Weekly Taxol for Stage 4

KT I lost all the head on my head during the 2nd cycle the rest took a lot longer.I had eyebrows for a long time but no more. The hair on my hair started growing again immediately but it's been a slow process it didn't really take off till I had a break and then my dose reduced.

I toohad multiple mets in my lungs and pleural effusion before I started taxol and it really did a number to them so I hope it works the same for you.

Kt- I am starting my 4 cycle of taxol (yesterday actually) and I did get the "scalp hurting/itching" as well, maybe after cycle 2. But my hair is still here's-for now...I had really thick hair and have lost about half of it, my part is widening (male pattern baldness anyone?) but I am still presentable without going to the wig yet. I dust my hair with a brown eyeshadow that matches my colour to help hide my scalp at the part a bit. I do get a handful of hair every time I shower and many strands when I brush, and I try to do that as little as possible! It's like my head is a Kleenex box- at some point I'm going to grab the last tissue out and go "oh"! (And a few swear words I'm sure!)😳

Lauralind-As for my results, I did get everything at my appt on Tuesday. My MO had called me last week and told me the biopsy missed. This week he said they sent the wrong one- they did get tissue, confirmed breast cancer and that my receptors didn't change. For my scan, he gave me an "8.5 out of 10"-- 3 of the 5 liver lesions shrunk and 2 grew a bit- stupid cancer! Loves to be inconsistent! Everything else remains stable. So staying on taxol until after my next scan and tissue being sent for molecular profiling.

As for your port, I found my hurt for the first week ( iced it) but know I don't feel it at all. I see it all the time because the silly physician put it right under my collar bone! They really got you when you are in twilight for the procedures! The onc nurses comment every time they access it...one thought he went high because I have had reconstruction, but my boobs are not that high! Lol Oh well,at least it works.

I love that Kt and Shazza get to see each other! Wish it were for other reasons of course.

Everyone have a lovely weekend, we are heading up to a friends cottage for a little R&R!

Hugs to all,

Maureen

Well, ladies, I wish you the best of luck. My cancer did not respond to the Taxol, so I start some other drugs Monday. Keep on kicking cancer's butt. Nasty critter is cancer. Smart like a virus. Mine adapted that quickly to Taxol. Also, the strongest cells took over, so the cancer is more aggressive now. More aggressive than grade 3? Ok.

Hi everyone ! Hows it going? I had my port on Tuesday, closed on a house on wed, chemo Thursday and movers came Friday ! I'm so tired ! But we had a LOT of help. Things are pretty much under control except my personal stuff like my crafty artsy stuff, childhood stuff for me and my grown children etc. I will take my time with that. Otherwise we only have a few random boxes of crap to sift through ha ha

So I finished this cycle of Taxol, it went pretty well. My feet though are NUMB. I need to research what vitamins are supposed to maybe help with that. I'd hate to have to switch drugs at this point (if its working that is). My hair had started growing back during my chemo break and Ive lost most of my eyebrows (almost immediately !) but I still have hair, its not really long enough to go in public without something because its so inbetween. I am getting a few creepy crawlies though, so I'm not sure it will be there very much longer. Sigh.

Charlotte steroids and anxiety !!  I crashed though. And haven't really recovered and its chemo week. Bah. But at least the move is over. Whew.

I did start vit B6 and 12 and glutamine. Will check in Thursday with my Onc before chemo and see what they think. I'm feeling so much better on the taxol id hate to switch drugs (if it's working ) because of these side effects. I used to have some of the ALA. I ll check it out. Thanks !

My hair is still growing. Slowly but it's growing. Weird.   I haven't tried the eyebrow thing yet bc it's so freaking hot I figure it would melt or I would sweat it off lol

kt I get Taxol 2 weeks on, 1 week off. Mostly because I was so sick on the Taxotere and Taxol is in the same family, my onc wanted to see if I could function on it. We may eventually go to 3 weeks on 1 week off, it just depends on if the lymph nodes are responding, which we wont know for another month or so.

I hate how we will never have a "just a pain" again.

Good idea- you'd have to get a good tattoo artist to get a natural look I guess. I wouldn't do it tho because I hate pain especially around my face!!! What a sook I am

I guess I'll try a pencil & see how that goes if I lose mine. They're still hanging in there tho I haven't plucked them for ages as the hairs haven't grown back. They might be thinning I guess

Lauralind if you're paranoid about letting someone who is not a medical practitioner near you with a needle you're not alone. Myself I will continue to use an eyebrow pencil. Got to be careful of infections.

Maybe a good moisturizer. I am on my 18th taxol and been having really bad joint pain especially in my legs I have 9 months more of weekly taxol cannot imagine having these joint pains that long does anyone have suggestions been taking anvil not much help I own my own beauty salon so still working full time on my feet 8-9 hours a day.has anyone else done 4 to 6 cycles of h & p with weekly taxol for almost a year any advice I would greatly appreciate.

