Saw oncolgist today. Good news the cancer is gone. No lymph node involved and had total masec with reconstruction. Was in well over an hour. I have had chemo before for my breast cancer 5 years ago but was on a trial then and can’t remember the drugs. This time I am having
3 x FEC
3 x Taxotere.
Would like to know how people felt with each one as they went along. Marks out of 10 for each on on how bad they felt etc.
Does the cold cap work with either or both of them.
Will I get total hair loss - I didn’t last time and had the Epirubicin which I had included in my treatment I was told today.
I am going to try and work as many hours as I can.
Start in 3 weeks time as have to have a heart scan first. Also cos I have had lymph nodes removed last time I can’t use that arm. And oncol doesn’t want to just have 1 arm to use and wants me to have a line in, which I do not want at all. HELP please
I was dx in Nov last year with IDC, had right mastectomy, no recon, 5/11 nodes involved, and HER2+.
My Treatment regime is 4 x fec, 22 rads sessions and then 4 x taxotere. I finished the four sessions of fec this wednesday just gone. There are several threads on this section from people who are having fec - reporting the various side effects. These should help you to see how people managed their way through.
With regard to the hairloss, I didn’t use the cold cap. You will see from the other threads that there appears to be pretty unanimous agreement that the hair starts to fall out about day 16 after 1st Fec.
With regard to working - I have been signed off sick since my mastectomy. While there are days that I feel like I could work, to be honest I felt that I needed these to recover from the days I was so tired, rather than rushing off to work. It has been a bit of a shock to the system - I have never been off work before and there are days when I get stir crazy - but even though financially I am much worse off - I decided that now was the time to look after me and put me first - so work has to take a back seat.
I also only have one arm that can be used.No one has ever suggested using a line (which I would not want to do either. I think it will depend on how your veins stand up to the treatment. Mine have been good so far, lasted for the whole 4 sessions anyway - only one collapsed. I am hoping that the break now to have rads, prior to starting the taxotere will give them chance to recover so I don’t have to have a line in then either.
I hope everything goes ok with your scan - please keep posting and let us know how you get on.
I am currently on cycle 4 (next Wednesday) of 6 FEC. I had a total mastectomy and total clearance of lymph nodes. I could not have reconstruction as I will be having rads after chemo.
I was really anxious about starting chemo, but I have to honestly say it is not as bad as I thought it would be. I had prepared myself for the worst but thankfully it has not been such rough ride as I thought.
Yes I did loose my hair, it was probably 10 - 14 days after the first FEC. They did offer me the cold cup, which I refused as it would mean an extra half hour of being in hospital and I was all prepared for the hair loss. My eyelashes have thinned out but thankfully my eyebrows are still intact. The first 4 days after FEC are probably the roughest, I can hardly keep anything down except water and ginger biscuits. I have a constant feeling of nausea and do feel quite tired and have great difficulty in sleeping. I have had all sorts of anti-sickness prescribed but just taking the meds makes me heave, so I just go with it, and just have a very limited diet for those 4 days. (I do pig out after to make up for my 4 days of starvation)! It does get easier I guess with each next cycle.
Like you I can’t use my right arm where my lymph nodes where removed so my poor left arm has been used for all my bloods and chemo. My Oncologist was ok with me having a cannula put in taken out as and when needed. Did they have problems with accessing your veins in your good arm? Because if its problem getting access thats when they would put some sort of semi-permanent line in like a long line. I know its not what you really want at the moment, but let your oncologist know how you really feel about it all. If you are needle phobic there are creams and sprays that they can use to numb your skin before putting in a cannuala.
I hope this goes to maybe putting you more at ease, but honestly you will do alright, and after the first FEC, it will just fly by and you will be done with it all soon. Good luck and big hugs
Hi Mandy - Jut wanted to say goodluck for your chemo. I’m having the same as you, 3 x FEC then 3 x Taxotere. Have had the first two FEC. I’ve found it very do-able so far, day 1 and 2 not too bad because of the steroids/anti nausea medication, day 3 and 4 toughest (head like concrete!), but weeks 2 and 3 have felt pretty normal! I have found I’ve been eating pretty much as normal, with an added biscuit with a cup of tea or coffee which seemed to help with the nausea. I am sure you will be fine - as mentioned above do look at the other postings and you will see how many of us are getting along! Hope that you can just have a venflon inserted each time if that is what you want - I am having the chemo in my left arm and although I have a blood clot at the moment and am on anticoagulants, they still seem quite confident that they can use that same arm for the next 4 treatments! Hair loss, unfortunately, seems to go with the territory - but you’ll get masses of support here about that and everything else. Very best of luck - just go day by day. Hugs. Sarah
Hi Mandy, i am seeing my consultant today so will find out if there is lymph node involvement, due to start chemo on 4th feb really nervous , like you have had a snb so cannot use right arm for tests and bloods etc. Will have lumpectomy and radiotherapy later on.
I have been told i will have FEC or TAC and to expect total hair loss, laughing about this now but i am sure it will be devastating. Have got a wig ready for Willswigs.co.uk very nice people there and lots of choice.Have a few scarves for around the house. Not sure how the kids will react to a bald mum!!
There are lots of helpful hints on this site to help us through this nightmare. Just have to try and think of the future and look for the light at the end of the tunnel.
I am off sick form work at the momment, luckily get full pay for 6 months so as i have a good sick record i think it is time to think of myself and take it easy. Perhaps do chores around the house if feeling ok.
Here are a couple of links to BCC publications on the treatments you have been prescribed which you may find helpful to read, just cut and paste them to read them online:
Hi Mandy - I had 6 x FEC in 2003 and had the cold cap. My hair thinned quite a bit on top, but no-one seemed to notice, or if they did, made no remarks. It does extend the chemo treatment time by about one and a half hours, but as I am retired, this was not a problem. The nurses were great, wrapped me in a duvet, brought me hot tea, provided a picnic type lunch on a tray (which hubby ate), and I often had to be woken up at the end of the treatment. I did get a lovely wig on the NHS (voucher up to £120 to be used at their designated wig shop/salon) but only used it occasionally.
I was so glad I did the cold cap treatment.
Hope your chemo goes well.
Liz.
I’m on 3xFEC and 3xTAX, just finished FEC no 2 last week. Found the first one a total breeze, no worse than a bad hangover for few days. The second more recent one was awful, I’ve never felt more sorry for myself. I was sick, terrible headaches, constipation then diarrohea, sore mouth and dry itchy eyes. Also random boil type eruptions randomly appearing and disappearing around my body.
My arm that they use for chemo is totally killing me and it’s been 12 days or something. It feels so sore, I can’t face the idea of having another 4 in that arm. Sorry for going on, but boy I’m feeling sorry for myself at the mo.
Dear A - I don’t think your chemo arm should be feeling like that - do get in touch with the unit so that they can look at it for you. Mine was really sore a week or so after my second FEC and it was scanned and showed a couple of blood clots for which I am now having daily anti-coagulant injections. Hopefully this won’t be the case for you, but do get it looked at. Love Sarah.
Thanks everyone. This is brill and made me feel better. Not sure whether to have a cold cap or not. I didn’t lose all my hair last time I had chemo. And believe it or not actually kept my wig “just in case”. How spooky is that? It is usually a Wed up here we have it. So if you feel okay for 2 days that will take me to the weekend and family home so they can do all the jobs eh!!!