Hiya. Please can anyone help. I have Secondaries in my liver and bones and had FAC last year. Sadly I have progression in my liver and I am starting Piclataxol in a few days once my port has been fitted. Please can anyone who has been on it give me any tips or advice on what to expect and what works or didn’t work. Really would appreciate your help ladies, feeling very frightened right now…
Hi horsie5050,
I have now had 7 Paclitaxol, number 8 due on Friday. I have lung and spine mets diagnosed in March. At my original diagnosis 3 years ago I had EC chemo which I found hard. Paclitaxol has been much easier and not too many SE`s. At first I had a mouth infection and nose bleeds, but nothing dramatic. Although I am more tired than usual I find I can carry on as normal although much slower.
If you look through the posts on Taxol you will find some quite positive results. I am hoping that when I have a scan I will also have some positive news. It is a frightening time for all of us with secondaries and I was a wreck for 2 months after my diagnosis but am trying to be positive.
Pam
Thank you so much for taking time out to respond, I too am a bit of a wreck, I think I may ask for some sleeping pills. I am having my first cycle as one large dose rather than 1 a week for 3 weeks then rest on week 4, as we have a family holiday booked and we can’t not go. I had to cancel last years holiday as I was having 6 weeks of rads. Although my husband took the kids to France so they didn’t miss out. I shall keep my fingers crossed for you.xxx
Horsie just here to give you a big hug. I finished Doectaxel in march and I think although of the same “chemo family” effects might be quite different?
Hope it works well for you,
3N3
Hi 3N3, thanks so much. How were you on Docetaxel?xxx
Hi Horsie5050
I don’t know if you’ve called our helpline here, but they are there if you need to talk, calls are free, 0808 800 6000. Also tonight, Tuesday, Secondary Live Chat will run between 8.30pm and 9.30pm where there’s also a nurse alongside a facilitator on hand to help with any questions you may have. If you haven’t used Live Chat before just follow the link below:
breastcancercare.org.uk/community/chat
Take care,
Jo, Facilitator
hi horsie,
i started taxol in feb for lung mets i am on my 18th week this week so far with no side affects and feeling well had ct scan in april with good responce and shrinkage due another scan next month hoping for same news, i am having my taxol weekly.
i was on fec and taxotere in sept 2010 at first dx.
Hello Horsie,
Sorry to hear about your progression. I’m also on weekly Taxol, 3 on 1 off, and have found it an easy chemo to tolerate on this regime; very slight nausea and aches for 2 days each week and a bit of fatigue - very “do-able”! I had no. 11 today and have 7 more to go. I also got the results of my 3 month CT scan last week, which showed an “excellent response”! I hope Taxol will be tough on your cancer and gentle on you, too. Enjoy your family holiday!
Sending gentle hugs xx
Thanks Angelfalls and Lollypop. I was so worried as I had heard that it was a hard one to do, but feel a lot better now! Angelfalls, you must be soooo pleased with yourself! I’ll hope for the same!xx
More pleased with the drugs than with myself, Horsie! ;o) Especially as the ones I was on before Taxol didn’t do a thing… I hope you get great results, too! xx
Just an update on my Appointment with ONC today. He was really pleased with all my blood results, liver and kidney functions looking good and I feel much better. I asked about a CT scan as I was nearly at the 3 month point, he said I didnt need one and tumour markers would be Ok. I explained I did chat to all you lovely ladies and the census of opinion was a scan and I appreciated everyone was different but I wanted something visual, needless to say he is arranging a scan and did bloods for tumour markers today. Chemo number 8 done and I feel ok apart from a badly bruised hand and 2 nurses trying to get canula in for over 40 minutes. The previous twice they have managed to get a vein on the first attempt. Heaven knows how they will find one next week as the whole of the back of my hand is black and blue. Any suggestions how to get rid of bruises in a week are most welcome! Hope you all have a lovely healthy weekend, although it looks like a staying in few days with the terrible weather, it hasnt stopped here all day so no doubt there will be some flooding. I`m so pleased we live up a hill although the garden is a bit waterlogged.
