Weekly Taxol Experience: Managing Side Effects of Treatment
Because I had had such a difficult time with AC Chemo, I was actually looking forward to Taxol. Even though I dealt with a few minor hiccups with the treatment, I found Taxol to be MUCH easier than AC chemo.
When I finished my Taxol 12 weekly treatments, I was so relieved to have finally completed a total of six months of chemo treatment! This post details what you can expect from Taxol, including the side effects that you may experience.
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Pre-meds
The photo below is of me on my last day of Taxol treatment! Woohoo! Prior to my Taxol treatments, I had four chemo sessions of Adriamycin and Cytoxan. These were really aggressive drugs, and they came with some harsh side effects.
As I mentioned above, I was really looking forward to starting my 12 weeks of Taxol because it meant I was finally finished with The Red Devil (Adriamycin). I met with my medical oncologist the day I started this new treatment, and he went over the possible side effects.
On the day of my first Taxol infusion, the nurses got my port hooked up to the IV machine, and they explained my pre-meds. I was going to be getting an anti-nausea medicine, Pepcid, a steroid, and Benadryl all before Taxol.
My body did fine with all the pre-meds except the Benadryl. I’ll explain what happened below; but, I’m going to preface this by saying that I have always been sensitive to Benadryl.
For some reason the nurses had to push the Benadryl into my IV rather than letting it drip from an IV bag. (I’m pretty sure they explained why, but I honestly can’t remember.) Anyway, right when the nurse pushed the Benadryl into my IV, I felt incredible hot.
I mentioned it to my nurse, but she thought it may just be nerves. Shortly after she finished giving me the Benadryl, my head felt like the room was spinning and I couldn’t focus my eyes. So, I told my husband and the nurse that something wasn’t right.
The nurse said that the Benadryl basically made me “high”. Well, then I started vomiting. Luckily there were bags in the drawer beside me that I could get sick in. After a while, the room stopped spinning and my eyes could focus again.
From that day forward I received the Benadryl in an IV bag rather than through the nurses manually putting it into my port. The nurses diluted it with saline and put it on a SLOW drip. This worked perfectly, and I never had another issue for the following eleven weeks.
Is Taxol easier than AC Chemo?
I had no reaction to the Taxol during my first infusion, which was a huge relief! However, I was really sleepy after this treatment and after every other Taxol treatment due to the Benadryl. Because of this, I don’t recommend driving yourself if at all possible.
After my second Taxol treatment went super smoothly (especially compared to the first one), I started going to chemo alone. This was a huge difference from AC Chemo. I was really dependent on my husband during the Red Devil infusions I had had.
With Taxol, I felt alert and comfortable. My side effects were a lot less severe with Taxol as well. When I had AC Chemo, I needed help caring for my two small kids for at least a week after treatment. With Taxol, I was fully able to care for my kids when I was home, which was a huge relief.
This saved my husband and I from having to get a babysitter or having to get family to drive in from out of town to watch the kids. We even got to the point where my husband would just drop me off and pick me up at chemo. I think the nurses initially felt sorry for me that I was there alone. I (half) jokingly told them it was the most peaceful three hours of my week!
At home I had a one-year-old and a five year old to tend to. At chemo, I got to sit in a chair, read magazines, talk to friends on the phone, and even watch TV (that wasn’t the Disney Channel). You have to look for the positives in this breast cancer journey, so I decided to treat chemo as my weekly mom getaway!
My Weekly Taxol Side Effects
Below, I’m going to list any side effect or weird thing that happened to me while on Taxol. The things I list may or may not be related to chemo; however, if it started with Taxol and ended with Taxol, I’m going to blame….you guessed it, TAXOL.
While on Adriamycin and Cytoxan, I had pretty standard side effects like hair loss, nausea, and fatigue. Taxol came with a whole other slew of side effects though. Thankfully they weren’t debilitating side effects like with the AC chemo. I could still function on Taxol.
I was really tired the day of treatment due to the Benadryl and nausea medicine; but, I could push through it and still care for my kids. Besides feeling sleepy the first day, these were the side effects I experienced:
Energy
One of my pre-meds with Taxol was a steroid. This steroid caused me to have a TON of energy the day after each Taxol treatment. I actually looked forward to going to treatment because I knew the next day I would be super productive. The day after treatment, I couldn’t sit still. I needed to be up doing something constantly. So, I started using this day as my house cleaning day! My house had never looked so good!
Insomnia
Although I completely welcomed the extra energy, the insomnia that came with it got old fast. I would wake up after only a few hours of sleep and not be able to fall asleep again for HOURS. This would last for the first 3-4 nights after treatment. If this is something that happens with you, you can talk to your doctor about taking a sleep aid. I ended up taking a sleep aid the night of Taxol and for the next 2-3 nights following each treatment. This helped tremendously!
Menopause
Taxol put me into CHEMOpause at 36 years old. My main symptom of this was hot flashes- particularly at night. I was always that girl who is constantly freezing even when other people are comfortable. After Taxol, I started getting hot flashes and terrible night sweats.
Since I started taking Tamoxifen once I finished my other treatments, my body continued to think it was in menopause. The hot flashes and night sweats got worse, and my oncology nurse said that they wouldn’t go away as long as I was on Tamoxifen.
**Update – After taking Tamoxifen for two and a half years, my doctor switched me to Anastrozole. In order to take the Anastrozole (aka Arimidex), we had to force my body into menopause. Therefore, in 2021 I had a laparoscopic oophorectomy to remove my ovaries. I am still experiencing hot flashes and night sweats, but they are actually better now than they were with Taxol.
Achy Fingernails
One of the side effects I feared the most with Taxol was losing my nails. I had heard/read that your toenails and fingernails turn a dark color and then start to fall off. Gross! I met a fellow survivor through my plastic surgeon, and she recommended this OPI Nail Envy nail polish (“Original” with GREEN label). (Amazon Affiliate Link)
I’m going to tell you ahead of time that it is WAY more than I usually spend on nail polish; however, I really wanted my nails to stay intact. I also used it often and still had a ton left over after treatment, so it does last. It comes with really specific instructions on how often to apply the polish. I followed these directions to a tee.
And it worked! I didn’t lose any of my nails. They didn’t even change colors! The last few weeks of treatment, I did notice that my toenails seemed tender and sore in spots; but, they stayed on, which was all I cared about!
Bone Pain
A few weeks into Taxol, I noticed I was getting really sharp, shooting pains in certain parts of my body, especially in my abdomen. These really concerned me at first, but I eventually just started to accept and ignore the pains. They seemed to focus on one area for a day, and then the pain would be in a completely different area the next day.
In addition to these shooting pains, I had horrible rib pain throughout Taxol. This was probably the worst side effect for me because it was constant and uncomfortable. The pain was so severe that my oncologist ordered an X-ray to determine if I had a broken bone, inflammation, or more cancer in my ribs.
Thankfully the X-ray came back clear. I had a dry cough throughout all of Taxol, so we determined that the coughing may have also triggered the rib pain.
Skin Rash
This is really random, but I couldn’t handle wearing earrings during my twelve weeks of Taxol. I tried to wear just some small stud earrings numerous times throughout treatment, but they always made the hole in my ear feel infected. To this day, I still have difficulty wearing earrings.
Also, my skin (particularly on my arms and legs) was super rough after finishing chemo. This lasted for over a month after treatment was over. My daughter has keratosis pilaris (aka chicken skin), and my skin looked and felt just like hers. This ended up going away on its own eventually.
