Weekly Taxol group
Comments
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Is there anyone here who is doing weekly Taxol without a port or PICC?
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hi SyrMom,
I lost my lashes and brows during Taxol but my head hair grew. You can lose them a few times after you finish Taxol. I have lost mine again since I got them in in February. Mine are slow growing.
Rose
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Wow, how crazy this hair loss/growth is, guess I'll just have the wig on hand ready to grab. Just hope my scalp can tolerate it and it doesn't give me a headache.
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SyrMom - I had weekly Taxol (+Herceptin). For me it was harder than the A/C, but that just means that we all are different. I think for me, having it weekly kept me in a state of stress -- always either just getting over chemo or getting ready for one. But, it was still doable. I have IBS so had to deal with both the Big D + Constipation. It was a more constant problem, but I think part of it was stress. Hair-wise, I lost hair again starting with my second or third Taxol... when I was on Taxol I lost my eyebrows and most of my eyelashes.
My MO is full of fun sayings... in regards to chemo she says "remember, you are a test group of one", meaning we all respond differently, so don't anticipate bad side effects.
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Cougarlico-yes, I have a port. Never thought I would say this, but it has been great. I put on numbing creme an hour before and never feel a thing. My ONC draws blood from the arm, but all infusion meds go through the port. Considering that I will have a year of infusions, it is well worth it.
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Anyone know how much alpha lipoic acid to take to try and ward off neuropathy?
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Im also on my 3rd taxol...im finding out i have to watch what i eat ...i also get the big D...just wish i could get some energy back.
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I'm totally confused when I read no Vit C for breast cancer pts. (?) The center where I get my treatment actually offers high dose IV vitamin C; it has been found to help the quality of life of pts, not as a cure. Pt cannot get it the same day as chemo, but can still have it; then, oral Vit C in between. Does anyone know where the idea of no Vit C came from?
Tomorrow is my first infusion, not until the afternoon. I don't have an Ipad, so will report my experience when I can, from home. Getting very nervous. Real worried about my reaction and neuropathy as well as other know side effects. I live alone, so real scarey.
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Syrmom,
You'll do fine. I live alone too. I was functional with Taxol. I was able to drive the day after treatment. On chemo days I'd go home and sleep off the Benedryl I had during treatment and then eat a light snack. I was not getting sick like during Ac. I even helped my boyfriend who was recovering from major surgery.
I still have neurapathy from it 9 months out. I still get tired but am working full time now. I learned to listen to my body during that part of my life. I rest when I need it and am ok. Good luck to you!
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I am starting Taxol this week. My treatment seems different than anyone else because I am having taxol first weekly for 12 weeks and then FEC once every three weeks. (Sorry haven't memorized the names yet for the FEC), then surgery, then radiation. I am being treated at MD Anderson.
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I completed my third taxol treatment this past Thursday. While I have not lost my hair yet it has started shedding a lot the last 2 days. I feel very lucky as I have not had too many side effects.
Warrior50- I am just doing 9 weekly treatments of taxol.0 -
SyrMom- I think the vitamin C (and supplements in general) depends on the MO. My MO allowed no supplements. Said that the goal of many supplements is to build the strength of cells, and that the goal of chemo was to destroy some cells. She said not enough studies had been done to confirm the effectiveness of supplements. She wanted to know everything that I injested, from pepto-bismol to zyrtec.
She also said that supplements are not as standardized as some medications... this I believe is a mis-conception, but I've always taken supplements, so I trust them. She allowed, vitamin D, calcium, Omega 3 & acidolophilus. That was it...
AC was easy for me, Taxol hard. I took prescription gabepentin for neuropathy and she wants me on it for the next three months at least. Most of the neuropathy on my feet is gone 19 days pfc, my fingers are numb but better (I've quit cutting myself when I cook); and I can finally feel the corners of my mouth.
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So, after posting that I still had my eyelashes, guess what fell out today? Yep, my eyelashes-only the right eye ones! I have been blinking like a beacon- LOL. Lesson learned- I haven't lost () yet!
. Everyday an adventure!
Syr- you have been in my pocket all day!0 -
Well, made it through 1st dose. Iced feet, hands, mouth during taxol infusion. The benadryl they gave me premed, 50mg, was way too much for me. Had very unpleasant exper. with it, so they will reduce dose next time. Became very dizzy and weak, could not walk without assistance. I still feel very heavy all over. Everything is an effort and hard to move. Should keep feeling better as it wears off.
6cats, your mouth or face became numb too?
Sgc728, thanks. I apprec. everyone's support.
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SyrMom~~I only had to have the premeds before the first 2 Taxols. That was my biggest fear..All those steroids and an IV bag of Benadryl? But, they have done enough research to know that if you don't have a reaction with the first 2, you won't have a reaction at all. I was so happy to forgo those meds.
I think that may be why I had such an easy time with Taxol. If you have no reaction with the first 2 tx, talk to your onc about skipping them.
