Weekly Taxol group
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Taxol does mess with your emotions. It's one of the side effects. Not to mention the ton of other stress you have dealing with this awful disease. Cry if you need to, Doesn't mean your not strong or not handling things well - this is a lot for anyone to deal with.
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lovemy4kids
Hang in there, it will pass. I would usually get weepy and emotional on day 3-4. Even though you are exhausted, can't get out of own way, go for short walk outside. Then come back home and crash. You will feel better. Shout out on your walk, cry, scream, get it out of your system. Rest when you can. The overwhelming exhaustion can really play with your emotions. I can't say this won't happen again, but you learn after each infusion when to expect it. Are you on an antidepressant. If not get on one. Hang in there. I have 2 more infusions then done with Taxol. Thank god.
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JMAC67
I had very thick, full bodied hair, shoulder length. It started coming out in clumps by 3 treatment, I mean clumps. bald spots, handfuls, finally got it shaved off. I was more upset at having my hair all over the place, pillow, clothes, shower drain, it was very upseting. I'm on # 11 of taxol, finished up carbo, and I now have some white fuzzies coming back in. I wear wigs out, but around house either bald or a hat. Wigs are very hot. I have some neat baseball caps with hair attached to wear when I go out for a quick errand
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Hey all
Just popping in, I will start Taxol in November for 12 weeks, sure hoping to avoid the emotional roller coaster and the neuropathy. Hope all have a great day
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Hi to all of you chemo warriors!
I'm 7 weeks out and most of my SE have disappeared. Still have a bit of the bloody nose but otherwise mine went away within a couple of weeks. The hair is growing in slowly. It was a bit of a surprise to me but I lost eyelashes and eyebrows about 4 weeks out so be aware the effects can be cumulative. So all of you who have recently finished it does get better.
I'm sorry some of you still getting Taxol are experiencing the worst of the SE. My go to for nausea was ginger, ginger everything and trying to keep a small amount of something on my stomach. While my hair was falling out I wore a sleep cap but it stopped coming out about month and a half into the treatments.
Be good to yourselves. Listen to your body. Take time off from work if you can. Rest as much as you can
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Hey Lovemykids,
I was done with taxol in July, but I had plenty of sad days. For me the weekends were hard. Something about everyone being home and around and seeing that I did not feel like doing anything and just not feeling like myself bothered me.plenty of weepy moments. I actually started to feel better towards the end, maybe because I knew the end was coming. 12 weeks feels like a long time when your going through it, but it does end! Hang in there
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Only 2 more Taxol!! One this Friday and then again next week. Thank god. Then off to AC for four doses. Yesterday was quite an emotional roller coaster for me. It was the 20th anniversary of my husbands tragic death. Fall from 40 foot ladder cutting down tree bough. He was 46 I was 42. Only good thing out of whole ordeal was his organs were donated to those who needed them. My boys were in college far away at the time and I remember so well trying to fly them home in between 2 hurricanes. It is still fresh in my chemo brain. Cried all day. Thank god I have the support of my present husband, he is kind, loving, and very supportive. I live for my grandchildren. Not feeling well because of chemo, this date has really hit me hard this year for what ever reason. When you deal with TNBC your brain is in constant motion thinking about the future. I just hope feeling this way goes away. I'm ready to get on with life. But oh so down. Guess I should talk to my counselor this week. That might help. Hope all is going well with the rest of you all. Taxol taking it's toll, along with finishing up carboplatin. (thank god that is finished). My skin looks horrible, all covered in bruises from low counts. Out raking leaves yesterday and I was wiped! Still no energy, and my lower legs just ache. Motrin does help some what. I want my hair back, I know having a pitty party but I'll go for long walk in the windy day and hopefully will get a handle on things.
Do any of you have days like this? This is a first for me. Guess I was due.
Marta
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All Marta,
So sorry you are struggling with this SE. I am undergoing the same treatments as you but am closer to the end. I finished up 3rd AC yesterday. I too had some weepy periods, not as tough as you but fairly regular a couple days after treatment with the taxol. The days seems long but there is light at the end of this long protocol. Like you, I am from Rhode Island. I have been trying to get out when possible and enjoy our beautiful weather, well not today so much. Stay strong 💪🏻,take time to sit with these feelings it’s wonderful you have a supportive husband with you. I too am blessed with a very supportive family. Thinking of you and sending positive vibes and hugs 🤗
Katiekins
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This is my first time posting, although I've been reading everyone's experiences and cheering you all on! I was diagnosed in the middle of July with Stage IIIC TNBC. I have finished 4 rounds of DD AC and yesterday was 4 of 12 Taxol and Carboplatin. After the AC (which I tolerated pretty well) I had a mammogram that showed the mass in my breast had shrunk by half and that my lymph node now looked clear. 🎉 My main complaint is the fatigue, but I know others have worse SEs so I don't complain too much. For those of you starting Taxol and are concerned about neuropathy, I have been icing my hands and feet each round of Taxol and as of now I have zero neuropathy. My next step is a bilateral mastectomy in January, followed by radiation. I wanted to do direct implant reconstruction at the time of mastectomy, but my MO told me they will want to do tissue expanders first and finish reconstruction after radiation is complete. Have any of you done this step already? I would love to hear your experience and advice. Thank you!
