I am 57 and was diagnosed with DCIS grade 3 and invasive in April this year.Thank god it didn't get into the nodes.I have had 2 lumpectomies and 3months of chemo and am upto my 3rd week of Taxol. I am finding I am getting very tired with the Taxol and am considering not continueing with it.I still have 6 weeks of radiation to look forward to once the chemo is finished.I have been very positive and strong up until now and I wonder if there is anyone that could let me know about their experiences with Taxol.

I had my 4th Taxol last Friday and spent most of yesterday in bed, I could not stay awake. It has been like this from the 1st one, I seem to have 2 days where I am very tired, so I'm thinking this is the way it's going to be until number 12. I had AC for 4 rounds and really the fatigue on Taxol seems to be the same as AC. It can start to get you down, but as each week goes by it means you are closer to the end. I have 5 weeks of radiation after this as well.

HI nellsbell Welcome to the site and I'm sure you will find all the wonderfully strong ladies here a huge support. i certainly have. After a mastectomy and 4 lymph nodes removes in May, I am also part way through my chemo before 6 weeks of radiation and then hormone therapy. My first 3 chemo treatments were FEC and then last one I changed to Docetaxel, which is a taxane, as is toxol. I am still coming to terms with the incredible difference - I have been very strong and positive up until now but this one stopped me in my tracks. I haven't been able to do much at all and it is only now, 10 days on that I'm managing to do a few basic things without sitting down for a rest part way through. The fatigue has really hit me. I'm just hanging on to the fact that I only have 2 more of these to go and that radiation isn't nearly as bad on the body. I know and expect fatigue may hit again particularly towards the last couple of weeks but I'm sure it won't be as much. I hope you manage to work out a plan of attack that works for you and keep thinking of that end of the chemo point when you can say well the fatigue was worth it to get this cancer out of my body. Take care, Dette xxx

Hi Dette, Thank you for replying to my blog. Your experience sounds very much like mine . I handled the first 3 months of chemo really well and I have only had 2 doses of Taxol with another 10 to go and already I am finding the fatigue hard to handle as I am a very active person and don't like asking for help. I don't know if I will have the courage or strength to continue it. This morning I had a nose bleed which scared the heck out of me so I rang my care nurse and she told me it was very common to have nose bleeds. Great ! This is the first time I have ever posted a blog so I hope I am doing it right. Thanks again , Nellsbell

Hi Daina, Thanks for replying to my blog and for the information on the Help section, I am sure I will be making use of it as I go through my treatment. Tale Care , Nellsbell

Hi Lutte, Thanks for replying to my blog. I did well on the first 3 months of chemo and was told that I would have more energy on the Taxol. Thay got that wrong ! I have read that if you do some light excersie it helps with the fatigue but how do you get enough energy to exercise when every day chores make you so tired? I have put on 5 kilos which is very upsetting as I have been able to keep my weight in check in the past. I am always sooo hungry and tend to eat to try and pick up my energy levels. Take Care, Nellsbell

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12 Replies

w_w_w_dette
Member
14 years ago
HI nellsbell

Welcome to the site and I'm sure you will find all the wonderfully strong ladies here a huge support. i certainly have.

After a mastectomy and 4 lymph nodes removes in May, I am also part way through my chemo before 6 weeks of radiation and then hormone therapy. My first 3 chemo treatments were FEC and then last one I changed to Docetaxel, which is a taxane, as is toxol. I am still coming to terms with the incredible difference - I have been very strong and positive up until now but this one stopped me in my tracks. I haven't been able to do much at all and it is only now, 10 days on that I'm managing to do a few basic things without sitting down for a rest part way through. The fatigue has really hit me.

I'm just hanging on to the fact that I only have 2 more of these to go and that radiation isn't nearly as bad on the body. I know and expect fatigue may hit again particularly towards the last couple of weeks but I'm sure it won't be as much.

I hope you manage to work out a plan of attack that works for you and keep thinking of that end of the chemo point when you can say well the fatigue was worth it to get this cancer out of my body.

Take care, Dette xxx
lutte
Member
14 years ago
I had my 4th Taxol last Friday and spent most of yesterday in bed, I could not stay awake. It has been like this from the 1st one, I seem to have 2 days where I am very tired, so I'm thinking this is the way it's going to be until number 12. I had AC for 4 rounds and really the fatigue on Taxol seems to be the same as AC. It can start to get you down, but as each week goes by it means you are closer to the end. I have 5 weeks of radiation after this as well.

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