When you’re allergic to chemotherapy
By John Bach
Julie wears special ice packs on her hands and feet during Taxol treatments to keep from getting neuropathy — numbness and tingling in her extremities.
Five minutes into today’s treatment, Julie experienced an anaphylactic reaction to the chemo drug Taxol.
We knew it was possible because she had a similar reaction last Friday, but today’s was significantly worse and a bit more alarming. I saw the panic in Julie’s eyes as she struggled to breathe. She went completely flush as redness filled her face from chin to forehead like a glass filling with water.
I immediately hit the call button and darted across the hall to alert our nurse. She rushed in along with the rest of the floor of nurses and a doctor to administer rescue meds. By then, Julie’s blood pressure had spiked and she began having back spasms — all classic Taxol reactions.
Around a third of people treated with Taxol are at risk for developing an allergic reaction. This is because Taxol is administered in combination with a compound called Kolliphor EL, which is linked to hypersensitivity reactions.
Apparently the alternative medicine Abraxane, which doctors typically turn to for those who have a reaction, is unavailable and experiencing a major shortage due to downstream supply chain issues. I can’t imagine what it must be like to face serious disease in less fortunate parts of the world where care and medicine are always in short supply.
There’s plenty to dislike about chemo, but we didn’t expect it to trigger allergies. Thankfully, a strong dose of liquid Benadryl and steroids to Julie’s chest port quelled the reaction. After a 30-minute pause, the doc cut her Taxol drip in half, and she was able to complete the fourth of 12 infusions. If we stay on schedule, the Chemo phase of this mess will be over by Christmas. But that’s still a long way off, and we’ve been at this since July.
There is definitely a certain level of anxiety and feelings of helplessness watching a room full of medical professionals go into emergency mode around your wife. At the same time, I think about how blessed we are to live in a place where we can access world-class care like we are receiving at UC Health and the Barrett Cancer Center.
