Hello ladies
Forewarned is forearmed: can I ask what the side effects are please, I know everyone is different, but to know what I might expect is helpful.
Thanks ladies
Hi there
I had my 2nd Epi yesterday. The first was manageable. I had no sickness at all and felt well until day 4 when I started developing a sore throat which progressed as the week went on. Along with that I had oral thrush and the loss of taste (which I found the worst thing - I love my food). All gone by day 9.
After my 2nd yesterday, I was sick a couple of times in the night and have found the tiredness worse.
All-in-all it hasn’t been as bad as I expected.
Hope it goes well for you. I know others on here who are sailing through it.
When is your 1st?
take care
Mal
Goodluck peacock
Sickness and nausea for me with a migraine
Having said that … this goes on for 4-7 days ish and then out and about!
cheers
FB xxx
Hi For me it was a bit of sickness - well if thats what u call it a bit like being sea sick or tipsy for the first few days and a horride taste in the mouth. This improved around day 5ish.
Ohh and pink wee on day 1.
Sukes
Well all 3 of your replies so far mention sickness - my biggest fear! On taxotere I think I’ve had everything except sickness, just a bit of nausea.
I’m not actually sure whether I will be starting on Epirubicin, as yesterday when I saw the Onc he mentioned it, after tax but the other Onc I saw seemed to think I may just stay on taxotere.
Has anyone heard of keeping on the same treatment and not changing? That would make 8 in total of tax.
I’ve had a 4cms shrinkage to the cancer after 3 chemos, perhaps its working so well that they won’t change it. I dunno how it works but I thought normally you changed.
xxx
Hi Peacock,
I have had 4 epi and have not been sick at all, not even close. I did not even get nausea but got an acidy stomach, mouth trouble and trouble focusing. All side effects from day 4 to day 7 then vanished. I ranged from asleep the whole day on dose one to a bit more sleepy than usual on 2, 3 and 4. It built up with each one.
Good luck
Lily x
I am day 6 of 2nd Epi and am conforming to pattern of 1st.
I feel great - too great on day of treatment - I think it is the anti sickness stuff.
ok day 2 - so I go out and get shopping dvds and things
day 3 tired tired tried and so I stay until today when I got up - after breakfast and feel a bit more like myself. still fragile and can cry at the least thing.
No sickness, slight nausea, but the meds take care to that - make me fuzzy though. I cannot read which is annoying but watch dvds. Sleep mainly.
I will get better this week I hope and have a few nearly normal days before dong it again.
Do what you want to - no what you feel like doing.
take care good luck
gill
princess 18 started a brill thread… top tips for chemo - i will find it an d bump up
i am ooh…a month from chemo? am doing rads an tamoxifrn now but i do remember chemo feelings - and i was lucky!!!
best wishes to you all
jen xx
Hi I had 4 cycles of epirupicin no nausea / vomiting.My tiredness increased by 1/2 a day with each cycle, I discovered early on that as soon as I got up in the morning I knew If I would be my usual self or if I had to drag my self out of bed I would be tired for 1/2 of the day, do what everyone is advising you to do and listen to your body and rest when you need it .I had me time with books puzzles and dvd,s . Good luck x
Hi Peacock
Big thankyou for starting this thread. I am starting epi on thursday, I already have a huge shopping list after ready top tips for chemo.
All the best with your treament.
Thank you ladies for your useful tips.
Best wishes
Catherine x
Hi Catherine
I just wanted to say good luck tomorrow with your first Epi, drink plenty and let us know how you get on if you feel up to it.
xxx
hi Peacock,
I just want to share my Epirubicin side effects if you still want to hear it…I had this regime for 6 cycles from 13 Jan06to16mar06(3months) ,once every 3 weeks then changed to combination of CMF for another 3 months to complete the 6 cycles.
I had hair loss after my 1st session so i decided to shave it off totally but during CMf, my hair started to grow smoothly anf like baby hair…sadly i lost it again this year when i had 1 cycle of Taxotere…but thats another story.
apart from hair loss, i was very sick and my neurophil level dropped hence i got 3 x delayed to recuperate.then i didnt know about the GCSF injection that i know now…why did i suffer then?
tiredness and loss of energy for first 3 days then i have lots of energy from day 6 to 21 until the next session.
I hope this doesnt put you off,least of all,you can prepare yourself of what to ask the oncologists.I hoped i knew about the GCSF then…this time round, i have a very different regime…meant to be 6 cycles of TAXOTERE but after the first,imneed to be changed to TAXOL due to severe allergic reaction.Take care on your progress.
