Quick question about Taxol 12week, low dose

I had dose dense and I don't believe I had steroids during Taxol.  I tolerated it much better than the A/C.  Good luck!

Sharon

I did the 12 week taxol.  I got my steriod as the first infusion.  I was also given benadryl but asked that I take in orally since the infusion would really get my head spinning.

I didn't take any oral steriods before Taxol but did for the next 3 days. I was given Dexamethazone and Benadryl IV before each infusion. The IV Bendaryl sent me 'nighty-night' till about 30 min. before end. For me, A/C was not bad at all - Taxol was really nasty - I existed those 12 weekly infusion on the couch in front of TV or in bed - total, complete, UTTER EXHAUSTION.

I had steroids & benadryl the night before, the morning of & by infusion before treatment. I did have an allergic reaction on week 3 when the taxol started. They slowed down the drip and I took more benadryl and never had another problem.

I had dose dense Taxol and got 6 mg of steroids on treatment day only. Same for dose dense AC.  I also got IV Pepcid, Aloxi and Benadryl.  We kept the steroids to a minimum because I have diabetes and steroids can cause problems with blood sugar.  The minimal dose of steroids worked fine for me during chemo.

I have a slight nueropathy in my toes only. Started about week 10 of taxol. Diminshed a little when I finished but never has gone away totally.  Just feels like the tips of my toes are asleep. My onc said give it a year and whatever's left is what I will probably have forever. It's been 2 years since I finished. Not a problem really, just a nuisance.

I had taxol weekly and they also infused me with Benadryl.  I barely remember the experience because as soon as that beni entered my veins I was out. Overall I though Taxol was so much easier than AC.  My energy returned and I didn't have any horrible se's, although in retrospect my feet started peeling at the end of rads which might have been from Taxol.

I hope all goes well for you. 

OMG, Kathleen, I just read your post and it freaked me out!  I had this weird itch right in the middle of my back that started well after tx and just recently disappeared.  I kept asking my husband to look and see if there was something there, and of course there wasn't.  At times I had to scratch myself on the corner of a door like a big old bear on a tree cause I couldn't reach it!  I wonder if I had the same thing you did!   SOOOO weird!

Sharon

I have to laugh at the Benedryl description.  Never had a problem with it in pill form but added as part of my premed and shot into IV, wow, a quick high and then off to lalaland.  

Regarding your question about the steroid during taking taxol, I was put on taxotere but my understanding is they are very similar.  While A/C part of treatment caused nausea it was more manageable.   Once I started on taxotere, I was given Decadron (steroid) and told I could take the steroid following two or three days after chemo b/c it made my hands swell terribly and caused loss of feeling in fingertips.  Taxotere also took all 10 of my fingernails.  I will say though that fingernails came back much faster than the hair is!  The Decadron helped taxotere's side effects tremendously but I am another that felt taxotere was much more draining.  I seemed to be exhausted all the time but just have to remember, eventually the treatment ends and you get back to some semblance of normal again.  I am just getting there - I ended 5 months of high density dosing chemo and 36 daily radiation treatments as of January 30 and in February began taking Arimidex. Assuming I can tolerate it, that's supposed to be a 5 to 7 year thing.   I see you began taxol about 2 weeks ago but even so, good luck. 

Started Taxol last night along with Herceptin. (Feb 28 2012)  12 weeks but not low dose.  I am dose dense.   I had Decadron steroid and Benadryl infusion along with Pepcid first.  WOW, that benadryl infusion gave me a weird head.  I was afraid of allergic reaction.  Nurse told me if I had one, a medical team would descend on me like a Code Blue not to be alarmed.  Yeah, right!  LOL!   Thankfully, I had no reaction. 

I put my fingertips in ice as my Oncologist told me it helps prevent fingernail loss or infection.  Next time I am going to do my toes as well as gal next to me in infusion said it helped her and she had no trouble in that area. 

Also, Oncologist told me about Claritin and Taxol.  They don't know why it works other than the histimine blocker in Claritin, but told me to feel free to take Claritin while on Taxol it won't hurt me.  I am going to go get some today.

I've been reading about the B6 vitamins and glutamine on this thread, so will research that too.  I had some tingling in my feet already.  Other than that, I already feel so much better this morning on Taxol than I ever did on A/C.  A/C about killed me.   I just intuitively feel I am going to be much better on Taxol.   One woman said Taxol felt like a vacation in Aruba aside of A/C.  I hope so!  We all need a vacation!

Good luck everyone!  Prayers for all!

Josie, so glad you are doing OK on Taxol. Keep going strong, soon it will be behind you. Best of luck.

Dear J: I'm starting on low dose Taxol & Herceptin on Monday, March 4, 2013.  My doctor's nurse practioner called me and instructed me to take 20 mg of the dexamethsone.  This cocktail of chemo is to run the 12 weeks.  I have to call the NP back tomorrow, she never told me if I should take the steroid the night before or in the morning. Reading all the  comments about IV benadryl, I will request the Benadryl by mouth (po).  Thanks to all of you for the insight.  With all the reading I have been doing, its suggested to take B6 100 mg two times a day.  Also, L glutamine once a day.  I verified this with the NP. Good luck J.  May we all have few side effects.

Has any one had hair loss on Taxol?