Hi
I have been dx with triple neg, have had lumpectomy and node clearance and I start chemo on Tues 15th April and was wondering if anyone could help me with a few queries?
I will be starting with FEC then TAX for 6 months then rads after.
I just wondered if I need to stock up on some sort of mouth wash for the ulcers and if so what type?
Also I have read somewhere that you are not supposed to eat your favourite foods incase you start to associate them with the chemo ‘taste’…is this right?
Is the ‘taste’ there all the time or for a few days after dosage?
Alcohol??? I love my red wine on a weekend - do I have to go T Total???
sorry theres loads of questions!!!
Anita xxx
Hi Anita,
I did 4 x FEC & 4 x Tax last year. In answer to your queries:
If you get a sore mouth your hospital should be able to give you a suitable mouthwash. I found Difflam (if I’ve remembered the name right) good. I was also given another one, possibly corsodyl, which tasted so disgusting I threw it away.
Don’t worry about the foods. You will eat what you fancy and not what you don’t. I felt nauseous on FEC (I was very sick after the first one so they upped my dose of anti-sickness tablets after that and I was never sick again) but not on Tax. Instead on Tax you get a horrible mouth that feels yucky and makes everything taste different. But don’t worry about that yet - get through the FEC first. There is plenty of advice around for dealing with the Tax mouth - I found fresh pineapple very refreshing, also lime cordial. For some strange reason even water tastes horrible on Tax. But it doesn’t last the whole cycle - maybe about a week.
I never went T total. In fact my onc told me red wine was good for me. But there will be plenty of times that you just don’t fancy any alcohol.
Take it all one day at a time, accept any offers of help you get, and best wishes for next week.
Hi RoadRunner
Thanks for the advice. I just plan to take it one day at a time. I am just feeling a little anxious as tues nears.
Forewarned is forearmed in my eyes and I would like to think that I have got everything to hand when I need it!
thanks again
Anita xxx
I understand you feeling anxious. I remember being terrified before the first one, and then all over again before the first Tax. But it is never as bad as you think. The time will pass and you will come out the other end and get on with your life again.
Anita
I had FEC and TAX - everyone is different but I did find having a good breakfast beforehand helpful and drinking lots of water during and afterwards good too. I was not sick and continued to work throughout the FEC - just taking the day off after Chemo as although not sick the stomach turned a bit. I found Lucozade good to keep my energy up. It has been much more do-able than I was thinking just before the first FEC. I wish you the best of luck
Penn1
Thanks Penn1
I think my problem will be that I cannot eat when I get anxious…I have probably lost nearly a stone since dx 18.3.08…needed to lose some weight (but not this way - lol)
This is such a fantastic website with everyone sharing news, fears, tips and well wishes…I am totally addicted!!!
Anita xxx
i am doing different chemo from you ladies but there is a thread top tips for chemo which is really good. i think applies to us all. - i’ll find it and bump it up
i am someone who had inasive lobular cancer and done the matectomy, the epirubicin - moving on to xeloda then rads then tamoxifen. oh another 5-6 years - it’ll be done!!! am laughing
stay on top
Jennifer
i cannot stop eating !! I will be the size of a house. The first week after the epi I cannot eat much but then i make up for it until the next one.