My name is Beverley and tomorrow I am having my third cycle of Fec. Having had a bad allergic reaction which resulted in shortness of breath after my first Fec (which they think was the sickness drug Metroclopramide) am very keen to hear how anybody got on with the Doxetaxel and if they found it better or worse than the Fec. My second Fec went ok with only the normal side effects sickness and tierd etc.Am very worried about and allergic reaction to the Doxetaxel as im one of these people that seen to suffer with allergies.
Please can somebody help me with this.
Bev x
Hi Beverley,
I only had one FEC then moved onto taxotere with cyclophosphamide. My side effects were quite different. With fec I shook throughout the infusion and felt nausea for about 5 days afterwards. Thereafter I felt quite drained and really quite forgetful and my white blood count was too low to get my 2nd chemo-which was then delayed by a week.
With Tax I had 2 good days before side effects kicked in and for 2 days I was floored. But if I was to choose between the 2 I’d say for me tax was more manageable though grim. But everyone’s different. The worst thing about tax was the loss of taste and horrible mouth but it didn’t last too long.
Once I’d got the first one under my belt I knew exactly what to expect and that helped. Going through it for the first time was the hardest and I was quite emotional but this was also because it kicked in at hogmanay and I felt like the most miserable person in the room.
The 2nd time I had a very mild reaction. I told the nurses and they responded quickly, switching off the infusion, giving me anti allergy medication then restarting. In a strange way I think this actually helped with the subsequent side effects.
If you tell the nurses you’re prone to allergies they’ll maybe slow down the infusion.
i’d no problems with low white blood count and didn’t need any antibiotics or boosting injections with taxotere.
Good luck with your 3rd Fec and Taxotere. Try not to get too worried. Whatever you experience there should be something you can take to help.
Hi Bobbs, I too had an allergic reaction, which I kind of expected as I am allergic to everything too. A nurse should sit with you whilst you start the infusion to observe you. I also had my husband as back up to ensure I could get their attention! It started with itchy hands and feeling hot and red. The nurses acted swiftly, with no panic, and simply injected the needed drugs into my chemo line - they are prepared for it with the drugs ready. Then they waited a bit and restarted slowly. Try not to worry as it is common and they are ready for it. I then had the extra drugs routinely before each Dox and never had a reaction again. The antihistimines help you get some sleep as a bonus. x
Thanks Marie and Cressida for your advice i have read some horror stories online and its so nice to have some possitive feedback just wondering Cressida how you felt after the Docetaxel and what side effects you had. My oncologist had told me that i will have Piriton as well as Hydrocrisone before all my chemo to make sure I dont suffer another allergic reaction and also a high dose of steriod tablets day before treatment and for 3 days after.
Thanks for your help
Bev X
Hi Bev,
I had 3 FEC and 3 Docetaxal too, The FEC was nasty - made me sick and v tired, but the tax in comapison was a breeze. No problems with it (I too have had allergic reactions to a host of things). The steriods that you get with it aim to beat any reaction down before it happens. Although they made me bounce of the ceiling - I had massive amounts of energy for 3/4 days but the downside is that sleep was also impossible. Found I recovered my energy quicker after the tax and felt weller.
Please try and be calm about it, and don’t go in expecting the worse. The power of positive thinking shouldn’t be underestimated. Try and be positive (ha ha, I know easier said than done) just keep remebering that you are half way there. Well done you . You’ll be on no.4 in which case as your sitting there keep thinking that you are over half way and only 2 to go. Make sure you take a magazine and/or some music or a crossword puzzle and keep your mind on other things.
Fingers crossed for you, you’ve got the strength to get through it whatever happens. Vx
Thanks VJ for your encouraging words you have made me feel more confident about the dox. Yes you are right after tomorrow im half way done with only 3 treatments left so bye bye Fec hello Dox. xxx
I hated FEC too. Was supposed to have four, but stopped after three because of side effects. In my case, I developed tinnitus on the first day. Also felt as thought I was drunk most of the time - nauseous, spaced out and acting like a half-wit.
Docetaxol wasn’t any fun, but it was a doddle in comparison to the FEC. I had all my infusions really slowly, and no major problems. The worst SEs for me were loss of taste and sore mouth and throat. I also got incredibly weak, and found I became breathless just from climbing the stairs.
It would be worth keeping a diary of symptoms for your first cycle, because they seem to be the same each time round so you can predict how you will feel for the second and third cycles. For example, I had oral thrush about four or five days in. On cycles two, three and four I took anti-thrush meds the day before it would have started. I didn’t get it again.
Might also be worth discussing a tapered tail-off for the steroids. I took the whole dose the day before and day of the chemo, but had a slightly reduced dose the day after and then took the leftovers on the two following days. I didn’t find I had the huge drop in mood that can come after stopping the steroids.
