First chemo - carboplatin/taxol - what to expect - side effects?

Hello, Maria! I had the same treatment regimen in the fall of 2021 for an endometrial cancer diagnosis (my ovaries were not involved, but removed during my hysterectomy). I think everyone's experience of chemo is different, but I understand your desire to have some idea of what to expect. I did not wear cooling gloves/socks, and maybe I should have: the neuropathy in my toes is fading, but very slowly. Weirdly, my fingers came back fairly soon after my treatments. The steroids suppress side effects in the first few days, but then I was miserable with joint pain, GI distress/nausea (which honestly, I experienced mostly as not being able to tolerate SMELL: weird, huh?) and just feeling quite cruddy. I began losing my hair on the cusp of the second treatment, which felt very early. Looking back, I was completely bald for no more than four months total, but for me, it felt like twenty years 🙂

Everyone is different, and it is not my intention to add to your anxiety. I wish you the best during your treatment, and hope you have support and are able to bring someone with you! Thinking of you.

I completed 6 sessions of carbo-taxol in Nov. Side effects are delayed by a day or two (unless you have an allergic reaction). I took steroids prior to treatment and they give benedryl and anti-nausea meds prior to infusion to alleviate side effects. I normally felt good the day after, but then fatigue and aching set in for the next few days. I luckily had no nausea and fairly good appetite although taste was “off” sometimes a little metallic. I still feel slight numbness in hands and feet and would probably try cold gloves/booties next time. Hair started falling out 2 weeks after first session. Overall I feel I tolerated the treatment fairly well. Let yourself rest, drink lots of fluids and good luck with this next step in your healing process❤️

Hello Maria,
I just finished 5 rounds of carbo/taxol and tolerated it well. The 6th was held for bone marrow suppression. I had no real nausea occasionally I had some very limited queasy feelings and some diarrhea and then constipation. Everyone is different. I did develop some neuropathy in my feet for which they reduced my dose and some bone marrow suppression so my white count , hematocrit and hemoglobin were compromised. I had shortness of breath as a consequence . My scans are clear!!
My blood counts are better (WBC and platelets) after a few weeks and the dose reduction. Overall I feel very good!
I wore the cooling gloves and socks religiously. I had no effects from the chemo in my hands just in my forefoot. I used the dignacap scalp cooling system to try to preserve my hair. On one occasion the machine did not work and my scalp quickly returned to. body temperature. The cost in my area $2000.00. The nurses resented using it. It probably was not fitted correctly and I lost all of my hair 2 weeks after the first treatment. I only mention this because you asked about the feet and hand cooling gloves and socks. From 2 articles I read the cooling devices
can prevent most all nail issues which can happen with taxol. I did not have any issues there.
Overall Maria, I am grateful I really could live my life fully, if a bit more slowly on a few of those days. I think with the addition of the medications posted by Carla and the long acting antiemetic the side effects are fairly well controlled. I also wish you all the best on your healing journey! Rest and take care of you!

Best wishes on your recovery.❤

First chemo update:
Overall went well. Had a reaction to Taxol - heavy feeling and very flushed which the nurses noted and notified the NP. The clinical team recommended to change to Abraxane of the same family as Taxol. Heard the cost is more expensive but the good thing is that it is only given for 30 mins instead of the 3-4 hours of Taxol.
This just day 1 after Chemo and am in good shape and eating well. Fell asleep in the middle of the day. I did take the anti nausea pills for prevention. Here's to hoping of same good days ahead.

Hi- I just began my chemo on 1/6/26, carboplatin and taxol every 3 weeks for 6 cycles, 18 weeks. I have been on Steeroids and have felt pretty well, probably overdoing it. Last night my legs, knees, calves all started aching pretty severely, hard to sleep. I’ve tried ice, Tylenol, Advil etc. From reading this it does sound like a typical reaction. Does anyone have any suggestions or experience with doing any sort of fast or diet to help with the side effects?
I know it’s important to eat and hydrate but if I could make changes to avoid this discomfort I’d be willing to.
Thanks for sharing your experiences and insights. It makes this experience less overwhelming when you realize you are not alone.

