What's the skinny on Taxol?

britchick356
britchick356 Member Posts: 45
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I have just finished my 4 treatments of A/C and wonder what the medical profession hasn't told me..again. My onco has me set up to take Decadron/Zantac the nite before and the morning of each chemo treatment. If it is going to be this bad, what hasn't he told me?

Comments

  • kimberjack
    kimberjack Member Posts: 8
    #2
    Hi,
    I will finish my fourth a/c this Friday and I am scheduled for four rounds of Taxotere next. Taxotere is very similar to Taxol. My research indicates that decadron may help prevent fluid retention and may help lessen any allergic reaction which is common with these two drugs. Decadron is a steroid and has some of it's own side effects but mild. I've been taking decadron after each a/c treatment along with my other nausea medication and have had no problems with it. Also, they tell me if you are going to have an allergic reaction to taxol or taxotere, it won't be a delayed reaction, it will happen while your getting the treatment at the doctors office and they can deal with it immediately. I wish you much luck with your treatments. From, Eileen.
  • jeancmici
    jeancmici Member Posts: 665 Member
    #3
    Decadron is to prevent allergic reactions. zantac is taken because taxol is hard on the stomach. I also get Benadryl as an infusion before the taxol. These PRECAUTIONS are so that the treatment is not bad.

    He should have told you that almost everyone gets leg and feet pain from about the 3rd to the 7th day AFTER treatment.Be sure he gives you some good meds for pain like Lortabs.

    Try to approach it relaxed - a lot of us have gone through it.

    Jean

    Go to www.google.com and ask for "side effects of taxol" or "information about taxol".
  • 24242
    24242 Member Posts: 1,398 Member
    #4
    I think sometimes that we put far too much faith in the Doctors who treat this dreaded disease.
    You must read the information out there from your doctor or on internet and in studies to truly know what could potentially happen to you. Doctors don't say much about side affects because they have seen good experiences as well as some bad. If there is a 1% chance it could happen. Likely not to but if you are sensitive you could.
    I went into my therapy knowing what my chances were. Lots of us have children and being there for them out ways any of the bad that happened. I too had problems taking both those drugs. The beginning of migrains for me and I felt better the last 2 treatment when I stayed of decadron. Zoeloph one pill before chemo on coated stomach.
    See the light at the end of your tunnel. 2 more to go. We are thinking of you and the many others who suffer just as we have. Many of us have made it this far many others are fighting their battle. I am so glad to see so many women reaching out because silence can eat you up alive.
    Be Good To Yourself,
    24242Tara
    stress Ensure and Boost for nutritian
    drink lots of water.
  • 24242
    24242 Member Posts: 1,398 Member
    #5
  • imdebra
    imdebra Member Posts: 20
    #6
    the steroids and the zantac (or tagamet)are standard. also, ask about benedryl the night before chemo and the morning of. i take 2 mini-tabs the night before and one the morning of chemo. available without a perscription, but let the doctor know.
    i didn't take the premeds for one treatment, and i can tell you, the side effects you will experience if you don't take them are not pleasant. and they happen as the drip is going in.
    the good news is, taxol doesn't make you sick to your stomach, and the steriods keep you up for a couple of days so you can keep up on your correspondence, pay your bills and generally do all the things that you probably haven't had the energy to contend with up to this point. (but do get your pain script filled. it really helps the third day after treatment.
    good luck-you can do it!
  • britchick356
    britchick356 Member Posts: 45
    #7
    imdebra said:

    the steroids and the zantac (or tagamet)are standard. also, ask about benedryl the night before chemo and the morning of. i take 2 mini-tabs the night before and one the morning of chemo. available without a perscription, but let the doctor know.
    i didn't take the premeds for one treatment, and i can tell you, the side effects you will experience if you don't take them are not pleasant. and they happen as the drip is going in.
    the good news is, taxol doesn't make you sick to your stomach, and the steriods keep you up for a couple of days so you can keep up on your correspondence, pay your bills and generally do all the things that you probably haven't had the energy to contend with up to this point. (but do get your pain script filled. it really helps the third day after treatment.
    good luck-you can do it!

