Weekly Taxol group
Comments
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Hi everyone, I'm new here
as Xeloda failed me. In fact, every treatment for the last year has failed (faslodex). So, been waiting all week to hear what the insur. company will approve for me. This will be the first IV chemo and I'm totally freaked. The onc has submitted request for abraxane, taxol, taxotere or doxil. I think I'll end up with abraxane or taxol. I would like some fast and furious advice as this may begin next week. Have made an appt. to look at wigs (hair falls out with all of these chemos, correct?). Second to the hair loss I'm most concerned about neuropathy. I have a question about the icing. Is placing my hands/feet on bags of frozen veg. enough or should I be hauling ice into the infusion room? I live alone, so dealing with all of this by myself is not easy. Please bring on the most direct, important advise. Thanks so much. 0 -
Hi Syrmom,
I can only speak to some of your questions. I had EC first and then with Taxol my hair started coming back slowly. I finished chemo 3 weeks ago and the hair seems to be growing a bit faster. Probably someone here will know about Taxol or Abraxane first and hair loss. I iced during all Taxol infusions, had no nail issues and very minor off and on neuropathy. My hospital had ice packs and you just had to ask for them. I would ask if your chemo center has the packs, if not take 4 in a cooler. Start out with them frozen and take some small towels to wrap them in. I also think vitamin B is critical against neuropathy. I took a complex and this was part of the pre-meds for Taxol. My oncologist a couple of weeks ago mentioned that I could stop the Vitamins and within a few days I started getting numbness in my feet, so I'm back on the B complex.
All the best. Starting is the worst part but it does get easier.0 -
When I got my drivers license renewed they made me take off my scarf. However, when I went a while later to renew my state ID card they let me keep the scarf on. So the rules seem inconsistent as to who you might get helping you that day. I was upset when they made me take the scarf off. People wear wigs, weaves, dyed hair, colored contacts, make-up etc. but I couldn't wear a scarf. A lot of people in real life look nothing like their picture. What about someone who may have worn their hair long and blonde in their picture and then changed their hair style to short and brunette? How about someone who has no tattoos or piercings in their picture but then get one afterwards? It's just stupid to make someone remove a scarf as long as it's not covering their face.
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Thanks for your input so far. Found out today it will be taxol I'll be getting; start a week from Monday. Port to be put in tomorrow. How soon does the hair fall out with taxol? I'm open to any and all information on how to manage. Thanks ...
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SyrMom~~Many people don't lose their hair with Taxol. It may thin a little or stop growing, but after finishing AC, my hair started to slowly come back during Taxol.
Maybe others who only got only Taxol can advise you better than me. I did find that with Adria/Cytoxan, Taxol, and rads, I found Taxol to be the easiest part of my treatment.
Hoping you have an easy time of it.
Blessings
Paula0 -
syrmom, there aren't too many people here who had taxol first or only taxol. In my BCO group of women who started chemo when I did, there were two others who had taxol alone. one lost her hair quickly, while the other one lost it at the end of her taxol treatments. As for me, my oncologist told me it was 100% certain I would lose my hair. I ended up using cold caps and did not lose it. But I did lose hair elsewhere on my body (legs, underarms and bikini area) around the mid-point of my 12 weekly taxol treatments.
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Thank you ladies ... keep the info coming. I have been reading all the threads, but trying to cut to the chase for a crash course so I can decide how I'm going about this. For those of you who used ice on the hands/feet - did you have buckets of ice and submerge your whole hand/foot or frozen veg. packs and rested the hands/feet on the packs. The reason I'm taxol only for now is because I was stage IV from the start, so they don't go for a "cure" as there is none. I would be very happy with "stable or NED" result, though.
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SyrMom~~I didn't do any icing and had no fingernail problems, but I did lose 2 large toenails (painlessly). I was actually glad for that as I had fought a fungus in those 2 for years. Now that's gone, and nails are restored.
