Sorry you’ve had such a bad time with sickness Julie. Hope you can follow LiF’s advice and get Emend for next time. I’m lucky (are any of us lucky if we’re here?)I was only sick once both times and just had no appetite for a week.
As regards diet, there is an interesting thread, somewhere in the Undergoing chemotherapy section entitled “please help sudden extreme back pain 7 days after chemo” Last post on thread was 24th Oct. Gretchen had posted about the diet she was following which she said helped with the se’s of TAX.
I thought I’d try it when I change to TAX. Third FEC due on Thursday.
After reading other threads, it seems the jury is out over dairy. It’s so important for bones, so difficult to give up.
Seems FEC takes about 10 days to begin to feel anything like normal for most of us.
Let’s hope all the SEs mean all those cells are being zapped. Best wishes to you all. Stella
Thanks for your advice. I spoke to my chemo nurse today and she is wanting me to be admitted for my next cycle, but I am seeing my Oncologist on Wednesday so I will ask him about Emend. Before I started chemo I was saying that I could put up with the sickness it was the hair loss that would be the worse, but I take that all back now!
Stella - best of luck with your third FEC on Thursday.
Hi Julie,
Sorry to hear you’ve been so sick. That was on the lower dose too wasn’t it? I was very sick last night and ended up phoning in. Ok since about midnight though. It is miserable isn’t it? I’m on ondanesetron, but threw that up too!
Yuk. Like you, I’m dreading this getting worse…
All the best,
Tracey
Thanks for the reassurance, so much of this is crap, the thought of my coffee going, well, almost too much to contemplate!!
Interesting comments about FEC cycle 2, I have mine on the 17th Dec and was hoping to be well enough to enjoy all the joys of Christmas, not so sure now…mind you I am already deep in planning to direct operations from a comfy sofa - I’m sure mum, OH and DD can between then produce a decent Xmas lunch!!
If I do feel bad, I shall take comfort that it is because any bad cells left are being annihilated by the chemo - Peace and Goodwill to all men, but b****r off cancer cells!!!
Good luck with your first dose of chemo on Friday. I know some of us have had a rough time, but others seem to have sailed through, everyone seems to be different.I hope we have not worried you more.
Julie, Tracey, sorry to hear about your sickness. I was sick a couple of times after first FEC. Since then they have given me IV Cyclizine at the end of each chemo which only takes a few extra minutes. It has done the trick - I’ve only had mild nausea each time since then. Different hospitals seem to use different drugs, so it is definitely worth asking what else they might be able to give you.
SJ, good luck for Friday.
Glad I don’t have to give up coffee - I only have 2 or 3 cups a day but get a headache if I don’t have it.
Amanda
Hi Juro
I’m no more worried about it all than I have been - with me it’s the fear of the unknown! In actual fact, I can’t wait to get started - the sooner the better, then the quicker it will all be over! It’s the waiting that’s killing me!!
SJ xx
SJ,
I was just the same for my first cycle- almost ‘looking forward’ to it, in some kind of crazy way, just to feel like I was doing something to attack this thing. I’m having my chemo, before mastectomy, so I guess I was extra keen. And it was not at as bad as I expected- was out with friends for coffee the next day. They do say it is cumulative though, so I suppose that is why the second dose has been worse. It must really be doing it’s stuff though, because my onc says there was a marked decrease in size of lump after the first session- so take heart ladies- it really does work- and is ‘zapping’ anything that is left post op!
As to hair. What hair? Who needs it?!
All the best,
Tracey
Just had FEC 5 this morning. Just one more to go!! I’ve been cheerful and chat to the nurses during treatment up until now but today I just dissolved in tears when I saw the drugs laid out. Don’t know what I was crying about - just all got to me.
Had a fab night out last night at LK Bennett. They had a private shopping night for me and some friends with drinks and nibbles laid on. We had fun trying on lots of clothes and commenting on each other. Needless to say, money was spent but we felt under no pressure from the very attentive sales staff and got 15% off. We also got goodie bags to take home . I think all their stores do this - worth checking out.
Aww Lilac. Sending you hugs. I am having my last FEC tomorrow but I know exactly how you are feeling. The run up to the last FEC (#5) and this last few weeks have been my worst emotionally. Not helped by this Chemo being delayed. I think we can only take so much and however strong/positive etc, etc we are it just catches up with us at some point and has to come out.
Cry if you want to, it really does help. You will also feel better for it as it’s like a kind of release of all those pent up anxieties and fears.
You are soo close to the end of this stage of your treatment and doing bloody marvellous - WE ALL ARE!
I hope the SE’s are kind to you this time round. Take care.
Lilac, I agree with Karen about the crying, it’s good for us. I’m off to the hospital for FEC 5 today and it feels like I’ve already had so much of this stuff and still not quite at the end yet. Still, not long to go for us now.
Glad to hear you had a good night out at LK Bennett, that sounded great.
I can understand the crying, Lilac. I’m just coming up to no 3 and I was feeling really cross and grumpy about it disrupting my life etc. Been delayed a week because white cells too low - don’t know whether to be pleased or disappointed. I’m sure by number 5 I will have had enough and just want it all to stop. Hope you’re feeling a little better and not too many se’s.
I spoke too soon! Got to the hospital this morning and they told me my white blood cell count has gone right down to 0.5 (they won’t give chemo if it’s below 1) so Stella, I am in the same boat as you with a delay. I’m booked in to try again next Wednesday. Then they are going to give me injections the week after which to boost my bone marrow which should mean I’ll hopefully be OK for the last one. I should still finish by Christmas with about 3 days to spare! It was a bit of a surprise as my blood has been fine so far and I feel OK but I guess we have to be prepared for all sorts of to happen on this regime. I’m now paranoid about catching infections! AAAAAgh - big scream!!!
Amanda
I’m paranoid about infections too. I’ll also be having the injections to boost the white cells for the remaining four chemos. I only just scraped through the first time round.
It will be good for you to be finished before Christmas, but a pity the chemo is so close to Christmas. I’ll be having my first TAX on 23rd Dec.
Hi everyone,
Good luck to everyone having chemo this week - mine is tomorrow TAC 3 so half way there.
LIF/Dancing girl - I’m having TAC 6 think TAX/TAC is the same thing? as the letters stand for the drugs
Docetaxel is (T)axotere and the Doxorubicin is (A)driamycin and (C)yclophosphamide is the same,Macmillan have some really good imfo about it - just tap in TAC in the search box and click the link a lot of side effects to take in but it really helped me get prepared i know exactly what side effects i get and which day to so it helps you plan i’m only sick/ill (not actually sick) for a week then back to normal till next one so not too bad. hope this helps, i have been given the cell booster injections since the first week after as TAC/TAX really zaps your white blood cells but it must work as my overall bloods were 2.6 last time ! they also give me antibiotics for a week after too to fight infection and 3 different anti sickness drugs so you are ‘rattling’ by the end of the week but it keeps everything at bay which is good!
I have a session just before xmas so im going to ask if it can be delayed for a week as i am traveling to parents for xmas as i’m not having 'up front chemo ’ mine is precautionary so i hope they let me !
Lilac-Please Keep happy +strong,your nearly there x
SJ Good luck for FEC 1 tomorrow.
Barneypaws - hope yours went well yesterday and your coping well .
I think…
That there is a difference between TAX and TAC
I am on a FEC-T regime which is the 5(F)U, (E)pirubicin and (C)yclophosphamide folloewd by just Docetaxol as the T part…well thats what my letter says!
FEC is harder on the veins and T harder on the wbc…
x