Tax after Fec. Advice

[Debs-]

Hello everyone,im starting tax and heceptin in 2weeks time,i am dreading it...have had x3 fec and cant stand the thought of it being any worse..I can cope with pain better than sickness so i guess im hoping tax dont make me feel as ill as fec does,hate that we dont know untill we start and that we are all different in side affects..

[EAM28]

Hi alI, i am also on April monthly chemo with books and wine. I have one more FEC next Thur then go onto tax also. Will be interesting to know what the inevitable will be! I spoke to a girl last wkend & her experience with tax was that she felt fine for the first few days then it hit her & she said it felt like she had flu. No sickness or nausea. Pins & needles in fingers so hard to do things up & lost her lashes & brows.
Books and wine - the cream you mentioned is good. My mum found it out for me & I got some from a health food shop a few wks ago. The one I have is called Moogoo skin milk udder cream - sounds funny I know! It was 8 pounds & is an all rounder (was recommended by the man in the shop as there are lots of other types for different skin conditions & there is a scalp one also but was told this one will do everything!). It does hydrate the skin really well & ive always suffered with really dry,cracked hands which bleed so will defo keep on top of it with this stuff! Xxx

[vercors]

Good evening ladies,
I am coming back once in a while to the site and noticed this thread. In 2008 i had 3 FEC and 3 Tax.
The way Indescribed the experience was like a boxing match, where you get the first blow and you keep going, but as each blow hits you, you find it difficult to get up. I worked thtoughout my 6 chemos and herceptin with Tax. I used to take a week off chemo week, work from home on week two and in the office week 3.
Side effects were mostly constipation and tiredness. I found difficult to walk one hundred metres at the end of the treatment. This being said, a month later, I was back walking 1 1/2 hours twice a week.
I did not suffer from metalic taste, my nails got slighlty damaged but not black. So indeed, it is a tough journey, but everyone is different, and we all react differently. Wishing luck with the rest of your treatment.

[booksandwine]

Thanks Wyn much appreciated

[wyn]

Hi ladies, just popped over from december angels to share my experience on tax. I had 4 treatments after 2 fec and had the following se's

joint and muscle pain in lower back,legs and sternum - i had lots of hot baths took paracetamol and used hot water bottles to ease this.

Constipation followed by tax trots (lol)- get lactulose from gp for constipation - it works

slimy mouth with no taste- i was told by chemo nurse to rinse 4 times a day with dilution of bicarbonate of soda and i also used mouthwash regularly.

I had also heard to use dark nail polish but chemo nurses to me not to as that could mask any infections growing under nail so i didnt bother and just moisturised. My last treatment finished on 21st march and I have not lost any nails although they are yellow looking.

On a positive note there is no nausea or sickness.

Not everyone suffers from these se's and I have read comments that some ladies got through tax better than fec. It is perfectly do-able just take plenty of rest and accept help when offered.

Take care ladies and wishing you all a speedy recovery and hope ses are minimal.

Wyn x

[Mrs_Moomin]

Books and Donna I too am wondering how Tax treatment will affect me. FEC 3 is next Monday and I think tiredness is increasing. Hope to exchange info about impact of Tax as we get into it.

[Mel51]

Hi there,

I'm also switching from FEC to Tax and have had my third FEC already. Very anxious as Tax seems to have more SEs than FEC and I've generally faired well on FEC. A lot of people on other threads say that thebTax hits them like a sledgehammer. I know everyone is different, but even the onc pulled a face when I said "tax is pretty hardcore, isn't it?" When I was told last week. They hope that the Tax will have an impact on my tumour as the FEC hasn't had any impact so far. The original plan was to have me on 6 x FEC and now I'm moving to Taxodere!! The sensible side of me thinks that I'm young (32) and should chuck everything I have at it now, but I'm anxious about a new drug and the what seems to be the inevitable new SEs. Does everyone get the SEs as reading the forum it seems that way - unlike with FEC where some people seem to have limited SEs.

[booksandwine]

Cheers Donna - hopefully we will get good tips - read good idea to keep feet and hands well moisterised.  This gets good reviews cream called 'udderly smooth' by a site called 'not just for cows.com' (really!!) or can get
from amazon etc, or some cycling shops sell it. It has a really high urea content which is what you need. Otherwise e45/aveeno are good, though not as much urea in ithem.Moisturising regularly with any cream you can get your hands on will help. Soak your feet regularly to keep the skin soft.

Also - advice from someone who went to second drug - was to  take both ondasetron and domperidone 30 minutes before eating - this  seemed to help. (not sure why I wasn't told this from the oputset and there was nothing on the patient info leaflet

[Donnaandfamily]

Hi Books

I have had my 3rd FEC and like you will be chaning to Tax and herceptin  on the 21st May.......feeling anxious. Lets hope the jpurney isn't too tough for us xx I will be slightly ahead of you so will post.......

[booksandwine]

Hi I will post here and under my April monthly thread.

I will have my third fec next week and I then start tax in three weeks after that.

I have started to read up on the side effects of tax. I'm also concerned over the overall way I will feel on the changeover week. Seeing what advice anyone who has gone through this can help with. Also for those like me who will go through this what advice if anything they have been advised by BCN or oncologist

I am generally fairing well on fec although the cumulative affects such as ongoing tiredness and yuck mouth now seem to hang around. I am working 1 week in 3. Wondering if I will still manage this on tax.