Many people who ice take a cooler with bags of frozen peas to cool their nails. Wearing dark polish is to protect them from UV rays in the sun, so unless you're in the sun a lot, who won't have to worry about hat.
The best deterrent to neuropathy is L-Glutamine 30 grams daily in 2 or 3 doses. Ten grams is 2 heaping tsps. I mixed mine in a tiny glass with cranberry/grape juice. It wasn't gritty and I only tasted the juice. I also took and still do 4 months out, 100 mgs of vitamin B6 twice daily.
Blessings
Paula0 -
Syrmom, no buckets of ice, brrr! My hospital had frozen packs, super cold. They wrapped them in a towel. They are very cold but you get used to it.
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I started to lose my hair after my 3rd Taxol treatment. But now it's starting to grow back in. I also started Taxol again after being dx with Stage IV cancer. I was on Taxol after doing AC when I was originally dx with Stage IIb cancer. I only have one bone met and my MO wants to fight it aggressively My second opinion MO also said that this was the treatment she would prescribe too. I'll be doing Taxol until it stops working or my body can't tolerate it anymore.
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Hello Ladies!
I will be doing my 7th taxol wednesday but haven't noticed any hair growing back. How long did it take once on Taxol for your hair to begin growing? Im sooo ready for it! Also, idecided to get a double mastectomy in fear of BC coming back years later in the other breast. Has any opted to do the same thing? I am 34yo and don't want to go through ac/taxol again...
XOXO
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Hi Malika,
I'm 33 and was diagnosed back in February. I had a bilateral mastectomy in March. I figured if it showed up in the right breast at 33, it probably would show up in the left sometime during the rest of my life. Plus I had to get a mastectomy on the right so I figured they should match...
Best of luck to you!! It freaking sucks going through this at our age!0 -
Hi Malika,
I had cancer in my right breast. I was diagnosed May 14th ,2012. I was not going to do the BMX but found out I have BRCA1 gene so I had the BMX on Feb. 5th 2013 with direct to implants. I finished my last Taxol on December 26, 2012. Anyway I hope all goes well for you.
Rose
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JennaJMU...yes it does suck! I feel the same way and will have a bilateral mastectomy. Im ready to get rid of these boobies asap!
Thank you mareluna!
XOXO LADIES!!!0 -
Malika79 -- my hair didn't really start growing back until Taxol 11 or 12. Now that I'm almost two weeks out, it is visibly growing daily! Nothing on eyebrows or eyelashes yet.
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I just had my first tx of taxol last Thursday after 4 tx's of AC. My onc said this would be the easy part of my treatment. However, since Sunday I have been experiencing very strong menstrual cramps. Only have some spotting haven't actually gotten my menstruation full-blown. But I get strong sharp pains in my ovaries. Has anyone else had this?? I also have throbbing pain from my knees to my feet. Doesn't let me sleep. Is this Neuropathy?? I was told I would feel tingling not pain?? I must admit that during AC I was knocked down for 3-4 days but never had the pains I have after Taxol.
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InGoditrust, I hope someone will come along with their own experiences, but I do recall reading in this thread that others had ovary pain issues. Also, I think the leg pains are very common. Youre right, the pains you are feeling dont sound like neuropathy. I was lucky, I guess, that I didn't have any pain at all. I had weekly taxol, and did not have AC first. Are you getting weekly taxol or every 2 or 3 weeks?
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At my taxol "teaching" today, I was told to expect severe bone aches, like the flu; it can happen.
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Hi all! Going for weekly Taxol number 5 tomorrow. The weirdest thing is that my hair as been growing back. I may be jumping the gun here, but I have real hair growing. I lost it all by week 2 of my previous cocktail ( which darn near killed me) and now it's coming back..... Grey and dark...aka salt and pepper and I was a natural blonde in my previous state of being! As my DH says, " I don't care what color it turns, as long as it doesn't turn loose." Not too sure about this. Still have foot neuropathy, but other than a constant state of summer, yes my personal 24/7 heat wave due to Herceptin , I have faired well on this regime. So much better than before. Keeping my fingers crossed and wishing all no SE's!
