Stage 2 Breast Cancer.
Hi everyone,
My sister was recently diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer and will be starting treatment next week at Inova Health System in Northern Virginia. Her treatment plan includes 12 weeks of weekly Taxol, followed by Adriamycin every 2 weeks for 8 cycles, and then surgery.
I’m hoping to connect with others who have gone through a similar treatment plan. If you’ve had Taxol and/or Adriamycin, I would really appreciate hearing about your experience—especially:
- What side effects did you have during each phase of chemo?
- Were there differences between Taxol and Adriamycin in how they made you feel?
- What helped you manage or reduce side effects (fatigue, nausea, neuropathy, etc.)?
- Any tips for preparing for treatment or getting through the tougher days?
We’re trying to be as prepared as possible and learn from others who’ve been through it. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences—it truly means a lot to our family.
❤️
Comments
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Hi @willfight_2026, It's great that you are a supportive sister. I discovered that breast cancer is a much more diverse disease than I ever imagined at a given stage. Also, doses are different and personal reactions to chemo vary a great deal.
If you enter taxol, adriamycin and tips for chemotherapy in the search bar at the top of the page you will bring up posts that cover a variety of related topics. Since some of the posts are old and treatment has evolved over the years focus on those with recent dates. I would also recommend that your sister join this community since there is generally a thread titled something like Chemo April 2026 where she can connect with others undergoing similar treatment at the same time. Check the About breast cancer link at the top of the page for general information about all kinds of relevant topics. Here is a link to the one about chemotherapy.
All the best to your sister.
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Hi,
I’m being treated for TNBC Stage 2 now. Currently I’m on my 10th dose of 12 of Taxol/Carbo/Pembro(keytruda). The chemo has been tolerable with some fatigue and slight stomach issues. The key is to eat light and healthy meals and try to move when she can. I usually feel the worst two days after chemo and then feel better every day after that. Remember to get her the Suzzy Pads for hands and feet which are used during the taxol portion of the infusion. They prevent neuropathy forming.
Drinks lots of water during infusion day and ask for the large plain IV fluid bag during infusion. They give you 4 pre-meds before the infusion that really help it go well. These are an anti-nausea, Pepcid, Benadryl and a steroid.If she wants to keep her hair tell her to look into cold capping. Some health centers provide it.
Your sister is lucky to have you and will rely on you during this time. Hug her whenever you can.0
