This is not the news I was looking for

Less than one minute read time.

So, this is what happened at the hospital yesterday:

I'm currently on a regimen of three weeks of Paclitaxel, followed by a week off. One side-effect of Taxel is neuropathy - numbness/pins and needles/pain in the fingers and toes. I've had very bad pains in my fingers for the past couple of weeks. I assumed that the consultant would accordingly change my drug to one that wouldn't have this side-effect. However, she didn't. From what she said, there aren't that many drugs options available. I was on Carboplatin before, but she says we can't go back on that. The only other possibility she mentioned is an oral chemo, and she didn't sound very certain that would be effective. So I'm having an extra week off chemo, and she's prescribed some vitamin B complex pills that might help with the neuropathy.

In other words, if I want to continue cancer treatment, which I do, I'll have to put up with the side-effects of Taxel. Which might involve permanent damage to my fingers and/or toes.

None of which I find very reassuring.

Kind of sick of all this, to be honest. As who, I am sure, is not.

Anonymous
  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Hilary, no one is going to give up on you at all so stop those thoughts right now ! I'm not going to come up with my usual comment ( a short while ago I did promise not to say that anymore ) but you really do have to try and **** ******** ....... see, I didn't say it at all !

    Yes, the one and only time I tried smoking weed it made me terribly sick and all that went through my head was that Lucy in The Sky song .........

    Love, Joycee xxx

  • Hi Hilary there s not much I can add I do wonder though if a second opinion would be f any value.I to wish I had a bit of magic to help you but sadly I don't.There will be no giving up on you.I hope the vitamins help Im not sure about the hemp and pot (sounds like a recipe) I can only send hugs and love Cruton xxxx
  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Much love and many hugs Hils xxx

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Hi Hilary im so sorry to hear about you sore fingers and toes and i hope they continue to improve, take care Paula xxx

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    I think toes are somewhat overrated, though in your case they are quite glam and looked after... typing fingers on the other hand are needed for you to keep in touch, unless you do like one of my pupils did and see if you can type with your nose. (it took him 2 lessons to realise he couldn't) You might have more luck.

    Anyway, I hope the B stuff works and I hope the week off works and I shall do some broomstick jiggery pokery or something to try and help you as best i can....

    I don't want to publically discuss cannabis with you.... and probably shouldn't be recommending taking drugs on here haha but I'd give it a go.... why not?

    Anyway, docs don't just give up on you.... they do give you lots of pain relief and treatment for symptoms rather than trying to cure and the nurses will help you out so you will never be left out in the cold...not that that is going to happen anyway cos you are on chemo and lets see what happens.

    I would also be thorooughly sick of it all too, I have zero patience as you know and couldn't even put up with a couple of months of lying round after my op.... never mind endless chemo, so you have my sympathy. Not that that does you any good of course, but I do recognise how shit it all is.... and then there is Maria Miller.... more shit. Sigh

    ALL the hugs to you my lovely crabby lady, and then some more cos they come from the infinite hug shop before you say but you gave all of them.

    Lilla My xxx