I had my first FEC chemotherapy today. I’ll have six sessions in total, three weeks apart. I’m not experiencing any of the severe side-effects I’ve been dreading, particularly vomiting.
I know that different people experience the possible side-effects to greater and lesser degrees.
How many days after what number chemo session are one’s full range of side-effects a known quantity? I read a couple of women here saying that their second session was the worst.
I just didn’t expect to be in another phase of waiting!
Hi Paolability
I didn’t suffer too many side effects from my first dose of FEC other than a bit of a sick feeling in my stomach and a few days later a bit lethargic. It was cumulative though and over time it did effect my taste, energy levels, digestive system but it was all bearable and I was given drugs to counteract the side effects. Some people have more side effects with a particular chemotherapy than others do. I personally found FEC easier than Taxotere which I had afterwards. My hair started coming out about a week after my first FEC
Good luck and best wishes
Ruby xx
Ah - the million dollar question - that old chestnut! In truth Paola there appears to be no concensus answer. I think its the question we’d most like answered at the stage you’ve described. I’m one chemo ahead of you and can tell you the answer i was given from the chemo nurse when i asked the question - "In general terms the first few days are the worst and there’s no reason to believe that new side effects will emerge as chemo(s) progress - with the exception of tiredness / weakness which seems to have a cumulative effect " and yes… the second session was harder than the first for me.
I’m sure everyone will have a different tale to tell - such as this s****y process is .
I spent my first week after my 1st chemo waiting to be ill. I may as well have sat on the sofa in my dressing gown and feet up for all else I did. When I realised I wasn’t going to be ill, I got on with what I usually got on with. I was never ill until just once, after my 6th session though I am sure it was due to my having had the norovirus a few days before I had my chemo (it was horrendous, lasted 2-3 days and I have never ever felt so rotten, ever). I had 4 x EC (which I think is the same as FEC but without the F - happy to be corrected) and 2 x taxotere and 2 x taxol (they changed my plan from 4 x taxotere to end with the 2 taxol cos I was so ill off the 2nd taxotere)
Here’s hoping you aren’t unwell and you sail through!
L x
Hi.
I was ok on the first day of my fec, it was the next day, i just felt really sick, then i took my steriods on an empty stomach and was sick exactly 2 hours later. Then did it again in the afternoon, so i always make sure i eat with my steriods even though i dont feel like it.
I have just had my 3rd Fec and feel really wiped out, tired and sick feeling but not actually sick. I think everyone feels differently, but so far the 3rd has been the worse.
Hope you keep feeling ok and wishing you the best.
Liz xx
I had my treatments on Fridays. With FEC I was fine that day 7 Saturday, would start to feel a bit ‘off’ on Sunday late afternoon, absolutely awful Monday & Tuesday, wearing off Weds afternoon & fine Weds evening, not great Thurs morning, again wearing off as day went on, then well on Friday & for following 2 weeks.
Thanks for the replies. I’m having a milk-product-free day today (although I just had some milk in tea) to test whether post-eating nausea is reduced.
I’ve chosen milk as a culprit as I’ve found in recent years that full-fat milk makes me feel queasy anyway. And so perhaps milk is just something that can unsettle the stomach and chemo heightens it.
So far, eliminating milk has reduced my post-meal nausea but I need to experiment some more.
Anyway, nothing physical going on that I can complain about. I’m feeling a bit depressed today and I wonder if it’s because what might happen these coming weeks is so out of my control.
I had a couple of days of bingeing before chemo started - I blogged about it and was so embarrassed about how much I’d eaten that am watching what I eat from now on.
I am also going to try to do a brisk one-hour walk every day (even though I find walking so very boring). The oncologist - and a couple of others - advised it. If it helps makes our bodies stronger to able to bounce back, it can only be a good thing.
Like Georgibella, I was waiting for the side effects and they didn’t happen. The only thing I learnt to do was take Movicol on the day of, and for 2-3 day afterwards to avoid constipation. And take less of the steroids as I overdid it the first time and took everything they gave me and was way too awake and jittery!!
I wasn’t too bad on Taxotere either - it was more a case of being tired. I felt like someone had turned my RPM to a slower speed for a few days and then I would rev up again!
Had my first of 6 FEC sessions on the 8th April and have had slight nausea, took all tablets by the book, found that having something dry and plain before getting up helped and never took dex on an empty stomach and took them am! SE’s “bile” taste in my mouth, very sore scalp and eyes and slight breathlessness. Not sure if the diarrhoea was chemo or just the stress I felt about the first treatment? Otherwise trying to carry on as much as possible with the normal routine, despite being a bit tired. Have been advised that SE’s can be accumulative, but will cross that bridge when I come to it, otherwise I see myself waiting for something that may or not be happening not a good place to be for so many weeks yet to come! Good luck to all!xxxxTina
I know what you mean about the waiting.I was most scared about throwing up.
I started Epirubican chemo on Nov 20th had 6 sessions then I have now moved over to CMF, and I’m doing my radio therapy at the same time now. I did loose my hair after my 2nd session of chemo which was horrible, and felt sick regularly, (but this was controlled by taking Domperidone tablets), but nothing else really bad , touch wood.
At 1st I thought it wasn’t working properly but I was assured it was and that it affects everyone differently with the side effects.
I did get tired very quickly,but couldn’t sleep at night properly, but I learnt to listen to my body and if I needed to sleep in in the morning I did. I just started to take more time doing things round the house and resting regularly. I’ve still led a pretty “normal” life but my taste buds do keep changing slightly, ie i wk I can’t stand coffee the next week tea and need coffee. Also I crave bread which other people on here have also said.
Try not to worry about how it may or may not affect you and just try to take each day as it comes.
I hope this helps you a little, take care of you, Jo xoxo