Dense Dose Taxol (Every 2 weeks)
I haven't seen a separate thread for DD Taxol, so I thought I would start one. I have completed 2 of 4, and I wonder what to expect from my last 2. Prior to the Taxol, I did DD AC with mild SE's. My SE's on the Taxol have been pretty mild so far (muscle aches on day 3, gone by middle of day 4 for the most part, a very mild numb feeling in my toes and fingers, and minor weird feeling on the tip of my tongue, but it doesn't affect my taste or anything.) I started taking B-6 to help prevent the neuropathy, and my fingernails seem ok so far. So, what can I expect?
Comments
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Pretty much the same as what you've experienced thus far, although you may find yourself growing increasingly tired.
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I agree I felt a little tingling in one finger by the end of my Taxol but it is pretty much gone now (six weeks since finish of Chemo) I did notice fatigue by the end of the Taxol . Sounds like you are almost done Macintx. That is great.
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Oh and I forgot one fingernail got dark looking with ridges but has grown out now.
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You're cruising into the home stretch!!! I bet you've probably experienced any SEs that you were going to get from Taxol. I was really tired by the end of the same chemo cocktail, but bounced back pretty quick after the last treatment.
I was a little paranoid about my nails so I put a Sally Hansen vitamin gel on my finger and toe nails daily. I also lost all the rest of my body hair on Taxol (brows, lashes, legs, etc). That was tough for me!
Good Luck with your last two Taxol treatments. They will be done before you know it
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Thanks sundermom! I haven't been tired yet from AC and the first two Taxol, so even if I get tired by the end I will feel lucky. Did you slowly lose your brows and lashes, or all at once? My eyebrows have thinned, but don't seem to be shedding at a rapid pace. I've lost a lot of my lashes, but it seems like a lot fell out within a week, but none since then. I have started to have to shave at least the lower part of my legs once a week.
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I had to delay Taxol #2 because my platelets were too low. Tomorrow is the day and I have a stupid sore throat. It isn't strep( I had a strep screen). I asked the Onc Nurse (new) and she said no big deal....I am not reassured....This happen to anyone else? -
I finished DD taxol January 30. After the 2nd treatment I got neuropathy in both my feet. It's moderate so I can function normally but it hasn't left yet. I had diarrhea during the treatment and that caused me some issues. The pain in my muscles and joints got bad enough that I had to take pain meds, but only for a few days. Good luck you'll be finished soon.
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My brows came out slowly enough that I could compensate with make-up. My eyelashes just seemed to be gone one day. I tried falsies, but I had a horrible time getting them to stay on. Once one popped off in the middle of a meeting I decided I was done. lol
lgoldie - Do you get the shots post treatment? I can't remember what it's called, but I got a shot 24 hours after each dose dense chemo to help keep my counts up. I wouldn't worry too much. A dose dense treatment plan means you'll get more medication overall so delaying by a few days shouldn't be a big deal
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I had #3 of 4 last week. No new SE's. Weird feeling in fingers and toes about the same. No pain or nail changes. Only weird thing is that my tongue turns a weird gray color for about 5 days after treatment, like no blood circulation is getting to it. But back to normal after that. I asked the chemo nurses and my MO's assistant about it, and they had never seen that. Oh well, at least I know it isn't serious, and other than looking weird, it doesn't affect anything. Eyebrows still hanging on, but pretty sparse. Lost a few more lashes, and I'm not sure if the rest will leave or stay. At least my final treatment is next Tues. Yay!
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Sooooooooo.... How did the last treatment go? Lol you wanted this to be a before, during and after! I feel like I didn't get my after! Lol
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I meant to post, but I forgot! I had my last treatment 6/3, so I am 9 1/2 weeks PFC now. My last treatment didn't bring on any more SE's. Just a day or so of mild muscle aches that tylenol took care of. The neuropathy stayed about the same with just the weird feeling in fingers and toes and tip of tongue for a while, and all have subsided for the most part by now. They never hurt, and my nails made it through with no problems. If you looked closely, you could see some shadows under the nails, but they have pretty much disappeared. I do have one slight numb area on the lower part of my right calf that is still there. Feels strange when I shave there, but doesn't really bother me. Within a couple of weeks PFC, I lost every single eyelash and eyebrow hair, but they grew in very quickly. Today I have full eyebrows, and my lashes are just long enough to put mascara on, I would say about 1/2 normal length, but a full row of them. Seems like the new growth pushed out the old growth, so once I lost the last eyebrow hair, there was already a shadow of new growth. I was lucky that fatigue never hit me! I am almost done with radiation, and still no fatigue! Extremely thankful for that! So, all in all, I am so glad I went ahead with the DD schedule. Everyone is different, but I can at least say that it's not a given that DD will be harder than weekly. I know a lot of people who had weekly with no problems and a lot with tons of problems. Same with DD. Some had a lot, and like me, some had few. But, like everyone, I am glad it's over and done with!
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Thank you for the conclusion! ...and a pretty positive one at that!
Good luck with the rest of radiation. That is one step I am thankful to skip!
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