Weekly Taxol for Stage 4
Comments
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i was told it was okay to wear nail polish. I used tha Nailtiques treatment to toughen them up a little bit. It does help. At first, my nails were better than before because I was more attentive to them with moisturizer (coconut oil or vitamin e oil) and nail hardener but eventually Taxol does take toll. I did not lose any fingernails but they did get that weird look because they were lifting,
I did wind up losing a toenail, but it has grown back just fine. Had to go on antibiotics when it was lifting it became infected
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Zills - I'm on Abraxane, but had some nail lifting. I cut my nails as short as possible and started using a product called Polybalm, which has been trialed on patients on chemo in the U.K. It has really helped my nails. It's kind of a waxy consistency and comes in a mascara-type tube and applicator. The applicator is actually a pain to use, but I have found the product very effective. I've only found it sold online.
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moissy, Polybalm looks interesting, thanks for this. My nails can still use some TLC, and they ship to the USA. I may order this
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Olma - My first order was mailed from a rep in the U.S. I just placed a second order, but it seems to have been shipped from France. I apply the Polybalm right before chemo and then a couple times a day if I remember for a couple of days after chemo. I do not use it everyday or as often as they did in the trial and still got good results. As I mentioned, the only nuisance is it can be difficult to get the product out of the tube. They recommend running under hot water to soften it if you need to. My husband also cut open the tube with a penknife when it seemed nearly empty and Iwas able to still get a lot of product out that remained in the tube. I hope it helps you.
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Hey ladies. My scans came back stable after 8 treatments. I had to skip last week because of extreme fatigue and dropping things. I’m scheduled off for Christmas and it’s up to me about New Years.
I normally have a low grade fever and chills three days out. Then I sweat it out at night and start all over again. This fever has appeared and is over 101°. I don’t necessary feel bad. Trying to push fluids.
I went to the ER. They can’t find anything wrong. Labs good. Chest X-ray good. Covid negative. No UTI. They said as long as it responded to Tylenol and I had no other symptoms I didn’t need to return.
Any thoughts?
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Zills, congrats on being stable!
I'm a fever person. Never really figure mine out. Sometimes they're very high, sometimes minor; sometimes seems related to treatment, sometimes I think they're 'cancer fevers'. I was hospitalized twice for febrile neutropenia in 2018 while on AC and they never found the culprit. The immunotherapy adds its own wrinkle. I *suspect* that our immune systems might be causing this. It's possible for ex that when a treatment - even chemo or radiation - is attacking a cancer cell, it helps the immune system 'see' it and then it mounts some sort of response. And body's immune systems like to trigger fevers.... So that's my guess. In absence of other symptoms or any signs of developing sepsis, I mostly ignore them now & my MO has been comfortable with this (esp during covid. Cancer pts here don't go to the ER without calling the duty oncologist first who will make special arrangements for us. Might get admitted directly onto a ward instead of ER etc...)
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Thanks moth. Just concerned because it’s higher than the “normal” fever I get after treatment. There was no waiting. Wisked straight back to my own room with a zoom camera. I wasn’t prepared to stay overnight. I just wanted peace of mind with labs, urine and Covid.
Guess I’ll just drink drink drink.
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Does anyone know what is next after tamoxifen. After three months of taxol where my tumor counts came down a lot. Today they look like they are starting to creep back up. They didn't go up a lot. But worried about week off and then how long to get scans. Just curious what the next step would be. So far nothing lasts longer then three months.
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Jjzn, another cdk inhibitor? I'm pretty sure just read recently about someone progressing on one cdk inhibitor and doing ok on a different one. So ibrance maybe?
I think for chemo halaven, adriamycin or one of the platins (carboplatin or cisplatin)
Have you had recent biopsy to confirm hormone markers still same?
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Moth sorry my statement may have been confusing. Not sure why I said tamoxifen. I have been on taxol. It did look like carboplatin may be next from what I read. My last biopsy was a year and a half ago when I was diagnosed. Is that too soon to have another biopsy? I know my mo said she wouldn't give me adromiacin. Not sure why unless its because I had it back in 2016.
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there is a lifetime max for adriamycin because it's cardiotoxic. But there is a medication that can be given with it to try to shield the heart and when you're low on options it's something to try.
Some people try to biopsy at each progression but I think many MOs don't really want to. That said tumors can change so sometimes you open up new treatment options.
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Does anyone use retinol for the steroid acne?
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Not me. I found retinol drying in the past so I never thought about it
Scans showed no new growth and my liver enzymes dropped by half. Good news to start the new year.
It has been suggested I switch to axabrane to get rid of the steroids. It would be weekly, 3 weeks on, 1 off. 30 min infusion.
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It appears I get to stay on taxol. My tumor counts came down on today's blood test. Dr said there must have been something else causing the count to be high like inflammation. So glad since it seems I have been going through medications too quickly.
Zills will you be able to go back to taxol if you need it in the future.
Katie weren't you supposed to have scans this month? Interested to see your results.
