TAXOL Chemo Question

LoveBabyJesus
LoveBabyJesus Member Posts: 1,679 Member
edited May 2011 in Breast Cancer #1
Hi ALL-

I just had a question regarding the TAXOL chemo. I am getting my last AC this Friday (YAY!!!!!!!!!!!) but I am a little nervous about Taxol. I guess I want to know what to expect. I hear bone pain can be very severe to the point of not been able to stand. How was your experience?

Thanks for your help!

Comments

  • grams2jc
    grams2jc Member Posts: 756
    Taxol pain
    Hi:

    Just finished my 4th Taxol and found that the bone pain after the 1st one was AWFUL, almost exactly 36 hours after the drip stopped. Never knew I had so many bones in my feet. My onc slowed the drip from 4 hours to 6 and I started taking benedryl at the 1st signs of pain, I read here that some ladies took Claritin and I tried that but Benedryl really worked the best for me. So much better!! Still a little pain but nothing like the first treatment.

    Good luck!!
  • joannstar
    joannstar Member Posts: 403 Member
    glutamine
    My onc had me take glutamine supplement (30mg of powder 3X per day) 2 days before and 3 days after Taxol treatments. It is supposed to help with the bone pain. I still had pain and took oxycotin for it because my onc did not want me to mask a fever with Tylenol.
    Good luck,
    JoAnn
  • LoveBabyJesus
    LoveBabyJesus Member Posts: 1,679 Member
    Thank you Ladies...
    Was the pain in your entire body or some parts? Could you move at all?
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    No Pain at all
    All consuming EXHAUSTION - though with 12 weekly Taxol I had.
  • grams2jc
    grams2jc Member Posts: 756

    Thank you Ladies...
    Was the pain in your entire body or some parts? Could you move at all?

    Extremity pain.
    The pain went from elbows to finger tips and knees to tips of toes. I have had rheumatoid arthritis for 23 years so kind of understand living with pain. This hit me worse than that .... that being said maybe the RA reacted with the Taxol to make the pain worse. It's possible you won't have any pain at all. Seems lots don't.

    Jennifer
  • mwallace1325
    mwallace1325 Member Posts: 806
    Little pain
    I also had 12 weekly taxols and didn't notice so much pain, but did have neuropathy in feet and that seemed to make them itchy. I do remember my eyes tearing all the time. I got just as tired of telling people I wasn't crying as they did asking. I've since learned that it was a sign of dry eyes and that drops would have helped.

    Hoping you got thru theses treatments with no problems whatsoever.

    marge
  • LoveBabyJesus
    LoveBabyJesus Member Posts: 1,679 Member
    Thank You for your replies...
    I am just trying to prepare for TAXOL which I will get in three weeks. I am getting the full dose in 4 sessions. My Onco keeps telling me "you are young" - 33, but still want to know what to expect.

    I will ask about claritin.
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member

    Thank You for your replies...
    I am just trying to prepare for TAXOL which I will get in three weeks. I am getting the full dose in 4 sessions. My Onco keeps telling me "you are young" - 33, but still want to know what to expect.

    I will ask about claritin.

    Not understanding - you are
    Not understanding - you are getting 4 doses 3 weeks apart or only getting 4 doses weekly?
  • joannstar
    joannstar Member Posts: 403 Member

    Thank you Ladies...
    Was the pain in your entire body or some parts? Could you move at all?

    Yes I could move
    but my back and legs hurt. I had trouble lifting my feet to walk or go upstairs, but I worked through the entire treatments except the infusion day and one other day each cycle (either day 4 or 5) and only took Oxycotin when I was home--not at work.
    Remember, everyone reacts differently. You might not have any pain at all like some of our pink sisters have reported.
    Good luck,
    JoAnn
  • LoveBabyJesus
    LoveBabyJesus Member Posts: 1,679 Member
    Rague said:

    Not understanding - you are
    Not understanding - you are getting 4 doses 3 weeks apart or only getting 4 doses weekly?

