Had my first FEC on Monday and threw up for 6 hours…7 times seeing the same meal…not nice. The anti sickness drugs made me like a zombie… have had flashing lights in my eyes and aching legs…feel like poo, really is horrible and I have five more to do!
I am not complaining but will this be how it is everytime? Makes me want to cry when I think about it.
Any tips how I can get past the icky feeling next time?
My children think I live in my bed!
Dear Babyboo
I am considered a delicate flower and have a very sensitive stomach and severe vomit phobia. I ask for this to be taken into account and as well as the anti emetics I have whilst hooked up, I get 4 days supply of Domperidone and Ondansetron to take home with me. I was not sick on my first chemo and only suffered a bit of nausea here and there. I have just had my second chemo today and don’t feel ill as yet either. What combination are they giving you? They will change them for you if your ones aren’t working.
You should not have to suffer with this.
Cecelia. x
Oh thank you Cecelia for replying… this is one of the worst things I have ever gone through. Even childbirth was a party compared to this!
Mmm…Let me see if I can make sence of my papers here…
CEF-FEC is the combination of drugs and then the anti-sickness ones are:
Betametason and Metoklpramid as a combination before the chemo drugs then at home I have:
Metoklopramid and Ondansetron.
Now I can’t say if the spelling is right in English because I am having treatment in Sweden but I think you will know where I am coming from.
Hi again Babyboo
So one of the drugs is the same as mine, Ondansetron, but the other is different. I was told to ask for Domperidone by a friend of mine who went through chemo, if I was not offered it as he seemed to think that it was the most effective. I did not have to ask, they did offer and as I say, this combination along with the anti emetics given during chemo (one of which I think is a steroid but can’t be sure) seem to do the trick for me. And as I say my stomach is delicate so if it works for me I imagine it could work for anyone.
I suggest you ask your onc to change to Domperidone, but I am no expert, there may be a reason why you were not offered it, but it is definitely worth a try?
If I find out what those intrevenal anti emetics are that I get I’ll drop you another line
Also recommended is very boring plain food to eat, no dairy, alcohol, basically no fun stuff. But a nip of brandy is recommended in one of my books and has eased nausea for me for years!
Good luck.
Cecelia. x
I shall ring my Chemo unit on Monday and tell them what has been going on… Lots of people have said that this should be relativly easy but I don’t believe them anymore!
I shall ask about the other drug as I HATE throwing up. My three year old was so worried on Tuesday he was sick too!
Luckily the 1 year old thinks a kiss heals everything.
As I said Moday was my first day and yesterday was the first time I ate anything other than really plain soup.
Hopefully it will get easier for me.
I did go into town today to try on and buy a wig…ha ha ha…looks like a dead cat!
Hiya
HAAHA! I know the wig thing is a minefield, I bought 2 the other day from a specialist shop called Trendco. They looked great in the shop but when I put them on they look like a dead cat atop my head! I am returning one and keeping the other but having it trimmed. Don’t know how prepared you are but I lost most of my hair by day 16 which was early and only have a slight covering of hair now at 3 weeks and just after second chemo. I used the cold cap, obviously didn’t work. I also bought a lovely pre tied bandana which although looks a bit ethnic and isn’t my thing, people seem to quite like it!
Yes, do ask for alternative anti emetics, I was told to if the ones they gave me did not help, it’s not something you should be suffering with along with everything else.
Hope it all goes well for you, i’m online if you want to chat. I’m a relative newbie to this too so have many questions but am learning a lot from this fantastic forum
Cecelia. x
I haven’t posted much either but have read lots of other peoples posts and taken loads of info from them!
Wasn’t offered the cold cap because they said that with the cold cap there is a risk that one cell may escape the chemo treatment…sounds too cold for me anyway!
I have four nice cotton hats that I ordered from the states just waiting to sit on my head. The wig is ok…but I don’t see me wearing it really…hey ho, may change my mind!
Nice to have a ‘somebody’ to talk to…thanks!
Hi Babyboo
I wasnt as sick as you - but can let you know that as you start to feel better, you`ll really feel better. Start to eat again, really salty things for me, and see straight. Unlike being preganant where I felt rotton for 9 months + 2 weeks over due for 2 babies, with the FEC you feel really rotton for mayve 1 week in 3.
My little boy comes in from nursery and shouts up the stairs “Mummy are you in bed”, usually I reply yes, “thought so” he replies. Then he usually gets in with me for about 2 min, then drags me out. But life does get to some kind of normal 2nd and 3rd week after chemo.
My wig is at the back of a cupboard, growls at me when I open the door. I have managed with a baseball cap so far as I have kept fringe and back.
I am a veteran of FEC with 5 under my belt.
Please get those drugs sorted out
Jane
Thank you jane…WOW…I bow at your greatness…five under your belt…well I only have five left…HA HA HA… I was hoping to start a course at the local college in August but I think if the next round is as bad I shall put study on hold for a year…they only have the course in the autumn and missing a week every three weeks seems a bit much if I plan to keep up!
