Know anything about Taxol or Carboplatin?

Bittersweetly
Bittersweetly Member Posts: 14
in Gynecological Cancers (other than ovarian and uterine) #1
Dear friends, I'ved got metastases in my lungs and will be starting on Taxol and Carboplatin soon. If any of you have had either of these and could let me know how it is/was, would be much appreciated. xx Bittersweetly

Comments

  • ccfighter
    ccfighter Member Posts: 476 Member
    #2
    Hi bittersweetly.
    I did the
    Hi bittersweetly.

    I did the combo of carbo/taxol and I did the carboplatin alone. I'm sorry about your metastasis. Mine was to my lymph nodes. I did three rounds of high dose carbo/taxol every three weeks. I did not experience Much in the way of nausea, and took my anti-nausea meds as directed. I gained weight. Perhaps the steroids made that the case but I think it was the carbo/taxol. Don't be surprised if your tastes change. Things just taste different. Water became disgusting. I had some pretty severe leg pains with the first infusion but took L-Glutamine with the rest of the infusions and had almost no leg pain with them. Fatigue is an issue for about a week or so. Two weeks after the infusion I was feeling pretty good, had energy, ate, went out, things were good. Of course the hair loss stinks. During this time my blood counts remained pretty good. After these three rounds I did 5 weeks of cisplatin once a week along with daily radiation to the pelvis. At the completion of this I took three weeks to recupe and then did two more rounds of carboplatin alone. The last two rounds of high dose carboplatin really made my counts drop. I ended up with a treatment delay and had to have neupogen and nuelasta shots to keep my white blood cell counts up, but these shots made me sicker than anything else. It's not fun but I made it through, and really, it wasn't as bad as I was afraid it would be. Good luck to you. Please let me know if you have any other questions. What kind of cancer do you have?
  • funbeadgirl
    funbeadgirl Member Posts: 181 Member
    #3
    Carbo/Taxol
    I am sorry for your diagnosis, I too had a metastatic cancer to the right femur and finished 6 rounds of carbo/taxol on March 1. I think CCfighter is right on regarding the side effects, but each of us might experience it differently. Along with each treatment, I also received the Neulasta shot the day after, and I think that was the hardest thing to endure, I experienced extreme bone aches. Talk to your oncologist and especially the nurses, they are a wealth of information. They had me take Claritin the day of and 2 days after the Neulasta shot, along with the Glutamine supplement. I also depended on the pain meds for about 2 days , no reason to suffer, just be sure to take the stool softener. The chemo drugs add to the constipation problem, they had me on a regular daily dose of senna entire 4 months of treatment. Drink lots of water to flush the chemo out of your body and do whatever makes you feel comfortable. I used a heating pad on my shoulders for the bone pain, it was soothing.
    On a personal note: after my first treatment, I did not feel I could put myself through another treatment because I was so miserable. Then I decided that I had to find a reason to fight this disease so I could go on living, and I did, my 3 reasons were my 3 grandchildren. So with each treatment I endured the pain and sickness for the first 5 days of each cycle, then I felt better. I reasoned that if it was 5 days per treatment, that would only be 30 days out of my entire life that I would have to do it, and I always had the days after that to feel better.
    It is true that it is hard to put yourself through it, but I always say that the first 3 letters in the word cancer are C..A..N..you CAN do it! Cancer taught me that I am a strong person and that I had a reserve of strength I did not realize.
    Be strong and positive, you will get through it and someday it will be just a memory. I wish you the best and all the ladies on this board are pulling for you to get through it.
  • glammyous
    glammyous Member Posts: 1
    #4
    Hi
    I had uterine papillary serous found in a polyp in 2005. I had six rounds of taxol and carboplatin.

    I am very sensitive to any meds, and those were no exception. I did well on them as far as nausea, with the help of a drug called Emend and it worked great. Best drug on the planet. However, please be aware, as I was not told, that carboplatin is used for people with brain cancer since it is one of only a few drugs that can break the blood/brain barrier.

    I had severe bone pain in my bones on day three. I'm no wimp. But that was the worst pain I ever had. I listened to my doctors and took long acting and fast acting oxycontin. I only needed to take it a few days a cycle, and I learned my lesson. I took oxy the night of my treatment so it would be in my system when the steroids wore off thirty six hours later.

    I had prominent nuero problems from the drugs quickly, and ended up having permanent brain damage because I was not followed properly.

    If you are having any signs of neuropathy, tell your doctors immediately. I dont regret choosing to have the chemo because the cancer is an agressive little dude. However, I do regret my choice of medical facilities.

    I wish you the best of luck with the treatment, and hope you have a wonderful outcome.
  • Bittersweetly
    Bittersweetly Member Posts: 14
    #5
    ccfighter said:

    Hi bittersweetly.
    I did the
    Hi bittersweetly.

    I did the combo of carbo/taxol and I did the carboplatin alone. I'm sorry about your metastasis. Mine was to my lymph nodes. I did three rounds of high dose carbo/taxol every three weeks. I did not experience Much in the way of nausea, and took my anti-nausea meds as directed. I gained weight. Perhaps the steroids made that the case but I think it was the carbo/taxol. Don't be surprised if your tastes change. Things just taste different. Water became disgusting. I had some pretty severe leg pains with the first infusion but took L-Glutamine with the rest of the infusions and had almost no leg pain with them. Fatigue is an issue for about a week or so. Two weeks after the infusion I was feeling pretty good, had energy, ate, went out, things were good. Of course the hair loss stinks. During this time my blood counts remained pretty good. After these three rounds I did 5 weeks of cisplatin once a week along with daily radiation to the pelvis. At the completion of this I took three weeks to recupe and then did two more rounds of carboplatin alone. The last two rounds of high dose carboplatin really made my counts drop. I ended up with a treatment delay and had to have neupogen and nuelasta shots to keep my white blood cell counts up, but these shots made me sicker than anything else. It's not fun but I made it through, and really, it wasn't as bad as I was afraid it would be. Good luck to you. Please let me know if you have any other questions. What kind of cancer do you have?

    Hi ccfighter.
    I have stage
    Hi ccfighter.
    I have stage 4b vaginal adenocarcinoma, but as of a week ago, all the cancer in my pelvis is now gone...is carbo/taxol the same as carbo + paclitaxel?
  • Bittersweetly
    Bittersweetly Member Posts: 14
    #6
    Thank you!
    Thank you so much for your comments and encouragement. I am going to talk to my oncologist now, will be starting soon...
  • ccfighter
    ccfighter Member Posts: 476 Member
    #7
    Bittersweetly said:

    Hi ccfighter.
    I have stage
    Hi ccfighter.
    I have stage 4b vaginal adenocarcinoma, but as of a week ago, all the cancer in my pelvis is now gone...is carbo/taxol the same as carbo + paclitaxel?

    Yes, taxol is short for
    Yes, taxol is short for pacilitaxel. I am also an adeno...adenosquamous of the cervix. Rare and aggressive. But, I was treated just as aggressively, with carbo/taxol, cisplatin and radiation. So, here I sit and hope for the best, for me, for you, for all of us. Keep us posted. Be well my friend.
  • Bittersweetly
    Bittersweetly Member Posts: 14
    #8
    Bittersweetly said:

    Thank you!
    Thank you so much for your comments and encouragement. I am going to talk to my oncologist now, will be starting soon...

    More info?
    If anyone else would like to write about their experience, please do.
    I'm starting in around 10 days....

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