Finished my adriamycin/cytoxan cocktail now comes taxol

pinkkari09
pinkkari09 Member Posts: 877
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hi pink ladies, I just did my fourth and final adriamycin/cytoxan cocktail today. In two weeks I start 12 weekly rounds of taxol. Any word on this one?? After the taxol I will undergo a bilateral mastectomy, lymph nodes, radiation, then reconstruction. The adriamycin/cytoxan has shrunk the tumor some (5.5 to start) the pet ct will tell more in two weeks. I have had some pretty bad side effects from the adr/cyt mix and the neulasta shot but not throwing up so that's a plus, really curious to hear how taxol has effected others....
Great gratitude to all of you and this site,
Keeping the faith,
Kari

Comments

  • mickeymom
    mickeymom Member Posts: 117
    #2
    Not as bad
    I also did 4 rounds of adriamycin/cytoxan and for the most part, taxol was easier. I had no stomach/intestine issues at all and felt better much faster. It does have some other side effects that A/C doesn't. I had terrible joint and muscle pain that started two days after the treatments and would last about a day and a half. Advil helped a little, but not completly. Some people say that Claritin (the allergy medicine) helps - it didn't help me, but other people swear by it.

    Taxol also can cause neuropathy in your fingers and toes. Some people don't get this so I'll keep a good thought for you. My finger tips and toes are slightly numb most of the time and tingle too. I'm told this will also go away in time but it might be a while.

    I didnt' lose any more hair and some people actually see their hair start to grow back during taxol. My eyelashes and eyebrows started to fall out around the last treatement (3 weeks ago) but I haven't lost them all yet.

    Taxol has a higher rate of adverse reactions at the time of the infusion so sometimes you end up with extra steroids to take. Those have all their own side effects but you might not see that because I did dose dense (4 treatments every two weeks) and you will get a lower dose over a longer time which should help with the side effects. Maybe someone who did Taxol over a longer time will help with that answer.

    You're finished with the harder chemo of the treatment and this should go easier. Hang in there! You're doing great!
  • lmmo
    lmmo Member Posts: 56
    #3
    mickeymom said:

    Not as bad
    I also did 4 rounds of adriamycin/cytoxan and for the most part, taxol was easier. I had no stomach/intestine issues at all and felt better much faster. It does have some other side effects that A/C doesn't. I had terrible joint and muscle pain that started two days after the treatments and would last about a day and a half. Advil helped a little, but not completly. Some people say that Claritin (the allergy medicine) helps - it didn't help me, but other people swear by it.

    Taxol also can cause neuropathy in your fingers and toes. Some people don't get this so I'll keep a good thought for you. My finger tips and toes are slightly numb most of the time and tingle too. I'm told this will also go away in time but it might be a while.

    I didnt' lose any more hair and some people actually see their hair start to grow back during taxol. My eyelashes and eyebrows started to fall out around the last treatement (3 weeks ago) but I haven't lost them all yet.

    Taxol has a higher rate of adverse reactions at the time of the infusion so sometimes you end up with extra steroids to take. Those have all their own side effects but you might not see that because I did dose dense (4 treatments every two weeks) and you will get a lower dose over a longer time which should help with the side effects. Maybe someone who did Taxol over a longer time will help with that answer.

    You're finished with the harder chemo of the treatment and this should go easier. Hang in there! You're doing great!

    me too
    I am also in the same treatment. I finished my A/C a week ago Thursday. It was the hardest ever. I too am curious about Taxol. Thanks for the post and good luck.
    Lisa
  • jennytwist
    jennytwist Member Posts: 896
    #4
    I had the same ...
    Hi Kari,
    I had the same, A/C for four rounds, then four rounds of taxol - mine was dose-dense - I had 16 weeks - every two weeks. The A/C was the worst - nausea mostly. The taxol made me achey and turned my nails bumpy and weird - I lost my eyelashes & brows then but I was able to work more on the taxol. Just remember - it won't last forever! Go Girl!
    much love,
    Jenny
  • tgf
    tgf Member Posts: 950 Member
    #5
    jennytwist said:

    I had the same ...
    Hi Kari,
    I had the same, A/C for four rounds, then four rounds of taxol - mine was dose-dense - I had 16 weeks - every two weeks. The A/C was the worst - nausea mostly. The taxol made me achey and turned my nails bumpy and weird - I lost my eyelashes & brows then but I was able to work more on the taxol. Just remember - it won't last forever! Go Girl!
    much love,
    Jenny

    taxol
    I was on weekly taxol/herceptin for 12 weeks ... and for those of you who have been on A/C or any of that tougher stuff ... the taxol will be much, much easier. Sure ... I had side effects ... but they were all manageable. You'll all do just fine.

    hugs.
    teena
  • mcsessions
    mcsessions Member Posts: 48
    #6
    tgf said:

    taxol
    I was on weekly taxol/herceptin for 12 weeks ... and for those of you who have been on A/C or any of that tougher stuff ... the taxol will be much, much easier. Sure ... I had side effects ... but they were all manageable. You'll all do just fine.

    hugs.
    teena

    My Mom has been offered the
    My Mom has been offered the option of Taxol for 12 weeks or Taxotere 4 treatments every 21 days when she finishes her first 4 rounds.

    Please keep me posted about your side effects on the 12 weekly treatments. I do too believe that since this is a "lighter" dose the side effects will be less.

    Dr. explained that the 12 weekly treatments is the way they do it in the US and 4 every 21 days is the way they do it in Europe.

    But both are equally effcient.
  • mlmjt1
    mlmjt1 Member Posts: 537
    #7
    Hi Kari
    I had a/c then had taxol/herceptin for 4 rounds every 2 wks apart and truly you should find the taxol much easier. I was achy for about 1 wk and I tried 800mg ibuprofen 2 times per day and it only helped about 6 hours each time. I was given allegra which is an allergy med and it made a big difference. I still ached but I chose not to take any ibuprofen for it because my stomach is touchy. For the most part it was much better.

    Take heart Kari, I think the worst is behind you.

    Hugs
    Linda T
  • JmG86
    JmG86 Member Posts: 53
    #8
    I did the taxol for a year.
    I did the taxol for a year. 3 weeks on, one week off. It was totally managable. I did lose my hair, eyebrows, lashes, all of it. But it started to grow back in about 3 months, and I was still in treatment! My nails got really wierd - odd color, really bumpy. But I didn't get as achy as everyone else mentioned. I did get the neuropathy, but perhaps because I was on it so long. I've been off that chemo for about six months, and the neuropathy has improved. Didn't miss one day of work. As they said, this is very tolerable. Good Luck!
  • Eil4186
    Eil4186 Member Posts: 949
    #9
    Taxol is way easier. No
    Taxol is way easier. No nausea. Some bone pain and fatigue.

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