Glad you are another back of the cupboard wiggest!
Hello Babyboo
I had FEC and although I felt very nauseous I didn’t actually vomit at all. I was given Ganisetron and Domperidone as well as steroids to take home but the best of the take home drugs was Stemetil suppositories. One of those stops the feeling of nausea in about 5 minutes and also helps you to sleep.
Hope you feel better soon.
Love Anthi
Totally agree with Jane, I’m not a mum but from what I hear it’s not so relentless as constant morning sickness and it takes less time to sort. By Christmas, if not earlier we’ll be feeling better, and it is only a few days in 3 weeks if you do suffer.
I feel lucky in that I haven’t as yet, but I’m not a veteran like Jane. I’m still off my head after only my second chemo! But I can see that you, Babyboo have a real sense of humour about it which helps greatly. Positive mental attitude is what it takes, I was so distraught on Tuesday night about my hair but now I’m pleased it’s gone, no more straighteners, no more worries about it frizzing up in the rain. My wig scares me but I’ll probably put it on now and again. The main thing for you is to get that nausea/sickness sorted out, and you can, then you can feel relatively normal.
This is such a journey being a newbie myself, but I love this forum and the chats, it’s keeping me going. Along with all my lovely friends of course.
Cecelia. x
Thank you Anthi…
Looks like I got the bad end of the deal then…mmm… hopefully they can sort me out. ANYTHING has to be better than this last week.
xxx
Hello Cecelia… You are right about the wig and the other thing is my wig doesn’t have ANY white hairs in it… which my real hair does so you see YET ANOTHER great thing about this treatment…HA HA HA.
There you go, accentuate the positives, not hair nightmares and a cute new look. Plus when you get your new drugs, you will feel fine.
Cecelia. x
Babyboo - please get up. My greatness is ever increasing but only due to the excessive amounts of crisps, bacon and chocaolate that see me through.
Are people forever telling you how brave you are ? What else are we supposed to do ?
Hi Guys
The wig thing? My 4 year old dragged me in to her nursery the first time I risked wearing it merrily shouting, “Look at my mummy’s silly hair everyone - it’s a wig, you know! It comes right off!” Doncha just love them! Anyway, mine is known in our household as Myra (because it makes me look like Myra Hindley’s dark twin). Haven’t worn it for ages, but did find the cat nestling up to it the other day … the only one who loves it …
Hey ho. Stockbeck
Hahaha! That is funny. I was thinking of the Marge Simpson, I know wigs can look totally realistic but the individual and their close ones know it’s there. Mines great but I still think I’ll be going mainly for the scaves. Eff the stares, I’ve had a bit lately and I just don’t care
Cecelia. x
Hi
I am starting my first FEC next Friday, dreading the side effects and gearing up for hair loss etc, buying scarves and bandanas etc. Gonna look at wigsv but not sure about this. Just been laughing out loud at all your dead cat stories and Stockbeck’s Myra look - I imagine mine may also remain in the cupboard! I am gonna try the cold cap thing though - has it worked for anyone at all - I am mostly hearing failures on that score.
Also dx trip neg - anyone else got that??
Ali
x
Hi Babyboo
I was sick a lot when having my chemo (E-CMF). I’m not normally a “sicky” person and don’t tend to get travel sick, but I think everyone has a very individual reaction to chemo. I tried all sorts of different ways of managing it, but nothing really worked, and it really pulled me down. Eventually I broke down with my chemo nurse and she suggested a syringe driver, which delivered the steroids and metaclopramide directly into my system via a needle in my upper arm and it made such a difference! I wasn’t sick again - felt a bit nauseous, but it was tolerable. So bear that in mind if you can’t find a way to manage your nausea/vomiting with tablets. Apparently before the anti nausea and anti-emetics got so good, they used the drivers a lot more, but now that tablets are enough for a lot of people they don’t tend to use them as a matter of course.
It was a bit of a nuisance having to sleep with a needle in my arm, but I didn’t have any problems, despite being a restless sleeper - they taped me up well. Also a bit tricky trying to have a wash, but it’s only for a couple of days. The district nurse came round to me once a day to change the syringe, and then to remove it 3 days after the chemo. I got them to remove it after two days the next time, as I was feeling OK, and the last time, they took it out the day after - just seemed to be that initial 24 hours that was the problem for me. I also found I got a lot more jumpy and twitchy getting the steroids that way, so I asked them to cut down on the steroid dose. It was pretty flexible in that way.
I think, with hindsight, I tried to soldier on with the side effects for too long - if I’d made more of a fuss earlier, I might have had the driver earlier which would have helped me no end. So don’t try to be brave about this - it can be miserable enough without putting up with things like this- keep insisting they try other things if the meds they’re giving you aren’t helping.
Hope this helps
Patience
Hi Ali
I have still some hair, fringe and back, some sides. Looks OK with baseball cap so I am delighted, fryer tuck without the hat. This is after 5 FECs with cold cap at each. But you do have to contend with the shedding all over and supress the urge tp get rid of it all.