Anyone on Taxol

[Mishy18]

Hi Nicova I'm also recently diagnosed with nodes in lungs (3 weeks ago) really small so early stage sbc like you I haven't started any treatment yet as I had a chest infection on diagnosis day so couldn't have treatment he had mentioned weekly but I'm allergic to the taxanes so I'm not sure what he will give in place of palitaxel I was only 12 months out from treatment for primary low risk for recurrence so like you I'm absolutely shocked and devastated I'm keen to start treatment as I'm scared leaving it will be catastrophic for me I'm pleased you are managing on treatment 

[Nickova]

Hi everyone,

I am a total newcomer to both using a forum as this and to secondary breast cancer.

It was really inspiring reading your comments. But I am not quite sure how this forum works. I hope this is visible to everyone who responded to the 'anyone on taxol' group.

I was only diagnosed with primary breast cancer a year ago, had a mastectomy, Chemo and radiotherapy. Only finished Chemo 6 month ago and a chest X-ray showed metastasis in the lungs. CT scan revealed it's also in my liver. Apparently still small and in early stage.

My oncologist put me on 18 weekly session with paclitaxel, I had only 3 so far, too early to say if it works. And at the moment still feeling reasonably ok, just a persistent cough, the usual fatigue and of course the emotional stress of the diagnosis I am only starting to get in terms with.

Will see my oncologist tomorrow again and find out what the overall plan is. It feels all a bit uncertain.

Wishing you all good luck with your treatments,

Nickova

[Lozzer2014]

Hi Nicky

Good that you were had a liver resection.  This has never been mentioned/offered to me but maybe that is because I have spread in bones as well as liver.

You are right about when things fail.  Somehow we learnto accept and then bounce back. It is a rollercoaster.

Take care.

Lorraine x

[nicky08]

Hi ladies

Lorraine, I’m on Fulvestrant at the moment and have been for about a year. I had a liver resection done last April which knocked my liver mets out (I currently don’t have any visible on a CT scan but that’s not to say they aren’t there! Just too small to pick up probably). I expect it to fail at some point in the near future mainly because this is about my 7th line of treatment so I’m unlikely to get such a long run out of it, we’ll see.

Linda, yes, it’s a blow when a treatment fails. I sailed along nicely for about 4-5 years on hormonal treatment after my mets were diagnosed and got into that false sense of security that I’d be fine. The first time I had progression (to my liver) hit me so hard I was really close to clinical depression. It didn’t help that at the time my heart failure was getting worse (thanks to FEC). Part of feeling so low was having to face up to the fact that a treatment had failed and then having to deal with a new treatment and all the side effects etc. So I know exactly how you, and everyone else, feels like. Good luck on Tamoxifen though and with the scan results.

Nicky x

[Lozzer2014]

Nicky - thanks for your kind words. What treatment are you on now?

Linda - good luck with Tamoxifen and with your results.

Lorraine xxx

[LYNDYLOO]

Hi Nicky

Thank you for your kind words. I feel well on just tamoxifen. Dont know how you  felt when you a treatment that fails like I did with cape after 10 months it is always in the back of my mind what next. I never used to think about to be honest. 

Hope you are keeping well.

Linda

[nicky08]

Sending all you ladies who have found out in the last few days that Taxol isnt doing its job any longer a big hug.  Difficult times but I do hope you all find a treatment that works well for you.

Hi Linda, hope you are doing well on tamoxifen and the scan results are good when you get them.

Nicky xx

[LYNDYLOO]

Hi Lorraine  Helen & Vicky

Sorry to read taxol has failed you all. It is awful when a treatment fails and we have to start another one. 

I don't post much these days but I do read the comments most days to see how you are all getting along. 

At moment I am still on tamoxifen hopefully it is working . Just had my first CT scan after 4 months on it. 

Take care .

Linda

[Lozzer2014]

Hi Helen and Vicky

Sorry to hear your news.

Vicky - we start our journey together and I wish you all the best.

Helen - enjoy your break and good luck with next treatment.  Good to hear you lasted a while on Paclitaxol.  

I started in 2014 with Tamoxifen for a short while then Letrozole - had bone mets from the beginning. Never had chemo at the start just these hormonal treatments. No progression until end of 2017 then spread to liver.  Since then have had Examastane, Capecitabine then Paclitaxol, none of which helped for very long. 

I did ask oncologist the other day what else if Eribulin doesn't work and he named two or three other chemos.  Only name I remembered was Gemcarbo.

Each change is stressful but we need to keep going.

Take care.

