Hi am having final EC on Friday then 3 Tax. Must admit I only tend to read bad reports of horrendous se’s on the site. Feeling very worried. Anyone out there who might have not had it too bad or folks who had controllable se’s?
Tax is a doddle after the frightful SEs I had on EC…
The thing to remember is people don’t come on here to say that they’re not having issues and don’t need support 
So put that into context - On TAX some people have a horrible time. My time on EC was much more doable, TAX was hideous for me.
Though speaking with other people in the chemo unit most of them weren’t having horrid SEs.
Hi
I had a much easier time with Tax than I did with FEC.Hope you do too:)
Tracy
Tax was OK - not pleasant, but no worse than FEC.
Dx
Hi Jenben,
I’ve been SO SO much better on TAX than I was on AC and have met some other women who also much prefered TAX to EC and FEC. Kat’s right, most people come on here to let off steam and some people feel a bit bad posting that they’re having an OK time of it in case it seems like bragging. A couple of people have PMed me as they felt bad posting that they felt OK when so many others are struggling. For me, I get worried in case I jinx myself! So tend to touch lots of wood at the same time! I, personally, like to see both sides of the story - I like to prepare myself for the worst while hoping for the best! I have been lucky so far and am happy to share my SEs. God knows what the future holds for me amd with every unknown i will be grateful to hear the good and bad. The first round I suffered nothing more than 1 sore fingernail, 1 hour-long episode of pins and needles and a boo-hoo comedown after the hike in steroids, but felt so much more energised, no sickness or nausea and no munchies. With the second round I felt great again the whole time apart from an episode in the night on day 3 when I woke up with painful nones, joints and skin, but felt fine in the morning. I’ve had no other aches and pains or bowel problems.
Session 3 tomorrow… We’ll see if this good fortune continues and if pup continues to get 2 long walks a day!
I just hope it’s working. Worry I feel ok because I am immune to it and dispelling it from my body too quickly!
One thing it has done is attacked my hair more - head hair thinning despite pleasing success with cold cap throughout first 4 chemos. Eyebrows and eyelashes also thinning rapidly. But I keep telling myself that there’s not much longer to go…well, apart from the surgery, rads, herceptin, tamoxifen etc!!
I really hope your side effects are minimal BUT I’d advice to take it easy for the first 5 days at least to see how you react. You could well feel brilliant for the first few days -esp compared to FEC.
Let us know how you get on.
X
I was so much better on Tax than on FEC. Funny how everyone reacts differently.
I agree with EK - most people on here will be letting off steam and having a good moan, not saying how well they’re feeling so you do get a very skewed sample.
I’m one who had a pretty bad time on Tax but I know quite a few people who were better than on FEC.
Whichever way it goes for you, the SEs at least are very different and for pretty much everyone they don’t kick in for about 48 hours so you do have a couple of days’ grace. They do also tend to linger though.
Also, be carreful in the first few days, even if you’re feeling fairly alright. Quite a few of us developed quite fuzzy heads so watch out if you’re driving. After my first Tax I drove through a red light and did several other very silly things so after that I tried to avoid driving in the first week whenever possible.
I had my last Tax on 4th May this year and now it’s just a distant memory. The very best of luck with it and remember we’re all here if you need us.
Jane xxx
Hi Jenben
I was fine on fec and now on Tax i am strruggling, but coping. Get the painkillers ready and start taking them day 3 even if u are not in pain just in case . It helped . I suffer terrible cold sweats with Tax, the water pours off me, no weight loss though, boo hoo !!!
I also have had thrush everytime , nothing prevents it but i am on meds continually now for it ,think its dopromizole, that sounds wrong ?? will check if u need the name. Anyway i now know to plan nothing for the week after my tax and i simply go with the flow.
The positive thing is that i am responding well to tax and the tumour is getting more of a battering than me . That keeps me focused.
Chanced are u will be fine, good luck
Lorna
Hi I had 3 fec then 3 tax after my MX I will gladly brag about how well the se’s have treated me. However I have had some problems.My 1st Tax (on a thus) gave me a few good days and then i was hit by the aches and pains, it felt like i had been knocked over by a truck which kept coming back for more this was sun pm till wed am. things eased up from there on. Sleep was diffacult but onc or gp gave me some pills whch helped. Oral thrush was a b*gger! started over the weekend so was mon before i got Nystin from gp cleared up by end of week.
2nd tax NO aches and pains, although i kept waiting for it to start. so it was just being tired and the oral thrush again, but already having the nystin at home i started using it on the sat and was cleared by mid week.
3rd tax onc gave me some pills for the thrush to start the day after chemo .this time thrush never got too bad and was done by time oills finished.
Now i still hjave problems with lack of sleep, but gp has just given me some different sleeping tabs, so i feel more human today.
I painted all nails very dark blue and 3 weeks after last Tax i seem to still have good strong nails, keeping my fingers crossed there. and i do have some numbness, on my thumbs
Basically you will either get SE’s or you wont, some will be worse than others, but you wont be able to predict whats coming all you can do is go with the flow. Good luck x
Thank you all. Feel bit better now. It’s become a regular event with bc, tha anticipation is worse than the event. Have got used to EC ,as much as I hate it is mostly bearable. Fuzzy head interesting as have had that for few weeks and wondered why - have wondered if anaemia, will find out pre chemo bloods tomorrow. Half way tomorrow , then 3 Tax and 18 herceptin. It’s a marathon!
Just remember that everyone is different - I didn’t have any thrush at all but I did get Tax Trots; full River Nile stylee but a dose reduction and Imodium sorts that out.
I found for both FEC and TAX that the first one was the worst - after than I sort of knew what to expect, and learnt to manage the se’s… But as EK said, few people log on to say “ha ha, I’m not suffering”… and se’s are not compulsory! Hope all goes well. Jane
Hey Jenben, as you say, from my experience the anticipation is worse than the event with tax, and the other thing is it usually comes after another chemo so you know you are on the home straight by the time you are onto tax, really good luck, Nicola
I had 6 FEC and 17 weekly tax. My worst se was tiredness towards the end of each regime. Indulge yourself with reflexology. It really helps the feet. Also it’s very relaxing.
X sarah
I found fec a walk in the park. Tax, horrible.
Saying that chemo didn’t give the results we thought it would have, so part of me wished I hadn’t bothered and wasted 18 weeks.
So the summary of the answers to your OP is, “Yes, and No”.
Everyone is so different.
hi jenban i too preferred tax to fec of course everyone is different i was scared about tax but there was no nausea and that was a huge plus for me after fec hope its kind to you xxx
Hated FEC really because of the nausea. Managed to work through both sorts of chemo. Found that TAX was bad the fourth time I had it, but the other three were easier than the FEC because of the lack of nausea. Didn’t appreciate the stomach problems I had on TAX, though, and still got a lot of fluid retention at the moment, (three weeks after last tax). But I’d still rather have tax than FEC
Ann x
Gimme EC anyday, me and Tax are sworn enemies.