Nose Bleeds
I had never had a nosebleed in my life, but my oncologist told me they are common with Taxol. Mine never bled to the point where it was dripping out of my nose or anything. I just noticed that whenever I blew my nose or wiped it with a tissue, blood came out too.
Chemo Brain
If you have ever had pregnancy brain or baby brain, chemo brain is basically the same. I would forget really simple words or thoughts at random times. For example, an acquaintance asked me the name of a school where I worked in the past. I literally could not tell her the name of this school where I taught for four years!
Another example, one day I needed a trash bag out of a closet in my house. I thought about the trash bag the whole way to the closet. Right when I opened the closet door, I had absolutely no idea what I was looking for. I just stood there for a full minute looking in the closet because I knew it would eventually come to me, and it did!
Chemo brain got better for me once chemo was over. Try not to beat yourself up over it too much. I had moments when I thought it was comical, but I also had moments when it was frustrating and even emotional. Just remember: This too shall pass!
Neuropathy
My same friend who suggested the special nail polish to keep my nails strong also gave me pointers to prevent neuropathy. The trick was to hold freezing cold items on your hands and place them on your feet to keep the blood flow from going into your hands and feet.
I initially used bags of frozen peas, but the peas ended up thawing toward the end of each treatment and smelled terrible! So, another woman who sat in the chemo chair next to me suggested that I buy these ice bags. (Amazon Affiliate Link)
This worked so much better because I could shove them in my purse until I needed them. This way I didn’t have to lug a cooler with ice and frozen peas to chemo each week. Ha!
These bags were really soft and much easier to hold as well. And they didn’t smell bad! I bought two: one for my hands and one to lay across my feet. Now I keep them in my first aid kit at home so I can get additional use out of them.
Final Thoughts on Chemo
Although I had a lot of side effects during my Taxol 12 weekly treatments, it really was a MUCH EASIER treatment than Adriamycin/Cytoxan. I also started feeling more like my self during this time.
In addition, I was able to eat normally, and I wasn’t nauseous or super tired anymore. Plus, my hair started growing in during Taxol, which felt amazing! I hope you are able to easily manage your Taxol side effects as well!
Hi Shari,
Thank you for sharing,
your experience. Some of what you said is what I’m going through now.. I’m ER/PR + and HER2 -. I had a RB mastectomy with a reconstruction (sort of-it needs correction). My Oncotype # was a 16, but I was still recommended for chemo because they found pre-cancer, and cancer that didn’t show up on a bunch of biopsies, ultrasounds, and CT’s. I’m on week 10 of 12 for my Taxol and I previously completed my 4 bi-weekly treatments of the Red Devil. I
I did better on the RD than I thought I would. I had tiredness, nausea, insomnia, dizziness, heartburn!, start in change taste for food and drink, my nails became weak and started peeling, lost my hair, chemo brain and started menopause. I was told Taxol was going to be easier.
My 1st treatment started out interesting. When they were prepping me for my port access they used the orange cleaner and covered it with the white covering tape. Apparently I am allergic to both. I was red and itching before they could even start my pre-meds and had to do the dressing a 2nd time.
I have noticed more noticeable side effects as my treatments progress, but manageable. Almost immediately I got black marks under my big toe nails and my finger nails were getting dry and peeling and now chipping. With the RD I used nail oil, but that wasn’t working anymore, so I looked up nail polish for chemo and found LondonTown kur Perfecting Nail Vail and it saved my nails! It covered them with a hard protective shell and I could actually feel under the nail where the thin brittle nail stopped and the new stronger nail srarted…it was crazy. It’s about the price of OPI, but worth every penny. To combat the neuropathy my Dr. gave me ice booties and ice mitts to wear while getting the Taxol. I’m one of those people who are cold all the time, but they make a difference, so I have used all but twice when I forgot them.
Some of the side effects I’ve had with the Taxol are the increased chemo brain and nail issues. I was trying to have a basic conversation with my brother-in-law and couldn’t remember simple words. Loss of appetite, nausea, light headed/unsteady on my feet, dizziness, intense itchy face and head (enough to wake me up), *muscle weakness in my legs, increased number of and intensity of nosebleeds, sore fingertips, arthritis strength bone pain, heartburn!, change in taste of food and drinks, (sugar leaves a metallic taste in my mouth and pores for 2-3 days), loss of my voice 2 days after treatment for 2-3 days, worsening menopause hot flashes, and 24 hours of no sleep. I had insomnia off and on before, but this is more frequent. It got worse when they had to add iron to my pre-meds, because I’m normally anemic, it was like a shot of red bull to my system. Oh and I have ADHD so when they give me the Benedryl sometimes it has the opposite effect on me and keeps me awake. I have only 2 more Taxol treatments left, but as I go I can feel the accumulation, so the side effects are getting stronger. I will also be excited to not be a biological hazard around my family for 48/72 hours. This is such a pain and I see the effect it has on my family. My daughter is 13 and she is having a hard time with this and I think she is dreading my radiation more than me. So we stay positive and make appropriate jokes to lighten the darkness, make plans for the spring and summer and I think it helps.
Shari I hope my sharing above helps someone else validate a symptom or side effect that they have. Your post on the sore nails, helped me see that my soreness was most likely the same, so I talked to my Oncologist. Your post in general and all the replies you received reminded me I’m not in this alone. I apologize that this is so long.
Thank you.
Hi Kelly,
This was amazing to read. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience! I’m sure other readers will find your words incredibly helpful. I hope you (and your daughter) are doing well as you continue your treatment process. Stay positive and take care!
In August 2020, I had a lumpectomy on my left breast and 15 radiations. The cancer was caught very early. My oncologist put me on Anastrozole. A little less than 3 years later after a routine mammogram, I was told I had a different kind of cancer in my right breast. Stage 2. I am 72 years old and had surgery on my right breast in June and 2 lymph nodes tested positive and they were removed. I had originally refused chemotherapy but my oncologist pushed for me to at least try Taxol. I have had 3 of 12 Taxol treatments and this third one has finally caused some hair loss as well as the insomnia, fatigue and muscle aches. I hate not having energy. I have 33 radiation treatments after Taxol. I’m not sure I will continue with chemotherapy. It’s difficult to know if the chemo is worth it for me. My goal is one week at a time. I am going to an exercise class twice a week to keep myself somewhat strong. My surgeon recommended it. It’s for patients and I needed a doctor’s referral.
I am curious about the cold caps. I read that they are very expensive and may or may not work. Has anyone used them? ( I know you can buy inexpensive ones on Amazon but do they actually help?)
Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and tips! This is a great blog.
Hi Pat,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience. It sounds like you have been through a lot the past few years. Taxol comes with a lot of side effects, so I’m sure you’re ready for treatment to be over. I did not use cold caps during chemo, but maybe another reader with experience will reply to your comment. Also, I *think* the cold caps may only work if you use them from the start. I’m not sure if they prevent hair loss after the the chemo is already in your system. I could be totally wrong about that though! I hope you get the answers you need and that you feel better soon!
Hi Shari! I might be starting Taxol in a couple of weeks and I really appreciate your post on this. Just as FYI to you and your readers, I’ve done a LOT of reading up on chemo induced peripheral neuropathy and they’ve found that compression works as well as cryotherapy.
Hi Judy,
Thanks so much for sharing! I hope your Taxol treatment goes well. 🙂
Hello,
Thank you all sharing your experiences with Taxol. It has been recommended for me along with Herceptin for 12wks followed by radiation. I recently had a lumpectomy for a .6cm tumor. I was not expecting chemotherapy, just radiation due to size and being stage 1. Is this treatment regiment normal for ICD (HER2-ER/PR, positive)? The margins around the tumor were clear and my lymph nodes were not impacted! Can anyone share their insight?
