CancerCompass message board discussion started by Jennifern on 9/19/2007 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,16293,0.htm Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ Hello, Has anyone had an experience with pacitaxol/taxol directly or indirectly???  I am particularly interested in side effects that have been experienced.  Thank you so much! Jennifern Wed, 19 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT  On 9/19/2007 Jennifern wrote:Hello, Has anyone had an experience with pacitaxol/taxol directly or indirectly???  I am particularly interested in side effects that have been experienced.  Thank you so much!  Shelly00 Sun, 25 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT My husband has battled bladder cancer for the past 3 years.  The cancer was insitu during most of this period.  In hindsight the cancer must has metasized in September.  He had emergency surgery in October but unfortunately post surgical biopsy showed it as spread to the bones in his neck and back.  His prognosis was bleak.  They sent him home with unlimited morphine.  They started a course of Cisplatin & Gemzar chemo, which was not only debilitating but also ineffective.  I began to question the doctor on the risk vs benefit of his treatment after only 1 course.  The doctor took ceased the treatment and I booked what I believed would be a bucket list cruise.  In February he started on a course of Taxol/pacitaxol and Gemzer.   The results have been nothing short of miraculous.  In February he required Vicodin for pain relief every 3 hours around the clock.   He was unable to sit or stand without head support for more than 15-20 minutes.  He was fatiqued almost constantly.   Getting up to watch TV was a good day.  After the first course of Taxol he was extremely tired and suffered from chills.  I contacted the doctor & was told to watch him.  Within 3 days the symptoms subsided and he began to improve.  By his second course of treatment he began to gain the lost weight ( he went from 235 to 180 from Sept to Feb. )   He is now over 200lb and I have told him he is back to low calorie/fat meals because he is now at a healthy weight.   He has had no problem with nausea or mouth sours.   The taste of food is altered by the chemo treatment but it has not stopped him from eating the way the cisplatin did.    One thing I discovered that was a godsend was Carnation Breakfast VHC.  This is supplement with 560 calories in only 8.5oz.   I added chocolate powder and whole milk and this was the only food he was able to eat after the cisplatin regime.  You will not find this on the shelves of you local drugstore you have to have the pharmasist special order it.  He has now had 3 courses for Taxol with no side effects.  The day of treatment & day after he is fine.   The second & third day he is tired and improves daily till the next treatment post day 2.  He is now down to 4 vicodin a day, which he often fails to remember to take.  He is able to drive again, something he had not done since September.   He he improved so dramatically that he started to remodel our house,  (he is a retired architect)   I now have projects on 3 floors that he is completing.  Things have improved so much that he has gotten is Corvette out of storage and is making plans to drive it across country.  This is the same man that was hesitant to renew is magazine subscriptions just 3 months ago.  Any treatment is a risk and my husband's response to treatment may not be typical but having seen what is possible I would try.  We have had many people with loved ones with cancer calling us to inquire on is regime and asking their doctors to prescribe Taxol for them.      Shelly00 Sun, 25 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT