Hi
I start AC on 13th, any tips would be appreciated
Jean
Jean,
My wife started AC just over a week ago - so you will be running two weeks behind.
There are two threads on here - Newly Diagnosed Movers and Top Tips going through Chemo that are really useful. Although they talk a lot about FEC - there is a fair amount of similarity with AC.
What plan are you on? My wife is on 4 x AC and then 4 x Taxol. She is on an every two weeks plan.
As you probably already know everyone is different - but so far my wife has had a fair amount of tiredness, lots of feeling hungry (including midnight feasts !!!), a little bit of nausea and currently sore gums.
But certainly have a read of those threads and I think you will be well prepared.
Good luck for the 13th
Mark
Hi Jean,
I have almost at the end of my chemo, I had 4xA.C.and 3 of 4 Taxotere.
As Mark said everyone is different but apart from feeling a little low from day 5 to 8 I absolutely sailed through A.C.!!
I lived my life as normally as I did before.I played golf 3 times a week and looked after my grandchildren every week, in fact apart from minor ailments( as Mark said sore mouth, and a bit under the weather from day 5 to 8) I never felt better. Another bonus is my horrible flaky finger nails have grown beautifully small thing but I am so enjoying them my hands don`t look like mine anymore!!
Unfortunately for me tax is a different story I am really struggling!!! but it`s only for a short time and still “doable”
Good luck Jean I hope it works as well for you.
Take care,
Love,
Jan
Hello to Mark and Jan
Thanks to both of you, good to get your advice and good wishes.
Have checked out the two threads you mentioned Mark, found the “Top tips” particularly helpful. Have written a shopping list!
I don’t know if I am lucky, but my plan is just for 4xAC. Apparently I was not a black or white case, but in the grey area so was given the choice to have treatment or not. Decided to take all the help I can get.
I don’t play golf Jan, but am trying to do some walking, my OH has given me a Nintendo “My Health Coach” which includes a pedometer. Am managing about 5k steps a day at the moment, don’t know if I’ll keep it up after tomorrow!! I am sure my grandchildren will help me to get through the next few weeks. I will watch out for day five.
Will let you know how I feel after my first treatment.
Love
Jean
Hi Jean
I had 6*AC from Feb to end May. It wasn’t as bad as I expected, although its not great. As everyone says its doable.
I would say make sure you eat before you go in for chemo, and then in the first few days make sure you eat little and often. I found I felt quite sick if I had chemo on an empty stomach, or didn’t eat plenty and often. If I ate properly, I avoided the sickness altogether.
Listen to your body and rest if you need it. When you feel fine, make the most of it!
I did sometimes have a low/weepy day, usually about day 4 or so - after the steroids were finished. Also make sure you eat plenty fruit fibre etc as the steroids defo bung you up a bit.
I did pick up lots of infections later - mainly after session 4 I think - but I have a small boy in nursery, so it was to be expected. But it was difficult to shake them, so look after yourself and stay away from obvious risks when you can.
I carried on working most of the time which was fine, although I was signed off a few weeks with persistent bad eye infection. I liked to keep things normal as poss, just had to take the odd hour off further on in chemo course as I became more tired.
But everyone is different, so do what’s best for you. Wishing you all the very best for tomorrow. Take care,
Ax
hi…just caught up with this thread. I have had 4x AC here in the US; and 2 of 4 Tax. The AC was harder to take over the long haul than the Tax.
As you know by now, chemo is different for everyone. I can only tell you how I felt.
The first week of AC was tough; felt like lead, heavy and tired. But that phase slowly evolved to more pep the second week, and feeling pretty normal by the third week…just in time to get zapped again!
Doctors/nurses told me that the most difficult time is day 10 because at that point your immunity is lowest; your while blood count drops. So during those days from day 10 - 15, I was did not eat any fresh fruit or fresh vegetables and was very careful about cooked foods. The recommendation for me on those days I could eat fresh fruit/veg was ti shop for locally grown produce instead of the produce at supermarkets where they come from all over the world. I sought out a nice farmer’s market in a neigboring town which worked well. I did not spend any time int he hospital due to neuts – nor did I have any transfusions or antibiotics. So feel very blessed. I should add that I am on my own with my OH; no kids involved which probably made it easier!
If you’ve read through Top Tips…you know about the other items…found the baby brush invaluable and speaking of hair; took the initiative and had it razored off as it started falling off in chunks. Felt very liberating. I lost most of my hair by the second treatment of AC. Before it falls off, you can feel every folicule on your head and cutting it really helps rid you of this feeling. IT is only temporary - doesn’t last for all of treatment.
One other complication of AC that might affect you, as it did me, is your eyes. Many others have found that their tearing patterns get dried up by AC. It coincided with Spring for me, so thought it was allergies; but it was not. Made my eyes terribly itchy and red, unbearable really. Went to an opthamalogist who suggested I use drops, none of which helped. Tried a second Opth. who inserted a Punctal Plug in both eyes which totally solved the problem. The name is worse than the feeling; it is done in the office, painless and worth every cent it takes. I no longer use drops and feel normal again.
Hope this helps…it may well be that you don’t experience these things, but it is always great to be ready for it if it comes.
Good luck sweetie.
Emily
xxx
Hi Mark
Not too bad at all, worst part was hanging about because of the cold cap, hope it will be worth it.
Will be getting a wig, just in case.
Hope your OH is OK?
Jean
Hi Emily
Thanks for your message and tips, have taken them all on board.
Not feeling like eating much at all at the moment, just a biscuit and some toast.
Good luck with you next TAX, when will it be?
Best wishes
Jean
Hi Ax
Thanks for your message.
I was actually sick a couple of times yesterday, but took your advice today and have eaten a biscuit if I felt nauseous, little snacks every couple of hours. I have actually managed to eat a lovely meal cooked by my OH this eveing!
Will try to avoid picking up infections from about day 10, I think that is when the immune system is likely to be weak.
Best wishes
Jean
Hi Jean
My OH will have her second AC tomorrow. She was in hospital yesterday having a portacath being put in, got back out today. You really get familiar with hospitals don’t you !!!
I hope you don’t have any more sickness - remember that there are a lot of drugs they can give you for sickness. My OH’s Onc says that nobody should really suffer with sickness given the available drugs. So it is worth asking!
Mark
Hi everyone
Have felt a lot better for the last couple of days. Went to get my wig on Tuesday, no sign of losing my hair yet but it is early days.
I think my main problem is constipation, I have taken senacot most nights and am now having prunes, prune juice etc. Think I might see my GP for some dynamite!
Having my 10 day blood test tomorrow, not looking forward to it, I don’t seem to have very good veins in my left arm. Had to have my MUGA heart scan on Monday, didn’t enjoy that very much at all, the injections were like getting blood out of a stone.
Hope everyone else is feeling OK?
Regards and best wishes
Jean