About to Start TAC Chemotherapy and Feeling Nervous!

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Hi my name’s Erin,

I’m 24 and due to start TAC chemotherapy in a couple of days and after seeing my Oncologist today I’m feeling apprehensive about what I’m going to go through.

Has anyone got any experiences with TAC or any experiences that might help.

I cannot wait to start the treatment so that I can get better and go back to work but I don’t know anyone my age that has been through this and could do knowing that other people have been through the emotional rollercoaster that I have and people that are my age (because I never thought it would happen to me!) and understand how lonely it can be.

Any advice or previous experiences I’d really appreciate!

It would be nice not to hear “i know someone who went through it” and to actually hear from people that have!!!

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Hi ErinG

Welcome to the Breast Cancer Care forums. I am sure you will get lots of help and advice from the many informed users of this site.

You may find BCC’s resource pack helpful, it has been designed for those newly diagnosed. The pack is free of charge as are all our publications. If you would like a copy just follow the link below:
breastcancercare.org.uk//content.php?page_id=7514

You may also find it useful to post under the ‘younger womens’ category as you are more likely to receive replies from women your age here.

I hope you find this helpful.

Kind regards

Sam
BCC Facilitator

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Hi Erin,

So sorry to hear you are going through this. It really must be such a shock at your age! There is another amazing girl on here who is 25 and was diagnosed recently so she is close in age to you. I was 27 when I was diagnosed, I found the lump when I was 26 but it was nearly a year before I was diagnosed! There is quite a common misconception among medics that bc is only an older women’s disease. Is there a family history of bc in your family, I’m just curious as I believe that the reason I didn’t initially get triple assessment was in part because I had no family history.

Anyways, I also had AC chemo with Taxol which is from the same family of chemo drugs as Taxotere which you will have. I can reassure you that it is very manageable. I had 4 x AC every 2 weeks and then 4 x taxol every two weeks. Please ask me any questions about it.

I went to a support group which was only on for 5 weeks when I was first diagnosed. It was great to meet other ladies going through bc but unfortunately the only woman near my age was 36. So it’s great to be on this site, just to meet other women our age.

Best wishes,
teacup x

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Hi Teacup,

I found the lump when I was 23 and I was so so so so shocked! Like any 23 year old I felt invincible and thought that nothing would ever happen to me! Also, there was no family history at all on either side, as far as I’m aware I’m the first case of any form of cancer in my family… I’ve heard just how rare it is to be so young and have no family history and my cancer is triple positive and grade 3… then they thought the cancer might have spread and after a terrifying 2 weeks they confirmed that it hasn’t so that I can start treatment.

I was diagnosed very very quickly. My GP got me into the hospital in 2 weeks for a mammogram and after they realised it was cancer they have been very quick to react. My local hospital is meant to be one of the best for breast cancer care in the country so I’ve been unbelievably lucky with that!

I cannot believe it took so long for you to be diagnosed! Did you think it was breast cancer before they would check for you?

I want to start the chemo to get better but I think that I’m worrying about losing control of my life and because I’m not sure how sick I will feel and what I will be able to do. How did you cope with that? My friends and family are worried that I will do too much but I’m fairly stubborn and I know I’ll struggle with not being able to do everything I’m used to.

With your chemo which were the side effects of the treatment that got to you? Were you triple positive?

I’ve seen a couple of support groups but none for younger women and its completely different for an older lady than it is for me. I said to my boyfriend last night that I wanted me in 6 months to talk to! Someone in the same stage of life who has the same concerns (friends and family are great but its difficult if they have’t been there).

Thanks for the support, its nice to hear from someone thats my age

Erin x

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Hi Erin

  • you sound so together, esp for someone so young!

Hope you don’t mind me joining in here - I’m an oldie at 44. It is different as you get older, but a lot of things are the same for me as for you - I’m still fairly new in my relationship (well. 4 years, but even so…!) and I still have insecurities re body image, life expetancy etc… as well as 3 children to manage.

You have probably had your surgery already; I had mastectomy and recon in May - I had widespread high grade DCIS and a 1.1cm grade 3 tumour with lymph node involvement. I started TAC 3 weeks ago - just coming up to my 2nd cycle this week. I’m havein 6X TAC.

