hi all any tips wld be gd just fin 3 fec and now on 3 tax god thought i was bad on fec every bone in my body aches trying to avoid pain killers but i dont think i can is this normall i hurt so much can hardly walk even jaw aches got the sore mouth which im use to finger nails are tender i no we all diff but any idea how long bone aches will last got white cell inj tonight they are bad enough this is my first tax god hope next 2 might not be so bad sorry to moan but ive had no sleep and feal c**p think id rather have the sickness with fec least i no where i stand
cristina, dont wory about the actual cemo on wed, it was a breeze compared to fec, it doesnt sting and as long as they start you slow to check for any allergic reactions (which no one has had while i’ve been there) you will be fine.
I am day 3 now and not too bad, a bit shaky today, no taste at all, hot sweats all night as well but they are all manageable.No sickness and no pains.No more steroids either so that should be good too.
Julie and sally, Glad to here your both getting there, hopefully you will both have a good weekend now.
luv to everyone else, have a good weekend, luv pauline xxx
Good luck all starting this stage; it is strange isn’t it how we all seem to get slightly different treatment?
My oncologist insists that steroids and the injections to support bone marrow are 100% necessary and gives them to all his patients. He would not hear of a wait and see policy re cell counts; and said if i was not prepared to take the steroids he would not let me have this treatment!
So off for a 5 day break mid Wales to make the most of this OK time then back to take my dreaded Tax 1 on the following Tuesday…Have been following all comments with interest and will update you all on my progress too. here they dont seem to be organised with ice mittems etc either - i think this is relatively new as a treatment to women who have not got mets since March i think he said. So will just have to set up my bowls of iced water and packs of frozen peas here at home as i am using Healthcare at Home.
Hi all
day8 of 1st tax… feeling ok… still tired but plodding along. cut down on painkillers today to see how i go and so far so good.still feel abit sicky eveynow ans then which i didnt on the fec.strange hey…taste is slowly coming back and the yucky mouth is going too…
hope everyone else whos had the tax is doing ok. and those that are well are enjoying themselves…im gonna try a gentle walk on beach later as i havent really been out all week cos of feeling so crap apart from to the Drs nd hospital.
take care all
Sally xxx
Well girls everyone seems to be getting different side effects on this tax! glad to see that that some are ok and the ones that aren’t hope you feel better soon!
I will join you on tues when i have my 1st tax! at least it will be on the way down then! but not looking forward to it!
have a good weekend everyone!!
love Debs xxxx
I am now on day 10 of 2nd Tax and so far this has been better than 1st not so many aches and pains, cough has not come back either, still feel tired at times and patience levels have been rather low nearly killed husband a couple of times
Have been given a good tip for the nasty taste in mouth by my BCN have some fresh pineapple before eating a meal I tried it and seemed to work
Also touch wood cold cap is still working hair is thinner but still managing without wig I even went to hairdresser for a trim today
best wishes
Mags
Laura my onc said the aches and pains are variable. He has had a few people who needed a mild morphine obtainable from their Doc to cope but he said this is rare. So if you are truly suffering do contact your GP and get this help.
No experience myself yet; that joy is to come. He is prescribing cocodamol for me and says for most people that is enough. He also said to take it! When i raised the question of the load on the liver he said " your liver function tests are OK so just do what you need to do…"
Hope this helps.
Love Chris
Good Morning all,
I wish with all my heart that each of you are feeling better 
3 day after 4th tax, i cut down the steroids to half dosis, so the crash wont be that bad, had some legs aches last night late and took advil. Feeling fine this morning, family breakfast with family and dog and cat and another cat who is staying with us for a week, the house its a circus :))
I continue with lots of water, fresh fruits, harnup mollasses and grape sees extract juice as usual.
And also as suggested by my onco, i will go for a short walk, because she said that if i can cope, light walking exercise is very important to keep fit and to feel better…
Have a lovely Sunday
Warm regards from Istanbul
Seda - xxx
I was advised to take voltarol and cocodamol together for the pain and that really worked.However after the first tax the pains were never so bad again.I also found the fresh pineapple a godsend.
Hi all
Day 9 and feeling alot better, aches ar down to a minamal.still feel abit tired mouth alot better and taste buds are coming back yipee.
hopefully im over the worst now thank god
get a sicky feeling every now and then but only when i get hungry
hope everyone is ok and enjoying there weekend…
How are doing Pauline ?
take care
Sally xxx
Hi everyone
Have just come out of hospital after going into neutropenic sepsis after my first taxotere - not to be recommended! The annoying thing is that through all my FEC treatment I was given bone marrow injections. I wasn’t given them after my TAX even though I rang up and queried it. My Consultant was away on holiday and I have a sneaking suspicion that no-one else is allowed to prescribe due to cost. I was told that they were astronomically expensive. Well not as expensive as 5 days in hospital on IV antibiotics!!
