I’m due to start 18 weekly sessions of Taxol on Tuesday & would really like to be in touch with people who are going through the same thing as me, for moral support!! So thought I would start this thread & hopefully get to know some of you better.
I have bone mets which have remained quite stable on Zometa & Femara, then started showing some signs of activity, so tried 6 months of Capecitabine which again stabilised for a while but now active again, so trying weekly Taxol now. Have to say I’m terrified of more chemo & everything it brings with it, so having people to share the experience with (and moan with!!!) will be really helpful.
Hi Sandytoes,
Yes I’ve seen that & it was helpful. I just feel a bit alone at the moment - it’s that feeling of being in no mans land before treatment starts. Hopefully I’ll feel better once I start next week.
How are things going with you?
Dugsy x
Hi just wanted to say hello I’m on taxol/ carboplatin for lung mets but am on 3 weekly one the se have not to as bad as fec tax still hard though there are a few ladies on here on taxol in the tn thread have a look in there hope u get on ok big hug xx
Hi Dugsy, I’m starting 12 weekly paclitaxel this afternoon, would be glad to have people to share with. From what i’ve heard and read most people seem to tolerate it well, I hope we will be the same. There has been a lot of confusion in my treatment plan. I was on docetaxol/herceptin, had four cycles and then scans which they said showed progression and that treatment wasn’t working. I was put forward for a trial of a new hercptin type drug. When I met the onc running the trial he questioned that decision, had more scans which he said does not suggest progression so not eligable for trial. He has decided to put me on weekly taxol/herceptin. I have bone mets and spots on my lungs which are so small they can’t seem to tell what they are, and just keep saying they are indeterminate.
I’m a bit worried that if i have had progression on docetaxol will another taxane based chemo work better/different. I might make a seperate post to see if anyone knows this.
Anyway sorry for ramble, i’ll let you know how I feel after my treatment today.
Hi I just noticed y post and wanted to say docetaxol didn’t work for me but when was dx with lung mets I was put on taxol and reduced my tumors by 70/50 percent so the 2 are sim but have dif bits in it but he’s also combined mine with carboplatin because of the taxane prob thought u might find this usefull tc Laura
Hello Pumpkin & Laura & thanks for the replies. Hope the treatment goes ok today Pumpkin - do let me know how you get on & how you feel afterwards.
I’m just about to go out on my bike with the kids - making the most of the weather & also days left before chemo starts!
Dugsy x
Hi all, well I didn’t get my first paclitaxol yesterday because I had a reaction to herceptin, even though i’ve had it loads of times before, they said it cen happen anytime even if you’ve had it before. So chemo been postponed to next week, fed up as I had psyched myself up for it.
Dugsy what day are you getting yours? maybe if you feel up to it after you could let me know how you get on?
Hi Pumpkin,
So sorry to hear you didn’t start your Paclitaxel - completely understand how you must be feeling, as I’m now psyched up & ready to start so a delay would really be a downer! Did you not manage to have the Herceptin either? Hope you don’t have the same problems next week.
I start on Tuesday so will drop a post after that to let you know how it goes. Spending my last weekend before chemo eating & drinking while I can still enjoy it!!
Take care,
Dugsy x
Hi Dugsy, Yes I did manage to get all my herceptin, it was about half an hour after it while getting my pre meds for chemo that I took the reaction. Hopefully all will go well this Friday.
Good luck for tuesday, keep me posted.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
Well I had my first Paclitaxel today, plus normal Zometa infusion, so at hospital for about 3 hours which I didn’t think was too bad! So one down, only 17 to go! What a long long road is ahead…just hope & pray it does what it should do.
Not feeling too bad - bit spaced out & quite tired from the industrial strength dose of antihistamine!!! Just had about an hours sleep so feeling a bit more with it now & my Mum is here cooking dinner while I sit on the sofa - what a gem she is!
Will see what the next couple of days bring…but just relieved to have started.
Dugsy x
Just caught up with this thread. I had paclitaxel from Sept 2010 finished it in Feb 2011 - 18 sessions of it. I did pretty good on it, but by christmas had a constant cough/cold. I didnt suffer anything else really, apart from the predicted hair loss. But I have to tell you it worked wonders for me, so much so, that since Feb nothing has been visible on my liver and that after 4 years, it was finally agreed to have a cosmetic surgery mastectomy on my boob to move the original lump. I have another scan tomorrow now, so fingers crossed there is no change.
I hope you cope OK with this chemo - weekly is more doable I think than 3 weekly as the dosage is less in one shot if get my meaning. It is hard as mine was every week for 18 weeks with a couple of misses over christmas and new year.
Good luck and hope you respond to it as well as I did. I also tried capcitabine, but it didnt work for me.
Hello dm1968,
Thanks so much for posting - that’s very encouraging. It’s always a boost to hear of people that have responded well to treatments.
All the best with your scan today - do let me know how you get on.
