hi im on 6 lots of fec,started it last month had first lot ended up in hospital with sickness for 4 days,just this week had 2nd lot monday lunchtime,back in hospital by 10pm with sickness again for another 3 days! is it gona be like this every time girls,i asked the doc yesterday he said hopefully they should be able to get my sicknesss under control.hows it for you girls?is it just me.im getting more and more worried every day expecting to to sick every time its a daugnting prospect.lynne
Hi Lynne
Really sorry to hear about your sickness. Although I have not been as bad as you obviously have with being sick I did experience sickness the first night after FEC number one. When I went back to see the oncologist before number two he recommended an extra anti-sickness drug called cyclizine which they gave me by infusion at the end of the chemo on Monday. It really seems to have done the trick as I didn’t have any sickness this time, just a bit of low-grade nausea. I don’t think they give it routinely because the nurse was explaining to me that it can increase the risk of constipation - something which fortunately I don’t seem to suffer from! It’s swings and roundabouts all the time isn’t it! Don’t know if it would be worth mentioning this to your doc - I know everybody’s different and people react differently to the drugs, and I guess a lot depends on your hospital and what they use, but might be worth asking about. Hope they can sort something out for your next one.
All the best,
Amanda
Hi Lynne,
Sorry to hear that you are having such a rotten time. It just doesn’t seem fair that some people have such a bad time, while others breeze through chemo in comparison. I can’t offer any advice but just wanted to send you a cyber hug and wish you well.
Jacqui
hi i had fec last year and did not get sickness once, i had a drug with my chamo and then two lots of drugs one to be taken for two days and one for five days so ask your onc there are drugs out there, u shouldnt have to suffer like that.
Hi Lynne
Sorry you are having such a terrible time. I was very sick after the 1st FEC. Had to call the doctors out, but luckily didn’t end up in hospital.
For the 2nd lot they gave me a drug called emend. I wasn’t sick again, but did still have some nausea which was much more manageable. Emend seems to be very popular on the forums from those that have had it. But it is not routinely prescribed. Please ask your Onc for it!
Hi Lynne - I really feel for you.
I was very sick with FEC too. After my first dose, about 4 hours later I started vomiting violently and couldn’t stop for 12 hours. My GP came out and gave me an injection and luckily I narrowly avoided hospital. Second time they upped the anti sickness meds but the same thing happened.
I was almost at the point of refusing the third treatment but was offered something called levomepromazine (also known as nozinan) which basically knocked me out for the first 2 days but stopped me being sick. I also had domperidone suppositories as I could only manage small sips of water. I was never offered Emend but I don’t know if that was a cost thing or because I had delayed sickness.
I would suggest that you ring the chemo unit and speak to the nurses. Explain what has happened and ask their advice before you next see oncologist.
Other things that helped: having anti sickness meds (IV and tablet) half an hour before the chemo infusion so it had proper time to kick in. Being given an extra bag of IV fluid as I couldn’t drink after chemo.
From about day 3 I could usually go to oral domperidone and I would take this three times a day before trying to eat something. I did have some nausea right through until a couple of days before the next chemo but it was bearable. I kept reminding myself of how important the treatment was and did have 4 FEC treatments (and later 4 taxotere). Unfortunately my GP put me a low dose of domperidone not realising that I could have had a higher dose and I was too ill to realise. You may find that domperidone at the right dose would entirely control the nausea.
Wishing you well.
Elinda x
Hi, I also had emend (it’s expensive, I think around £80 for the three tablets), here is a useful overview of the drugs and how they work, its from Macmillan. For me the Domperidone with the Emend worked on Fec, together with the steroids and IV extra fluids.
5HT3 inhibitors These drugs are used to control sickness caused by chemotherapy and are often given along with steroids. They work by blocking a chemical called serotonin (5HT) which acts on receptors called 5HT3 and causes sickness. They include granisetron (Kytril®), ondansetron (Zofran®), and tropisetron (Navotan®).
Palonosetron (Aloxi®) is a new 5HT3 inhibitor which acts over a longer time and is given by weekly injection.
Steroids are often given along with other anti-emetic drugs to treat sickness caused by chemotherapy. They can also be used to control sickness when someone has advanced cancer. Dexamethasone (Decadron®, Hexadrol®, Dexasone®) is the most commonly used steroid.
Drugs that help stomach emptying and so relieve feelings of sickness Metoclopramide (Maxolon®) and domperidone (Motilium®) both work in this way and are commonly used. Domperidone can be given as suppositories.
Drugs that act on the vomiting centre in the brain Prochlorperazine (Stemetil®) is often used to control sickness. One of the ways in which it can be given is as a tablet which dissolves in the mouth (Buccastem®). Chlorporamazine is another drug that acts in the same way, but it’s usually only used in advanced cancer when other anti-emetics drugs haven’t worked.
