Hey guyz
Just finished my 4 FEC’s and I am now moving to the 12 weekly cycles of taxol & hercep, anyone been on a similar regime, how are the side effects, though FEC was tough but atleast after the 10 days we could carry on with life. I am slightly worried about the Taxol & Herceptin.
take care hugs malaikah x
Hi Malaikah,
Can’t help with any answers to your questions but I just wanted to let you know that I’ve got one more FEC to go (in 2 weeks time) then I’ll also be moving to weekly Taxol and have the same worries as you about having some ‘normal’ time between treatments when they are so frequent.
I’ll be interested to see any responses to this thread and hear how you get on. I don’t see many people mentioning weekly Taxol on here, 3 weekly Taxotere seems much more common.
You may be interested to know that I’m having chemo to shrink my tumour before surgery and the FEC is working fabulously (gone from 15cm to 4cm so far after 3xFEC), my onc said he could continue with more FEC instead of the Taxol but that patients who switch usually do just as well on Taxol and often even better so he recommended changing. I found that good to know. He also said that there has been a very good study that suggests that weekly Taxol may offer an improvement in long term prognosis over 3 weekly Taxol or Taxotere.
I’ve been having Neulasta injections to increase my WBC count after FEC but won’t be able to have these with the Taxol as the dose interval is too short but he assures me that weekly Taxol has a much less drastic effect on the bone marrow.
All sounds good to me, still concerned about SE’s but I think my concern is just more of that anxiety about another step into the unknown, hopefully once we’re into it again things will get easier.
Please let me know how you get on, perhaps we can hold each other’s hand through this one!
Linda
xxx
I will for sure let you know the chemo nurse seems to seriously think that once u have done with FEC and coped with it, Taxol seems more manageable, I had the injections too, have you heard of LifeMel honey, apparently its supposed to help with the white blood cells.
good luck, its a tough ride but we will ok hugs xoxo
I have heard of LifeMel but not sure it’s for me - I bought some Manuka honey when I first started FEC but keep forgetting to take it. Luckily my blood counts have been normal throughout so far. Maybe when I’m not having the Neulasta I’ll be more motivated to remember the honey so I’ll give it another go when I start the Taxol!
xx
Hi!
I’ve had 4 cycles of FEC and am in the midst of my 12 cycles of weekly Taxol. I’m having herception every 3 weeks as well. Just had my 5th cycle of Taxol on tues.
You’ll be glad to know that Taxol is so much better than FEC!! Had no nausea whatsoever during my first dose of Taxol and Herception. Had a wee bit nausea on the 1st night of my 2nd and 3rd cycle of Taxol but i didn’t have to take any anti sickness pills at all.
It looks like i’ll get that bit of nausea only if i had Taxol without Herceptin administered on the same day.
There’s also some achiness and soreness with Taxol but it feels a little worse if I had Herceptin together with Taxol.
My main problem right now is that I’m getting hot flushes about 3-4 times at night so I haven’t been sleeping too well. This started after the 4th cycle of Taxol. Will have to ask my ONC for some remedies when i see him.
In the meantime, please let me know if anyone knows of any remedies?
Oh yes, i had injections to increase my white blood count during FEC but with Taxol, there’s no need for that at all.
Thanks and take care!
Sylvia
thank that has given me some confidence, I will for sure share any remedies i hear that may just ease this for us, I am going to be the same cycle as u with herceptin every 3 weeks,
but i am told to be careful with hot flush remedies that it doesnt contain anythin that could effect the levels of oestrogen in the body.
good thanks for sharing hugs xxoox
I forgot to mention this in my previous post but my hair has started to grow back so that’s something to look forward to if you didn’t use the cold cap!! 
I just called my chemo nurse to ask her about hot flush remedies and she mentioned that some of her chemo patients highly recommand using the ladycare magnet. Guess this would be something that we can consider buying.
Here’s some info on it.
ladycare-uk.com/what_is_ladycare.php
boots.com/en/Ladycare-menopause-relief-magnet_122270/
Thanks for your posts Sylvia, it’s good to hear from someone who’s having Taxol.