Dugsy x
H, just a wee update, finally got my first weekly pax yesterday, they kept me in over night just as a precaution for first one because I had a reaction first time I had docetaxol and a reaction last week to herceptin, but everything went ok and home now, not feeling to bad so far just really tired and woozy and wee bit queezy.
Dugsy how have you been over past few days since your first one? any major Se’s.
Hi dm1968 like dugsy said it’s always good to hear from people who have had a good response, long may it continue for you. Good luck.
Hi Pumpkin,
First of all just wanted to say sorry to hear about the mix up with your scans & treatment plan. It’s bad enough being told you have to have chemo but being falsely told it hasn’t worked must have been terrible for you! However, you must also be mightily relieved that everything is still stable - what lovely words they are!! Glad you have finally started the Paclitaxel - how have you been? I was very tired after the infusion, no doubt caused by stress & the piriton, and slept for a couple of hours. Also had achey knees & legs for 24hrs & a terrible headache which lasted a couple of days. And this weird spaced out feeling in the mornings! But on the whole not too bad & all SEs are manageable so far.
Planning a last BBQ of the summer (ha ha!!) tomorrow, with some friends in our garden. Hopefully we’ll dodge the showers!
Take care,
Dugsy x
Hi Dugsy, yeah it’s been a bit of an ordeal but treatment is up and running again. Been not to bad, had it on thurs, felt really tired yesterday, felt a bit dazed, kinda drunk like but not in the nice way! not to bad today just still tired, (slept twelve hours last night, restlessly though), sore legs and still a bit guidy, think it’s like what you said about being a bit spaced out. Hopefuly be fine tomo. Maybe it’ll be easier the further in we get. Hope your doing ok and manage to squeeze in a last barbecue tomo.
Keep me posted on how your doing and how you get on after your next treatment.
Was quite relieved to read your post dm1968. I am due to start on exactly what you have had for secondary breast cancer to stomach and pancreas and am concerned about side effects. 4 years ago had docetaxel for the primary and it was horrid - ended up in hospital as well as the rest of the nasty symptoms. I take your point about the smaller doses - makes more sense to me now. I just remembered I felt worst around day 7 then and was thinking well what will I feel like having another dose at that point.
How did you feel after about 12 weeks? Thinking of Christmas and the family wanting to come and stay - pretty lively grandchildren whom i would love to see but —!
Hope you are still doing well.
Sarcath
Hello all & welcome Sarcath,
Just thought I’d post & see how things are with everyone? I’ve just had my first week off from Paclitaxel & am back in tomorrow for number 4. Have to say I was surprised how tired I felt on week off & it has got my quite down as I presumed I’d be back to normal & raring to go!! Perhaps I packed too much in & expected too much of myself, so probably a lesson learned! Also hair pretty much gone over these past 10 days which has made me sad
Sarcath, have you started your treatment yet? Although weekly chemo is hard work, the SE’s are manageable. I’ve found the main ones are tiredness & yukky taste in mouth.
Pumpkin, how are you getting on? I think you’ll have done 3 by now as well won’t you? Are you having a week off after each 3 as well? Let me know how you are coping & what your SEs are like.
I’ve got my sister coming down to help this week with my gorgeous 6 month old niece, so that should bring a smile to my face!!
Hugs to all,
Dugsy x
Hi Dugsy, I was wondering how you were doing, glad to hear your managing well apart from the tiredness and feeling a bit down, but i think you are right we do expect far to much of ourselves sometimes, and end up dissapointed when we can’t do what we want.
I’ve had four treatments so far, no week off for me, i don’t know why as a few others seem to get a week off too. I’m managing ok, my worst days seem to be 3, 4 and 5 when i get tired and sometimes a bit dizzy but i’m still managing to get out and about and do things, all in all not to bad so far. Getting scans after 8 to see if it’s doing it’s job, fingers crossed!!
My hair had started to grow back in the space between changing treatments but have been told it might fall out again, no sign of it yet though, and to be honest not that bothered, i’d happily stay bald as long as treatment works.
Hope you enjoy your time with your sister and niece.
Hi Sarcath, As you can see from the posts, although we are all different most people manage the weekly treatment ok, just take it a day at a time and listen to your body, do what you can without expecting too much and rest when you need to. let us know when you’ve had your first treatment and how you are getting on.
Hi Pumpkin and Dugsy
Only just seen your replies - I can’t get used to this website - used to use the old one back in 2007/8 when I started off with all this and had no problems. Getting too old I guess. Anyway thank you so much for your info. It doesn’t sound quite as bad as the 3 week cycle - or am I just kidding myself?
Had my info talk today ( could have done without really since have had 2 full chemo courses previously ) and start next Monday. We shall see.
I’ll treat myself to a new wig I think - grey this time perhaps. It sounds as if many get the odd week off which suggests it’s quite hard going. Feel nervous but desperate to get on with it at last after a very long wait.
Love to hear about your progress both of you. Good luck with it
Sarcath