I haven’t had huge problems with it, even having 3 highly toxic drugs at the same time.I had steroids for 5 days around the treatment time. The symptoms didn’t really kick in until day 4 when the steroids stopped. Most symptoms have been gastric. I was nauseous but not a lot - took all the tablets they gave me and drank 2-3 litres of water a day. My mouth became coated ( mucous membrane cells dying!) and tender - I used Difflam and Cordysol and was careful brushing my teeth. My bowels seemed to go on strike for about 5 days - not constipated, but just didn’t go - I didn’t take anything and I’m glad I didn’t because when they did start again they went the other way!! I had REALLY severe heartburn, even if I drank water. I took Omaprazole for this and gaviscon in between. You can’t take omaprazole at the same time as gaviscon.

All in all I felt grot for abut a week, but TBH, it wasn’t any where near as bad as I thought it was going to be…

Oh, and the steroids make you buzz and fill you with energy… so I made the most of that for the first 4 days!! Felt starving hungry until day 10.

Hair started falling out on day 10, and now on day 18 it’s nearly all gone. My scalp is tender with this… Pubes all went last week and underarm hair is on its way out… every cloud…!

Good luck

big Love Td xxx

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Hi Td,

Yeah had my operation 7 weeks ago, but luckily because of where the cancer was a only had the lump and the lymph nodes removed, which meant I kept my breast. You were sent for extra tests due to your lymph nodes being involved? I had to have a ct and bone scan because over four of the nodes had cancer.

I cannot believe you have three kids to manage! How old are they? Are they coping with everything?

Well, I’ve been with my boyfriend for a year… actually it was a year yesterday and we spent the day at the hospital and they say romance is dead! The body image is quite difficult as first but i’m just starting to get used to my breast after the op… now will have to deal with the hair loss!

Although, silver lining for certain hair going… I hope my leg hair goes too… all silky and smooth for the summer and no waxing!

Hopefully when I start chemo on friday I can compare some notes with you!

Hope all is going well with you and thanks for telling me how you’re finding your chemo, its made me feel less nervous!

Love Erin xxx

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Hey Erin
Sorry you’ve had to join us here…You’ve made me smile with ur attitude-just like mine (and we’re the babies here) hehe…
I’m Lauren, 25yrs and was dx on 25th April…Gonna be a long one i think…Here goes…
Had mastectomy on 2nd may, right breast, 9/14 lymph nodes involved grade 3 (pretty agressive so i’m told)… Chemo started end of may and have just had no.3- epirubicin/cyclophosphomide at mo and 1 more to go then onto taxotere x 4 …still here??

I have 2 beautiful kiddies…Ellie is 3, Joshua 1 and a wonderful hubby…
Many of the wonderful ladies will laugh at me, or with me as i think i’m superwoman and refuse to be told otherwise. Out food shopping straight after chemo, cleaning house top to bottom, and most recently electricuting myself whilst cutting the grass… So, what i’m trying to say is it’s very do-able and the more positive you are, the stronger ur body will be to fight this.
The ladies here are AMAZING and a great support.
We are also on facebook if u are and it’s great to put faces to the people u speak to… Ul see that with no hair we can still look good and by December 2008 i’ll have all the top hairdressers knowing what to do when someone asks for ‘a lauren’ !!!
Hope ur bearing up ok, look forward to talking more.x.x.x.x.

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To Erin

I am another “oldie” as such, and I know you want to hear from other “youngsters” who are going through the same as you, but I just wanted to wish you all the best for your future treatment and recovery. To be honest I think no matter what age you are it’s still a major shock to the system, and we all see ourselves a certain way, and expect certain things of ourselves, and it’s very hard when this “shitty” disease gets in the way of things. However, I don’t know how I would have coped at your age, you’re just starting out with so many ideas of how you see your life going, and then bang this hits you. I remember being 23, it was the year I met my husband (now divorced, although still really good friends), and I thought I was fabulous ha ha, I probably wasn’t, but I thought I was, so goodness knows how I would have coped if this had happened then. I had bilateral mastectomies and reconstruction three years ago, and body image and confidence just went completely. You think you’re invincible and you feel this can’t be happening to me. So to have this happen at your age is especially hard, it affects all of us in so many different ways. Anyway I know I am waffling, so I’ll go, but I just wanted to wish you all the best for your treatment and I hope you make a speedy recovery.