Mary
Hi Mary,
My tumor was ER/PR positive and Her2 negative, so I’m not sure what the normal chemo regiment is for other types. Maybe another reader will be able to provide their experience. I wish you all the best as you complete your treatment.
Hi, Mary,
I have a similar scenario to yours. All the same, just tumor size was a tad larger. We consulted with 3 highly respected MDs, and they all concurred on treatment. Taxol/Herceptin 12 weeks, with Herceptin every 3 weeks, continuing for a total of 1 year. Radiation after the 12 weeks of Taxol for 4 weeks. AI for 5 years. I am also 72. Just had my first treatment last week, and had no side effects. Using cold cap and iced booties and mitts for hands. Hope you are doing well, and have no major issues with the regimen.
So happy to have found your story! Im in the midst of dose dense AC + T 4 rounds of each for early stage triple negative BC. And I was searching for thoughts on Taxol since that is up next for me and I was hoping it would be easier than the AC. Everyone seems to react to all these treatments differently and my go with AC seems somewhat similar to yours – nausea and fatigue mostly. However, I’m hating the “backups” that come as a result of the meds to counteract the nausea! The sore throat is probably the worst making it hard to swallow – but the “miracle mouthwash” seems to be helping that a bit. My hair loss is minimal so far – but I’m doing cold capping trying to save what hair I can so I look as much like me as possible for my daughters wedding in the spring! But the strangest for me with AC is just this weird feeling of being very detached from my own body. My head is fine but my body just doesn’t feel like it belongs to me anymore which is sometimes hard on my positivity! Praying Taxol is a bit easier for me! I already purchased the nail polish you mentioned and got some ice gloves/socks for the neuropathy prevention! Thanks for the tips!
Hi Jerri,
Thanks so much for sharing your experience! I hope you find Taxol to be much easier than AC chemo. You should start to feel more like your regular self again. That’s amazing that you have minimal hair loss! Do you find the cold capping uncomfortable during the chemo sessions or are you happy with it? Growing out my hair after chemo was such a long process that I kind of wish I had considered cold capping more. Glad to hear you’re staying positive, and I wish you all the best as you complete treatment!
thanks for sharing. I just finished my 4 rounds of AC. and had my first taxol infusion today. thr Benadryl knocks me out every time. lol. thanks again for sharing. you made me feel way better about all of this.
Hi Laura,
Thanks so much for commenting. I hope you’re doing well with Taxol and finding it much easier than AC! 🙂
Thank you for this post! I just had my 3rd dose of the Adriamycin & Cytoxin. I have one more to go and then 12 weeks of Taxol. My oncologist told me that the Taxal will be much easier than the other. Your post has given me hope!
Hi Sandi,
I’m so glad you found this post helpful. Congratulations on completing your 3rd dose of AC chemo…you’re almost there! Hopefully you will find Taxol to be much easier than Adriamycin. I really felt like I started to heal while on Taxol, and the side effects weren’t nearly as severe. I wish you all the best as you complete treatment!
Hi, Taxol was tolerable, although it’s affects are cumulative. After the first two of twelve weekly treatments that occurred every Monday, I was doing fine. But each week after I got progressively more tired and had no appetite. The RNs placed my hands and feet between bags of ice for the taxol infusion to prevent neuropathy. I did still develop it in my feet. It was uncomfortable sitting in that ice, but I would still strongly encourage doing it. Two weeks after Taxol I was feeling much better. In fact the day I walked out of the center on my last day, I wanted to jump up and yell,” Yippee.” You all can appreciate that. Best to all, in what ever decisions you choose in the coming years.
Hello,
Love reading everyone’s reactions to chemo. I will be starting my journey on March 13 th I have stage two cancers , each different in each breast …had total mastectomy…had two lymph nodes that were positive ….I am very allergic to many medications , so chemo scares me ..I am having four cycles of AC/T then twelve weeks of Taxol once a week .It just seems a lot of chemo for me …it’s only for precaution. Thank you for all your information and I hope I do well too…
I have triple negative grade 3 breast cancer 1.5mm so small but aggression. My Oncologist has me doing immunotherpy for 3 weeks and just had my first round of taxol (which is why I’m awake at 1:30an due to the steroid premed. I have weekly Taxol for 12 weeks and then do AC for 4 treatments. It doesn’t look like anyone else on this thread has done taxol first. I’m curious your thoughts. Thanks
Hi Paula,
Thanks so much for reaching out. I remember those sleepless nights during Taxol treatment. Those steroids really make it hard to relax! Hopefully, your sleep patterns return to normal after the first day or so. That’s so interesting that you’re doing Taxol first. There are so many different treatment plans for breast cancer that it’s hard to keep up. Maybe another reader will see your comment and have more information on doing Taxol before AC chemo. Sorry I can’t be more helpful. I wish you all the best as you complete your treatment!
I am about to start with Taxol first followed by the other which I’ve dubbed the Cherry Bomb. Curious how you have fared?
Hi Paula,
Thanks for reaching out. I did Adriamycin/Cytoxan first and then Taxol second. I found Taxol to be much easier than AC chemo as my side effects were less severe. I wish you all the best during your treatment!
Hi Paula. I also have tnbc but had two small masses. I have to do keytruda carbo and taxol. Then. AC. So far so good. I have side effects but not crazy. Have more from the zarxio for wbc count. They now have me getting a shot 3 times a week. I use coconut oil on nails (hand and toes). I do have dry skin and hair loss. This is my second bout and the first time i did AC T i was er/pr +. Totally different this time Taxol for me was easier. Didnt have wbc issues. Good luck. And keep positive
Hi Paula-
I had my first Keytruda, taxol, carbo treatment today. 11 more of these to go weekly and then AC. So far, I’m just feeling high but tired. A little nausea but so far not too bad. I’d love to keep chatting with you since our treatment plans are similar. I realize your post is from March so hopefully you are through all the chemo now. I’d really like to hear more about your journey if you are willing to share.
I did AC first because of lymph node involvement. Since it is the strongest throughout your body I believe they want to make sure they get any breakaway cells in the lymph system or deposited elsewhere by the lymph system. 4 rounds of AC plus 3rd round of Taxol and Herceptin today (HER2+) stage 2 with 2 lymph nodes. Will follow with most likely mastectomy but going to push for double as many calcium deposits in other breasts that have been biopsied previously. Then 3-6 weeks of daily radiation at least to lymph node area then one year additional of Herceptin because of the HER 2+ status. They warned me from the get go treatment would be a full 18 months from start to finish. First two rounds of Red Devil weren’t good. Nausea, diarrhea, loss of solitaire and tired along with night sweats. I had already been in menopause but hadn’t had the night sweats very bad or very often previously. This is bed drenching night sweats. After the third and fourth rounds wherein the stomach cramping and instantaneous nausea and diarrhea with my bald head instantly pooping sweat and having trouble catching my breath because the pain was keeping me from varying a breath. I was begging for everyone to put me out of my misery and crying I couldn’t continue. Taxol and Herceptin for me has had some fatigue and bone-mostly hips and legs joint pain which the aleeve helps make tolerable. Haven’t had much loss of appitite and so far no freaking mouth sores. I got an entire mouthful with last round of AC. Now, trying to get a lot of things prepped for home with a household with 5 kids. (Dad struggles being a single dad on those days I just want to sleep). Starting to fret about surgery and radiation. So want this over. It has been the longest 7 months since diagnosis after I felt the largest lump 12 months after my prior mammogram.
