Newbie starting TAC chemo

Hi, am new here: had a wide local excision and axillary clearance at end of Jan, along with 2 lymph nodes removed by collarbone, and am starting TAC chemo on Friday 20th March (6 cycles to be followed by radiotherapy).
Would welcome any advice or information from anyone who has had or is currently having TAC, or to chat to anyone starting chemo around the same time.
Looking forward to getting to know you!

Hi Karen

Sorry I can’t give you any advice as I am also about to start TAC one week after you on the 27th.

Wigs are on order, headscarves just been paid for on Ebay, I have stock piled mags and books and I am ready to be poisoned! (even worked out how to use my MP3)

Let me know how you get on, fingers crossed we can compare good days and bad ones without needing to blub into boxes of tissues!

Chin up chucky and I am sure we will be just fine.

Sharon xxx

hi karen - I have just started chemo - day 12 after first lot - I’m having 3 x fec then 3 x tax, so far so good, so just one round ahead…had my surgery - wle and node clearence on feb 28th…mary x

Hi Karen,

I had a mastectomy and node clearance in january and have just had my second Fec, my third is on 31 march and then i will be on tax so starting around 21 april. I will be a bit behind you on that. Hair nearly gone now and i bought these nice little like tshirt material caps on internet in a website called bohemian fashions i think… I am wearing them most of time as they are really comfortable.

i think tax is a bit quicker to adminster than fec so at least you wont be hanging around hours at hospital.

Good luck for friday
Linda
x

Thanks ladies for your good wishes and advice: I too have got wigs on order and stocked up on bandanas and scarves, have already had hair cut shorter in preparation. Will be checking in on here as often as I can, so hopefully we can keep in touch and keep our sense of humour going to get us through this.
I just want to get it started now to see how it will affect me, as everyone reacts differently: I was hoping to have started last Friday (13th!) after seeing the oncologist on 2nd March, but letter came through for the 20th: I guess they must be busy! Just hate the waiting and not knowing: but I bet this time next week I’ll be wishing I was still waiting!
Lovely to hear from you all, chat soon I hope
Take care
Karen x

Hmph! So much for starting chemo today! Turns out my appointment consisted of one and a half hours in the waiting room, getting weighed and height measured, a couple of minutes with the doctor while he told me about the steroid tablets he was prescribing, then an hour in the pharmacy while they prepared all the drugs on my list instead of just the one I was taking with me…
So after all that I actually start chemo on Monday. Maybe I am not asking enough questions and making too many assumptions, but I was all geared up for it starting today. Still, it was useful in the sense of seeing the unit and listening to people in the waiting room, so I have a better idea of what to expect on Monday.
Hope everyone is getting on okay with whatever stage you may be at
Take care
Karen x

Sharon, just wanted to wish you luck for tomorrow! My first session on Monday didn’t go quite according to plan, as I had the first 2 drugs ok, but then had a bit of an allergic reaction to the Taxotere so they had to stop it.
So just waiting to hear now what happens next, whether they try me again on the Taxotere next time at a reduced rate or scrap the whole thing and start from scratch with FEC or a different cocktail of drugs. Trouble is the oncologist is away for a fortnight, then it’s Easter, so it could be towards the end of April before I get seen again: will have to ring up tomorrow to see if there’s any news on at least a treatment review. At the moment all I’ve got in my diary is a wig fitting next Friday!
Side effects wise, haven’t been too bad, but I guess that is only to be expected given I’ve only really had half a treatment: the anti-sickness drugs have done their stuff, which I’m pleased about, as that was what I was dreading most, so have just been tired and achy, with some fluid retention and constipation, so can’t complain really.
Sharon, good luck again, please let us know how you get on.
All the best to everyone
Karen x

Well, here I am the night before wide awake! Not because I am scared, oh no, I have just popped 4 more steroids, thats 8 today, same tomorrow and Saturday! So if you fancy coming to an 90’s Rave in the field behind my house, just bring a smiley face and your whistle…oh and a Rave CD if you have one. All of my other boob buddies had 4 a day, even the ones on TAC.

I know its to avoid an allergic reaction, so maybe they will up your steroid intake?

