Hi ladies
Anne, I have come home after my first tax today and I feel brighter than I would have done after the FEC treatments, maybe tomorrow will be different. The nurses said I may feel achey. I have to spend all day tomorrow back at the hospital as I start my first herceptin, the ECG went well and I scored 84% so I am hoping this means my heart won’t be affected too much.
I’ll let you know tomorrow how I am feeling!
TTFN
Caroline x
Well ladies no problems what so ever. No woosieness like I had to FEC. I just had a very flushed/blushed face this morning. No naseau nothing!! Now I have a question how long do I need to keep the yucky purple nail varnish on? To save my nails? Any ideas?
Good luck everyone for the next few days on your Tax. xxx
Vanessa
Hi
Caroline and Vanessa - good to hear from you and that you are both feeling well. Hope it stays like that. Will keep checking posts to see how things are going.
Caroline - good luck with your herceptin tomorrow - your heart scan sounds great (not that I really understand as her2 neg).
Sorry can not answer your question re nail vanish - but will be interested in the answers.
Hope everyone else is well.
Take Care, Love
Anne x
Hi Anne
hope all goes as well today as Vanessa and Carolines. Good to hear positive news so far about tax.
RE the nail varnish is it recommended for the whole duration or just a few days after tax ??
love
cally
Hi everyone
Well as Caroline and Vanessa have already said actually feel ok better than fec. Long may it last. Consultant Onc reminded me today about all the nast side effects - how lovely and what to look forward to. Said I might need to start GCSF if my blood counts do not recover - will have to wait and see.
Hope everyone is ok and all organised for christmas.
Speak soon, Take care,
Love
Anne x
I finished 4xFEC and 4xTax on 1 November. Neither made me feel sick, but I did find the Taxotere was harder. After the 4th It’s taken me ages to feel even half-way normal. My finger and toe nails are terrible! I always had long strong nails before. It’s as if the white tips of my nails have extended all the way down to the cuticle. Horrible. I never painted them, and nobody at the hospital advised me to do so. I have also developed peripheral neuropathy, which has caused numbness to my feet.
My Taxotere was not put in a black cover. I did see other people with black covers over their drips - they weren’t having taxotere - but some other chemo.
Good luck to anyone starting it…and a HAPPY CHRISTMAS to all!
Hugs
xxx
Hi everyone
Still feeling ok -seems strange - mouth is a bit yuk but nothing like the fec - no sickness - long may it contine. Have antibiotics to take from day 5 just in case and have been warned may need GCSF if my bloods do not recover - will have to see. Given strict instructions if I feel at all funny and have a temp must go straight to local hospital - hope that does not happen. Cons Onc said side effects will start day 5 - xmas day - something to look forward to.
Hope everyone has a lovely xmas.
Take Care, Love
Anne x
Hi Anne
Glad 1st tax is going well for you, hopefully it will stay that way and you enjoy xmas. Let us know how you get on. I have my 1st tax 27th dec, what joy!!
Best wishes to all other ‘1st taxers’!
Anne, was wondering what antibiotics have they given you?
Merry Christmas to all,
Lots of love, A xxx
Hi Andrea
Have to take ciprofloxacillin from day 5 until day 10 twice a day. Apparently should help with my blood counts. Onc told me not to obe suprised if I needed admitting to hospital. Hope not. Also had to take dex 8 mg twice a day starting day before chemo for 3 days. Was told if forgot to take it would not get tax - apparently it helps stop the fluid retention. Have not been feeling sick - mouth a bit yuk but nothing like fec but all food tastes yuk. Oh well perhaps I will lose some of the weight I have gained through all this. At least hopefully all the little buggers will be blitzed after this.
Good Luck for the 27th - will keep you update.
Vanessa and Caroline - how are you
Merry Christmas to everyone
Lots of love, take care
Anne x
hi all, i start 1st of 3 tax 2nd jan then herceptin next day (3rd) so like everyone else im very nervous ( had 3rd fec 6th dec) and ive not been on here for a while as ive been feeling down for a while and just wanted not to think or read about “breast cancer” although reading this thread about tax has bucked me up a bit as it sounds as if its not been quite as bad for some
CASBAS how have you done with your herceptin (is it for a year like me) hope you are ok, sounds as if we are having same treatment are you also having rads im having 5wks
merry xmas to all and roll on spring!!! MIZZY****
Anne,
Sounds like they are taking good care of you. Hope all goes well, keep in touch.
Mizzy, glad to hear you are feeling a bit better. Keep in touch and we’ll all hold each other’s hands thru this. I agree…roll on spring
Lots of love, A xx
Hi all
I am sorry I haven’t kept you up to date but my first positive feelings about the taxotere have not lasted.
I had my treatment on Wednesday followed by Herceptin on Thursday and due to having a sick husband at home with a chest infection I have not stopped (two small children to look after). Yesterday and today I have been feeling absolutely lousy and miserable. I have a sore mouth, nails, aching muscles a hacking cough (could be due to the children having a cough) and my joints complain everytime I move. This is actually worse than the FEC but it could be because of end of term and I have no peace and quiet at home to recover.
Today my hubby has had to look after me and the littlies as I am absolutely wiped out.
