Had my appointment today to grade my breast cancer, said they couldnt as i have not had the op yet? Lobular, Hormone positive, in lymph nodes and 10cm. I cannot get the size of this gremlin out my mind. All my other scans are clear though so thats good news as it is nowhere else. I start FEC on Tuesday , i am trying so hard to remain positive , how do you guys manage. I know it is early days and surely this gets easier. Please post ure experience with FEC please ,and any other positive advice that i can use.
Thanx- Lorna
I had6xfec,all i had was tiredness,nothing as bad as i expectdd,my tumour was 25mm,grade3…So they havent graded u yet after biopsy?Mine was graded after biopsy,it gets a lot better after u start treatment iv just started radio2day u wont believe how fast treatment goes…None of it was nearly as bad as id thought.Xsarahx
Sorry that you’ve had to join us - but good to know your treatment is starting promptly. I think getting started is the hardest part of chemo - once you have started you will know how it’s affecting you and will be able to get help with from this site and your BCN - we all react very differently and you might not have may side effects so try to see it as a positive treatment that will help you. I’ve always found the nurses incredibly understanding and helpful so hope they ease things for you too. I had trouble with nausea with FEC but went straight back to the hospital and they gave me drugs that sorted it out so after that my worst SEs were changes in taste buds and tiredness and both felt manageable - felt good about managing things and that kept me positive - so don’t worry too much (easier said that done, I know) and wait and see how you react.
Do keep in touch and hoping things go well on Tuesday.
Fran
Lorna, go to the chemotherapy threads, and you will find the fears and experiences of people who have started chemo in the past few months. If you hunt a bit, you will find one about starting FEC in January. There is also a top tips thread which suggests things to have ready to help you through the first few days after a treatment. Just remember that people are more likely to write about the problems than having a relatively easy time.
The really number one tip is drink plenty of fluids the day before and the day of your treatment, and keep sipping afterwards.
I finished FEC about a month ago, and like Sarah63, my main problem was tiredness. I also had some trouble with dizzy spells as a result of mild anaemia and low blood pressure, both of which developed after the second session. I was never more than queasy, but some people need to have the anti-sickness medication adjusted. Some people have been more up and down, reacting more strongly but then getting over it better before the next session.
You should have a session with one of the nurses who will go over things with you, including the most common problems, give you a booklet of information to take with you, and a phone number for worries or emergencies.
I won’t pretend that it was pleasant or that it was always comfortable, but it wasn’t as bad as I feared. I hope you get through your treatment with no major problems.
Cheryl
Cheryal,r u stil tired after chemo?I finished a month ago and find im just as tired as i was when havin it…Xsarahx
Lorna
I’m just about to have my last FEC of 6 and although I have felt tired and a bit queasy at the beginning of each cycle haven’t found the chemo too bad. The worst thing I found was the steroids which messed up my sleep and made me feel twitchy, but my onc changed my sickness meds and reduced the steroids so I felt a lot better. Make sure you let your doctor know about all your side effects so they can adjust things if they need to.
I used the cold cap and although my hair is a lot thinner it still covers my head - so it was worth it for me.
Waiting for chemo to start is one of the hardest parts. Although it is obviously not a great experience you will still have good days and times when you feel more ‘normal’. Now I’m nearly finished it feels as if it has gone really quickly. The chemotherapy threads are really useful and great for support and any questions you might have.
Good luck!
Helen x
Having a rotten day and dont know why today, how much cleaning can u do to distract yourselve.lol. i am scared to think about how big the tumour is, lump , whatever. I am almost at the end of an SVQ4 and know i should bash on with it but cant think or undersatnd it, i need to get pointers in how to manage this. I am normally so in control of everything and feel like i am losing it.Thought bout phoning my bcn but would cry. However common sense tells me that this feeling is normal? Tomorrow will be another day, windows next…
Hope you are feeling better this evening and if youre not, so what! you are allowed to feel lousy and shout and cry if you need to, don’t feel you have to be brave. I am having my op tomorrow and have spent the last couple of days reassuring everyone else and to be honest it has p****d me off a bit. We all need some comfort and support so i’ve decided we need to maybe be a bit selfish and start being kind to ourselves.
Wishing you lots of hugs
Jane
thanx jane/ sent u a message earlier. hope all goes well . we are all trying to be brave and i agree that it is an effort to protect everyone from us and our feelings! The best of the best positive vibes for tomorrow.xxx