I was recently diagnosed with Grade 3 Inflammatory Breast Cancer and start Chemotherapy on Friday. I attended the Induction today where the side effects, after care, process was discussed - I don’t know why but I had no idea that I would have to inject myself and wondered how easy it was to do this.
Is anybody currently on the TAC regimen? If so how do you find it - I know everyone is affected differently but it helps to hear first hand about what to expect - he also mentioned a ‘crash’ approaching the 15th day.
I look forward to hearing from you or anyone that has Inflammatory Breast Cancer.
I have been chatting to a lovely lady from my area Daisy who has given me tips and helped me understand and come to terms what is happening - which is really helping.
Sorry you’ve had to join us but you will get great support from this forum. There’s such a lot of information to take in at first and I found it good to be able to ask questions of people who had been through it already.
I think the injection you are talking about is the GCSF they give you after your chemo to help boost your blood count. The chemotherapy stops your body producing new white and red blood cells which leaves you vulnerable to infection. The injection boosts your bone marrow to rebuild your bloodcount and help prevent infections. I found them easy to self inject because there’s no need to find a vein. You inject in an area of fat (of which I had plenty) in your thighs or tummy. I had a District Nurse come in to do the first one and she showed me how to do it myself. The needle is tiny and I didn’t find it painful at all.
I had a different chemo regime from you (3xFEC and 3 X TAX which finished last August. Mastectomy in September, Radiotherapy Nov/Dec and now on Herceptin. I won’t pretend it was easy but you can get through it. A lot of us found it helps to focus on each stage at a time and not think too far ahead at first. Also you don’t need to just put up with the side effects. There is a remedy for most of them so let your BCN or Oncologist know if you have any problems.
I’m sure some of the others will be along to offer lots of advice. Happy to answer any questions. However daft they might seem to you someone here will probably have had the same question themselves.
best wishes for the rest of your treatment and a good outcome.
Hello Tracey - sorry that you have had to join us but welcome…
As you might already know we are a small group as IBC is so rare…
Jan has already given you a lot of good advice and agree to take it one step at a time… I had the same chemo drugs as you but i had them as 4 x AC and then 4 x Tax… there are a whole load of possible side effects but as Jan said there are things that you can do for most of them…
Do keep posting and we will try and be here for you every step of the way… (I was diagnosed May 2008)
Theresa x
Meant to say - for some reason (cost?) they didn’t seem to give any of us at my unit the injections… no-one had lines put in either…
Sorry that you find yourself here, but you will find us all very helpful so if you have any questions go ahead and ask.
I live in France and my treatment has differed slightly to those in the UK, but the basics are the same, usually with IBC its chemo first to shrink the tumour and then a mx.
It is all very daunting at first but it sound like you’ve had some good help already.
I had neulasta injections to boost my red/blood cells after the last 3 chemo’s, but I didn’t have to do them myself a nurse came in and did them. Don’t worry though about doing these injections, I am a diabetic so have to inject myself 4 times a day anyway, you’ll get used to it.
You don’t say which chemo you are having. I am assuming it might be a combination, taxotere is the one I had all the way through for 6 rounds and it did a good job at shrinking my tumour from 8 cm to 2.5. Like Theresa, I was dx in June 2008.
Good luck with chemo on Friday, let us know how it goes and stay in touch.
I had TAC chemo April-September last year. I found the side effects cumulative, the first one not so bad so I found I adjusted slowly to each side effect if that makes sense. From what I was told by my Onc they won’t give you TAC, which as Theresa says is a combo of Taxotere plus AC unless you are strong enough physically to take it, I had an ‘interview’ with an oncology sister to decide if I could have it but I’m sure everywhere differs. Anyway, not to blind you with details I would say follow all the advice you get from here, and ask as many questions as you like. TAC is a hard one but at least you get it all over with in one go…very basic advice but the one thing I didn’t do first round was drink enough water so stock up (Asda’s own was cheap and tasted fine) - tap water had a funny taste to me. Feel free to PM if you need to re TAC. Take care Di
PS - I injected myself and sprayed half the bathroom first time so take care but it gets easy after the first time, practice on an orange first if in doubt!
Dee Dee Here - I was DX Aug 09 just finished chemo with MX due next weds - I was HER2 negative - The Royal Marsdon told me this catagory of IBC was just 0.30% of all IBC patients and the TAC and TAX used for HER positive as it attacks the receptors on the little blighters. I had no lumps just a thickening and colouring of the breast and lymph nodes. I had a different chemo of 6 x FEC - still not found anyone same as me to compare with yet but the advice from these other angels no doubt have helped - I found this site invaluable and still do - its right one stage at a time is best. Good luck - when you start it seems like forever but it goes quiet quick really.
One little bit of advice re injecting yourself - ask for a sachet of local anaesthetic and put it on 30 mins before you inject - you’ll barely feel it. Good luck x
