Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hi sally I finished fec-t a fortnight ago and I was the same everything tasted awful on T and I struggled with teeth cleaning too! However for me it lasted 7-10 days then I would turn a corner and it would get better over the next couple of weeks. I found eating things with strong flavours was all I could do to mask the yucky taste in my mouth but it wasn’t brilliant.. so hang in there it does improve and it’s a horrible side effect. Mine are back to normal and have been for a week or so, you can do this!x ... View more

Hope you have a good holiday Lynne you deserve it after all that. Good luck with your final one Annig I had my last one last week and feeling better everyday... tastebuds coming back! Hope your infection got sorted I had one after round 4 and they dealt with it v quick. Had my last scans and the good news it’s shrunk by over have so is now less than 1cm so I’m delighted and also v surprised as when o had my halfway scans there hadn’t been much change so docetaxel seems to have finished the job! Surgery in a few weeks so getting through the journey.... hope everyone ok and staying positive xx ... View more

I’m the same Annig tastebuds are shot to bits everything tastes horrible! I’ve not much found much relief for it I just tend to go for things with stronger taste. I have my final one next week so the end is in sight and hopefully they will return soon 🙂 ... View more

Hi Minnie just finished first T have my second (round 5 nearly there!) tomorrow. It’s been a mixed one I thought I was ok the bone/joint pains were more of a discomfort than painful and lasted 3-4 days so not horrendous. But then after that my temperature went up and I had to go to the hospital and get iv antibiotics and I’ve been absolutely fine since! I am getting a blood booster for the next ones to try and prevent infection so fingers crossed. Tastebuds are better than fec everything is just a bit bland compared to the Metallicy taste. So far brows and lashes are still there.... how have you got on? Hope it’s not too severe x ... View more

I have just finished The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. I really enjoyed it! It transports you to another world which is nice at the moment:) ... View more

Oh that’s interesting loucamera just shows how everyone is so different. Was fec hard for you? I didn’t have many side effects from it all and have pretty much carried on as normal but was getting worried about t as it seems to be the horrible one but that’s great to hear you’ve been ok with it. ... View more

Anyone on fec-t changed to t yet? I’m due to tomorrow and just wondering how it’s been for others? ... View more

Hi Karen I have just completed 3 rounds of fec and due to start t next week. I know everyone is different with side effects but I can honestly say for me they have been minimal and I have managed to pretty much continue as normal which means working and being a Mum! They are very good for giving you cover for anti sickness meds and they can easily tweak them if they don’t work for you so make sure and let your nurses know. The side effects I did have were a metallic taste in mouth which wore off after about a week, odd bout of tiredness, a bit of constipation after fec 3 sorted out with some senokot! I was physically sick once during a treatment but that was more due to the tightness and pressure of the cold cap and they gave me an anti sickness injection before the next one and I was ok. For fec you get three different drugs so you will have a bit of time one to one with a nurse as she does the injections so it’s a chance to ask questions if you need to. One of the drugs is bright red and can turn your wee the same colour afterwards so be warned that is normal apparently!! Avoiding infection is also important but not always possible! I take a little bottle of anti bac with me everywhere. I change to t next week and must admit am pretty nervous as I’ve heard it can be a lot more severe but will take every day as it comes. Hope it goes ok for you I’ve tried to eat well and stay active even just a short walk everyday if you can manage makes a difference. Don’t let this horrid disease get in the way of the important things in your life!! :)x ... View more

I have a grade 2 2cm sqatter and 1 node er positive. Had my midway scans last week and node has shrunk, tumour starting to but not much yet. They are hoping for shrinkage before surgery as boob is quite small. The radiologist said some people respond better to the T part so will see how that goes starting it next week. Not sure what it will bring in terms of side effects some people seem to find it quite savage others find it easier than FEC so will just have to take it a day at a time! Hope you're doing ok and staying positive x ... View more

Hi Rachel I don’t know if heat would have made any difference or not... I have done 3 fec so far and the heaviest shedding I had was after 2 and it has since slowed up. Due to start T next week so will seee what that brings. One of the nurses said some people see new hair growth on T so worth persevering. Even if your hair thins out it will still come back quicker once chemo finishes. Also have a wig hairbands etc on standby if you need to cover bits up. Hope it goes ok for you ... View more