Thanks

Patti

Hi Dana, good to hear from you. I'm still doing weekly taxol I'm up to 85 now. I'm on the countdown to 100. Taxol has been kind to me I don't have to many problems with it. I started having a few problems with nausea and a bit of neuropathy towards the end of last year and took 6 weeks off and then started back on a reduced dose. I have been fine since then.

Take care and let us know how things are going from time to time.

Hi Dana

Have you been stage IV since 2003?! That makes you hero status in my eyes! I certainly hope I can achieve that too. I hope your scans come back with good results.

I had a pleural effusion drained recently too (thoracentesis, followed by pleurodesis) feels so much better to have that fluid gone doesn't it.

I hope everyone's having a good weekend. We're having a stormy one with strong winds & lots of rain. I feel a little stir crazy but don't want to go out in it....

Hi Dana I see that you're in my part of the world. I'm also in Bergen County close to the GW. For the neuropathy my onc recommended alpha lipoic acid which don't know if it's a placebo effect or actual but it has lessened the nueropathy for me. Just had my 25 infusion this past Friday. Scheduled a CT scan for the 29th to see how things are going. Hope your scan and mine is good

Torridon Im sorry I cant help you but im sending you good vibes that it means nothing ! Since its liver function tests and not tumor markers, it could be the effects on the liver from Taxol perhaps. I know its touch on the liver.

I don't mean to whine, especially after how bad I felt on the Taxotere but....I had an infusion Thursday after having my week off and my feet are so numb, esp the left foot, its affecting how I move and Ive had a huge increase in bone pain and muscle achiness in my hips and legs. I am taking vit b6 and 12 and glutamine. I take Advil for the pain which eases it off but Advil makes me bleed so I have to be careful with it. I don't want to get into having to take narcotics, because then its taking nausea meds and not really functioning. I don't expect to feel perfect on chemo but Im getting dishearted.

Hi NYC! Thank you so much! I'm in Essex county but yes we are close for sure! What hospital do you get treatments at? I'm at Sloan in NYC. Congrats at being at 25 treatments girl!! Good for you, keep up the strength and hard work! Will be thinking of you as well w the scan for sure!! Best wishes for both of us! Thanks for the advice on the neuropathy, will ask onc next month when I see her!

Have the opportunity to stop taxol for 6 weeks and get into a clinical trial doing immunotherapy! During chemo today the head doc on the trial Dr. Heather McArthur came to ask me to join saying my onc recommended me. I have read about immunotherapy and I am thrilled at the chance but also scared about what if it doesn't work, then I lost 6 taxol treatments that would have and what does that mean for me now? I will ask all my questions when I see my onc in a week. I would like to know where everyone else stands if you were in my shoes? Would you try a clinical trial and stop chemo that's been working so well? To see if immunotherapy could be the answer to chemo days being pushed out further away at stage 4? Or would you pass on an early trial with not much data and stick with what's been working? I am thankful for the option but worried about making a good decision. My dr thinks I should go for it. The trial is called: Ad-RTS-hIL-12

And the name of the pills given is;

Veledimex. basically they inject something (cold n flu virus that's turned off) near one of my tumors (which ever is safest...using CT Guided surgery). (same day) and then I take pills for 7days to build up my immune system...then I wait 6 weeks for a scan and another biopsy to see if my own immune system helped kill the Cancer.

They basically shoot the cold virus that's inactive into my tumor (also take a biopsy of tumor while in there)and then give me pills to up my immune system response and hope that the immune system takes over and kills Cancer the way chemo does.....then in 6 weeks if scans show it didn't work I go back on chemo. Not sure yet if I get to go back on Taxol if this fails or have to switch to a new chemo? I have some questions still. I guess. Would like to know what you guys think? I feel like I want to try! But so scared my tumors can get bigger in 6 weeks if it's a bust. And that's never a good thing.

Dana

Torridon how are you getting on any news re your liver problems?

NYCChutzpuh good luck with your scan I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you,

Lauralind5 I'm sorry you feel so crappy it does seem that sometimes the treatment. Makes us feel worse than the actual cancer. When I was feeling really awful with the taxol a break of a few weeks did wonders and then a slightly reduced dose did wonders for me.

Dana the trial sounds really interesting but I guess there are a few questions still to be answered. Let us know what you decide.

KT i guess you have chemo tomorrow hope it goes well. Is the trial you are talking about the Triple negative one? Although Reuben thinks my cancer is now resistant to hormonal treatment I'm still concidered ER positive so I guess I wouldn't qualify.

I had chemo 87 today and my last one before I leave on holiday on Friday. 3 weeks with no Taxol. I can't wait