Taxol

[Nelsonyong]

Dear all sisters, my mom has just started her weekly paclitaxel today. Would appreciate if you can share some experience on the side effects n how to deal with it. Mom has MBC to her lung n liver. She is 72. Was on faslodex since last August. Many thanks!

[Jerseygirl45]

Hi,

I started Taxol in January this year. Treatments were weekly. I would feel great the day of and two days after. Then third day I would get very tired and my bones would hurt. This would last two days then I would feel better and it was time for treatment again. I did this until March when I slipped on ice and broke my ankle, had surgery. I missed 7 weeks of Taxol. It was bringing my tumor markers down nicely. I started again and after 9 treatments I became dehydrated. But my tumor markers went from 1100 down to 336 so that was good. I have been off now for 8 weeks. My oncologist has decided to give me a rest from it. My pet scan showed mixed findings some things grew others shrank most stayed the same. She is going to try me on Kisqali and an other med not sure.

So I think your mom will do well on Taxol. They give you meds so there is no nausea. I did lose my appetite but everyone is different.

Good luck to your mom I hope all goes well for her.

Barbara

[Nelsonyong in reply to Jerseygirl45]

Dear Barbara, many thanks for your kind sharing and wishes. Really hope it works for my mom. BTW, what doses you were given? Any remedies for the bone ache? I trust your new treatment plan will work as magic potion to heal you. Thanks and take good care!

[Jerseygirl45 in reply to Nelsonyong]

I had to take 20mg of decadron the night before chemo that is a steroid. On the day of chemo they would draw blood and wait for result about two hrs to see my WBC if too low they would not do chemo. Then they would give me Benadryl in case of allergies and zofran for nausea. Then they would start the Taxol according to my paper it was 6mg per ml..

If I did not have to have blood drawn that day it was less time. About 5 hrs with blood drawn..

The steroid gave me lots of energy for two days so I would catch up on errands or house work. Because I knew I would be tired and achy for two days haha. I would stay off my feet when my bones hurt and take aleve.. But I would do it again because I so wanted to get in remission. But after 6 or 7 weekly treatments I would lose my appetite and food did not taste good then I would lose weight. But it affects everyone different so your mom may not have the same problems as me. I also have it in my bones only, so I hope to keep it there.

I am now going to start Kisqali and hope I do not have bad side effects from it.

That's all we can do is try to keep this under control for as long as we can. It is two yrs for me now.

Keep us posted as how your mom does.

The best thing is to try to keep positive and enjoy life as much as she can. Remember this is a slow moving cancer usually,so you don't want sit and wait for it to go away. She needs to treat it as a chronic pain in the butt.

Best of luck to her I think she will do fine. She is lucky to have you by her side.

Barbara

[Nelsonyong in reply to Jerseygirl45]

Hi. Thanks for your kind advice again. Today is day 2 and overall she is coping well. Just feel down as she is worrying about my dad n us. She has also difficulty to urinate. Not sure why. Gave her heat compression and relief a bit. Thanks n take care

[Jerseygirl45 in reply to Nelsonyong]

I know how she feels, this is hard to go through but moms worry more about husband and kids.

I have four grown kids and 7 grandchildren. When ever They call or I see them and they ask how I am I always say I'm good. I do not tell them what I am going through. I always sound like no big deal. If I am in the hospital I say no visiter I am tired. But I love when we are all together.

So just do what you can for her, try to stay positive, and she will get through this.

Let me know how she does.

Barbara

[Nelsonyong in reply to Jerseygirl45]

Dear Barbara, your felling is exactly what my mom is going through. Hope we all can get over this soon. Just called home and she is doing ok. Can urinate easier.

Thanks and take care!

[Jerseygirl45 in reply to Nelsonyong]

I am glad she is feeling better. It's bad enough dealing with the treatments, do not need urinary problems.

Will be thinking of her.

Barbara

[BangorBelle56]

Hi, I think Barbara (Jerseygirl45) did a great job explaining what it is like on Taxol. Apart from the energy expended in having to have weekly infusions, it is fine. For me the shrinkage in my tumours (liver, lung and spine) was well worth the effort. I wish your mum well. Remember there is always hope x

[Nelsonyong in reply to BangorBelle56]

Hi Belle, appreciate your kind sharing of positive words. What dose were you on? Hope you heal well. Take good care!

[blms in reply to Nelsonyong]

First, taxol is a great drug and does kill tumors.

No nausea so that helps but the bone pain is disturbing and nothing gets rid of it while it lasts. Fortunately, it does go away after a few days of derp discomfort. It is a very deep bone pain that only those of us having the treatments understand. She needs to remember that is it temporary and that will help her deal with it. Has she lost her hair?

[Nelsonyong in reply to blms]

Hi Blms, thanks for your kind reply. So far, no hair loss yet. Onco said might just have thinning instead of complete loss of hair as my mom is on low dose. Today is day 2, and so far so good.Thanks and take good care!

[BangorBelle56 in reply to Nelsonyong]

So sorry. I actually don’t know the answer. It is worked out according to your weight and height. My first week I had 100% of the dose but felt ill, so the next week they gave me 80% of the dose. However since then I have been back to a full dose every time.

[Nelsonyong in reply to BangorBelle56]

No worry Belle. You take good care!