Hi everyone. I am starting 4 x TAX tomorrow. Feeling a wee bit anxious as its been a while since I finished FEC in December. I wasn’t expecting to need any more chemo but there was cancer cells present in 3 lymph nodes out of 10 so it was advised as a “belt and braces” kind of treatment.
I was quite lucky with side effects before. Didn’t suffer anything too badly only fatigue. Apparently TAX fatigue is worse! I didn’t think it was possible to feel any more tired!
I will be more gutted about losing my hair this time as its just growing back nicely now but I still have all my scarves and wigs and my hair grows quickly so I won’t be Matt Lucas lookalike for long! lol
Is anyone else starting TAX tomorrow? We can compare notes.
Debs
X
Hiya. Tuesday 31st for me after 3 fec.
Good luck :o) x
I am starting 4 x tax on 15th June so will be one behind you. Have just had my last AC and am very pleased that is out of the way. Good luck today Buzzy!
Hi Buzzy,
I had my first TAX on Wednesday following 3x FEC.
Feel fine at the moment but know it won’t last…
FEC was not too bad for me so hoping TAX won’t be much worse!
Good luck!
K x
Just finished my first treatment. I must say at the moment I feel much better than I used to at the end of FEC treatment.
Good luck for next week Elttiks xxx
Hi Buzzy and hello to all u new taxers. I had 3 fec and my first tax was 10 days ago. I relished that it didnt make me sick like fec did and the dreaded tax truck tho hit was gentle with the aches and pains as opposed to what i expected, not as tired as on fec, still sleep alot but more manageable, or did i get get used to it? for me my neutrophils went on holiday and i got sore throat and mouth and low blood press but think thts me indivdually and would prob had same if another fec. I like to find out poss se’s and then u are armed to deal with them… is anyone else about 10 days in tax 1? How are ur nails…mine still long and strong so thts encouraging plus still have my eyebrows and i started to grow hair, just a tiny bit but its there (ok put microscope down ha ha!)
Lots of love Shar xxxxx
Had first Tax on Tuesday. Felt a bit sick for the first few hours but then no sickness at all after that point. Had two days where I felt absolutely fine. Today, achey, tired, hurty tummy at various points, mouth like the bottom of a budgie’s cage.
Ann x
i found tax more tolerable for me, however even tho i painted nails dark they are now a state ridged and some lifting but no loss yet my last tax was march 3rd x
Now 5 weeks after my last Tax. I didn’t like the sickness with FEC so Tax was better for me. No sickness at all. The tiredness wasn’t worse than FEC it was just different. I have lost 2 nails, but I probably didn’t care for them like I should. I did have some dark blue nail varnish for a while, but it wasn’t me. Don’t be scared of what you read because everyone is different. Just take one day at a time and soon you will be where I am on the other side and looking forward.
I’m feeling perfectly normal today. No sickness at all. Long may it continue!
xxx
3 1/2 weeks after Tax 3… leg and arm muscles very weak and painful. Terrible fluid retention in lower legs and feet. All nails yellow, one looking very discoloured and may well go in a few more weeks.
The Tax SEs usually take about 48 hours to start to hit and some of them last for longer than the FEC ones. My aches were worst 5 days after Tax 1, the bad legs and fluid retention hit badly about 10 days after Tax 2 and the worst nail effects start at the nail bed so take a few weeks to grow to where you can see them. Mine didn’t become visible until well after Tax 2. Mouth has been variably bad all through and I’ve still got a metallic taste now. Fingertips still numb but not very painful any more. Hot flushes were ongoing throughout Tax and now I’m on Tamoxifen so they’ll continue.
The SEs do vary hugely from person to person though. It’s unusual to be sick with Tax - I didn’t even feel queasy. I’ve escaped fairly lightly with my nails (I’ve seen much worse, even after only three treatments) and I only had bad bone aches after 1, hardly at all after 2 and middling after 3.
Jane xxx
Today, haven’t really felt too bad at all. Bit of indigestion, little bit achey. Very variable, these se’s.
I have the aches today. My legs feel like I’ve run a marathon! Ouch!
I had 3 fec followed by 3 tax which finished 6 week ago. I found with the tax i had aches and pains and tiredness. I still have aches in my legs now and some days they feel like i have weights as feet ha.
Whats the best thing to take for these aches? Any suggestions?
Most folk seem to take ibuprofen, though I can’t take it with my Crohn’s so when my Tax starts in a few weeks I’ll be stuck with paracetamol and codeine - my usual suspects.
I was told by my chemo unit not to take paracetamol during chemo as it brings your temperature down and so can mask an infection. I took a combination of ibuprofen and codeine, trying to keep the codeine to a minimum due its SE of concrete innards. I often took codeine last thing at night though as it helped me to get to sleep.
Jane xxx
Alto: “I was told by my chemo unit not to take paracetamol during chemo”.
They actually prescribed it to me - due to my inability to take ibus. We’re all different. But like you, codeine is kept to when strictly necessary, not least because it is addictive.
I’m taking paracetamol, codeine and diclofenac for tax pains. Onc said ok to ake paracetamol, just keep an eye on temperature. I’m taking all painkillers as a course rather than wait for the pain to peak. Days 4 to 6 are the worse for me.
Hope your pain eases Buzzy xx