I am right with you. Same cancer, same treatment regimen. I’m doing keytruda along with carboplatin and taxol now-just completed round three. AC comes afterward, then surgery, then radiation.
Having my second helping of the red devil on Wednesday. 2 more after that then the taxol for 12 weeks. Thanks for the tips. I was wondering if I might be well enough to go to my nephew’s wedding in May. I hope the taxol side effects won’t be too bad!
Hi Sharon,
Thanks for reaching out! I struggled through the Red Devil chemo but tolerated Taxol much better. Personally, I would have been fine to attend a wedding. The only thing that may be difficult is if the wedding is on the same day as your treatment. I say this because my chemo included a lot of Benadryl that made me really sleepy. Other than that, you should be good to go! I wish you all the best as you complete your treatment. Have fun at the wedding!
Hi everyone I just had my 4th taxol treatment of 12 weekly after the 4 biweekly of the red devil not fun but got through it. I didn’t know about the ice packs is it too late now to start those for my remaining treatments?
Hi Denise,
Thanks so much for reaching out. I would go ahead and try the ice even though you’ve already started Taxol. The woman who sat next to me at chemo started hers late as well. I don’t think she had any issues with the late start. Hope all goes well for you!
If you can rent or buy an ice-water-circulating machine for your hands and feet, do so. This helped greatly. I did have to stop Taxol after only 5 treatments because of developing neuropathy, but the ice water got me that far. I’d likely have developed neuropathy even sooner without it. Best wishes, fellow survivors!
Hi Kathy,
Thanks so much for your input! I will be honest that I had to Google the circulation machine because I had not heard of these. Ha! I think they may be what athletes use sometimes, but I’m not sure. Anyways, thanks again for sharing your advice, and I wish you all the best!
has anyone had their toes to swell & turn black on top of toes yet. I have 3 on my right foot ,not big toe,second toe black,3rd toe not,4th & 5th toes black & swollen & sore.Left foot only the 2 on the end. Can’t wear any of my shoes,had to get a pair of Uggs & they are the best ever. Also soak your feet & use tea tree oil on your nails & dry your feet completely.
Shari- thank you for sharing your story. I am 38 years old with triple positive metastatic breast cancer, so I completely understand you when you say the word “rare” is no longer comforting! I just had my second infusion of Taxol out of 12-16 total. Also getting herceptin and perjeta every 3 weeks. Biggest side effect so far is full body rash. Colloidal oatmeal baths and vanicream have been helpful. I saw the recommendation of a seatbelt pillow for the port, and thank you! I ordered one right away.
Hi Kelly,
I’m so sorry to hear about your diagnosis. It sounds like you have a great treatment plan set up, and I hope you’re feeling well. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with Taxol. My skin became really sensitive during that treatment as well. I wish you all the best as you complete Taxol. Take care!
Hello everyone, this is my third experience with breast cancer. First time at age 43 (2001) with left mastectomy and 5 years of Tamoxifen. Second was in 2008 which resulted in right mastectomy and 25 rounds of radiation. Third was axillary tail breast cancer with 12 out of 13 lymph nodes involved. I completed four courses of AC with only side effects being a clogged tear duct which tears all the time, fatigue and hair loss. I started Taxol last week with increased fatigue, occasional mouth sores, insomnia and occasional random pain. I am going to order the nail polish because a few of my nail beds are sore. Also I have gained about 5 pounds not sure if water retention since not eating as much as I use to. Once all this is completed I will need 6 weeks of radiation and then two meds, one for one year and one for 10. My oncologist really wants to make sure I don’t have another recurrence since she was really surprised with this third time especially since I had a mastectomy in 2001.
Hi Barbara,
Wow! What a journey you have been on! Your current treatment plan sounds very similar to the one I had. I also gained weight on Taxol, but I think it was from the steroids I received during each infusion. I wish you all the best as you complete Taxol and radiation!
Thank you Shari. I am hoping this weight gain is chemo related so I am trying not to stress about it. I plan on talking to a dietitian today for some suggestions regarding my diet.
This is wonderful information. I start taxol and herceptin in a couple of weeks. I will definitely use the ice and polish suggestion. I was told I’d lose my hair, hopefully I won’t.
Hey Cyndi,
Thanks so much for your kind words. I’m glad you found the information helpful, and I wish you all the best during your Taxol treatment.
Hi!! I just completed my first AC treatment on last Thursday. So far I’ve just been feeling nauseous and a little tired and I crave unhealthy foods. I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer so I have 4 rounds of AC and then 12 weeks of the taxol. I’m praying that everything will work out and this cancer LEAVES my body FOREVER. Thanks for your blog it’s really helpful
Santana,
Thanks so much for reaching out. I hope you are continuing to tolerate AC chemo with minimal side effects. Even though Taxol is a 12 week regimen, I found it much more manageable. Hopefully you will feel great during that treatment as well. I will keep you in my prayers as you undergo your treatment. Best wishes!
prayers help a great deal & another thing always know & try to remember GOD is always with you so try not to be afraid & stay strong.People have looked at me when I’ve told them I am not afraid & that’s the attitude I’m keeping. I’ve told my daughter do not baby me if I can’t do it then I will call you or one of my granddaughters for help.
I’m wondering if with your bloody nose did you have much nasal congestion? My nose is constantly dry, bloody mostly in the mornings. I use saline and steam but it’s a constant struggle. Also anyone here fighting mucositis? Thick gross saliva or thrush? I have 6 weekly taxol treatment left and want very much to be done with all this. I’m stage 2B triple negative. No nodes involved on imaging.
Hey Bree,
I don’t remember having nasal congestion during Taxol; although, I did have a cough for pretty much the whole 12 weeks. Maybe another reader will be able to give input on mucositis or thrush. Sorry I can’t be more helpful, but hopefully someone else will share her experiences. I wish you all the best as you wrap up Taxol treatments!
Do you think your cough could’ve been from post nasal drip running down your throat? Another issue I’m having, I do have a cough as well.
Hey Bree,
My oncology nurse prescribed an allergy relief nose spray that made my cough MUCH better. So, I would guess the cough was a result of post nasal drip even though I didn’t have a lot of actual nasal issues. Hope this helps! Let me know if you find something that works for you as another reader may benefit from your experience. Thanks so much for sharing!
Am I understanding the neuropathy suggestion correctly? You put the ice on your hands & feet during treatment? Holding the ice bags or just laying on your hands?
Hey Michelle,
I laid the ice bags on my feet during the Taxol infusion only….not during pre-meds. The ice isn’t super comfortable, so I wanted to do it the least amount of time as possible. You can lay the ice bags on your hands, but I found it impossible to do this. I needed my hands for reading during treatment, so I just held the ice bag. It got really cold so I rotated holding it in each hand for as long as I could stand it. Hope that helps, and best wishes to you as you finish treatment!
I was told to take Vit B6 50 mg three times a day and so far no neuropathy symptoms- doing my final 12 th Taxol tomorrow 🤞
I have blood on tissue when I blow my nose. I’ve had 5 rounds of Taxol out of 12. My oncologist suggested I use a nasal spray called Nozoil (sesame seed oil and vitamin E. It seems to moisten the nose so it’s not so dried out and inflamed. You use it twice a day.
Just finished four rounds of AC and will start Taxol tomorrow for 12 weeks. All the comments are so helpful. Looking forward to a little easier time with the Taxol and radiation. During infusion, the nurses provide ice packs for hands and feet so I hope that wards off the neuropathy. I tolerated the side effects of AC ok, but swear I will never do it again. I am 63 so am hoping cancer won’t return before about 15 years and I can feel ok about end of life. Having grandchildren keeps me going and husband and family and friends are a great support! Just hoping I learn what I need to from this experience and can be much more compassionate and patient. I pray for all of you and others who are going through this. You can do it!
