Paclitaxel side effects

I lost 17kgs from diagnosis, through two ops and TC chemo, to my BMX and recon. The steroids didn't make me ravenous. Chemo knocked out my appetite for 10 days out of each cycle and everything tasted of either nothing or revolting even when I was hungry!

I was disciplined about losing weight, cutting out most sugar, walking daily, because I needed to lose weight to get into the safety zone for the big operation.

I was petrified about gaining weight during chemo and told my oncologist. She said that in her experience those that wanted to not gain weight didn't.

My breast care nurse said that many women took to the couch and didn't move forctge duration.

My dietician (yep, I talked about it with a lot of people!) said the idea was to not lose or gain too much through chemo. She said a plus or minus 5kgs was the acceptable zone. However she was fine with me weight loss as I was sensible, maintained my nutrition, and did it steadily over five months.

Are you in a position to lose, gain, or maintain? K xox

@Blossom1961 has nailed it. I had no nausea, so only took the obligatory steroids with A/C and dropped them altogether with Taxol. Mostly everything tasting of cardboard for about 2 months or more added to the ease of losing 10kgs over chemo. Keeping it off requires greater vigilance! I never want to scare people about neuropathy as it mostly clears up, but while my feet continue to make glacier like progress, I doubt if after 6 years they will ever be normal. Doesn't affect much and no pain, but constant. There may now be better options about how to offset nerve damage, so do please askwhat else is being recommended. Best wishes. 

As others have said above. I also had problems with diarrhea on the day and day following paclitaxel treatment. Sometimes within the hour of infusion starting. Had some rather nail biting trips home in the car...

@December2018 Part of the chemo treatment often includes steroids. I gained eight kilos and no amount of dieting (except starving) or exercise stopped me from stacking it on. Many people find they are unable to eat due to nausea or altered taste buds and thus lose weight. Let us know how you go. 

Thank you for your responses @Fraser and @Sister..
I have been warned by my Oncologist about the neuropathy as there is a very real concern because of the Parkinson disease, she told me they may have to stop treatment, fingers crossed this does not happen.
I will contact my Oncologist first thing Monday about the Vitiam B.
On a lighter (haahaa) note the weight loss doesn't sound to bad. 
Why does everyone say weight gain with BC??

Paclitaxel is generally tolerated better than A/C but it's often hard on soft tissue  - eyes, nose, mouth. Runny or even bloody noses may be experienced, watery eyes and, in my case, loss of taste buds! Positive side, it's a great way to lose weight. Peripheral neuropathy (impact on neve endings in hands and/ or feet)  usually sets in halfway through or later, if it happens and it doesn't always. Like most Paclitaxel side effects, it usually clears up after treatment stops but not always. If you start getting tingling in your toes and fingers, make sure you a) advise and b) ask what can be done to protect your extremities. I found vitamin B helped, but should have started it sooner. Always check before taking vitamins but vitamin B is relatively unlikely to harm and may be worth taking anyway, just in case. I had no nausea or fatigue, but didn't have that with A/C either. Best wishes. 

From my experience, much of a muchness to AC if you had that except not as severe.  However, because the doses are closer together, it does tend to wear you out a bit more.  The only extra side effect I had was peripheral neuropathy but not until the last few treatments.  This was monitored and I was questioned before each treatment once it appeared.  Most of it has now gone except for a small patch under a couple of the toes on one foot (the spot it started in).