Weekly Taxol group
Hey there! I didn't see a separate group for weekly Taxol treatment; thought I'd start one just so we can compare notes with each other......I always learn so much from everyone! Just finished treatment #3 this week, and so far my side effects have been loss of taste and fatigue, especially day 3-5. This has been easier on me then A/C treatment so far.
What are your experiences?
Comments
-
Thanks for starting this group Sissydi. I start in a couple of weeks. Would love to hear more from others. Just finished AC last week. I have two small kids and like to be prepared for the next round of chemo.
BTW- is your hair growing? Can't wait to see some fuzz myself.0 -
Hopeful, I am looking, looking, looking! I swear I feel more fuzz, but nothing I can "see" yet!
0 -
Bump
0 -
Due to a allergic reaction to the dense dose of Taxol yesterday, I will get the weekly ones. I am getting the pre meds now....and then more Taxol
I hope it goes better then yesterday.0 -
I have finished 9 of 12 weekly taxol treatments so far. I started seeing some fuzz around 6 weeks into the taxol and while it is growing slowly I have just a bit of a shadow of my dark brown hair coming back. Yay! the taxol has been much easier for me to deal with than the dose dense AC. Tired but not bad. Working full time (almost). No neuropathy so far.
0 -
No neuropathy for me yet either; I just finished treatment 3 last Monday...hopefully that will hold out for me. I did find some peach fuzz today though! Whoo hoo!
0 -
Hi sissydi! Glad you open this thread because other ones is too big too many people I get lost!
I finished #3 of 12 weekly taxol/herceptin Last Thursday. Today I feel achy light flu-like but I managed to get out and about. So far....
#1 was easy no SE but during infusion they inject me Benadryl I begged them no because I hated it never liked taking Benadryl even before cancer. But nurse insisted i must have it with taxol. I was ok that day but felt little dizzy.
Then #2 , again she injected Benadryl for some reason I felt sooooo sick, my head spinned, I got so scared right in big chair calling my nurse told her I did Not feel right at all (not sure if it was panic attack), nurse stopped the taxol thought it was from taxol,I said no! It's from Benadryl. Then all of sudden I felt I need to vomit! She gave me the zipper bag (lol) threw up in bag for ten minutes !!!!! This one other girl in other chair was texting on her phone I laughed in my head that she probably put in her Facebook that she is listening to my gagging and vomiting !!! Lol then I felt ok afterward and told nurse to put taxol back on I wanted to finish it!!! Not giving it up! And I was fine throughout.
So I called my MO and told him I ain't using Benadryl ever again!!! And I would take clartin-D on the day of infusion. MO said ok!!!!
anyways during my #2, I did get so tired, bone pains, hands and feet numb and tingling (only 2 days). I felt normal on day 6 a day before next treatment.
So last Thursday #3, took clartin-D in morning and went to MO for bloodwork and my WBC is good! (no neupogen during taxol thank god !) and then went to hosp for infusion, I was little nervous about if clartins-d works, had taxol and herceptin with no problems!!!!yay!!!!! I was so relieved!!!!
I didn't have Benadryl during my 4 DD of AC (every 2 weeks),also had neupogen 7 days in a row a day after of each AC. But not during taxol Im relieved because for 7 days every after AC have to drive to hosp ! What a pain!
I say 12 weekly taxol/herceptin is much easier than AC for sure!!! No more nausea ! I can eat normal finally!
Edited: I forgot to mention that I skipped one weekly taxol cause I got sick a day before treatment from food poison from Chinese food!!! Lol
Hope everyone is good!!! Xoxoxo
-Jeanne0 -
So glad to hear its been easier for you Jeanne! Yup, the Benadryl is no fun for me either; I don't get nauseas or anything, just really dizzy and tired and spaced out. My biggest complaint is with the Decadron I get......keeps me awake all night the next night, and then I have a steroid crash day 3, where all I want to do is sleep! But, compared to A/C, I'll take it!
