Australian Sisters
Comments
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Oh Kylie - you have had your share of bad luck. Remember that saying what doesn't destroy us makes us stronger. You've been through so much already and that will help you through this. Your daughter is so right.
Make sure you get all the meds you will need to get you through after the first treatment - this includes lots of anti nausea meds. I was never sick on FEC - felt queasy a few times, but never actually threw up. They should give you tablets called Emend to take home. You take one just before chemo starts and then another one the next morning and another one on the second morning - Emend is great! You should also get some other anti nausea meds like Ondansetron and Dexamethasone. You may get Maxalon as well. Make sure you take all the tablets you are given, even if you don't think you need them. It's easier to stop the nausea from starting than trying to stop it once it's started. Make sure you have enough anti nausea meds for at least a week. Some of them will only be for a couple of days, but you should have plenty of at least one of them.
I found that I was fine for a few days after treatment on FEC and usually my bad days were 4 and 5 - but you'll find your own rythmn.I hope Saturday goes really well for you.
Will be thinking of you tomorrow too - what time is your treatment?
Trish
xoxo
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Kylie, how nice of your daughter to bring forward her wedding. So you are as well as possible on the day I suggest get as much sleep and rest as possible in the days beforehand.
Also, in addition to the advice that Trish has given, drink lots of water and eat small amounts every couple of hours to ward off nausea. Ginger and ginger tea are also good.
And take Senokot from the day of chemo to prevent constipation.
There are plenty of chemo discussions and info on this site. There should be a topic for Feb 2012.0 -
Yes - thanks Racy - I forgot about the water. I was drinking around 4 litres a day on chemo.
With regards to the Senokot though - not everyone gets constipated - I was the exact opposite and if I'd taken Senecot I would have been in even more trouble. Wait on the Senecot - if you haven't "gone" for a day or two (no more) then try to Senacot.
One of the other things that I found I could tolerate really well and seemed to help (believe it or not) was Jelly Beans. I would have those all through the day. They tasted ok and helped keep my glucose levels up.
You may find that certain foods will taste pretty horrible, make sure you avoid them - even if they are your favourites. If you persist with trying to eat - or drink - something you like you'll develop an aversion to it. I love my tea, but couldn't drink a cup for the first week of treatment. Same went with coffee (although I'm not addicted to it I like a cup occasionally) I drank green tea, and now can't bear the thought of it lol
Trish
xoxo
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Trish, I hope you can reacquire your taste for green tea. You know how good it is for us. I have severeal cups a day.
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Just wondering is anyone attending the BCNA forum in Adelaide on Friday?
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I didn't realise it was on - but no - can't afford time off work and airfares etc etc at the moment lol
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Racy - I asked the hairdresser about straightening treatments and she recommended Brazilian Cacau as my hair is bleached (streaked) and she thinks the regular straightening treatment would be too damaging. She uses this Cacau stuff herself. It won't totally straighten it but will remove the frizz and I don't want it to be totally straight anyway. So I'm thinking of trying it - just did a google to see what people said - not bad.
How long since you finished chemo? I hope your hair hasn't been damaged by the chemicals.
Sue
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Sue, my hair is very soft. I started a thread about straightening and a hairdresser posted there about a Brazillian treatment, so you can read what she said. She recommended it.
I had heard bad things about a Brazillian product containing formaldahyde but that may not be the same product that has been recommended to you.
Good luck with it.0 -
Racy - they withdrew that product from sale some time ago according to my hairdresser - this one is different.
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Racy - your normal hair might never come back, but I do know some whose did. I'll be 2 years PFC next month and it has only got worse with this humidity. I've decided to get it done. I posted on your thread as it may help someone else.
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Sue, I have assumed that my normal hair will return. I am interested in others' experiences so I know what to expect as I am currently planning for a straight hairstyle. I will start a thread about it.
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Having had a wave in my hair before - but definitely not curly - I guess I've been unlucky BUT I have hair - that's the most important thing.
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Girls - I need your advice. Been looking at Wotif and they have a mystery deal for $99 pn - free continental breakfast, shared kitchen facilities, free internet - newly refurbished in the CBD.
Well, I did some searching and think I have figured out which hotel it is :
http://www.adabcohotel.com.au/
It must be the one on Wotif for the mystery deal. When you choose the mystery deal, it gives you more details like "shared kitchen facilities" - I bet no other CBD hotel has that feature. It also says "Adelaide's newset hotel in the CBD" and that matches with the description for the Adabco.
Wotif have another deal for this hotel at $123pn - so doing the 99pn will save me over 200. Shall I book it?
It's in Wakefield St and not too far from the tram and markets etc - also on the same street to catch the bus to Annie's.
