Weekly Taxol for Stage 4

Hi everyone,

I just started Taxol a few weeks ago... 2 weeks on/1 week off (for as long as possible), so I guess I have finished my 1st cycle (?) or 2 chemo sessions...very confusing! : ) Iwas on Vinorelbine for the last 9 months but had progression in my liver. I was on oral stuff before that. So far so good as far as se's go, but it's early I know. Just getting my headwear situation under control for now and waiting.

Wishing everyone a great night for now. I am new to this website, so I am also trying to learn how to navigate around as well!

Take care!

M

hi Modum and Dunesleeper. Welcome to the group. Everyone seems to react differently to Taxol so it's hard to know how things might go for you.

I have been having taxol every week for over 18 months now and it's a pretty doable chemo for most. The effects are definitely cumulative. For quite a while I continued to work full time and exercise regularly, although after all this time I'm only working 30 hours a week and exercise is pretty non existent as I'm so tired. But it's taken quite a while to get to this point.

You do get quite tired 2-3 days after treatment. This is caused by a steroid crash. You get steroids in your premed. I have had them reduce my dose over time and I don't have nearly the problem with it I used to.

I find the infusion time goes quite quickly. It's not a long chemo. I either read or chat to others in the unit.

Good luck girls. May you have a long and SE free run on Taxol.

Hi Dunesleeper, good morning ladies!

Well first things, take care of yourself and things should go well. I was on IV Vinorelbine (which I will miss!) and it was a no se, quick and easy chemo- for me. And I still have my hair! So I was not happy having to move on to Taxol.

My onc knows I am still working full time, and has been trying to keep me with low se's, this is the one he chose. Other than hair loss (I guess we didn't talk priorities! Lol), he felt this was a manageable one....

That said, I have gone from 1/2 a day at chemo to full day...and oh the benedryl sleep after! It takes at least a day from you- I usually go on Tuesdays. The first infusion they went regular speed for the benedryl and I wanted to climb the chair with sudden restlessness. It doesn't hurt but you don't feel in control- they lengthened the time for the benedryl the second time and it was much better (but the trade off is longer time there!)

The next day both times, I look like I have a sunburn or that somebody slapped my face hard. It's a little tender but not unbearable and goes away.

My legs got a rash and my ankles swelled a bit and were sore, I had to walk slow on the Thursday. This apparently means I an having a reaction so I will be on the benedryl/steroids from now on... : (. They also suggested I take benedryl(I took non drowsy Claritin) for 3 days after and that seemed to help as well.

As for during, I try to nap and I have my ipad with me for distraction...

I did go to yoga the day after chemo- someone mentioned using the steroid high for good- I sure did!

This is my week off so no new items for now!

As far as the vegetables, I think it's because they start tasting badly. I haven't experienced that yet, so not sure how it will deal with that- I will have to be creative- smoothies maybe?

I hope you (and I) get a long, gentle run on this one!

Hugs,

Maureen

Thanks Modum. I'm going to check it out after my shower. Information is good.

Hi. I had my 2nd treatment yesterday. Last week, which was my first treatment, I had no problems at all. Last night I was climbing out of my skin. It was like the restless leg syndrome I used to get when taking seroquel but it was all over my body. I had to take 4 xanax plus the rest of my night medicine to finally calm down and get to sleep. You know these doctors are really stingy with these xanax, so I will be having to cut them in half to make them last now. Has anyone experienced this? Does it happen often? Is there a non-drug way of dealing with it. Thanks for any help you can toss in my direction!!!!

I had the exact same thing. But it was my first treatment of A/C. I could not be still, thought I was coming out of my body. I call it "heeby jeebies". The next chemo, dr cut my steroid in half and it helped. I too took 4 Ativan that night trying to settle my legs and arms. Took forever to get to sleep

You take care too Maureen. How does the claritin help you? I know I have read it a couple of places, but I'm not sure what it does. I have a few in my medicine cabinet right now.

Oh, and for me, I get 3 treatments (once a week) then one week off. That is considered one cycle. For me.

That's great, Modum!!! I will definitely be bringing this up to anyone who will listen.

Are we kicking cancer's butt? Are we? Are we? You bet we are!

Your claritin fix seems to be working well. I predict you will be feeling better every day.