    I am getting 4 doses 2 weeks
    I am getting 4 doses 2 weeks apart.
  • dbhadra
    dbhadra Member Posts: 344 Member

    I am getting 4 doses 2 weeks
    I am getting 4 doses 2 weeks apart.

    I had 12 weekly doses of Taxol
    ..with no pain at all, and really minimal side effects. Mainly trouble sleeping because of high steriods, which were later cut down. I found the Taxol part of chemo much easier than the FEC portion, which I am doing now.

    Of course we all react differently to different chemo drugs but for me, the Taxol experience was not bad at all.
    Laura
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    dbhadra said:

    I had 12 weekly doses of Taxol
    ..with no pain at all, and really minimal side effects. Mainly trouble sleeping because of high steriods, which were later cut down. I found the Taxol part of chemo much easier than the FEC portion, which I am doing now.

    Of course we all react differently to different chemo drugs but for me, the Taxol experience was not bad at all.
    Laura

    Sorry to say, that I had taxol and taxotere ...
    Horrible side efforts that still linger to this day .. 12 months out -- Did I happen to mention the neuropathy or sleep depravation! Ugh!


    Please check out this drug and its possible side efforts at
    chemocare.com -- contact your Oncologist at any sign of extreme side efforts - dizziness, fatigue, throwing up!

    Strength and Courage,

    Vicki Sam
  • KatieS
    KatieS Member Posts: 5
    Taxol
    First off let me advise that I'm a 10 yr survivor, 7 years as Stage IV. I just ended a 3 yr run of Taxol & Avastin. I've developed liver mets now so I need to switch to Navelbene. My schedule was 3 wks on & 1 wk off. About once a yr I took a chemo "vacation" just to get some of my energy back. I tolerated it very well & my biggest complaint after ea dose was slight allergic reaction (red face & raspy voice the following day) & interrupted sleep cycle (from the prednisone premed)for 2-3 days following. Many patients are allergic to the chemical/drug that keeps Taxol in solution for the IV delivery so you are generally treated first with prednisone, benadryl and tagamet administered IV. Also kytril for possible nausea via IV and perhaps oral Tylenol for possible pain. The benedryl & kytril will probably make you sleepy; I usually nodded off for an hour or so during treatment & I was pretty groggy afterwards so I always had someone with me, or to pick me up so I wouldn't have to drive. I always had my treatments on a Friday afternoon so I could rest over the wknd & be back to work on Monday. Some Mondays I was really tired but I attribute that to the sleep issues. I have a friend who doesn't notice any problems, usually extreme fatigue or a headache, until about 4-5 days later.

    The first dose of Taxol is usually the worst;I seem to recall more joint pain but since I already had chronic bone pain from bone mets, it's hard to say how much worse it was. My white count bottomed out so my onco dialed down the dose a bit so I didn't have to skip a week of treatment while my white count recovered enough to be treated. I regularly have bloody noses but that is probably the Avastin. Chronic fatigue has been my biggest complaint but I've been living with this disease for a long time & the cancer just kind of physically wears you down over time.

    For me Taxol was a great treatment & I'm really sorry I can't stay on it. But everyone is different & reactions vary. I hope you experience will be as good as mine.