I’ve added the magnet to my Boots.com favourites so if I develop hot flushes I can give it a go! Not sure how hubby will feel about me sleeping with a magnet in my knickers but what’s one more indignity eh??
Linda
xx
Hi Malaikah
I had Taxol and Herceptin 2 years ago and found it easier than 3 weekly chemotherapy. The good thing was I only had 1 day a week when I wasn’t feeling good and had a couple of good day EVERY WEEK!. Not sure if you’ve lost your hair but I used the cold cap and it worked. Hope it’s going to be ok for you.
Best wishes, Gemini.
I lost all my hair with FEC 
well just had like a thin film left i kinda left it thought keep me warm…so doesnt work LOL, seriously hair grew back during tax… i am gonna party if it does LOL…
thanks for the remedies for the hot flush, I am going to get some this weekend and keep it, its suprising i kept my periods during fec…but i guess with herceptin n tax maybe its time for them to go…
damn at 34 u never thought u’d worry about menopause now LOL…
good luck everyone, thanks so much now i can stop freaking out at the poor familia…
have a good weekend x
Hi Malaikah,
I’m 32 and I kept my periods during fec. So far, I’m still having it with taxol & herceptin.
get ready to party as I also know of another lady whose hair grew back during taxol!!
Take care everyone and enjoy the rest of the weekend!
Sylvia
I will be moving on to 12 weeks of Taxol in March. My 4th FEC to come. Glad to hear the side effects weren’t too bad for you. Seems such a long haul.
Helen
Well I had my first of 12 weekly Taxol on thursday and have to say that so far it’s been fine. I felt rough on the afternoon after having chemo - came home from hosp and went straight to bed - but that was due to side effects from the infusion of Piriton given before the chemo, made me feel really dizzy and spaced out. Other than that I’ve been fine, no nausea and just a touch of backache. I was well enough to take the boys to the zoo yesterday and go out for a meal with hubby tonight.
I am getting some hot flushes at night but not finding them too much of a problem as yet, still might invest in that magnet though!
Here’s hoping things continue as well for the next 11 weeks!
i just finised my 7th taxol yesterday compared to fec its not too bad, a bit fatigue, hair is growing back, i guess its gettting a bit tiring and accumulative, the one thing taxol does it makes you a wee bit depressed or emotional, i am wondering if anyone else has experienced, feel a bit spaced out…
anyone has managed to find out more on hot flushes, the chemo nurse seems to feel that antidepressants help but i am not sure i want to down that route there…
Have you tried acupuncture for the sweats? Marvellous!
I have had 2 doses of Taxol with Herceptin and Perjeta. I had one dose on a Wednesday, the next week on Wednesday, and this week they are not giving me any. I will be getting it 2 weeks on, and one week off. When will my hair start to fall out?
I just finished my 12th and final infusion of Taxol/Herceptin last week. I found it to be very tolerable—I didn’t experience any hair loss at all until the tenth infusion, when I started shedding more than normal—this week I would say I am shedding heavily but I predict (hope) I will keep about 80 percent of my hair. My eyebrows have thinned a bit, still have my eyelashes and all body hair. At about week 8 I started to notice a little numbness in my left foot which comes and goes. My blood counts all dipped a little below normal but I’ve been able to work and play tennis and feel pretty good. (I have stage 1b triple postive IDC) Next up: radiation and Tamoxifen! And will continue with Herceptin every three weeks for a year.
Hi Justlikely…we have very similar diagnoses. I am triple positive stage 1. I hope I go as long as you without Losing. I just finished my 4th round of taxol and herceptin, still hAve my hair. It’s shedding slightly. I also bought a very expensive wig as I was told I would lose my hair by day 15.
I also will be getting herceptin for a year and tamoxifen for 5 years as well.
Hi
May I ask you
Which cooling caps did you use ?
I am preparing for my 12 round chemo
Once a week
Stage 1 negative nodes and clear margin
IDC my diagnosed with ER +PR+ HER2 +
Please send me an email
Thank you
I am