Weekly Taxol group
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Misha13 I am so happy for you. You are full of battle scars but made it to the other side. My day like yours will be Dec 27. You are my goalpost now.
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Yes. Moongirljess - I had a small keloid behind my L ear that I had even tried to have surgically removed but always came back. Now- after chemo it's gone. Strange what this stuff does to your body.
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Kim...I've had neuropathy for 8 months now. It was horrible in the beginning. It's gotten a lot better, but not gone. I can't drive. I have those "tight socks", too. I walk with a cane when I'm out of the house. I take 900 mg. of Gabapentin a day which has really helped. I did 3 months of physical therapy for balance etc. It helped tremendously. Hope this helps.
Hope
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Thanks for the congrats all! Now to see how long it will take to start feeling better!
Elizabeth-You’re almost there! I’m happy to be your goalpost! I have my BMX on the 26th, so I’ll think of you having your last chemo while I’m recovering!
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Congrats Misha!! Re: neuropathy--I never got it too bad, just a few areas on the bottom of my feet. I'm 17-1/2 weeks PFC and don't feel like it's gotten much better, but I also don't think about it as much. I have a feeling (based on nothing) that by the time I'm about a year out it'll mostly be resolved.
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tomorrow is my 8th treatment. Excited to get one more done. I did notice Tuesday that my left arm and hand is swiollen. Curious to hear what my MO says. I’m thinking it is a side effect of all the steroids but who knows. I did have 2 lymph nodes removed on my right side during my bilateral mastectomy but I did have 27 removed on my left side with the melanoma surgery which was 3 years ago. I have never experienced swelling before. Has anyone else experienced swelling while on Taxi
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SisterStrong...I never had swelling with the Taxol. I feel certain it's from the lymph node removal which can cause lymphedema, even years after removal.
Hope
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you are right- they do think that it is lymphedema. I was just hoping that after 3 years and not having any issues I wasn’t going to have to deal with it. They are going to refer me to an OT just hoping that I can get a late friday afternoon appointment since I have infusions on Friday so I don’t have to take one more day off of work.
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SisterStrong...I never had a problem with lymphedema, but I remember my onco saying in can happen years after treatment. Hope things work out for you.
Hope
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Eyelash question. I think mine have been fairly typical in that I had really short ones growing in before I fully lost my original lashes. I also know a lot of women go through several cycles of losing and re-growing their lashes. I’m 18 weeks PFC and my lashes have come back but are not nearly as long as they used to be. Do I just need to be more patient? Anybody else have lashes come back but never get as long as they were pre-chemo?
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DONE!! Last Taxol today!
But it feels kind of normal, like any other chemo, idk how to describe this feeling. I thought I would be over the moon, but I just feel like I just ticked off one line in a long to-do list. There's still too much ahead
So, for future reference of anybody interested, my experience:
I got neuropathy very quickly, my feet were on fire after 3rd or 4th Taxol and it really got me nervous. Oddly enough, it subsided over the next few treatments and now I've had zero burning during the last 2-3 weeks. But my feet feel a bit weird, like drunk sometimes. But no pain and no numbness anywhere. I was sent to get the nerves checked (EMG) and it showed absolutelly no damage, the test was yesterday. I wonder what comes next, some ladies write about neuropathy worsening after chemo, even months later... we'll see.
Bloody nose got really bad and anoying towards the end, it hurt when touched and when blowed. I bought some OTC cream to calm the tissues down at it is helping somewhat.
I gained about 5 kg since beginning of chemo, one already down through portion restrictions. I need to get one more kg down. The rest I will keep as a reserve for my January operation (BMX), because I am quite tiny and petite. My MO was not at all happy to see one kg down today. But I hate clothes shopping, so...
My hair started to grow around Taxol no. 4, around no. 7-8 it already showed nicely and I had to cut the parts around the ears - it looked weird. last week, after no. 11 I actually cut the whole head to about 6mm, because the hair ends were looking gray and feather-like. Now it is all dark and nice, although scarse on top. I hope it fills quickly now!
I got mild allergic reaction every time on the next day - red hot face + neck + decolt. My MO told me to take antihistamines in the morning after chemo and for the few following days. Face was then OK.
I was doing cooling of my hands and feet from the start. My nails are healthy and pink. But didn't have enough strenght to do it with Taxol 11 and 12. Winter came and I just couldn't put my feet in the ice packs with freezing temps and snow outside.
otherwise throughout the 12 weeks: no noticeable water retention in hands or feet, no stomach or taste buds issues (hence the weight gain), no rash, all nails healthy and normal colour, no strong allergic reaction, bloodwork OK throughout with some very minor issues (nothing concerning). Energy was OK for the most part, a bit lower. Towards the end I got more and more tired and now I feel like I can't even stand properly from the fatigue.
Well, that's about what I would like to read at the beginning, so I wanted to share... But similar posts can be found throughout this thread, I've read many, many pages back as a preparation for Taxol. I encourage newcomers to do the same.
All in all, weekly Taxol was very doable for me, in comparison to the dose dense AC I had previously it was much easier.
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Congrats JaBoo!!!
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Jaboo, thank you so much for the summary and CONGRATS!!!! on finishing chemo! I can't wait to be where you are but it feels so far away. I have just finished AC and start weekly Taxol next week. I hope like you I will find it much more doable than AC -- though I also went into AC thinking I would probably be one of those people who breezed through it without many SE's!
Good luck with your next steps. Will you have radiation, too?