0 -
Lockekopp, how did you do?
0 -
I had another reaction and will be off the Taxol.....Not sure what I will get next, the Nurse said it will probably be Taxotere. I see my Onc. Next week and find out more.
0 -
I'll be starting July 16th. Glad to see this group here!
0 -
Glad you will join us vballmom!
0 -
Taxol/herceptin #3, day 3, feel normal, no SE at all. Hope stays that way!
0 -
OMG i hate the decadron too! I cant sleep for three days afterward and the then the crash- fatigue with mild bodyaches hits. Thankfully those symptoms go away after i sleep 10-12 hours. Ambien has been a big help to get me to sleep for the first few days after the infusion though. The fatigue has been mildly cumulative but that is not surprising. Still compared to AC treatments this stuff has been a breeze. I am getting my 10th infusion on the 12th of June. I am just glad the neuropathy hasnt been an issue yet. that was the thing I was the most scared of. I have lost one toenail and about to lose a couple more. I think it is related to the medicines stopping the nail growth and then walking 3 miles a day might contribute.
sorry to here about the bad reaction to taxol LokeKopp hope the taxotere is less trouble for you.
0 -
Jpmomof3, that's awesome your walking three miles everyday! They say that helps with the fatigue...I got so out of shape while on the A/C, I need to gear back up with my walking! In the chair now with Taxol #4. I haven't had any trouble with nails yet, but I'm looking everyday. I do have some peach fuzz on my head though!
0 -
Yay peach fuzz! its a start. I have been taking photos of my head the last three weeks, i can see the difference now when i look back. it is hard to see just day by day, its slow growth but i think it is picking up. Hopefully yours will too!
Sissydi, it looks like you have had surgery already? did you have a lumpectomy? My lumpectomy is scheduled for July 23rd. How long did it take you to recover? I have scheduled 2.5 weeks off work, hope it will be enough...
The walking helps a lot, i normally run but didnt think that was a good idea during chemo. Walking gets me out and helps keep my spirits up. I hope to start running again after surgery, but dont know if radiation will interfere too. I am thankful the fatigue from taxol hasnt been nearly as bad as with the AC.
0 -
Sissydi-Good to hear that you are moving along with minimal SE.
Jpmomof3- good luck with 10.
Ladyfingers-glad to hear #3 worked.
Locke-sorry to hear that Taxol didn't work for you.
vballmom- will be there with you.
One week from tomorrow I get my first TX of Taxol and herceptin. This is my good week after AC and I am enjoying it.
Question- how low did your counts go, and how careful do you have to be. Can go the store, travel etc.0 -
I generally stay away from big crowds, like church or Walmart, but occasionally duck in the grocery store...I might be a bit anal about it, I just know my onc said my counts are on the low end......I don't receive Nuelasta or Nuepagen however. Today was tx #4 of Taxol, so 8 more weeks!
0 -
Jpmomof3, I had a rt. mx at the end of January...I currently have a tissue expander there now.....sometime in Febuary I will get my implant exchange, as I still have radiation to go yet!
0 -
Starting taxol #1 in two weeks. Ive only had 1 crash day with my ac, so Im hoping that if taxol is easier, I don't even have that! Trying to figure out how to schedule for work. Guess I won't know until I start.
0 -
Sissydi- It sounds like a lot but as it is every week it does move along fast. As I am waiting to start mine I have been following you and you are already at 4 so it will go by fast. I just hope it is not too accumulative. AC wasnt for me, it followed a pattern and I could pretty much predict the bad days.
Sandik- I had three down days but decided to work from home during AC primarily because I didnt want to expose myself to germs. I am a little germaphobic too, and my MO decided not to give me Neulesta shots. I am hoping to be able to go in more during Taxol. We'll see.
0 -
The only thing I've noticed as a possible side effect besides fatigue, is some diarrhea.
