Hey all you lovely people. I start chemo next friday. I am having ac and t. Then taxol and herceptin. I am looking for tips from everyone. What should I buy to make my life easier eg eye drops etc. And what do I take to chemo. Do i need to take a blanket? Just looking for some advice pl3ase and thank you. I read a thread and it freaked me out the amount of stuff i need just to make life normal. Like after chemo you should get a squirt bottle to spray yourself after you pee. Apparently ac and t burns. Your nose drips constantly. Your head is sensitive after your hair falls out etc. Thoughts please and thank you.

Glad all going well so far @JenniA Hope it continues that way!

@cab I just took my phone so I could watch Netflix and a book and also an extra blanket as I did the cold cap so was extra cold. I was also a bit of a sook and over needles by then so took a soft toy to squeeze when the needle was being put in.

Hi there @Cab ...sorry you've had to join the "club" but welcome all the same. Remember, just like pregnancy and childbirth,, some people get mild and some severe symptoms of various types. Some get heartburn, others not. Some get varicose veins and piles, some not. some get severe stretchmarks, others just one or two, or none. Some mums go into labour, breathe and pant the push out a baby with the greatest of ease...lippy and eyemakeup intact. Others end up with IVs, pessaries, god knows what else and end up getting their bellies attacked with a weedwhacker and the baby chopped out. Similarly with chemo, you won't know "till you start. Some breeze through with relative ease, and others are knocked sideways. As a general tip I'd say this. Take your own tea or coffee with you for the chemo. Hospital stuff is horrible. Take something to suck on or nibble on. My choice was boiled sweets, such as eucalyptus candies and salt a vinegar chippies. I found the sharp taste of the chips cut through the strange taste in the mouth. A pair of comfy socks or Slumby slippers is also nice and comforting. I took my knitting (if she's sitting...she's knitting) and my kindle to keep me busy. At home, I had goodies for both diarrhoea and for constipation. Either or both can be a bother. I had mouth ulcers, and used an alcohol free mouthwash...even just bicarb in water works fine. I used various creams and gels used for teething babies in my mouth. Keep the fluids up, and remember, it doesn't have to be plain water, which can taste horrible (metallic), tea, juice, a bit of cordial, such as Bickford's lemon and lime, milo...whatever floats your boat, just drink plenty to flush out your system. Be kind to yourself and remember, this too will pass. Sending the biggest (((hug))), Ally.

No I didn't lose my hair. If you have big curly hair, you will need to wet it down trice as much as what they say and plaster the conditioner on so it sticks to your scalp. Push the cap down regularly so it's touching your scalp during your treatment.. Worked a treat for me. Nobody would have ever known I was having chemo.

Welcome to the club. It sucks any of us have to be here. We’re close in age too (im 35)! To chemo I take my laptop, charger, headphones and wifi dongle and watch movies/Netflix, I also take a book to read, water bottle and fruit tingle lollies! Good luck with your journey

What to take to chemo and tips

Vangirl
Member
7 years ago
Glad all going well so far @JenniA Hope it continues that way!
Doin_it
Member
7 years ago
Thanks @Vangirl. It’s only day three, but so far I’m feeling good. Eating usual meals & drinking heaps of water. It’s weird waiting & wondering what & if any side effects will raise their ugly head
Vangirl
Member
7 years ago
@JenniA I took L-Lysine daily as a preventative for mouth ulcers. Worked for me however a non-representative sample of one.
I found that eating anything during chemo was a sure fire way to not want to ever eat that food again.
Take a water bottle to sip as you should stay hydrated.
Doin_it
Member
7 years ago
Have any of you girls tried continually rinsing your mouth with coconut oil? I started the day before chemo & will keep it up. Thought it might help dry mouth & help prevent ulcers etc. It’s a wonderful healer! I applied it continually to my wounds re lumpectomy & lymph node removal. The surgeons were rapt how fast they healed. Fingers crossed
Kiwi_Angel
Member
7 years ago
@cab I just took my phone so I could watch Netflix and a book and also an extra blanket as I did the cold cap so was extra cold. I was also a bit of a sook and over needles by then so took a soft toy to squeeze when the needle was being put in.
Anonymous
7 years ago
Hi @cab, all the best with your chemo. I liked finely sliced apple, dried biscuits and a bottle of water with a slice of lemon and ice chips I could sip on. I also liked prunes to control constipation and had a few smaller meals in the days after chemo. I also had snacks of nuts etc.

I also took magazines and these days would probably listen to podcasts and use my phone/ iPad. Also, avoid hot drinks an hour before and an hour after chemo to avoid getting ulcers. Try to avoid the sugary stuff. On my last day of 6 months of chemo, my oncologist had almost a blank page when he asked me about side effects. I had a few and should have been more open about them with him.
kmakm
Member
7 years ago
Fruit Tingles are the best for chemo mouth. Seriously. Stock up! I took all sorts of stuff but really just used my phone to text and read the paper. K xox
MaryB83
Member
7 years ago
Welcome to the club. It sucks any of us have to be here. We’re close in age too (im 35)! To chemo I take my laptop, charger, headphones and wifi dongle and watch movies/Netflix, I also take a book to read, water bottle and fruit tingle lollies! Good luck with your journey
Cab
Member
7 years ago
That is wonderful afraser. Well if mine gets curlier i will have an afro. Bahahahaha. Oh you have to look at the good things dont you. I am just so blessed to have people like yourself who are happy to help others along the way. Xxx
Afraser
Member
7 years ago
Enjoy! I got a lot of very complementary comments about my wig but it was relatively tame. I had dead straight hair originally, and enjoyed having a wig with a bit of curl. Which is just as well as my post chemo hair (5 years) has a bit of a curl too!