Docetaxol Treatmment

[jljenkyns]

Anyone going through treatment with Docetaxol will be welcome to post their experiences in this section.

[phillipa]

Am I going blind because all I can see is blank post???

[rosina]

hi Phillipa

I did post about Docetoxel, but in the wrong section I think! now had 3 sessions of this along with Carboplatin, had 2 rounds of chemo and 2 month of tarceva before this. My tumor has shrunk considerably, so much so that I have now been offered surgery to remove my tumor, which is just amazing as 18 months ago I was told it was inoperable. The surgery will involve the removal of half my lung, 2 ribs and some of my back bone, and it will also depend on an MRI scan showing no spread to my brain. So fingers crossed, if all goes well I'll have this surgery in 10 days time. It's not just the dotetaxol that has acheived this I know, it's the fact that there has, touch wood, been no spread since being diagnosed, but I do feel that the docetaxol has been the pivitol in this because the way it has shrunk my tumor has helped my doctors see the rest of my 'affected' bones more clearly now the tumor has shrunk.

But even without this great news, docetaxol relieved my pain and to me the side effects whilst having the treatment were not nearly as bad as the tarceva, appart from losing my taste of food and drink, the side effects were minimal. so if anyone out there is offered docetaxol, please don't be scared by it. If you have had other chemo it's no beter or worse.

Love rosina x

[jljenkyns]

Hi Rosina

Great news it just goes to show how we all percieve these treatments in different ways, Before reading this i flatly refused to even consider Docetaxol as i had heard so many horror stories. This is a great positive for anyone trying to decide which tretament they want.

jim xx ;D ;D

[shazbok]

Hi all

I keep meaning to add my experiences of Docetaxol but it's just time always something to do!

As you know Tarceva didn't work so the only option was Docetaxol, I am due treatment No5 of 6 next Thursday and results of a CT scan after treatment 3 showed reduction of all tumors large and small, I was diagnosed 18mths ago as NSCLC Stage 4 inoperable, I think it was only stage 4 due to assumption it had gone to lymph node in central chest area, I luckily still have no secondaries anywhere else apart from some small ones in my other lung, still only take standard painkillers during treatment wk so feel very fortunate.
As for the treatment I have Docetaxol only infused on Thursday this time no pain (Gemcitabin / Carboplatin was painful) by Sunday I feel very disorientated and just unwell this continues until Wednesday I get the occasional severe chest pains couple of times a day Sunday/Monday have occasionally taken Co-codomal but paracetamol and ibuprofen usually work, my taste goes everything very bland or fatty taste this comes back slowly ready for next treatment!! Worst thing is boredom for these few days as don't have 'energy' to do anything not even to read, watch TV or even do my x-stitch. I have been lucky and was offered to try cold cap -BRILLIANT still have full head of hair in fact it's growing, definitely cold cap working and not just the 2 out of 10 that don't lose hair as i have lost all other body hair - saved a fortune at beauticians! I have got the other side effect fluid retention I have put on nearly 2stone so far and all around my middle not a happy bunny but they do promise it is only temporary, this doesn't help with breathlessness but not bothered as treatment working.

Out of the 2 treatments I honestly think i feel better with the Docetaxol than I did with the Tarceva as side effects were so horrendous and who ever called the skin reaction a 'rash' wants their head seeing to!!!! I don't know what the future holds treatment wise when I finish the conventional chemo but I'll cross that bridge when i get there, at the moment i feel brill still doing everything at home for both myself and the family may get help with supermarket and ironing next week if I'm lucky, did all gardening last week cutting back, weeding, planting winter flowers etc as husband had gone to Portugal golfing on a corporate do for 5days- I tell you life is no different really than it was before diagnosis just all happens at a slower pace - long may it continue.

So in my experience don't be afraid of Docetaxol it has been my savior and also Rosina's it seems.

Good luck to all Sharon x

After trying both treatments

[jljenkyns]

Hi Sharon

Thanks for you post another positive for Docetaxol. Just goes to show. Life is quite normal for you long may it continue.just goes to show you can live with lung cancer quite normally.

jim x

[phillipa]

We were told there is docetaxol if the Tarceva doesn't work for Kent. Nice to know of othere experiences