2nd cycle of fec due next week

[Boodles]

Hi Tania, i had a bad runny nose all the way through, they suggested piriton, it helped for a bit. My infection was from my op, the inner wound hadnt healed fully. Hopefully it is now. They changed me from Docetaxol to Taxol which is a weekly chemo rather than every 3 weeks. I have this for 6 weeks and have had 2 so far. It has less side effects or kinder side effects. My main downfall on this is bad headaches....but i prefer it to the Docetaxol. ... hope you get sorted and you are half way there, so well done to you xx

[Tania786]

Hi Boodles, thanks for the quick and helpful reply. I'm still feeling rubbish and got cold symptoms, runny/blocked nose. I'll ring the chemo nurse to see if they can suggest something over the phone. Hopefully, it's just a common cold and not an infection.

[Boodles]

Hi Tania, yes Docetaxol is the same taxotere. I luckily havent had any sickness or vomiting with any of my chemo. I got the pain in my muscle and joints 3 days after my T and phoned the chemo nurses who told me to get in touch with my own doctor and he prescribed there and then pain killers which helped tremendously. At 1st they said take paracetamol and ibuprofen which might of worked but because i had an infection they didnt help me.The nusres do always say check your temperature before taking pain killers. I found keeping a diary really helpful as i knew what to expect and kept a list of all my medication. On the day of tour chemo they give you iv sickness and steroids i think which also help. Xx

[Tania786]

Hi Boodles, thanks for the update on T part of chemo. Can i pls clarify if the drug calls Doxcetol as well as taxtore? Am a bit confused, the side effect sheet I had from my onco mentions Doxcetol. I'll be having 3cycles of that. With regards to side effects, did you have sickness as well as muscle aches? Would the chemo nurse give painkillers on the day of my chemo? They don't usually let me take any painkillers as they want to keep an eye on the temp. So not sure how this would work. Also, did you feel tired/fatigue after the T cycle? Sorry for asking so many questions, am a bit too nervous.

Thanks

[Tania786]

Hi Bev, yes, we must be. I guess we are around same age too? i've had my 3rd/final FEC on Weds. I had severe sickness which got better after an IV at hospital. I have been feeling more tired this time. Wasn't that tired after first two cycles. Emotions are up/down too. I've had picc line put in a day before my 3rd chemo so arm is sore.
I'll be moving onto 3xDoxcetol and a bit nervous about the side effects.

Hope all goes well with your next chemo. Keep in touch.

[Boodles]

Hi ladies, i found my 3 FEC , i had same side effects which wernt too bad at all, just got more tired as it went on but went to bed when i felt like that. My 4th chemo T , was a different story but i had an infection which i ended up in hospital, so that is not the same as everyone else. All i will say if you do have the painful joints phone the BCN and get some stong pain killers, dont put up with pain that they can help you with... Hope you all have a good week x

[bev]

hi tania . we must be at same stages. i have same diag at around the same time as you. Due to start second FEC on monday 12th. at the moment i feel so good compared to how i was. Looking forward to getting out this week . I had bad symptoms on first one so really hoping its not even worse second time as really dont know how i will cope.

How are you feeling atm? would love to keep in touch .

Bev

[Tania786]

Hi Debs, I got home last night. Wbc were 1.8 so they sent me home. I'm feeling better but just a bit weak/tired. Thanks

Hope you're doing well.

I will join the August forum too.

[Debs30]

Hi Talsgee

Just wondering how you are doing and whether you are home from hospital.

Much love

Debs

[Debs30]

Thankyou for my birthday wishes.

I hope you are home soon Talsgee and feeling much better . I will join the August forum , I am a bit new to this lol xx

[Tania786]

Thanks ladies, happy birthday Debs!

Well, i am in hospital since last night. I wasn't feeling well and turned out my WBC are 1 so they kept me in. Hoping to be discharged today.

I'm too anxious about the T part, my 3rd FEC is on 30 Sept. I'm also going to ask for a port... My arm is bruised and painful from all these blood tests and chemo. They can never find veins and it's so painful...

[Sarahd-1]

Hi debs sounds like we are having the same on the same days. I hope you end up being able to have a nice birthday I'm apprehensive of the T part of the treatment too big hugs to you you should join the August thread there are a lot of us in the same boat all wanting to support each other xxxxxxxxxx

[Debs30]

Hi 

I had my second Fec last Thursday . So far the symptoms exactly the same as the first just feeling very nauseous. After the first Fec I felt nauseous for the first 6 days and then I was fortunate to not have any other side effects at all. I never bothered with the cold cap and my hair had started to fall out in clumps by day 13. I shave it on day 14 and have started to wear my beautiful wigs and scarves. 

I have my final Fec on the 8th October and then 3 of docetaxel which I must admit I am a bit apprehensive about as this is a totally different drug with different side effects. It's my birthday today and I am feeling a bit sorry for myself but after today I will be back to the mindset of fighting this awful disease with everything I have got x

[joyce11]

Hi Some people carry on with the cold cap despite the hair drop - it really depeneds how much you started with and how much you have left - I lost quite a lot and it was really thick so decided it might be a bit painful on the second one so stopped - shh..... still have a bit of hair left.

With regard to the T well it wasn't very nice - had it last wednesday and today is the first day I have felt human - pain and muscle aches were fairly well controllable with the painkillers -just feel crap for longer- at the end of the day it must be doing it's job and as far as I'm concerned that's great. It's only a short slot of time to feel like rubbish in the big paln of things. Have to take a step at a time - get the 3 FEC out of the way then move onto the next.

Joyce

[Tania786]

Ok, I had my 2nd fec last week, went okish. My hair started to fall out so not going to carry on with the cold cap.

With regards to T's SE... I heard you get muscle aches/pain. Did you experience that or anything different?

Thanks, I'll look at the monthly thread.

[joyce11]

The other thing I meant to say is there is a monthly group on the forum and the July one is usually quite busy you ight want to dip in to that as well.

Joyce

[joyce11]

Hi

I had my first T last wednesday - bit of a different ballgame! All of it is doable -I saw the oncologist for followup this week and she is going to reduce my next dose by 10% - I took some persuading that this was a good idea but she really felt in the big plan of things it wouldn't make a difference and it is about tailoring the treatment.

Since the second FEC I have had no more hair fall out - mind you I could probabbly still pass for Yul Bryner but no longer feel the need to hoover my head.

SEs seem to vary so much from one to the next  - chin up keep going.

[Tania786]

Hi Joyce, thank you so much for the quick reply.  It's good know that hopefully side effects might be the same. 

Are you also going to have 3 x T chemo? I think it's just a waiting game with hair loss. Hope to keep some...

[joyce11]

Hi

I have just had x3 FEC and the side effects stayed pretty much the same all the way through for me - perhaps a bit more tired after the 3rd and my eyes have been running a bit but not tto bad. It does seem to vary from one person to another. I used the cold cap for the first FEC and had a big hair drop on the 17th day for a couple of days. Again I think this varies. I stopped the cap as I thought that with so little hair it would be painful - enough to put up with without that I felt but again it varies.

[Tania786]

Hi, I'm new to this forum. I'm 36 yrs old and was diagnosed with triple negative bc in July. I had lumpectomy and lymph node was clear. Anyway, I had my 1st FEC-T out of six 2 weeks ago. I had some side effects after the first cycle. I want to know if anyone experienced different side effects after each cycle of same drugs. I also tried cold cap and will be trying it again. Also, when do hair start to fall out?