Hi Susanna,
I’m so happy to hear you have completed your AC treatments. Hopefully your 12 weeks of Taxol will fly by, and you can put chemo behind you. I’m glad you have such a great support system at home, and I love your outlook on using this experience as a life lesson. Best wishes to you!
My first cancer journey in 2016, age 58. My tumor was ER/PR+, HER2 -and I was in remission 14 1/2 years!!! In November, 2021 I was diagnosed with a new cancer, not technically a recurrence because this time my tumor is triple negative. I took Femara for 2 hrs + and then switched to Tamoxifen. The Femara wasn’t controlling my high estrogen production. Although I was long past menopause, my estrogen was high enough to qualify as peri menopausal.
I hope you are as blessed as I was with almost 15 years of remission and no side effects from Femara or Tamoxifen. My first cancer journey left me triggered Type 2 Diabetes, autonomic neuropathy, and peripheral neuropathy., to name a few deficits. Chemo harder now at aage 73 1/2
Good to read others’ comments as no in person support groups during pandemic. I did the 4 AC. It was so bad they thought I was having heart attack or lung issues. I am almost 65, athletic, with” inflammatory triple negative”. The AC shrunk the very large tumor. Lymph node is normal size now. Taxol also terrible for me. Stomach destroyed, weakness, tired, achy, cranky, numbness feet and fingers, which comes after the first dose in any series. I stopped treatment twice to recover. Dr. stopped it one time so far. Now we are at odds over whether I will allow more. Worst is getting told by Dr. that I simply can’t be having these side effects – but I am. Have always been very sensitive to any medications. I have done 8 taxols and told Dr. I will decide future treatment/ if anymore. Surgery next, then radiation. I think Drs. read their text and fail to customize treatment due to malpractice fears. Thankfully medical profession has learned to reduce treatment and extent of surgery from what was done in past. I believe going forward it will also mean a reduction of chemo to see results, then stop this “poison” as it too can harm if not balanced. BTW, I have new Drs. for surgery/ radiation. I wish I trusted DRs. more, but have learned to not follow blindly. Be active/ vocal in your treatment.
Hi Carol,
Thanks so much for commenting. I’m so sorry to hear you had such a rough time with chemo. Hopefully surgery and radiation will be much easier on your body. Treatment definitely isn’t an easy experience, but I hope you are on the mend soon! Best wishes to you!
Great blog…thank you. I have one more AC treatment and then 12 Taxol treatments starting later this month. Great info to prepare. What did you use as a moisturizer for the face and body during treatments?
Hey Heather,
I’m so happy to hear you only have one more AC treatment left! Woohoo! Hopefully you will feel great during your 12 Taxol treatments. I would suggest using moisturizers that are meant for sensitive skin or eczema. Taxol caused a lot of skin issues for me, and my skin is still not back to normal two years later. I like Cetaphil and Aveeno lotions myself since they aren’t terribly expensive. I also find that hydrocortisone cream treats the eczema really quickly if I have a really stubborn spot. Hope that helps and I wish you all the best!
Hello to all!
I can’t be thankful enough for this blog, thank you Shari! I had the same treatments for my first chemo protocol i.e. Adriamycin & Cytoxan, total of 4 treatments in a 8 weeks span. I had a terrible time with the nausea altough they changed my anti-nausea drug twice! Was not hungry or thirsty, water didn’t taste good, it was a long 8 weeks! Started on Taxol and Herceptin (triple positive, stage II-B) on June 25th. What a relief to only have 2 medications to take an hour before treatment, Benadryl and Pepcid, had so many with first 4 treatments for first 3 days plus injection 24h after treatment! Got my 6th Taxol out of 12 treatments this morning and it has been a breeze. I had so much anxiety before these 12 treatments started given that the list of side effects is so long with Taxol. It also says “commonly occur” for so many as opposed to “may occur”. Thanks to your advice, I bought 4 of the ice packs you recommended on Amazon. I put them on my fingers and toes as soon as I get the steroid for 15 min plus a 15 min wait before the Taxol and no neuropathy so far, keeping my fingers crossed it won’t come at all! Other than certain foods tasting different and not so good, particularly sauces, anything with tomatoes, I’m hungry and I eat a lot and have no side effects at all (hopefully I don’t jinx it writing it down!)! I also bought the OPI for my nails and they are still looking great so far. Having the treatments every week becomes a bit tough as I personally go to the hospital twice a week, once for my bloodwork through the port every Tuesday and once for my treatment every Friday. My hair has also started to grow back slowly and I have a little “duvet” on top of my head.
After I finish my chemo on September 10, I have a 4-week break and will also get radiation. Not sure how many yet as I will be meeting the radiation oncologist later in September but surgeon had initially said around 3 weeks of radiation.
A big thank you again for your story, your advice amd all the comments from everyone, it has been so helpful!
Sylvie (Calgary, Canada)
53 years old
P..S. Originally from Quebec City so forgive me if my English is sometime tentative. :=)
Hi Sylvie,
Thanks so much for commenting! I’m so glad you found the advice on ice packs and nail polish helpful. All the credit goes to my sweet friend who initially told me about those tricks before I started Taxol. My doctor also thought they were smart ideas and even wrote down the name of the nail polish to tell other patients. Ha! I’m so happy to hear your hair is returning, and I hope you continue to feel well as you complete chemo treatment. Best wishes to you! p.s. My husband is actually from Edmonton, so we are very familiar with the Calgary area. Small world! And your English is great! 🙂
Thank you Shari,,,,,,,your blog helped me so much……..I am going on my 10th weekly Chemo and more to go……..and I have all the side effects you had and I feel so refreshed to hear this is not happening just to ME! My numbing hands and fingers concern me the most and I don’t want this to be permanent!!! I will try the ice bags for sure…..I like so many breast cancer patients are just trying our Best to get thru this and live a “normal” and healthy life! A positive attitude, family, friends. faith and prayers will get you through it!!!
Blessings to all ……. Pat l
Hi Pat,
Thanks so much for reaching out! I’m happy to hear you are already on your tenth week of Taxol treatments. Hopefully your side effects will begin to subside once you are completely finished. I appreciate your kind words and will keep you in my prayers as well!
Thank you for this info. I will start taxol after I finish the four rounds. I just bought the nail polish and ice pack. I am most worried about the neuropathy and hope to keep it bay.
Just FYI you can take claritan for the bone pain, and my dr recommended glutamine to help with the rejuvenation of the nerve endings to prevent neuropathy.
Also I have not had any side effects from the red dragon except for fatigue. My dr stated that usually if you did not get morning sickness while pregnant you usually won’t get sick the the chemo.
I am curious as to how you knew what was acceptable in the neuropathy and when it got to the point that you should be concerned?
Hi Karen,
Thanks so much for sharing your experiences and tips for getting through chemo! I’m so happy to hear that you do not have side effects from AC chemo! My doctor mentioned something similar about pregnancy sickness and chemo side effects, and it definitely turned out to be true for me. I did not really experience neuropathy during Taxol. I used the ice packs during each session, and I felt some tingles and joint pain but not severe neuropathy. Hopefully the ice will help prevent any neuropathy from starting with you. If not, talk to your doctor and let him/her know what’s going on. Best of luck to you as you complete your treatment!
I was told to take Vit B6 50 mg three times a day and so far no neuropathy symptoms- doing my final 12 th Taxol tomorrow 🤞
OMGOODNESS,
Everything you went through is exactly what I am experiencing now. I started with the AC and now am on the Taxol.
