taxol & avastin - starting next week

[Pam P]

I will be starting weekly taxol & avastin every other week. I'd like to hear from others who have experience on this. I have bone mets and also get aredia 1 time a month.

I am just discontining xeloda. I've been on xeloda over 3 1/2 yrs, 1st with herceptin, then with tykerb. This worked so well for me for a long time. The hand/foot issues were hard at times, but all in all I didn't really feel like I was on chemo.

I'm really dreading having to go back to a harder chemo regimen, the weekly IV sessions, losing my hair, etc. I work full time & am worried about being able to feel good enough to maintain reasonable work schedule too.

I have bone mets. My CT/PET & CT scans last month were stable, but my ca2729 has risen steadily for last several months. Latest was 603, up from about 200 last fall. So my dr. thinks I need to switch meds.

I appreciate knowing what others think & your experience with taxol & avastin. I had 4 tx with taxol in my initial chemo and recall the bone/joint pain & neuropathy for me was really painful.

Thanks. Pam

6/2001 - dx IBC, ER+, HEr2+
mastecomy
chemo: 4 ac/cytoxin & 4 taxol, followed by rads to chest
2/2002 - tamoxifen
9/2002 - bone mets - femara & aredia
1/2003 - taxotere & herceptin & aredia
6/2003 - faslodex & aredia
1/2004 - navelbine & herceptin & aredia
1/2005 - herceptin & aredia
7/2005 - xeloda & herceptin & aredia
3/2007 - xeloda & tykerb & aredia
5/2008 - starting taxol, avastin & aredia