First chemo!

@jm13 My second round has been a world different to the first!

Having the port is genius. I was still a bit bruised however it was miles better than trying to find a vein. I ended up having to go to hospital and find a vein with the help of an ultrasound just for my bloods. So now my Port is up and running, I'll be having my pre Chemo bloods through that too.

They also have me better/stronger medication for nausea and heartburn and I've only experienced minimal side effects. The anti nausea I am now on does make me very drowsy and fatigued but I'm finding that better that nausea! 

Other than that, my hair has starting coming out which is to be expected. I buzzed it before my first round but think I need to do it again now!

Hope all goes well with the port tomorrow! I was sore for a good few days after and was terrified moving my shoulder around would cause it to move but it's healed well now. 

Thankyou Lelle and Pru.
Lelle hope you are doing ok after today. My thoughts are with you. Please try warm water with the ginger in/out. (I’m a cold fish so advised to stay warm and breathe thru nausea)
 I’m having a port put in Thursday. I’m still having discomfort in the arm where the 3 lymph nodes were extracted.(clear fortunately) so I hope i don’t end up with two dicky arms.
sending HUGGS

@jm13  @Lelle  @AllyJay 
cheering you on! Chemo was the hardest part of treatment for me and the only way through was through! Each completed treatment is one less you're facing - whew! Best wishes :)

@jm13 Glad to hear you're feeling a bit better! I found after 5 days my nausea had subsided (I was taking 3 Emexlon a day for that so it wasn't too bad after the first 2 days) and my ridiculous heartburn was controllable (although I am not looking forward to that on my next round). The biggest thing I noticed on day 5/6 though was the lift of the brain fog! I felt I could actually think and function again and I made it out for dinner on the weekend. 
I'd be back to exercising and "normal" life this week however I had my port inserted on Tuesday so I'm a bit stiff and sore but hoping they'll be able to use that for my next round on Monday! Dreading the next lot of side effects but just need to keep thinking that they don't last forever and, despite not thinking it during, I can get through them. Positivity always. Stay strong xx

I had my first AC Chemo last Thursday morning. By 5.30 pm nausea like constant morning sickness, headache, light sensitivity, just horrid. By Friday barely moved, all day, nothing g to eat, could barely drink which terrified me as I know you need to. Sat am the same, off to acupuncture, advised to have ginger slice in warm water(remove ginger after 20seconds) make rice porridge with broth stock. - could only manage 3 teaspoons Through 2days. Then tried hydralite. Symptoms of nausea only stopped with ondansatron wafer. Eventually managed a single poached egg. 1 slice of marmalade toast. Plain Greek acidophilus yogurt.

Hang in the @Lelle - it’s a steep learning curve but fingers crossed they get the right balance of meds for the next round. I ate like a guinea pig - snacked constantly and I became a permanent resident on the couch. The other think is you are now a quarter of the way through this bit and the next one is half way there! Cheering you on xx

Thanks everyone for your help! I did call the Oncology nurse today who said to keep taking the Emexalon 3 times a day for the next few days and I am still on the steroids too. Apparently I should hear from them in a couple of days anyway to check on me and work out whether to change my pre-med and medication dose next round and was told it's important to tell my oncologist in my next clinic appointment 
I  do feel a little better today, am drinking HEAPS of water and ginger tea and snacking on ginger biscuits. Finding eating little and often seems to keep it at bay a bit more and I haven't had as many waves of crippling nausea today. I just hope I can get control of it a bit more now! 

I should have added- have movicol on hand to counteract the effects of the meds. Try to keep drinking - like more than you have ever drunk before, to flush the drugs through. X

Hi @Lelle I am sorry to hear you are going through a tough time. I found the nausea kicked in about 8 hours later and lasted for about 24 hours.  These are a few things I did - sucked on fruit tingles, ate ginger bear lollies which are available at chemists, drank water with lemon juice in it, dry ginger ale and kept up the meds. The nurse told me to just take them for the first 3 days at the set times no matter what, not to wait as it is tricky to get under control. I would ring your team straight away as there are stronger drugs you can take. Are you still on the steroids? As much as they mess with your sleep, they also help stop the nausea. Your team will do everything they can to help you and keep you well, please don’t wait until your next round to let them know. 

I'm allergic to malolon or Emexlon, same drug...and I use ondansetron. This is a wafer which dissolves under the tongue and I find very effective with nausea. One of the tricks is to take it before you are actually feeling sick, but the negative with the wafers, is they constipate me +++ so I have to take sennacot at the same time to offset that.