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Congratulations JaBoo on your final Taxol! I just finished #9 today. I’m also icing the hands and feet during infusion. And using a clear coat of Sally Hansen hard as nails polish each day. The nurses ask me about me using crushed ice in Ziploc bags and hot pads with pockets. I read about the idea on these boards over three years ago when I had Taxotere. No issues with nails then and now.
Great way to describe the feeling on this chemo drug as drunk. Lost most of my hair starting the week of treatment #3. I also have bloody noses and drainage. MO states it’s from chemo and not radiation. I dab a little Vaseline on a qtip to help stop the bleeding. Also using my oil diffuser as mini humidifier. I’ve also gained weight the last 3 months. Enjoying too many foods/ treats thinking my tastebuds would change like before or terrible diarrhea. I lost 30 pounds a few years ago with chemo.Nope, I’m able to eat most foods with the exception of fried, greasy & spicy foods. I walk at low speed on the treadmill six days a week for 40 minutes which helps with mindset and body aches.
MO says they give Taxol to little old ladies with no problems. Love these boards! They are so helpful knowing what others are dealing with in life. And the love, suppport and encouragement is incredible.
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JaBoo....Congrats! I can relate to the neuropathy, but nothing else. That is the only side effect I ever had with 15 infusions of Taxol. Wishing you the best on the next leg of your journey!
Hope
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JaBoo—Congratulations! ! I'm so happy for you! What a marathon! 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Just had my Taxol #9 on Monday. My nose is dry and crusty, too. My bladder is irritated by the Taxol. I’m growing hair. My BMI is 16.6. I dread icing my hands and feet. I have been asking for Ativan IV pre chemo because of my anxiety. It helps me not care about the icing as much. I’m cranky. I have a consultation with a new onc on Monday. I hope it goes well and I can have Taxol #10 at the new place. Just want off this ride.
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Has anyone had an extreme reaction to Taxol? Today was my second of four infusions, after four A/cs about 3 minutes after the drip started i reacted. Doctor paged, lots of nurses, I fell unconscious, they couldn't find my BP. Started with full on body heat and every inch of my body feeling like sharp needles going in, vomiting. No more taxol for me. They said they will come up with plan for an alternate chemo. Has anyone had this and if so, what alternate did you get?
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Elizabeth9-I know of one woman who had a severe reaction and tried Abraxane instead. She did better with that one! Hope they find something for you as well. What you went through sounds super scary!
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Elizabeth...I can't even imagine. I had no side effects from Taxol other than neuropathy.
Hope
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My first a Taxol they gave me Benadryl IV pre-med and I did start to get an allergic reaction. Almost anaphylactic—almost. Felt like a needed a breathing treatment. Tight tight throat. Second Taxol I had Benadryl PO (pill) and have never had that reaction. Sorry that you had such a scare
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Good morning everyone. I have a question. I finished my 12 taxols, just finished 3 or of 4 a/c yesterday. As you a/c ladies know I have lost all my eyelashes. Here is my question. When you lost them did anyone have a problem with runny eyes? My eyes just keep running tears non stop. Not itchy really just always watery. My onc prescribed me drops that I will pick up today. Just curious. It is so annoying.
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Volleyballmom-I did the opposite of you, my ac’s were first, then the Taxol. I didn’t lose my lashes until Taxol started. They got thin, but they really fell out after starting Taxol.
The tearing, running, crying eyes I totally relate to and think I found a solution! My right eye only does it. I use a hot washcloth, like in the microwave for 15-17 seconds hot, to hold on my eye for 10-15 minutes. Then I massage my eyelid and under eye area for a few minutes. I learned of this by looking up “clogged tear duct”! Hope it works for you
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Thanks Misha. I thinky eyelash, etc loss is from the ending of taxol, from what I read. I am trying the wash cloth but my Dr in Thursday prescribed me an eye drop that I tried and seems to work. It says for allergies but u have to say.much better. You feel so unattractive at this stage then you try to put make up on and it is off in 10 minutes plus the tear streaks. Lol.
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Elizabeth, a friend of mine has had a similar reaction. Her stats are very similar as mine, she's just 10 years older than me. She had difficulty breathing and her face was swollen all of a sudden. She managed to call on a nurse before she was unable to speak. She then got several injections. got better and the i. v. was then continued. Her next Taxols were dripping longer and she received premedications against allergic reactions. But she is now finishing with Taxol no.9 and not going on. Her MO told her it would be too much for her system to do all 12.
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Try Revitalash. It's not inexpensive but seems to work for me.
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Try Revitalash. It's not inexpensive but seems to work for me.
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hello everyone! I’m new here to this group. Started Taxol last Thursday. One down, 11 to go. A little about me, im 41, married with 3 young kids. This diagnosis has been tough but at this point, I’m just glad to be done with AC. I’ve been scared because immune upper back (across it) has been sore. My PET/CT in September was normal. Still, the idea of a recurrence haunts me. The soreness comes and goes. Anyone else? Also, lashes are thinning and my jaw now clicks. Weird. Ok, enough about me. Hope everyone is doing well and I look forward to talking with everyone :-)0
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Hello everyone! I am finishing up my last of 4 AC treatments this week and then will start 12 weekly taxol. I am 31, have 3 boys - ages 8, 7, and 4. AC has been really hard for me so I am ready to start the next regimen and get it over with!
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hi each day! So far, Taxol has been so much gentler than AC. AC. Is. A. Beast. Ugh!
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Keep up the good work and keep going! I agree (in my experience) that the Taxol was easier than the AC, but rhe closer to the end ai got, the more tired I got. It builds up. You will all be amazing!!!! You've got this!
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