Hi, Just back form my first onc appiontment,
Told me i will be having 6x Tac followed by 4 weeks daily rads,
Just wondering if anyone had Tac? and how they were on it?
Thanks
Em X
Hi Em
Are you sure it is TAC? I have had 8 sessions of Adriamycin combined with Cyclophosphomide and then another 8 sessions of Taxotere.
Perhaps you are getting them all together in 6 treatments. I found that chemo was quite difficult for me as i was constantly nauseous and vomitting. However, if you find the symptoms too much, then say something and they can change the anti sickness meds. That is what i should have done instead of thinking there was nothing that could be done. I was told, i would lose my hair very quickly after the first chemo so i chose to shave my hair as i had extremely long hair. The taxotere was worse for me interms of fatique and i ended up in hospital twice with neutropenic infections.
It is important to listen to your body. Moniter your temp and if you are feeling like you are getting sick, then immediately call the onc or BCN and get yourself seen. You will get through it, just take one day at a time and one chemo session at a time. Let others take care of you and make sure you get plenty of rest.
Good luck with everything
Wishing you the best with your treatment. Please let us know how you are getting on
karen
I had 4 sessions of AC (Adriamycin & Cyclophosphamide) followed by Taxotere as well. I found the AC wasn’t too bad, and although I felt nauseous I was never actually sick, and it only lasted a couple of days. The fatigue wore me down a bit after the 3rd and 4th treatments. Definitely don’t suffer any side effects in silence, I assumed you just had to put up with it at first. I had terrible heartburn constantly with the AC and eventually was persuaded to ring my advice line, who immediately told me what drug to get the gp to prescribe, and it was magic!
I felt awful on Taxotere and ended up hospitalised for 9 days with neutripinia (v low white blood cell count). I was told that this was a pretty unusual reaction though, and they stopped the chemo after that as a result. Certainly everyone I spoke to at my hospital that was having Taxotere found it fairly mild in terms of side effects.
Hi all,
Yeah it is Taxotere, Adriamycin and Cyclophosphamide all at the same time for 6 sessions, followed by 20 sessions of rads,
First session on wednesday morning,
So you had the taxotere on it’s own after the AC was complete, This seems to be the norm wondering now why i am having them all together,
Hope it doesn’t make the side effects worse!!
Think i will ask on monday when i go for bloods!
Thank will let u know how i get on.
Em X
Yes, there is such a thing as TAC chemo. The trial results for it came out a few years ago. It isn’t used that much in the UK, perhaps because FEC has been so much more common and it was not tested against FEC, so you might be better off asking for experiences on a US-based website.
Hi Posem,
Very quickly to let you know that I had TAC chemo here in Ireland. I will be back to you with a longer comment but just running out the door now.
All my love,
Teacup
One more thing, if you type “Taxol and AC” into search engine you should come up with old threads on it. xx
Hi
As Teacup said TAC is here in N Ireland. I’ve just completed 6 TAC and now onto 25 radio. I think I got TAC as I had a lot lymph involvement. Found it tough but I was grateful for it as I am only 37 and have two boys age 11 and 8 and want whatever I can take.
Good luck with it. I’ll happily answer any questions. Like Teacup I too am going out for the evening (life after chemo) for dinner.
MuddyXX
Hi Em,
I’m back again. Hope you are doing well. As I understand TAC are very aggressive chemo drugs. I was pleased to hear that because it made me feel that we were hitting the cancer with everything we could as I like Muddy had a lot of lymph involvement; 20/23 positive and was 27 at dx.
I had 4 x AC and 4 x taxol every two weeks. On the hold I found the AC very tolerable. The first AC did knock me out. I had it on a Tuesday and it wasn’t 'til the following Friday that it hit me and just slept 'til Sunday. 24 hours after every chemo I injected myself with Neulasta. I wonder will you be able to have this? The Neulasta boosts you white blood cell count which I contribute enormously to why I tolerated the chemo so well. I didn’t have a flu or cold throughout, nor a low blood count.
With the Taxol, I had an allergic reaction during the second one. It wasn’t bad, just a tightness in the chest and felt like I couldn’t breathe but the nurse injected me with steroids and this helped my body tolerate it. Normally don’t like to take stuff unless necessary which it was that time. I also got a rash which is actually quite common with Taxol. It passed after a few days. I also had some joint pain and acid reflux but the doctor gave me tablets which helped with that. By the last session of chemo though I had hardly any side effects though.
So to sum up, I think the first one of AC and the first Taxol were the hardest and usually by the fourth session of each I had very little if any symptoms. O yeah, and with the AC, it only took about two hours. One was infused into the vein through an iv drip ('bout hour and a half) while the other one was given through a syringe through the cannella (about three mins). The taxol took about 4 hours, not too bad really.
Please feel free to ask me any other questions. Hope this was a help to you anyway. I also had rads too which were a doodle and a mastectomy and a LD flap reconstruction.
Best wishes,
Teacup xx
Hi Em
Thought I’d tell you a little of my experience on TAC. I posted quite a lot on here at the time. I found it hard but I managed to stay cold free and bug free and got all the chemo on the dates I was supposed to.
I did feel very rough - I had upset tummy - major cramps and did actually be sick a few times. Everyone round me thought I was doing really well as by the time the first week was over I managed to slap on the makeup and appear in the town for coffee - even managed to attend two weddings on chemo!!
