Hi all
Finally saw the oncologist today after waiting 6 weeks since results appointment after my lumpectomy. Im triple negative but no spread to lymph nodes
I have turned 40 during that time but i do have other health issues such as fibromyalgia and arthritis and im also very obese.
Im not entirely happy with my experience today and just wanted to see what others think or have experienced themselves.
The oncologist had a booklet out ready to show me about paclitaxel, she asked me some questions about my health, my main problems are with my mobility not heart/ lungs(except asthma) etc then she said normally for your kind of cancer we would give EC and paclitaxel but we are just going to do the pax with you to give you a reduced dose. When i queried why she just said about side effects but the ones she listed are things i have experience of anyway so im more likely to tolerate, such as aches and pains, fatigue etc she didn’t give any particular reason why i shouldn’t have the EC. I explained that with my mental health and the fact that im a chronic overthinker anyway, the stress of me constanty worrying it is going to come back as we haven’t done everything we could to reduce the chances, is going to be worse for me in the long run than reasonably short term side effects. She then said she’d send me away with info on both options and see me again in 2 weeks, in the meantime I’ve to have more bloods and a heart scan.
Im just wondering what other people have experienced if they’ve had one or both of these treatments and if they found them to be significantly different with regards to the side effects. I dont want her to just fob me off with the reduced treatment as its easier when my hewlth problems and mobility related and all the blood tests and breathing test and ecg etc ive had over the last 2 years ( a result of getting covid and my asthma flaring up, long since settled back down) have been perfectly normal
If youve got to the end of this Thank You!!
Sarah
Hi Sarah - I had paclitaxel with carboplatin for 12 weeks then EC for four cycles (12 weeks) and found the side effects quite different - although everyone’s response is different. I tolerated the paclitaxel quite well but didn’t like the EC - made my hair fall out for a start, which I had kept during earlier treatment. The nurses acknowledged that the ‘red devil’ (EC) was potentially more difficult - it made me quite sick and they did reduce the dose for the final two treatments after I ha a bad reaction to the second treatment. I’m generally fit and healthy so this lot hit me hard.
Hi @schadwick
I had 3 rounds of EC first and then moved on to 9 rounds of paclitaxel. I have currently completed 7 out of 9 rounds. I haven’t had surgery yet as they’ve done my chemo first - I’m not triple negative, I’m ER/PR negative and HER2 positive.
I found EC difficult. It took me 7-10 days to recover after each round. Main side effects for me were nausea/vomiting, low blood pressure, light headedness and generally feeling extremely hung over. My hair also fell out within 2 weeks of starting.
So far I have found paclitaxel much more manageable. I have started to develop numbness in my thumbs which we’re keeping an eye on, but other than that and some fatigue I’ve had few side effects so far and have been able to work etc.
What I would say, is everyone is different. I have read accounts of people on here who tolerate EC really well with hardly any side effects.
I also think it’s normal to have tests on heart before chemo - I had that aswell so they can get a baseline before chemo starts.
Good luck to you 