Oncologist says FEC it is for me

Dee
Dee Member Posts: 40
hello again lovely ladies

I have got back from my first oncologist appointment today and he has said 3 cycles of FEC 3 weekly, then weekly T for 9 weeks....has anyone had the same?

He said complete hair loss is a given but I kinda expected that....and I did read some posts were people had shave it off parties so think I might do that too :)

Comments

  • tjohnson2310
    tjohnson2310 Member Posts: 168 Member
    FEC
    I had taxol weekly for 12 weeks. Not much nausea but I did have altered taste(everything I ate was salty). Now the FEC was much tougher for me. I had a total of 4 cycles. My biggest side effects were fatigue,nausea, and vomiting. As for hair loss.. I cut my hair short before treatment began..then shaved it about the 2nd or 3rd week of Taxol. It actually grew back but when I started FEC the hair loss started after the first treatment. I wish you the best during chemo..take care of yourself.
  • pinkkari09
    pinkkari09 Member Posts: 877
    Never had FEC but wanted to
    Never had FEC but wanted to wish you well on this journey! I shaved mine off when it started falling out. I thought it would be a lot worse than it was, granted we hate having to lose our hair, but remember, your not alone. Hugs to you Dee and come here often!!
    ~Kari
  • dbhadra
    dbhadra Member Posts: 344 Member

    Never had FEC but wanted to
    Never had FEC but wanted to wish you well on this journey! I shaved mine off when it started falling out. I thought it would be a lot worse than it was, granted we hate having to lose our hair, but remember, your not alone. Hugs to you Dee and come here often!!
    ~Kari

    Taxol followed by FEC
    I;m scheduled for 12 weeks of Taxol (almost in the middle - 5th treatment scheduled for this Friday)and then 4 cycles of FEC every 3 weeks.

    From reading posts everyone's experiences with chemo are so different that it's hard to predict how you would react. I've heard it both ways - that Taxol is tougher, and that FEC is tougher.

    I can't say anything about FEC yet since I won;t start that until April, but my Taxol experience has been so far, so good. Almost no nausea and no change in taste. Lots of hair falling out but still have a lot left. Other people can't even tell that I lost hair since I had such thick hair to start with. Steriods have made me very hungry so I've gained about 5 pounds, but am happy to be able to eat and not vomit, so wil worry about the weight later!

    Stay strong and positive and reach out for support when you need it. Even though I have not been that sick, I've created a website (Helping Hands) where peeople can sign up to bring meals, and not cooking is wonderful especially when I'm feeling tired, which does happen sometime.

    Hard to believe I am already one month into chemo and now looking back at it - seems like just yesterday I was getting ready to start chemo. Very soon you will also be through the chemo and treatment and into full recovery!

    Hang in there,
    Laura
  • Gabe N Abby Mom
    Gabe N Abby Mom Member Posts: 2,413
    My cocktail was completely
    My cocktail was completely different, TAC, so I don't have any advice for you. But I have lots of cyber hugs and positive energy to send. Let us know how you're doing.

    Hugs,

    Linda
  • phoenixrising
    phoenixrising Member Posts: 1,508
    Hi Dee, I had 3 cycles of
    Hi Dee, I had 3 cycles of FEC and 3 cycles of Taxotere for stage 2b. I started losing my hair around the 14th day after FEC and it started coming back on Taxotere. The FEC made me nauseous and spacey (more se but that's all I can remember, 06). They may give you ice chips to chew to lower the circulation to the lining of your mouth to try and prevent Oral Mucositis. You might want to look into using some sort of cryotherapy for your hands and feet to help prevent neuropathy. Wish I had known that. I certainly wouldn't have had a hot bath afterward. Best of luck to you, I'm sure it will go well,
    hugs
    jan
  • CypressCynthia
    CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member
    Back in the Dark Ages, when
    Back in the Dark Ages, when I was treated (1987), I was given CMF, so I don't know much about the E in FEC. Good luck though--you are in my prayers!
  • mollyz
    mollyz Member Posts: 756 Member

    My cocktail was completely
    My cocktail was completely different, TAC, so I don't have any advice for you. But I have lots of cyber hugs and positive energy to send. Let us know how you're doing.

