I start my second chemo tomorrow and have been told I can’t have epiribucin again (once in a lifetime treatment I’m told).
I thought my oncologist said there was an alternative, but seems I only get the docetaxel and cyclophosphamide.
Any information on (same) 2nd cancer chemo drugs would be helpful.
Thank You, TintoX
Tinro
Thats interesting. I start FEC on Fri and, as far as I can tell, its flurorourcil, epirubicn and cyclophosphamide each time for 3 cycles. Maybe it differs in certain hospitals (Im at the Marsden)
Julia xx
Well hello girls…just catching up on your posts. Been away in Blackpool for the weekend…it was wet and windy…but we did the tower…the pleasure beach theme park…the lights and the beach…the girls really enjoyed it and it was so nice to have some fun with them and forget about all this! So feeling good at the moment but my appt with my consultant pre chemo tomorrow so Im sure Ill be bought back down to earth with a bump!
Reemie are you feeling any better for your weekend away? Hope so hun!
Jayney Ive had to have those injections since my first chemo and I must say they really havent affected me too much…other than making me a bit achy…isnt it strange how the same thing affects people so differently! Altho Im with you on the spots…Ive been like a teenager since starting the chemo…and they told me it was the steroids! My skin is terrible…just what you need when your feeling so rough…have no hair and next step is a mx…attractive not !
Ha anyways yes it is my last chemo on Fri…whoo hoo !!! Am dying to get it out of the way but dreading it at the same time cos of how ill the last two have made me (and I still havent shook off this chesty cough!) Well done to me, you and Lulu eh ! Whats next for you guys then?? Im sure for me there will be more scans…more waiting for results (the worst ever) and then surgery and rads…ugh…still nothing can be as worse as the chemo so bring it on!!
Becks hope your recovering well from your op…lots of cyber hugs coming your way (((((( )))))
Al how you doing now? Have you come out from under your duvet yet? Hope all your aches and pains are easing off and your coming out the other side!! At least thats another one out of the way !
Caro…She…Nicki…and all your other girls…hope your all doing well. Lots of love xxxx
hi, just to say that you are slightly ahead of me. I go for my 2nd to last chemo a week wednesday, then surgery soon after. Do you have a date for surgery yet? Has chemo shrunk your lump much?
good luck with he last cycle!
yay nearly there
take care
anna
Ahh thanks Anna! Cant really answer your questions at the moment. Im hoping that they’ll give me 2 weeks to get over my last chemo and then do the surgery…so thatll be early Dec…but Ill have to wait and see.
Then I’ve not had any scans since the chemo started so I dont know if the chemo has shrunk the tumor…I imagine Ill be sent for more scans after the chemo to find out…fingers toes and everything crossed eh!
Glad to hear the end of chemo is near for you too! Ive been told the surgery is a walk in the park compared to the chemo…surely it cant be any worse!
Keep smiling xxx
Hi, i am due to see surgeon on 10th dec, the oncologist had said surgery 3 weeks after to allow immune system to recover after last chemo. I havent had any scans either, but mine doesnt feel much difference in size, but then it can apparently stay the same size and be dead cancer.
It will be nice though wont it after all this time to get it removed, in a strange way i am looking forward to that, im sure i will be more nervous at the time though.
everything crossed for you and i hope it goes well for you
take care
anna
hi tinto… i was on epi-cmf and had 4 lots of epi so def not a once in a lifetime drug the most common schedules for breast ca are epi-cmf, fec and fec-t which all involve between 3 to 8 doses of epirubicin… i think maybe you will need to discuss it further with your onc or bcn.
sal glad you had an enjoyable weekend… good luck with your last chemo and you onc appt and that all your scans show good news. i had surgery first just a WLE so next for me is rads… i have a final onc appt on 30th nov then rads planning and tattooing on the 8th of dec and rads start on the 10th… so wont be long till its all over for me.
good luck for you too anna… soon be all over for us all and we can get back on with enjoying our lives.
love to all xxxxxxxxx
Hi,Lulu you have done soo well …i am half way true my rads…no10 today so it is nice to think soon will be over…how many rads you are having?..all the best Christina
Hi all
We are nearly there … good luck for Friday sal - thinkin of you. Your weekend sounds lovely and just what you needed. I bet it was great fun. Blackpool is great in winter, all that sea air!I just keep thinkin that if this last one is really toxic and I get all the horrid spots again, it won’t be for long. ONC has reduced my steroid dose to 2 tabs on the day of chemo, so gone from 8 tabs to 2 to see if that makes a differnce - we’ll see!
Al - are you still hibernating - hope you are feelin a little better.
Anna - keep going, not long for you either. My next step is surgery to remove remaining lymph nodes, pencilled in for 18th Dec depending on bloods. Like Sal, I am a Herceptin girl, so will be back and to to hosp for another year :(. Have done my first one and have 17 to go.
Tinto - I will have had 4 x FEC and 4 x TAX by the time I have finished, so not a once in a lifetime treatment!
Lulu - hope you’re ok honi - last one for you next week too!
Have a good week girls!
x
well ladies i am home!
i woke up from anaesthetic trying to fight with the staff cos i was in so much pain!!! (my hubby thinks that is hilarious. yeah right love, you aren’t the one with two beach balls (it feels like) stretching your chest muscles!!!..)
honestly i am so glad it’s over. i’m in quite a lot of discomfort, think that is due to the implants. surgeon said he put a bit more fluid in them than expected as my muscles looked healthy. cheers mate…
so here i am hubby playing nurse (and mum to little one) and i am resting on the sofa. hopefully i’ll be a bit more like my normal self soon.
sorry to hear you all seem to be having mostly a crappy time. nearly there now.
jayney, i had excruciting pain from GCSF jabs in my long bones and shoulders on one cycle only. (i had them for 4 cycles - weird). maybe you won’t get them again like me?
anyway just a quickie to let you all know i’m ok!
love to you all…
Becky, so pleased you are home! Been thinkin of you. Rest up now and take your time… I hope you are not in too much pain, keep taking the drugs!
