Hi,
I wondered if anyone else is doing 8 cycles of fec-t? 4xfec and 4xt?
As much as I’m sure my Oncologist knows what he is doing, I’m somewhat bitter to be doing 8 cycles over 6 months, when most ladies have 6 cycles?
For those ladies that have done 8, how do you feel at the end of it? Other than having BC I’m fit and healthy, aged 39yrs, and really hoping that the next 6 months don’t knock me around too much.
I’m due to start on 30th January although they have said it may be this Wednesday if they have any cancellations.
For info, I had a grade 3, 4.5cm tumour, and two lymph nodes involved. So had wle and full clearance. ER+, PR+ and HER2+.
Debbie.
Just a bump to get you on latest posts. My understanding (from 2009) was you get eth same amount of drug but over 8 cycles rather than 6, so each dose is a little lighter. Whether this has an effect on how you feel I’m not sure.
I’m sure others will be along to give better advice, but the three things I learnt from my experience are 1) you are stronger than you believe you ever could be and you will get thru it! 2) I was advised ‘Plan nothing and expect anything’ - too true! and 3) don’t suffer with side effects - FEC especially made me constipated but I didn’t realise until it got very painful and uncomfortable and I should have got something sooner - in fact I now take dulcoease as a matter of course (I’m on oral CApecitebine chemo which is very do-able but can cause digestive problems so I’m just keeping one step ahead. Same advice for anti emetics - there are lots out there and they don’t all work for you - I tried 3 before I found cyclizine via a syringe driver in my tum which sounds awful but was a piece of P was my drug of choice!!
Best of luck anyway
Nina
Hi I finished my 8 chemos nov 21st 2012 and understand that this was because I was young, fit and healthy (except BC). My onc threw the book at my BC. My onc also tells me 8 cycles will soon be the norm. Id have had as many as he offered. Chemo isn’t pleasant but you do feel like its doing it’s work! I was terrified before I started (fear of the unknown) but when your life is divided into thre week cycles it’s amazing how fast it goes. For me week 1 I felt rubbish not bad just rubbish, week 2 low immunity so I avoided other people and week 3 I felt fine! I was accompanied by a friend who was a month behind me we reacted differently which is what others willsay. I did wear the cold cap because my little smasher could cope with a mx but not me loosing my hair. I looked ok and I think it helped. But the cold cap isn’t pleasant.
Hello, I had 4 FEC & 4 Tax back in 2007. I think they can’t make up their minds - as the protocol changed to 3 of each while I was going through chemo, but as I was already on the 8 regime I stayed on it. Yes it was a horribly long process, but I felt that they were throwing everything at it, so I was happy about that.
I found the Tax harder - I got progressively weaker on this. I am a runner, and ran all through chemo. I signed up for the Race for Life that year to give me something other than chemo to focus on. It was originally scheduled to be just before the first tax, but due to flooding that year it got postponed twice and ended up being between tax’s 2 and 3. I would have been able to run it all after the FEC, but after two tax I had to stop and walk a couple of times. After I had finished all four tax I couldn’t even run a mile. It then took five or six months to get back to pre-chemo levels of fitness. And then the herceptin got to me, but that’s another story!
I was scheduled to have 4 x FEC and then 4 x T. I was 49, healthy, not v fit at diagnosis and at the time I thought this 24 week regime was the norm. The FEC knocked me sideways and I was i n poor shape at the end of 4. My Onc then changed the plan and gave me weekly Paclitaxel which was a completely different experience - practically no SEs, a few aches and pains but only needed paracetemol at most, no anti-sickness drugs and I just felt soooooo much better. The only down side was that you had to have blood tests and chemo on a weekly basis which was hard on veins, but we got there in the end.
Thanks ladies, so I’m not the only one then! I guess its because I’m young they want to give me the best outcome. I’ve just got back from the gym, and I’m determined to try and keep walking at least, even if it does get less and less towards the end. It’s just horrible to think at the moment I feel so fit, and yet at the end I will be feeling awful! I also have to have Rads, Herceptin and Tamoxifen, but I will cross that bridge when I come to it, I’ve just got to get the next 6 months done and dusted first. I hope all you ladies are now feeling stronger and are keeping well. XX
Hi ladies,
I don’t know what my plan is yet, other than chemo and Herceptin, as I only had the surgery 3 days ago, but I am not young - I’m 65 and otherwise in good health - and I would hate to think that my age alone is against me when they decide whether to give me the best outcome!!
When I saw my consultant surgeon the first time she asked me if I would participate in a paper trial which is aimed at finding out how general health and patient choice affects the type of tests and treatments received by older women, and how well older women cope with standard treatments. In this trial, older women are those aged 65+. I would be very upset if my team doesn’t throw everything possible at me simply because I am classed as old.
Keep well everyone. xx
Lola,
In this instance I don’t think it’s a case of not throwing everything at you because you are too old, it’s rather throwing everything at younger women (under 50 possibly?) because cancers in younger women tend to be more aggressive, and outcomes can be less good.
Lola, I’m 62 and I’m having 6 fec-t. But if what RoadRunner says is right, and cancer in younger women is more agressive, and outcomes less good, then I’m ok with that. We all want the best outcome, and we have to trust our oncologists to give us the best advice for our treatment.
pg xx
Hi tittlemouse, I started first of 4 Fec today and am having 8 cycles myself with docetaxil and herceptin from cycle 5 onwards, rads and tamoxifen too. I’m 38 have grade 2 invasive ductal HER2+ and ER+ so I guess we sound similar. I’m now in bed, have drank 2 litres of water since being at the hospital and am wearing anti sickness bands so far I feel very wierd but haven’t been sick, fingers crossed it stays this way. I will be having a PICC line fitted as my veins would not work so I’m really relieved about this as that was the worst part of all of it for me not being able to find a vein.
Rachel x
Hi
I had 10! Six FEC with 150% dose of the Epirubicin, then MX full node clearance one side and WLE SNB other side then full node clearance that side too. As the nodes were still affected after the 6 FEC they decided to give me 4 Taxol and then 5 weeks high dose RADs. I got through it. It took a bit of time to feel right, but I’m in fine form now working full time full on and enjoying life.
There is a top tips for chemo page on here somewhere and if you’re having node clearance be careful with lympheodema. Lots of tips on that here too. I have L, but it’s well controlled now and gives llittle trouble. I had, and still do to some extent, horrible nerve pain in arms after node clearance. I found acupuncture really good for that. Amytriptiline also helped but completely knocked me out, (just me probably).
I was diagnosed July 2007. Had to have surgery to remove some malignant bumps from scar 2009, but OK since. On exemestane now. No herceptin, but I’m happier to be HER2-. Don’t consider myself definitely cured, but getting on with things. I’m pretty certain I wouldn’t be here now without the treatment, so at the very least five extra years. Worth every bit of it.
Good Luck to you all. You will get through it. Do as much (or as little) as you feel able. Listen to your bodies. Exercise when you can, but rest when you need to. I tried to plan a little treat for week 3, meal out, weekend away, or just a nice walk. It was good to have something to look forward to.
Georgef