Began FEC yesterday and VERY sick--Help!

katherineINswitzerland

Hi you knowledgable women...

I began FEC yesterday and am feeling absolutely SH*T.  When will this end?  I was so nauseous for the last 20 hours that I could not speak -- or move -- except to vomit.  Will this end?  Headaches?  Sore-ish throat?  I feel as though I have morning sickness not from a normal baby but from the devil's child.

HELP!!!!!

jenn3

There are too many anti-nausea meds out there for you to be vomiting.  If you haven't called the onc, please do - they should be able to give you something.  My first chemo I was sick as a dog, went to the ER, got it under control and was prescribed different anti-nausea meds from that point forward.  Not sure if the names of the medication is the same as here, but I was given Emend and Zofran.  After getting the new meds the most I got was an uneasy stomach.

Good luck - hope you feel better soon.

hrf

Please call your doc and get some meds. You should not be suffering this way. When I had TN, I also did the FEC. It had its challenges but I never suffered from nasea. Best wishes

kmartin

I used Emend and did not have a moment of nausea....ask for drugs!

 K

Ricki13

Hi Katherine

I had FEC too and found the side effects very difficult.  Everything you describe I can relate to.  As the other girls said, definitely get some Emend.  You should take the first dose before or during chemo.  I assume in Switzerland you have insurance as without it, it is very expensive.  Even with the Emend I had nausea problems.  Some people are more sensitive than others.  I also took Maxolon, Stemetil and experiemented with a range of medications.  Might take a few experiments to see what works best for you.   It's hard to imagine while you are in the throes of the side effects but it will pass and you will feel better.

R xo

Ricki13

btw...my first time on FEC I vomited too despite all the anti-nausea meds.  The nurses were upset when I told them later because they said I should have called and they would have helped me.  So...call your chemo center because they are there to help. ;->

Karen09

I had a really hard time with my first FEC treatment as well.  I had no energy and kept throwing up.  I couldn't even keep down a small amount of water or pills and my doctor got quite angry at me for not going to the ER for IV fluids.  It was the weekend then and there was no one to call and I didn't want to go to the ER.  My second treatment was a lot easier though.  I was on Zofran and Maxeran for the first one and they added Emend and Dexamethasone.  I think the Dexamethasone (a steriod) was the key for me.  As soon as I took it I always felt the nausea go away.  I still had some from time to time and threw up a bit but it was never as bad as bad as the first treatment.  

Hang in there and definitely call your doctor.  You don't have to suffer through the side effects! 

Karen09

I had a really hard time with my first FEC treatment as well.  I had no energy and kept throwing up.  I couldn't even keep down a small amount of water or pills and my doctor got quite angry at me for not going to the ER for IV fluids.  It was the weekend then and there was no one to call and I didn't want to go to the ER.  My second treatment was a lot easier though.  I was on Zofran and Maxeran for the first one and they added Emend and Dexamethasone.  I think the Dexamethasone (a steriod) was the key for me.  As soon as I took it I always felt the nausea go away.  I still had some from time to time and threw up a bit but it was never as bad as bad as the first treatment.  

Hang in there and definitely call your doctor.  You don't have to suffer through the side effects!