I had a lot of shedding just after FEC 2 but it has slowed up. Patchy around the scalp but I use stuff called Toppik you can get off amazon that works well for covering patches up, def worth a try! The shedding has slowed up and the nurses said some people start to see new hair growth during T. Still wear the cc for T but only for about half the time of FEC so 2 and a bit hours which is much more doable than over 4 so am keeping going!! I have looked up a ton of positive stories which I go back to when things get hard, some famous inspiration are Kylie at 36 she is nearly 50! And Nancy Shevell who is married to Paul Mccartney had bc at 38 which was 20 years ago! There are loads more out there. If you use Instagram look up some of these accounts - all women in 30s who have recently been through this (one a cold capper) they are amazingly brave, positive and inspirational in how they have got through it and it has made me feel less isolated. northernstar_yoga vickies_breast_cancer_story tamsinthomsonart canceratthirty xx   ... View more

Hi Aimee, I'm 38 IDC grade 2 1 node. Having neo adjuvant chemo 6x FEC-T. Just finished the FEC and moving onto T next week. Tolerated it not too bad so far and cold capped. Had hair thinning but its hanging in there. How are you getting on? How was lumpectomy? I am meant to get mine July time. Re positive stories I have a friend who went through this when she was 30 with a grade 3 tumour and lots of node involvement. She is doing fine nearly 7 years on. These kind of stories keep me going xx ... View more

Hi GiGi the shedding seemed to be worse the first week after second fec. Got a bit thin around the scalp but got some stuff off amazon called toppik that fills in patches and it worked really well so worth a try. It’s just tiny fibres that match your hair colour that you shake over and they stick to your existing hair. You can get a tiny bottle to start with, worth a go! I have fec 3 next week then change to T the nurses say you don’t have to wear the cold cap for as long on T which is a relief! Good luck!x ... View more

Hi makingmestronger and all other March starters. I’m 37 and also trying to carry on with family life. Had the first of 6 fec-t a couple of weeks ago and feeling ok. Tried the cold cap so just waiting for my hair to start shedding within the next week or so.... hopefully not too much! ... View more

Thank you ladies x ... View more

Thanks ladies for all the positives these kind of stories are keeping me going right now 🙂 ... View more

That’s me on day 9 and am feeling surprisingly normal! Apart from a bit of a metallic taste in mouth and a a bit of a low mood after the steroids stopped I feel fine...so kind of dreading the side effects kicking I soon... tried the cold cap so time will tell with hair loss. The actual chemo day was ok the nurses were all lovely and they had volunteers doing teas and cakes. I cried through the first ten mins of the cold cap so a nurse sat with me, a bit embarrassing really when a much older lady beside me never batted an eyelid when hers went on! Think I was just having a bit of a melt down to be honest. It was fine after the first ten mins. Just make sure you have a tablet and some magazines as there is quite a bit of sitting around. I got a load of anti sickness, tummy meds and steroids away with me and took them all as prescribed so I’m guessing that has helped lots. You will be fine and any issues speak to the nurses they are more than capable of hand holding!x ... View more

Sounds similar to me. I started chemo last week and so far managing to work. Yes I would love my old life back of worrying about family stuff, I feel like I always did appreciate the little things in life and didn't need a 'wake up call' about life. But hey ho here we are... ... View more

Hi Jenin, sad that this happens. I too have had a weird response (or lack of). Since my diagnosis in Feb I've had the grand total of two text messages from my mum. No phone call, visit, nothing. Even though she also knows its my busiest time of year workwise she hasn't offered any help or any words of comfort. My sister has also been strange all she could talk about when I was diagnosed was my cousin who sadly died of bc and how it was all such a drama for her because now she is genetically at a slightly higher risk for it! Neither of them have asked how treatment is going (I've already started chemo and they don't have a clue). Again hardly comforting words! It seems some people have very strange ways of dealing with things. My husband's family have been amazing so that really helps. I don't know how things will be if and when I do eventually hear from my mum and I'm sure you will be feeling the same. This whole situation is horrible enough without all this kind of added crap! ... View more