Hi, I’m on the above chemo treatment - am just about to have 3rd Epirubicin treatment - but am nervous about when I have to change drugs on to the Paclitaxel. Has anyone experienced this chemotheraphy regime?
At the moment i’m normally completely wiped out for about 10 days then not too bad for the remainder of the time until I get hit again. I get all the usual side effects, nausea, light headedness, tiredness, forgetfulness!!!
So far i’ve managed to keep my hair using the cold cap - admittedly its going thin but I still have a complete head of hair. I’m wondering if the side effects of paclitaxel will be worse than the EC (Epirubicin). I will have it every two weeks (done over three hours).
If anyone has any help to offer, it would be great.
I had the same regime,followed by a WLE & I’m having radiotherapy at the mo.
Like you, I was scared stiff about the Paclitaxel but after having a bad time with the EC (including a stay in hospital with neutrapenia after the 4th dose), I personally faired alot better on it.
Didn’t have the nausea and total lack of energy like on the EC.There’s a few new Se’s I experienced,such as painful nails(which are abit discoloured & ridged but haven’t fallen off).
Everyone reacts differently though so it’s a case of wait & see.
Well done for keeping your hair,I didn’t use the coldcap & lost mine quite quickly,eyebrows,lashes,the lot!
Had last chemo Jun 25th,lashes,brows back & headhair almost an inch.
I’m triple neg,and had chemo before surgery to shrink the tumour,is it the same for you?
Btw, before the Tax I was given a few drugs( via my PICC) such as anti-histamine,steriod,something to protect your stomach etc then they have to wait about half an hr before you get the Tax. You’re sat down for a long time.I found the Piriton made me too spaced out to read properly,tended to flick through mags instead.
If you want to know anything else just ask.It goes really quickly once you start having it fortnightly.Good luck with it all,
The painful nails sound horrid - what’s that all about? is there anything I can do to help that not happen?
So far with EC, i’m laid up for about 7 days feeling absolutely dreadful with no energy and nausea 24/7 - which I hate - oh and I mustn’t forget the mouth - god that’s awful - can’t taste, feels furry!!!
I’ve been using the cold cap since the first treatment - i’m told the paclitaxel takes three hours to go through - so i’m going to be sitting there with the cap on for about 6 hours in total - still, if it works, then great - if not, i’m still ready with the wig in the box.
I’ve had my surgery already. Had a cancerous grade 3 on the right hand side and pre-cancer on the left! double trouble!! After my chemo, I have 6 weeks of rads - great joy.
do you have to have any specific tests before starting the Tax? I’ve got a portacath, so i’m not too paniced about all the drugs being given.
Did you have the three week gap between the last EC and then starting the Tax or did they just wait two weeks and then start?
Hopefully the piriton will space me out enough to stop thinking about the ice cold cap i’ll have on my head for six hours!
I’ve still got eyebrows and eyelashes - at the moment…! Lost hairs on my legs and “downstairs” but the hairs on my legs seem to have started to come through - admittedly nowhere near as quickly as they would normally nor as razor sharp - but they are coming through again - did you have anything like that?
Have you started your rads yet? How are you feeling now the chemo is done? Glad to hear your hair has grown quickly - that’s good news for you. do you still wear scarves/wigs or have you ditched those now? I’ve had a quick look in the diary and provided everything goes according to plan I should have my last Tax a week before Christmas!!
I read on here that it’s the exposure to UV that effects your nails & you should paint them with a dark nail varnish,which is what I did during the treatment,so far so good,except for the discolouring and ridging they’re still attached.
The pain in the fingers is like trapping them in a door.I know it sounds horrid but it comes and goes.I also got terrible tingling,like intense pins & needles,in hands & feet.Not so much painful as uncomfortable.
As for the horrible taste in your month,I had it all through chemo,had thrush in my mouth during EC,still not 100% (don’t like tea,alcohol or chocolate!)but almost back to normal.
You sound as if you’re having a similar time to me on EC,I had to write the week off after each dose,lived in my jim-jams.Which is what surprised me about the Tax,I had so much more energy,right from the start.
Yes,there was the 3 week gap between the EC & the start of the Tax.No tests beforehand,though I’ve seen that some have to have a neulasta injection with it,I only had one of them when I was neutropenic in hospital.Think it depends on your blood count.
Still wearing wig,scarves but it’s getting really close to bearing all,I’m tempted today as it’s supposed to be really hot,but not sure if I’m confident enough to cope with the stares,it’s still very,very short!
Leg hair thinned but never went completely & like everywhere else is returning.
I’m having Rads at the mo,having 15 + 4 boosters.It’s number 13 today,and for me they are a doddle after chemo.My skin’s holding up so far (think it helps having small boobs,less surface area) and it’s going really quickly.
I hope I’ve not scared you & you may get different Se’s but you will get through it.
If I can answer anything else let me know.Hope your next chemo goes ok.Where are you having your treatment?
I’d better get a move on,have to catch a train then take a bus to the hospital & I’m not even dressed yet!
I had 4 x EC then 4 x paclitaxel with gemcitabine (part of a trial at the time) and was lucky enough to keep reasonably well through it all even if the tiredness increased and little things like that. I wore wristbands that are used for seasickness and am convinced they helped.
The only problem I had was ending up in hospital after my first EC with low neuts so they gave me a neulasta injection after each cycle to boost my immune system and I was ok. I did find I got a very deep ache particularly in my legs and lower back for about 3 days after the tax/gem cycles but I think that’s due to the tax increasing the bone marrow (or something like that - onc told me at the time and that was 2 yrs ago!) Arnica gel helped a lot on achy muscles and joints. I never had nail problems and indeed my eczema disappeared on chemo !!
Didn’t do cold cap so I was bald - never had a wig either as it was autumn/winter and I was off work so just wore a beanie hat when out. All my hair fell out really quickly on EC with the last few bits on arms and eyelashes after first tax/gem. It all started to grow again about 2/3 months after the end of chemo and just over 18 months down the line is longer, thicker and even more curly than before. I’ve had it cut twice and if it’s straightened out must be about 10-12 inches long. People have been so pleased to see it back (so am I but it’s when the nurses mention it and they’re used to hair growing back)
There was the 3 week gap between the EC and tax/gem which I then had every fortnight. They also put steroids and anti-histamine in before giving me the tax/gem. My veins just held out. Bloods were done before each cycle as normal but nothing else.
Chemo was used to shrink my lump before surgery and then I had 15 strong dose rads about 6 wks after surgery.
Hope all goes well for you and if I can be of any help, just shout.