Taxol Chemotherapy

chapter4, I am about 2+ months finished with Taxol. I did lose my eyelashes and brows about 1/2 way through DD Taxol. They are coming back now and look pretty good! I missed my eyelashes more than my hair, quite honestly. Never minded my bald head once I was used to it. Hope your experience on Taxol remains easier. I had issues with both A/C and Taxol. Taxol was definitely easier, but my joint pain was pretty profound and I still have neuropathy in my toes and sometimes my feet, if I have been on them all day. 

lostinmo, you're right. The rads get remaining cancer cells at the sight. Chemo is systemic, radiation is local. I finished rads about 9 days ago. So tired, but better each week. Still have some burns that are healing, but nothing open or broken. Just tender and raw.

Blessings to all of you! This is such a long journey.

Andi 

Thanks for the responses ladies...I'm back in the chair tomorrow. I'm feeling good....hopefully the joint pain will be manageable again. I'm walking as much as possible....they say that helps.



Hoping everyone has minimal side effects and a great day!

Denise G. Thanks....something about losing the facial hair that really bothers me....I wear a wig to work and bandannas on the weekends...but not much you can do about no facial hair....dreading it.

Questions....had first taxol dose dense yesterday, no problems til now, noticed light rash on my chest, not itchy but a rash, also vaginal redness, no itching or burning..anyone else have either? Guess allergic reaction...guess I will be calling dr in the am.



Thanks in advance, just kinda freaked out, didn't have anything like this on dd a/c

Sandik.....you and I just moved over here from the chemo thread....I had a difficult time with AC....the nauseau got me good. I've have had two taxol treatments and I find it much easier.....aleve works for the muscle/joint pain....that didn't start until day 3 I found it very tolerable.

I did develop a rash on my arms and legs...small raised bumps after day 4 but it went away after about 4 days.

Good luck! You can do this!

A couple of thoughts for you...

Tweetyb422, if you were going to have an actual allergic reaction to Taxol, it would have happened in the first 15-30 minutes of treatment. They watched me like a hawk during that time. A rash can be normal and can resolve. I also had an off and on vaginal itching/yeast infection throughout all of it. That went away eventually, and I did take Diflucan when it was super bad. This stuff stinks but it is kicking cancer's butt, so it is worth it!

Kam170, I am 12 weeks out of DD Taxol and still have some neuropathy in my feet (mostly just my toes now). My fingers resolved in a few weeks, more than 2. I asked my MO about it and she basically said it is the one SE that may stay but should lessen with time - ALOT of time. I've been told to give myself around 6 months for all the SEs to minimize. Most have, but still have some lingering changes. Don't be discouraged. Mine has definitely improved, and I had it as much as you. I pray it will continue to dissipate. I've had to change shoes since there are few that are comfortable. My MO said there isn't much to do, and that most people have it settle into something very manageable over time. I find that I need to rest my feet alot with them up. If I am on them all day, they are worse. I still see improvement from many weeks ago. I may start taking L-Glutamine (that was recommended for DURING treatment. Can't hurt after, I suppose!)

Stay cool...it is 96 here today! Thankful for airconditioning!

Andi 

Tweety,



I also developed a rash. Started 1 week after my first taxol. Mine is quite severe - started on my chest but spread to my shoulders, back, face, feet, hands and thighs. They say it's an allergic reaction. They put me on 2 steroid creams which do seem to be helping. The worry is that it will spread to my mouth or that I develop a fever which hasn't happened yet, thank goodness.



I'm scared to death of treatment #2 on Monday, especially since when I asked the dermatologist if I might have this through the next #3 treatments he just shrugged his shoulders and said "it's possible". Otherwise I feel fine which makes the rash even more frustrating!



Rose

Rose and Tweety- hope the rashes improve quickly for you both. Sorry you've both gotten one.

Off  for #3 on the morning, so not looking forward to it.

tweetbyb422  - yes on the menstrual cramps on taxol. I've got them now.... thing is, the chemopause kicked in for me a couple of months aog - so I thought, what? here we go again, but it's just the taxol doing it's thing. I take Aleve and it helps greatly, but you have to stay on top of it.

