Chemo Paclitaxel

Hi Lorraine058, I can’t answer about Paclitaxel but I finished my last EC chemo in January and have started 4 cycles of docetaxel along with Phesgo injections.
At the moment i can say I had more side effects with the EC. I suffered with sore skin, bones and muscles along with some other effects.  
So far on this treatment although I have the sore muscles,skin and bones it’s certainly not as painful as on EC. However I have been suffering nausea & diahorrea though on this but didn’t have that on EC. For me at the moment I seem to have got rid of some side effects but gained some different ones. The only things that seems to have stayed the same is the tiredness. 
Hopefully someone will be along soon who has had EC followed by Paclitaxel and can give their experience. 

Hugs from cuffcake x x x x x

Thanks cuffcake2000 i know we have alot of support on our chemo starts Jan thread also.  Im with you though following my second EC session my side effects were different to the first round and started the day of treatment which i was not expecting xx hope all is well with you xx

Hi Lorraine, Sorry you found EC hard & I hope Paclitaxel is easier for you.  I finished chemo a month ago - I had 4 cycles of EC followed by 4 Paclitaxel (every 2 weeks).  I kept a diary which you may find useful:   https://community.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-blogs/b/ec_pac_chemo_diary .  Good luck with the rest of your treatment xx 

Hi meanegg thanks for your reply..ive just looked at your diary which is really useful thanks x hope all is well with you x

Hi Lorraine058 

I had 4 x EC followed by 4 x fortnightly paclitaxel.  I found EC a bit difficult, especially the first week after each session, with nausea and indigestion.  In comparison I found paclitaxel an absolute delight.  I couldn’t believe waking up the morning after and discovering I felt completely normal.  Weekly paclitaxel is supposed to be easier than fortnightly because each dose is smaller.  So I hope you find it equally straightforward.  Best of luck xxx

Hi Lorraine058  just to show how different it affects everyone I had no side effects from EC but have been doing Paclitaxel every 2 weeks and have really suffered. I had severe aching in my bones and joints and have had my dose reduced to manage this. I’m hoping it’s gonna work! There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason why people react so differently but fingers crossed you will be ok! 

Hi Jomor thanks for sharing, lets hope you are right. Hope all is well with youxx

Hi Shellbell24 glad you managed no side effects from EC wish we were all that lucky :-) hope the reduction in dose helps with the side effects from paclitaxel. It helps to hear peoples different experiences so i know what to expect xx  good luck with your treatment x

I had 4 rounds of fortnightly EC then 12 weekly Paclitaxel.  They were different but I found both manageable - I couldn’t say one was easier and the other worse but weekly did feel relentless and the tiredness is accumulative.  My consultant did say I could stop after 9 as my bloods showed I was struggling and my toes/fingers had started tingling but I saw it through.  I’ve not heard it referred to as “chemo light” and that’s not how I’d describe it - several ladies I sat with during my sessions had to take breaks from it.  I had no steroids or other medication with it so that was a lot simpler, but I did get short of breath and very very tired by the end.  Neither was as bad as I expected though.  My hair regrew during Paclitaxel which was unexpected. 

I had 4 cycles of EC followed by 12 weeks of Paclitaxel. I found the relentless nature of weekly chemo tough, I never had more than a day each week of feeling normal, whereas I had felt normal for about half of each EC cycle. I also found it wearing to visit the hospital twice weekly to have the blood tests and then the chemo. I think people’s experiences vary but taxanes are one of the toughest forms of chemo invented - the reason Paclitaxel is often felt not to be too bad is because it’s a small dose weekly