I am on a break for a week because my neuropathy is bad in my fingers, that makes it hard to do much of anything with my hands. Since this can be permanent, they want to see it my symptom’s gets better, and then will discuss continuing out my remaining 4 treatments. Oh BTW, my hair also is growing back. Head looks and feels like a baby gray haired duckling. Hoping I get the Chemo curls… Looking forward to radiation, and many surgeries for reconstruction.
God bless everyone in your journey.
Hi Genice,
Thank you for sharing your experiences with Taxol. I have heard that neuropathy feels awful, so I hope your symptoms start getting better! I’m so happy to hear your hair is starting to grow back. Gray baby duckling hair describes it perfectly! Ha! You will get your curls before you know it. I wish you all the best with radiation and surgery. They should both be a breeze after chemo!
Hi! I’m so glad I came across your blog tonight! I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer in December 2020 & started the AC chemo in late Jan. It was so awful! I hate to talk about it too because just like you said, the thought of it makes me nauseated! It was so horrible after each time, it took me 8 days after the first one to be able to take care of myself, 9 days after the 2nd & 3rd and 11 days after the last one! So I told my doctor I was done with chemo, eveb though I was due to start the once a week for 12 weeks of Taxol, two weeks after my last AC. I struggled so hard mentally with doing any other chemo, that I took an additional 2 & 1/2 weeks off of chemo (4 & 1/2 weeks all together from my last AC treatment) just to find the courage to walk back in that bldg and start another chemo. Well I finally did it, 2 days ago I got my first Taxol treatment. It wasn’t bad. The benedryl did make me sleepy, and yes, I had tons of energy the next day, but day 2 after treatment the GI issues are hitting me again, feeling like my stomach is just like a fragile egg ready to crack at any moment, and I’ve felt a little queezy a few times today, along with feeling super heavy and physically just drained. I hope this gets better tomorrow and I’m not feeling like this the whole 7 days until the next treatment because I need to have some good days to be able to deal with the not so good ones. I’m wondering if Taxol is going to give me cumulative side effects the way AC did. Every AC was worse than the last and I certainly don’t want to do 11 more Taxols that are all worse than the one before. After the chemo I’ll have surgery and then radiation and possibly the chemo pill; I sure hope not though. I’m trying to stay positive but I’m not doing a real good job of that…..thank you for reading. I wish everyone here the very best and a full recovery, cancer free!
Hi Cynthia!
Thank you for sharing your experience with chemo. I’m so happy to hear you have finished AC Chemo. Woohoo!!!! Taxol was much easier for me, so hopefully you will tolerate it better than the Red Devil. Regarding the cumulative side effects of Taxol…they may have gotten a bit worse each time but it’s hard to remember. The bone pain and aches continued throughout all of Taxol and even a few months after I finished treatment. Overall, I started feeling MUCH better on Taxol though. I hope you continue to stay strong as you complete your treatments. Hopefully you will find surgery and radiation much less difficult than chemo. Best wishes to you!
Got sugary done on March 2 nd got left breast removed now have to start chemo 4 once in 21 days
And then t 12 cycles and then radiation and then 5 years of pills can’t understand much and want help with diet
Hi Mala,
Thank you for sharing your story. It sounds like we had really similar treatment plans. I see that you want help with diet information. I’m going to assume you mean during treatment, but feel free to correct me. During chemo, I ate whatever I felt hungry for. It was really similar to being pregnant. Certain foods turned me off, and others I craved. I didn’t worry about whether or not they were healthy, I only concerned myself with whether or not I could keep them down. It is probably different for every patient, but I craved cheese. Grilled cheese sandwiches, cheese pizza, Mexican rice with cheese, and Ritz white cheddar crackers were my go to items. This only lasted during AC chemo, so once you start Taxol you should have a regular appetite back. I hope that helps! Best wishes to you throughout your treatment!
Hi,
I was diagnosed with breast cancer in Oct. 2020.
I have finished my 4 AC treatments and am getting my second Taxol treatment this week., 2 of 12. I was wanting to ask about the nail polish. Is it the OPI nail envy? Wanting to purchase this. My nails are already feeling sore. I found your blog very helpful. Thank you!
Hey Erica,
Thanks so much for reaching out. Yes, the nail polish I used religiously was the OPI Nail Envy. If you follow the directions on the product, you will use it often. It still lasted well beyond my full 12 weeks of Taxol, though. Also, my nails still ached a bit; but they did not even come close to falling off. I am actually going to go back and update this post because I was told to buy the one with the GREEN label, and I don’t think I included that in the original writing. I wish you all the best during your treatment! Hopefully you will start to feel better now that AC chemo is over!
Hi Shari,
Thanks for starting your blog! And thanks to all of you ladies for sharing your stories.. You are all in my prayers. It looks like many of us are/ were on the same treatment plans. The “Ferocious Four” ( aka AC) definitely does suck energy right out of you. Thankfully, I tolerated the AC fairly well in terms of the nausea. The achy bones following each Neulasta patch administration wasn’t too fun either but it does help boost your white blood cell count that the chemo destroys. Starting from the beginning…I was diagnosed August 2020 and after endless imaging, tests, etc., I had an outpatient double mastectomy on Dec. 21 with the expanders put in as part of the reconstruction prep. No history of breast cancer in my family and I’ve always been the healthy one taking care of everyone else. This whole thing hit me like a ton of bricks and turned my entire world upside down which I’m sure is true for you too. In January 2021, when my JP drains were pulled out, I developed a a couple of serious infections which resulted in the plastic surgeon removing one of the expanders. Fun stuff! I’m starting my 12-week Taxol adventure this week. I, too, am freaked out about the Taxol wreaking havoc on my nails so I truly appreciate the tip about the OPI Nail Envy polish. I ordered it straight away. What polish remover did you use? I’d like to get the right one. I have the cooling mitts and socks in preparation to prevent the neuropathy from rearing it’s ugly head. Again thanks for listening and for sharing! Please let me know which polish remover to get! God bless you ladies, Lisa
Hi Lisa,
Thank you for your kind words! It does help to find others who have gone through the same treatments and experiences. I think you described what so many of us feel during this journey. I’m sorry to hear about your infections after your mastectomy, and I hope you are recovering from all of that! I’m glad to hear you handled AC chemo so well! I feel relieved for you! ha! Hopefully Taxol won’t give you any problems either. As for polish remover, I just used the Target brand remover so nothing fancy. The OPI Nail polish comes with specific instructions on painting your nails and I made sure to follow it exactly. You do have to remove and re-paint often if I am remembering correctly. It sounds like you are really prepared for Taxol. I wish you all the best!
I will start Taxol in January. I have acrylic nails. Have you heard if it’s advisable to have it removed in order to order the polish you’re speaking of?
Hi Teresa,
I can’t remember if my doctor gave me specific guidelines on acrylic nails. I would guess that you should remove them before starting Taxol since it can weaken your nails. But, I would ask your doctor or nurse to make sure. I hope Taxol goes well for you! Thanks for reaching out.