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Martaj
I feel Taxol affects me mentally about 3 days out of 7. Just a dark feeling. Crying. Being overly sensitive. I understand about the pity pot 😢. I’m there regularly but self talk that once these drugs are gone I will have this all in my rear view mirror.
Ginn
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I just read this.
"Sometimes in the lowest points of our lives, when all seems to be falling apart, life is actually falling into place. When the walls are caving in, the air is getting scarce, and you can feel the weight of suffocation, something happens. Your pain transforms, your agony evolves into something bigger, and you realize that a new you is about to emerge." ~Jamie Hannigan
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Okay, just a little whining here... I’m two weeks out from my last (hopefully) Taxol, but I will still have HP coming every three weeks. Here’s the whine: when will I stop feeling like I’ve been hit by a truck? I’m still exhausted, my hair (eyelashes, nose, etc) has actually continued to come out, and the neuropathy (despite icing for every session) has grown increasingly worse, affecting both hands and feet, from elbows to fingertips, and knees to toes. Because I had only “mild response“ (only 4 mm reduction) to the chemo, I’m betting the MO wants me to have radiation after surgery, which hasn’t been taken into consideration for the reconstruction. And now I’m getting overwhelmed.
Hope others are recovering from there SEs today, and you all remember, “we got this!”
- Diane
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Diane- I'm sorry your feeling down and out still. I actually had more neuropathy issues about 3 weeks pfc to three point i could hardly walk and even fell. After about week 4pfc things slowly got better, my legs felt better, my energy was coming back. I did continue to lose lashes and eyebrows though and those didn't start coming back until about 2 months pfc. I did not have HP so I'm not sure how much that will affect regrowth. I had 4 AC then 12 Taxol.
I hope everyone is doing good!! For those still in chemo keep up the fight to kick cancer's ass🥊🥊 and for those out of chemo keep being strong and healing!!!
~Katie💗
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Katie - Thanks for the info. I think I’m just being unrealistic with my recovery expectations, and hopeful that I would feel better sooner. I also think I’m concerned that the cancer didn’t shrink as much as I expected/hoped that it would. Some of this may be pessimism that recurrence is a real possibility
Diane
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Hang in there, dvh. Can you do a little gentle exercise? I also think it’s important to continue pushing protein. I did not have P but did have a year of H. I’d been told it would be no big deal, and of course it was not like chemo, but after a few months I realized I was feeling pretty weird on treatment days. I had cut way back on my protein vs. when I was getting chemo and started to think that might have something to do with the SEs. I started making a point to eat red meat the two days before H and it made a *huge* difference. You might give it a try
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3rd Taxol infusion and my Dr decreased the dose of steroids and it’s made a world of a difference;we will keep decreasing the steroids every week.
No more extreme hunger and buzzing for like 3 days along with bouts of anxiety and just feeling like I’m losing control ,my crash was usually onday three so will see how I do tomorrow.
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First Taxol today. So far, it’s the pre-meds knocking me for a loop. I get IV Ativan along withe steroid because of previous psychotic reaction. I’m like in la-la land. Infusion went well. No adverse reactions. At least not yet. My icing set up worked great. Looking forward to this all being easier than AC.
Marily
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Hi all,
Last Taxol tomorrow!!! 12/12. Phase 1 will be done then on to phase 2 of 4 AC. My blood counts low. My hemaglobin only 9, when do they transfuse if your counts are low. So tired. Snaffle53 hang in there. How many taxol do you get? I had 12. I'm so glad to have taxol behind me along with Carboplatin. I look at it this way, I endured 12 infusion of this along with trial drug/placebo I can endure AC with only 4 infusions. Tried to do some light excerise yesterday. OMG am I out of shape in just 12 weeks. I used to be very active, will be again I hope. Going to a cancer retreat today sponsered by Women and Infant's Hospital. I hope I'll gain some insight and connect with patients like me. Have a great day everyone0 -
Congrats on getting this part behind you, Martaj!! You might consider increasing your protein--that can really help with blood counts. I ate red meat 5-6 days a week during chemo, plus had an egg every day, plus a protein shake every day.
