When I finish my 3 weekly chemo of EC I then got do 4 cycles given 3 weekly Carboplatin. And weekly paclitaxel has any body else had this and how do your body hv time to recover if your haveing chemo every week.
Hi
First of all, I’m sorry you’re going through all this rubbish. Reading between the lines, it seems you’ve not had an easy time with EC. I was like a zombie.
Paclitaxel is supposed to be easier on the body. You only have the one lot of steroid on the day as there’s less risk of sickness, then 6 days for the chemo to work. You may be floored for a couple of days but in theory, you will feel more like yourself by day 4 or 5 and more able to function normally. That’s the theory and many women find that’s the case. If you’re like me and get side effects that aren’t even listed, it’s hard work, though not as hard as EC, and your oncologist will monitor you carefully, possibly reduce the dosage, possibly offer you a short break in between sessions 4 and 5. I perked up noticeably in that second week.
The important thing to remember is that it’s important for your recovery and it’s time limited. If you’ve already spent 9 weeks on EC, why waste it by stopping the later treatment? It’s all doable even if it’s sh*t. But you always have the option to stop if your body (and your spirit) can’t take much more. Recovery is very quick but there may be long-term side effects which they’ll have told you about. I get every side effect going and I’d describe them as mild - pesky rather than debilitating.
I hope that helps. I’ve been honest - I had a hellish time with chemo (so I found radiotherapy a doddle) but I have friends who have sailed through, with a few days of fatigue after treatment. We all respond differently so don’t expect the worst. I wish you all the best. If you want to rant about it or ask anything, just PM me.
Jan x