. Just do one to start to see how it effects you. I also drank mine through a straw so the orange juice wasn't in my mouth too long, and I rinsed well after I finished my juice (acid and all).

Sorry you're feeling down, Manchesterlady. It's a lot to handle. Nothing wrong with taking a few quiet days to let everything sink in.

Take care of yourself. XXOO

[LittleSan]

I used to have chemo on Fridays, be ok at weekend (steroids), take a nosedive on monday and start feeling human again on the Wednesday so hopefully you'll be starting to feel ok today. Xx

[Elizabethe]

Hi,

I had carboplatin only for first line. Days 4 and 5 after an infusion were always the worst, then gradually better and by week 3 out and about again.

Hope this helps, be kind to yourself and rest if you can. I got through a lot of box sets!

Elizabethe x

[Manchesterlady in reply to Elizabethe]

Thank you Elizabeth , trying to get going today . I’m on every three weeks , so hopefully will feel better before it starts all over again . Xx

[Sunfleury-UK in reply to Manchesterlady]

Hi, I'm really confident that you will have times when you feel better before the next dose. Just a heads up though (& of course we're all different), but I used to sometimes have a 'false dawn' on Carboplatin when I felt a bit better & having become really frustrated I then did too much. Keeping a simple diary helped me to realise my pattern which was roughly 1 week mostly feeling rotten, 1 week okish, 1 week good. Once I'd worked out my pattern, I could think about what I might do in the last week. Making sure I did some nice things then helped me through the next cycle.

(I was one of those who had very unusually a lot of side-effects )

There's a lot to be said though for just taking things one step at a time, do what you feel is right for you and be kind to yourself, Sxx

[grammeejill]

How I felt during treatment deemed to follow a definite pattern. I was on every 21 day cycle. Feeling great for 2 days then bone pain in legs for 3 days, feeling fatigued and managing bowels for a few days, then gradually getting a bit of appetite back for the rest before the next treatment.

I'm an older gal so I think the constant fatigue was maybe more debilitating. I found making myself eat whatever I could stomach helped my sense of well being. Lots of test and water with lemon.

I wish you well! You'll get thru this.

[Manchesterlady in reply to grammeejill]

Thanks , good to know it improves . I’m an older gal too 74 . So I should think myself lucky that I’ve got this far . Good luck .

[Neona]

When I was on carbo taxyl I felt absolutely dreadful between days 3 and 15 ish but the 3rd week was better before the next infusion came round.

[Mptelesca]

Hi, Manchesterlady. Of course you are feeling all those things. Your body is having a combat inside and your mind is feeling it. I, too, get sooooo fatigued and depressed on about the fourth day after chemo. This is my second line. I then feel euphoric and over spend my energy. lol. I find that the Claritin really helps with the muscle and bone pain. I can somehow handle the physical part and just need an internal jump start for my brain. I guess what works for me is distraction BUT knowing when to tell people I am tired and just go lay down and watch cooking shows on TV. Seems to soothe me. I'm easily distracted. Hence, the foggy memory.

The biggest battle is the constipation during this time....I don't miss a day of Colace, Miralax and Cascara Sagrada. Works like a miracle. I take whether I need to or not because I never ever want to have happen to me what happened the first time around.

As you recover from the fatigue, your overall mood will improve greatly. I promise. Just allow yourself to comfort yourself when feeling so tired.

Sending you positive and loving energy,

Marisa

[marylondon]

I ve recently started Carboplatin only for 2nd line treatment . I’m feeling quite tired and weepy at times and am having to pace myself. I try and do something nice every day plus always have a walk . Hang on in there . You will get good days .

Mary

[Nicky100 in reply to marylondon]

Mary sorry you are struggling with things. They will get a little easier over time hopefully but it is such a tough treatment to be on. Just rest on your low days and curl up in bed and then hopefully enjoy a bit more on your brighter days. Much love to you, Nicky xx

[marylondon in reply to Nicky100]

Ah thank you Nicky for your encouragement. I’m beginning to feel less tired now & embracing life ! Your wedding picture was beautiful. Hope you are keeping well .

Love , Mary x