AC Chemo - Day 4 (calm before the storm?)

Hi Cath

Good to know my crazy relentless rans help. I was diagnosed end of Feb and my time went a lot slower as waited 5 weeks for surgery and then almost 6 more for Chemo to start... Talk about driving one nuts!!!

I must admit I scoured the internet and social media for information - a place to figure out what was happening to me, what should be happening and how to prepare and THANK GOD the gorgeous saint of a breast nurse in the Brest Screen centre I was initially diagnosed at originally recommended this group.

This was the last place I looked but the best place ever and I am so thankfull for these beautifull ladies that have shared their experience wisdom and compassion selflessly.

It has both alliviated some of my fears and helped me.understamd what to expect at times, scared me shitless at others and more than anything showed me it can be done. I have to say there are times you will feel strong like you can conquer the world and others where you just want to run and hire or frankly there will be rages when you just want to destroy everything in sigh. In all those times having this forum and these fabulous ladies has been a lifeline for me - a place of both acceptance and actual understanding so it has helped me a great deal be it that I am having a 'pitty party', 'massive rant' or 'am searching for information'.

If I can help in some small way to yourself and others like me still wading these BC waters than yay ?

Keep in mind though that different chemos have different sideeffects and this one (AC) is supposed to be a one of the yuckier ones plus we all react a bit differently so if at times I describe thing that are sounding unpleasant meed not necessarily mean it will happen to you ??

Wishing you a lot of strength and the best outcome for the coming surgery

PS if anyone asked me now, the 3 things that would have been most helpfull to know pre surgery (for me) : 

Do not bither with PJs and just use hospital ones as they can get mucky from desinfecting solutions and plus you will swet heaps so easiest to use theirs and change as often as you need

Baby wet towels are a Godsent when you sweat and are bandaged up and just need some feeshness

Make contact with the local breast care nurse even befire the surgery if you can (if not done yet) - if tou ask the local breast screen place or your local cancer centre or your surgeon they can all out you in touch with her. They are amazing informed incredibly knowledga le ladies with great comoassion and infinite patience it seems. I have found that I have received far better information from the beautifull Gill (the nurse at my hospital) than from all the doctors combined both ore and post surgery. She has made sure I understood the diagnoses trully as even after surgeoun consults pist surgery I apprently got some stuff wrong (yes it can happen), this angel provided the little pillow that was a saviour in keeping the wound not chafe and instructed me to exercise and aboid getting a locked shoulder, hooked me up with areally confirtable post surgery bra, served as a liaison between myself and oncologist when they had to rethink the plan for Chemo... I mean I can go on and on and on... This lady is amazing and from what others have said they all are so if there is one thing you need to make sure tou do is make touch with your local nurse and it will greatly help you especially when uunsur where you are at or where to from here

Hugs

Jel.

Hi Jel,

My name is Cath (socoda) and I am one of the newbies that is gaining so much from all of the valuable info that you are posting!! Have been diagnosed just over two weeks ago and have surgery scheduled for mastectomy 15/6/16 with chemo approx 4 weeks after? providing all goes well. Am scouring posts for everything and feel like I'm an info sponge at the moment. Your descriptions are sensational and I cannot tell you that your post and other members posts are genuinely lessening my fear factor re the chemo. Which to be honest was the humongous boogeyman hiding in the closet just waiting to spring! Thank you soooo much for taking the time and effort to write about your journey and the ups and downs of the treatment. Very very appreciated.

Fantastic idea, and good lateral support for our newbies. Yep, it's a great approach that you're taking. We're all with you every step of the way. ??????????

LOL - I 2nd the undies to bed thing... i normally sleep.in the nude or jusy in an oversized Tshirt but this 'dragon arse' syndrome and the case of runs I had yesterday has me terrified there may be some sort of a disaster in the bed so pretty sure soon it not be just undies but a full blown nappy making an appearance if this persists....

They seriously should put this fiery behind symptom in the brochures...i I mean toxic behind burning gas is something one should be warmed about and not left to learn on their own... 

Movicol Is well and trully behind me now as at the moment so just hoping that this is a passing sideeffect and that in a few days I become less of a gas bag ??????

Jel ??

Lol Jel. You might need to reduce or even stop your movichol about now or you might get unexpected surprises with the farts. I stopped worrying and just grateful to be outsude when farting. You wait until the netherland hair goes....it rumbles up through there after that as no hair to disperse. ..hilarious. and oooh you feel so sexy then. I wear undies to bed for a week as I start worrying for my hubbie with the wind.  The symptoms they don't put in the info paperwork eh. I found reducing wheat and milk really did help with the gas. Only needed to for the 1st week. I substituted with almond milk and corn thins. It didnt ho but seemed to be less explosive. I'm really hoping taxol won't cause the same symptoms or I will not be returning to work for sure.

Thank you Trace ?

The plan is to take it easy and deal with everything as it comes.

To be honest what I expected was way way worse so thus far am gratefull for the lack of nausea and for being able to get arround.

I guess the main reason why I decided to these daily blogs is that I figured there will be some other person like myself getting into this whole 'have no clue scared shitless of what is coming' mode (and mood) when about to encounter AC Chemo so this way if they do come across these daily blurbs they can see what they could expect and that it is maybe not the end of the world in one way (and in another that they can prep for some of it ?)

Thank you for the Nilstat drops tip

??????

Jel

Holly molly - Kath - I have been an absolute gas bag.... and insure get the dmfrustratioj off it as it just goes on and on with these toxic farts ????????

I mean not toxic as in 'smelly' but that stuff is like hydrocloric acid - feels like my whole backside is about to be set on fire.... 

I think it is time I change my name into "Dragon arse" ?? and soon there will be folk songs and stories about circling about this dreaded beast.

I wish i could have some peppermint tea as I know that would help get rid of it faster (rather than not knowing when it is going to hit) but since I have now become allergic to damned peppermint I guess I will have to cop it.

Luckilly husband has been the only one sibjected to my gassy problem but a neighbour wants to be on hand and visit and go walking with me and right now I am just apprehensive as seriously reckon I will not be able to controll my fiery backside and will both freak and grose the poor woman out.

Jel.

Hi Honey, just take it 1 day at a time. All sounds pretty normal to me, chemo brain, nausea and hunger, rashes, etc, etc etc.... Glad that you are moving around, as this does help you to feel better. Drinking water definitely helps. For the white tongue, get yourself some Nilstat drops from the chemist. It's because your immunity drops, and you're prone to oral thrush. Hope that this helps, Trace ????????

The gas is my most distressing symptom. It goes on for days.