Well I have now been six weeks on my clinical trial at a well known Oncology hospital in London. They have taken me under their wing and the care and tests they do to ensure your health is not too greatly affected by the chemo is comforting. The journey has not been easy, but this is all new for the team we are taking part in so you have to give and take to begin with.
I have lots of blood tests so that they can see how the drugs work on my blood and my situation being of breast cancer with secondary of my bones being mainly my spine and liver and lungs too which had to be progressive enough for them to trial the drug on me to get the results they were after.
Its very regimented in what you can or cannot do. Like you cannot eat anything 2 hours before you take your chemo or an hour afterwards. That can prove a little trying at times but one soon gets use it. Also you cant enjoy Seville oranges or grapefruit which is tough as I love oranges but they are a small price to pay if the meds work.
I have lost weight as the cancer and the chemo has affected that and as a result I have gone from 82.4k down to 69.5k. Now all the size 16 clothes I had, have become quite loose so I am heading back towards a size 14, not good as I have no space on the boat where I live with my husband to have an area for two lots of sized clothes.
The main side effects I have had to cope with are and apologies for being crude but such is life and what cancer does to the body!!
Diarrhoea
Feeling Nauseous and vomiting
Dry mouth and sore dry lips
Sore mouth
Sores and dry skin around my cuticles which are painful
Dry skin generally appearing on my skin
So am lucky really unlike some other patients. None of the above is pleasant to endure. Its not good when you find yourself attached to the toilet for most of a day, not very appealing but this is one of the things that most cancer patients have to endure on a daily basis. Lisa Lynch from “The C Word” which was made into a series, showed this in her story which was true and I often think of her and the book and what she went through.
I have had a CT scan my first since the trial began and so far my tumors are holding and the next CT scan will be the real test of if the chemo is really working or not.
I just wanted to share this in case anyone else out there is on a trial and is suffering any of the above as I am because you are not alone and so long as you tell your medical team how are doing, then all will be fine, honestly.
Good luck to all of you out there on trials, keep the faith and kick that cancer into touch.
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