Lorraine x

[helen44]

Hi Lorraine & Vicky 

Also joining the paclitaxel failed club! After 28 sessions my scans showed significant progression in the liver so I am having a chemo break for a couple of weeks whilst we decide a way forward. Running out of options now, the choices left are cape, vinorelbine & epirubicin.

I wish you all the best with your treatment on eribulin,  I found it very tolerable and managed to get 23 cycles out of it. At least your hair should be Ok, mine just thinned a little. Watch out for numbness in your calves and shins, sometimes I couldn't feel anything below the knee. The chemo buddy eribulin thread has lots of good tips.

Take care of yourselves.

Helen x 

[Vicky77]

Hi Lorraine 

Snap! Found out yesterday taxol hasn't worked for me. Neither did Cape or Faslodex.

Starting Eribulin tomorrow.  Nothing seems to be stopping my liver mets. 

All the best with your treatment. 

Vicky

[Lozzer2014]

Hi Ladies

The results of my recent CT show that this chemo is no longer working as mets in my liver are progressing again.  Next step is Eribulin which I start next week.  Not what I hoped for but am hoping Eribulin will work.

Best wishes.

Lorraine

[Lozzer2014]

Hi Vicky77
Thanks for your reply. My oncologist said my treatment would be ongoing for so long as it worked. Previous scan showed it was. Not sure this time just have a bad feeling.
If not then not sure what would be next although oncologist said were other chemos. It is quite gruelling week after week. Takes over everything. At least my port seems to be settling in. Hope your lung sorts itself out. We just need to keep plugging away.

Lxx

[Vicky77]

Hi Lorraine 

I am due to have no 7 today. My onc said I would have 12-18 sessions depending on how I tolerate it. I asked her yesterday what happens after no 18 as I had seen from this site someone ladies are continuing treatment. She said if the treatment was successful I would stop after 18 and have a break and go back onto a hormone treatment as continued treatment could damage the bone marrow. 

I also think I will have to have a port fitted before long as they can only use 1 hand and they struggle every week and I'm only 6 down. Concerned with infection risk as I also have a drain  fitted for my lung which has just got infected. 

It seems never ending at the moment. 

[Lozzer2014]

Hi Helen
Thanks for your reply. Just advice from chemo nurses to say paint with dark nail varnish.
Have had a few issues over past week. A dull ache in side in liver area. My tumour markers are beginning to rise again. Had CT last Saturday but have to wait for results until 19 February which is first appointment I could get!!! I had a portacath fitted two days ago as vains not good. Apart from that am doing ok. Still managing to work three days.
I have now had 19 weekly sessions and had a week here and there off for flu jab and Xmas. Are your treatments like mine ongoing?
Lorraine x

[helen44]

Hi Lorraine
Sorry to hear that you are having nail problems. Weirdly enough I was thinking that both my finger & toenails were doing ok, growing well and surprisingly strong. I did coat them in nail strengthener at the beginning of my Taxol sessions so I don't know if that helped. I don't bother now as l am on no.26 session tomorrow & they seem ok. Has your onc or nurse ( if you have the luxury of a secondary nurse, I don't) suggested anything to help? Are you doing ok otherwise? You must have had quite a few sessions by now.
Helen x

[Lozzer2014]

Hi Helen

Just wondering if treatment is affecting your nails. Am having issues with fingernails and toenails.

Lorraine x

[helen44]

Hi everyone
So today is my 6 year cancerversary! 6 with bone mets and last 4 with liver mets. I am having Taxol session 22 tomorrow (weekly since June with the odd week off). Pleased to say that my neuropathy has lessened, due to ice packs on my feet for last 4 sessions, so continuing.
Hope you're all doing well with treatments, keep smiling 😊and hope you have a peaceful Christmas. Take care.
Helen x

[Sallysue]

Consider checking out acupuncture for your neuropathy. The cancer center I go to in the US has an acupuncturist and a massage therapist so I go to their office and have had tremendous results. It is not covered by insurance but worth every penny to me. 

Sallysue

[Sallysue]

Seven years ago I developed neuropathy on my feet and one year later I discovered acupuncture which took away 90% of the symptoms. YAY.

Now with metastatic breast cancer I am on Taxol.. I started getting neuropathy on my second treatment and set up an acupuncture appointment and he also told me to soak my fingers IN ICE WATER constantly  during my treatment. It is hard to do  and I only manage five min in and five minutes out of water, but does help prevent the neuropathy along with the treatments during my visits to him. I also put a gel ice pack under my feet with my socks on, to prevent issues to my feet. Still on Taxol and fingers feeling fine this week.

Good luck. 

Mary Ann