Taxol & Herceptin

[skoolmom]

Not sure if this is how to respond to you guys, new to all of this, I usually just read everything! Lisa and Tracy, I too am on the same treatment, I will get my fourth dose of A/C on 1/31 then 12 weeks of Taxol and Herceptin. I wasn't worried about it until they told me they have to worry about severe allergic reactions to the Taxol that at worse could take me to the hospital. I'm allergic to penicillin, sulfa and codeine so I'm scared that I might have a reaction - does anybody know of any problems with Taxol like this? And can anyone decipher for me: the stage of my tumor was Stage II with one node positive, I'm ER/PR negative and of course Her2 3t, but what does the following all mean? T1b,pN1a,MX, G3. TR-2 BREAST? Thanks for all your info and help this is a wonderful site and I have posted it at my onc. office and told him about it.

[lisahammo]

Hi Lisa, Tracy & Skoolmom

I also have had Taxol & Herceptin. I had them both together for 6 months, which reduced my 10 liver tumours to 3, and I now have fortnightly Herceptin. The weekly Taxol was easy compared to the AC. The only real side effects I had was slightly tired that day & the following, but well able to function, and yes I did have problems with pain in my knuckles, knees and ankles. I began taking Glucosamine & Omega 3, which took about 4 months to kick in. I also take Co-Q10, multivitamins, evening primrose oil, and few others.

The Herceptin is easy, it's just my veins that are the problem.

I have a 5 year old son who starts school next week, and most nights I can't sleep for worrying about not seeing him grow up. I'm just about to pass my 1st hurdle, which was to see him start school. Now I look ahead to my next goal, of seeing his next birthday. In the meantime, I try to have as many 'firsts' with him as I possibly can. One thing that I have found works for me if the sleeplessness is REALLY bad - I write him letters about my feelings toward him, about my life, questions he may want to ask me, etc. I put them in envelopes, label them, and file them away for him, so that he knows I was always thinking about him, and he knows what my feelings were, without someone else trying to guess my feelings when explaining things to him.

Good luck with your treatments. My hair also started growing back about 4 weeks before I finished the TAxol.

Love Lisa

[Her2nSue]

skoolmom, 2/3/06 was my first time with taxol and herceptin, and I can't underestimate the fact that I was pretty nervous. I'm allergic to several medications (6), so I was prepared for the worse. Surprisingly I had no reaction to taxol and was told if you don't react the first time, you won't on the other 11 times. I'm new at all this, too, but was glad to read about taking the B-6 and L-Glut. to help with taxol's other side affects. Good Luck with it all.
Sue

I did Taxol and Herceptin weekly for 6 months.
I suggest using sodium bicarbonate as a mouthwash several times a day to avoid "mushrooms" in the mouth. weekly Taxol seems to be better tolerated. I didn't take any vitamins or supplements because I've been told anti-oxidants prevent chemo doing its "good" work. I thought co-enzyme 10 was an anti-oxidant so I didn't take that either until after chemo. I did take magnesium and calcium because my levels went down. I had colitis,(given medicine which cured it), lost my hair, fatigue, no nausea to speak of, finger nails and feet nails became brittle, some skin rashes (not sure connected - still have them), some bearable bone/nerve? pain. I've never clear as to why Taxol and not Taxotere or which is "better" or has less side effects.
drink lots of water and clean your teeth before starting, also periodically have your eyes checked - cataracts came on for me but I'm an older person so may have happened sooner or later anyway - this is one side effect I never saw mentioned. Bascially I found it fairly "easy" given the horror stories I've heard. Fatigue was the worse for me but I love to read. Just remember it's saving your life and doing you great good so think positively and look forward to each treatment as a great and precious gift. listen to books on tape when you can't read. reading is a wonderful distraction and great pleasure. good luck. this time next year you'll have done it and be on the way to a healthier life and your new hair will be softer and thicker.
sarah