I’m starting AC tomorrow and they have put me on a fortnightly regime. I can’ seem to find anyone else who has had AC or even had a fortnightly cycle. What can I expect?
Hi I had AC on a three week cycle… Are you having yours before the op? I had 4xAC and then 4xTaxotare in 2008 before my mastectomy…
I found with ac the main side effects were tiredness and feeling sick… i know alot of people say the anti-sickness tablets work well i think i was just unlucky… oh and my hair all feel out anbout 12 days after the first dose…
I used to feel sick for about the first 6 days but then used to be fine for the rest of the cycle… have they explained at all why you are on a 2 week cycle? or said it is a smaller dose because of that?
Theresa x
Oh and with ac rather than it being fed into you by a drip the nurse slowly injects it into you via a tube… and one of the drugs is red so you have red wee just afterwards… and the steroids they give you make you very awake…
Theresa x
Hiya - I’m due to have AC for the first time next week (or the week after) but on a 3 week cycle. I’ve posted on here before, asking about AC because i didn’t think it was very common. Only had a couple of responses so maybe not too many people can comment.
Sorry i can’t help on the 2 wk aspect. Happy to keep in touch re progress.
Hope all goes well for you, kindest thoughts
Lynn
No I’ve had all my surgery. I had a bilateral MX (because of DCIS on one side and to reduce risk of it happening on the other side) a couple of weeks ago.
I’m not sure why its fortnightly. At 37 I’m quite young to get BC and also it seems that it was quite an aggressive one. I don’t know about dosage sizes at all.
Thanks for the tips about a nurse administering it and the red wee!
Hi pennies
So sorry you’re here & yes so young
I had 4xAc & 4x taxotere 4 years ago before surgery 45mm grade, i was 53
Now i’m having 6x liposomal AC after surgery for new primaries other side.
Both times given on 21 day cycle by drip.
Doesn’t seem to be used as much as other drugs…& i’m not sure how the drugs are chosen/allocated
1st time feeling sick & tired a problem but i did manage to get into work a fair bit of the time! Not sure how or why now!!! Also became anaemic & mouth ulcers a pain. Had horrid taste in mouth & went off tea & coffee but liked ginger beer! That also helped with sicky feeling. I did use cold cap (wouldn’t again) but did lose my hair. I did manage to be well enough to have every dose on schedule.
This time with the liposomal AC (i’m having that as AC can damage your heart – you should at least get an ECG & i’ve had an echo-cardiogram too this time) i don’t feel so sick or tired but must admit to taking things easy! ie not going to work plus my family are grown up so only 2 of us at home.
I coudln’t have 2nd dose last week as white cells too low, but was able to have it this Monday & now having 5 days of granocyte injections to keeps white cells up. Wasn’t a problem last time.
I’m given steroids & anti-sickness for 3 days plus a back up anti-sickness to take as & when.
Hoping all goes as well as poss for you
& Lynnee too
Love jk x
I had AC fortnightly. I was given the choice of fortnightly with immune boosting injection or 3 weekly without. I chose the fortnightly to get it over with quicker.
The immune boosting injection can give you bone/muscle aches, which I had only for a couple of days each cycle.
I don’t think having it more frequently made any difference to the side effects which were hair loss, nausea for a few days, hideously dry mouth, taste changes, constipation…I think that’s all!
I had mine by IV into port. Took a couple of hours I think as I had an anit-emetic too.
I hope you get on OK with it.
All the best
Macc