Struggling through Chemo
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Hi @Rona and @Katie46
Rona great your scan was normal! Katie good you're feeling OK too!
I had my 2nd paclitaxel today....I am also tolerating it better. Virtually no nausea! I had some muscle and joint aches but they were temporary and eased with panadol and movement. I'm able to do much more andam trying to build up my strength and energy. I'm finding qigong helpful.... I did some sessions online with look good feel better. Rona the probiotic yoghurt is working too! Starting to see the light at the end and hopefully you are too!!0 -
Hi @Coastiejas, good to hear you are doing ok on paclitaxel. This week had been ok for me, little bit tired, mouth is a bit odd, but mouth washes seem to be keeping that under control, no nausea, taste is hanging in there but a bit deminished, sleeping better and no muscle aches this week. My finger nails are a little bit tender, I'm seeing the oncologist today so will let him know.
@Rona hope you are feeling ok after your last treatment.0 -
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Hey Coastiejas, great to hear from you and great to hear you are coping well with Paclitaxel.
The light at the end of the tunnel is near!! I only have 2 rounds to go and someone is getting excited 😊.
The aches get me too and the fatigue, the fatigue is far greater now than AC but I’ll take that over nausea!! I am having a Dense dose so that may contribute.
mI know what you mean about the tastebuds thing Katie 😩, my mouth is so dry too.
Ive noticed a lot more hand tingling this round but I’ll take it 😂.
Does a mouth wash help with that taste? I’m still taking a probiotic everyday along with Pantoprazol for heartburn.
Are you ladies having your 3rd dose today?0 -
Hi @Rona, glad to hear you are doing ok. I had my third dose yesterday. I wasn't given dexamethasone for this round and I was a bit worried about nausea, but that didn't happen. My side effects so far are minimal, one of my finger nails is slightly discoloured and tender, but the rest are fine. No aches last round, a mild rash on my arms and legs which I have been given cream for, and some heartburn which I have been given tablets for. Much less fatigue than AC, just normal tired, rather than complete weakness and exhaustion. I'm also sleeping better, I'm blaming the steroids for some of the insomnia I had. My appetite is still ok, my taste, eyebrows and eyelashes are still hanging in there 😀 I think the mouth washes are helping. I'm using a combination of biotene at night and in the morning which helps with the dry mouth and salt/bicarb wash during the day. I'm also using Nilstat for mild oral thrush. All very manageable.0
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Great to hear you are doing ok Katie. Thanks for the mouthwash tip, my sense of taste is quite overwhelming causing weight loss for me as I just don’t have an appetite because of it.
Great you can stop the steroids, they definitely impact on sleep, will speak to my Oncologist on Thursday about stopping them. I still take them for 4 days after.
All of my fingernails are black now with ridges and just tingling, no pain.
I am constantly exhausted but it’s far better than nausea, my enthusiasm is there but the body doesn’t want to move fast.I have 2 days off of work now so it’s veggie patch time 😊.
Have you managed to get back to work? Did you decide on wearing a mask?
We have a finger scanner at work to clock on and off with but I have lost my finger prints due to Paclitaxel so it doesn’t work for me.
My Radiation Oncologist called the other day to book me in for sizing up……. I’m almost excited about it 😂.0 -
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Hi Coastiejas, it sounds like good news all round here! Hope my steroids get reduced too. Round 5 and 6 for me next Tuesday then I can say one to go!!Looking forward to talking radiation 😂. Is that the next step for you?How’s the weather where you are? Sunny Perth is comfortable atm. I’m cooking slow cooker lamb in red wine today…… hopefully I can eat it. Lamb, fish , salad and cheese have been my go to foods lately, struggling with the taste still.0
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I've found fish still has almost 100% taste for me, so I've been eating much more. Some things taste normal for me, and some things have reduced taste and a few things taste odd or nothing at all. I just checked my fingerprints and they are very faded to almost nothing! I didn't know that was a side effect 🤣 do they come back? I'm having radiation after, but not until after mid May when I finish this round, you should be done and dusted by then.0
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Yes, thank goodness for fish!
Ha ha, isn’t it funny about the finger prints, I get to sneak out of work early 😂. If you ever thought about robbing a bank, now would be be the time 😂.
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Hi Ladies
Yes I have radiotherapy next too... Mid may when I finish this chemo jazz like @Katie46! We will be able to have @Rona pave the way for us! I've got altered taste too, coke tastes like lavender to me, can't stand blacktea (used to love it) now on green tea and peppermint. I have a weird constant salty taste. I can't stand curry, garlic or chilli and used to love them too! I'm told by the oncologist that taste will return when the chemo stops... bring that on I say!
I'm on the Central Coast near Sydney and it's still pretty hot here....although I'm always hot since starting chemo!!
I got some hat wigs yesterday (cap with hair attached) so am enjoying having hair again, albeit synthetic!!!
Hope everyone continues to go well!!!
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Sorry to hear that @Coastiejas 😔 hopefully a week off will fix things. I dread missing a week but only because I want to get this over with as quickly as possible. Enjoy your week off 😀 even if it is frustrating.0
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Hi Coastiejas and Katie, a set back is a shame, same thing happened to me. I could have done with a Break from the AC and that never happened 😩.
The Paclitaxel is really getting my body now, I can’t walk a flight of stairs anymore…… had to take the lift and I’m scared of lifts!Just at the Oncologist now. Hopefully bloods all good for my 3rd round. Getting excited about getting my radiation tattoos 😊0