Pam
Ho Angerlfalls and Pam and Lollypop,
Pam, I am so pleased for you, my onc check my tum our markers every month and they have always been below normal ie CA15.3 is 11!!! average is 25 and some ladies have it up in the thousands!!! My onc doesn’t use them as a guide, as they don’t tell the whole picture. CT scan will tell him everything about your liver and your, hopefully, good response! I have just had a new style port inserted under general anaesthetic and had my first Piclataxel this morning, feel ok. The one bonus was that the nurses just plugged my into the drip so easily, no more playing hunt the vein! I too was black and blue all up my arms, on my haves inside my wrists ( they hurt!) I can also have my “contrast” put through it , when they do CT and PET scans, and they can take my bloods from it as well so I am thrilled. It may be worth asking your onc to have one fitted as you just don’t need the added distress. I think the chemo nursese would prefer it as well!
Not sure how to help get rid of bruises, but some people reccomend Tiger Balm - not convinced though.
I hope your weather imporves soon, I live in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at the moment, have been here for 2 1/2 years and due to return home to lovely Wales in July - yipee!! the weather here is 51 degreed C, ( well over 105 in old money!) and I am actually looking forward to rain and cold!
Lollypop - how are you responding?
Pam - pleas elet us know how you get on with your CT, will keep finge s and toes crossed
Love to you all.xxxxx
posted twice!
Hi all paclitaxol ladies,
Horsie, you seem really pleased with your new style port, I wonder if they do the same one in UK. You must let us know what it is.
I have been and bought Arnica cream for my bruises as it was recommended I am rubbing it on regularly in the hope that the bruising will be gone by Friday and they will find a vein. After this Friday I still have 9 more chemo`s so not holding much hope for my veins lasting to the end of treatment.
After this Friday I have my week off so my OH has booked a few days away which I am loking forward to, After 3 months of hospitals and house a changed of scenery is just what I want.
Angefalls and lollipop you have given me such positive thoughts after sucess with this chemo, hope it continues.
Horsie good luck for your move back to UK, just hope you can cope with all our horrible weather after being in the sun.
Well time to rub the cream into my hand again, will update when I have a date for my scan.
Pam
Yes they do have the new style ports in the UK but I_ think you need to ask for them, anything to save your veins…
Hi ladies, my friend has just had a secondary lung dx and is due to start this chemo plus another that needs funding. She says she needs to work and your lovely positive comments sound like she very well could. She wondered how many days after chemo this one tends to affect you, so she can plan which day to have it? She is 3 weeks on and one off but with the 2 drugs.Thank you for your help and I hope you continue to do well on this treatment. Lily x
Paclitaxel plus one other , do you know what the other is called? - is Paclitaxel the one you need to take a lot of steroids with?
hi i having the picc line fitted today not looking forward even tho i no it gonna save my veins 
xx
Hi Pixietaxol girlies! Quinny, I had this port fitted , was a bot dore day 1, uncomfortable day 2 and fine on day 3. Whished i had this done a long time ago. Lily - I am just on Pixie-whotsit only, once a week for 3 weeks then week 4 off. I do have steroids to take day 1,2 and 3. I have steroids, anti-histamine, anti-sickness and my Zometa( bone juice) all given first, then the pixiewhotsit after. I am now day 3 after my first dose and feel fine. Just constipated, like before… Prunes for every meal seamed to do the trick! Your firend could work, BUT… your bloods go very low during the middle of the cycle and picking up a cold/flu or infection is very dangerous - if she can afford not to work I would personally recommend to take some time off, kick back her heals and allow her body to adjust and recover…it’s a hard slog for our bodies.
Pam -let us know how your scan is… Yes, may hate the sight of rain in a month or so, but at teh moment I am soooo excited! wet Wales here we come! Love and hugs to you all.xxxxx