Had my 3 EC (like FEC but no F) and currently am in my good week of 2nd TAX. 3rd (and hopefully last) TAX on Wed 23rd. 2nd TAX they could only get half dose of the TAX in as my picc line blocked.
So on Wednesday they are putting some anti clotting stuff in and trying again in my picc line but having the best canulator about too to put one in if needed. (It took cons aneathatists 3 attempts with ultra sound location and 2 hrs in theatre to get picc line in, so I know I’m not easy).
I’m obviously mega worried to only have half dose, yet get full side effects.
Also my hair is starting to grow back? Weird fluffy down like, but def seems to be growing back. Thought TAX would get rid of it all as I still have eyebrows from the EC.
Any bods any ideas or thoughts? I’m worried the lower dose of TAX isn’t working, hence hair growing and poss not killing off any C cells. I had 7/20 nodes infected, level 3 and my 10 yr survival went from 45% to near 90% with chemo and rads, so I want to get all the positive effects from the chemo.
I x
I don’t know about the half dosage and long term effects, but I do know that plenty of people have their dose of TAX reduced, more than once, even. What I really wanted to say was - don’t fret about the hair regrowth! Lots of us have had our hair start to regrow whilst on TAX - so that is perfectly normal. In fact, my chemo nurse told me right at the start that very often we will have a layer of fuzz by the time we finish chemo - so please don’t think that the TAX won’t have worked on that basis.
Sorry you’ve got this anxiety though, with your PICC playing up. I’m sure your onc. can reassure you fully, or why not ring the chemo ward/helpline number? That way you won’t be waiting anxiously until Wednesday.
In the meantime… enjoy the hair growth… not too long before you’ll be needing to get the ladyshave out again too!!
Sophie xx
Thanks Sophie for your thoughts
So good to hear that hair re growth is normal. I have such a small unit that I don’t know what is normal and not. My chemo nurses are really really nice as is the unit, but as I’ve said to them before, I don’t really want to have a second bout of chemo to have to see them again.
My chemo nurses said if it does come back (heaven forbid) you can’t really blame it on one half measure of chemo, but I’ll always have that underlying doubt. My kids are only 7 and 11 and so the ten yr goal is what I need to do at least.
Thanks
I xx
Hi all.
Missed the forums last week. I’ve had FEC-T and currently on Tax number 5. SEs not as bad as first tax and day 7 am feeling ok - bit achey and spaced out a bit, but ok. Just wanted to let izziwizzi know that I’ve had fuzzy wuzzy downy hair since it all fell out at the beginning, so don’t fret about the hair regrowth - as we all have learnt SEs are so different for everyone.
Triphazard - roll on 4 April…
Rachel
Hi everyone, well day4 post tax 2, feeling achey and tired but not too bad. Waiting for the bad aches and pains to kick in like they did last time on day 5-9. Have already taken codeine ready as the nurse said it may help. Big hugs to everyone having tax this week and hope you are all coping ok as can be with the yukky side effects. Nice to have the site up and running again, I have missed it! ness xxx
yeah, 3rd TAX on Wednesday, it’s tough. Boy, I’m not looking forward to it, its hard to think about making yourself so poorly.
Going out for a curry tonight though with hubby and kids, nice treat 
I x
Hi All,
Well had my 2nd tax, and my god it was awful, after 10 mns I had the worst pain shooting up my hand and arm and then my hand became red and lumpy, as if I had dipped my hand in nettles. The nurses stopped the tax straight away and flushed it through, anyway 2 weeks down the line my hand is red raw, ended up at the hospital and they think that the tax has leaked under the skin and burnt it, so now ‘plastics’ will be involved and to add insult to injury they only have that hand to do anything with, they say that this has never happened befor!!!
Up side was thet the SE didnt last that long, cant wait till the 28th!!!
jillx
Jill - you poor thing - as if TAX isn’t bad enough. Hope all goes well with number 3 on 28th and that they manage to sort your burnt hand out with out too much trauma for you.
Had my third and last TAX on Thursday, so now very tired and a bit achy and mouth staring to get horrid. Injections for wbc start tomorrow. Good to think that when I start to improve this time, I know I won’t be going for another dose.
Good luck on Wednesday izzi. Hope SES not too bad ness and pinkrose.
Stella xx
Hi all,
I’m in bed having a quick surf before going back to sleep - I slept for britain on AC and so far tax seems to be no different.
My mouth is so dry and painful now that even difflam, which was great before, is having virtually no effect and my goodness talk about aches and pains! Like a lot of you my taste buds are completely shot to pieces now and I’m just about getting by on water mixed with cranberry cordial to keep my fluids up.
I saw my gp on friday about the mucositis which I’ve had since AC 2 and is now significantly worse. She prescribed some suppositories but the flipping chemist can’t get hold of them - and I am in desperate need of *something*!
With AC my se’s usually kicked in around day 3/4 so having se’s right from the start is a new one on me!
Thinking about you all!
