Hi Lorna. In case it helps, I’ve now had 3 rounds of Docetaxel and not had any bone aches/pains at all, and no sickness. Main side effects have been lack of taste/white furry tongue (still can’t face thought of Easter eggs, just can’t do milk/cream) and tiredness, which both go after a week or so. I’ve been put on 4 different drugs for the few days around the chemo, and an injection in the tummy day after. Not been as bad as I’d been expecting and warned about - everyone’s experience of FEC sounds much worse, which I am moving on to next after one more round of Tax. Have picked up helpful tips on drinking lots of water and which drugs to ask for from this forum, which I’m sure will come in useful.
Hi Eitaki and Lorna. What are your injections for? On Tax, I have one injection day after each chemo to try and help with white blood count level - sounds like this is standard practice. I work next door to the hospital, so been easy for me to nip in and get nurse to do it - you can do it yourself though, but I’m being a wuss!
I’ve had a nice couple of days off work, and treating myself to a back massage this afternoon (CNS said was fine as long as gentle and not too hot) and trip to theatre. Deciding whether to shave off last sad remnants of hair, or whether to leave them in case they are helping to stop my wig bring itchy. Could do very plausible Hamlet cigar photo booth advert at the mo! Has anyone lost eyebrows/lashes, as mine seem to be hanging on in there (touch wood).
Off for FEC3 tomorrow - half way through. Keep going ladies! How are you all doing?
Hi Mel51 and Lollymum. I’m on Tax - had 3 rounds and got last one next week before moving on to FEC. If you scroll down to my previous post this month, have said what the side effects have been like for me. Not as bad as expected, sounds like everyone’s experiences of FEC have been worse. Had a few days of breathlessness last week which hasn’t happened before, so going to keep a check on this. No sickness at all, so been fine to eat with tablets etc. Hope all goes well, not had a scan yet to see how my tumour is responding but it doesn’t feel any different.
Hi ladies just popped in from december angels to wish you all well on your chemo journey.
Mel51 &lollymum I too had fect prior to surgery and finished 20th march. After 2nd fec I was told by my oncologist that my lump was shrinking but not as much as they would have hoped and therefore wanted to optimise this by putting me on to taxotere straight away rather than wait until after 3rd fec, i was also dissapointed and scared at the time that chemo wasnt working the way it should have, however tax had most certainly done the job as I was told after op that the tumour had shrunk from 27mm to 8mm and they got clear margins( Yippee). so I hope my news helps you to be more positive.
It is also unlikely you will be sick on Tax and I did not need the antisickness meds but side effects may include joint and muscle pain,sore mouth,constipation followed by tax trots etc but it is do-able. Try and get lactulose for constipation from your gp as this helps.
Best wishes to everyone
Hugs
Wyn x
Hi Wyn, thanks for tip on constipation meds - agree this has definitely been an issue on Tax, so I’ll ask for this 
Agree with MysticalMoo - had 3 rounds of Tax, and have hardly had any leg hair since round 2. As someone who’d normally have to shave her legs every day on holiday, this is one side effect that can last as long as it likes! Have some fine hair left on my head that hasn’t fallen out, but looks awful so tempted to shave it off.
Back from onc and been told that the tumour hasn’t reduced in size, but hasn’t grown either. There’s signs of necrosis and because I’ve got a very ER+(8/8) tumour which can take longer to respond, I’ll be staying on FEC, but FEC 100 instead of 75.
I’d got myself all set up to be changed to Tax!! Oh well, FEC again on Friday.
Hi All, had my 1st Tax last Friday, went fine and I even felt ok up to the evening of Day 3! Day 4&5 are definatly the worst, had to pop co-codamol every 4 hrs to ease the bone aches and my mouth feels disgusting, nothing tasting good. I’m now on Day 6 and can feel I’m getting better again, energy levels are still low but this nice weather helps getting some fresh air through the house ? Take care all xx
Lollymum - I’m having chemo before surgery as well. Lump doesn’t feel much different to be honest, had 4 rounds of Tax so far and will have 4 rounds of FEC. Am booked in for an ultrasound in a fortnight so hoping this shows some shrinkage. Are you due to have a lumpectomy or mastectomy? I’ll be having a mastectomy, they’ve said they’ll decide after surgery whether to give me radiotherapy as well. Hoping mastectomy means that it won’t necessarily matter if it doesn’t shrink much as they’ll get it all anyway.
