Hi
I’m not new to this site but would like to hear from anyone who has had to undergo chemo twice. I was diagnosed the first time just two years ago and underwent, chemo (FEC x 3 TAX x 4) WLE (15 nodes removed with 1 only cancerous), radiotherapy. I have now had a local recurrence in my nodes (had 6 removed this time of which 3 were cancerous). Now on CMF regime x 6 - just coming up to my second dose next week. My concern is what toll is it going to take on my body in the long term, I’m positive that this will be the last time and the breast cancer will be finished with, but I am concerned about the effect the chemo will have on me and whether it will bring on other cancers or anything in fact! I would appreciate any comments from you lovely ladies. Ginny x
Hi, I finished my 2nd load of chemo in Sept last year, having had a first lot in 2003. It took me longer to recover this time, but I am still here, although a little older !!
Good luck to you, I am sure you can do it.
Take care
Maria
I had CMF 14 years ago, now doing 3xFEC and 3xTAX, just fin 3 FEC if it’s any consilation CMF was ‘easy’ compared to the FEC/…havent started the TAX bit yet there are a lot that have had the unfortunate ‘pleasure’ of chemo more than once… just focus on the why you are having it.
Love to you
Jeanette xxxxxxxxxxx
Hi Ginnyg
I had FEC x4 in 1997 and FECx6 in 2007.
It was horrible both times! As I had 6 the second time followed by a year of Herceptin ( and ten years older) it did take about two years before I felt fighting fit.
However I feel brilliant now (or is it because I’m retired?!)
Good luck with getting though all the horrible bits. There is a lot of light at the end of the tunnel.
X
Hi - thanks Jeannette for you advice of focussing on why I am having chemo for the second time. The way I am looking at it is that 18 months after finishing last treatment, an MRI showed up this cancer in my underarm nodes (had 1/15 cancerous before. I just think it was bad luck and that probably the 16th node had a bad cell in it which developed. They’ve taken them away now and this chemo is like a hoover, hoovering the whole body to make sure no other pesky cells are given the chance to develop. It’s just hard to get my head around having chemo twice. No choice really … love to all Ginny x
Good luck Ginny - you’ll get there!
I had 6x FEC in 04 and 6x Tax in 08 - not fun, but definately do-able. Actually I found it easier the second time I think, maybe because I knew i’d done it once before, so i could do it again!
Love Mo xx
I had 6xFEC between August & December last year before my op. However, when they did the op there were cells present in my lymph nodes despite having that chemo so I am now having 4xTAX to clear up any other rogue cells that may be hiding. 2 lots of chemo in one year is bound to take its toll on me. I just hope I will feel “normal” again soon. I do have to keep reminding myself that its for the best.
Debs
x
Hi Debs
I’m sorry you have to go through chemo twice in a year, that is hard. Shame they didn’t give you FEC/TAX the first time! Are they operating again to take the nodes out, did they tell you how many were affected. I had FEC/TAX the first time and they removed 15 nodes, but only one affected, so don’t know how and why they found 3 more affected ones 18 months after end of last treatment! Now it seems they have to give me a different chemo than last time, CMF, which I don’t think is as strong as a taxane one - my thoughts are that maybe they don’t feel it necessary to give me a too strong chemo this time as there is no other spread, and only 3 out of 6 nodes were affected. Oh I don’t know, I wish I did! I just hate this chemo, it makes my life so restricted. I am having acupuncture this time and it seems to be helping with the SE’s so must remain positive, as they say! Lots of love Ginny x
Hi Ginny
I think originally they just thought my cancer was confined to the lump and I had FEC chemo to shrink it first. However when they did the op there were cells found in the lymph nodes and tissue surrounding the lump which hadn’t shown up on any scans. They removed 10 nodes and 3 were affected. After removing the lump the margins were not clear so I had a re-excision and they were still not clear so I had a mastectomy. After all that I was considering not having more chemo but at the end of the day I have to give myself the best chance of it not recurring and if I didn’t have the chemo and it came back I would always be wondering “what if”.
Some days it feels like the chemo is killing me rather than making me better but I know it’ll be ok in the end. Chins up as they say!
Debs
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