I am really sorry to hear that things didnt go quite right, don’t stress at all chucky, just let them sort you out! Bugger all you can do.

Off to bed now to watch todays Jeremy Kyle, he makes me want to snooze, so I should be away with the fairies in no time. Will post again as soon as I can.

Night night all, wish you well

Sharon xxx(daisy)

Well, so far so good! No problems at all yesterday. Worst bit was having a numb bum from sitting down so long! In at 11.30, seen about 11.50, out at 5.00. Would have been earlier but nurse forgot to order the Tax before she went to lunch!

Veins fine, no side effects during treatment, no sickness (so far) and managed to inject myself this morning without a hitch - 4 left! The steroids are a pain, body is tired, brain is alert. Last lot tonight though.

I have half of Boots The Chemist in the cupboard ready for anything the body decides needs a helping hand!

Have a good weekend
Daisy xxx

Hi Daisy
So pleased you have had no problems! Hopefully all is still going well for you. I have had no sickness thank goodness, but am feeling a bit of a wimp as am feeling rough enough on only half a treatment. Maybe I tried to fight it too long, was cleaning out kitchen cupboards on Wednesday, then things started catching up with me, so I have made a tactical withdrawal to bed for a lot of the time over the past couple of days. Still, it is all a learning curve and I will know better for next time! (will also make sure I have loperamide in…!)
Good news is, I had a letter yesterday to say I have an appointment at the hospital on Tuesday morning, presumably with the oncologist’s registrar, so will hopefully find out then what the score is for the future plan of attack.
I had 4 steroid tabs twice a day as well, but I am naturally dozy so haven’t been too bothered by wakefulness! Maybe they will give me more next time if they decide to try the Taxotere again.
Hope everyone is doing okay over the weekend: best wishes to you all
Karen x

Hi Karen - so far so good! I look so well! I have taken on a reddish tinge from one of the drugs, I look like I have been to Majorca!

Slept like a baby last night, the house could have burnt down, and I would not have known a thing!

Went out yesterday to Tesco for a few things, not an actual shop, and hubby took me out for brekkie today. I came back and went to bed for a few hours. Just had lunch and feel fine.

The injections are getting easier, and steroids have now finished.

I am resting as and when I want, and just pottering about, I think thats the best way to be.

Look after yourself and let me know how Tuesday goes.

Sharon xxx

Hi sharon

Looked in on this thread and I just have to ask the question - why are you injecting yourself?

I am on FEC but my last is on tuesday and will be starting tax in three weeks. What are you injecting and why?

Thanks in advance for an answer.
Linda

Hi Linda - I am injecting bone marow boosting juice as the TAC whipes it all away. I have 5 in total. So far so good!

Hope this helps!

Sharon xxx

Hi thanks for that

I had wrongly presumed TAC was the same as taxotere. Have looked it up now and realise it is a combo. I am learning far more about this horrible illness than i ever wanted to know and i bet you feel the same way.

All the best
Linda

Hi everyone
Yes, I was initially prescribed the immune system boosting injections as well, but as I didn’t get the full treatment they took them back, as well as the antibiotics: guess I’ll just have to take my chances this time! I was told the district nurse would have been coming out each day to do them though, rather than self-administering: don’t think I fancy that!
Have my appointment tomorrow morning when hopefully I find out what the next step in treatment will be, whether they try me again on Taxotere after reacting last time or try something else. Will let you know what happens.
Glad you are still doing well Sharon: keep taking it easy, seems like the way to go. Went to Asda today, but resisted the temptation to use one of the mobility scooters! - maybe next time!
Best wishes to all
Karen x

Hi all
Just to update you now I’m back from hospital appointment: TAC is no more, long live Epi-CMF! Am quite relieved they don’t want to try me with the Taxotere again after the reaction last time.
Just a bit frustrated next treatment isn’t till April 20th, so have to hang around the best part of 3 weeks before anything happens: at least my white blood cells have plenty of time to get back up to scratch after the half-dose I’ve had this time!
Hope everyone is having a good day, take care
Karen x

