anyone tried abraxne instead of taxol?

Unknown

Sorry, after 4 days of taxol side effects, I'm desperate.  Anyone tried Abraxane?  I know it's more expensive, but, if it would leave the nerves alone, it would be worth it for me to try and come up with some etra cash to help if insurance won't cover it..  I'm really hurting, and I don't want to take any more pain pills which never seems to help much anyway.. Too tired to walk from the bed today, feet and fingertips are gone, even with lower dose.  I know they use it for breast cancer, why can't we have something better?

Abbycat2

If your doctor can state that it is medically necessary

that Taxol is dropped and Abraxane is necessary, it becomes less apparent that your insurance company can deny appropriate treatment. If your insurance company refuses to finance this more expensive treatment that- I assume you have requested and expected that your doctor would advocate for-then it would be wise that you file a request for a review of this decision. If you are being "dissed" by your insurance compamy, then file a complaint with your State's Insurance Commission. Every State has such a Board to protect us.

I had 6 rounds of Taxol and Carboplatin- the standard treatment available whether it actually works or not. What a cruel joke for those whose cancer simply progresses because this is the wrong treatment. I was able to continue to work full-time with few days off due to the effects of treatment. I had occasional break through nausea and vomiting. The very worst side-effect of the Taxol was outrageously severe lower back pain, leading to 2 epidural shots. Finally, I found relief! 

 

I hope that you find relief soon with more appropriate treatment.

 Cathy

 

 

EZLiving66

(((Nancy))) I was given

(((Nancy))) I was given Taxotere which is supposed to be easier on the nervous system than Taxol.  OMG, I'd hate to see what Taxol is like then!!  

I am so sorry you're going through this - it is horrible!!  I don't understand how some women can go through chemo with relatively few side effects while others have to suffer so badly.

Love,

Eldri

molimoli

Wow!

Sorry to hear you are hurting so much Nancy.I hope your doctor will team with you to deal with any resistance from the insurance but most of all you must find something to ease the pain and discomfort. I sincerely hope it's short term pain for long term gain, I really do.

Moli sending comforting vibes.

Red Corvette

So very sorry to hear you are

So very sorry to hear you are in pain. Wish we had a magic wand to wave away your suffering. Big hugs from my wife and I to you.

Red 

TeddyandBears_Mom

Red Corvette said:

So very sorry to hear you are

So very sorry to hear you are in pain. Wish we had a magic wand to wave away your suffering. Big hugs from my wife and I to you.

Red 

Nancy

Hope you are feeling better today. So sorry for your pain.

You definitely need to talk to your doctor about alternatives or at the very least... something that will give you relief from the pain.

I had a lot of fatigue with my chemo rounds. Even the weekly dosage amounts had that impact on me.  But, I never had pain that was unbearable.

Take care of yourself.

Love and Hugs,

Cindi

Editgrl

Nancy, I'm so sorry you are

Nancy, I'm so sorry you are in such pain.  

From what I've read, Abraxane may be a good choice for you with fewer side effects than Taxol or Taxotere, though it doesn't seem many women here have been treated with it.  I'll be very interested in hearing what your doctor/insurance have to say about it.

Chris

Lou Ann M

Nancy

I am so sorry that you are having that much pain.  I have not even heard of that kind of chemo before.  I hope you can work it out with your insurance.  My thoughts and prayers are with you,  Lou Ann

takingcontrol58

Abraxane vs. Taxol

Hdonswife48,

My integrative oncologist recommended I go with weekly Abraxane/Carboplatin vs. Taxol/Carboplatin.  Abraxane
is given to those are allergic to Taxol and it is believed it works better than Taxol because it is a nanoparticle version of
Taxol- gets into the cells differently and better. Was approved in 2005.  Many studies say weekly chemo is better because
it gives the cancer less time to keep growing or get around the chemo.  Taxol is an old drug, first discovered in 1962.

Since I had already had 2 infustions of Taxol/Carbo, I then started taking metformin (integrative oncologist gave me the drug),
After my 3rd chemo of Taxol/Carbo and one month on metformin, I was practically in remission. 30cm of tumors disappeared. 

I would get the Abraxane if you can't handle the Taxol- you can read about the drug and the guy who invented it. His name
is Patrick Soon Shiong. Remember, neither of these drugs came out originally for endometrial cancer, which is why they have
a low rate of success. Every medical journal article says they need better treatments for advanced or metastatic endometrial
cancer. What does this say about all the chemo they are recommending.  They know it probably doesn't work yet recommend
it because it is all they have to give you.

