Hi Ladies just thought i would join in, i am due my 3rd FEC on the 16th June, i had bad heartburn and nausea, beetroot face and neck, constipation with my first cycle, my oncology nurse sorted it all out with Lansoprazole 30mg for a week and different sickness tablets, also g.p gave me Lactulose for the constipation.
My secound cycle wasn’t to bad, i have been slightly more tired(but that could be due to the fact that i look after my twin grandaughters of 20months while my daughter works.)
I hsve had a slight sore mouth and also not sure if i have vaginal thrush or not. i had a bad headache and face pain for about a week. not sure if it is a sinus problem or not, had lots of sweats and dry skin, but even though i have listed lots of niggles, that all they are, nothing to major, just a bit of a nuisance.
I think the beetroot face and neck for first 4 days of each cycle may be due to the steroids, now one of the other ladies mentioned it.
Hope all goes well for all the ladies having chemo this week.
Take care Sandraex x x x
Hi Carol, welcome. Nice to have you with us. Hope you’re avoiding too many SE.
Deb, that’s great you’ve got your appointment through. You’ve been waiting for an age. Not long to go now, though I’m sure it feels like an age away.
Suze, hope the Grandson visit was tantrum free. How old is he? Bet he’s cute. Must be exhausting too though, so take care.
Yeay to Sandra, glad you’re through the first and so far so good. Hope it’s still the same. What are your injections for?? I didn’t have to do that. Only came home with steroids and anti sickness tablets.
Cold cap was fine for me. Still have hair, but only Day 10 of first cycle so hard to say if it’s working or not. Fingers crossed for us all. At least one of us should have some joy!
- finally welcome to you too Sandrae. You’re a trail blazer being on no.3 FEC. Sorry you’ve had some trouble, but it’s good to hear they sorted most of icky side effects for the second. Must make you feel a bit more positive about the next one? I avoided the red face, and was lucky as I looked slightly like I’d caught the sun. One positive for me then!
Sorry if I’m missed anyone. Hope you all had lovely sunny weekends and good luck to everyone this week. xj
Hi Julie, still feeling good, waiting for the s/e to kick in!!
the injections are called ‘granocyte’ I inject for 10 days after chemo, they are to boost the white blood cells, l did start a thread about them think it was called’granocyte does it work for you’ on the day l had my chemo (11th) l was just interested, and wondered why everyone doesn’t get them? xxx
Jackie, wonder if there is any evidence with regards to the cold cap and the chemo not getting to all the areas! because that is why my onc doesn’t like it! l would be interested to know, my onc is so dead against it! with regards to the injections they are fine xxx
Sandrae, well done you on looking after twins of 20 months, keeps your mind off yourself, Lol! oh l had the beetroot face today, thought l had caught the sun! l almost look healthy! xxx
Hope all your side effects are easing off
Hugs to all
Sandra xxx
Hi Sandra - That’s great that you’ve had no SE. Hooray!! Long may it continue. I asked my Onc if the Cold Cap would stop the chemo getting to all areas. She laughed and was hugely dismissive, saying did I really think she’d recommend it if there was any evidence it compromised treatment?! She talked me into trying it, as I was pretty much dead set against. Curious how they all say different things, isn’t it?
Interesting to hear about the injections. I have to inject on Tax apparently, but they’re not doing it for FEC. Who knows why?!
Hope you’re all having a good start to the week. Sunny here, which helps. xj
Hi, I’m due to have my first tax tomorrow, and i’m worried how i am going to be. I havent had such a good time on the fec. The first and third were awful, but no.2 wasn’t as bad. I had awful sickness with no.1. I took emend for 2&3 this helped really well. But i got terrible heartburn, i was prescribed omeprazole 40mg which i take every morning, this did help. My onc told me on fri that i wont need emend with the tax, as it doesnt make you feel sick, but has other se’s. Could anyone who has had tax, give me any idea of how its different to the fec. Also i have still got my periods, has anyone else carried on bleeding?
Hi, switched from fec to tax, had my first cycle and main difference bone and muscle pains, due to the amount of steroids face quite “glowy”! Swelling in face, too. Also on emend which worked fine for me. Still having very regular periods, too. Probably a bit more tired than before but as you count down the chemos that’s probably normal!
Hi
I have had 2 TAx so far and I would say the SEs are very different. I wasn’t given Emend either and have had no nausea on the Tax. My main SE is bone/jointg pain, oral thrush, diarrhea and stomach cramps. I have also stopped having periods since starting Tax. My onc has gi ven me Nystatin for the mouth problems, Lansoprazole for the stomach and co-codamol for pain. I would also say I am more tired. One other thing is that the SEs don’t kick for me until day 3 which is different to FEC which was almost immediate.
Viv x
Gill - I had the same problem with spots after my first Chemo. They were shocking, much worse than I ever had as a teenager, but thankfully that was the only time I got them and have now had 4 chemos with no repeat of the spots.
Hope it’s the same for you.
Beverley xx
Morning Ladies,
Well day 4/5 whatever! woke this morning for the first day without feeling sick! hope that is promising and not the calm before the storm! Had a bit of a funny taste in my mouth last night, but that has gone, probably something l had eaten.
