Stopping Treatment

epgnyc

Following my 2nd Taxol treatment (this was the next day) I had some strange symptoms -- prickling and itching all over my face (it lasted a week), hives and trouble swallowing.  All of this sent me to the Urgent Care Center at Sloan-Kettering, where they gave me IV steroids in case this was an allergic reaction.  My throat problems cleared up immediately.  My oncologist now is saying he doesn't want me to continue -- that it's not worth having a life-threatening allergic attack.  He's sending me to see an allergist who will weigh in.  I'm very anxious as I really want to continue if at all possible, especially because I'm triple negative.  As well all know, chemo is all we have!  Has anyone else had to stop Taxol and/or had their oncologist want to cease treatment for what seem to me like pretty tame side effects?  Thanks for any help you ladies can shed.

Luah

Are you doing weekly? If not, would your onc consider that - it is generally much more tolerable.  

bak94

What about switching to abraxane? I had an allergic reaction to taxol 8 years ago, shortness of breath immedialety as it entered my veins-my doc gave me more benedryl and continued wit ha slower drip. I felt like crap on taxol, but did not have the same symptoms as you. They continued and finished all my taxol treatments with extra steroids and benedryl, it was horrible and I was surprised they didn't stop treatment for me. I made it 8 years w/o recurrence, but have a new primary in opposite breast. Triple neg again and my mo is going try abraxane this time. I hope you get this resolved, maybe they will  try another chemo instead of one of the taxols?

LRM216

I had instant BAD neuropathy immediately after my first Taxol.  Onc switched me to taxotere (which I found for me to be an absolute horror), and my neuropathy never worsened.  I finished the last three rounds on taxotere.  My insurance company would not pay for the Abraxane unless I had a reaction to the taxotere, which I did not.  Did have a hard time with taxoterrible, but am glad in the end that I was able to finish my complete chemo program. 

Check with your onc and ask about either of them.  I was told that the Abraxane was easier than the taxotere, but we are all so different in how we react, it's hard to write anything in stone.  I hear you about being nervous not finishing especially being triple negative.  Every time I wanted to quit and not go for the next round, I reminded myself of that and it got my butt moving again.  If you feel strongly about finishing chemo, you might even want to see another onc if your present onc doesn't want to pursue chemo any further.  It's your life, not his. 

I hate it that you have to be faced with this situation, and please know that I wish you all the best.

Linda 

kathy1308

yes. I also had reaction to taxol. I had to stop after second treatment for two months and when they tried the third round I showed allergies within seconds of treatment and they stopped it all. The good news is that for TN there is Parp inhibitor and there is no allergies with that. It is really effective against TN and I was among the first people to be on this clinical trial.Please consult your oncol about doing Parp inhib.

Good luck

epgnyc

Thanks for all the good suggestions.  To answer some of your questions, I'm doing dose dense, which is once every two weeks.  My doctor preferred that I not do weekly Taxol.  He said while many side effects are less this way, it has a higher rate of neuropathy and I'm at risk for that because I've had chemo previously.  I hadn't been aware that prior chemo upped the risk for neuropathy.  Unfortunately Abraxane would not be approved by my insurance company either unless I first tried Taxotere, which my doctor would prefer I not do (also higher risk of neuropathy).  In any event, I saw the allergist and she didn't feel my side effects were an allergic reaction.  She said the prickling and itching on my face were from peripheral neuropathy.  I'd never heard of neuropathy of the face, but she said it's rare but does happen.  And the throat thing was probably caused by dehydration.  So I'm going to get my 3rd Taxol treatment (a week late), using a higher dose of Decadron.  Thanks for your support all.

Titan

Good luck EPGNYC...hopefully this 3rd taxol goes well for you....

yellowdoglady

I did Taxotare and Cytoxin, in reverse order, all day for six rounds  I got benedryl first, because that was supposed to make it easier.  It made me itch.  But when the bag changed to Taxotare, I had a short time of thinking I would die, every time.  My fever spiked, and I could hardly breathe, and I was sweating from every pore.  I was gripping the chair and counting the minutes off.  Ten minutes in, and I was okay again.  But ten minutes can feel like a very long time when you are so incredibly uncomfortable.  I can remember telling people not to try to speak to me during this time unless they wanted to call the perimedics.

It never occurred to me to stop treatment.  When I had a chemo burn that took out my good arm, I ran to the hospital and got a PIIC line, then drove right back to get it done on schedule.