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Starting taxol on Monday, first dose. Will be weekly, 3 weeks on, 1 week off. Getting real nervous. Will do my chemo list shopping this week-end. Should I be preparing for constipation or the Big D? Brought home a wig yesterday.
Friends have been supportive but I'm real nervous facing this one as I live alone. Just hope I can keep taking care of myself.
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Hello Syrmom! I juat did my 7th taxol yesterday. ..it is a breeze! You will be just fine. It is soooo much easier than ac! The day after chemo I had diarrhea but days after I was constipated. If I were you I would get a small bottle of senokot or green tea, apple juice or prunes and bbananas if u like them to help with constipation. I didnt take anything sor diarrhea I just drank plenty of gatorade and water. I really wasnt tired or nauseous. I am back exercising amd eating as I please. You got this and its almost over! XOXO
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I also do the weekly Taxol with one week off. So far it hasn't been to bad. I had a problem with constipation but daily Miralax and Ducolax has been great with that. The biggest SEs have been fatigue, some bone pain, small amount of neuropathy (just a sensation of a fly crawling on me, lasts just a second or two) and dry mouth. Of course, each person is different and some seem to have more problems than others. Here's hoping your treatment goes well.
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Thanks Malika, you help to give me courage!
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Thank you, thank you. Don't know what I would do without these boards.
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SyrMom: Just to update for your information about how chemo effects us. Taxol #5 didn't bring about too many changes for me. Feeling a bit fatigued and my knees are sore, but that isn't anything new or that I can't handle. We are so different, but most don't have severe side effects. The worst side effect is worrying about what will happen. Try and enjoy your weekend. One of the biggest lessons I have learned throughout this journey is to enjoy the moment, the day, the weekend or what ever feeling good time you have. My father-in-law (81 years young) is on chemo as well. He gets dose dense Taxol every three weeks. He is really doing well. Yes, he is fatigued and has the constipation problem, but it is working! He's much tougher than I! Everyone will keep you in our pockets Monday! Sending you lots of hugs, prayers for no SE's, and warmest wishes, Susan
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I did very well on Taxol. I lost taste buds for about 36 hours each week and had fatigue, but no other problems to speak of. It was much easier for me than rads.
I have a tiny bit of lingering neuropathy, but I'm still taking vitamin B6 and its going away little by little. I lost my 2 big toenails (painlessly) but I'd fought fungus under them for years, and now the nails are almost completely back with no fungus.
Paula0 -
Susan & Paula, thank you. Susan, you said your hair is growing not falling out (?) What about eyebrows and lashes, I'm told they all go. Thanks ... I understand you were on a diff. chemo before taxol, so probably lost them on that regime.
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Yes,my hair is growing. I lost it all on my first and last round of TCH. That round put me in the hospital! I didn't have any chemo from then, June 24, until Aug 26, when I started weekly taxol. My hair started coming in week 3. My FIL lost all of his and it hasn't returned, however he has Carboplatin with his taxol. I still don't have my taste buds back, but I can taste a little more or I eat spicier food? I have a huge appetite, but don't know if it's because I am trying to taste the food to feel satisfied. I never lost my eyelashes or brows, but I am as smooth as a baby below the waist. I do have neuropathy in my toes, which is better than my entire feet before. We can tell you about every SE we have, but please remember than you may not have any. My body seems to have a very hard time with chemo as evidenced by my Over the top severe reaction to TCH. I don't know of anyone who had all the adverse SE's I had with it, but that was me. Hopefully you will be without any SE's or minor ones! I am very grateful to be on Taxol now! Breathe, not knowing is always scary, but we are with you ! Post while you are receiving the infusion- I'll look for you and stay in your pocket.
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SyrMom~~I lost my lashes & brows during Taxol, but they returned within a few weeks.
Paula0 -
SyrMom- oops .. Eyelashes thin. Talk about chemo brain ? LOL Never lost brows!
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