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  • Writer's pictureDani Gruzelier

Needles, needles, and more needles.

Since starting this process I have been stabbed with 12-15 needles and its been 3 weeks.

I am already sick of it. All of these needs are important though. Two of my most important needles are my hormone suppressor and my white blood cell booster.


The hormone suppressor is used to protect my reproductive system during chemo. The symptoms are:

  • Lower sex drive

  • Hot flashes

  • Sweating

  • Racing heart

  • Headaches

  • Vaginal dryness and soreness

  • Painful sex

  • Trouble sleeping

I have experienced all of these to varying degrees. All and all I'm a menopausal woman at 26. These will continue through my chemo process but once we are done I will stop taking the injection and my ovaries will come back to life, hopefully with fertility in hand - let's handle one heart break at a time though.


The White Blood Cell booster is given to me two days after chemo. This is to boost my white blood cell count, which in turn helps your immune system to recover after being poisoned. This is awful. I get severe shooting pains up my back when i get up and down. It also makes me extremely volatile the night I take it. My white blood cell count has been great over this first chemo period so thats a plus.


Then there is the thousands of blood tests and the lure for the transfusion that has left me looking like a hard-core junkie. These are necessary to monitor my body throughout chemo so we can be alerted if there are any problems. ie. The platelet count when I had to get the transfusion. After the transfusion my platelet count went from under 10 to 26 and then two days later it went up to 67, so I responded super well to that. So grateful for the donor blood I received.


Phlebotomists are always surprised when I get blood tests. I get quite panicky and I find they really hurt. They are confused because when they pull up my sleeves they uncover all the tattoos I have (for those of you reading who have tattoos can confirm that jabs are VERY different to tattoos).


I am definitely getting more brave but I am looking forward to less needles in my future. I could never be an addict.



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