To Lauren
I totally agree with you about positive attitude, but you’ve also got to look after yourself as well, so take your time occasionally and don’t try to over do things. Your body needs to rest and heal as well. So you be careful and look after yourself. You sound like me when it comes to using garden equipment. I cut through the wire on the hedge trimmer that I borrowed off my sister. Luckily it wasn’t far off the connection point and we managed to get a whole new cable and my brother fixed it and she never knew any difference lol and that was when I was supposed to be recovering.

Good luck girls

Julie xx

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*Hi Lauren… you’re the closest person to my age that I’ve spoken to. Sounds like your cancer is about as aggresive as mine!

You sound so similar to me (stubborn and want to do everything for ourselves!)… my other half said that when I spoke to him! Everyone has been amazingly supportive! I joined here last night because I knew that chemo was going to be a challenge the support so far has been beyond what I expected. I never expected women that I never met to give me so much support.

Ten minutes after arriving in my ward after my operation I climbed (wobbling) into my own clothes demanding that I go for a walk alone… seems stupid now but I wanted to go out and have a walk alone to prove that I was ok!

You’ll have to let me know how to add you on Facebook!

Thanks for the support! Sounds like you have a good support network and you sound as determined as I feel right now.

Hopefully speak to you soon x

* Hi Julie,

Thanks for the kind words… I do understand what you mean that it affects us all in certain ways… have you finished your treatment now I assume?
How did you keep going through the harder times?

Erin xxx

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Hi Erin, Td, Lauren, and Julie,

Sorry for the late reply. To answer one of your questions, I’m not triple negative. But there are other ladies on here that are. I think I have heard that TAC chemo is really effective for triple negatives. Like yourself and Lauren, I had a lot of node involvement, 20/23 positive. I also had a few months where I there was a question mark over a lesion in my liver, thankfully the scan post-chemo showed no signs of it. I think it is quite common for shadows and lesions etc to show up on scans which are totally harmless.

With regards to how I felt and coped with chemo, I think the tiredness was the biggest side effect. It’s crap not having any energy but I was lucky as I was never got very nauseous. On taxol, I had acid reflux, some joint pain, and I also got a rash. My docs gave me some meds to help with these. The steroids did have some crappy side effects. They upped my dosage during my second taxol as I had a allergic reaction to it and I got palpitations and couldn’t sleep or relax properly for a few days. Sorry, I’m hope that doesn’t scare you but when I was going through it, I didn’t realise it was the steriods that were causing it, so just thought I’d tell you. After my third and final taxol though, I had hardly any side-effects. Also, radiotherapy was absolutely no bother. I had no side effects at all.

I was going out with my boyfriend for 9 months when I was dx. We are still as happy now as we were before bc. Congrats. on your anniversary yesterday. What a way to spend it!

Yeah, it was really crap not getting diagnosed for so long. I went to a GP in May who referred me to a Breast Clinic who failed to carry out triple assessment and told me I had nothing to worry about. The following March, I noticed a bloody discharge from my nipple and went to a GP again and finally nearly two months after that I was dx and had my mastectomy. During all that time, I was repeatedly told by medics that I was too young to get bc but as we know that isn’t true. I think there is a girl on this site who was 22 when she was first diagnosed. She’s a bit older now and my friend told me at the weekend that she had heard about a 15 year old been dx a few months ago as well! Now that is truly frightening.

I didn’t mind losing my hair. It was pretty liberating and I loved wearing the wigs. I have loads in different colours and styles. I didn’t like the chemo-scarf look and much preferred my wigs but everyone is different. Some people hate wigs. I bought most of them on ebay at really reasonable prices.

I must add you all on Facebook. I forgot that you all had set up a group.

Ok, gotta go to bed. Up early tomorrow. Hope all you other ladies are well, chat to you all again tomorrow.

x

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Hi all

I am writing to let you know about our ‘Younger women’s forums’ which provide a chance for you to meet others in similar situations, here is the link to the web page containing details of where and when they are held:

breastcancercare.org.uk/content.php?page_id=1944

Best wishes
Lucy

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Ah thanks for all your replies adies…We all keep each other going, it’s wonderful!!xxxxxx

Facebook group is called breast buddies…I am Lauren , add me and i’ll guide you to everyone else!!
Look forward to ‘seeing’ you all too…hehe.x.x.x.x.

