hi sarahnippress yes for me the side effects where the same for every fec. tired, nausea and feeling weepy for a few days, also make sure you take lansoprazole the heart burn is a killer.
Hi Sarahnipress
Having my 4th Fec on Monday and for me the Se’s have all been the same but I think I’ve been fairly lucky though. No sickness or even any nausea. Steroids made me jittery and kept me awake all night so after the first session my oncologist, who has a consultation with me two days before each Fec, took me off steroids completely and I’ve not had a problem sleeping since. Worst side effects for me has been sore eyes, and when I read, watch TV or use the computer begin to look like Dracula! First two Fecs got a bit of oral thrush which I got rid of myself but the 3rd Fec gave me a really bad dose of oral thrush and I had to go to the doctors for medication. Saw my oncologist yesterday and she is giving my enough Nystatin thrush medication to use from day one and also to use as a mouthwash and gargle. Indigestion was a problem almost from the beginning and I was given Omprazole but this didn’t seem to work all day so Onc. increased the dose to double and now I’m fine.
Do drink LOADS of water to stop cystitis. Start the day before treatment and continue for the next 36 hours. Drinking this much stopped mine.
I haven’t felt at all tired or ill and still manage to give my three collies two hours walking a day. I’m using the cold cap and halfway through this treatment I still have a full, albeit thinner, covering of hair. Actually I think I worry so much about my hair and the right products to use on it that I forget about the other side effects. Desperately hoping it hangs on in there for the next three sessions. It’s a state of mind I think with me. All the time I have hair I fee normal and I haven’t had to tell people that I have cancer. If it now all drops out I’ll probably hibernate and become a recluse.
Hi Sarahnippress.
For me the side effects were slightly different. FEC 1 I was only slightly nauseous; FEC 2 I was very sick and on FEC they gave me different anti-nausea tablets so I was back to just being nauseous. Also, on FEC 1 I had a very sore mouth which I haven’t had since (though have oral thrush the last 2 times) and this time unlike the others on FEC 3 I was completely wiped out and exhausted for 3-4 days where the same for every fec. I am hoping that it won’t get any worse than this.
I am also doing the cold cap and it is truly HORRID. I dread the chemo because of it, but I still have my hair (albeit much thinner on top and a couple of bald spots which I can cover up. I am not sure if I will continue with it because if I lose much more hair I don’t think the pain is worth the gain. Only time will tell…
Susan
hi sarahnippress yes for me the side effects where the same for every fec.
Thanks everyone for your comments.
Pascal - good news about your tumour.
Jelly mould - double the amount of Tax? No wonder you were so poorly.
A friend who has a habit of telling it ‘as it is’ came to visit yesterday. She told me I looked like s***. Great. But I am sure I have read somewhere that the worse thing is when you feel like s***, and someone tells you you look great, they are obviously lying and therefore it makes it worse. My face does look bloated and patchy though.
My se progress is that my hands and feet no longer hurt, but I developed a red rash on my hands. Went to see my lovely GP and he has given me a streroid cream for my hands, together with some Dermol cream to use as a moisturiser. I told him I had huge stock of E45 cream as a friend recommneded slapping it all over the mx for 2 weeks before the rads start. He told me not to use it as it contains lanolin. He told me to come back and get some more Dermol from him instead. I remembered using it on my son’s excezma when he was a baby. Has anyone else heard that about E45?
I also have more Nystatin as the oral thrush has come back.
Lovely!
On the plus side, my 14 year old son now does my filgastin injections to save my friend visitng every day. I’m well chuffed with him!
Col - thanks for the ditties - excellent work!
omg i am sick of this now, cant have chemo today as my veins are bashed to bits so off to another hospital on tues so they can add a picc line for the remainder of my chemo and 6 weeks of bloody clexane injections, fucking hate cancer, its fucking shit. !!! sorry for the swearing rant, im so fed up now. just want it all to end.
how is everyone doing today?
Hi jelly
You rant away love! That’s what we’re here for, to support each other through this awful journey.
I’ve been feeling better today, my red rash on my hands is now just peeling skin. Slapping on loads of moisturiser.
Have booked a manicure for Friday as I need to treat myself - can you plan a treat for yourself to make up for missing the chemo? If you get your PICC on Tues, when are they going to do the next chemo? You’ll be on the same week as Pascal and Shazza and I.
Sending you a virtual hug. 
Love from Jen x
hi jenny, next wed, no only treat for me is a bottle of wine, but hoping to go for an early valentine meal over the weekend with hubby xx
HI Everyone, I had my first tax yesterday and so far apart from a scuzzy mouth and flushed cheeks I’m feeling ok. Slept all night which is a novelty and compared to how I usually feel the day after fec I’m doing ok. Can anyone tell me whether its wishful thinking to hope it stays like this or that the s**t bit will kick in later as I have heard that tax is really awful.
hope your all doing ok xx
hi MRSR my tax didnt kick in till sat after having it on wed, rash everywhere, high temp and hospital admission. hope all goes well for you i am now having fec again xx
Oh no, thought it was all a bit too good to be true. Fingers crossed no hospital visit :-(. Hope your doing ok now your back on fec sending you my best wishes xxx
Sorry I’ve not been around, sometimes I prefer to try to forget about cancer and obviously coming here is the opposite of that.
My 5th of 6 chemo cycles starts tomorrow and my 3-weeks of radiotherapy is now set for the 18th of March.
I can do this now, wasn’t sure for such a while but the light at the end of the tunnel is clear.
Well I now take back every word I said a few posts back. I’ve just had my 4th FEC and for the first time I was a sick as the proverbial dog. Threw up all of the first evening and noticed that I wasn’t passing urine very much. Fortunately the urine output increased during the night but was still throwing up in the morning. Rang the chemo nurse who got a prescription put out for another anti-emetic which worked like a dream I’m glad to say.
I thought that I’d been getting away with things to easily!!!
Hi Border, I had a similar problem on 3rd Ec but 4th was back to normal. Hope your next one is back to ‘normal’.
Phil, I know what you mean, I’ve struggled for last couple of weeks but got my 5th next Thursday so starting to think I can make it to the end now!
Sorry others are suffering with Tax, thats one thing I’ve been spared.
Keep strong and carry on sparkling
Shazza xx
This Tax is unbelievable I,ve never felt so ill in my life !!! The bone pain jee wizz I,ve had 4 kids and that didn,t come close to this. Last week I was in so much pain lying in bed unable to sleep I didnt know what to do with myself when I saw this bright white light … Thought dear god this is it I,m a gonna then realised it was the full moon !!! You,ve got to laugh
Were getting there guys hang on in there It might not feel like it WE CAN DO THIS
KEEP SPARKLING xx
When you guys mention ‘Tax’ do you mean ‘Tamoxifen’ - as I’ve only just found out I’m going to be taking that for five years at the end. Thanks in advance.
Phil
Don’t worry, it’s taxotere, one of the chemo drugs
x
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sorry doesn’t work on here