I am hoping that I won’t have to have the jab this time as this is my last chemo and I think they gave it me as a precaution as bloods have always been good.
Take care of yourself…
love to all
x
becky great to hear you have got through your op and are home… just take it easy now and let your OH do his nursey bit.
kris im getting 25 rads… 20 normal plus 5 boosters.
sal good luck today.
Lxx
Welcome home Becky! Glad you survived the op ok and are on the mend. I heard those implants can be extremely painful, which is one of the reasons I decided against recon!
Sal, hope your last chemo goes ok today and that the SEs aren’t too awful.
Jayney, good luck for your last one on Monday; whoop! I’ve got my 5th FEC on Mon, dreading it.
Lulu, you’re up early (or is it late?)! Hope you ok hon.
Love to everyone. xxx
Thanks Caro, hope No 5 goes well for you - you are nearly there now and can see the finish line!
Sal, hope your last one ok and you’re resting up.
Lulu, hope your last one trouble free!
Anna - good luck to you too this week.
Surgery booked in for 18th Dec to remove remaining lymph nodes, will be in for 4 days! Great xmas eh!
Becky, hope you are recovering after your surgery and taking thinks easy.
Al/Reemie - hope you are ok.
Love to all of you
xx
Hey Jayney, you will be back out before you know it, maybe sooner for good behaviour? Also at least it will be out of the way for the new year!
take care
anna
lol caro… i was up late…even later than usual… some nights i just cant sleep.
jayney be nice chrismas pressie to get out of hossie… 4 days seems quite long time mind you for lymph nodes i know quite a few who got out the same or next day after a clearance… so hope all goes well and you get out nice and quick.
now only 4 days till last chemo yeehah!
love to all
lulu xx
Well girls I did it…last chemo is out of the way! Have been in bed since having it on Fri though…tiredness like you wudnt believe…sickness and dreadful nausea!! Ugh! Just keep reminding myself that its the last one and Ive just got to get through this next week…its hard being out of action for a week though…especially with the girls being so lively!! Bless them!
Becky…hows the recovery? Are you happy with your ‘beach balls’? Ha ha Hope your taking it easy and are getting on ok. (((((( )))))
Jayney…well done…you done it too !!! Chemo ? What Chemo? Hope the side affects aren’t too bad! My skin is awful and Ive got to start the injections today…but hey ho…last time eh! I must say I was only in hospital one night after having my lymph nodes removed and recovery was really quick…so fingers crossed for you hun xx
Lulu…the countdown is on…final one is insight! Hope your doing well xx
Caro, Al, Reemie, Anna…how are you all doing? Hope your all ok !
Love and Hugs xxxx
hello sal! yey well done… chemo done and dusted! it’s a good feeling isn’t it! yes, recovery is going well. getting dressings off this morning so will have first peak of nippleless me! the implants have been uncomfortable tho… only small but really feel like beach balls. i’m dreading the next inflation of my blow up boobs LOL!
hello to all… lulu you must have had/ having your last too?
big hugs. xxx
Congratulations Sal; you did it!!! Well done hon, hope you’ve got something major planned to celebrate once you’re feeling ok.
Jayney, congratulations to you too!! How was it hon?? Hope you’re feeling ok and that the SEs aren’t too bad, oh well it’s the last time so you can get through anything! At least you’ll have a good reason for making your hubby do all the christmas cooking.
Lulu, good luck to you for your last one this week. I’m so envious of you all!!
Glad you’re doing ok Becky. Bet the boobs look fab!
I had my 5th FEC yesterday and tbh it was a truly traumatic experience, but then I am quite a whimp 
Felt tearful even before I got there, then the first attempt at cannulation failed and it was so painful so that had me in tears. Then I was in SO much pain whilst the drugs were being administered, I just kept sobbing, what a baby! THe poor nurse pulled the curtain round and didn’t know what to do. The next thing I know my consultant onc is by my side holding my hand! Bless him. Then I felt so so nauseous all day/eve, on the verge of throwing up, hardly ate at all. It was so bad I was even considering not having my last FEC… We’ll see how it goes.
CAro xxx
Ahh Caro just wanted to send you a big hug ((((( ))))
Yesterday sounded awful for you!!! No wonder you were upset!! I must admitt these last 2 lots have really knocked me about. Everyone warned me that the chemo is accumlative and that each one will have more of an impact on me…but nothing prepared me for the tiredness…the constant nausea and sickness that Ive had! With this one and the last one I had to clear my diary and take to my bed for at least a week after !! Its a vicious circle…I havent been able to eat cos of the nausea and even beenthrowing up after drinking water…then I feel really weak cos Ive got nothing inside me!
It doesnt help but your not on your own! No matter how bad it is you will be back on your feet in a weeks time and only have one more to go! Look how far you have come…your one strong lady and the finish line is in view for you! You can do it hun! Just take these awful days a day at a time and do what you have to to get through it…Ive tried sleepin my way through most of them.
Just think of the celebration you can have not to mention the fab holiday you can treat yourself too at the end of all this!
Take care hun. Lots of love xxxxxx