Laurie, I hope you do well with the treatment that you get. Prayers for you!

I was on Avastin and a lower dose of Taxol. I had two treatments of Taxol at 100 mg, then 1 dose at 40 mg (due to increased neuropathy) and had a complete response. The Avastin lowered my Ejection Fraction from 67 to 55.

Hi Ranee,
Thank you for the response. I am, also, now Carbo resistant. My previous experience with Taxol was with Carbo. Yes, the current oncologist is now recommending just Taxol, but at a low dose. Unfortunately, I just saw the cardiologist last week and he does not recommend that I get any chemotherapy that is part of the Taxol group. So, will be seeing the oncologist and review that latest news with her. Will let you know if she comes up with anything new.

I am glad to hear that your side effects have been bearable. Best of luck with Elahere, too! (I tested for that, but did not qualify.)

I am assuming that your previous experience was a combination of Carboplatin and Taxol?

And now it’s just Taxol?

I am in the same boat. I started weekly lower dose taxol because the cancer started to grow a tiny bit 5 months after I completed my Carboplatin/Taxol cocktail and was on maintenance treatment of Lynparza and Avastin (the Lynparza didn’t work unfortunately).

This makes me carbo resistant and therefore unable to take Carboplatin or any parp inhibitors.

So today (this morning) was my third taxol infusion (I get them every Friday) and they also added Avastin every 2 weeks.

Previously, I have been taking Avastin every 3 weeks since January with zero side effects.

I was really worried about quality of life as a result of weekly chemo.

I am happy to report very few side effects (of course everyone is different so it may be worse for you)

Here are all my side effects from weekly lower dose taxol:

1. The night of chemo (tonight), I won’t sleep at all because I will be wired like a squirrel on 10 cups of espresso. I am told by the nurses that this is not the taxol but the steroid they give me during the infusion and quite typical

2. I already have pretty bad restless leg syndrome pre cancer and take 4 mg extended release Ropinirole daily. Now I added 1 mg (immediate release) because it is exacerbated by the chemo

3. A persistent sore throat

4. Some minor pelvic pain

That is it. It’s doable for me as long as it works. I feel like I am fortunate not to suffer as bad of side effects than a lot of other women

The Carboplatin/taxol cocktail had much worse side effects including severe pain, neuropathy, diarrhea and severe weakness. So there is a very significant difference when it’s just lower dose taxol.

I also just found out that I have the receptor that qualifies me for a newly FDA approved drug called Elahere. I meet with my gyno oncologist next week to discuss so I will be adding it as well

I’m so sorry for what you are dealing with right now. I can’t speak to the side effects on taxol split out into 2 weeks on. I’m on Gem currently that way and my blood counts which were worse with taxol have rebounded better with the lower split up sessions. I also saw an integrated oncologist who was heavily in favor of low dose chemos weekly vs one round every three. He felt the impact was easier. Another thought is to look into whether you could do vitamin C injections to help with side effects or mistletoe therapy. I know others have done them and they have helped. I haven’t but it’s something I’m looking into. Sending you my support!