i wondered if this was common but since Tuesday when i had my second EC, i have felt totally and utterly wiped out and yesterday started to feel breathless… it’s just a weird kind of feeling, as if i am not even in my body kind of thing. I’ve had such good health up to now and it’s so horrible experiencing all these things. I can’t wait for the spring and to go back to feeling happy and healthy again. Also, i don’t seem to really fancy any particular food at the moment either as am still slightly nauseous after the meds… oh to feel fantastic and to be going out to all the christmas parties! After my first EC session, i became neutropenic and was hospitalised for 6 days - i have now been given 5 days of jabs to boost the white blood count and was hoping to feel a little more lively than this. Is is possible i could be anaemic, just wondering whether to ring hospital and ask them. When I read about all the fantastic women out there with children who are going through this, i am in total awe because i don’t know how you all do it, i can barely walk my dog at the moment! But… like everythig i am sure it will pass off and soon it will be spring and hopefully this will all be behind me. It is encouraging to read all of your responses, i had been feeling suddenly very overwhelmed, as if it had only just really hit me for the first time, so thank you again for all the support you all give, it really is invaluable right now. xx
hi Bellatrix,
Im sorry your not feeling to good at the momentI know exactly how you feel, im on a different chemo to you Epi/Xeloda , and too have had the same symptoms as you. I found the Epi completely wiped me out. some days i felt i could barely put one foot in front the other , i also get breathless i think its to do with blood counts being lowered (according to my onc) I also had the GCSF injections as im on the accelerated chemo (every 2 weeks) and whilst they were good at keeping my bloods at an ok level they dont bring your bloods up to normal levels so ive been told . Strangely i think i felt worse after haveing the injections as they always gave me flu symptoms and acheing joints which made matters worse , Unfortunely even with the injections i still managed to get a couple of infections and needed antibiotics a few times. It can be horrible and like you i think it hit me hard cos i had always been healthy before being DX, i hadnt even so much as taken a paracetomel in the last 20 yrs so think my body was objecting big time. I know its horrible the way you feel right now but there is a light at the end of it, ive just got one more cycle to go now and can honestly say it does pass quickly when you look back. If your worried do give your hospital a ring . Try and lisen to your body and rest when you need to (i no thats easier said than done ), It will pass i promise.
Hi,
I was on EC too and the 2nd & 3rd ones totally wiped me out.
I remember it well, going up the stairs on all 4’s and then resting on the bed for an hour.I could only walk at a snails pace too.
I even went to my GP and he prescribed an inhaler! Which I didn’t use because it wasn’t that sort of breathlessness.
When I went to hospital to see onc I told him and he said breathlessness was not a known side effect of EC,(and my bloods were ok,however they were very low a few days before). But I posted on a couple of sites about it as I was worried too, and there were quite a few affected by it. And when chemo finished I was fine!
But if you are worried theres no harm in ringing hospital for advice.
It does come to an end, and you do start to get your energy back, promise. I finished chemo last March and now I somerimes run up the stairs…just because I can…
I thought I’d mention the cancer backup site to you. It has a specific section related to coping with fatigue, which you may find useful. This information can be found by using the following web address:- cancerbackup.org.uk/Resourcessupport/Symptomssideeffects/Fatigue