A beautiful day, so the washing machine is on. Walk the dogs then out shopping while all is good!
Julie, Well l would hope your onc would think the cold cap was a good thing, or would have a lot to worry about! Not sure why mine is so against it, but l have known about him for over 10 years and he has always felt the same, so at least he is consistent!! or as l said once before, perhaps he likes bald women!
Be interested to see why no injections with the FEC when you find out xxx
Sharon, Good Luck with your first TAX today xxx
Tina, Glowing face yes! Moon face NO! xxx
Gill, Heartburn now spots! No wig! not a pretty sight! Hope the spots are on the move, hope you haven’t caught my grandsons chickenpox! xxx
Viv, No nausea that is good to hear, l did have it quite mild, but it was enough to put me off some food. Must say not looking forward to the joint pains, already seem to get them the the white blood cell injection. so don’t need anymore xxx
Hope all the ladies l have not mentioned are feeling well xxx
Have a Happy Day
Sandra xxx
Morning, ladies
Day 19 for me today, the hair is showering everywhere! good job it’s very short
Sandra, I had the funny taste for at least 4 days, everything tasted horrible. Still not drinking tea or coffe but I’m enjoying the herbal teas.
Gill, I got spots on my chest!
beautiful day here -off to drop-in this morning and my free makeover this afternoon, how can they improve on perfection!ha Ha
have a good day
Carolxx
Am feeling lucky, as I’m so far spot free. Poor you Gill, though at least it’s good the heartburn has abated.
Carol, sorry the hair’s going. Clever move to cut it short. I think I’m in denial or something as I have lots to lose… Hope you’re feeling okay about it though. Have fun at the makeover. Is that the one that charity runs? You’ll have to let us know how it goes.
Sandra, I have the funny taste too. Driving me mad, but I feel pretty good apart from that, so I don’t mind it too much. For some strange reason I’m eating loads of celery as that tastes good with it!
Wishing you all well today everyone. Least the weather’s picking up xj
Hello all!
3 days to go and I am getting a bit nervous. Did the Race for Life on Sunday morning, that was a nice day out, went for a pub lunch after! In work today and tomorrow then it all starts.
Interested to read that some of you had problems with spots - I’ve got them now! 42 years old and I look like a teenager - maybe with chemo I’ll go the other way and they’ll improve!
Stocked up on some favourites over the weekend (lentil soup, smash, baked beans, canned spaghetti) and also got ginger biscuits and fig rolls - you never know! Hubby has promised to leave me in peace on Friday night after the first chemo and go and watch the England game in a pub. If it’s anything like our first one against the USA I’ll be asleep anyway…
Second tax on Thursday, trying to clear up infection in portacath scar until then with antibiotics, back on industrial amounts of dex and antihistamines tomorrow. The metallic mouth lasted for two weeks out of the three for me, drank fennel tea, nothing else tasted nice. Starting to look odd now no eyebrows/lashes left. Chucked mascara in the bin, will treat myself to new one when they grown back. Hope the se’s will subside for all real soon! Hugs to all. X
hello everyone, I’ve just crawled out of my hole- blinking into the sunlight.
Ist TAC last Friday, I had some sort of allergic reaction so I couldnt breathe - fantastic medical team as always, but they basically just have to give you some piriton and get on with it. I was ok on Saturday then completely laid out Sunday and Monday. Not actually vomiting but feeling so sick with a yawning black hole in my belly. It was way worse than I thought, the idea of going back and doing it again makes me hysterical. Something is causing extraordinary dreams and altered perception. I couldnt work out how to fit my huge great body into the tiny bath this morning!
I really dont mean to freak anyone out but I didnt realise I would be so completely unable to do anything. At least I suppose we can be better prepared next time, it was hard for the children to see me so ill. Also when its happenning you think its never going to end so today is a relief. Can anyone ahead tell me how ok the next bit might go? I’m still barely walking, will I be able to get up and go out in a few days?
Hi Nem,
Really awful for you having such a rubbish time on you first TAC, everything crossed that your 2nd TAC is more bearable.
The mind boggled at the thought of your huge body geting into that tiny bath! how awful for you.
Yes it must be really hard on the children, last thing you want to put them through, very difficult, so sorry, but as l say everything crossed for an easier time! enjoy the sunshine, if your eyes can open enough to catch the sun
Happier days for you
Sandra xxx
Haven’t got much time but just saw your post Nem. Poor, poor you. I think you win the prize for worst SE by a long way. Not that you want it, am sure. Just wanted to say that the SE do seem to wear off, so I’m sure you’ll feel better soon. What have your team said though? Surely they can tell you better than us. And if it was an allergic reaction are they sure you should have the same combination again? Really sending you big hugs for feeling better soon. xxj
Bad luck Nem - sounds awful. I certainly have very altered/broken sleep but nothing that bad. Sounds as if you should talk to your BC nurse/onc well before next time. Are you managing to drink loads to wash it all through your system? I can’t imagine the really bad SEs will last more than a few days.
Thinking of you and fingers crossed you’re on the up.
Suexx