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Hi All,

Teacup I cannot believe you had to wait before they diagnosed you but at least you know now. I’m all excited about the wigs, I’ve got a long brunette and a short blonde one because my hair was long and brunette and I had it cut it into a bob a few weeks ago so that losing my hair wouldn’t be sooooo stressful. And don’t worry you’re not scaring me, the list of side effects my onc gave me was as long as my arm so its useful to hear what people actually go through rather than a list!

I’ll have to make sure to join the group on Facebook when I’m next on.

Hope that you’re all well

Erin x

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To Erin

Yes finished treatment two and a half years ago, last reconstructive surgery December 2005. Just been changed from Tamoxifen to Arimidex. Had no probs on Tamoxifen at all, but loads of aches and pains in the joints with Arimidex. Apparently this is what they do now after three years change to Arimidex. In answer to your question about how you cope, it was just that old saying one day at a time. Some days you have set backs, and you have to pick yourself up. I was in the middle of a divorce and remortgaging so that didn’t help. Luckily I had started the remortgage before diagnosis, otherwise god knows what would have happened. Anyway can’t say it was easy, but got two lovely teenage sons and good family. I met my new partner just after last surgery and very happy now.

All I can say is look after yourself and take things easy. You’ll have set backs and lots of tears, but to be honest I think that does you good. It’s a good release.

Anyway lots of love

Julie

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Wigs sound great Erin! I think if I was to give you any more advice I would say to take it easy during treatment. I worked p/t during chemo and rads and now when I look back I think I should have taken the time off because now that I finished chemo and rads everyone kinda expects you to be back to normal again immediately.

Julie, congrats on being a few years down the road from treatment. Sounds like it was a very stressful time for you. I also have stiffness and bit of joint ache from the tamoxifen and zoladex I think, or could be the effects of chemo. I have been meaning to pick up glucosamine, it’s suppose to help.

Best wishes everyone, x

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Hello Everybody
I am new on here. I am 36yrs old and was diagnosed in March after IVF treatment with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma Grade 3. I had a masectomy, which I found very hard to do like everybody else does. Then I had an ectopic pregnancy with tube removed. I have had 3 cycles of epirubicin and cyclophosamide, which I found difficult with sickness (had to have a syringe driver fitted with anti-sickness fitted) to help me over this. I have one more cycle of epi and cyclophosamide to have on tues, then I am going onto Taxo and Herceptin after having my heart scan. This forum is inspirational, I thought I was young, until reading on here. You are all amazing and keeping me going through this difficult time.

Lots of love
Emma
xxxxx

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Hi Emma, I so sorry and sad to hear your news. The ectopic pregnancy must have been so hard and then you had everything else to think about too. It’s just not fair, is it? I really hope you fare better with the taxol and herceptin. As far as I know, herceptin has very few side effects. Please keep in touch. x

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Hello Teacup

Thank you for kind comments, I will keep in touch as you are all keeping me going.

Lots of Love
Emma
xxxx

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Hi guys!

Had first chemo yesterday and I’m feeling fine… just a little on the tired side… took 6 hours to have the treatment yesterday but I’m really glad that its eventually here!

I’m really lucky that my work have been amazing, told me not to come back until I’m better and are paying me so I don’t have to worry about the bills… the office I work in is like a hot bed for disease and infection so I reckon it was the best thing for me to do!

Hi Emma… sorry about everything that you’ve gone through! I only joined this website 4 days ago and I cannot believe just how much support I’ve had and how much better it made yesterday.

Its amazing how people we never meet make this experience that much easier… I know I had harder times ahead but I appreciate all the support!

Take care everyone

Erin
xxx

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Hi Erin - SO glad the chemo went well - so far so good!!

Remember, it does sometimes take a few days for the symptoms to set in - the steroids keep a lid on it all - I found that heartburn and mouth were the worst - coped just dandy with the ‘steroid constipation’ - jsut didnt need to go, but swelled up in the tummy a bit - then had loose poo for a few days. Also found that my periods have gone to pot - seemed to have one, 10 days later another (for a WEEK!! - I’m a 4 day girl) then off 3 days then more… beware! Mind you, I’m so old - lol- that I am peri menopausal anyway…

SO be kind to yourself… and enjoy your hair for the next few days - mine now all but gone, just had 2nd cycle. Love my headgear tho!

Love Tdxxx