Taxol Chemotherapy

So sorry for those having difficulty with taxol. 

I too am using the L-Glutamine and so far not terrible neuropathy.  Some tingling in fingers and toes.  I have also iced hands and feet during the taxol infusion even though it might be mind over matter.  (The nurses giggle about that but I keep right on).  The onc nurses gave me the info on how to take the glutamine and the onc had approved it.

I also asked early on for a bag of saline.  I get it after the infusion is done.  Again, no proof, but it makes me feel better,

My nails don't hurt but they have weird ridges and are a little off color. 

I was scheduled to have DD taxol, but after AC the onc felt the 12 week would prove to be kinder. 

The fatigue seems to be cumulative. 

Catwhispurrer, please keep an eye on that fever and feel well. 

Hugs to all,

Laura

I actually wanted the weekly taxol but by MO refused saying that DD taxol had the same benefits, was tolerated just as well (NOT!), and required less time.   I still think I am having such severe side effects because I am getting the DD.   He said he uses weekly taxol in other regimens, but the DD A/C and DD taxol is what he used for TN.   I think he just went with cookie-cutter regimen based on the TN and didn't want to change it for me, plus I was ready to start and he said that it would delay my treatment if he had to change my treatment plan.

dipad:  I'm having Taxol every two weeks - 6 treatments over 12 weeks.  I am part of a clinical trial and got "randomized" into this arm of the trial.  They're testing the efficacy of a more convenient treatment, thinking that once every week for 12 weeks is too much for some.  I, personally, kinda like the schedule.

YAY CharB22! It's a great day! Congrats to you!

Wow...haven't had the time or, more accurately, the energy to check in for about a week and there are so many things to catch up on!  Welcome everyone who is new and pray that you are all having a good day...CharB22, congrats! Here's my update for the day...

I am 4 weeks out from my last treatment and still have fatigue but definitely much better. My energy level is getting better each day. I still have some SEs to deal with, but they are diminishing. Mostly, I still have some neuropathy in my feet and a little off and on in my hands/fingers. I was told that this could linger 4-6 weeks, minimum and my surgeon told me to not feel like myself til the end of the summer - partly, this is because I start radiation on Monday. 6 weeks of 5 days a week.  We will see how I do!

Itching is a HUGE issue for me, and I want it to stop. I think it has to do with hormones and nerve stimulation...it is a very insistent, unrelenting itch in various parts of my body. Ice calms it down, and anti-itch cream helps, but I look forward to that going away.

Appetite is still so-so, but not much nausea, even through treatments. Much better than AC overall.

No hair yet!  Looking forward to eyelashes again! Many have said I should stay bald...they love my head! I love it too, but do look forward to a God-given covering. It will come and I will keep on wearing my hats.

Off the wall question...have any of you done anything to commemorate your journey?  A tattoo or extra ear piercing or anything? I've had some folks suggest it. I am not a tattoo type person at all, but may consider another ear piercing. I'm pretty conservative. I did see one woman at treatment whose hair was growing in, but she had a small, blue ribbon (stands for ovarian cancer) tattoed on the side of her head just above her ear. It was kinda cool...hair would cover it, but it was a neat way to mark this journey. Anyway, I would love to hear if anyone has thought about it.

Again, welcome to everyone that is new...it is one heck of a ride we are all on.

Andi 

Vit B6 supplement with Taxol. Okay ... Started Taxol today on a 12 week regimen. My pre-chemo drugs were: 5 decadron last night and 5 decadron this morning. At treatment I received saline with Zantac, pre-saline with Benadryl and 4mg of decadron also in the iv. This was followed by the Taxol over an hour.

Next week I am to take OTC Zantac or Tagemet, Claritin, and three Decadron when I leave my home. I will not have the same pre-chemo infusions like this week since I didn't have any reaction to the taxol.

So .... Finally. I was instructed to take 3 100 mg Vit B6 a day! I lovey nurse but this just seems crazier than crazy. I can see taking some to combat neuropathy, but B6 toxicity can result in nerve damage and most sources list 200 as the cut-off and many cite even 50-100 over time as not recommended. Since the rda of Vit B6 is 1.3 mg for 19-50 year olds who are not pregnant or lactating. Tolerable upper intake levels for supplements tops out at 100 mg but there is an * for those not applying to those receiving this for medical treatment. Still other research has shown that the aid of B6 seems to useful only in people who are deficient to begin with. I am not deficient.

At this point I am not going to take more than 100 mg a day.

Did anyone take B6 supplements during Taxol? If so, how much?