Good luck everyone starting Tax, just finished my 4 so FEC time. Horrible mouth/lack of taste def been the worst, not had red wine in months - tongue feels like had a scouring pad on it. Had bone aches in my hips this time, but none for the other rounds. Fingernails now started going brown in the middle and sore to press. And constipation been grim for first few days after chemo, so do ask to be given something to take for this - apparently down to the steroids not the chemo.
Need to try and build up my exercise - doing a Race for Life in a few weeks and normally run it no problem, but get quite breathless at the minute so think a few gentle walks could be in order. Just booked a week by the sea to look forward to - timed to fit the week before chemo when at my best - be nice to get away from all things medical for a break.
Hi all,
Had face 4 (100) yesterday and feeling well today. Had nausea yesterday after about an hour, but went to bed and felt better by midnight when woke up. Slept really well but tired still. Got my flush on due to pills today and the heat isn’t helping (not complaining about that!).
My op depends on how my tumour reacts to the chemo. If it shrinks by a cm I can have lumpectomy (WLE) but if not then it’s a mastectomy - looking like the latter but I’m positive and have a never say never attitude!
Anyway try and enjoy the weekend and keep us all posted with how you’re getting on.
Btw I have used the Paxman for the first four chemos. I found it quite successful or the first three but they were FEC 75. Has anyone used the cc on FEC 100? I’ve been told and shown that the success rates drop considerably. Any ideas?
Hi Ali24 - just to flag my nurse mentioned to avoid grapefruit, as think there’s an enzyme in it which can impact on how effectively the chemo works. May be something to check as unsure of the definite facts around this.
Hi ladies. How are you all doing? Those just started on Tax, how are you getting on?
Hi Lollymum - my doc booked in an ultrasound scan for me without me having to ask. Said they wanted to see if/how the tumour is responding as I’m now halfway through my planned 8 rounds of chemo. Got the appointment next week I think.
Hi Ali51 - Totally agree that you have to just face one step of treatment at a time. I’ve not read up on anything about radiotherapy or tamoxifen yet, cross those bridges when I come to them.
Ended up back on the ward yesterday, been struggling with breathlessness for a couple of days. Had blood tests, EKG and a CT scan but can’t see anything that would affect my breathing. Nose and eyes just streaming, not had hay fever since I was a kid but wonder if this may not be helping. Thing that worried me was the doc said they were unsure of something at the very bottom of the scan, which had caught about a centimetre or so of the top of my tummy/liver while they were focusing on the lungs. They are booking me in for another CT scan from neck down to pelvis, so trying really hard not to worry and crossing everything they are just being thorough and don’t think it has spread. Hoping the appointment comes through quickly.
Hi ladies, I am like on April thread too with Rosie and just dropped in ! I also face same as Rosie, chemo first, mastectomy , herceptin , radiotherapy etc , etc!! And it is good to be in touch with other ladies doing the same, it does seem most have surgery first, do any of you know why it is that we have it the other way around?. It does seem like a long slog and I agree it’s best just to focus on one thing at a time! I was told by surgeon at the beginning I was it have a lumpectomy after shrinkage as less invasive surgery, but when saw onc last week he said because I was small busted a lumpectomy wouldn’t really work so be a mastectomy after all!
I’m having Taxotere on Friday along with herceptin any advice would be great. I’ve had 3FEC and wasn’t too bad with side effects. Worried about the pains on tax.
Hope you are all doing well.
Thanks Debs and LollyMum
Hoping it’s not too bad. Didn’t like the way FEC made me feel but kinda got used to it. Hope you both continue to feel better.
Hi ladies. Hope you are doing okay. Had my PICC line put in yesterday and just got home after having my first round of FEC, so will see how I fare. Doctor has given me Emend, so hopefully that should help with the sickness, along with the other raft of four drugs. Eating some bland food to be on the safe side, in case I end up seeing it again.
Lollymum - hope the constipation improves, this was definitely an issue for me on Tax. I tried Senakot, bran etc but ended up being prescribed some sachets to take. Things got - ahem - ‘moving’ generally 5 days after chemo for each of my four rounds, but made me feel really bloated and sluggish. Definitely raise it with your doctor - they said it was actually the Ondansetron tablet that causes it, rather than the chemo.
Hi Lollymum. I had no probs with sickness on Tax. On Tax, I was given ranitidine, dexamethasone, Ondanestron (just one day after), and domperidone. Still on all of these with addition of Emend now on FEC, challenge is remembering when to take them all!
Lollymum - sorry to hear about your hand, hope the plastic surgeon can sort it for you. As if not got enough to deal with! Did you get the henna tattoo? I’m giving a speech on stage at a local Race for Life at the end of June, and wondering what to get the face painters to draw on my head! Welcome any suggestions!