So feeling rather low to say the least especially as my next TAX is in 8 days time. Also had the terrible joint/back pains and headaches from hell. Wondering how I’m even going to get through the next 3 sessions…
elinda x
hi all
feeling alot better today, aches about gone, and taste s;owly coming back, had a lond walk round carboot today
Kasid try to keep calm and your tax will be fine,i ate frozen jelly while having treatment,something to do and apart from no taste and dryness my mouth hasent been to bad,
laura64 i ached for about 7 days but i did have the gs jab last sunday which can make it worse
some nice news my sister had her baby today at 12.10pm weighing 8lb-12oz, big baby boy called him alex joseph,cannot wait to see him
going out for sunday lunch now take care julie
Congratulations aunty julie!!! ah how nice for you. It will give you something else to think about and help you get through this s…t. My 14 week old niece has been a god send, often babysit her when i need to take my mind of stuff.
Well day 4 for me and what can i say? The achey legs hit me like a bus last night about 8pm. taking lots of pain killers so now i am too wobbly to walk far. On the positive, taste is back and i am sleeping better now i’m off the steroids.
julie and sally, glad your just about there, you will be able to make the most of the good week now.
elinda, sorry to hear your having a rough time and needed to go in hosp, i’m worried with all the painkillers, how do you know your ill enough for hosp? temp wont go up with the drugs were taking so how do you know?
Seda, glad to hear you sound like your coping ok with the tax, hope it continues.
back off to bed now, trying to get legs comfy
Take care everyone luv pauline xxx
Hi ladies,
You say that your temperature won’t go up with all the drugs you are taking. Have you been told not to take paracetamol??? Codeine is best but can make you constipated so don’t take too many. If you get Neutropenic sepsis you will certainly know it. You first start felling cold, then it gets worse and your teeth start chattering. You feel so ill that you can hardly move. Your temp will go off the scale. Call a doctor and explain you are on chemo. Ask for a bed to be made available at your local hospital. When this has been arranged call an ambulance or, the doctor will. Going to A&E is not a good idea as your immune system will be compromised and you will pick up any germs going.
Elinda, you should now be given an injection after each tax to boost your immune system.
E
Hi all
Pauline, re your query on neutropenic sepsis it’s not just a temperature but feeling generally very unwell. I was day 9 after taxotere so should have started picking up not feeling worse and worse. My temperature started to go up as painkillers wore off ie after 3 to 4 hours of taking them and I was taking regular co-codamol (codeine and paracetamol). In the morning before I’d had any painkillers my temp went up to 38.1.
I agree don’t go to A&E if at all possible but ring your chemo unit or their out of hours number.
Most of all I’d say if in any doubt ring your unit and explain your symptoms. If you suspect you have a high temperature keep off the painkillers for a little longer and then check it.
Emmbee, I asked my consultant about taking co-codamol and he said that was fine. I was having regularly whilst in hospital as well as IV antibiotics.
Yes, I will definitely be getting the bone marrow injections. Think someone made an almightly c**k up not giving them to me this time!
elinda x
Thanks ladies for your advice. I was told to take paracetamol and ibuprofen if needed. I am ok at min, just wanted to know what to look out for in the future. Your advice is good and i bet helps a lot of us on here, thanks again.
Luv pauline xxx
Hi Pauline
ive just spent over a week on nhs b and b I was neutra thingy when admitted to hospital I was .2 and dropped while in to .1 . Pauline try not to worry to much about it all I can say if you do become neutraplinic you will defernatly know about it I could hardly walk to the ward had to be helped and they only looked at me and knew …
( sorry cant spell .
I must admit I have never felt so ill on second day didnt even know hubby had visited me I was so out of it …
I was on the C ward so they deal with it all the while I have to say the care was realy good I was barrier nursed and had my own room and bathroom was advised not to have any visters only hubby as I was so ill . Had my own fridge in room so milk ect was only used by me also room had tv and dvd was not well enough to enjoy it but was there if needed …
Im home now but still just sleep all day its really tuck its toll on me but it was my last chemo so at least I should becomw neutra…again
Im sure your on injections as well ? so they will defo help prevent it , I was not on them due to se so prob why theu dropped so low …
Speak soon Lisa X
good morning
feeling ok today abit tierd,and tast is still not right,but better,
Lisa so sorry you have had a visit to hospital, it is not nice,but it is right you no when you are neutropenic, chills, bad headaches,temperature
i take my temp before i do anything each morning and again at lunch
Pauline sorry you now have the aches, mine started day 3 ,co-codomol are good, stopped about day 7, but we all are different
Deb good luck this week with tax and anyone else having it
julie x
hello all
well im more or less back to normal now. pains gone havent taken painkillers since sat evening. taste buds are soooo much better… dont feel too tired either.in fact feel better at this stage than i did with the fec…
im always taking my temp. bit too often i think actually, so paronid about getting ill while on chemo…had blood test last thrs and mine was 1 and they didnt do anything about it, didnt feel ill or anything.just i had a slight raised temp the evening before but an hour later my temp was ok…i thought if neups were that low they had you in… oh well see onc next week so will run it by her then.
glad your doing ok Julie m
Pauline hope your ok too
take care all Sally xxxx
Thanks Julie! will be glad to get it over with now!!
Glad to hear that you and sally are on the way up again!!
hopefully if taste buds go I might stop eating!!!
love to all, debs xxxxx