Your experience with FEC

PinkGirl · 09-11-2008, 07:10 AM

Hi Terri
I had 4 FAC and I remember that it wasn't too much fun.
I had lots of nausea but did not vomit. I was very tired
and my white cell count was very low. My onc. asked me
to stay home, avoid crowds and I was often put on anti-
biotics as a precaution.

The constipation was severe. My chemo nurse told me that
it was caused by the kytril I was taking for nausea. Once I
had the "routine" figured out, I was okay. I took 2 Senekot S
in the morning and 2 more before bed.... and drank lots of water.
I started this the day of the treatment and continued for 4 days.
Keep on top of this because it can be pretty nasty.

I would have the treatment, have two good days, and then the
nausea and fatigue would start. I remember feeling quite good
the week before the next treatment. And my hair fell out three
weeks after the first treatment.

You will get through this.... you will find a way. Take good care
of yourself and get lots of rest.

Terri B · 09-11-2008, 07:16 AM

Yeah, Pinky, i'm all over the stool softeners. I learned that from the first round.

I guess what surprised me the most, was that most people say that the day of treatment arent' bad. Well, i was violently ill the evening of my treatment! the second day wasn't too bad, then the third day was a BIOTCH.

Thanks for being here.

PinkGirl · 09-11-2008, 07:32 AM

I guess we're all different Terri. Most of my chemo-mates were
fine the day of the treatment - it would take a few days to start
feeling crappy. I had my FAC on Tuesdays and then returned on
Thursday for more F. I know I was still feeling okay on Thursday,
other than having my bright red face. By the weekend, I was in bed.

All that matters is that you figure out your schedule. It does make
it a bit easier when you know what you expect.

Vi Schorpp · 09-11-2008, 07:40 AM

We are all different. While PinkGirl took Kytril, I found it made the nausea worse, and I stopped taking it. I was fine without them for some reason. I took my treatment on Friday, and had the week-end to recover. By Sunday I was feeling better. For me, yeast rolls were the only things that didn't make me sick, and I had 2 a day for about the first week. I did find, though, that the chemo was cumulative and by the time I finished my last treatment it took me until Monday to feel good, not Sunday.

Pink is right, water is essential! It will get better, so hang in there.

StephN · 09-11-2008, 11:46 AM

Terri -
Since you need to stay hydrated, herbal teas are a good way to get some help as well as hydration.

There are herbal tea formulations that can do a lot to help the constipation.

I used SMOOTH MOVE and other teas with SENNA.
A couple cups a day and maybe one stool softener, and I was good. I had my worst "plugged" problem when I took Decadron for my brain mets.

Otherwise, you are being very brave and a good example for your dear sister. She may take different drugs and not feel as bad, but that "hit with a stick" feeling is pretty normal with most of the hard chemos.

Christine MH-UK · 09-11-2008, 12:17 PM

I was on dexamethasone, which worked for me but I know some people needed stronger anti-nausea meds. In the worst cases, they put in a device that pumped anti-nausea medicine out. Sour lemon candies helped, too.

I found that the only thing that worked for FEC constipation was something called movicol, also known as Macrogol, but the only place I have ever seen it was a hospital. They used to give it to the elderly cancer patients.