Sorry I hoped this would be better. The worst of it is today is xmas eve and I cannot summon up enough enthusiasm to be excited for my children (I really hope they have not noticed although my eldest (6) told me not to be sorry for feeling poorly, love her)
Mizzy-the Herceptin will go on for at least 14 treatments but I was told I can have them at home after my surgery (date yet to be confirmed). I have a scan in the New Year to see if there are any results with the size of the tumour (fingers crossed).
Anne-I really hope you are well with your taxotere and taking it easy.
I wish you all a lovely day tomorrow…
Love
Caroline x
Hi Caroline
I know exactly how you feel - felt ok day after tax and a bit off sunday but yesterday and today yuk. Also have a hacking cough - think I could name every bone in my body as I can feel them all - feel like I have been hit by a truck. Have no energy and also no enthusiasm - my two are 5 and 3 so hoping they do not notice. Have no nausea but food tastes yuk - on fec felt nausea but fooded tasted ok - even chocolate is yuk - perhaps I will lose weight!!!
Tried taking it easy - easier said than done but on the positive side - only 2 more to go. Had to start my antibiotics today so hopefully cough will get better soon.
Hope everyone else feeing well. Merry Christmas
Take Care, Love
Anne x
Hi All,
Hope you started to feel better after your Tax and managed to enjoy Christmas day with your families.
I am dreading my first Tax (mid Jan) as I still go to work on my good weeks, this has helped me ‘keep sane’ and reminds me that there is more in my life just now, rather than chem for my breast cancer.
Anne and Caroline, I am on herceptin for a year as well, that is if my scan is OK!!! Fingers crossed. It should be as always been fairly active and still fairly young.
Hope you all had a merry Christmas, I have just sneaked up stairs for a few minutes peace and quiet, opps I have been missed, son yelling up the stairs…MUM
Bye for now
Jackie xxxx
Hi everyone
I’ve just read your comments with interest. I had my first Tax on 18th December (I’ve already had 4 EC). For a couple of days I felt very positive, starting planning home improvements for 2008, got dressed!, walked around to get my neulasta (GCSF) injection and even had a friend around for coffee. The injections make me ache in the chest bone and pelvic bones, but are worth it to keep my immunity up. Unfortunately my family has had a virus so I think i caught their sore throat. And ached just about everywhere! I started to feel worse from then on which is the opposite to what happens on EC. On the doctors advice I took the antibiotics a couple of days early but have had to really watch my temperature. I can still feel that the glands are up around my neck and wondered if anyone else had this side-effect?
I was told to paint nails, but the nurse said I wouldn’t see changes until after to 2nd dose or possibly 3rd dose.
My onc told me to do as little as possible over Christmas and I laughed, asking him to put that in writing - he did!
It’s now 8 days since treatment and the haze has lifted, I don’t have much energy but feel I’ve turned a corner and things are improving. The best thing is - I’m now over half-way there! Yippee!!!
wishing you all a peaceful New Year
I have just finished my Chemotherapy, thankfully. I had 3 AC followed by 4 Taxotere. I know everyone re-acts differently but after my first Tax I felt like I had gone 12 rounds with Mike Tyson, I had an awful sore throat and mouth, my lips were raw and everyone bone, muscle and sinew seemed to ache, the glands in my neck were also up. But, the 2nd Tax was a lot easier I just seemed to get the aching joints and muscles, the 3rd was like a walk in the park and my last (which I had on Friday 21st Dec) has been fine, just a few minor aches and a mildly tender tongue. Hopefully, this will be the case for all of you - the side effects lessening with each dose.
I must add my nails are feeling a bit sorry for themselves, and my hands and feet tingle a little, but this should all correct itself in time.
Good wishes to you all for 2008, I have had so much support from the lovely ladies on this forum since I was diagnosed in August - you are truly a wonderful bunch!!
Love,
Tracy xxx
Hi Everyone
Good to hear from you. Thanks Tracey for your comments - hope it is the same for me. Feel a bit better today - although think I am not too good on codeine (onc prescribed for aches - took 2 tabs this am and felt really light headed and odd!!). Have to learn to take it easy and rest - easier said then done - bit only two left.
Caroline and vanessa - how are you feeling.
Andrea - Good Luck for tomorrow
Louisa - Is your 1st tax soon.
The good thing about us all starting tax - is the end is getting nearer. Could do with some normality and get back to work.
Please take care, love
anne x
Hi Anne,
Glad you are feeling a bit better, and thanks for your best wishes.
A question…did they protect the tax from sunlight when it was administered?
Thanks, A
Hi Andrea
Hope you receive this before you go today. No my tax was not protected from sunlight - mind you it is the middle of winter and there was not much natural light in the room Ihave my chemo. All fluroscent(? sp) tubes.
Good Luck today - you will be pleased to hear feel much better today nearly back to normal. So felt unwell for about 3 to 4 days 3 days after tax.
Take care, Love
Anne x
Hi Tracey- thanks for your comments, it gives me some hope for the future doses. Where you able to carry on life as normal between the doses? I’m hoping to work on my ‘good’ weeks.
Good luck for today Andrea
take care everyone else
love
Pauline