Hi all - am stocking up on ice lollies…start 4-6 FEC on Tues 15 July - anyone else round that time? Thanks to all who have offered advice thus far - see my Going mad… thread on this forum
Cheers love - good vibes to all Cx
Hi Chebsy13
I start FEC on Wed 16th I was told the treatment would take 4 months but didn’t quite take in how many times I will go each month? guess I will find out next week. Good luck with yours be thinking of you.
Likewise many thanks to all the people who have posted advice. I still feel as if I have ‘L’ Plates on but feel a bit more prepared.
Bevy
Hi Chebsy
I am starting 6 x FEC tomorrow (aaaarrggh!!), so only a few days ahead of you. I have also stocked up on all the “essentials” and am ready to go…well as ready as I will ever be! Bevy, if you are like me, you will be having 6 rounds, one every three weeks, which takes about the four months you mention. Its all very scary, but the tips and experiences of other people on the forum really help to soothe your fears. I think some people have bad reactions to FEC but by and large the reports are that it makes you feel grotty for a few days and then you start to come back up. Hope thats the case. I just will be glad to get this part of the treatment started, the 6 weeks waiting for it after surgery is torture when all you want to do get it started/finished.
Anyway, good luck to you both, I’ll report back in the next few days to let you know how it goes.
Love and good wishes H xxxx
Hi everyone
Just wanted to add that I had my last FEC yesterday (8 in total), still can’t believe I’m at the end of it to be honest. Just wanted to offer some reassurance that I had relatively few side effects, a couple of bouts of sickness which were sorted out with additional anti-sickness drugs and tiredness for about a week after treatment. I know we’re all different but I hope you all do well. Have got to say that the time has flown by and try to make the most of the good days.
Love
Wendy
Hi everybody
Im also starting 6 rounds of FEC tomorrow so will be good to compare notes and see how we alll get on. Like most of you have also been reading the top tips and got stocked up on all essentials so lets hope we’re all the ones who don’t get too sick with it. Think its a bit like waiting for first time you go into labour - you’ve heard all the horror stories and just don’t know how its gonna affect you!
Luv Joanne
I am starting on the E bit of your chemo on Monday - good luck to us all!!
Hey all,
I had my first FEC 2 weeks ago and yes I felt awful and really wish I had’ve listened to another patient who told me to only eat tea and toast.
The first night was the worst but as the days go past I feel fine now, it took about 1 week to get back to feeling normalish.
It is doable and please just remember that everyone reacts differently so even if I felt bad you may feel fine.
Good luck tomorrow Helen and Joanne.
Good luck to the rest of you ladies and please try not to stress too much, the nurses will look after you really well tell them all your worries and anxieties as they have seen it all before and are there to help you. Oh and if you do feel icky ring them and they will help.
Love and hugs
Lisa
xoxo
Hello Everbody
I am new on here. I was diagnosed in March after fertility treatment with a Invasive Ductal Carcinoma Grade 3. I had a masectomy and 7 lymphs glands removed, which were all clear. I have already had 3 treatments of epi and cyclophosamide. I have got another cycle of that then I start Taxo and Herceptin. Please can anybody tell me how they have been with taxo.
Love
Emma
xxxx
Hi ladies
Not hijacking your thread here but just wanted to say good luck to you all, Chebsy had posted and asked a few questions on another thread I’m on so wanted to check she’d got some chemo buddies! Emma - it may be worth searching for Taxo to find out other ladies who’ve been on it or start a thread - I’m sure you’ll get loads of replies, I have no idea as I’m half way through 6 FEC, sorry I can’t help further.
Hope all goes well with all of you. Make sure you enjoy the good days and listen to your body on the bad days, sleep all day if it tells you to.
Nicky x
Hi Girls
Good luck with starting FEC, you will be fine! I have had 2 cycles now and on the whole not too bad just try and listen to your body, not easy to do but its a must really. If you want to sleep do. I had no actual sickness with the first one but was sick with the second only once tho and i did feel I suppose I can only descibe it as ‘not quite right’ really. but i am 4 days after the second one now and feeling ok. Hope you all do ok and keep us posted, but we are all different and it is very difficult to draw from someone elses experience.
Good Luck
Debs x
Hi all - thanks Nicky for looking out for me-how are you doing after no3? - re chemo buddies - sounds like we have a convoy! Hope all is going/ goes well with you all very reassuring to know - we are not alone…and as Dolly parton puts it " The way I see it, if you want to see rainbows -you’ve got to put up with the rain!" Quite apt - keep in touch!
love 'n’hugs Chebsyx
(Tea and toast it is then Lisa - thanks for that!)
Good luck next week ladies.