I have posted this for new user Phyllis
Jo, Facilitator

Hi everyone!
I had my first cycle of TAC 2 weeks ago. My long blonde hair was cut a month ago into a bob and last week I got the pixie cut…my hair is shedding a little today. The anticipation of being bald is a bit scary. I have felt terrific this week, however, the first week I felt like a “strange alien” invaded my body. The foods I typically like sounded horrible and the urge to drink anything was yuck. Water tasted like chemicals. I walk everyday and just enjoyed the beauty of springtime. This week is great just waking up and feeling normal…life is different now. I appreciate it so much more. My cancer could have been really bad for me because my mammograms show a clean bill of health, amazingly enough! One doctor told me “not to lose one nite sleep” over the lump I found. Other doctors thought it was just a hormonal thing and had me repeat the perfect mammogram in 6 mos. They told me they thought it was just fibrous tissue since I am in my 40s and to know what type we would have to biopsy. So we did and Feb. 13 I went in to see what my “so assumed fibrous tissue” was and they looked at me and said it was CANCER. I was so not prepared to hear those words. I have stage 2 ductile carcinoma. No spreading to the organs and bones. The MRI showed the 2 cm size to be more like 7 cm having a barbell shape. I am having chemo to shrink then a lumpectomy and radiation. We will survive !

Hi Phyliss…hope you are still fighting fit and feeling good! I had my first TAC last week, and apart from constipation and one scary incident where I turned blue and started to shake violently (allergic reaction), so far so good.

Hair is still there, showing no signs of the Kojak look just yet, but I am sure its not far off. Does your head itch? Mine is, and no, it’s not nits!

Off for my CT scan on Monday, and am waiting bone scan results that will turn up sometime this year I assume!

Have a lovely weekend all, and Karen I hope your new combo is better for you.

Daisy xxxxx

Hi Daisy and all
Sorry it has been a while since I checked in: it has been an interesting few days! Started with a bit of a sniffle last week and temperature started going up Friday evening, so rang the oncology ward for advice as instructed, though I felt fine. Went up to A & E for blood test, flashed red ‘Neutropenic Sepsis’ card at reception, then sat and waited an hour next to a woman vomiting (!), before I was seen.
Turns out I was neutropenic, so they rejigged the oncology ward to make room and admitted me there at 1am Saturday. I imagine some of you have done this, and those that haven’t will have read or heard about it, so I won’t bore you with the details: antibiotics through a drip, white blood cell boosting injections, you get the idea…
They did the job anyway, and were happy enough with my little white cells to let me out on Sunday afternoon with huge antibiotic tablets.
By this time hair loss definitely seemed to have started, a few at a time(no itching to speak of though) and continued steadily, until yesterday afternoon it was coming out in tufts rather than combfuls. So I decided the time had come, and pulled out as much as was ready (which turned out to be most of it) before shaving what was left.
To my surprise I felt okay about the whole thing and actually quite like it: I went out in one of my wigs this morning, but will probably wear a bandana round the house most of the time, or nothing. Did ‘go naked’ up the back yard with some recycling, but no neighbours were around!
So there we are, it has happened, even on half a dose of chemo: it didn’t hurt, won’t have to do it again, and it will grow back. Hope when your time comes Daisy, you don’t find it too traumatic either, and that you got the test results you wanted.
Wishing you all a happy hopeful Easter weekend
Love to all
Karen xxx

Hi Karen, glad to see you have been continuing to bleed the NHS dry of money! Love it! Exactly what we pay in for! Thank God it was only a short visit. How are you feeling now?

I am still hairy, no shedding yet. The dogs are moulting, so I am likely to hoover my nut like I do them when the time comes! Good to hear the naked look suits you!

No nasties as yet, and apart from needing the odd nap…nothing. Been eating like a piggy. The shame of it…two, yes, two Big Macs. I have never eaten two in my life, but on Monday I had the munchines, and it just had to be done!

Bone scan was clear, phew. Just waiting on the organ scan, results should (!) be in next week.

Next chemo 17th, and I am keeping my fingers x (and everything else) it goes just like this one. I know I have been lucky, I just hope it continues.

Am enjoying my good days, resting, eating and watching trash TV. Hubby is off this week, so we have been going out and about which has been really nice.

Love to all…Daisy xxx