EC chemo followed by Paclitaxel (TAXOL)

Hi Mamma3 welcome to the forum and so sorry to hear about all that is happening for you.

I cant answer your query as I dont know enough about the chemo but if you wanted to pop over ino the main breast cancer forum there is a whole thread there dedicated to chemo and lots of folks talkig about cold caps etc. I wonder if you posted there that someone may be able to help with some answers for you.

Meanitme Im sending aome big hugs for you. xxxxxxx

Hey  

There are several ladies who have cold capped successfully, and a couple of threads about it on the main Breast forum. There is also the monthly Chemo Club thread, with a link to tips for chemo in the first post.

I worked full time throughout chemo, only having the actual chemo days off. Servicing burglar alarms. I had to slow down a bit as I was tired, but it was doable. I had very few side effects. Or maybe the meds just worked for me so I didn't notice them.

Do play it by ear though. And be prepared to take more time off if you need to.

Hugs xx

Unfortunately I’ve been off work since December 15th, my company have been brilliant, and we decided it was better l didn’t work (mainly to avoid infection after l was pretty ill with 1st chemo) plus l work as a PA to CEO full time and it’s not a job you can really do part time. 

I’ve met women who worked right through though, and l was amazed.

Ironically l work in a cancer research DNA repair company, my boss discovered Olaparib! 

Nik52

Thank you Gail/Karen, I’ll bob along to the other group and have a looksee. Feel like a cancer troll sometimes, dipping in and out of threads. Found myself in a thyroid thread the other day (my cancer is medullary like - which is also the name of a thyroid cancer). Pretty well versed on that aswell now!

You’ve got to laugh.

I’m fine with having time off work if need be, despite only being with my current company less than six months, they’ve said “do what you need to do, your jobs safe”. I make and save them money so, they know their breads buttered! I feel incredibly lucky in that respect.

If the cold cap doesn’t work, also fine, but want the opportunity to do it.

Onwards and upwards! 

Thank you xxx

Sorry to hear that Nik52 and I know you were disappointed with your hair loss. I will try it and if it works, fine, if it doesn’t, I’ve tried.

Did you have injections of other stuff? Have no knowledge of anything other than the names of the EC and Taxol.

Always happy to listen to the ones before me!

Thanks for answering - makes an enormous difference x

Hi Mamma3,

I had the same chemo as you. I cold capped for the first EC but I found it quite unpleasant. I decided I should have a plan B in case the cold cap didn't work, so bought a wig. The wig was so nice that I decided to give up on the cold capping. I couldn't have cold capped every week on the taxol. 

I worked until cycle 9 of the taxol. I had Thursday off for chemo, Friday worked from home, then Mon-Weds as normal. The cumulative effects of the chemo eventually became too much. 6 weeks after the chemo finished I had my lumpectomy, I didn't go back to work until a month after the radiotherapy had finished. 

Take it easy!

Katxx

Morning Kat

Are you all done and dusted now? How are you? 

I only work Monday-weds so hoping to keep going. I’ll struggle with the rads as that’s every day and over an hour travelling to get there and back again. 

It’ll be what it’ll be.

Did you have injections with the chemo? 

Thanks for responding 

Emma xx

Hi mamma3,

Yep, go for it, it does work really well for some women and hopefully you’ll be one of them.

I had a bad (very rare) reaction to first chemo, so my white blood cells went v v low and l had an infection ( not that l knew that, maybe flu they have said), so l was neutropenic with v high temperature, in hospital over Christmas being barrier nursed- it wasn’t nice, I was pumped with antibiotics and it seems it was good old Asprin that finally brought my temp down after pumping me with paracetamol.  The excellent staff sorted me out, but anyone on chemo should be aware of their temp going over 38, and if it does contact your team or go to A&E ASAP (they have chemo protocol in place), in hindsight l should have gone in a day earlier......anyway, yes l had Filgrastim to inject in my tum after each EC, most women have one the next day, l had 10 after each session.....lm a bit of a delicate flower l would emphasise what happened to me is rare and next time they reduced dose by 25%.

If you mean injections whilst having actual chemo, yes they include anti sickness, saline and steroids, l have a port in my chest so no hunting around for veins...thank god.

Hope this helps.

Nikki

Hiya,

Yes, I finished RT last October. I had a complete pathological response to the chemo, so by the time I had the lumpectomy there were no cancer cells left. RT was belt and braces . I had an injection of pegfilgrastin once every three weeks, which didn't hurt and with no side effects. 

I probably worked a week longer than I should, that last week was very hard. I agree with you the logistics of RT are almost impossible. 

My chemo nurse warned me not to look too far ahead and just focus on today. To a certain extent I'm still doing that now. 

Hugs xx

Hi Mumma3,

I have a similar treatment plan as you but also had carboplatin added along with the taxol as the EC did not work on me.

I have continued to work during chemo and similar to you I just joined the new company 3 months before being diagnosed. 

Work has really helped me keep my mind off the treatment and concentrate on other things which I found to be very beneficial. I worked from home whenever possible whigh helped when I was tired and couldn’t travel