Paclitaxel instead of Docetaxel..

[Sami01]

I was meant to have 4 more cycles of Docetaxel!

But given the amount of side effects I had my oncologist has recommended having Paclitaxel weekly instead.

Has any had this and what was your experience?

Thanks

Hope everyone is well. 😊

[carolinenailsea]

Sorry Sami, I do not have experience of this. Its good that the consultant is responding positively to your experience and side effects. Fingers crossed the new drug will be easier to tolerate. xxx

[SueandEmber]

Hello Sami01. I was on Docataxel with Carboplatin, Herceptin and Pertuzumab. I had these treatments every 3 weeks. The side effects were pretty awful and I did suffer one bout of neutropenic sepsis (after the Pertuzumab was added at my 2nd cycle and it gave me acute diarrhoea ) but I went to hospital as soon as my temperature reached 38 degrees and I only had to spend one night in hospital. I was able to go home the following day having had IV antibiotics and GCSF - a drug to help boost my immune system. I still felt awful but my immune system had recovered so I was allowed to go home. After that, my doctor gave me GCSF injections from day 1 of each treatment for 7 days instead of 5 days from day 3 which is apparently more usual. I did the injections myself and the dose of the two chemotherapy drugs was reduced a little. It worked and I was able to complete the recommended 6 cycles. I did have to take antibiotics at each cycle though, as for some reason my temperature kept going up! It was decided 5 days of antibiotics with each cycle was preferable to sepsis and I wasn't about to argue.

I really hope the new chemo is kinder to you. I wish you the very best for a full recovery. In the meantime, stick at it and try to remember that beating the cancer makes it worth the misery!

Take care

Sue

xxx

[Sami01 in reply to SueandEmber]

Hello Sue,

Absolutely!

Thanks for your reply. Im sorry to hear about the side effects u had

I had a 6 stay in hospital with FEC after my 3rd and last cycle and I'm looking into the CBD oil, to help with side effects, ad the anti sickness tablets did not work, made me even more sick.

Fingers crossed it will be better.

Thanks hope all goes well with you too 😊

[Clyde12]

I had one cycle of doxetaxol but was really poorly so it was changed to paclitaxol weekly. That was in 2014/15. I’m still here!

Good luck to you.

[Sami01 in reply to Clyde12]

U didnt have any side effects! Soo good to hear.

I'm not to keen on having it very week more needles and more blood tests add to my anxiety.

Yay and Thanks Clyde12 😎

[Clyde12 in reply to Sami01]

Nothing that I can remember. I was on herceptin as well. I was really ill with erratic fast heart beat , bloods all over the place on doxetaxol. I had sailed through the FEC (first 3 chemos) and then hit by a brick with the doxetaxol. They didn’t hospitalise me as they said I’d probably pick up a nasty infection!!

I was anxious too but you’ll get used to it....go for it! X

[galgo]

I had 12 rounds of taxol no problems

[Sami01]

Do you lose hair with Paclitaxel?