Hi everyone. I had breast cancer diagnosed early January. Had mastectomy and lymph node removal 6 weeks ago, which has gone really well. Started FEC T chemo on Tuesday 19th March. Planned for worst and hoped for best but have had horrendous week since. Think I’m normally tough and positive but the level of nausea I’ve suffered has made me think I can’t do this. Had dexamethasone and ondansatron via iv on day of chemo and tablet for 2/3 days following. Also tried metroclopamide and stemitil but no improvement. Given cyclizine 2 days ago. Sticking with them at the mo as nausea has seemed very slightly better but may be nothing to do with medication. Feeling very low. Hate this nausea, hate taking medication, hate feeling low, hate the effect this is having on my lovely family. Can’t ever imagine feeling strong and well again. Had a very positive experience of surgery but this is the absolute pits. Wonderinwhether her it’s worth it. Had clear margins on breast tumour and although 5/12 nodes affected, apparently appexical (? not sure if that’s correct terminology) nodes were clear. Sorry to be so negative but its just how I feel.
Hi Julie…you have every right to be fed up, tired and well pea’ed off. Just remember it is hard, but it is do-able…it passes, every time you think you are at the lowest ebb it will only get better. You will feel strong and well again - it will be behind you and I will tell you something; you will feel even stronger, better and heathier than ever before…My advice would be take every day as it comes, howl if you need to but know you are going through a process and every bit of it is worth it xx.
Hi Julie,
I had Tax first then Fec. I had domperidone anti-sickness with Tax and never once felt sick. However, felt sick taking them with the first FEC so was precribed Ondasetron for 2nd and 3rd and they actually made me feel sicker than the domperidone. So make sure you tell your team and they can give you something else for next time. It is awful but doable.
Good luck and take care, Liz.
Ask for Emend for anti-sickness, it is expensive so they only give it to you if you are struggling but general consencus is that is works better than anything else. It can either be administered by iv or tablet form. I had it for every cycle and was lucky enough not to suffer any nausea.
I also had dexamethasone and domperidome - important to take the tablets regularly for a few days after chemo, not only when the nausea strikes.
Chemo is certainly no fun but worth it to know that you have done all you can to fight the cancer.
Good luck for the rest of your treatment.
Jayne x
Hi Julie,
I am pleased I have read your post, I am sorry to hear that you are feeling so low during your first Fec-T.
I too feel like I have coped really well since my mastectomy and I am scheduled to start Fec-T on 27th. I have high hopes that I will sail through this but in the back of my mind I feel reality is about to catch up with me…
I think the comments you have received from Brizzie, Liz & Jayne are very positive and I truely hope you can get the additional meds required to make your next cycles more bearable.
Hang in there & Good luck!
Lori x
Another vote for Emend. I was pretty sick after my 1st FEC. Was then given Emend to take with the othe FEC infusions and was fine. felt a little nauseous on the night of chemo but was never sick again. And only felt a little nauseous for 1 night.
Hi. I’m an “oldie” - went through this 2 years ago, and everyone who was very nauseous that I “met” then, had Emend. I also found ginger tablets (day before poisons and 2-3 days after) helped, but I wasn’t as bad as you. My first treatment was the worst… If you are still feeling sick, you probably ought to tell someone - BCN/unit/gp… whoever you feel would listen best.
God bless, hope you feel better soon
Jane
So sorry to hear you are feeling so bad - but it can be a lot better than this if you get help
I am EXCEPTIONALLY prone to nausea,so researched what was needed extensively BEFORE starting FEC, and demanded intravenous Fosapprepitant (the IV form of EMEND) before my first chemo. And got it.
I still had some probs in first 2 cycles, but now have nausea under control with
- IV Fosapprepitant + Ondasetron + Deamethasone BEFORE each chemo and
2)Oral Ondansetron (for a week) + extrra dexamethasone + Dom Peridone + Cyclizine AFTER chemo
This whole saga is documented on my blog http://chemonights.blogspot.co.uk/, which you might find useful.
You do not need to suffer like this - it took me until FEC5 to get itright, but please learn from my experience…
hope that helps xxx
Cybele - I thought everyone I IV Fosapprepitant, Ondasetron and Dexamethasone before each chemo … I certainly did and I didn’t have to ask for it, it was just given. Also took Domperidone and cyclizine after chemo. I’ve finished chemo now but you never stop learning on this Forum.
At my hospital everyone gets IV Ondansetron and Dexys, but the Fosapprepitant, because it is so expensive - I think about £140 ?? a go - is used as a SECOND line anti-emetic that you only geton the second cycle of fEC if you vomit very badly on the first cycle…
I only got it upfront because I’d already had seveer vomiting with other drugs, and demanded it. There ws NO WAY I was going to have chemo without it. They were fine about it.
From my research that seems to be quite common practice - not everyone does need it, so they can’t afford t odole it out unless you can show it’s necessary.
I got them all as standard too but I think that is because it was a private hospital (thanks to medical insurance through work).
From reading these threads, the NHS dont give Emend automatically because of the cost. Likewise Neuolasta injections after each round of Chemo to boost white blood cells although I don’t understand that logic as it must cost so much more treating those having to go back into hospital due to infections.
Jayne x
Julie-I wasn’t too bad with nausea with fec so didn’t need any additional medication. I can understand the NHS doesn’t want to waste money on medicines that might be unnecessary (as in my case) however I was told catagorically that on no account should I put up with nausea and to make sure I let them know if I felt sick. Please ask for the medicines you need.
On the plus side, when you move on to tax you hopefully won’t experience nauseau. I had none. So only 2 more fecs to go-and with the right drugs you should hopefully feel more in control.
Julie, So sorry to hear you are having sickness problems with chemo. I too have heard that Emend is the best one to use. Thankfully, I’ve had no sickness at all, not even nausea. Hope your next cycle is better for you.
Lori, good luck for when you start Fec T. I’ve finished the Fec part, on to Tax next cycle. Remember to tell your oncologist every little problem you might have in Fec1, and they should provide you with all meds you need for next time. My big problem was oral thrush, which I now have tablets for and it seems to be keeping it under control.
Another good tip, if you haven’t already, join one of the chemo groups for support and advice. They’re great. There is usually one for each month that you begin chemo, I’m a February Valentine, there’s also a March Marigold thread, and now an Awesome April Angel thread. I expect there will soon be one for May!!!
Big Hugs
Poemsgalore.
Another big vote for Emend!
I got it from the start, presumably as I voiced nausea/vomitting as my main concern. Also, I live in Canada, and here we have to pay for all our side effect drugs, so the doctor didn’t have to worry about the cost, and my insurance pays. Thankfully the actual chemo drugs are funded by the province!!!
I have the oral form, and after the first AC treatment, nausea was not an issue at all! I also got the wonder drug, Omeprazole, for heartburn issues.
I have done 4 cycles of AC, and now have three months of weekly Taxol to go. A little nervous, but otherwise feeling well and positive (this week) 