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All Topics → Forum: Chemotherapy - Before, During and After → Topic: Need help deciding Please - Taxol vs neuropathy

Topic: Need help deciding Please - Taxol vs neuropathy

Forum: Chemotherapy - Before, During and After — Regimens, side effects, and support from others going through chemo.

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Posted on: Aug 25, 2007 09:50 PM

watersprite wrote:

My last Taxol tx of 8 is scheduled for this Monday. My Onc says if the nerve trouble is to bad, I can just forget the last treatment. So, how bad can it get? What am I risking? What have been your experiences? Up until this week it's been mostly numbness in my toes and finger tips which cleared up by the weekend. This week has been worse. Here it is Saturday and and I'm still numb And tingly. Even my chin is a little numb and that was gone days ago in previous treatments. Did I read correctly that this can get worse for up to two weeks after the last treatment? Good news is that when I take the B6 twice daily, I can tell a difference within and hour. Maybe my imagination that it works so quickly. ;-)

I know the information I need has probably been posted on these boards before. Please forgive my impatience with finding it and Thank You for your help.
Faye Lynn Log in to post a reply

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Aug 27, 2007 05:36 AM Indigoblue wrote:

Faye Lynn,

I know I whine frequently, and others on these dicussion boards probably dislike my negative attitude; heck, I feel like curdled milk crud reconstituted with pine tar and sewage water...sorry.

In any case, I think you should finish what you start, if your health is withstanding.

The Taxol is a preventative insurance policy according to my onc. 12 weekly treatments of Taxol's trial outcomes recently published by the National Cancer Institute report this therapy as being highly effective, and successful (compared to all other Taxol/Paciltaxol treatments) by eliminating cancer cells which may be local or lurking elsewhere in one's system.

Not everyone suffers longterm neuropathy; in my case, I work with my hands, (art), and the side effects have had a most devestating effect on the quality of life.

As I understand this, (chemobrain), Taxol is most effective in the earlier stages of breast cancer, before it has a chance to spread and metastisize. If you have lupis, arthritis, heart disease, and a long list of serious illness, it's likely not for you. However, if you are in relatively good health, it is supposed to have remarkable abilities to conquer microinvasive cancer cells.

Don't know if it helps. After all, I've been somewhat of a crybaby lately...whhhaaaaaa.

Be well, be loved, it's a glorious day!

Indi
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Aug 27, 2007 07:50 AM Methusala wrote:

I know nothing about anything. But what a decision! if your dr. says you can skip it.. well, I might consider it, however that's a BIG choice. I personally don't even want chemo. but, maybe you should do the best you can and hang in there for the last dose. best wishes girl.
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Aug 27, 2007 08:10 AM unlimited wrote:

Well I will share my story regarding TAXOL . I was to have 4 dose dense TAXOL txs ( every two weeks) BUT after my second Taxol I noticed in my left hand pinkie finger getting numbness that would radiate up my arm on that side of the pinkie-- it only lasted a couple of days but I told my oncl about this --- He said "Keep and eye on it - let me know if it occurs again"
Well I had Taxol #3 -- a few days later again I noticed the numbing pinkie and the pain radiating up my LEFT arm -- it also started to be painful on the Right hand PINKIE finger. The left hand was more intense this time. Soooo prior to Taxol #4 and meeting that day with the oncl I again mentioned this to him.

I had always had neuropathy in the thumb and first 2 fingers on BOTH hands since Taxol #1 etc -- but this pinkie pain etc was different. The Oncl said this is a form of ULNAR NEUROPATHY -- and tends to be more severe and NOT reversible. He didn't want me to have the #4 Taxol of dose dense because of this ulnar neuropathy. He said I have been through enough for tx and this last one can be avoided - to not risking me with a long term condition of ulnar neuropathy. I have now finished RADS 5 weeks ago and been doing tamoxifen since July 19. My neuropathy in my hands and feet are now gone and have been gone since early June -- Last chemo was April 17 (taxol)

Im 42 had 1.3cm IDC GRADE 1 -- but stage 2a because that crazy sentinel node was positive grrrr--- had more nodes removed - and the rest were clear....

Hugs on your decision making ----
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Aug 28, 2007 01:17 PM watersprite wrote:

Well I had the last treatment today ( 4 DD, but split in half to make 8 weekly treatments)
Sunday night I was still fretting about what to do. I had to go to the clinic to get my CT scan results anyway ( clear, by the way. YEAH) Fret, wort, worry, whine, fret some more until I realized, as I was sitting there trying to decide, that I'm sewing. I'm having no problems working with the straight pins or thread. My fingers and toes had calmed back down to one numb spot on my left ring finger and my left big toe!

Thank you all so much for your help and concern.
and Hug to you all also!!

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