Thank Your Margaret and Moser for answering my messsage you people are so supportive on this site cant wait to get the Fec over with tomorrow and then on to the Tax there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Bev xx
hi Beverley, I had 6 x fec then 4 years later 6 x tax. I have to say that both were hard, but the fec for me was worse than the tax, mainly because of the sickness withfec. I had no nausea on tax, but did get bone pain in my back. Stock up on painkillers and don’t be afraid to get more from your GP if you are affected. Best to keep on top of it - it kicked in for me on day 4 and it lasted about 4 days. Everyones S Es are different though. Hope it goes well for you x
Thank Your Margaret and Moser for answering my messsage you people are so supportive on this site cant wait to get the Fec over with tomorrow and then on to the Tax there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Bev xx
Hiya Bev, I had 6FEC just over two years ago. I am having 4TCH (Taxotere/cyclophosphamide/Herceptin) now - had my 2nd. treatment today. Tax takes about an hour to infuse(IV). I was petrified of an ‘allergic’ reaction on the first, felt much more relaxed going for this one - and I had absolutely no problems with either. Glad your onc. is giving you Pyriton aswell as other meds before the infusion - I had that, which is additional precaution to ward off any reaction. The steroids can make you buzz, and Pyriton apparently causes sleepiness - you just don’t know where you are!!
Like Maire & Margaret, I had loss of taste for a while and uncomfortable/dry mouth & throat, but not sore. Just drink lots, use oral non-alcohol mouthwash and if you think mouth seems to be developing thrush, use Nystatin drops which’ll clear it. Also cool soft foods like fromage frais or jelly feels nice .
Like VJ, I recovered my energy quicker after the 1st. Tax and felt much better than on FEC.
I had problems with low white blood count and had some antibiotics for swollen finger on 1st treatment - took 2 weeks to heal. Onc. suggested the boosting injections, but decided I don’t want them - they can be painful.
Like Moser, I had no nausea on tax, but did get bone aches in my mid-lower back, pelvis, top of legs - not badly tho - and mild shooting pains like little electric shocks - weird! (apparently Tax affects nerve endings).
All in all, Tax MUCH better so far than FEC!
Jen xx
Thanks Jen for the reply glad your better on the Tax than the Fec hope its that way for me been feeling really sicky and tierd on the Fec so will be glad to get the last one out of the way tomorrow.
Bev x
Hi Bobbs…I found TAX worse than FEC…main side effects were bone pains, which for sessions 2 and 3 I took painkillers from the day of chemo until about day 5 or 6…apparently turns off the pain receptors? Also horrible mouth…no taste for 16/18 days of the 21 day cycle, and had oral thrush which I had Nystan for. That was in May/June last year and does now feel like a dim and distant memory…take care and I hope you get on with TAX OK…xo
Thanks Maryland for your reply glad your feeling better I have heard that you can have some bone pain the Tax I guess i will just have to wait and see what happens.
I am another person who tolerated Docetaxol rather better than FEC and I hope it is the same for you. Lots of people post on-line when they have really nasty side-effects but there’s not so much to read about the people who have actually been OK.
Thanks for the advice PuffyWhiteClouds it does seem like more people tolerate Tax more than Fec im not so scared of it now, going to get ready for my third Fec appointment at 11.30am will probably not be online for a while as the Fec whacks me out for a few days. Well hopefully this will be the last of the sickness as it does not seem so many people have sickness with Tax.
Love Bev x
I’ve been through 3 fec with minimum side effects and just had my 1st docetaxel 11 days ago and have been feeling rotten since. Am wondering if anyone’ else’s side effects lasted as long and whether this impacted on the next dose, I’ve had the pain and continue to have chronic fatigue and weakness, have gone off my food because of discomfort in my digestive system which I’habe got medication for but no thing ses to be relieving or improving my systems. Would appreciate others similar experience and how they may have managed thankyou
I’m on the CT regimen which means 4 doses of T (docetaxel). I’ve had two lots of treatment, with the first one being particularly hard hitting - so much so that I brought a list of side effects as long as your arm to my follow up oncologist appointment. I too have had awful discomfort in my digestive system and have been given tablets to try to alleviate the symptons. These haven’t worked but my oncologist confirmed today that this treatment does affect all the organs involved in digestion. From day 3 I suffered unbelievable weakness, especially in my legs which meant I could only shuffle extremely slowly around the house. I mentioned these side effects today as I’m about to embark on my third session on Monday. The oncologist simply said that this drug is very powerful but, equally, very effective. I’m trying to take a longterm view by focusing on the fact that as the side effects are so adverse then it must be doing its job destroying any rogue cells. It’s hard to do, though, when you are feeling so rotten. Take care and make sure you discuss all your side effects when you next visit your oncologist.
Hi all although Tax is hard for some people it is very very effective for most of us. I have been really well on it with very few side effects and nothing major. Day 4& 5 are never very good but apart from that only minor. Tax is definitely working as tumour has shrunk after 2 Tax it is only 20% of original size and as my oncologist says excellent result.
wishing everybody well who is stuck on this roller coaster x x
Hi,
I’d like to say thank you ladies for all that info. I have one more Fec, then I’ll be on Tax, and like Bev, was a bit anxious about it. I haven’t had too many problems with Fec, no sickness or nausea, a bit of oral thrush after Fec 1 which I managed to get rid of, and now I’m prepared for it. Worst thing for me was nerve pain after injections, so still a bit worried about that with Tax. We’ll have to see how I cope with it. But like people say, it will be worth it to get rid of b****y cancer.
. You’ll be on no.4 in which case as your sitting there keep thinking that you are over half way and only 2 to go. Make sure you take a magazine and/or some music or a crossword puzzle and keep your mind on other things.