Anti-histamine drugs Cyclizine (Valoid®) is an anti-histamine drug that is often used to control sickness.
Sedative drugs Haloperidol (Serenace®) is a sedative drug that can be used in low doses to help control sickness caused by drugs like morphine. Levomepromazine (Nozinan®) is another sedative drug which may be used in advanced cancer when other anti-sickness drugs haven’t worked. They can be taken as tablets or given through a small pump called a syringe driver (used when someone is having difficulty swallowing).
Anti-anxiety drug Lorazepam (Ativan®)This is an anti-anxiety drug which is usually used along with another anti-emetic to control sickness caused by chemotherapy.
Neurokin inhibitor Aprepritant (Emend) is a new drug which is given along with steroids and a 5HT3 inhibitor to control sickness caused by chemotherapy (particularly with a drug called cisplatin). Aprepritant works by blocking a chemical which acts on receptors called neurokins and causes sickness.
I was lucky to be only sick for one night (though rather spectacularly) after the first FEC, but my father on a different chemo found Emend very effective. I get the impression it isn’t offered willingly though - but would be worth asking.
Hope it improves soon for you - how miserable you must be feeling.
finty x
Hi
So sorry to hear you have been sick it’s a horrible thing. I was really ill on the first 3 fec and then had Emend for the last 3 it made a huge difference. Hopefully they will give you it next time but please ask. My PCT would not pay for it which i think is disgusting because they know it works and for people with sickness it can make all the difference. I am going to lobby this drug when i’m done that’s how strongly i feel about it. I don’t know if anybody can give you more input on this but i would not hold back in telling them how much it’s affecting you and making you feel.
Good luck i hope this gets sorted out for you
Lots of love
Jaynexxxx
Jayne - totally agree. finty x
Hi Lynne
I really feel for you.
I had my 5th chemo last week and each chemo they gave me ondansteron by IV before my chemo. I then take ondansteron in tablet form for 3 days and I also have Emend for 3 days. I feel very lucky to say that I haven’t had any nausea at all.
I would really push for these meds next time as they do seem work for a lot of people.
Jayne - I totally agree, I think it is disgusting that some hospitals don’t give this drug due to cost as it works in the majority of cases. It is bad enough us ladies going through chemo and the other side effects without having to push for a good medication.
Amanda xx
Hi, I can sympathise with you also. I was given Odansetron by IV before each chemo and then in tablet form for first few days with domperidone at the same time and was sick with every chemo. After the first it started in the chemo dept and carried on for 36 hours and then for the next five it lasted about 24 hours and then I had nausea for the next few days. I wasn’t given anything else to try, just told I was one of the unlucky ones!!
Hope things improve for you!!
Rawlie x
Hi
I was never actually sick with fec but was extremely nauseous for around 10 days after and then continued with low grade nausea for another week. I was given emend but it didn’t work for me, neither did aloxy iv or cyclezine or ondanzetron ( although this was probably the best) . I was told that I was just unlucky. I really hope you find something that works for you. Dx
Hi Weightwatcher
So sorry to hear your having such a rotten time-I found the sickness the worst thing, I really feel for you. I was on AC which is similar to FEC and was also very sick and in hospital a lot. I hadn’t heard of Emend until this forum after my chemo, sounds like its worth asking about. I was given cyclizine and metachloprimide (dreadful spellng probably!)but in my case they made things worse, so I think it is worth keeping trying things as different drugs seem to work for some than others.
I was given Ondansitron-I found the domperidone alone didn’t touch it, but it wasn’t as bad when they gave me Ondansitron in hospital and the days immediately after, then advised me to take the domperidone most of the way through until the next cycle-and also extra steriods via IV at the time and after. It could be worth asking about. I really hope they find a combination that imroves things for your next cycle.
C
so sorry youve been so unwell with the FEC. I finished mine in Feb this year. I had trouble with sickness, too.
Are you having anti sickness meds?? i had Emend, Dexamethasone, Ondansatron, and ranitidine
hope you feel easier soon,
eva
Sorry you’re suffering so much - I had problems with sickness with FEC - after cycle 1 they fitted me with a 4 day cyclizine driver which meant it was going in all the time in measured doses - the driver is no problem - the district nurse changed the syringe thing once a day and I removed it afte rthe last one - simples!!
Be wary with chlorapromazine as suggested above - I was prescribed this for anxiety shakes - the suggested dose is 25mg to 1000 (yup. 1K!) daily, but 25 knocks me out - I now use it as a sleeping aid as its non addictive!!