3rd chemo done

I was diagnosed with triple negative chemo in November, lumpectomy and 4 lymph nodes taken out. Nodes were clear but as it is triple negative chance it might come back so 12 chemo and 6 radio ware recommended.

I am to have( ecp) once every 3 weeks ,-3 doses with a syringe

9 weekly chemos after this- through a drip

radiotherapy x 6 daily after this

(Tip I would definitely recommend a picc line I've seen too many people in pain and frustrated because nurses couldn't find a vein)

chemo number 1 took an hour and half start to finish, fine that day next day very tired, nausea set in, took sickness tablet slept all day on and off, appetite good, slept like this for a week then after first week started to feel better. Day 16 hair started to come out so decisions were made to cut it short., still felt fine and thought" yeah I can do this bring on chemo2.

injections have to be given in tummy for 5 days afterwards  3 days after chemo, (massive tip put a bag of ice on the tummy freeze it for 5 mins then inject, no pain no bruising no marks)

 

chemo number2, generally well up to 10 hours after, nausea set in and a headache that I can only describe as constant brain freeze (like eating an ice cream )  and nausea as though I was going to be sick the morning after a good night out. I had my COVID jab 2 days after but I can't tell you if the unwell ness was a mixture of the vaccination and chemo.Should have took anti sickness tablets but thought I would keep them for when I was really bad. So I sucked on menthol sweets which helped. Sickness again lasted about a week. I then got a prickly sensation inside my body all over particularly where I had my op for a couple of days, toenails and fingernails numbness but it wasn't unbearable  and I it never stopped me walking every day.  Still had a good appetite (maybe that's just me, I love my food) and started making boiled water with a stick of fresh ginger in a pan then mixing it with lemonade and putting it in the fridge, really helped me with nausea. Most side effects left me again after about a week.

chemo 3, this ones been a bit of a ***. Hit me with nausea straight away, and felt generally unwell for 7 days. Started taking the anti sickness tablets day 7, don't know why I waited,  the prickly bit is back the brain freeze is constant and I'm sleeping for England.I am still having periods,and this on top of the chemo hasn't helped, I'm not heavy but uncomfortable and it's lasted a lot longer, felt very emotional this week maybe that's why,. I am now on  day 8, got up this morning and feeling back to normal 

 

So now awaiting chemo4 the first of the weeklies, will let you know how I get on, hope this helps someone

 

 

 

  • Hello Isthishappening, 

    Thank you so much for sharing your chemotherapy experiences in so much detail and for all the great tips you've shared with our community. It will be very helpful to others who are going through this at the moment or are about to start their chemotherapy. 

    Well done for having completed the first three cycles and best of luck for the fourth one! 

    Best wishes, 

    Lucie, Cancer Chat Moderator