Newly diagnosed and learning

Thank you for the idea of the dietician, Lillian67, I didn't think of them. 

Well that might explain how I felt the last few days @Unicornkisses. I'll stay off the neurofen.
So much to keep track of. I went to my GP and got a Care Plan. I went and saw a dietician and then the other 4 I used for a sports physiologist. I found the dietician well worth going to as I was not eating nearly enough food and she helped me set out a menu framework and it has helped. The sports physio is working with 4 other cancer patients and has been nice and gentle on me and given me little exercises and stretches I can easily do at home, which does helps with the general aches and pains and I find I can have a good nap if  I do a little bit :) I also got 10 visits to a psychologist that I can use as needed.


@melclarity you sure have had a rough journey! I am finding it difficult to keep up with my girls, being so young and full of energy. Today they were are daycare and I have spent the day on the couch recuperating from their exuber

I have a pimple on my chin that I absent mindedly scratched and now its infected and sore. I have put iodine on it but now worried I should go to the doc. I don't have a temperature, but my chin is sore.   

@Zoffiel my doc trained in the UK so hopefully she will have heard of using Claratyne. I've been keeping track of all my side effects, seems to be something new and wonderful everyday, small blessings its not all at once :)

Hi Lillian67, I hope you are having a better day today.
I just want you to check with your Oncologist about Neurofen.
Both the information sheets mine gave me and my GP also was adamant that I must not use Neurofen (or any Ibuprofen) while on Chemo.
I am having FEC, and apparently it is something to do with the irritation to the digestive tract I guess.
I am very interested to read about the Claratyne and have added it to my list of questions for the Onc next time I see him. And will get some for my Chemo kit anyway.

Thank you Mel for your information about the Medicare covered Excersise physiologist.
my podiatrist told me yesterday that I may be entitled to 5 visits to Allied health providers if my GP organised it as I had a Chronic disease.
I tried to research it through the Medicare website. I found it, it is buried in there. And it needs a degree to try and understand it.
my GP is going to do the paperwork for me to go to a councillor too as that is also a service I am entitled to.

Just on the loratadine, my Oncologist has prescribed it as a premed along with Rantidine (Zantac) 1 hour before my doses of Pacitaxol for all 12 doses. While I do get some back pain, it's nothing regular panadol and a heat pack won't help. 
I did try an Oncology Massage, however they didn't press nearly as hard as I would love (I love a good elbow in my back) so I'll have to wait until I'm finished for that. 

You always learn something new here. I now understand why I kept getting back spasms on taxol everytime I twisted. I thought it was because I'd got so fat.

Wow Marg! I hadn't heard of that before! Its interesting,  id certainly try it ifor that reason. X

Yes Mel, Claratyne is an antihistamine. The bone oedema is a histamine reaction which causes a swelling inside the bones, bones don't stretch which is why this is so painful. Not everybody has the same reaction, but the antihistamine, and it has to be loratadine not just any anti sniffle med, helps prevent it. It's also beneficial for anyone who gets a bit of a rash in the days following chemo.
I have no idea why this is not as commonly prescribed here as it appears to be in the UK. The dark and cynical side of me suspects that it is a $1 a day solution which is not pushed by the pharmaceutical companies so simply doesn't come on to the medicos radar. It's also not something that is going to attract research dollars. Anyway, my oncologist had heard of it and seen it used in the UK but for some reason hadn't recommended it to me. When I asked him it was all 'Oh, sure. I've heard that helps. No problem, take it.' 
Anyway, it seems there are no contraindications with the chemo I'm having so me and my Claratyn tabs are besties at the moment.

Hi Lillian67, I had massages & acupuncture all through chemo, finished yesterday, 4 AC & 12 Taxol. My massages started off with refloxology on feet, then added a back massage, & also arms & they offered to massage my head. It was a bit intimidating taking wig off but she said it was good for hair regrowth. It really helped get me through chemo, I didn't take anything at all for aches & pains & neuropathy has been minimal. It could be a placebo affect, who knows if my ailments would have been worse but I got through & worked & exercised. I hope it settles down for you, sometimes the first round just shocks the body so much & then it settles.

There are actually Oncology Masseuse as well, I had a friend who was a nurse for many years and now specializes in Oncology massage. I didnt get any through chemo purely because I was in too much pain. Marg is correct, Chemo in general shrinks the sheath across the muscle which causes pain the other thing it causes is cramping throughout the body, something Im still battling with 14 months post chemo. My Exercise Physiologist is helping alot, stretching is so key in getting to a better place. I never realised how involved it is and the effects on your body. I wouldnt go to anyone who isnt trained and dealing specifically in this. I had a friend through BC and she went to a gym and it was hopeless none of the Staff new how to help her, theyre just not trained. I did so much research and spoke to many friends on this journey and worked out a PT would be great but down the track, have to walk before I run and I needed someone that Specializes. I thought Claratyne was a antihistimine?  It could be Lillian you need some extra pain relief for possibly a week of the infusion and then taper off to panadol, its all trial and error unfortunately and thats why its so important to tell your Team each infusion what works and doesnt so they can tweak it. Hugs. xo

I do, but not until the third week and they need to be gentle. The taxol shrinks my muscle sheath which can't be massaged out, but I do enjoy a massage just for relaxation. The only thing that went wrong was one of the masseuses was obviously uncomfortable dealing with me, she was very young and seemed a bit freaked by my bald and visibly unwell self. I gave her the opportunity to swap with someone a bit more experienced and it all worked out in the end. That's the risk of walk in massages, I'm sure it's a rare occurrence.