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Weekly Taxol group

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Comments

  • rleepac
    rleepac Member Posts: 193
    edited July 2015

    Just finished #10 Taxol. Only 2 more to go...wooohoo!

    I'll still have to go back every 3 weeks for Herceptin/Perjeta through next April but at least I'll be done with mean ol' Taxol.

    Bekah

  • Carrie37
    Carrie37 Member Posts: 35
    edited July 2015

    Bekah, are you getting Perjeta AND Herceptin after you are done with Taxol? I am only getting the Herceptin and can't figure out why. I'll ask my MO next week.

  • rleepac
    rleepac Member Posts: 193
    edited July 2015

    I just had the discussion today with MO. He said if my insurance will cover it, he wants to continue both for the full year. He said they have seen such good results with the Perjeta that it would be great to continue it but the studies aren't out yet for insurance to buy off on it in every case. He seems to think my insurance will cover it so I guess we'll see what happens...

    Apparently the Perjeta is only 'indicated' for neoadjuvant therapy so it doesn't get continued most of the time but he is seeing it being used adjuvantly more now and expects the 'indications' to change soon.

    Bottom line...I think it's a case-by-case basis depending on the insurance.

  • Carrie37
    Carrie37 Member Posts: 35
    edited July 2015

    That makes sense. Thanks for clarifying!

  • princessofmeh
    princessofmeh Member Posts: 74
    edited July 2015

    Well, Taxol #8 is in the bank and we had more port drama. Could not get a blood draw, no matter how I hyperventilated, lay on my side with my arm in the air...nothing doing. Ended up tapping a vein for the blood work and then running an IV so we'd get pre-meds in faster while they injected me with something to try to open up the port. Fortunately, the lab took so long with my blood tests, the port was working by the time any meds were going in so the IV was a waste of time. This week, anyway. Seriously hoping this port holds up, just 4 more spa days to go.

    A bit concerned. Started checking my blood work results via Patient Portal. My salt was low so MO told me to add more salt to my diet so...Whatever, I got nosy and looked through all my old results & have been peeping at my new results. Well, this time my RBCs, HGBs and HCTs were flagged as low, as was total protein and ALB. I jinxed myself! Everything was fine...until now. I HAVE noticed some muscle fatigue, general fatigue, and light-headedness the past week or so. Now I know why, I guess. I'm upping protein in my diet, hoping that will help and nothing serious is going on with my liver.

    On a happier note, I got some writing in today! Was at 2am, LOL, but I'll take what crumbs I can get. Cutting my oral steroid dosage helped with the chemo brain malfunctions. Well, still got chemo brain pretty bad, but at least being in orbit isn't make it worse. I need to get another book out more than I can possibly express. I had a huge head start on this one before my mental faculties went kablewey, but I'm still a long way from finishing this book. My goal is to work through this last month of taxol. Even at my slower pace...I'll be closer to The End than I am right now. Maybe not done, but close to, I bet.

  • Tresjoli2
    Tresjoli2 Member Posts: 579
    edited July 2015

    hooray to 28mg of decradron. No reaction today. Which is good..doc wants me staying on taxol.

  • leighrh
    leighrh Member Posts: 102
    edited July 2015

    yeah!! tres.... Hope they all go as well!! No reaction this time for me either!!

    How often do you take L-Glutamine if you are taking it? I took it Wednesday and yesterday, infusion day, and today. Should I take it tomorrow as well? Don't want to take too much as I heard it causes weight gain. But I do think it works. I should be really sore from my workout on wed and I'm not. So I think it works on the muscle pain.

  • bbwithbc45
    bbwithbc45 Member Posts: 367
    edited July 2015

    Leigh, I was taking 10 grams 3 times per day - so that's total 30 grams of L-Glutamine. I don't think it caused any weight gain for me. (I gained because I was eating a lot of starches, especially potato dumplings). I didn't have much neuropathy during chemo.

    After chemo I continued with Glutamine for 4 weeks at the advice from my MO. I was sick of taking it, so after 4 weeks exactly, I stopped taking it. Few days later I noticed that a part of my foot got numb. The timing of it could have just been a coincidence. However, part of my foot and my ankle are still numb and I think that the numbness is spreading very gradually. I'm 6 1/2 weeks PFC.

  • Tresjoli2
    Tresjoli2 Member Posts: 579
    edited July 2015

    I haven't had any neuropathy at all so no l glutamine for me.

    Leigh yeah no reaction for you either?

    Anyone have bad acne from the steriods? I swear my face is so bad I look 12 again.

  • cloudynight
    cloudynight Member Posts: 14
    edited July 2015

    Tresjoli2, yes on the acne. My NP just prescribed an antibiotic (minocycline) and a topical cream to help.

  • bbwithbc45
    bbwithbc45 Member Posts: 367
    edited July 2015

    Thresjoli, I had the worst acne of my life. My face, particularly my chin was hurting from it. MO wouldn't prescribe anything for it, because by the time I saw him for next infusion, most of it would clear. But the it would be back after each infusion - vicious cycle. I had to treat it with OTC stuff and hide at home

  • helplesslyhoping
    helplesslyhoping Member Posts: 14
    edited July 2015

    I start weekly Taxol on July 15. I'm hoping that it goes better than AC! I'm worried about weight gain from the steroids, though. Is it a given, or does it just depend on the person?

  • trvler
    trvler Member Posts: 931
    edited July 2015

    It is NOT a given. I have lost weight. I lost about 7 pounds since starting chemo. I finished #5 Tuesday.