Blessings
Paula0 -
I just had my 3rd weekly taxol and so far no SEs at all. I think that is to make up for the fact that I had a severe reaction to Xeloda called capecitabine induced leukoencephalopathy. I was hospitalised for 10 days completely paralysed couldn't even swallow let alone talk. There are only about 5 other cases in the world and they had certainly not seen it in little old New Zealand. I made a full recovery once the drugs had left my body but it was terrifying at the time. I've told my Onc no more dramas thanks.
My hair has started coming out but there seems to be some debate as to whether it will all go. I'm not sure how long I can cope with leaving piles of hair around home and work may just shave it all off any way.0 -
SyrMom -- yes, I had unusual neuropathy on my upper lips, gum, and lip of tongue.... was told it was rather unusual, but it happens on occasion. It is slowly getting better.
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I also have more tingling in my face, lips ans gums then I do in my hands and feet.It's not bad and not every day of the week. Im going for #6 today, half way there
My head felt different so yesterday I took a close look and there is HAIR growing... just light peach fuzz but a lot of it. Will it fall out again before Im done?? 0 -
I'm alittle better this morning, but my legs still feel heavy and I'm alittle off balance. That benadryl has done a number on me, don't like it. Was told I'd probably not sleep because of steriods, but slept fine, probably benadryl out did the steriod. Don't like how this makes me feel, hope it wears off and is not the taxol. Also have a headache, but that's nothing new, I'm a headachy person anyway.
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Shazzakelly, your experience with Xeloda sounds very frightening! I hope you continue to have no taxol SE's. I had very few problems on weekly taxol.
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Question - has anyone experience any hand/foot syndrome being on taxol ... skin issues, burning, peeling, etc? I went through h*ll with that while on Xeloda and today felt like one of my heels was sensitive and heading in that direction. It might be the skin is irritated due to having my feet on ice yesterday during the infusion & having just dealt with that on Xeloda; perhaps the skin is real sensitive yet.
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I haven't had the hand/foot problems but I've heard it's pretty painful. I just finished my 12th taxol infusion today. Also got the Zometa and my flu shot. So I might be a little achy for the next few days. The Zometa gives me bone pain in my legs and the flu shot will probably make my arm sore for a day or two..at least according to the nurse who stuck me. I got plenty more taxol infusions to go but at least the side effects are tolerable. Also my hair seems to be growing back in..just peach fuzz right now but maybe it'll keep growing. Of course, no other hair is coming back. So I'll have hair but no eyebrows/lashes. I'll just be happy to have the hair!
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aaoaao~~Congratulations on making it through Taxol.
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Cougarlicious- I am doing weekly Taxol without a port or PICC and have been fine so far - just completed #9 of 12 yesterday. I make sure the day before and day of I drink plenty of water, in fact I get in my 8 glasses before chemo which is in the early afternoon. At chemo I wrap my arm in the heating pad and let that arm hang down over the chair so it pumps up the veins (a trick the nurses showed me). My right hand has better/more visible veins so they like to use that one but I try to alternate as much as possible.
To answer other questions about hair loss, my hair came out after 2nd EC but started coming back halfway through Taxol, and then my brows/lashes thinned out. Have enough brows to use as a guide to pencil in but either wear dark eyeshadow and/or thick eyeliner or mostly false lashes. Looks like some lashes might be coming in very slowly. At least wearing the lashes is fun!
Began walking more every day and that is helping with the neuropathy. Nurses recommended accupuncture when chemo is done to help alleviate that so definitely looking into it.
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Thanks Soteria205, but unfortunately I will still be doing Taxol for the foreseeable future. I'm Stage IV so I'm on Taxol until it stops working or the side effects get too severe to take. Then I'll move on to some other chemo. I'm okay though because I'm strong and managing the chemo pretty well. I also have many different treatments available to me. I'll be around for a long time. I've also been through this chemo stuff before so it's not new to me like some others here. I wish everyone here well and please believe you will get through this. It will change you forever, both good and bad. I do think the good changes will eventually out weigh the bad. Stay strong my breast cancer sisters.
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Aeryno - thanks so much for letting me know! I now have hope I can do it via IV as well!!
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Anyone been told not to take biotin while on taxol?0
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SyrMom~~My MO approved biotin for me all during chemo. AC and Taxol.
Paula0 -
Oh, o.k., thank you Soteria.0
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Happy Friday All! Finished #6 yesterday and am half way through now! Whoohoo! Had different SE's while having chemo! I had pins and needles throughout different parts if my body-internally! Anyone else have that? The nurse noticed my heart rate is higher as well. I only slept for three hours last night and am still going. My body is very weary, but my head is wide awake. Anyone else have changes like these? I don't pay much attention to SE's if I'm not stomach sick so I didn't even realize the numbness I have with my lips until I noticed a bruise from biting it! Looks like I went a couple of rounds! LOL! Hope everyone has a great weekend! Susan0