Veeluz
Hi Peacock,
just thought I’d thow in my tuppenceworth too!
I got chronic heartburn after a day or two but they managed to sort it brilliantly with opremazole, so dont (like me) wait for it to go before treating it.
Had a permanent headache till I started taking Aspirin, but please check this with your doc if it happens as there seems to be conflicting advise on whether you should take it.
No sickness to speak of, just tiredness on days 3-5, learning to go with it and watch Inspector Morse and nap when nec.
Still early days but main complaints are feeling generally hungover for a week or so after Epi and taste in the mouth a bit rubbish too!
Best of luck…some of us are fortunate and it’s really not too bad, I’m sure positive thinking will help you through a bit too.
Best bit of advise so far? EAT AND DRINK PLENTY BEFORE AND AFTER EPI!
I haven’t had any mouth ulcers yet, not sure if sucking ice helps, but I’m doing it anyway.
Try not to be scared…take Care
Gillian
HI,I had 6 cycles of EC in Jan-Apr05, and can verify many of these symptoms, though it does seem to effect us all in different ways. I’d develop a migraine type headache just as the treatment was finishing, which then got worse as the day progressed. Within a few hours of treatment the nausea started up- I was very sick with treatments 5+6, but this only lasted a few hours. Then its that hangover' feeling for about 4-5 days- queasy, achey and generally sofa-bound. On about day 3 I'd feel all my glands get very tender in my neck and chest wall- again this would last for a day, no more. Then just before I turned the corner’ on day 5-6 I’d feel very shaky and lightheaded- someone told me once this is the steroids wearing off. I did get the awful taste- like chewing paracetemol- and ulcers and thrush. After my first treatment I also got a cold which took a while to shift and made me feel really ill. But despite all this, my bloods always recovered and I never had any probs with this. After the initial few days you do recover and pick up, but do get tired easily. It does build up as the treatment progresses also- I found the final treatments hit me the hardest. And then there’s chemo periods… if they don’t stop completely, they do do odd things like go out of synch, be very heavy etc etc!
It is all do-able though- I am a total wimp and made it! Visualise the cells it may well be blitzing and have some great treats for yourself lined up to look forward to. Best wishes with it all, Bagelo
Thank you all for your replies, I’ve decided Epi sounds worse than Tax, so when I meet with the Onc on Monday for my half way through discussion, he will decide whether to keep me on Tax for the next 4 sessions or to change me onto Epi.
I think I’d rather stay on Taxotere for the full 8 chemos, but we’ll see what he says on Monday.
Hope you are all making good progress.
xxx
Hi Peacock
Thank you for you wishes. Everything went well yesturday, feeling good today. Don’t know if today is counted as day 1 or is day 1 the day you have it?
Making the most of feeling good as from what I read I might start to feel crappy in a day or two.
Thank you all for your comments, its a help to know what might be around the corner in the days to come.
Will keep you posted on how it goes.
Love to all
Catherine x
Hi started chemo on Wednesday which included Epirubicin. Can’t believe that i feel so tired. Had a few other side effects including strange taste in my mouth and a bit of indigestion. Apart from that i feel ok at the moment anyway. I did feel a little down in the dumps as i feel my body is not my own but as i keep telling myself it’s all for the better. Going to have a wig consultation on Wednesday. Don’t know wether I’ll bother or not but at least I can have a look. At least by reading your comments i know that I’m not alone in feeling like this. I’ll try to keep smiling that is when i’m not fast off asleep.
Best wishes to you all
Kerry x
Hi peacock
I’m on second epi. noe been sick. felt sick first 5 days of both but not been sick, got sorted with gaviscon and domperidone. just fell tired every 3 rd day, so I rest then.
hope all foes well
love to all
Bridie
Hello all, hope you are all bearing up well to the Epi.
I’ve found out today that I will stay on Taxotere for the full 8 treatments, so having just had my 4th one - halfway mark - at least its better the devil I know.
best wishes and good luck to you all
xx
Hello all,
new to the forum but have read your comments and realise that i’m not alone in feeling shattered! Just had 2nd lot of FEC 4 days ago. Was okay with first dose - but am feeling it this time round - very tired and achy, my body just wont work! I have injection to encourage white cell production 24 hrs post chemo too (had a tooth infection prior to first dose) and am unsure if its that wiping me out or the FEC! Anyway - my worst side effect at the mo is the nasty mouth taste and lethargy, the lethargy is hardest to take as i feel lazy!
Any tips gratefully recieved!