I'm a big chicken, so I need your support to go for it - Steve said to do it.
WHAT SHALL I DO????? I really can't afford the Hilton for 9 nights.
HELP!!!!
Sue
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The free bus passes the hotel too
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Chances are it is the one you think it is. Check the cancellation policy. If you are happy with it and want to stay in town, then I don't think it should be a problem to book it.
The other affordable option may be somewhere out of the city on the way to your daughter's.0 -
You can't cancel it unfortunately. I've checked, there aren't any motels near her place that I can find.
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When you book the mystery places, when do you find out the location? If it's straight away, maybe book a night to check that it is the one you think it is, then book the remaining nights.
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Good idea!!! But then you'd pay the credit charge twice. You do find out when you book. I did more checking - even the description of on street parking is the same. The reviews are good.
You're a genius Racy
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I might do it tomorrow night or in the morning - it's so far out, I'm sure it will still be available.
Time for bed - sleep tight
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It sounds fine on the website. Probably best to be in town as you may have free time away from your daughter.
Let us know when you have your hair treatment.0 -
Went to hospital for an unscheduled blood test this morning. I woke feeling like the air was thin on oxygen - not too bad but not good. Chemo suite nurse said to come in... Did the bloods and only took 45mins for the results.
Slightly low haem but not enough to do anything. Very low white cells and neutrophils (1.4 and 0.81 respectively) and flying high liver function tests (GGT up in the 180s when it should be below about 45!). So I picked up my computer from work and will work from home for the rest of the week.
I'm ok with the WBC levels, but am really worried by the liver function ones :-( Anyone else exoerienced raised liver levels along the way?
Jenn0 -
Hi Jenn, sorry to hear that mate. I dont really recall all the different levels but I know a lot of mine fluctuated madly throughout the course of chemo, cholesterol I think was my main concern.
If no one else here has an answer, you might have to just take confidence that if the high liver results are of concern to the professionals, they would have asked for more tests or would have kept you in to see the Oncologist and be doing some form of treatment. I highly doubt they would have let you just leave if they were concerned with the results.
Hope your breathing better now?
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Jenn, you did the right thing by going to the hospital when you weren't feeling well. I hope a doctor reviewed your case in addition to the nurse doing so.
I did have slightly abnormal AST and ALT levels during chemo and it can be a side effect, but I admit mine were not as high as yours; they were less than 100.
I agree with Lyndal that they should not have let you leave hospital if it was a great concern. At the same time I understand why you would be worried.
If you weren't given an explanation, you could either call your onc or call the doctor who supervised your care at the hospital today.
There are some threads about high liver numbers that you can read.0 -
My ALTs was also sky high at one time due to liver injury. The onco believed it is due to the TCM herbs that I was taking as supplement. I had to stop the TCM supplements. Please check and see if perhaps the chemo is "clashing" with some of your supplements which may result in your liver being overworked.
As the human liver is a very strong organ, it took me 3 months to recover and I continued with chemo during this time.
Hope this helps.
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Thanks Cheery, Racy and Lyndal,
I only take calcium and vit D each day and those are because I'm on a clinical trial that requires them.
I go back next Wednesday for bloods prior my next tx on the Thursday. I also see my onc next Thursday so am sure it will be discussed then!
Jenn0 -
Jenn - sorry to hear you aren't well, I was worrying about you and Kate as you hadn't posted.
The whole Mystery Hotel deal became a moot point since I spoke to Annie - her bus doesn't come down Wakefield street but down King William. Back to searching.....
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Cant Annie suggest a place to stay Susie?
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No, I asked her if there are any motels near her and there aren't. I'd love to stay at the Hilton because I love the markets but it would cost me 1,500 odd. I now have the bus route map, so will look for somewhere convenient to the bus stops.
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Jenn sorry to hear you haven't been well.
I can't comment on the liver function - I don't recall that was ever an issue with me - it was never mentioned so I assume it was all fine. My WBC count was always low - and came down close to the point where it would have had to have been dealt with, but never did. I think I was lucky.
Hopefully when you go back in next week for bloods they'll have improved.
Hope you are going ok Kate? You will have another treatment tomorrow?
Kylie - how are you going? How did your treatment yesterday go?
Trishxoxo
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YAY - my WBC has behaved itself so I am set for #2 tomorrow morning. Funny to be so excited about it, but I just want to keep moving forward with the regime, and not stop/start.
All's good with me. I have been having worsening diorreah this past week, had a few near accidents but I think it's odd that it's more pronounced than earlier. Gosh, you really just never know what your body is going to get up to next - or when.
Hope everyone is doing really well.
xx
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