Cramps were only for a couple of hours....on and off for a few days. .rough night last night...woke up at 2am with leg and lower back pain....took more aleve....feeling better now. I'm forcing myself to go for a walk before work. It does help...I did this last treatment.....something about getting those muscles moving.



I have numbness on my face....lower lip and chin...what's up with that?



Two more treatments....then off the chemo train....gotta stay focused. I hope everyone enjoys a wonderful weekend!

nofear-I finished my last taxol on Friday. I'm hoping the emotions even out myself. One time I feel like crying, next just sleeping, then on to nervous. Then it seems to repeat over and over. I hate being depressed and weepy!  It's not who I am.

Hi ladies,

Finished Taxol x 12 end of March.  I am still more emotional than I was before dx, but I'm still freaking out at times over the dx...and I went right into rads after T and rads tired me at times.  I want to think that my emotions (crying at commercials for hurt animals, crying at awful news stories) are a product of the overall tx and fear that I still have about the whole experience, and not just one drug.

I guess I don't mind the emotional outbreaks: it tells me I can still feel, that I'm STILL HERE.  I let go of believing I would feel "normal" like I did pre-tx, and just created a new normal, which takes a lot of pressure off thinking that we have to "get back to normal" in the first place.

I did not have a big party at the end of chemo...just kept it low key. I didn't feel particularly celebratory and that felt right, too.

Claire in AZ

I'm more emotional then I've ever been in my life....I think we are all going through so much...when I start feeling better physically I start thinking of what has happened and what's ahead....it's overwhelming.



We are stronger for this...appreciate life so much more...and I think...if we need to cry or feel down sometimes...it's okay. This is an uphill battle. Somehow we have to try to just take one day at a time.



We will prevail! You are all much stronger than you think you are. Wishing you a great day filled with positive thoughts!

So I wrote something here last night, but it never posted...not sure why, but I will try to recreate it now! My heart goes out to all of you...I am about 3+ months out from finishing Taxol. I am still emotional but not nearly as much as I was. Be encouraged...it does improve and settle. I went right into rads after Taxol (within 3 weeks) which was very emotional for me, though easier than chemo in many ways. Just tedious and lonely. I was very emotional and different than my normal self all through chemo, both AC and Taxol. I spoke with my MO about it and she confirmed how normal it is. She actually stated that they weren't sure how much was the actual chemo and how much was just that I was finally slowing down enough to get my head around all that I had been dealing with. From diagnosis to surgery to chemo...just quite a ride that happened pretty quickly. Please be kind to yourselves and be thankful that we have this kind of forum to vent and identify. There is NOTHING normal about anything we are going through and we can't discount the difficulty, length of time, and all that it is doing to our bodies. All I keep hearing, even still, is how much time it takes to get back to normal. I am definitely better than I was and improving all the time, but am giving myself a lot of grace to work this all out. It took almost 8 months to get here...it may take longer to recover!

One of the ways I know this is not my normal me is that my emotions turn on a dime...I am fine, having fun etc and then in 5 minutes, I can be teary for no reason. That truly is not happening as often, and I remind myself that there is no magic time for this to all be over, but to be thankful that I am 'done' as I continue to process everything - both emotionally and physically. All of these issues are not happening as often or as intensely, so I pray that will be the same for all of you!

Steroids did a number on me (I only had them at the time of infusion - a 3 day dose), especially since I am diabetic. Hated those days. Wired, teary, tired, wide awake, etc...Every step has its challenges.

Have a good day. Keep all things in perspective. Just found out I have to have some PT for muscle issues after radiation. I have had chest pain when coughing, sneezing, lifting, etc on my affected side. It is all muscle cording even 4 weeks out from radiation! Weird! And apparently I will NOT like the treatments. It is tender to the touch. Ahhh...what a journey.

Andi 

Thank you! That is what I was wanting to hear.