What to expect from Taxol?

heavenlee

Hi everyone,
First of all, I hope you all are doing good. I think and pray for you all ALL the time.
I start Taxol tomorrow. I am a bit sad tonight, I was off chemo for 6 weeks to have my baby and kinda got back to a normal life, now chemo again and it's hitting me again that I have cancer. I was wanting to know what to expect from Taxol. My doc said it was pretty well tolerated. What side effects have you all had that took this chemo? Hair? Where you able to work? I know everyone is different, I had no problems really with AC so I am hoping to get thru Taxol ok. I will be taking it 3 weeks on and one week off on Fridays. Thanks ahead of time for your input.
God Bless, Angel

nocarb1

Hi Angel,
I have taken 5 rounds of taxol so far and am handling it great!! I have a few sleep problems the night of chemo because of the decadron they give me prior to chemo. Other than that and a few aches and pains its so much easier than AC. I never lost my hair with AC or taxol it just thinned out. I have 4 kids and have remained as busy as usual on this. I think you will be pleasantly surprised. Best of luck!! Email me anytime if you have anymore questions. Nocarb1@yahoo.com
Keep smiling :)
Carlye

llange

Hi Angel,
I finished Taxol in June, and I didn't have much trouble with it. I got very achy about 3 days after treatment, and it lasted for 2 or 3 days, but it was treatable with ibuprofen. Also, my hair started growing back with the Taxol. I was able to continue with my usual activities, and I felt much better than I did with the AC.
Good luck, I hope it goes well!
Lisa

maud

Hi Angel,
It will be 2 years in Nov. that I finished treatment.I really didn't do well with the AC and I had to get fluids all the time because I kept getting dehydrated. I had four treatments of that then 4 treatments of the Taxol. I lost my hair after my first AC treatment and it never started to come back until I finished the Taxol. The Taxol just made me very tired out with no energy for about a week afterwards but not everyone reacts the same. I do still have some numbness in my fingers and toes also my hands go numb mostly during the night and I was tested by a DR. to see if I had carpal tunnel again and I didn't he told me it was from the chemo.I PRAISE THE LORD for all he has brought me through and I will be praying for you as you start treatment again.Give Skylar a hug for me . Please keep us posted on how you are doing.
God Bless
Debbie

nhornb

maud said:

Hi Angel,
It will be 2 years in Nov. that I finished treatment.I really didn't do well with the AC and I had to get fluids all the time because I kept getting dehydrated. I had four treatments of that then 4 treatments of the Taxol. I lost my hair after my first AC treatment and it never started to come back until I finished the Taxol. The Taxol just made me very tired out with no energy for about a week afterwards but not everyone reacts the same. I do still have some numbness in my fingers and toes also my hands go numb mostly during the night and I was tested by a DR. to see if I had carpal tunnel again and I didn't he told me it was from the chemo.I PRAISE THE LORD for all he has brought me through and I will be praying for you as you start treatment again.Give Skylar a hug for me . Please keep us posted on how you are doing.
God Bless
Debbie

Taxol. Hum where to start. While I don't want to be the wet blanket here. Let me tell you about one of the side effects of taxol that doctors don't tell you about. And it is preventable. It is called neuropathy. There is a drug they can give you with the taxol to try to prevent this side effect however, because there is a 50/50 chance of getting neuropathy and because this drug is very expensive most insurance companies do not cover it. I had two rounds of taxol in december 99. both times I had to be hospitalized for severe pain from my spine down through both legs. Even after the chemo stopped the pain continued. two years later I have lost the feeling in my hands and parts of my feet there is no cure for neuropathy. and it progresses. I have been told my my neurologist that in time I may become dependent on a wheelchair. The pain is unbearable at times and sleep is almost impossible. I live off neurontin, percocet, and ultram. While this may not happen to you knowledge is the key factor here. Ask your oncologist about this side effect. Good luck.

prayerangel

maud said:

Hi Angel,
It will be 2 years in Nov. that I finished treatment.I really didn't do well with the AC and I had to get fluids all the time because I kept getting dehydrated. I had four treatments of that then 4 treatments of the Taxol. I lost my hair after my first AC treatment and it never started to come back until I finished the Taxol. The Taxol just made me very tired out with no energy for about a week afterwards but not everyone reacts the same. I do still have some numbness in my fingers and toes also my hands go numb mostly during the night and I was tested by a DR. to see if I had carpal tunnel again and I didn't he told me it was from the chemo.I PRAISE THE LORD for all he has brought me through and I will be praying for you as you start treatment again.Give Skylar a hug for me . Please keep us posted on how you are doing.
God Bless
Debbie

I did get the numbness and tingling in my hands. Not my feet like some people do. My hair didn't grow back until 2 mos. after my last Taxol treatment. It attacked my arthritic joints and had to be on pain meds and steroids for 7 days starting the first of each Taxol. I was "new" to this arthritic joint attack. They found research from a Dr. from 1998 stating the same thing.