Herceptin/Taxol question

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MissMeg
MissMeg Member Posts: 13
edited June 2014 in HER2+ (Positive) Breast Cancer
Herceptin/Taxol question
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  • MissMeg
    MissMeg Member Posts: 13
    edited August 2009

    I am doing adrio.cytox right now. One week on and one week off. I have the treatment on Monday and it knocks me out til at least Friday. I have been able to go to work the next week. THen back off work for another treatment. I am halfway through with this treatment, and start on taxol herceptin right after. They tell me I'lll have to do those for twelve weeks straight.

     I just dont know if I can make it. If the second course is as bad as the first, I just can't do anything at all the week I have treatment. THe week off in between is the only thing keeping me sane. Have any of you had a similar course? Is the taxol and hereceptin as rough as the adrio cytoxin? Were any of you able to work through this treatment or were you out and sick the whole time?

     This is really stressing me out. I have never been sick like this. Before cancer I was rarely ever ill for more than a day. I just don't know if I can make it thorugh 12 weeks of feeling that bad.

    Meg

    Stage1

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  • cbm
    cbm Member Posts: 475
    edited October 2009

    Hi, Meg.  For me, Taxol and Herceptin were a breeze compared to Adriamycin and Cytoxan.  The effects are cumulative, though, so you know you are having chemo, but I didn't have any nausea, was able to eat fairly normally, not as much fatigue. Gained weight. I didn't get any neuropathy til the last few weeks. I went on Fridays and used the weekend to recover.  Mondays I could do normal things and did, but I work from home.  I should have exercised more.

    I had never been sick before either--the AC was the worst I'd ever felt in my life.  

    The best advice I got was to eat before chemo and before the Neulasta.  Cinnamon pop tarts were my best friend, peanut butter crackers came in second.  Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

    Good luck, you can do this. It gets easier as the weeks go by. 

    C

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  • LJ13-2
    LJ13-2 Member Posts: 235
    edited August 2009

    My experience was like CBM's.

    For the first 6 weeks I received Taxol/Herceptin, it was like I wasn't even getting chemo.

    I gradually had increased fluid retention in my legs, and some fatigue and soreness. 

    But compared to AC? ... Taxol/Herceptin was a walk in the park. I would get AC Tx's on Thursday, and did not return to work until the following Tuesday or Wednesday. Taxol/Herceptin I got on Friday and was at work Monday with no problem.

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  • blondie45
    blondie45 Member Posts: 580
    edited August 2009

    I agree with the others. For me the first 2 Taxol/herceptins I had nothing but VERY watery eyes that I finally had to have plugs put in for. Then #3 and #4 hit me. I have my treatments on Wednesdays and am fine the day after, but then for 3 and 4 had to sleep a lot of the weekend. With #5 I was determined to sleep less and I did and felt better. The Taxol/herceptin is definitely easier than the AC. I was in bed for 4 to 5 days straight also from the AC. I work Sunday to Thursday and I have not had to miss any work for the Taxol/herceptin. Good luck and you will get through all of this!

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  • cmharris59
    cmharris59 Member Posts: 496
    edited August 2009

    I had AC before my surgery and Taxol Herceptin after my surgery. I was unable to keep my job because the time that I required off due to illness, during the AC txs, was too much according to our company policy. I had to go on short term disability. Short term carried me through AC and both of my surgeries - second was due to complications from the first. I had to go on long term due to the pain, nausea, and fatigue from the TH. Then I had radiation for 7 weeks. By then I had CHF and neuropathy so bad that I couldn't go back to work. I was already approved for SSDI at that point and I am still on LTD and SSDI. I have not had my recon surgeries yet. They are waiting for my heart to strengthen. Hopefully before the end of the year, I will be finished. Good luck to you,

    C

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  • LittleFlower
    LittleFlower Member Posts: 405
    edited August 2009

    Meg,

    Though none of the treatment is easy, I thought the AC was pretty rough.  When i started the taxol herceptin the first few weeks were pretty good.  Probably the first 4 i felt normal.  The last 8 brought fatigue,but definitely it was just the last few that were really hard.  Fatigue was the main problem, and for me i think it started catching up with me emotionally too.  Your at the hospital alot, every week, and that gets old, but overall, the taxol herceptin didn't make me feel as sick as the AC did.  hope this helps you feel better because really, it does get better.