I too got the Neulasta injection - I was a bit of a baby though and got the nurse to do it for me!
I was diagnosed in June and had mastectomy with immediate recon (TRAM) it’s worked well. I now have over a stone of weight on so that will be a struggle -good luck
MuddyXX
Thanks Everyone for your info,
I only had 1 lymph node affected out of 25, But, the doctors want me to have this chemo, they know what there doing so i am ok with that,
The doctor did mention a injection i will be given by the district nurse the following day guess thats the same one you all had, Me chicken too nurse can do them!!!
I am really worried about the weight gain during treatment so in prepation i’ve stop all my treats just eating all health stuff now, Fruit, veg and water, herbal teas etc, hopefully that and regular excercise will help stop some of it,
Be back on Wednesday or thrusday hopefully,
let u know how i go
Love
Em X
Well One down five to go!!
Not feeling to bad at the mo, Hope it lasts!!
Catch up with everyone laters
Em xx
Hi Em,
Hope you’re still feeling fine! Remember to drink loads of water.
The injection sounds good, I could have done with one of those on Taxotere as I ended up in hospital for 9 days with low white blood cell count!
By the way, has anyone else had problems with their fingernails after Taxotere? I only had one treatment of Tax on 20th Nov, and now several nails on my left hand are falling off! Is this normal?!
Hi
Whilst on TAC my nails were sore but I got gel overlays every 3 weeks and they are fine. My toe nails also felt sore but stayed ok Did bump into girl at hospital and she had lost 3 nails.
Hi Em - hope you are ok - I remember my first chemo - I felt ok day one then yuk - all I can say is if it does the trick and gets rid of the nasties it is worth it. Hang in there. Eat little and often if you can feel like it. I found my taste buds were wrecked and had a nasty taste in my mouth so food I normally loved didn’t taste so good.
MuddyXX
Hi guys,
Still feeling ok,
Read that if you paint your nails with a dark nai varnish it help protect them, so mine are a yuk dark purple colour (only dark colour i could find in my 10yrs daughters bedroom,) Might try the gel overlay though never thought of that good tip!!
Food is tasting ok at the mo occasionally get a funny taste in my mouth mints seem to help with that,
Are u finished with your chemo now muddy?
Take care guys,
Love and hugs to all
Em xx
Hi Em
Hope you are feeling ok - it is a tough ride. In answer to your question - yes I finished chemo at end of Nov. Started radio on 10th Dec and this week will finish the rads (phew) long journey. I am having 30 rads. 25 and then this week 5 boost on my scar. (I had immediate recon).
I feel well but tired - and to be honest a bit grumpy. I feel I have been having treatment since June last year and am really glad that this week finishes the radiotherapy. I still have a year of Herceptin ahead but am grateful for it.
We are going to Disney Paris on 31st Jan for 4 nights so I’m really looking forward to it. I feel it draws a line under the treatment and whilst I know I have a long way to go I feel I have survived thus far.
I know I’ll be tired but we had been due to go on a cruise the day I came out of surgery last year so we didn’t go. My husband and boys have been great so this is a nice time to go away as a family (to make matters worse we lost the money on the cruise so were pretty sickened - it’s a long story)!!
Anyhow, I hope you are taking good care of yourself - I know the taste in your mouth is awful - I enjoyed strange food - pretty starchy - potatoes etc. Also spicy as I needed some flavour. Found I used to walk arounf M&S food hall looking for soemthing that grabbed me - something yummy.
As I said earlier I was worried about temperature and initally became obsessed by the termometer but then managed to calm myself a bit. I did get a bit of a runny nose toward the end of chemo and took an antibiotic - to be honest don’t know that I needed it but scared to run the risk of cold getting onto my chest.
hope the nails stay ok - I always got my done even before diagnosis (cant bear to write the word) costs about £20 a go but I figured I didn’t smoke or drink so it was my treat.
Hang in there Muddy.
Good luck
Hey Muddy!
Feeling good at the mo, Was a bit yuk for a couple of days though,
congratulations on the end of treatment that feels like a life time away for me at the mo!
We are off to Disney paris in march for 5days, Doctors told me i could still go it would give me something to look forward too
It will break it up a bit i will be halfway there then
Take care and enjoy life and paris!!
Em Xx
Hi Em
Just posting to say I hope you are feeling ok and taking things easy. Listen to your body and if you feel good keep busy but if you feel rough make sure you have a sit down with a good book or something.
Good luck
MuddyXX
hello!..maybe I’m a bit late commenting here. I did start a little ‘anyone on TAC ?’ on the chemo bit of this website. Thought i’d link in here too. I have had 2 TACs so far and have my third on Tuesday 19 Feb. I understand its pretty effective so am pleased for that…have had a pattern of feeling rubbish for about 8 days and then fine for the rest. The first one I was very sick on but the second time they have managed to control it for me which is good…hope yours are going ok…looking forward to the end of it…I can tell you…
Lou
Hi Lou,
I have my third TAC on the 27th of Feb. I doing ok, Feel like crap for 3 days then back to normal, Lucky i haven’t had any sickness, just felt abit sick now and again and feel really tried for a couple of days, i’m looking forwad to the end too, my last dose is the 30th of april if all goes as planned. hope all goes well for you,
Take care
Em Xx