Did severe reactions to paclitaxel (Taxol) affect your chemo plan?

I've had the same reaction with each infusion of Opdivo (3 infusions so far), and like you, it is handled quickly. My oncologist is aware, but surprisingly doesn't seem overly concerned. I, however, am concerned, as it is very scary when it happens.

It scared my husband very much. He thought I was going to die!
i admire your ability to keep going with it. I am not sure if I can do it again…

FWIW: Dealt with an onco who; like yours, never seemed concerned about much of anything?! Later learned there ARE things to do to help with trt SE’s rather than thinking you have to ‘put up’ with them. Hindsight: Find an onco who cares!

My wife had the same reaction during her third infusion:
“ c3d1 10/11/21 carboplatin. paclitaxel stopped due to hypersensity reaction
switched to cisplatin + etoposide on SWOG 9504 regimen starting 10/18/21.
completed radiation therapy on 11/8/21”
We now carry an epi pen in an abundance of caution. She was stage 3 squamous nsclc with synchronous stage 1 triple breast cancer. We are now stage 4 with met to the other lung and her adrenal gland.

We are in palliative chemo now on abraxane with pre meds of Benadryl, compozine (sp.) and steroid to try a stave off another reaction. Abraxane was chosen over Taxotere after careful consideration by our oncologist and pharmacist due to the previous reaction.

I’m not recommending anything here, I’m just trying to let you know there are options.

I had a reaction to paclitaxel immediately in my first chemo session. They had a whole bag of it hung that was to go into me by IV and when they switched from saline to paclitaxel the reaction started fast. They got 2.2 ml in me and I thought I was dying. I felt tremendous pressure in me from my belt line up. I thought I was gone for sure. The people in the room with me, 2 nurses and my guest, said I turned all gray and then I turned bright red that went up my neck and face. They said it was like a red thermometer going up. The people in the chemo center were awesome, they had seen this before. I heard an alarm and suddenly there were lots of people in my room. They got the paclitaxel stopped immediately and quickly pushed a steroid and diphenhydramine right away. I remember I slowly started feeling better, it seemed like a long time to me but I bet it was pretty fast in reality.
They explained to me (unnecessarily) that I had a reaction to the paclitaxel. They said they will continue the steroid and diphenhydramine infusion along with some other stuff for about half an hour. Then they told me they will start the paclitaxel again. I said "You're gonna what?!".
Well they reassured me it should be fine and they were right. I did get the rest of the chemo in me (paclitaxel and carboplatin) with no further reactions. In the future sessions they started with the steroid and diphenhydramine and other stuff for at least a half hour before the chemo drugs and everything went fine.

@loulou2023 @confident, how are you doing? Are you continuing with treatment and the side effects well managed?

Hey Coleen!
My doctor discontinued the paxol but I finished my chemo with the 2nd drug I had been getting -carboplatin.
30 radiation zaps and chemo done! Next I start monthly immunotherapy infusions of Infinzi for a year.
The journey continues….
Thanks for asking!!