    LittleFlower

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  • sheila888
    sheila888 Member Posts: 25,634
    edited August 2009

    Hi Meg

    Nothing compares to AC the torture.

    I did 4 rounds of Taxol +Herceptin 52 weeks.The first one was given to me with Taxol. I don't remember any side effects. Herceptin is a breeze and the hair start growing. Again everybody reacts differently. My experience was a good one. I also received 33 rounds of radiation during Herceptin. Little tired but it was more emotional tiredness than anything else. Good luck to you and wishing a treatment with minimal SE.

    Smile Sheila Smile

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  • lisa39
    lisa39 Member Posts: 255
    edited August 2009

    Hi Meg,

    AC was way worse than Taxol/Herceptin for me too.  The one thing about TH is the length of time you have to sit in the infusion chair... it took about 5 hours - though I did 4 treatments - one every 3 weeks, as opposed to weekly like you. 

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  • cdccpa
    cdccpa Member Posts: 42
    edited August 2009

    Hi Meg, 

    For me also, Taxol/Herceptin was nothing compared to the AC.  I missed a full week of work with each of my 4 AC's (treatment day was Monday and I was out until the following Monday).  With Taxol/Herceptin, I had treatment on Monday and was back at work on Tuesday.  Probably could have worked some on treatment day too if not for being sleepy from the Benadryl.  I also had my Taxol/Herceptin weekly for 12 weeks.

    Hang in there...you can do it!

    Carolyn

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  • Mocity
    Mocity Member Posts: 451
    edited August 2009

    Hi Meg,

    I did 12 weekly rounds of Taxol/Herceptin and finished chemo in Jan09.  I will finish my year of Herceptin in Nov09.  I didn't have any big problems with the Taxol  until about week 7 and then it hit me pretty hard.  I was fatigued and felt like I had the flu.  Then I had terrible neuropathy in my fingers and toes.  I lost all my toenails except 2 and my fingernails separated from my nail beds which was painful added to the neuropathy.  However, what I have learned through all this is that everyone is so different and everyone responds to medications differently.  So it is hard to say what will be right for you.

    Good luck to you!

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  • NanaA
    NanaA Member Posts: 293
    edited August 2009

    I did the 12 weekly taxol and the only thing that was hard for me was the neuropathy in hands and feet.  I worked 20 hours per week the whole time I was doing the taxol.  # months out now from the taxol and leg pains are pretty much gone.  I will still be doing herceptin every 3 weeks until next March.  Best wishes  Annette

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  • MissMeg
    MissMeg Member Posts: 13
    edited August 2009

    Hey everyone

    Thanks for the replies. I feel so much better. Sometimes the anxiety becomes overwhelming. I still feel sometimes like I just can't make it through. When I try to do my normal activities, even on the "off" weeks, I just get worn out. If AC is the worst of it, I think I can make it. 

    But wow, all of this sucks, doesn't it? 

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  • LittleFlower
    LittleFlower Member Posts: 405
    edited August 2009

    Meg,

    It SUCKS big time!  I remember being frustrated when i was tired, then i'd remind myself.. "hey, this is temporary"  and my favorite  "this is chemo, it's like the worst thing in the world.. it's ok to feel this way right now...it'll be over soon" 

    Here I am 2 years later, telling you all the above is true.  It is temporary.  You'll look back when this is done and can't believe you feel as good as you do.  Hope that makes sense Smile

    Take Care,LittleFlower

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