Hi there,
Ive not posted here much, more of a lurker but would be grateful for some advice.
A brief history first. IM 38 and was diagnosed with DCIS in Oct 08. I had a masectomy and immediate recon on 4th Dec 08. On 12th Dec I was told original diagnoses was incorrect and they had taken a 3cm grade 3 tumour away, and my lymph nodes had shown signs of it being on the move. I was supposed to start 4X FEC on Jan 14. However, on Jan 9, my new boob sprng a leak as some of my tummy fat had died. Thsi delayed chemo by about 4 weeks. I am now ready for my 3rd FEC on Wed and to be honest, its no where near as bad as i thought.
NOw here is my problem. I am due to start Tax on 13th May. But I have a place for the MOONWALK on 16th May. I asked my Onc if he could pospone FEC 4 so that the moonwalk would be on a good week, but he has told me that i must not do it as my body wouldnt cope. Reluctantly I accepted this, but we have a hotel booked for the weekend and 2 close friends doing the walk. Any one out there who has had Tax would you think i would be strong enough to support my friends along the route? Bearing in mind that it starts at Midnight! I am worried we have the hotel booked - splashed out and booked Hilton Hyde Park as its also our 15th wedding Anniv. i may end up spending the whole weekend asleep in bed!!
Sorry for the long post but any advice would be gratefully recieved.
Thanks, Kerry
Everyone is different on tax, for me it was much worse than fec, but not till about day 5 which is when the pain kicks in.If it were me I would plan to go,enjoy the hotel and maybe have a long rest in the afternoon.You will probably be on steroids and normally the advice is to take them before 4pm so you can sleep.If you were to take them quite late in the day just for that day you could be ok esp if you take a folding chair or a shooting stick.
Good Luck,Valx
Hi Kerri,
Sorry to hear your dilemma. I had similar situation last year! Had mast, FEC, Tax and rads in 2007, so for 2008 I was going to get my life back. Booked holidays, theatre trips, concerts and started training for Ribbon Walk. Then disaster!Major back problems have meant surgery and now still unable to walk unaided and in constant pain, so had to cancel life!
However, as far as you being able to do Moonwalk, my experience is that Tax did not make me as sick as FEC, so you should be able to at least go and enjoy hotel and support. Only word of warning from my experience, and thats all it is, everyone reacts differntly;48 hrs after Tax I had terrible bone pains for a good few hours, so make sure you have sufficient pain management. That said, you may well find the Tax a breeze, and I sincerely hope you do.Is that any help? Sorry to not be more definite, but noone knows how another person will cope. I know others will have their own perspective which will be quite different from mine.
Wishing you all the best,
Love Jax
Thanks Jax and Val for your help. We are still going to go, even if it means being holed up in the hotel (but thats not such a bad thing on a child free weekend).
I have ran half marathons before, so its not like my body is not used to the physical side of things. MY ONC just looked at me as though I had fell off the moon when I said what i wanted to do!!
The annoying thing is, if i had started chemo on the original date, all the events i have plannned for this summer would be on good weekends, but the delay has messed it all about. To top it all off, i still have 2 holes in my lovely new boob that i have district nurses out to redress every day!!
Thanks again.
Kerry
The best combination for the pain is paracetamol and ibuprofen if its moderate and voltarol and cocodamol if it is bad.Do stock up befoer you go away.Enjoy!
Love Valx
Hi Kerry,
I haven’t had FEC but I have had Taxotere.For me it wasn’t too bad but on day three I started getting aches and pains in my joints(like Jax described)and had to lie down in bed.Also you are prone to infection and after my first infusion I spent three days in hosp with an infection and low blood count.I know everyones different and this may not happen to you but you’ve got to expect that it might.
I would say go and relax and enjoy the hotel and maybe walk with your friends if you have the energy-but take it easy and don’t overdo it.
Let us know how you get on.
Alli x
Thanks all.
We are just going to play it by ear, we are going to go to London and if i can manage to be up and about when the walk starts then i will support my friends. I have phoned the Moonwalk people to see if i can do it in a wheelchair and am waiting for them to get back to me. I am sensible enough to know not to push myself - i had to have a blood transfusion after my first FEC as i was neutrapenic, 4 days on the oncology ward was enough to tell me not to push things and end up back there!!. Its just really frustrating though, I booked my place in the walk the week I was diagnosed as being precancerous. Still, if i cant take part this year - there is always next year.
Thanks
Kerry