Well done the deed and have had FEC no 1. Went really well. Too well.
There was no metallic taste in my mouth, no overkeen sense of smell no aversion to food.
which has made me wonder, when do the side effects occur. Everything tastes just fine to me at the moment.
They did give me steroids first and did explain that this also has an anti sickness effect so do you get those food associations after the nausea kicks in. What if you don’t get the nausea do you still go off your food.
Sorry to ask so many questions but right now I have this sense of suddenly nothing happened and am not sure what to do with myself.
Am going to go for a walk with the dog and hope that isn’t a mistake.
HI
I had different chemo to you and I think we all react differently anyway.But the weekends where pretty much lazing around as so tired and picky about food as tastes were weird
Many people find that the worse side effects from chemo kick in 48 hours after tretament. This is when I usually develop ‘fatigue’ and on AC (similar to FEC) I was exhausted from about Day 2-Day 8, then more or less OK after that with a good week in Week 3. But everyone is different.
I found anti nausea tabs worked well for me, but faitgue/mind numbing exhaustion has always been a huge problem for me on chemo (I’ve had loads now.)
I am ok days 1-3, then yuk for days 4-8 then improve dramatically, but everyone is different. Just eat what you fancy and take your anti sickness even if you dont feel sick. Make sure you have taken all your steroids before about 3.30 each day so that you can sleep properly. This first cycle will be used as a yardstick and may well establish a “usual pattern” for you, after which you will have got the hang of how to manage it.
Hiya, well done was thinking of you - glad one down! I felt okay afterwards and went shopping and didnt really feel like much food but felt lously latter on and then for the next 2 days and think picked up for a few days and then back down, im 12 days in and apart from tired bouts (touch wood) feel good and going to make most of next week. Im on FEC too!
Hope it stays as good for you as you feel now - I didnt really go off much food but couldnt do milk for some reason. ginger nuts and toast helped me with the sickness, and of course sickness bands.
xx
Just been out to get the dog back from friends and had an ice cream (they offered, it appealed ;). then went for a lovely summer walk in the woods.
Now I’m knackered though so am just going to take their great advice and sleep.
Thanks for your advice everyone. I’ve been debating whether to eat things I like in case I go off them but I think I’ll just play it by ear and stay away from dangerous food.
HI Angie,
I just had my 3rd FEC on Thursday. I’m kind of ashamed to admit I haven’t once missed a meal!! Nothing has changed or lost it taste for me . So no slimming benefit there then. So far I’ve had the odd problem but nothing like as bad as I thought Chemo was going to be.
No 3 has been a bit more troublesome today but what can we expect putting all that poison into ourselves. Think what its chasing away though!!
Tomorrow’s another day. Take every good moment you can .I’ve certainly had more good than bad.
Hi Angie,
really fine for the first 2 days, then on day 4 I started to get sleepier and this built up over a few days. Felt my worst on days 5 to 7 but a different side effect on each day. The gums was my least favourite part as I am scared stiff of the dentist and thought they were going to fall out and that bit lasted the longest. But all do-able definitely.
Hope you are lucky
Lily
AH Lily gum problems too, yuk. Glad I haven’t got that yet.
I know what you mean about being scared stiff of dentists. I have no reason to be, never had a filling, but did have orthadental work when I was a teenager and still have memories of the pressure… argh.
This may be related to me slooshing the mouth out with that dentyl mouthwash. That is good stuff, doesn’t even sting!
Thanks to the top tips for chemo thread for that one.