Fec-t anyone?

Hi

I don't have the experience you're after but I noticed that your post hadn't had any replies yet. This is probably because this is such an active group that your post has slipped off the first page before someone with the right experience has seen it. By replying to you it will 'bump' it back to the top of the discussion list.

x

Thanks!!

Hi - I finished FEC-T in January, so I could help with any questions you have. I was ER+/PR+/HER-

Hi, thanks. Sorry I am mum49 and mum50 - absolutely rubbish with technology and can never find the recent thread!!! Are you still having some treatment?

I'm stage 2  - it's in my lymph nodes and have already been told they will be taking them all out from  under my arm when the chemo is finished. I've got 3 cycles of fec, then 3 of t and then herceptin. Had my first fec two weeks ago, nausea was manageable but was shocked by bone pain on day three. Felt like had been runover by a bus and I had no painkillers in except paracetemol which didn't work. Later I controlled it with co-codomol and ibuprofen but didn't realise they also give constipation! Going to ask  my oncologist for a better painkiller next time.

I know everyone's SE are different but just wondered if there are any more surprises?

I'm not using a cold cap - do I need any special moisturiser for my head? My hair has just started to fall out.

Do you know anything about wearing dark nail varnish to save the nails? And When do you wear it? 

Thanks

Hi, there is a specific forum for chemo which has lots of useful discussions and support:

https://community.macmillan.org.uk/cancer_types/chat-breast-cancer/f/questions-about-diagnosis-and-treatment/214737/april-2021-breast-cancer-chemo

Wishing you well on your journey. I've just had my third EC, so halfway through my treatment.

Take care.

Hi, I am starting radiotherapy shortly and then hormone therapy for 5 years. 

I had a lot of nausea with FEC (in fact, I couldn't stop vomiting the first time!) but aches and pains with T. Everyone's side effects are different. You start to manage them as the cycles go on then they swap drugs half way through and you have to figure out new ones. I had constipation from the chemo so had to get laxatives to help. I found paracetemol helped with T aches and pains. I had a few minor skin issues with T. I wore dark nail varnish throughout T cycles and although nails got discolored and a bit weird looking, they didn't fall off or lift. They are still growing out and I continue to keep them really short.

I didn't use the cold cap either. I cut my hair off, donated it and then shaved my head before starting treatment. I didn't use anything on my scalp and it was fine. I started losing hair 3 weeks after the first FEC and it started growing back a bit during T. I did switch to organic/natural face wash and moisturiser which I found much nicer than 'normal' ones and I continue to use it as my skin is still pretty dry.

Try to eat healthily - my appetite went and my taste changed, but I forced three healthy meals a day though I couldn't always finish them. I found it hard to drink water due to taste changes so ended up with ribena and ginger beer. You need to drink tonnes to flush the chemo out and help your liver and kidneys so find something you like.

I got more tired as the cycles went on, which is very common. I found T much harder than FEC, but for others it is the other way around.

I would REALLY recommend keeping a diary of side effects and how you're feeling. I found this incredibly useful as the cycles went on. When you're on day 7 and thinking 'I still feel sick, this has gone on for ages!' then you can look back to previous cycles and see that you still felt sick at that stage last time. It was also good to see the same pattern for 'good days' so when you're feeling rubbish, you know you'll feel ok on Day x. 

Your life turns into three week cycles and you get to know the pattern, though every cycle is a bit different. 

It feels tough at the time (and it is) but you will get through it and suddenly it will be over.