Hi there, hope you don’t mind me asking but I noticed from your previous post that you have had 11 shots of chemo, which have included 5 x TAX.
I just wondered if you are on a trial as the ‘norm’ dose seems to be 3xfec followed by 3x tax, and 11 shots seems a lot!
Many thanks, Andrea.
Andrea
No I am not on the trial.
I was given 6 FEC before my mastectomy and despite numerous requests from me that they scanned me to see if it was working - my oncologist did not - the FEC had minimal success and my tumour was massive 12cm so after the operation they have put me on 6 Taxotere to try to deal with my 13 out of 23 infected lymph glands )now removed and to stop the spread. Along with herceptin of course.
I understand that this is quite unusual and I think that when they initially diagnosed me as having a large tumour they thought It was old and I had not been checking. however it had appeared very quickly as they have now established post op hence the heavy doasge… this has truly been the years from hell - I have also been told that I only have a 1 in 4 chance that the cancer has NOT spread so it just a case of waiting to find out where. My chances of being around in 5 years time are not great, but I still have a bit of hope and like all the folks on here - fighting all the way.
The Taxotere feels like it is working as it makes me feel so hellish with the last 2 lots being horrendous, but only one more to go! I am 40 in 5 weeks and going to Vegas to blow my cash… on shopping and gambling!
I think if they had done the tests promised after 3 FEC I would not have wasted another 3 months on both the FEC and waiting for the operation after being too ill after the 6 FEC… but that is a battle for when I feel better… after all I need my oncologist more than he needs me - although me faith in him has been rattled!
Sorry long old way of saying I am not on a trial - just being poisoned…like all of us!
Hope you story is more hopeful!
Regards
Kate
Hi Kate,
Sounds like you really have had a hard ride.
Please try and have hope as I have heard that TAX really is the bees knees, and even if there is further spread the TAX should zap it. Please don’t be fooled by statisics as they do not have any figures following the use of FEC and TAX combined together as it is a relatively new regime (about a year) so I’m not sure that the 5 year rule is a realistic benchmark any more.
Las Vegas sounds a great way to celebrate your 40th, have a ball!!
I have extensive lymph node involvement and am triple neg so expecting the FEC and TAX combination to work for me!
Remember that each person is individual, have faith in the TAX.
Regards, Andrea.
Thanks for that - sounds like you have really done your home work.
I do have a lot more confidence in the TAX and the herceptin on top than I did in the FEC - I feel that they are doing everything needed to beat this.
I am still living life as if I will make a ripe old age and be all the new treatments will cure me completely
It sounds like we are on a similar track and I wish you all the best.
Do you have much treatment to go or have you finished??
I still have one LAST Tax and then 6 weeks of radio therapy starting in the new year.
My oncologist made it clear to me that treatment has come on in leaps and bounds and the stats are changing all the time, however on historic daa I was pretty well doomed so all this is good - Makes me glad I have always been a supported of the Cancer charities!
Fingers crossed for both of us for the future!
Hi Phardy,
I’m so glad you replied as you sound LOTS more positive than your first note to me. I think they should rubbish the stats as they are indeed based on incorrect info. I have even heard of ladies being treated with secondaries which had been so successful and resulted in a remission from the disease. Nobody should lose hope…even though it’s so difficult to be completely positive because it is still such a devastating disease.
My treatment plan is 3 x FEC, then 3 x TAX then 4 wks rads. I have just finished my first FEC so still have a long way to go!
You must be exhausted from 11 rounds of chemo, at least just one more to go. Did you find the TAX difficult?
Good luck with your last tax, A xx
Thanks for the note.
Everyone is different, but for me the FEC made me feel sick and the TAX has made me feel pain. The first and last two of each being the worst. I have had my dosage cut for TAX as I have been quite poorly, so not feeling so bad (yet) this time around.
I have found the TAX worse, probably because the sickness is more manageble on FEC - who can manage pain if they have no idea why it is there?
I met a lady on at my last chemo and she was on TAX and had no problems at all apart from being tired. I think I have responded badly due to the hammering from FEC, a brief illness and an operation and starting herceptin (to which I had a allergic reaction) all together. I am sure it is all cumulative To think before all this I felt pretty healthy and wasn’t - now I am feeling awful, I am probably better than before - Life is strange!
Would be good to hear how you manage TAX - best of luck!
All part of recovering though… as my husband keeps telling me “they are making you sick to get you better”.