Hi Dondon,

I've had 3 FEC now and 1 T (next T is Thursday).

You will have been made aware that everyone is different and that really is true (my mum had FEC-T too and we had very different reactions).

I wanted to comment as my time on FEC was really very good.  We hear so much about sickness on chemotherapy that I think our brains expect it and can trick us into feeling nausea so I used mind over matter every day when I woke up.  By that I mean every morning I told myself over and over for a couple of minutes "I feel fine" and actually tried to believe it.  So even when I woke up thinking I felt nausea, the vast majority of days the mind over matter worked and the nausea was just 'all in my head' or my brain tricking me if you like.

I'll admit I was sick the first night but I had been building a weather-related migraine all day and it was clearly that which caused that sickness.  I had no sickness at all with the second one.  Only with the third one did I have one day where I couldn't keep even water down so was back on the chemo bay for fluids.

With each one I developed an infection in the second week but because I was taking my temperature twice a day (morning and night) I caught the infections very early on and was then just careful to rest a lot to let my body (and the antibiotics I was already on) fight them.

I lost my hair after the first chemo and it came out quite quickly.  My mum was after the second, my friend after the third.

That really was it with me for FEC.  I had heard that pretty much everyone gets constipation (I figure that probably increases the feeling of nausea) so I pre-empted this and ask my onco-nurse if taking senna would harm or if I should wait to see if I got constipation.  They said it would be fine to take it so I took 2 every morning and night from Day 1 for around 4 or 5 days (basically till I felt they were no longer needed).  I do think taking it pre-emptively helped a lot rather than waiting to get it so maybe ask your nurse what they think.

Apart from that I drink a lot of water, roughly 3 litres sometimes 4 (it was very hot here for a while) a day.  This is also a good idea before chemo (helps with your veins).  And I moisturise morning and night (since skin stops renewing) but my skin has been fine too.

So basically, other people will have stories of having a rough time on it, I totally respect that, but just wanted you to know I started a new job, had a good social life etc. while on it, it really is so different for everyone.

Hope you get on well with it!

LJx

Thank you so much for your reply. It really is good to hear how others cope and what they feel. Can you recommend a good reliable thermometer ? I bought on that goes in the war from Argos buy my temp reads in the 38s and onco nurse says it's faulty as she told my temp and was normal.

I bought the Braun Thermoscan.  We are given a free standard one but I'd have to wash it all the time and with the chemo I'm on now I have over a week where I can't be upright for long or I get dizzy so I'm glad I went for the in-ear.

It may be possible to get yours checked by a local pharmacy?  It maybe just needs calibrating?  I don't know but I know they can calibrate some blood pressure machines etc. so worth asking

I definitely think taking your temperature at least twice a day is a good idea as that will usually be the first sign of infection (obviously not after paracetamol though!)

Let us know how you get on tomorrow.  My next one is Thursday.  I hope your treatment bay has as good a vibe as mine, it's very relaxed, fun nurses, usually interesting patients to talk to etc. it all helps.

Best of luck.

LJx

Aww thanks you've really helped me tonight. I will Let you know how it goes. Keep in touch and Let me know how your doing also. Love n hugs xx

Glad to hear it.

Thankfully there is lots we can do to help ourselves feel we have some control and I think feeling some control helps keep our mood up.

Forgot to say, worth doing shopping etc before any symptoms you might get kick in (too late now I know!)  Although if you have someone to shop for you that works too.  Just maybe get a good selection of stuff until you see what symptoms you get (if any).  Helps to have foods with strong flavours, foods that are plain and bland, as well as foods that are soft or can be easily mushed up.  It means if you're taste, stomach or energy levels are affected you have options to hand.

Hope it went okay today, remember to treat yourself and take it easy :-)

LJx