Pacitaxel...just starting. Any positive stories please

Going through breast cancer treatment Chemotherapy
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Pacitaxel…just starting. Any positive stories please

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Hi Kittykat0911,

I’ve not long finished 12 weeks of Paclitaxel treatments it went a lot better than I thought it would. I still managed to walk the dogs and potter about, my appetite was good no sickness. I am cool capping and my hair did really well. I had mouth ulcers on and off so I made sure I used all the mouth washes, gels provided and I used to go really red in the face after treatment day which they said was more from the steroids. I had days where I was just so tired but I got used to listening to my body and rested. I’m now on EC which has proven to be a bit more challenging but I’ve only got two of them left so not long. Take each day as it comes and don’t beat yourself up if you have a bad day the next day will be better. The medical teams are great and there’s lots they can do to help with side effects if you need help. Good luck with it all xx

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I’m following this post as I’m also starting 12 x weekly pac
But starting with 3 x EC first

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Hi stevie
Please can I ask did you feel well enough to work (office work from home), also did you have inject for a few days on each cycle?

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My GP signed me off for 6 months. I work in a hospital working shifts and on my feet all shift really physical. They recommended I didn’t work in that environment during the chemo treatment. I could have maybe coped working from home office based work on Paclitaxel but my job just isn’t that type of work and honestly I’m glad I was signed off with all the appointments and I was still healing from my operation . I’m two treatments into EC and I wouldnt have been able to work during this even from home but every one is different I suffer from motion sickness and the EC has made me feel sick I’m on a mixture of anti sickness I just wouldn’t be able to concentrate on work on the EC. Hope this helps .
I have only had to inject during the EC treatment not during Paclitaxel and I have to inject once a day for seven days. So I have treatment on a Thursday and I start to inject on the Saturday for seven days those injections make my bones ache mainly my hips but paracetamol seems to be helping me with that. :+1:

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Hi there,

I was on 4 lots paclitaxel every 2 weeks (last chemo today :partying_face:) following 4 EC every 2 weeks and I found paclitaxel a lot easier. I had it on fridays and was my worse day by worse I was just a little unwell but didn’ need to stay in bed and went a short walk every day. Then monday afternoon I would start to feel better again. EC it took me around 10 days to feel ‘normal’.

I hope the side effects are easy to manage for you and but if not you, you will start to feel better again :revolving_hearts:

All the best with the rest of your treatment :ribbon:

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@d84 @stevie-puggle I’m on EC at the moment. But am finding the injections difficult had heart palpitation from it on 5 days that I had taken it. I will be on 12 x pacitaxel after EC, do I need to have injections as well?

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Hi Jaa2019,

I have only had the injections with the EC. I had 12 Paclitaxel before the EC and didn’t have any injections with that.
Hope your Paclitaxel goes well xx

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Thank you for the info. I’ve got signed off for two months to take off all the pressure and will see how I feel when I start pac weekly treatments.

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I’m having the same, asked the nurse today and no injections on the pac

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Hi stafford22,
That’s good one last thing to have to think about doing the injections.
:+1:

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Best of luck. I found Paclitaxel ok after 3 EC which were awful. Taste went and I found bamboo cutlery really good. Not much appetite and tired. I couldn’t have gone out to work but managed a short walk each day. I’m usually a fit 73 year old.

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No filgrastim during paclitaxel thank goodness! Started paclitaxel last Tuesday and it’s a walk in the park compared to EC. I don’t feel too bad at all! Good luck x

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I started paclitaxel last Tuesday and it’s soo much easier than EC ( so far) I have some energy back and am not breathless!

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I’m the same. Started last Tuesday after 3 lots of EC. I found EC very hard but Paclitaxel seems fine so far. Are you having phesgo too? Took ages to do the phesgo and the paclitaxel! I’m feeling quite energetic and not sick. Bit tired and metallic taste feet a bit tingly but not too bad so far. (I’m 68 and was fit!)

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I have just finished treatment with paclitaxol, weekly for 10 weeks. On the whole absolutely fine. No nausea but did get tired and this increased as treatment progressed. Tiredness was worse a couple of days after treatment, I would tend to chill out at home those days doing a bit of crochet whilst watching telly. Other days I was fine and could pretty much carry on as normal. Haven’t completely lost my hair but very thin with bald patches, I didn’t cold cap.
Main issue has been loss of sensation in my fingertips and pain in my fingernails. The loss of sensation started to creep up on me around halfway through, it is quite common. I haven’t completely lost feeling so it should eventually return to normal, already feeling better a week after my last treatment. The fingernail pain was worse. Happened after treatment 10 with pain in all my fingernails the day after treatment that then settled down to just my thumb and index fingers hurting. My big toenail also hurt and has gone black! It was decided at this point to stop my treatment to prevent any further/long term damage, the oncologist was happy I had had a sufficient dose. It is now 8 days from my last treatment and apart from my thumbs the pain has eased although they only hurt when I touch or knock the nail. Hopefully you’ll escape this side effect!
Xx

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Thanks for your post, I’m starting ec then pax weekly. I’m taking part in a trial and will have a machine for neuropathy and it logs any changes in sensation. Apparently it’s close to sign off. I’ll keep you posted on how it goes x

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I had 4 cycles of pacitaxel. 12 infusions prescribed over 12 weeks. The treatment took nearer 15 weeks to complete because I had some weeks where my white cells were very low and we delayed . Be prepared for this … just in case . It’s very disheartening if you have a finish date in your diary or your head , and that date keeps slipping
I did inject into my tummy to boost the white cell count … initially scary but you get used to it and I was a pro by the end . The injections cause some bone pain … very distinct pain that I’d never felt before … definately linked to the injections and I’d describe as popping sensation … anyone else had this ?

I was signed of by my Dr for 3 months , but after one cycle I realised that I had just a couple of days where I felt unwell and I was well enough to work . I asked my Dr to sign me back fit to work on reduced days ( 3 days a week ) I have a working from home job … sitting at a computer … so I appreciate this won’t be viable for everyone . Working throughout my chemo really helped me stay sane . I loved the work days where I felt like my old self and I didn’t think about cancer all day … if you can do it , I recommend

Pacitaxel gave me horrible heartburn and bloating It was debilitating at first … pain / nausea etc . My Dr prescribed a daily pill to stop stomach acid … it was a game changer … the symptoms were so much easier after that

Good luck … you have got this

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