I am due to start a series of 4 AC followed by 4 taxotere. Is there anyone already taking AC and what are the side effects like? Most of the threads I have read, seem to be taking FEC.
Wendy xx
Hello, I finished 4xAC and 4xTAX (fortnightly dose dense regime) in September. I was very lucky with the side effects and didn’t suffer too much. AC made me feel queasy but hungry - kind of like a hangover - and tired. I listened to my body and slept when I needed to. The steroids you take made my moods a bit up and down and I put on quite alot of weight. TAX, for me, was fine. My energy levels were back to normal but all of the hard skin on my feet came off which left my feet quite tender. My periods also stopped during TAX and I had quite bad hot flushes - but they calmed down once I’d finished. It was so much better than I expected - just a long haul of not really feeling like you. Also, by having it fortnightly it feels as though you’re back in having the next dose just as you start perking up a bit.
I also used the cold cap and managed to keep alot of my hair.
Good luck! And PM me if I can help or if you have any questions.
X
Mine is every 3 weeks - did you try leaving off the steroids?
Wendy xx
Hi Wendya, I was the same as Sandytoes and had fortnightly AC. I found it harder than tax but that was mainly down to the steroids. I really struggled with the dexamethasone and asked if I could reduce my dose. I did this forthr last two and althought the nausea/sicky feeling was a pain I didn’t have the red itchy face and twitchy feet caused by the steroids. Like Sandy I did put on weight but I think that was because I wanted food like mashed potato, rice pudding etc. I’m glad now I had a bit of weight on me as my dexa scan to check for osteoporosis came back good and my onc said that may have been due to me eating well during chemo. Take care of yourself! Lou x
Hi Wendy,
The steroids are to help with the SEs and toxicity of the chemo - so I didn’t ask for them to be tinkered with as it honestly wasn’t that bad as you only take them on the days around the infusion - not all the time. I kept a diary of my side effects and it was the same each time. The day before, of, and after my chemo I felt wired and unable to sleep properly, then a few days after I felt a bit down and weepy for a day and then tired for a day or 2 and then fine. But I was still going out and seeing people, going shopping, walking my dog etc.
The anticipation is the worst - I was imagining all sorts of awfulness! But, for me, it wasn’t nearly as bad as I’d thought it would have been.
It was interesting as I had no steroids with tax at all. When I asked about the high doses I was prescribed for AC I was told this was precautionary and because of the reaction I had my oncologist was happy that I tried a reduced dose. I did however have excellent anti- nausea drugs which I wouldn’t have been without. I just felt that I wasn’t myself for the AC dose but still managed to walk my dogs twice a day, go shopping etc. It was just some food and certain smells that floored me!
I had double the steroids with TAX than I did with AC!! Weird how all oncs do it differently!
Unbelievable!! I only had piriton and Zantac with Tax! Mind you for me the Tax was like being hit by a train for the first two days!!
I had no painful SEs at all. Loved the piriton though - just conked out and had a sleep for a few hours - with the cold cap on!
Without the cold cap, did everyone lose their hair on AC?
Wendy xx
Yes I had 4 x AC and 4 x Tax 3 weekly. My hair fell out 12 days after the first AC but started growing again on Tax. I didn’t have steroids with the AC only the ones they ran through with the actual chemo but did have them on Tax like the others they made me feel flushed and wired. AC made me sick and headachy whereas Tax gave me muscle aches. I could cope much better with Tax than AC but everyone is different. Good luck with your chemo Wendya xx