Everything you need to know to prepare for chemo with Rachel Clifton

Just hearing the words ‘you need chemotherapy’ can turn your world upside down. I hated telling my patients they needed it, and when I found I out I would have it myself, I felt lost.Would my hair fall out? How bad would it be? Would it work? How would I cope? Add to that the other drugs we give patients - targeted therapies and immunotherapy - it can feel like treatment never ends. That’s when you need someone in your pocket you can call for help, and on this episode we have Rachel Clifton, a Macmillan Breast Oncology Nurse Specialist. I worked with her when I was a consultant at Ipswich and I knew she was the one to answer all your questions. Not only is Rachel an incredible nurse, but she’s passionate about raising the profile of metastatic breast cancer, with the ‘Secondary. Not Second Rate’ campaign. But there’s more - she’s even been a nurse advisor for Holby City.
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Rachel’s go to sources are Breast Cancer Now, which has useful information about chemo here (breastcancerno...) , and Macmillan, whose chemo pages for breast cancer are here (www.macmillan....)
She also mentioned the amazing Cancer Hair Care - who will be on the show next week! But if you can’t wait their website is here (www.cancerhair...) .
The Cancer Care Map can also signpost you to support services near you - see their website here (www.cancercare...)
My amazing podcast poet is Donna Ashworth and you heard a poem from her new book ‘Wild Hope - available now in all online bookstores. You can find out more about Donna on her website (donnaashworth.com) , or follow her on Instagram ( / donnaashworthwords ) and Facebook (www.facebook.c...)
If you’ve got a question for the show, then please get in touch online or send me a voice note.
You can find me on social media - Instagram ( / oriordanliz ) , Twitter ( / liz_oriordan ) and Facebook (www.facebook.c...) , or e-mail me at [e-mail] .
If you’ve got a question for season two, then please get in touch online or send me a voice note.
You can find me on social media - Instagram ( / oriordanliz ) , Twitter ( / liz_oriordan ) and Facebook (www.facebook.c...) , or e-mail me at [e-mail] .
You can also watch this episode! Head to my TH-cam channel @DrLizORiordan ( / @drlizoriordan ) to see this season’s episodes as they are released and lots of other useful videos full of reliable information.
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Another place to find out more about breast cancer is my book ‘The Complete Guide to Breast Cancer: How to Feel Empowered and Take Control’. And if you’re nosey and want to find out more about my life, my memoir ‘Under The Knife’ - is also available in all good bookshops.
Finally, if you loved the show and want to help other women like you find it, you can leave a 5-star review wherever you get your podcasts, or you can show your support to help keep the show going and buy me a coffee here (www.buymeacoff...) .

[@cliodhnaloughnane2716]

Great advice thank you -Wish I had heard all of this before I started chemo. I'm having my last chemo session this Friday (hopefully my last ever!). I have to say it really hasn't been too bad compared to what I was expecting. Definitely don't suffer in silence tell the nurses about your symptoms they have many tricks up their sleeves to help. Thanks again ladies. Best wishes to everyone watching this x

[@marieh442]

Thanks for a very informative podcast! I've heard that the antihistamine loratadine (Claritin) or cetirizine (Zyrtec) can help with bone pain from chemo. Is this true? I've heard american cancer patients referring to a night and day experience after taking them during chemo.

[@cassieoz1702]

I tolerated my original, post surgery chemo pretty well (9.5 years ago). I'm looking down the barrel of palliative chemo now but the cancer has devolved and is triple negative, so I'm expecting it to be a bit more unpleasant this time around. C'est la vie

[@CalmerSelfCoach]

Thanks for such a great interview.
....and thanks for answeing my question... magnesium and sage tea for me 🙂
Nadine