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I don’t know that answer jjzn as Axabrane is a cousin to taxol. I don’t have to be on steroids or benedryl. Just have to take anti nausea meds so far. Will scan again in March.
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Zills, I’m glad to hear this good news about your scans and liver enzymes! Having paid my dues with taxol, Benadryl and steroids (dexamethasone), I plan to insist on abraxane should my onc recommend a taxane in the future. The steroids gave me crying spells where I couldn’t stop crying over something minor. My family figured out that it was the steroids. I have a history of unexplained low fevers, although one time it was a high one. It was a Saturday night fever, in fact. I stopped reporting them. (Not necessarily recommended by medical people but works for me.) I also figure they are cancer fevers. I also got a really high fever the evening of my flu shot. That one I reported and went in, but no other explanation was found.
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My scan in September was awful (I had been on Xeloda) with rampant progression to several lymph nodes - something I hadn't seen since my initial MBC diagnosis late in 2015 and growth in my numerous liver tumors. I knew I needed something strong, an IV chemo, so my MO and I agreed on Taxol. He's been practicing for decades and was (and continues to be) suprised that I wasn't given Taxol early on.
This week I had a CT scan of my torso and an MRI of my neck and cervical spine.
I saw my MO yesterday and the results couldn't have been better – talk about a Happy New Year! I am over the moon!!!
- The soft tissue / osseus mets issues can no longer be visualized (I felt they had been resolved because a frequent burning sensation in my upper back had gone away. Stable multifocal osseus mets.
- Resolution of different areas of lymphadenothapy
- Resolution of subcutaneous and intramuscular metastatic lesions
- SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST!
- Decreased multiple metastatic hepatic lesions resulting in pseudocirrhotic appearance of liver (MO says this is scar tissue)!
- Even my old school MO, who has practiced for decades was astonished! I told him that the Taxol came through for me at the right time and that the Druids were looking out for me (joking because the Yew tree from which taxol was derived was sacred to them).So, now I just have to be religious about icing during chemo and taking other measures to keep my neuropathy from worsening – already stage 2. Other than that, no major issues. It feels so good to get great news and am hoping the same for all of you, too!
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Katty that is great news! I’m so happy for you!
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Wow..excellent news for you Kattysmith. Will you continue on Taxol indefinitely? I have it on my list for future.
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(Edit: Posted on the liver mets thread instead.)
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Awesome kattysmith! so happy that it's working well for you! Yippee
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Thanks Sandi, yes the plan is to continue with the Taxol along as long as it is tolerable and working! I am still just on cloud nine!!!
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Kattysmith, really happy for you! Take care of those feet.
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Thanks SP. I’m not sure why they dont start with axabrane because it has less side effects. Yes ask because that dexamethasone is serious. I started out on 13 over a three day period. It opened my eyes to how dirty my house is.My whole summer was a big washout due to serious side effects.
Congrats Kattysmith. I ice but still have neuropathy. It’s supposed to be milder on axabrane and I’m now on a 3 week on / 1 week off because of neuropathy.
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Katty great news! What a way to start the new year!
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Good morning, all. I know some of you from the Ibrance string and more recently the Xeloda string. I had thought my PET scan of 10 days ago looked good (clearly an amateur scan reader.....), but I met with my MO yesterday, and she has some concerns. MRI next week to see if some uptake in hips and sacrum are problematic. I may be changing either to Taxol or to AA (Aromasin and Affinitor), depending on what the MRI discloses. Do any one of you know of strings which provide information on those treatments? I'm a planner, and I want to "read up" so that I can participate in any future change. Thanks so much!!
And Katty....great news for you!!
xox
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I just had my first scan after being on taxol for 4 months. Svu is down from 27 to 15 in liver. And bone in some areas down from 19 to 11. So glad I get to stay on taxol. The first treatment I've had so far that actually seems to be working!
JoynerL hoping taxol treats you well if you have to switch!
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That's great news!!! I hope that Taxol continues to work for all of us!
Lynn, there is a Taxol thread for all stages called Weekly Taxol Group that you might search for more information! Other than the neuropathy, I am finding this to be very tolerable.
I hope everyone is having a good week. I'm getting my second vaccine today!
Katty
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Thanks to you both! MRI tomorrow. I've been steadily researching wigs, lest I be headed there. I'm a planner, trying to find some control, where there's little to be found! Are there good wig strings, going forward? I'm going to need one sooner or later so I may as well get educated!
Sending hugs-
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Lynn - I'm not caught up with all the post here and on the Xeloda thread... I'm sorry to hear that you need to get the MRI. Sending hugs and prayers that it's okay. Just for your information, I shaved Liz's head after her second cycle (that would be 6 weeks after starting Taxol). I think Liz looks great with no hair but I guess I'm biased.
She's now on her 4th cycle and her hair is growing back! I think it's growing back evenly but Liz thinks it "might" be a little thinner here or there.At the risk of losing clumps of hair after starting treatment, I'd be optimistic about hair loss due to the Taxol. We were surprised at the hair growth and when we asked the onc, he said most of his Taxol patients have little to no hair loss.
Grant
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