TAC no 1 day 11
Hi just wondered if there is any of you having the T A C regime ?
I started my first of 6 on April 5TH I tried the cold cap and believe I will very soon find out if it has been successful eek!
It would be great to chat with others on TAC as it seems to be a less used regime.
Bump
hello jane@chelmsford
Whilst waiting for replies from other users maybe you would like to contact our Peer Support department. They may be able to put you in touch with a volunteer that may be having a similar experience to you. Here is a link to the service
breastcancercare.org.uk/breast-cancer-services/someone-talk/one-one-support
Best wishes
June, moderator
Hi Jane
I wasn’t on TAC but on AC - my oncologist offered me that regime which was short and sharp but meant I finished a lot quicker. I tried the cold cap twice but unfortunately it didn’t work for me and it started thinning and coming out half way thru my second session - I chose to shave it off but now I have a full head of hair again which is growing thick and fast. I don’t think my side effects were any worse or better than the usual and I still can’t work out why I was offered this regime as most others seem to be on FEC etc. But feel free to ask me any questions. I finished my treatment about this time last year so am now back at work full time and back to normal life - with chemo well behind me!
Hope you are coping OK and have kept your hair!
Jan
x
I had 8 x TAC in 2010/11, original plan was 6 x but it worked well for me so I went back for 2 more! I continued to work full time but took it easy on days 5 & 6 as I found those were the worse days for me. I was told after finishing that TAC is one of the more gruelling regimes but I maintained a pretty normal existence during the whole period although I had a blood transfusion between 5 & 6 So had to take a day sick for that! I did not use cold cap and my eyelashes reappeared within 6 weeks closely followed by eyebrows and hair slightly later. I think after finishing at end of April I started sporting new hair sans any covering in the July. I struggled to find much on TAC when I was starting so just let me know if I can help any further.
Hi Jan and Mint tea
Thanks for replying everyone seems to be on fec, like you jan I tried the cold cap twice and ended up shaving it off, it was a relief not to be constantly worrying about if it was staying or not. I am having my 3 rd chemo today and apart from days 3 -5 being hangovery! have found the side effects manageable, I did have a reaction to the taxol last time so will be having another drug today. I’m think this regime was chosen for me as i had some invasive cells and 5 + nodes interesting that you ended up having 2 extra mint tea my dr did say he could put the one I missed on the end. I am not at work as work with preschool children and was worried about infection. Did either of you have problems swallowing sometimes or swollen glans during your treatment?
all the best Jane
Hi Jane
I too am on TAC - I had round 4 yesterday with 2 more to go. I am in the March group but the rest of the group are mainly on FEC-T.
I had a WLE and SNB on 30 Jan - Grade 2 IDC 30mm but also with DCIS which took it to 55mm. No node involvement but evidence of LVI, ER+. After the chemo I am to have radiotherapy followed by hormone treatment.
I have found all 3 cycles to date different in the SEs! The first round I suffered terribly from joint/bone pain to the extent my jaw swelled and it looked like I had mumps. I had nausea for quite a while but never sick. I lost most of my hair from about day 15 onwards, but I have kept a very thin sparse layer that shows no signs of disappearing! The second round was better in that the bone aches weren’t so bad but still had the nausea, fatigue etc for the first two weeks. Round 3 wasn’t great, the nausea lasted for the whole of the the three weeks, as well as the low moods/being very emotional. For round 4 they have given me some different extra anti sickness to try and sort the nausea, fingers crossed! I am so envious of Mint Tea being able to work through her chemo but everyone seems to react so differently to their chemo. I do get a feeling of sore throat/slightly flu like symptoms which is usually at about Day 5 for a few days.
I hope your third chemo has gone well today for you.
All the very best.
Hi twinnumber1
No 3 went ok the new drug means I don’t have the steroids, antibiotics and anti thrush tablets so hoping for less SEs, usually I have to take the anti sickness for 10 days although haven’t been sick, I had the neck ache with the first, and jaw ache with the 2nd so far no 3 has just been the usual tiredness, nausea and bad indigestion I have a second set of nausea pills if I need them so maybe they expect the nausea to get worse ? They gave me antibiotics for the throat which has now gone I think maybe it was the result of a coldsore I had just before, trouble is that anything different just makes you worry!
Hope your new pills do the trick, I am also having hormone theraphy and then radiation, I met some other women who just were having radiation after tac at a look good feel better workshop and they said it had been hard but do able they both had different side effects they both said it got a little harder each cycle and that the hormone and radiation was the easy bit.
so expecting my “chemo hangover” to start tomorrow day 3 for a few days
do you lose your taste buds? everything tastes sour, tasteless I joked with my husband that he was using the garden water butt water to make my tea! Mind you it’s lovely when they come back
wishing you the best
jane
Hi Jane
Lets hope the lack of steroids and antibiotics do diminish the SEs for you. I am always on the steroids at the start of the chemo cycle and they definitely give some SEs. I have a terrible constant craving to eat (usually carbs) and a horrible tinny mouth, but that could be the chemo. My mouth and taste changes throughout the cycle and I go off foods for 2 weeks. My last week is usually back to normal foodwise. I haven’t been able to drink tea whilst undergoing chemo (I am normally a huge tea drinker) and can only drink milky coffee.
I am counting down towards the end of chemo and “looking forward” to the radiotherapy and hormone treatment! It’s got to be easier than the chemo!
i’m day 4 today and paying for doing too much gardening yesterday! Also, disappointingly, I am feeling quite nauseous! Hopefully this will pass in time.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
Best wishes Jess xx
Hi Jess
Day 4 chemo3
As expected came over all achey yesterday evening behind the knees and neck hobbling around like a little old lady! I didn’t sleep very well but managed a snooze this morning after breakfast and anti sick tablets.
I now have tingly fingertips, they feel numb very odd like pins and needles, mouth is dry and everything is tasting bad.
I had cravings last chemo for sugary jam donuts! Not great when your not as active as normal but they were gorgeous !
Really missing my little part time job and swimming, the hanging about at home is just another side effect for me!
Hope your nausea is passing
All the best
Jane x