    Hugs,

    Linda

    FEC
    That was my cocktail and yes it was rough on me and yes the hair started coming out after the 2nd treatment, but i found out only at the last treatment that i could have took additional nausea medicine other than the meds i took and the ones they gave me before chemo,I was so sick and it started after i had the neulasta shot on the next day i wish you luck,it doesn't do everyone the same,someone said on the site it seemed that the women who had morning sickness really bad from being pregnant had a rough time with it and i did,like i said everybody is different you might breeze through this good luck.If i can be of any help please let me know. MOLLYZ
  • phoenixrising
    phoenixrising Member Posts: 1,508

    Back in the Dark Ages, when
    Back in the Dark Ages, when I was treated (1987), I was given CMF, so I don't know much about the E in FEC. Good luck though--you are in my prayers!

    Hi Cynthia, Epirubicin is
    Hi Cynthia, Epirubicin is the sister to Adriamycin and is an anthracycline. The red stuff. They say the se aren't as bad.
    jan
  • Dee
    Dee Member Posts: 40

    Hi Cynthia, Epirubicin is
    Hi Cynthia, Epirubicin is the sister to Adriamycin and is an anthracycline. The red stuff. They say the se aren't as bad.
    jan

    its a whole new language :)
    thank you for all your advice!
    The doc said in his experiance the FEC is much tougher thatn the T so glad that I get it out of the way first!
  • Dee
    Dee Member Posts: 40

    Hi Dee, I had 3 cycles of
    Hi Dee, I had 3 cycles of FEC and 3 cycles of Taxotere for stage 2b. I started losing my hair around the 14th day after FEC and it started coming back on Taxotere. The FEC made me nauseous and spacey (more se but that's all I can remember, 06). They may give you ice chips to chew to lower the circulation to the lining of your mouth to try and prevent Oral Mucositis. You might want to look into using some sort of cryotherapy for your hands and feet to help prevent neuropathy. Wish I had known that. I certainly wouldn't have had a hot bath afterward. Best of luck to you, I'm sure it will go well,
    hugs
    jan

    Hi Jan
    Hi Jan
    Your treatment sounds almost the same as mine....what is cryotherapy?
  • Lighthouse_7
    Lighthouse_7 Member Posts: 1,566 Member
    Dee said:

    its a whole new language :)
    thank you for all your advice!
    The doc said in his experiance the FEC is much tougher thatn the T so glad that I get it out of the way first!

    Sorry to sound stupid, but
    Sorry to sound stupid, but what is FEC? I had ACT. Just wondering
  • CypressCynthia
    CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member

    Sorry to sound stupid, but
    Sorry to sound stupid, but what is FEC? I had ACT. Just wondering

    No question is stupid. FEC
    No question is stupid. FEC is just a type of chemotherapy:

    FEC is named after the initials of the chemotherapy drugs used, which are:

    •f luorouracil , which is also known as 5FU
    •e pirubicin
    •c yclophosphamide

    I had CMF 24 yrs ago (now rarely used) and it was Cyclophosmide (Cytoxan), Methotrexate, and Fluorouracil (5FU).

    P.S. It is rare that 2 of get the same treatment, in part because there are so many different types of breast cancer.
  • LadyParvati
    LadyParvati Member Posts: 328
    I had a Shaving Party
    I may be one of those whose post you read, as I had a Shaving Party. It was a blast and extremely uplifting, which may seem completely weird but it's totally true!

    Hang in there!

    Saney
  • Lighthouse_7
    Lighthouse_7 Member Posts: 1,566 Member

    I had a Shaving Party
    I may be one of those whose post you read, as I had a Shaving Party. It was a blast and extremely uplifting, which may seem completely weird but it's totally true!

    Hang in there!

    Saney

    Thanks Cynthia,
    I had never

    Thanks Cynthia,
    I had never heard of it before. Buy the drug names are a mouthful!
    Have a good night.
    Hugs,
    Wanda
  • phoenixrising
    phoenixrising Member Posts: 1,508
    Dee said:

    Hi Jan
    Hi Jan
    Your treatment sounds almost the same as mine....what is cryotherapy?

    It's a medical term to
    It's a medical term to remove heat from an area. Like using ice chips or freezing warts.
    cheers
    jan