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Martaj- Yay that Taxol is not behind you!! I hope AC treats you good, I had AC first so not sure how thre side effects will be for you. Hope thre next 2 months go quickly for you!!
I hope everyone is having a good day and week!! Keep up the fight to kick cancer's ass!! 🥊🥊
~Katie💗
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Hey all, anyone do the 4 dose dense taxol? Can you tell me how it for you? And thanks
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I went to a great retreat yesterday, sponsered by Women and Infant's Hospital Cancer, It was called Mindfulness, My take East meets West medicine, holisitic to support cancer patients along with traditional chemo, surgery and radiation. Very very good. Great speakers. Activities included mindfulness, tai chi, yoga, expressive arts, qi gong, jin shin jyutsu. Nutrition which I wasn't going to go to but was assigned, turned out to be great. A chef from Johnson and Wales college was there and made several dishes, of course I couldn't taste anything!!!! smelled good, but to me no taste. Oh well. The retreat was held at a beautiful place called Whispering Pines, part of University of RI. Just beautiful. Got home from a very long day with no nap, and was exhausted. Now to find time to incorperate this into my treatments
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Gamb— I did the dd taxol— the first one was the worst, had a reaction to the steroids and the Benadryl made my legs twitchy and restless. The adjusted meds and I had a little bit of the restless leg issue. The biggest part for me is I had to start diabetes meds to deal with the steroids. It’s all better now and came right back to normal after I stopped steroids.
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Thanks mcnteach, I start Taxol November 7th, its wanting to know what I could posiibly b3 dealing with, my mo made it sound good, I knew better...lol
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Hi Martaj,
Happy to hear you are in for #12 today. Hoping the SE are minimal. I have had 2 blood transfusions so far, one early one during taxol and one last week during the AC phase. I felt they helped. I think the cut off is below 8.0. The first one I had I think my hemoglobin was 7.8 and last week it was 8.2. I asked lasted week for one week hen I saw the MO before my treatment. I think the suggestion to increase your protein could be very helpful. I have had sever nausea and eating anything has been very challenging. In fact I almost called the MO and this past Wednesday to see if could get another. Happy to report I waited another day and am feeling somewhat better. I get the tried to do some light exercises and feeling out of shape, i was also very active prior to this. I have learned to try to not have any expectations, and go with what I can do each day. For me some days that has not even been a shower. I have found the AC following the taxol difficult but I have my last one on Monday. Yayy!!!! Your on my protocol so you’ll get a couple weeks off between the taxol and AC. Enjoy that time, get out and enjoy our beautiful weather. Happy you had a good time at the retreat yesterday. It sounds like they had some great workshops. I’m thinking of you and hope you get what you need today (ie transfusion if needed) and few SE
Positive vibes and hugsKate
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Gamb: Some people do really well with taxol. Unfortunately, I was not one of them. I chose not to finish my last DD of taxol d/t neuropathy. I even iced my hands and feet and still got it. I'm taking meds for the neuropathy and I'm praying that it eventually will go away. BTW, I had mild neuropathy before cancer which increases the odds of having that side effect.
I wish you the best and hope you do not have any major problems.
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Hello all,
First time posting on this thread. I'm on weekly taxol along with herceptin for a recurrence. I've done four weeks so far, and my hair is starting to fall out a little at a time. My question for those ladies who started their weekly taxol with hair, did it fall out completely, and if so, how long did it take? I'm trying to decide whether to just shave it off now and be done with it. I'm also surprised to read that for many people who started taxol without hair, it actually seems to have begun to grow back during taxol?
Thanks for any experiences you can share, and congrats to everyone who's through this stage!
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I started with weekly Taxol, as well as Herceptin and Perjeta every three weeks.I didn't start losing my hair until after my third dose, but cut it very short before that so I wouldn't have to deal with it falling out in large clumps. Once my hair started falling out though, it went really quickly. However, I didn't start losing my eyelashes until two weeks after I finished Taxol and my hair has not really started to grow back in much.
Like Kamboka, I developed neuropathy in the last three treatments and had to skip one of them because of it. I iced hands and feet throughout, too. I'm on Gabapentin now to help relieve some of the discomfort, and sincerely hope that it will improve over time
Diane
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Hey all
I'm was sure hoping with the dose dense I could make it thru with out the neuropathy , doesnt sound like I will. I do as many as I can, but I too will stop them if I develop severe neuropathy. Thank you all for the information
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Gamb: Good luck with your treatment. Have you talked to your doctor about weekly taxol? I've heard that there are fewer symptoms since the dose is much less. I knew that going in but wanted to try the DD to get it over with. I guess it didn't work out for me and not sure if I'd have had the same problems even with the weekly. Everybody deals with this differently.
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