Wonder if anyone has experience of weekly Paclitaxel?Been told today my many liver tumours have grown in 3 months so need to start a treatment.Also something tiny in lung shown up.I was dx with numerous liver mets in May 2016 and had F E C chemo.Took letrozole after and done very well on it as liver tumours stayed stable all this time.Dx bone met in spine in 2017 and have denosumab injections ( not since February though as hospital stopped doing them due to Corona virus in March).I am 57.As it’s weekly how badly does this chemo affect you?Scares me frankly will I feel very ill for 18 weeks?Also told I will have to shield and not go out at all due to immune system being affected by chemo.Months inside isn’t a nice thought at all.Thanks for any help Didix
hi Didi62,
just seen ur post re Paclitaxel.
last year i had 12 sessions, once a week for 12 weeks. I didnt find it too bad really compared to other ladies on here.
i did have most of the side effects which sounds scarey but not all at once. You do get more fatigued as time goes on. I kept my finger nails painted with a dark colour and had no problems, same with my toe nails but i did lose my hair. Im on week 7 of 12 isolation Oh and i’m 70 in september 
if i can answer any questions just ask. Do you have a start date yet ?
good luck. Mini mad xx 
Hi Didi
Sorry you’re facing more chemo. I had 9 weekly paclitaxel after three EC treatments. Tbh I already felt like s**t as I’d finished EC with neutropoenic fever and sepsis so I was not in a strong place to start with. The main (long term) effect I had was peripheral neuropathy. Nothing severe but a numb discomfort in every toe and fingertip and some nerve sensation in my lower legs. It’s close to gone now, 13 months later. I was also left with neuropathic pain, where sensations are heightened (opening a cereal box would feel like a knife slashing my fingers) but medication like gabapentin can control that till it’s gone.
There was no sickness or nausea. I was told I would quickly lose all my hair but that didn’t happen, nor did I have any problems with toe and finger nails, which seems to be fairly common. I was flattened for maybe 3 to 4 days each time and then picked up but ‘normal’ was never what it should have been and I really shouldn’t have driven like I did. I had a car accident because I had my foot on the wrong pedal! That’s fatigue for you. As I said though, I didn’t react well to chemo.
It’s meant to be one of the gentler, better tolerated chemo drugs. With luck you’ll be among those who tolerate it well.
As for the shielding, your immunity will be severely compromised so it’s essential. Your last rounds of chemo must have prepared you for seclusion and rest? Just take each week as it comes - at least you’ll get out to the hospital and see humans if nothing else. It’s something I guess you’ll get used to.
Best of luck,
Jan x