    I'm glad you mentioned the steroids keeping you up @nite. I woke up about 11:55pm after sleping off the alcohol and benadryl in the infusion. I had a couple of immediate side effects, that were dealt with there. It was finally decided that I would get mt taxol on the 2 hr.rate drip. I am basically prepared for anyleg/foot pain to come. It's the hot flashes that have surprised me. Do they go away after several days of treatment?
    Your input has been really helpful. Feel free to give me anymore! hugs,cj
  • ksnarski
    ksnarski Member Posts: 3
    #8
    I am sorry no one has gotten back to you on this. I am sure you have figured out the difference between AC and Taxol. No nausea but hot flashes and bone pain. That's what they told me. I am on #8 of 12. I did really good on AC except for the metal taste in the mouth thing and tired all the time. Do you get the Dex glow? I do and it is horrible. The weird thing is it is only my face that turns red, not everything else. Take care.
  • jeancmici
    jeancmici Member Posts: 665 Member
    #9
    ksnarski said:

    I am sorry no one has gotten back to you on this. I am sure you have figured out the difference between AC and Taxol. No nausea but hot flashes and bone pain. That's what they told me. I am on #8 of 12. I did really good on AC except for the metal taste in the mouth thing and tired all the time. Do you get the Dex glow? I do and it is horrible. The weird thing is it is only my face that turns red, not everything else. Take care.

    I got decadron with some of my AC treatments and of course the taxol. Once I did not get the hot, red face the next day and wondered why. I did not miss it - thought maybe the taxol was not in the drip bag by mistake. But when the leg pains arrived, figured I was just lucky being able to skip the 'dex glow' for that treatment.
  • redriverartist
    redriverartist Member Posts: 54
    #10
    6 down, 2 to go
    I finished 4 rounds of A/C and have had 2 treatments of Taxol. I have to say that this is a walk in the park compared to the A/C. I honestly thought the oncologist was trying to kill me along with all the cells. But I made it. Even with the waves of bone & joint pain for a few days after Taxol, it's still better than the A/C. And it's manageable with pain meds. I understand some folks have different reactions to it - so far, I've been very lucky. No nausea and that's a good thing. You'll have a little pain when the steroids wear off, but, again - that's manageable. I'm just thankful for the Neulasta that they gave me to keep my blood cell counts up. What a miracle drug!

    The folks on this discussion board are amazing. You'll gain strength you never knew you had and knowledge and new friends. Stay on the sunny side and you'll breeze right through it. We're all in this together. Teresa
  • lynn1950
    lynn1950 Member Posts: 2,570
    #11
    redriverartist said:

    6 down, 2 to go
    I finished 4 rounds of A/C and have had 2 treatments of Taxol. I have to say that this is a walk in the park compared to the A/C. I honestly thought the oncologist was trying to kill me along with all the cells. But I made it. Even with the waves of bone & joint pain for a few days after Taxol, it's still better than the A/C. And it's manageable with pain meds. I understand some folks have different reactions to it - so far, I've been very lucky. No nausea and that's a good thing. You'll have a little pain when the steroids wear off, but, again - that's manageable. I'm just thankful for the Neulasta that they gave me to keep my blood cell counts up. What a miracle drug!

    The folks on this discussion board are amazing. You'll gain strength you never knew you had and knowledge and new friends. Stay on the sunny side and you'll breeze right through it. We're all in this together. Teresa

    Dates
    Hi Teresa,

    If you look at the dates of the posts, you'll see they are from 2001. It's one of the tricky things about this site.

    You probably have 2 treatments to go? You are 2/3s through and you sound so positive. I am rooting for you. I took Neupogen (gave myself the shots) when I was on the paclitaxol. It was a lot easier than I imagined. Hugs, Lynn

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