Sandik, I think you'll find Taxol a lot easier, especially the weekly. I read on the Hair, Hair, Hair thread that with weekly Taxol, our hair grows back quicker, so small positives!0 -
Sandik, you will likely find the taxol to be a breeze in comparison to AC. I worked through both. Was nervous about getting weekly treatments but it isn't bad and from what I hear there are much fewer side effects with weekly than the every 2-3 weeks doings schedules. My energy levels improved with taxol and yes! The hair starts to grow back! Peach fuzz at first. But hair. I am sure you will be able to figure out a work schedule. I work in an urgent care but avoid the feverish and more contagious people. I have had much more risk from my own kids and husband bringing home viruses but have so far been lucky. I haven't had to do Neulasta with the taxol thank goodness and the white counts are low but not too bad.
0 -
Slept better than expected with the decadron dose yesterday. got 7 hours! Thank you Ambien. I am slogging through a 12 hours shift now though...
0 -
Okay, I have major chemo brain! Day 3 after tx always seems like my down day. I can't remember anything ! I feel like I have to concentrate double just to drive! It's such a weird feeling.....maybe it's lack of sleep?
0 -
hello ladies,
I had this afternoon my first treatment taxol/herceptine.
not bad reaction, just a bit sleepy from benadryl..now I'm after 2 hours of sleep and steel ok...I`ll see tomorow
have a nice evening ...........
0 -
Just wanted to give you all ENCOURAGEMENT! I finished WEEKLY TAXOL - 12 of 12 four weeks ago. I started feeling better within 2 weeks. Even though I now have started Radiation, I am feeling better every day!
I iced my hands and feet during Taxol infusions (had Herceptin every 3 weeks also) and had no nail problems or neuropathy.
Thinking of all of you...most thankful to be off DECADRON. Hated that stuff almost as much as Taxol or more!
0 -
Welcome Ashley! You'll do fine!
Denise, thank you for your encouragement! I agree on the Decadron, I hate it! Also, I enjoy your blog......very encouraging!0 -
Sissydi, I think a lot of chemo brain could be due to fatigue and lack of sleep. For me that is on top of some airbrainedness to begin with...
Denise-G, thanks for the encouraging words! I am there with you on the decadron too. the flushing, sleeplessness, grumpiness, and then mild aches when it wears off. yuck. but i think of it like this: who wants to see what it is like without it? Hopefully it is doing more good than bad to make up for the annoying side effects. So glad to hear that you started to feel better so soon afterwards. I am looking forward to being there soon.
I expect my decadron to wear off tomorrow on my 10th taxol dose. Day 3 post taxol is my worst but luckily it hasnt been bad. the aches go away the next morning and are so far easily treated with ibuprofen. Still no neuropathy thank goodness. I get a brief tingle in my right fingers occasionally but i think that might have more to do with tension in my neck because it always goes away and doesn't last long.
Welcome to the group ashley, you made it through A/C, you'll do great with taxol!
0 -
I am trying to recover from my last taxol dose. This is day three, for me it is the worst day. I havent had too bad a time of it in reality but with three days of not sleeping well from the steroids behind me i get a bit tired and now that the steroids energy is wearing off a bit dark mooded. I had two long days of work too but now i have a three day weekend. My three kids are all home and while they are being good their energy is really aggravating me. I feel bad saying it but I just want them to go do something on their own and leave me alone. I have been putting the TV on way too much and letting them play too many video games. I keep telling myself that this is temporary. A few months of TV shouldnt rot their brains too much I hope?? They are the loves of my lives and i usually give them my all, but I am having to take more time for myself.I am just starting to feel a little neuropathy after my tenth taxol dose. It is bothering me more in principle more than actual physical symptoms. This stuff is damaging things i kinda need. Its times like this that I really just can't believe this is happening to me. I cant wait to finish my last 2 doses of poison and be done with this. Sorry to be so dark, I know that is killing the cancer more than it is killing me but I am disturbed nonetheless.0
