Side effects of taxol

Brenleigh

Hi All, this is the first time on this site. I was diagnosed with a TNBC on the 1/3/2017 post a routine mammogram. Age 52.  Surgery on the 16/3 (wide local excision and 4 nodes taken). Thankfully no spread to the nodes and the margins were clear. Stage 1, 0 nodes, 0 mets.

Chemo commenced on the 16/4. 4 x cycles of AC and 12 x weeks of Paclitaxel. I live alone so most of the everyday stuff needs to be done. I just had week 11 of Taxol yesterday. (Yeah, 1 week Left, so excited!!!!) I am finding that I am so fatigued now that I don't want to do too much more than sit on the couch.

I did go back to work ( Oncology Nurse) for 5 weeks when I started the Taxol and was happily working 2-3 days a week. I then caught some virus, I think from one of my gorgeous grandchildren. Spent 2 days in hospital as I was febrile. Since then I have not re gained my energy and feel, what I call it "blah". I am feeling like a bit of a whinger, 

I just changed the sheets on my bed and I feel like Ive ran a marathon!!

What are others experience? As I normally give chemotherapy to patients it is a very different experience on the other side, which can only make me a better Nurse.

I have read radiotherapy can cause a lot of fatigue as well, another thing to look forward to.

I know everyone's side effects can be dramatically different, however I would love to hear your experience. Any Ideas to help with fatigue.

Cheer All, Brenda

iserbrown

@Brenleigh welcome to the forum!  I just put up a post earlier on fatigue - it hits us all at varying stages and more often than not more than once as we cope with diagnosis, surgery, treatment and those side effects!  There is a information sheet on the website for fatigue, here it is!  Hope it helps
https://www.bcna.org.au/health-wellbeing/physical-wellbeing/fatigue/

Hope you settle into the forum and the website as there is a wealth of experience and information

Take care and good luck with your treatment and management thereof!  xx

LMK74

Yep the fatigue sucks. I'm 9 weeks post chemo and 3 weeks post mastectomy and fatigue is bad. About to start radiation on 26 September so can only imagine what more fatigue on top will feel like.

poodlejules

HI Brenda. I'm a similar age and just starting to get some energy back now , 5 months after chemo (12 weeks Taxol then radiation , I year Herceptin which I finish in Jan 18). I had 4 days in hospital too with a high temp and still describe how I feel as "blah" when someone asks me !! You will get your taste back after chemo and that helps with the blah feeling. I had naps when I could and got right into Netflix which I had never bothered with before. I'm exercising more now and I think it gives me a boost and helps me sleep better. All the best with eerything and take care x

Afraser

Sound awful, but nearly over! I had lots of extremely irritating side effects from Taxol but fatigue wasn't one of them. Happily most of them cleared up when the treatment stopped. Hope yours do too. 

Hopes_and_Dreams

Hi @Brenleigh, I can't share any experience with chemo as I and didn't need it after my mastectomy but just wanted to say welcome.
Wow, an oncology nurse! I hope you are receiving all the love and care twofold that I'm sure you have given others.  Wishing you all the best, Jane x

[Deleted User]

Hi @Brenleigh I was tired after radiotherapy, but mainly due to having to drive there everyday after work. It was mentally draining. I was ok on Taxol. It was and remains the neuropathy in my feet which gives me grief almost 3 years down the track. It takes time to overcome fatigue and when you get sick you feel very run down. It will get better. Just let your doctor know how you're doing. Exercise helped me to feel better. x 

Brenleigh

Thanks for all the responses and welcomes. Thanks @Hopes_and_Dreams, have been well looked after. It's reassuring to read alll the comments

primek

I was wiped out from ACT-H chemo and couldn't work at all. My last few weeks of taxol I spent on the lounge chair I was just exhausted. But 5 weeks on and slowly I noticed energy returning and I was back at work by 7 weeks. Part time, short days...but back and just built it up slowly. Kath x

Nadi

Taxol and me did not get along. I was incredibly tired. I would walk up 4 steps to go to my chemo unit and I would be huffing and puffing by the fourth step. Found out after my 3rd cycle that I was one of the 1% of people to get shortness breath as a side effect if taxol. I also did cyclophosphamide and herceptin. It took about 4 - 6 weeks after taxol finished for someof my strength to return. Hang in there it does get better.

Piper17

Hi Brenleigh, sounds like our treatment regime is quite similar. I've had 4 rounds of AC and am now having weekly Taxol - just had my 4 th. I have been feeling quite good ( much better than when having the AC), but have noticed that yesterday I started having the tingling in my fingers and toes! The fatigue is also getting worse - sometimes feels like my batteries are running out! Luckily I'm not working at the moment so can rest when I need to, which is quite often these days. Sometimes I feel a bit guilty when I haven't done much during the day, or hanging up the washing or collecting the chook eggs sends me back to the couch for a couple of hours, but hey that's how it is at the moment!  I am joining a walking group next week, as I've read EVERYWHERE that exercise is really important, even though sometimes it's hard to get off the couch!!! So I think you must remember to be kind to yourself and rest when you need to. Robyn xxx

onemargie

Rest rest rest that's what you need my love I has TNBC may last year aged 43  stage 2 grade 3 had 4 rounds AC two weeks apart and 4 rounds taxol two weeks apart no rads as I had mastectomy but you really have to listen to your body. I'm a nurse too and we don't make the best patients. And you being an oncol nurse would be even harder too I felt the best in the morning so made myself get up walk my dogs tidy my house do a load of washing get dinner ready (usually an easy heat and eat) and then spent the rest of the day on the couch or in the bath as those bloody neulasta injections are fucking shitty!! I have grown up kids so it was easier too and one had already left the nest. Hubby and our son would help as I needed it. I didn't have any neuropathy in my feet but had it in my hands and it's has nearly all gone now thank god. I slept on a towel in bed and that helped with the night sweats I could just change it through the night and hardly ever had the covers on. Chemo put me into menopause so has the hot flushes too but hardly have these now too thank god. Just some osteo like symptoms now but they feel better when I exercise. And I take panadol osteo PRN. Hope this helps feel free to PM me if you'd like to chat. 

Brenleigh

Thanks so much for sharing your experiences. I tend to be a tough cookie and can be a bit hard on myself. I have taken some LSL just to be nice to myself. I have been having treatment all year and can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Our pt's ring a bell at the end of chemo. I remember being at work one day thinking I never want to ring that bell. On Thursday I will be ringing that bell.

iserbrown

Ring that bell as it is so symbolic!

onemargie

Ring the shot out of that bell woman

onemargie

Ring the shit out of that bell I mean