I have acrylic nails and removed them prior to the AC treatments, then decided to put them back on for Taxol. I just completed my 4th and final round of Taxol and haven’t had any problems with my nails! Hope that helps, good luck❤️
Hi,
My biggest side effect from Taxol is fatigue. I stay so tired all the time. I was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer in 2009. It Metastasized to my liver in 2010. I have been on several different chemotherapy drugs. Seven years ago I was referred to the Sarah Cannon Drug Development Unit for Clinical Trials. There I have been placed on several different clinical trial medications and after a while they would stop working and we would move on to the next one. For the last almost 2 years I have been on Taxol and an oral clinical trial medications. Being on Taxol has caused my arthritis to get really bad, I’m 53 years old and have the joints of an 85-90 year old. The fact that my arthritis is so bad causes a lot of pain in my legs and makes it hard to walk most days. I’ve lost my finger nails a few times and I will definitely try that nail polish. I’m now taking Taxol every other week until the cancer is gone or it stops shrinking the tumors. So my side effects are leg pain, fatigue, hair loss (I have found out that Collagen pills help with the hair loss. Since I have been taking them I now have hair almost to my shoulders) , nail loss, restlessness, insomnia (which doesn’t help the fatigue), hot flashes, night sweats, change in taste, the Chemo drugs have caused a gluten issue and very dry skin. But by the grace of God almighty I have been here to battle this monster for 12 years. Thank God. Every one be blessed and thanks for reading my long story.
Hi Sandra,
You have quite a story, and I’m so grateful to you for sharing it! I can’t imagine being on Taxol for as long as you have been. It’s been two years since my last Taxol treatment, and I STILL have joint pain and skin sensitivity. You have such a positive attitude, especially considering all you have gone through. I will keep you in my prayers that your side effects remain manageable. Best wishes to you!
I will be starting Taxol on Friday, I was on Cisplatin and Gemzar for 7 rounds of treatment for metastatic urothelial cancer, I then did 7 weeks of Bavencio immunotherapy, that didn’t work. I will also start radiation on Thursday for a mass on the adrenal gland. Thank you for this post, it is very helpful. I did hear it does cause hair loss, is that the case? I had none really with the other chemo regimen. Thank you so much,
Theresa
Hi Theresa,
I’m so sorry to hear of your diagnosis. Unfortunately I’m not really sure if Taxol causes complete hair loss or not. By the time I had started Taxol, I had already lost all of my hair during Adriamycin and Cytoxan chemo. My hair actually started to grow (slowly) while on Taxol. I’m not sure if it thins what is already there or not. I did lose my eyebrows and eyelashes briefly at the very end of treatment, so I would suspect that it causes at least some hair loss. Maybe someone with more experience in this area will chime in. Thanks for reaching out, and I wish you all the best with treatment!
Hi Theresa-
I had 4 rounds of Taxol – one every 21 days. It did cause complete hair loss for me.
I was on Taxol and carboplatin for metastatic Fallopian tube cancer. This required major debunking surgery. Complete hysterectomy, appendectomy, omentomectomy and and removal of part of my bowel, leaving me with an osteomy. My first Taxol I did go into shock, but they were right on it. They stopped the infusion gave me an antidote which burned like crazy, but only for a few minutes. Then they restarted the infusion at a slower rate and gave me a smaller dose. From then on I had 1/3 dose infusions each week instead of a full dose every three weeks. My second cancer I was able to take the full dose every 3 weeks for 4 rounds. Then I got so sick that I ended up in the hospital for a week. Nausea, vomiting, and extreme shortness of breath. It was decided I couldn’t do anymore infusions, but luckily my tumors had shrunk to a normal level. It took three months before I could breath normally again. I don’t think the fatigue will ever go away.
Hi Janet,
It sounds like you have really been through a lot! I can’t imagine having so many surgeries, and I hope you are feeling better! It’s nice to hear that your nurses were able to handle your Taxol reaction with such ease. My oncologist assured me the nurses in the infusion center were on top of things if anything were to occur. It’s still so scary to think about though! I’m glad that they were able to figure out a dosage for you that your body could handle. I’m so sorry to hear about your side effects with your second cancer. It’s great that your tumors ended up at a normal level. I’m sure that was a huge relief for you! I wish you all the best in your continued recovery as you manage your lingering side effects. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience!
Thank you for posting this. I am 39 years old with stage 2B. I have finished 3 of the AC treatments so far and they are really hard to deal with. I am hopeful for the Taxol treatments. I have a 7 year old at home and I have not been able to keep up with him very much on AC. Trying my best though. Best wishes to you for health and happiness. Be well!
Hey Jessica,
Thank you so much for sharing. I’m happy to hear that you have completed 3 of your AC chemo treatments. I hope your final one goes well for you! Taxol should be much easier even though there are more treatments. I was able to fully take care of my kids on Taxol, so hopefully your energy level will start to return to normal. I wish you all the best!
This post has been very interesting to read. I’m in my early 70s and admire all you youngsters who are going through this!
I had lumpectomy, then 4 rounds of A/C, then 21 radiation treatments and now I will be starting Taxol this next week. I think 12 weeks are scheduled. It was helpful to hear your experience and those of others. It’s a little scary, but most of my treatments so far have been very tolerable and if Taxol is easier, then I will survive! Not looking forward to the hot flashes and the Tamoxifan either. I’m wondering if your immune system was really compromised during this part of your therapy. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Hey Janna,
It sounds like we had really similar treatment plans. I hope you find Taxol to be much easier than A/C chemo. The side effects were much more manageable for me. My immune system was compromised mostly during A/C chemo. Once I started Taxol, my immune system was closer to normal. I believe it was totally back to normal about 6 weeks after I finished my last chemo treatment. I will be thinking of you as you receive treatment during the pandemic and flu season. Take care of yourself and stay healthy!
I am 67 and have been getting Taxol for 11 weeks. One more tx to go. Side effects have been minimal. Slight headache when the steroid wears off, and slight bloody nose. Also have lost most of my hair . It’s cold here so wig is ok! I start the A/C a week after my last T. I’m a little concerned about more side effects and extra meds needed to combat them. But God has helped me so far and I know He’ll help me endure.
Hi Barb,
Congratulations to you on completing your Taxol treatments! I’m sure you feel so relieved to be finished with them. I will keep you in my prayers as you receive A/C chemo treatment. Hopefully your side effects will be minimal, and treatment will go by fast for you. Thanks so much for sharing!
Thank you for sharing! I didn’t realize that the night sweats were pre-menopause! It’s the summer and VERY hot these days in Southern California. I’m typically FINE with lots of clothes on at night but not anymore!!! I’ve also noticed that my period stopped. Did yours stop as well? I’m 43yrs old and I’m quite fine without a period. Did the pack of ice really last for the whole treatment? That’s what I’ve been struggling with. I have ice packs and the nurses were telling me just to get a bowl and ice and place my fingers in. As for my feet I’m not sure. I’ve finished 2 Taxol treatments and the 4 AC Treatments. Those used to have me out for days!! I pray that you can continue to encourage others on this journey! All the best!
Hi Tenecia,
I had no idea the night sweats were related to menopause either! Yes, my periods stopped after maybe the fourth Taxol treatment. I was diagnosed just over two years ago, and I’m currently taking Tamoxifen. I’m still not having menstrual cycles, and my doctor said they may or may not come back. I also get hot flashes constantly throughout the day and night. It has definitely been an adjustment. Ha! The blue bags that I used for ice DID last the whole treatment. And they were easier to tolerate than the other things I tried. Congratulations on finishing your AC treatments!! Those are the worst! I hope Taxol flies by for you and that you get to ring the bell soon! Best wishes to you and thanks so much for commenting!
Thank you for your upbeat and positive blog! I was just diagnosed at age 42 with triple negative breast cancer and have a 2 and 3 year old at home. I’ve been through 2 AC treatments with 2 to go and then 12 Taxol. So far, it’s not exactly a walk in the park, but not too terrible. Hoping Taxol is a little lighter on the nausea! Your blog has lifted my spirits. I can’t wait to take my last treatment photo, which should be right before Christmas!!!