Nymeria x
best wishes to those of you having TAX this week
ive got 3rd TAX on Thursday and am not looking forward to it - i feel like a little old lady at the moment - does anyone else still achey in the supposed “good” week before the next treatment is due?? - i had hoped i would get a few days where i felt like normal but i havent after TAX 2 and am worried TAX3 will hit harder as a result.
hair - i have quite a covering of hair now and had thought it would fall out again with TAX but it would seem no - unless it goes after the tird treatment that is - i hope not, it is nice to see it growing back - any of you lost hair after 3 treatemtnts or is it likely to stick do you think? no eyelashes and brows now and i find that a bit freaky - hope they return soon
Claire x
Claire
third tax on wed, no eyelashes, fluffy down regrowth hair, no eyelashes, spots and very uneven (blotchy) skin - and as I said before, not looking forward to wednesday at all.
PICC line care and oncologist appt tomorrow.
Good luck for Thurs - on a steroid high …
I xx
Oh and curry was fab on a Sunday night they have buy one get one free! Can only face them at very end of 3 week cycle.
I x
Day 12 of TAX. WOW what hit me? Onc is going to reduce next dose by 20%. I have very painful hands, almost like an allergic reaction. Hot, red and swollen. Some tingling and pins and needles. I rang helpline and they were quite blase about it. Just said keep an eye on it. Has anyone else had this and did it improve? I’m worried it might have done some permanent damage. I really want to feel an improvement soon as it will be time for the next treatment.
Hi Janipi,
It is quite a common side effect and if you go back to the beginning of this thread you’ll see others with the same problem. I have had three TAX now, think I got off relatively lightly, very tired, some aching, horrid mouth et. The reduced dose should help and others have had that. I’m copying something I wrote earlier in the thread.
“There’s been a study (I’m sure there’s a link somewhere but I’ve no idea where)showing that wearing ice mitts and boots can help to stop or reduce SEs of neuropathy and nail damage. In the US and a couple of centres here they can provide ice mitts. I asked my onc about it, he was very sceptical but said do as you like. Some of us have tried putting hands/ feet in peas or dry ice things. I thought peas were easier and cheaper - I’ve used them twice and will use them again.
I haven’t had neuropathy or much nail damage - am I just lucky or did the peas help? Will never know.
Don’t know what others did, but this is what I did.
I bough 6 1kg packs of peas. For my hands I put two packs side by side in an insulated picnic bag ( or you could wrap firmly in towels) to try to keep them both firm and cold. I put one hand between the two bags of peas while chemo being started and the second one in other peas once drug going in. I found a shallow box for my feet, lined with towels, put one bag of peas on base, put my feet on it with second bag over the top of my toes. Occasionally it got a bit uncomfortable so just removed digits for a few seconds. Transported them to hosp in a cool box with plastic milk containers filled with ice (just froze water in containers in the freezer) to keep them cold.
Nobody minded, few funny looks and nurses all asking why I was doing it.”
I used the peas again for my third TAX.
Good luck with the next one. Hope the SES improve soon.
Stella xx
Thanks Stella. I’m going to buy loads of value peas and take an ice blocks and a picnic box. I’m past caring what anyone thinks. I don’t want this again.
Hi all just back from the pre chemo onc appointment, will have dose reduction, feeling pleased that the symptoms have a cause and might be better this time.
Have had to get clothes in larger size, hate it and find it harder than losing hair or breast, but hopeful know that at least some of it is water retention and might go away!
Ain’t it odd the things we find hard to accept?
feeling really low today - no energy and just aching all over please tell me it is normal 3 days before next TAX? - i should be feeling better shouldn’t i? does that mean next one will hit me harder? so fed up of doing this now
claire
Hello,
I am a bit of a lurker here, I never seem to have the courage to post anything (don’t know what there is to be scared of tho!). I had my first lot of Tax on Friday, having had 4 x AC already, and I just want to say thank you all for your posts on this thread because you have all encouraged me so much and I knew what to expect. When my onc told me the various side effects half of what is posted here as seemingly common never got mentioned at all, I wonder if they don’t want to scare us away from it! The best difference from the AC for me is the lack of sickness but other than that it is really cr*p! I have terrible mouth, aches and pains everywhere and my finger nails feel like someone is pulling them off.
Once again thanks to all and good luck to all of you who have another soon.
xxx
HI little angel. I’m 8 days post tax2 and feeling fed up and low too. I’ve found tax really affects my mood and I’m grumpy, short tempered, can’t remember things and can’t get my words out properly sometimes - so frustrating. My chemo nurse said this is normal.
AFter my first tax it was 2 days before my next chemo, like you, before I felt really back to normal. For me, I do think the SE’s are not as bad tax2 as tax1 - it’s still really rubbish though isn’t it. I’m just counting the days and plodding on through it … good luck for your next tax.
RAchel.
I may well be saying goodbye to you all on this thread. After 4 rounds of epi and now 2 tax, chemo has not worked for me, my tumour is now bigger after both, hopefully off for mx thurs and a new plan hopefully from onc.
My advice to leave with is Tax really messed with my head, I was so low and depressed in that first week it was scary, an the ice does work. I bought some kool n sooth (something like that) dry ice bags from Boots that when crushed go cold for an hour. They cost £3.50 and made a huge difference to me. I wore socks on my hands then held them, and my fingers were much better.
Good luck to you all
Louise