@lizziegil Welcome to our Gynecological Cancers group. I'm tagging @denisestlouie who had journey through chemotherapy last year. She had - still has - a team of physicians and providers who have worked with her on treatment, diet, exercise and lifestyle changes. She may have some suggestions for you based on her experiences.

May I ask a little more about the cancer that you being treated for? Any information you might like to share is very helpful to us in supporting you.

@naturegirl5
Hi- Thank you for responding to my post!
I was recently diagnosed with Endometrial carcinoma
It was diagnosed after what was intended to be a straightforward hysterectomy/ was not suspected to have cancer. Cancer was discovered in both ovaries and my right fallopian tube. After some consultation it was decided to proceed with chemo therapy, carboplatin and taxol every 3 weeks for 6 cycles.
I have had 2 separate opinions who confirmed the same course of treatment.
Pathology confirmed my cancer to be Endometrioid ovarian carcinoma with squamous and sex cord-like features, FIGO Grade 2, FIGO Stage at least II
I was recommended by a friend to consider fasting to help reduce symptoms from the chemo.
I’m 55 y/ o otherwise healthy, active woman.
I’d love any support or recommendations 😊

@lizziegil My cancer was also serous, my treatment was Carboplatin, taxol, and keytruda. So I probably had more reactions than you will with Keytruda added into the mix.
Just a couple of recommendations for you:
Claritin at bedtime, start the night before the infusion and continue for 5 days to minimize leg aches. Tylenol helped too.
I did Valter Longo's Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD)for cycles 4-6. Since side effects tend to increase as you go through your infusion schedule I cannot say if it reduced the side effects but I was less tired and nauseated.
The Diet, which is a 5 day modified fast, is supposed to put you into ketosis by the 5th day which weakens the cancer cells and causes the chemo drugs to be more effective. This diet has a lot of research behind it for cancer patients. I did not purchase the Prolon diet kit which was developed for the Fasting Mimicking Diet as I have too many food sensitivities but would have liked to just to keep things simple.
I had to create my own diet based on the nutrition information supplied for the FMD on the Prolon website. You eat around 800 calories per day so it is not a true fast and really is quite tolerable. The diet includes adding a bit of glycerin to your daily water intake to help you stay hydrated, it really works! Valter Longo uses the profits from the sale of the Prolon diet kit to fund further research, do a google search on Youtube, he is a rare, compassionate, humanity driven person.
You will loose a couple of pounds while on the FMD but will quickly gain it back when you return to your normal eating pattern.
Another thought is to make sure you walk every day, even when you are bone tired, walk around the block. Exercise is one of the main positive things you can do to keep cancer at bay. Movement also helps your blood circulation which is great for neuropathy.
Best wishes for smooth sailing as you proceed through your treatment schedule!

@lizziegil I'm reading what you shared and wondering what you went through when you received the diagnosis. I'd like to say that this is what pathology does but it doesn't make the diagnosis any easier to handle. You went into the hysterectomy for other reasons and then after surgery the pathology indicated endometroid ovarian carcinoma with squamous and sex-cord like features, FIGO Grade 2, Stage 2?

Like you, I was a healthy and active woman at age 67 when I was diagnosed with endometrioid adenocarcinoma, FIGO Grade 1. The diagnosis came after I had a D&C and hysteroscopy. I was referred to Mayo Clinic since it was evident surgery was indicated and I live in a rural area that doesn't offer this specialty. What a mental rollercoaster this process was. After the hysterectomy I was diagnosed with Stage 1a and no other treatment required. I did have recurrence two years later and received internal and external radiation treatment but no chemotherapy. So, I cannot provide you with any recommendations for chemotherapy but I know others will chime in with their recommendations.

It's wise that you sought out two separate opinions so you can feel confident that this is the treatment that will work for you. One of our members in this support group, @denisestlouie recently posted that she has reached the conclusion " My future is still unknown but there are treatments that we hope will make my disease chronic not terminal. It’s all very new. There isn’t any success stories yet. Maybe I’ll be the one to tell one".

-- https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/where-does-resilience-come-from/

While you wait for responses I encourage you to use the Search Bar at the top of this page. You might type "carboplatin taxol gynecological cancers" to see if others have posted their experiences.

Do you feel up to gentle exercise such as walking?