Hi Abagail,
I’m so sorry to hear about your diagnosis. It’s not an easy journey (especially with little ones at home), but you learn to be grateful for the small things. I hope you find Taxol much easier than AC chemo. What a great Christmas present finishing chemo will be…Congrats to you!!!! Best of luck to you and your family! Thanks for sharing.
I was 55 when I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer.
I was POST menopausal and the chemo kicked up my night sweats and I have them all throughout the day as well…they are awful
Hi Cindy,
Thank you for commenting! My hot flashes also don’t seem to be letting up any time soon. Nights are worse, but the day sweats are real too. I’m trying to get used to them since I think they are around for good! I wish you all the best in your recovery!
You are about the only one that I’ve seen talk about Taxol throwing them into menopause and having to deal with the hot flashes and night sweats! I’m 41 and for me this is by far the worst aspect of ALL three chemos (AC-T)! Wondering if you are still having them? I have 10/12 of my Taxol’s done and am so anxious to get a full night of peaceful sleep!
Hey Laura,
I’m sorry to tell you that the hot flashes have gotten worse for me. Ugh! My oncology nurse told me they probably won’t go away since I’m taking Tamoxifen now. She also explained that I’m not actually in menopause and can still potentially get pregnant. Ahh!! So don’t let your body fool you! Also, I try to just tell myself that the hot flashes mean that the meds are working. But, I feel your pain! I originally thought they were funny, but now they are downright annoying!! I hope you find some relief or that yours disappear altogether. Good luck with everything!! Thanks for commenting and take care.
Thank you for writing about your experience. I’m waiting for my port appointment and then will start AC for 8 weeks. After that I’ll have T for 12 weeks. Your experience has helped me to feel more prepared as to what to expect. I just turned 42 and already had my lumpectomy with sentinel node removal which went really well. I’m stage 1A, but invasive and my Oncotype DX score and the board of oncologists at my cancer center have approved chemo & radiation for the best chance of the cancer not returning. Thank you again for sharing your story.
Thank you for sharing your story! I know surgery, chemo, and radiation are a lot to swallow in the beginning. Once you are finished, you’ll be so glad you used every method possible to get rid of it for good though. I wish you all the best and hope you let me know how you’re doing along the way!
I just fished my 3rd Taxol yesterday – you are right much better than the AC treatments. I am 35 and I too have a 5 year old and 20 month old to keep up with at home. It’s tough but we are getting through it. All the symptoms you talk about are exactly what I’m dealing with! Just experienced my first night sweat 2 days ago though 😫 my husband always thought I was crazy for going to bed with a hoodie and sweats. Looks like a tshirt only will be my new go to!
Hi Jessica!
I’m happy to hear you are tolerating Taxol better than AC! My twelve weeks actually flew by, so you’ll be finished before you know it. Aren’t hot flashes crazy!? I go from being freezing to sweating within seconds now! Ha! Thank you for commenting, and I wish you and your sweet little family all the best!
I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. I had nine weeks of taxol. I was suppose to have 12 but the neuropathy was bad. They also had to reduce the strength on both the taxol and red devil due to the side effects. The red devil was the worst. After chemo I had surgery and the mass was removed along with one node under my arm. The pathology showed the mass had shrunk considerably with no cancer and very little cancer in the node. The cancer did not have the receptors so I was not able to take the hormones. I went through 8 weeks of radiation. I will have my fourth scan in November and the first three scans showed no traces that the cancer has returned. I also just had my mammogram and it was clear. In light of it all, the side effect, no hair and the chemo/ radiation it seems to of worked for me so far.
Hi Susan,
I’m so happy to hear your success story! I’m sorry you had bad reactions to Taxol and the Red Devil. I even have a hard time writing about Adriamycin because it makes me feel nauseous just to think about it. Ha! The side effects are so worth it when the treatments are destroying the cancer though! Thank you for commenting, and I wish you the best!
My first Benadryl through my port was tough. I was used to the drowsiness, however it entered so fast that I got very woozy and felt like I would pass out. They stopped it for me. Since then I’ve been given Benadryl by pill which had been much better!
I’m done right of twelve sessions, every third week also getting Herceptin and Perjeta.
I also have insomnia the first night due to the steroid. I’ve found its better if I give up
Caffeine on treatment day, only take a short nap if the Benadryl drags me under, and stay up very late. Then I’m able to get five hours of sleep at least.
I wasn’t concerned with hair loss. It started coming out very quickly in the third week, so I bought several head wraps. The. It slowed down. I still have quite a bit, although much thinner. I haven’t started wearing any wraps, so possibly will have donations after I finish up.
Four to go!
Hi Dea-Sue,
It sounds like we had similar reactions to the Benadryl. I’m glad they switched you to pill form. I think that would have helped me a lot too! Like you, I found that taking a shorter nap on infusion day really helped with the insomnia. I even stopped napping altogether so that I could sleep better that first night. I hope the rest of your chemo treatments go well for you! Thanks for reaching out!
I had the same treatment except for the Cytoxan, because my oncologist saw that my tumor was shrinking by the third Adriamycin . I took the last red demon infusion and went to surgery.. I was fearing the Taxol sections the first time because I had to take 3 pills at night before the treatment and 3 more in the morning. they went smoothly but what I hated most was I get the side effects 2 days after. good thing I could eat and no vomiting. (I lost 20 lbs before taxol) but I got the stupid chemo brain, that almost got me a ticket because I forgot that I had to renovate the car registration. (I got safe by the cancer card and save myself from $800 in tickets) Nephropathy, menopause, feeling tired all the time, my eyesight it’s horrible, .Lymph edema (I got lymph nodes removed) Insomnia, stomach pains at night, feeling hot all the time, different body odor, bad taste and sensitivity on my gums. I finished my taxol last month (sept 18) I feel that some of the side effects are wearing off. no more constipation (I’m going to the bathroom every morning), getting my energy back little by little, no more stomach pain, sleeping a little better and my hair is growing.
My journey it’s not finish yet because I have to take a Herceptin infusions one day at a month for a year
thanks for sharing your experience . it was like I was reading myself in yours.
Hi Mary,
Thank you for sharing your experience! I didn’t realize that Herceptin is given for a whole year! Does that cause a lot of side effects too? I’m glad you finished Adriamycin though. That was definitely the worst for me. I’m about six months passed my last Taxol treatment and am really feeling like my old self again. The aches and pains from Taxol lasted for months, and I sometimes wondered if I would feel like that for the rest of my life. Just remember it does gets better! Best of luck to you!
I’ve had bad neuropathy and bone pain which sucks. I’m seven rounds in and only need one more and then I will start radiation. The Benadryl helps because at the start of taxol I had bad chest pains and high blood pressure which get like my heart was going to explode. But I’m hoping all this will be over soon
Hi Dolores,
Thank you for reaching out. Hang in there with the Taxol! It sounds like you’re almost finished so the side effects from it should start to lessen. Radiation was a breeze for me after chemo, so hopefully you will find it much easier as well. I wish you all the best!
Thanks. I’m on week 3 of taxol and my hair just started coming out. I was concerned about the alcohol they use as a solvent, but I’ve had no ill effects. I do notice that the chest pain I’ve had from a secondary tumor in my breast bone is gone. I can actually sneeze without excruciating psin. And the primary tumor is smaller. Jist hoping this works.
Hi Nora,
Thank you for commenting. I’m so glad your secondary tumor is gone!!! That must have been incredibly painful, so I’m sure you’re really relieved. I wish you well as you finish Taxol!