Dealing with metastatic breast cancer diagnosis

Thank you all! No bottle to take home, all chemo administered through portacath, weekly for 6 weeks, then every 3 weeks which will be much easier. Shorter appointments from now on too. They are just lovely at Montserrat oncology, morning tea and lunch was delicious 🤤😃

Many thanks @Cath62, that makes sense! 

@Fraser chemo goes to a cellular level via the blood stream and water only helps the digestive system.  My oncologist recommended being hydrated before, during and after chemo to help it do it's work. It is never going to flush a chemo treatment through the body more quickly as chemo goes straight to the body via the blood stream and then into the cells of the body while drinking water helps digestive system which is good especially if the chemo upsets the tummy. 

I always thought drinking a lot of water during chemo was to avoid dehydration, all too common if vomiting and diarrhoea were chemo side effects. I was always a bit worried about flushing chemo through too quickly - I wanted it to do its work! As I didn’t have those side effects, I just consumed my usual amount of fluids and was fine. 

Oh my gosh - you've certainly been thru the mill, @Opoho ... I am gad they've got the pain under control now ..... speak up if that changes!   

Hubby gets a portacath fitted next week - I have been encouraging him to drink HEAPS of water since he started his Mets Chemo in March.  As @Cath62 says, the more you can drink the better to wash the chemo out of your system in your pee.  Hubby's takes about 4hrs to go thru too. Do you have a bottle to take home as well or just that treatment?

Take care, and all the best for your treatment xx

Thanks Cath, have a good day 😲

Hi @Opoho

There is alot of liquid with intravenous treatment and if you are drinking alot of water to help flush it through you then this can increase going to the toilet a bit. Don't reduce the water as it is good to flush the chemo treatment through your body. Glad you feel things are a bit better for you. 

Does chemo make you wee lots?!!

Last Wednesday had portacath inserted. Doctor and nurses were so concerned 😟 about my pain they found a bed and I was admitted to hospital, have had a week in Buderim Pte Hospital. After trial and error I’m now on fentanyl patch supplemented with regular panadol osteo. Endone was making me sick. I think the radium treatment on my back may now be helping also. I finished this a week ago. Breast nurse and hospital liaison work have resulted in urgent assessment and shower assistance tomorrow 7.30 am, no rest for the wicked!! An urgent revision of level 1 package is to happen. I was delivered to Buderim oncology by ambulance after early discharge from hospital this morning and spent 4 hours having initial chemo doses, no problems so far 👍 So things are looking up 👐🖖🏼