  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 695
    edited July 2015

    I also have not gained weight (knocking wood). I have lost about 2 pounds since starting chemo. I generally feel really good on Taxol, but food really tastes bad for several days each round. The only things that remotely taste decent are fruits and vegetables. I suppose that has helped me maintain my weight. I also walk (or run) several miles every day. I actually have to make myself eat, even if food does not taste good. Taxol is much easier than AC for me. I generally feel normal 90% of the time...no nausea or "yuk" feeling for me.

  • trvler
    trvler Member Posts: 931
    edited July 2015

    Yeah and the one time on earth I don't want to lose weight before my DIEP.

  • rleepac
    rleepac Member Posts: 193
    edited July 2015

    I've lost about 5 pounds from my starting chemo weight. Nothing really tastes good and I'm not usually hungry. It put me back down to my 'ideal' weight anyway so I'm rather happy with where I'm at right now. Kinda weird though because I feel like I'm snacking more to deal with the nausea. But I guess it's all working itself out. I actually gain 5 pounds the day after Taxol/Herceptin and I look really puffy. Then 2 days later I'm back down again. I don't take any steroids so I guess it's just a side effect for me?

  • Tresjoli2
    Tresjoli2 Member Posts: 579
    edited July 2015

    i haven't gained but I'm worried about it since I now need 28mg of Decadron to keep from going into anaphalxsis. Boo...that's 4 times the dose they started me on.

  • suladog
    suladog Member Posts: 837
    edited July 2015

    I was on high levels of steroids (because I asked for them ) but also gained no weight. I lost as everything tasted terrible to me and I had no appetite plus nausea. The taxol of course kills all rapidly dividing cells , that's the idea of chemo, and evidently taste buds are in that category. Now that I'm done and just on herceptin I still don't have much of an appetite and still have nausea ( but not that bad)but at least stuff tastes normal again.

  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 695
    edited July 2015

    Tresjoli, I am on 20 mg Dexamethasone, which is my MO's standard before Taxol, and other than infusion day, it does not impact my appetite

  • Tresjoli2
    Tresjoli2 Member Posts: 579
    edited July 2015

    Does anyone know about their menstrual cycle while on Taxol? I had started lupron, but then stopped when I started chemo. I am not having hot flashes or anything. I'm due for my period on friday, and I wonder if it will show up. My period on lupron was ten days of torture. Hoping not to have a repeat performance. Thx.

  • bbwithbc45
    bbwithbc45 Member Posts: 367
    edited July 2015

    Tresjoli, I got my last period about 4 weeks after starting Taxol. It has not come back since; it has been over 3 months

  • Carrie37
    Carrie37 Member Posts: 35
    edited July 2015

    Mine stopped while doing the AC treatments (probably a month in)and has not come back.

  • helplesslyhoping
    helplesslyhoping Member Posts: 14
    edited July 2015

    Thanks, ladies. I'm hoping that the Taxol will be easier than AC. I'm ready to be cut a break! Bless all of you girls and I hope treatment is working well for all of you! <3

  • trvler
    trvler Member Posts: 931
    edited July 2015

    Help: Are you on weekly or biweekly Taxol? Generally weekly is easier on people. I have had an easier time on TAxol than AC. I also thinks sometimes the side effects are harder on people who have other health issues going into it all, but I am not sure about that.

  • StefLove
    StefLove Member Posts: 201
    edited July 2015

    Hi ladies! New to the weekly taxol group, I start on Friday. :) Was supposed to be getting dose dense but my MO changed my treatment up after presenting my case to the cancer board last week. Already finished 4 rounds of AC!

    I'm also going to be getting carboplatin every 3rd week so not sure if this is the group I should be posting in but I've been browsing for side effect info! :)

  • trvler
    trvler Member Posts: 931
    edited July 2015

    Welcome to the group that nobody wants to be a member of. I really think weekly Taxol is easier to tolerate. HOw are you feeling after AC?

  • StefLove
    StefLove Member Posts: 201
    edited July 2015

    Thanks Trvler!

    After AC I pretty much feel like I got hit by a truck today, not sure why though since my last AC was 6/25. I usually bounce back by now but I did have a few long days this past weekend for the holiday so I'm assuming it's all caught up to me. Stupid fireworks! :) I've just been really tired, still slightly nauseous, not much of an appetite, etc. The gross feeling has finally gone away in my mouth though, which I'm happy about! The nails on my two thumbs have been turning dark so I've been moisturizing as much as I can (when I remember) to try to help.

    So is it true that taxol (if there's no allergic reaction) doesn't cause nausea? My MO and her nurse are adamant that no nausea is included with this but I'm skeptical.

  • ninjamary
    ninjamary Member Posts: 67
    edited July 2015

    Stef - Taxol (weekly) has been a walk in the park compared to AC for me. Not a walk in the park in general, but much easier. Granted I'm very tired, slow, no memory, major head sweat, can't sleep, eyesight getting worse and my brain seems to be slowing down, but other that THAT it really isn't that bad. I think only a person going through chemo can understand that what I listed is easier than AC. lol.

    BTW if there had a been a 5th AC treatment...I wouldn't have done it.

  • molly1976
    molly1976 Member Posts: 78
    edited July 2015

    I had no nausea with Taxol. Just a couple of tired days each week and a dry bloody nose throughout.

  • rleepac
    rleepac Member Posts: 193
    edited July 2015

    I have nausea with Taxol and my MO just scratches his head and says 'that's unusual' and then tells me to stick with the Conpazine, Zofran, and Ativan as needed. It's not severe, but it's nearly constant

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