Side effects after completing Taxol/Carbo treatment

Platinum side effects
My understanding is that you are experiencing the side effects of the carboplatin chemo. My oncology nurse called it "bone pain." The platinum affects the bone marrow and that is also how the white blood cell count is lowered while on carboplatin.

I paid for the Moss Report to get the latest research on my type of cancer (papillary serous stage IIIc grade 3 with peritoneal carcinomatosis diagnosed 8/10) because I wanted to know EVERYTHING out there that might help me besides chemo. The Moss Report listed a product called "Biost" made by Standard Process as being beneficial. I have taken this supplement (made out of raw veal bone meal) 6/day with meals since starting on the same chemo that you are on. I also take other supplements to treat/prevent neuropathy and for general wellness. I also see a doctor who prescribed EDTA (chelation therapy) to remove the platinum from my bones after it has finished doing it's job. AND I am using high-dose ascorbic acid IVs 3 times/week to prevent platinum resistance.

I realize that I cannot compare my situation with your situation because I have only had 4 carboplatin treatments. However, I have no bone pain at all. The oncologist stopped using Taxol because I had "brain poisoning" from massive tumor die-off (after 2 Taxol treatments) and thinks I don't need Taxol at this time.

My hair fell out from the Taxol but since I am only on the carboplatin now, it is growing back and I only get mild fatigue and a few days of poor appetite after chemo. No other side effects. I had some mild neuropathy in the past but 300 mg alpha lipoic acid keeps that away.

Time will tell how I do (CA-125 is now 13.2 down from 17,000 in October 2010) although I already feel like a long-term survivor (it's just a matter of time because I can call myself that).

Best wishes,

Carolen

Peripheral Neuropathy
There are three major groups of nerves in the human body.

1. The peripheral nerves that carry information to and from the limbs.

2. The nerves that supply the bowels and other internal organs.

3. The nerves of the head which connect to the ears, eyes, taste buds, etc.

Nerves in any or all of these major groups can be affected by certain chemotherapy drugs.

Nerves are vulnerable to many kinds of damage. They can be damaged by certain cancers. This may be caused by the cancer cells producing a particular kind of biological agent that interferes with the function of the nerves.

Sometimes, they can be damaged by drugs used in chemotherapy treatment. The chemotherapy drugs that most likely cause nerve damage are the vinca alkaloids, platinum drugs and the taxanes. These drugs have the potential of interfering with nerve function.

You may notice symptoms in different areas of your body depending on which groups of nerves are affected.

Symptoms in the hands and feet happen when peripheral nerve damage happens. The first sign of nerve damage is usually a feeling of tingling and numbness like what you experience when your foot goes to sleep after you've been sitting for a long time in an uncomfortable position.

If the problem progresses further, it often produces weakness of the muscles, resulting in loss of strength at the wrist or the ankle. You will notice difficulty in doing up buttons and picking up coins. You may notice that you will tend to trip while walking up stairs or dragging your feet and tend to have a wide-based gait. In severe cases, the weakness may be so severe that you will need a wheelchair.

When the nerves in the bowel are affected, constipation is the earliest sign. In a few people, the abdomen becomes bloated with a distended bowel that is basically paralyzed.

Some of the nerves in the head can also be affected. Platinum drugs can affect the auditory nerve and cause loss of hearing and tinnitus(ringing in the ears). Vision can very occasionally be affected.

A lot depends on how quickly your cancer treatment can be stopped. Sometimes the need for treatment is more urgent then the residual nerve damage. Sometimes, the balance between benefit from the drug and the side effect of nerve damage is more finely balanced.

Once treatment has been stopped, recovery is usually slow. It may take months to get even partial improvement and often there will be some residual impairment, either a motor weakness or a sensory numbness or both. Recovery is slower in the feet and legs than in the hands and arms.

There is no specific treatment that enhances nerve recovery. There are no drugs that will directly stimulate nerve regeneration or recovery. If you have severe and prolonged pain, then the pain may require narcotics often combined with antidepressants. In some cases, certain types of anticonvulsants would be helpful.

Treatment options are subjects that you should discuss with your doctor, so you have accurate expectations of potential benefits and side effects.

Chemotherapy drugs that can cause neuropathy. NCI lists these as most likely to do so:

Cisplatinum (Platinol)
Carboplatin (Paraplatin)
Vincristine (Oncovin)
Vinblastine (Velban)
Etoposide/VP-16 (VePesid)
Cytarabine (Cytosar, Ara-C)
Hexamethylmelamine (Hexalen)
Suramin
Paclitaxel (Taxol) and Docetaxel (Taxotere)
Other medications reported to contribute to neuropathy include oxaliplatin (Eloxatin), gemcitibine (Gemzar) and thalidomide (Thalomid).

childofthestars said:

TANI
Hi Tani
Doesn't joint pain just SUCK!! I exercise and swim about 3-4 times a week and I feel almost pain free for an hour or so after and then pains return so I think that adreneline is obviously a good thing as it relieves the pain albeit short term - wouldn't it b nice to find a drug that could do this with NO adverse side effects!
((Hugs))
Michelle x

Thyroid
Michelle,
I recommend you read the following book:
"Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms If My Lab Results Are Normal?" by Dr. Kharrazian. This book discusses the autoimmune condition you mentioned you have, and how to treat the condition, rather than taking just thyroid hormone, which does not solve the problem. As soon as I got onto his plan, my muscle and joint pain disappeared.

After Taxol

Good Morning Childofthestars...  I just joined this site today and read your story.  I completed my last Taxol treatment 6 weeks ago today and I too am 46 years old.  Your description above describes ME exactly... including the aches and pains in the joints and feet, and my eyelashes and eyebrows seemed to fall out AFTER the treatments were over.  UGH   But I experienced relatively few side effects during the actual treatments.   I have described my aches and pains to others exactly as you have described it above.. feels like I have just done a rigorous workout after not having gone to the gym in months!    I see that I am not alone and just wondered how long it takes before these symptoms go away?  I am achy all the time and hoping my eyelashes come back soon!    I have a little hair growth but feel like it's moving very slowly.   Any insight you have would be greatly appreciated! 

Severe Neuropathy

I just joined the group today and just looking for a lil support regarding my severe neuropathy.  I went through 2 different phases of chemo for triple negative breast cancer.  I received 4 treatments of adriamycin and cytoxan followed by 12 weekly doses of taxol with carboplatin every 3 weeks.  I finished chemo the end of May and then did 33 treatments of radiation.  I completed everything the end of July.  I have developed a severe case of neuropathy which seems to have gotten worse after chemo was done.  I am trying to find some relief but there just doesn't seem to be much.  I have taken gabapentin and lyrica but after realizing they were not working, I quit taking them.  Also, I have realized that I don't have much strength throughout my entire body.  Just looking for advice on what others have found that has worked or what things you have experienced.