Thanks in advance for your responses.

dltnhm - My MO has me taking 100 mg of B6. I only have a slight bit of tingling in my left pinkie....bizzare.

Andimom03 - not a strange question at all. I've been thinking about doing the same thing. Not sure. I'm not a tattoo or piercing person either, so I'm not sure what I want to do....something.

I had my last Taxol today. I met with the Nurse Practitioner rather than my MO. She was very thorough. I've had some concerns about something I'm feeling under my armpit - the side that I had my SNB. She thinks it's just fluid, but told me to ask the ultrasound tech to check it when I have my follow-up mammo/US on Monday.

CharB22-congrats on your last Taxol!  I am three weeks PFC tomorrow and so thankful for making it through that leg of the journey.....

Hope to have my path report on Monday or Tuesday....not too worried but will feel relief once I know for sure.  Thank you Sandlake   My new position is in proposal stage but it is so obvious the need there shouldn't be any issues. I am excited to have something like this to go back to.  I can dive in with all my heart and it will be very fulfilling for me.  

charB22-My hair started growing back around Taxol 7......so 8 weeks now I have a lot of hair on my head.  I am almost able to go "topless"  LOL    I have a lot of hair on the top....the sides and back aren't as thick so I am waiting for it to get thicker and then I am losing the scarves and hats....haven't worn my wig in weeks. 

Dltnhm-I take a form of B-6 called P-5-P 50 mg once daily. My naturopath recommended it. I also take b-12 1000 mcg daily. I seems to help with the numbness and tingling in my finger tips. I haven't had many issues with my feet/toes.

I take Vit B, Acetyl L-Carnitine and L-Glutamine everyday as well to try and prevent the nueropathy. I asked my MO about them after hearing about them on here. She said she didn't have any objection to me taking them although she wouldn't normally advise them due to lack of long-term research showing either benefit or showing they don't affect the efficacy of Taxol.



I'm taking my chances with them and after 7 of 12 weekly Taxols so far only have very occassional tingling and numbness in the very tips of my thumbs and forefingers and mild tingling in my feet only the night after each infusion.



Jenn

jap62:  Are you getting the Neulasta shot after your Taxol treatments?  I had the same SEs you describe after my first Taxol - I just wanted to die.  I literally had to climb up the stairs to get back into bed - hit me quick, hard and painfully.  And no one told me it was possible I'd have pain.  I ended up calling my MO on Sunday night (Thursday was tx) and he advised Advil.  I called my clinical trial coordinator the next morning and she had an Rx for Vicodin waiting for me 15 minutes later.  I hate pain meds but it has saved my life.  We finally all decided that the pain for me is a combination of the Neulasta and the Taxol (I'm on dd Taxol, 6x, every two weeks for 12 weeks). 

At first I too thought Taxol was going to be far worse than AC.  Now that I've had three txs (3rd was yesterday) and I know what's coming and have meds for it, I realize Taxol is much easier than AC was for me.  Not nearly as exhausted, no awful tastes or smells, no general feeling of crappiness all the time.  I traded those SEs for three days of pain, some odd balance issues from time to time (kinda funny to watch me walk) and some knee joint weakness for about five days.  But I have energy, no nausea, and except for the pain feel so much better than on AC.  Still not the "vacation in Aruba" I had been promised, but maybe more like a weekend in Cleveland.

I hope you feel better soon - and if you need pain meds, then ask for them.  Please.  They make a huge difference in quality of life.

Nancy

Ahhh the leg weakness. It's almost impossible to describe as it is like nothing ever experienced ever before so you can't say "Well, it's like when you...". The way I feel with it is that with every step I take it feels like my leg wants to "melt" into the ground.



Jenn

Dechi, mine didnt start to hurt or get reallythin until I was 2/3 of the way through herceptin. I have been done for a month and they are starting to look better, not quit as peely or breaking really low. They are not as sensitive either.

Hey all. I had the Neulasta shot after all 8 treatments. I never had leg pain with A/C, but certainly did with Taxol. I was told it was the Taxol, not the Neulasta. I took Claritin for 3 days after the shot and it seemed to work. The melting legs is a great description!  Stretching did help my leg pain as well...also, I realized it hurt whether I was sitting or moving around!  So I moved as much as I could. 

I am almost 5 weeks out and still have some neuropathy. I hope it completely fades. When my feet are cold, the discomfort and neuropathy is worse.  Also worse if I'm on my feet alot.

Such long days sometimes, right?  AC and Taxol had very different issues for me. Glad it is done and for those of you still in it, it DOES end!  Hang in there.

Andi