AC chemo - getting harder every round

Hello Cathox, Have you contacted your chemo hotline or medical team to let them know how you are feeling? I don't think it's necessarily a common experience but I had 4 rounds of AC and was really ill after the 3rd round. I started off feeling rough then developed a fever, vomiting & diarrhea and had to rush to A&E. I spent 3 nights in hospital with neutropenia (low white blood cells) and they thought that I had an infection but couldn't identify what/where it was. After 3 days of IV fluids & antibiotics I was feeling better, and the 4th round of AC was a lot better too as I was prescribed injections to boost my white blood cells. 

When I first starting feeling rough I thought it would get better in a day or two so left it a bit late to call anyone but it then got worse very quickly so don't put off calling your team, that's what they're there for.  You might be feeling lousy due to chemo side effects, or it could be something else, but it needs checking out. Hope you are feeling better soon x  

Hi LalaLou, no fever or anything like that - it’s basically the same side effects as the last time, just worse.  

I’m feeling a bit better today (mornings are better for me anyway) but I have to go for a mammogram this afternoon so I’ll call in on the breast nurse while I’m at the hospital and get checked out / have a good moan :-)

I did get a UTI after round 2, called the hotline, 2 hours later they told me to call 111, they said they’d call back within an hour - took 5 hours for them to call me back & tell me to go to A&E. Lesson learned: next time it hurts to pee, I’m going straight to A&E! Got antibiotics which sorted it out. 

How are you doing now?

I’m sorry you feel so lousy, the effects do accumulate over time so they seem to get more intense, for some people, mine certainly did snd also I seemed to get some random effects here and there too, every sympathy, yes drop in and see the BCN see if they can help x

Hi Cathox, sounds like you are suffering from the accumulative effects of AC. It's a really strong chemo and I was pleased that I only had 4 rounds of it, followed by 4 rounds of Docetaxel which was much better. I was still feeling really tired during the afternoons but didn't have the nausea that I had with the AC. I had problems with my hotline taking ages to call back too so when I got really ill I didn't bother calling them - went straight to A&E, was seen very quickly and then taken to resus. 

I'm not doing too badly at the moment, thanks. I had a lumpectomy & sentinel node biopsy but not all of the margins were clear and cancer was found in one lymph node. My chemo finished a couple of weeks ago but I need further surgery in January, followed by radiotherapy and hormone treatment, so still a long way to go treatment wise x 

Hi  

Sorry you are feeling so crap, it does get more difficult, cumulative effects. I had EC 4 rounds and found that accepting that I would be off for for the 7 days after chemo really helped. I slept lots, took my ant acid and anti sick pills and did a bit of meditation/breathing to help stay sane. Try and drink lots of water, I found slimline tonic to get good and the oncologist said that the quinine might help, whether it did it it was psychosomatic who knows but I drank it. I also found that could only eat carbs, bread, pasta and surprise tomatoes so that’s what I did. I am now through it and still tired but getting back to some sort of normality. Whilst it’s really not pleasant the outcome for me was really positive and I wish you this too xx 

Hi Rumple01 - what is it with the tomatoes eh?! I’m buying cartons of tomato juice for the first time in my life & that’s on top of the tomato soup I’m eating almost daily  Today is day 7 & I’m starting to feel a bit more human thank goodness, left the house for the first time in a few days which tired me out but did me good, had an ultrasound & the tumour has shrunk by 1/3 plus the dodgy lymph nodes have ‘normalised’ so I’m feeling extremely  pleased & relieved that the chemo is doing its job  

Thanks for confirming that it does get tougher over time. It helps to hear that from someone who’s been there. Glad you’re out the other side & wishing you a speedy return to full power xx

Hi LalaLou, yes I got fast tracked through A&E & put in a side room while waiting & discharged with antibiotics as soon as they could get me out of there. Was reassuring if not a little scary to be such a priority!

Congratulations on finishing the chemo! Sorry you’re not getting too much time off all this before surgery but I hope you can make the most of feeling a bit less knackered between now & your op xx