I was so scared of taking Paclitaxol chemo, but it has been ok.

[Rags2Bags]

Hello, I had a mastectomy in April this year with additional removal of 6 lymph nodes. One aggregate deposit of .5, so my surgeon sent me to an oncologist for “possible radiotherapy and hormone treatment.”

I am Triple Negative grade 3 stage 3.

You cannot imagine the shock when she laid out her plans for me which consisted of 4 sessions of EC chemo (Epirubicin and Cyclophosphamide) three weeks apart. Followed by 12 weekly doses of Paclitaxol. Then Zoledronic Acid every 6 months for three years. 15 rounds of radiotherapy, then hormone treatment (Letrazol) for ten years. I couldn’t take it all in, but eventually agreed to everything, but was scared of the side effects from the Paclitaxol. I have just finished 11 of 12 cycles and am happy to say I have had none of the scarey peripheral neuropathy I had read about. I know I have been very lucky, but I really wanted to show that you don’t always get the bad side effects. Good luck to everyone going through this.

[Nanny23]

Glad you are ok. I too am a breast cancer survivor and had a double mastectomy in 2002. Stay well.

[Mmnyc]

I’m so glad you shared this! So happy you didn’t have any of the scary side effects, did they use the ice on you?

Congrats on almost finishing your chemo also!

[Rags2Bags in reply to Mmnyc]

Hi, thank you. Do you mean the cold cap? Or is there some other torture I haven’t encountered yet? Either way, there was no ice involved. I just feel so relieved I didn’t get the peripheral neuropathy, which terrified me as I do lots of sewing.

I wanted to post this as I very nearly declined the treatment. I had read so many posts where people have had really horrible adverse effects and it frightened me. I agreed to start the 12 cycles with the view that if I got the neuropathy I would consider stopping.

I just wanted to let people know it is possible to be lucky and it shouldn’t put you off.

This whole business knocks you sideways, so a little positivity may help someone else about to begin this regime xxxx

[Mmnyc in reply to Rags2Bags]

No not the cold caps, although I did those too . When I did my chemo they put ice on my fingertips and they gave me what looked like ice slippers to combat the neuropathy. It worked because I finished my chemo recently and so far no neuropathy side effects either. I was under a different chemo though (taxotere and cytoxane). Of course those two gave me other side effects but I’m trying to stay positive, lol and all in all my chemo wasn’t so bad.

[Rags2Bags in reply to Mmnyc]

Oh, no, I hadn’t heard about the icy fingers and toes, but we both appear to have been very lucky.

Best wishes to you Mmnyc xx