That's awesome to hear Shetlandpony! I won't know my results for a bit yet (June) so I am hoping there will be lots of corpses on that screen!!

I just lost a kitten-sized load of hair this morning (began cycle 2 yesterday), I have a lot of hair so I'm ok for now...but it's coming soon- ugh! Trying to get a family portrait done this weekend before it's all gone!

Take care,

Maureen

Hi everyone. I was originally diagnosed in April 2013 triple negative with positive lymph nodes. I went through double dense AC/T. Then surgery and then 33 rads. I finished at the end of dec. I was diagnosed with brain mets in nov 2014, had surgery then cyber knife radiation. My head scan at the end of March was clear but my chest ct in February showed mets to lymph nodes in my chest.

I started high dose taxotere every 3 weeks with horrible side effects. We reduced the dose twice but it didn't help the side effects. Severe weakness in my legs where I couldn't walk more than about 5 feet. However my recent scan showed no progression and the lymph nodes are smaller.

In two weeks I am going on weekly taxol 2 weeks on 1 week off. I will request as low a dose of steroids as they will do as I've had it with decadron ! I was in crazy high doses during the whole brain thing. Ugh.

I am wondering if anyone experiences weight loss or gain on the weekly taxol ? My hair is almost gone I guess the taxol will finish it off before it starts fluffing back out in a few months?

I just spent the last hour reading all the posts in this thread. I hope everyone is doing well !

Hair loss for me was around the 10th infusion. First I cut it real short sort of a pixie cut. When there were just tufts of hair I shaved it. I am getting pretty adapt at drawing in eyebrows. I don't go out without painting my face on anymore. I figure it's the steroid for restless leg tho That is one SE I didn't have. The dose of Dexadron given to me is a low dose. I do take a nap during the infusion due to the Benadryl. Back to the hair topic. I did post awhile back a note of [laces that offer free wigs.on another thread. If I remember correctly I got the info from someone at cancercare.org. My weight has been stable so far.

Charlotte

Dunsleeperwhat a fun thing to wake up to! Hope your party was nice!

I am continuing to have some major hair thinning, my part is getting shinier- sigh. No wig yet, but will be coming soon. So far the other se's have been ok. Crazy chemo!

Good idea on the lint brush- will pull mine out!

Charlotte, I'm going to have to hone my skills on the eyebrow front- I worry I will draw myself looking Perpetually surprised or something! Lol

I haven't noticed any weight gain/loss so far- no real change in my appetite. It's interesting you are craving high glycemic foods!

Lauralind- good luck on getting the dose figured out.

Hope everyone is staying well,

Maureen

Modum I definately get dry eye from Taxol. I've just got used to it over time.

It's official. It is happening NOW. My hair is leaving my head. It's the hair's idea. Not mine. LOL. It is kind of creepy. LOL

Greetings Ladies, I'm new to this website/discussion board but I'm not new to BC. I thought I'd chime in here because I am in the midst of my initial Taxol regime. So far, I've had 8 weekly infusions. The plan is to stop after 12 weeks to do scans and see how things are responding though I can see and feel a huge difference already as my breast has shrunk down to its normal size (it was quite swollen at the time of my Stage IV inflammatory BC diagnosis in late-March). I'm also receiving Herceptin and Perjeta every 3rd week and Zometa every 4th week (I have bone and liver mets). I have to say, I know that the side effects are supposed to be cumulative but for me, the worst time was after the first week but even that wasn't so bad. Just some leg aches, a bit of fatigue and sleeping problems but I take benadryl at night for the three nights following the infusion and we did cut the steroid dose for the 2nd cycle and subsequent cycles. I did start losing hair at about week 3 so I shaved my head but the joke is on me as I have not lost the stubble even now. My doc had warned me not to do anything too rash with respect to my hair because she said some people didn't lose it all - that it only thinned - but that was one bit of her advice that I didn't listen to because I really didn't like watching it fall out in clumps and clog the shower. Whoops. Now, after week 8 my biggest problem is super dry skin on my face and hands and a tiny bit of numbness in my fingertips and toetips but overall I'm finding the Taxol to be quite manageable and feel good that it seems to be doing what it is supposed to. I hope you are continuing to do well on it too! BB