I’ll be on round 3 of my 6 FEC on Monday myself. Half way already… woohoo. It just flies by, it’s not all pleasant but as a friend on here said there will be more good days than bad and it doesn’t last forever… she has her last Tax next week too. go Paula.
Stay calm, eat something before you go and drink heaps and heaps and heaps of water to flush the stuff out as fast as possible. It still does it’s job.
Great quote Chebsy but I am so so sick of rain. We’ve been waiting for 2 weeks now for 2 dry days so we can fix the leaks in the campervan… we’ll take 12 hours of dryness now 
Hello Nicky
Thanks for your advice, I will have a look for Taxo.
Lots of Love
Emma
xx
Hi all,
I’m also starting 6xFEC on the 16th July. Was initially diagnosed end of May but after a sentinel node biopsy on the 4th July, I now just want to get on with things - although have to say I can tell I’m really anxious cos I keep waking up very early in the morning (not like me as I do like my sleep!!).
Like you guys have stocked up on various things recommended on the chemo tips thread and am so thankful to those that have given their much-needed advice.
Good luck for next week…and beyond!
Sarah xx
I’m on day 12 of my first lot of FEC. I’ve been very lucky and not suffered much at all - a bit more tired than usual in the first week and a small bit of heartburn, but that’s it. Agree with Debs though that although I wasn’t actually sick I wasn’t 100% it was - just didn’t feel quite right - hard to explain really. The first one wasn’t so bad really - one down, 5 to go - roll on 13 October which is my last one.
Feeling sorry for myself tonight as OH has gone out to celebrate his birthday and I’m staying home alone - don’t fancy pubs and bars with loads of other people and risk catching something horrible.
Good luck for next week - keep us posted.
Nel x
chebsy13
I saw Dolly at the O2 dome last weekend!!
Now she wears some great wigs!! A fantastic show, so glad we managed to go before I start to have dodgy times for planning.
It can rain as much as it likes as long as it works and we see the rainbows.
What a diet - ginger, toast and jacobs crackers!
onward------------
looks like there are a few of us then - Nel - have a lovely eve watching exciting things like QI - know what you mean about giving up things - but 'twill be worth it in the end and you sound like you are doing just great!!! Keep us posted - you can be our guru! love C x
Good luck to everyone for this week. You’ll no doubt be anxious, but just think that you’ll be able to cross one off when you get home. I was a bit worried about my first one but it was just fear of the unkown - everyone was so lovely - staff and patients, the nurse sat with me for the whole time and chatted whilst giving the drugs and it really wasn’t so bad. Just make sure you come home and listen to your body, take it easy and sleep when you need. And, make sure you take all your anti-sickness drugs. And if you don’t think something is right, make sure you ring your unit or whoever you’ve been told to contact - they’d rather you rang and it was nothing than have you suffer.
What I’ve found quite useful is to have a little bag/basket with everything I could possibly need in it (ginger biscuits, travel bands, hot water bottle, puzzle book, notepad and pen plus all my chemo info) - it’s easy to carry round the house and means you’ve got everything in one place if you’re not feeling quite right. I haven’t really felt so bad that I couldn’t move, but it’s ready incase I do feel awful.
Number 2 of 6 is next Monday (21 July) and I’m ready and waiting - bring it on! Another one down and crossed off.
Chebsy - thanks - I soon got over my Friday night blues. As I’m a bit ahead of everyone I’ll keep you posted. Day 15 and I’ve still got my hair - keep expecting to wake up and find it on the pillow! Working from home today and actually going to work tomorrow… thought it’d be worth working as long as I can and lucky that work have been very flexible and allowed me to do pretty much what I want (be sick as and when, work from home if I fancy it or go in if I’m feeling ok). The doctor did say they don’t encourage people to go back to work for fear of catching infection etc but I’m passed the most susceptible period and work in quite a small office, so think I’ll be ok.
Anyway, I’ve gone on… good luck again. Keep us posted on how you all get on.
Nel xx
Hi Chebsy and all ladies on here
Thanks for asking and I’m doing fine, waiting for dose No 4 of FEC on Thursday as long as neuts are OK, I’ve already had one delayed treatment. I remember being in all of your places a couple of months ago so just to let you know it is do-able but there are lost of seemingly little things that get you down. Make sure you enjoy the good days and these do outnumber the bad ones. The support, and laughs, I’ve had from ladies at the same stage of treatment as me has been brilliant and it really does help to discuss things with ladies going through chemo at the same time.
Good luck with your treatments.
Nicky x
Heya Ladies.
Just got back from round 3 for me and I forgot to mention something to you all.
Start drinking plenty of water the day before so you’re not dehydrated when you go in… honestly really really helps A LOT.
Feeling fine and dandy. Good luck lassies.
Angie