Oncologist says FEC it is for me

Dee

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

tjohnson2310

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

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

pinkkari09 said:

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

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

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

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

Gabe N Abby Mom said:

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

CypressCynthia said:

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

phoenixrising said:

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

phoenixrising said:

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

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

Lighthouse_7 said:

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

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

LadyParvati said:

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

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