I would recommend the last book published by my integrative oncologist- The Gene Therapy Plan, by Dr. Mitchell Gaynor.
He had a PHd in molecular biology and was one of the smartest people I ever met.  He saved my life.  Sadly, he passed away
last September.

Please do research on these drugs that your doctors want you to take so you gather as much information as you can
before you agree to take another drug and suffer more side effects.  Personally I believe, if you are Stage III or IV endometrial
cancer, you should get on metformin.  Challenge your doctors. The data is massive on this drug. Go to www.pubmed.gov
(this is the database for the National institutes of Health).  Doctors use this site for reference.  If your doctor tells you
there is no data on metformin he is not telling you the truth.  Bring copies of some of the technical articles on what
metformin does at a cellular level (which is where cancer starts). You can get from the pubmed.gov site. What the
standard oncologists are seeing is that the metformin makes the standard chemotherapy work better- it lets the
chemo into your cells.  Personally, if it was the Taxol/Carbo with the metformin or the metformin alone that put
me into remission, I don't care.  But I remain on the metformin and remain in remission.  I was told I had six
months to live and instead went into remission after six months on metformin.  If metformin gave me a miracle,
it can do the same for others.

What do you have to lose?  Your life. You have to save yourself.  Ask your doctor how many metastatic endometrial cancer
patients have they treated that went into remission by just getting chemo and/or radiation? Not Stage I or Stage II, but
Stage IV? Maybe a few. Probably zero.

Takingcontrol58

 

 

 

 

molimoli

takingcontrol58 said:

Abraxane vs. Taxol

Hdonswife48,

My integrative oncologist recommended I go with weekly Abraxane/Carboplatin vs. Taxol/Carboplatin.  Abraxane
is given to those are allergic to Taxol and it is believed it works better than Taxol because it is a nanoparticle version of
Taxol- gets into the cells differently and better. Was approved in 2005.  Many studies say weekly chemo is better because
it gives the cancer less time to keep growing or get around the chemo.  Taxol is an old drug, first discovered in 1962.

Since I had already had 2 infustions of Taxol/Carbo, I then started taking metformin (integrative oncologist gave me the drug),
After my 3rd chemo of Taxol/Carbo and one month on metformin, I was practically in remission. 30cm of tumors disappeared. 

I would get the Abraxane if you can't handle the Taxol- you can read about the drug and the guy who invented it. His name
is Patrick Soon Shiong. Remember, neither of these drugs came out originally for endometrial cancer, which is why they have
a low rate of success. Every medical journal article says they need better treatments for advanced or metastatic endometrial
cancer. What does this say about all the chemo they are recommending.  They know it probably doesn't work yet recommend
it because it is all they have to give you.

I would recommend the last book published by my integrative oncologist- The Gene Therapy Plan, by Dr. Mitchell Gaynor.
He had a PHd in molecular biology and was one of the smartest people I ever met.  He saved my life.  Sadly, he passed away
last September.

Please do research on these drugs that your doctors want you to take so you gather as much information as you can
before you agree to take another drug and suffer more side effects.  Personally I believe, if you are Stage III or IV endometrial
cancer, you should get on metformin.  Challenge your doctors. The data is massive on this drug. Go to www.pubmed.gov
(this is the database for the National institutes of Health).  Doctors use this site for reference.  If your doctor tells you
there is no data on metformin he is not telling you the truth.  Bring copies of some of the technical articles on what
metformin does at a cellular level (which is where cancer starts). You can get from the pubmed.gov site. What the
standard oncologists are seeing is that the metformin makes the standard chemotherapy work better- it lets the
chemo into your cells.  Personally, if it was the Taxol/Carbo with the metformin or the metformin alone that put
me into remission, I don't care.  But I remain on the metformin and remain in remission.  I was told I had six
months to live and instead went into remission after six months on metformin.  If metformin gave me a miracle,
it can do the same for others.

What do you have to lose?  Your life. You have to save yourself.  Ask your doctor how many metastatic endometrial cancer
patients have they treated that went into remission by just getting chemo and/or radiation? Not Stage I or Stage II, but
Stage IV? Maybe a few. Probably zero.

Takingcontrol58

 

 

 

 

Doctor's dilemma

They have nothing else to offer and they have to make a living so they prescribe and hope to make more hits than misses. Agree with you all the way.

It's great to hear of your NED status and hope metformin does play a role.

Moli, Nuff Love