HI there, just wondering if anyone is having weekly doses of pacitaxol, if so how is it going. My mum is having her third tomorrow, I’m quite worried about it as she had a bad reaction on her second but was told it would probably not happen again, fingers crossed. The side affects havnt been too bad yet, mainly fatigue and feeling like a zombie for a few days a week. Is pacitaxel working for anyone x
Hi Cashmore1,
I am really sorry to hear you and your mum are going through this difficult time and I am sure users will be along soon to share their experiences of pacitaxel and offer their support.
I have moved your post to the Supporting Someone With Breast Cancerboard in order to give users more of a chance to respond.
In the meantime you or your mum can always contact the helpline at 0808 800 6000 who will be able to talk to you about pacitaxol, its side affects and have a friendly chat.
Best wishes,
Lizzy
Dear Cashmore1,
I really hope your Mum’s third treatment went alright.
Paclitaxel is a drug that due to its properties, can cause some reactions from the immune system. I know a Paclitaxel reaction can be very scary for the person receiving it and also to her loved ones that present on that moment. However, nurses and doctors know this can happen and there are guidelines to treat the reaction and to prevent it from happening in the future. The most common modality, which I believe is what happened to your Mum, is giving some extra medication to go home and start to take the day before the treatment.
Usually well tolerated and people can carry on with their treatment with no more reactions.
Unfortunately, extreme tiredness is one of the side effects of Paclitaxel, amongst several others. Recommendation is to keep as hydrated as possible and even if she doesn’t feel like to, to get out of bed whenever your Mum is able to. Side effects like this are reversible and is a way of the body saying it needs to lay low in order to recover. However, if this persists, the medical team has to be made aware of. It might mean that your Mum is not tolerating the whole dose and it might need to be reduced.
Hope this was helpful and that she is doing well!