Hi, I am having my 3rd chemo session on 23rd of september, I have also joined thread on chemo in august, but all the ladies seem to have had surgery already and I would like to compare SE and treatments with ladies who are having chemo before surgery…
I have a BC with node involvement , ER+ , having 3FEC and 3 FECT…
I have been told by nurse, that I could change my receiving arms to get my veins chanvce to recover, but another nurse told me I can’t , just in case I get Lymphodema…
anyone has a view on this?
hope to here from you
Pavlina
Hi Pavlina,
We neoadjuvant girls remain the exception even here! I had my chemo before surgery and did switch arms each time - there isn’t a risk of lymphoedema if you have not had any surgery yet.
I got sore veins with FEC2 and FEC3 so that was both arms! My onc told me to keep using the amrs as noramlly as possible and I’m glad to say I had no lasting vein damage. The T - Taxotere/Docetaxel is kinder to veins.
Some people have PICC lines or Portacaths to avoid vein damage but i’m not sure how widespread or normative that is, especially for neoadjuvant chemo.
To be honest, side effects will be the same whichever side of surgery you have your chemo.
“Some people have PICC lines or Portacaths to avoid vein damage but i’m not sure how widespread or normative that is, especially for neoadjuvant chemo”
Being neoadjuvant doesn’t come into it. It depends on funding and/or need. You’re more likely to get one if the chemo rubbishes your veins too badly or if (say) you are Her2+, as you’ll be having infusions for over a year.
I’m having Herceptin and was on weekly Taxol for 10 weeks on top of 3-weekly stuff so my veins would have been shredded without my PortaCath
I’m also having chemo before surgery - but have a portacath so can’t help with advice on swapping arms I’m afraid. Might be able to help with any other questions…?!
Another neoajuvant chemo girl here! I had four FEC in my arm and it got sore it was only then they realised I could use the other arm as it was pre surgery!so finished off on that arm. I am on Herceptin and though veins aren’t great we are getting there! I think swapping arms is a good thing at least it gives a bit of time to settle. So far so good for me no portacath though it was mentioned when they had 4 goes for Herceptin so worth doing? As long as we are managing I don’t mind.I don’t know what anyone else’s experience was like but veins are recovering slowly as the Herceptin does not damage the veins like Chemo. If I had more knowledge before the start I would have swapped arms! good luck it is doable xxx
Hi girls, thank you so much for the response… I will start swaping my hands from now on, it make sense as it will give one my veins 6 weeks to recover… does any of you already have a date for the surgery(if you are having one) I have an appoitment to see the surgeon in mid october , just before my 4th “session”. . …
night to you all pavlina
I’m another one who has had chemo first. I am having Mx and recon on 3rd Oct and I am terrified.
I used the same arm all the way through chemo as I had no problems but the nurses always said I could use either arm. Am having to swap now as I’ve just had a SNB so have lost a few nodes now. I’m on Herceptin for the next year.
Hi Jo C,
Just to say I had my mx and LD recon in Feb and it went really well. I was very zonked the day of surgery but after that absolutely fine. No real pain (though plenty of pain control if needed) but a fair amount of discomfort when I first got home. I borrowed a couple of V-shaped pillows which helped. Make sure you have slaves on hand to do the heavy domestic jobs for about 3 months (even if most leaflets say 6 weeks)… no hoovering, no heavy shopping, no reaching into high cupboards, blah blah blah. Do the exercises religiously, especially if you will be having rads as arm movement is essential.
You will be fine - I was stupidly scared about the anaesthetic rather than the surgery but once i’d mentioned this to the anaesthetist she was lovely. Temazepam pre-med was good …
Thank you RevCat, V-shaped pillows sound like an excellent idea, I will have to see if I can find any to borrow. I am having a DIEP so not sure how that differs pain wise from an LD.
I had an anaesthetic last week for the SNB so not too worried about that just the fact I am losing part of me.
I found the Tax easier than the FEC (and I did fine with FEC) - no loss of energy levels but some bone pain (low back and legs) mostly due to the neulasta (an injection to boost white blood cells which Tax clobbers big time). Quite stiff and slow about days 3 - 5 and needed low grade painkiller (1 ibuprofen every 3 hours in my case; I can’t take paracetamol). Absolutely no taste of anything - tongue went white but not thrush. It took my eyebrows and eyelashes which had survived the FEC but perversely my head hair started to return after Tax-2. My eyebrows were weird - doubled in length then fell out! My new ones are better than my old ones though. My eyebrows are finer now than they were before (I used to have Dennis Healey eyebrows but you’re too young to remember him)
Also I hope you’ve had advice to paint you nails and/or use heaps of moisturiser on them. I was told to use dark nail polish on fingers and toes all through Tax and for “several months” afterwards - actually that ended up as a month as I had to have clear nails for surgery. I didn’t lose any nails though they got pretty grotty. It’s to do with photosensitivity and disruption of growth phase caused by the Tax.
Hope this doesn’t worry you too much. You do need to be extra careful to avoid infections with Tax but it’s good stuff at doing the job!
I am sure you will be fine, just be very kind to yourself and take it steady. Wekk 3 is still a good one for a few treats.
This info is brilliant! I have told my"girls" on another thread to check your info out, most of us are heading for the lastFEC and your info did help to answer some questionts we were chating about…
How are you doind now? after all these treatments?
I have to have radio and hormone therapy as well not sure which one just yet…(INFUSIONS OR TABLETS)…
ps I have to cats… TOM the ginger one and KAT his “ugly” mother… we only call her like this, but she is Soo cuddly…
Hi Slinky, please feel free to share info that might be useful… hope you have as few nasty s.e.'s with Tax as I did - some people get horrid bone pain, so I don’t want to mislead anyone.
I am doing find now thank you - Friday is my anniversary of starting chemo… seems a lifetime ago now… have since had mastectomy and immediate LD recon, 25 zaps of rads and am on Tamoxifen for 5 years. Tidying up surgery (nipple recon, poss symmetry reduction to good breast) hopefully back end of this year then I’m ‘cooked’. Was NED (no evidence of disease)at first check-up = phew and hurrah!
I have a gorgeous b&w cat (cheaper licence fee as the saying goes) called Holly. Loads of cat lovers on here.
Take care and hope all continues to go well for you
I am on the August thread with Slinky and with her advise have just read about the Tax thank you very useful information. I have also looked at your website for the church and enjoyed the reading on there.
Have to use same arm as already had MX and ANC.
Many thanks RevCat for the info on Tax. Am having 3rd FEC this Friday and then hopefully onto 3T. Found your experience very encouraging. I am also on the August thread with Slinky and Ducky
Thanks Poodlepatch (cool name btw) hope your last FEC is OK for you.
I hope you all have had advice on protecting your nails with Tax - I mentioned the dark nail polish and it worked for me. I think some people use gel nails too but oncs/BCNs vary on that one. My BCN said black nail varnish but I just used dark colours to match my clothes… a girl needs a bit of fun… and even some sparkly wine coloured stuff for Christmas. You have to go right to the edges of your nails and keep topping up/redoing regularly. If you have a manicurist who understands about chemo and nailcare she may be able to help - but your average nail technician probably won’t and I was told to steer clear. Hope this helps a bit.
You’ll all get through soon. Your doggies look gorgeous too
Morning ladies, don’t know if you’ve noticed but there is a new thread on people having Tax with positive stories… it may help balance the fears a bit.
As the saying goes, may all you se’s be little ones