    Good luck!
  • chinup
    chinup Member Posts: 4
    Taxol
    I just finished my chemo treatments last Thursday- 4 rounds of a/c and 4 rounds of taxol. I experienced severe joint, muscle and nerve pain after the first taxol treatment, starting 48 hours after. I could barely walk and it lasted for 4 days but waned over that time. I've had knee/leg pain with each treatment following and the last two shoulder pain as well....BUT never as bad as the first time. I also had fatigue but that was a blessing because I wanted to rest during the pain. Everyone is different and I wish the best for you. Just remember there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
  • natly15
    natly15 Member Posts: 1,941
    As you can see from the
    As you can see from the various comments, we are all so different. I had 4 rounds of A/C and besides the nausea found the A/C to be much easier than Taxol. My body rejected the taxol at the 2nd infusion which had to be stopped. My onc sent me home and gave me a 3 week rest and then switched me to taxotere. After the first taxol infusion I had debilitating pain and could barely stand up. Some people do better with the taxol and not the a/C. As I mentioned in other comments, I didnt try to 2nd guess anything. I went with the flow and hndled the side effects when and if they occurred. It's a crap shoot, or perhaps "like a box of chocolates you never know what your gonna get". Hang in there because "this too shall pass". Hugs to you, many hugs.
  • LoveBabyJesus
    LoveBabyJesus Member Posts: 1,679 Member
    Thank you ALL for your
    Thank you ALL for your answers. I get my FIRST Taxol treatment on Friday. :-/

    I will keep you all posted about how I do.
  • lunchlady42000
    lunchlady42000 Member Posts: 1
    Taxol has been a breeze for me...
    I am new at this writing on the board thing. So If I am doing wrong, please forgive me and lead me to the correct places. :)

    I have Breast Cancer 2a with TNBC also. I have been given the treatment of 12 weeks of Taxol, once a week for 12 weeks and I am going on #8. I am lucky to say that I have had no problems except on the third day, I do become more nausea. Other than that, I feel normal as before, maybe a little bit more tired. I am still working and somet times wondering if the Chemo is working or not.
    My next treatement is, I get a week off from Chemo the week of July 4th and then start on AC for 8 weeks every other week. I am afraid of what that will make me feel like. Can I still work? Will it make it me sicker than now? What about being tired? The unknown is the most frightening thing about this whole ordeal I have learned.
    After the AC, it is a lumpectomy and then radiation, sometimes it seems like that is taking a long time, but I trust my doctors.
    I am like Bob the builder and when asked, Can you beat this, I Yell, YES I CAN!!!!
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member

    Taxol has been a breeze for me...
    I am new at this writing on the board thing. So If I am doing wrong, please forgive me and lead me to the correct places. :)

    I have Breast Cancer 2a with TNBC also. I have been given the treatment of 12 weeks of Taxol, once a week for 12 weeks and I am going on #8. I am lucky to say that I have had no problems except on the third day, I do become more nausea. Other than that, I feel normal as before, maybe a little bit more tired. I am still working and somet times wondering if the Chemo is working or not.
    My next treatement is, I get a week off from Chemo the week of July 4th and then start on AC for 8 weeks every other week. I am afraid of what that will make me feel like. Can I still work? Will it make it me sicker than now? What about being tired? The unknown is the most frightening thing about this whole ordeal I have learned.
    After the AC, it is a lumpectomy and then radiation, sometimes it seems like that is taking a long time, but I trust my doctors.
    I am like Bob the builder and when asked, Can you beat this, I Yell, YES I CAN!!!!

    What type BC do you have?
    So you're doing 12 Taxol now and then 4 A/C, then lumpectomy and after that radiation? Certaily, we are each unique but you're the first that I've heard of that did 12 weekly Taxol followed by A/C before a lumpectomy. What type BC do you have?
  • tommaseena
    tommaseena Member Posts: 1,769
    Rague said:

    What type BC do you have?
    So you're doing 12 Taxol now and then 4 A/C, then lumpectomy and after that radiation? Certaily, we are each unique but you're the first that I've heard of that did 12 weekly Taxol followed by A/C before a lumpectomy. What type BC do you have?

    Taxol and bone pain
    My oncologist suggested I take Allegra-why I don't know but it worked for the pain. And still to this day I still take it each day--when I run out and haven't taken it for a few days my knees and hips hurts so I start taking it again and then no pain. If it helps witht he pain and the allergies from the pollen--dual purpose then I'll take it each day.

    Ask you oncologist. Not all get the pain. Everyone is different.

    Margo