taxotere side effects

MrsWiggs
MrsWiggs Member Posts: 1
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I had my first taxotere treatment May 21. I am just now starting to recover from it. I had every side effect listed plus some that were not. The worst is the stomach cramping, pain in fingers and toes, and lack of appetite. Has anyone had these and how do you cope with them? I have to have 3 more treatments 3 weeks apart. I just finished 4 treatment of adromycin, which was very rough. I was told the taxotere would be a lot easier. NOT!

Comments

  • seof
    seof Member Posts: 819 Member
    #2
    When I was on that, I was blessed with minimal side effects. Sorry you are having such a rough time. I am sure others will post more helpful suggestions than I can. I would suggest asking your Dr. or nurses in the chemo center. They specialize in helping patients be as comfortable as possible.

    Sorry I'm not much help. Hang in there! seof
  • seof
    seof Member Posts: 819 Member
    #3
    When I was on that, I was blessed with minimal side effects. Sorry you are having such a rough time. I am sure others will post more helpful suggestions than I can. I would suggest asking your Dr. or nurses in the chemo center. They specialize in helping patients be as comfortable as possible.

    Sorry I'm not much help. Hang in there! seof
  • hward2007
    hward2007 Member Posts: 62
    #4
    Sorry to hear about your experience, sounds a lot like mine. I did my 4round ac, got a break during my bilateral masctomy (six weeks) then started Taxol which is the same drug, I think, I am getting it for 12wks every week on Wed. after my 2nd all side effects showed up just like with A/C, I started going in on the Sat. after my chemo for infusions of fluids, zofran, and steriods so I can make it to my Wed treatment, as far as coping, I have pain patches 75mg fentyl, morephine for break-through, something for the mouth sores,now water pills to keep me out of CHF which I am skating close too. Chemo brain is bad so I may think of some more stuff, if you check the board you will find a lot of people going through the same Hell, but hold on there is an end...I am also BRCA1, so who knows what they have in store next, rest rest rest, I will keep you in my pray's lot of love here! BTW on my last treatment even though the dose was lowered, I went down hard in the chair, reminded me alot of a/c, Oh and on chemo day I get emend, Aloxy in my drip along with other fun stuff, taken more xanx and antidepressent than I would like these days but I have a 16mth old and a husband counting on me to get through.

    Heather
  • seof
    seof Member Posts: 819 Member
    #5
    seof said:

    When I was on that, I was blessed with minimal side effects. Sorry you are having such a rough time. I am sure others will post more helpful suggestions than I can. I would suggest asking your Dr. or nurses in the chemo center. They specialize in helping patients be as comfortable as possible.

    Sorry I'm not much help. Hang in there! seof

    Sorry, didn't mean to send it twice. I just wanted to say you should look at the post from Babebusse below (5/27, I think) on this subject.

    seof.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #6
    hward2007 said:

    Sorry to hear about your experience, sounds a lot like mine. I did my 4round ac, got a break during my bilateral masctomy (six weeks) then started Taxol which is the same drug, I think, I am getting it for 12wks every week on Wed. after my 2nd all side effects showed up just like with A/C, I started going in on the Sat. after my chemo for infusions of fluids, zofran, and steriods so I can make it to my Wed treatment, as far as coping, I have pain patches 75mg fentyl, morephine for break-through, something for the mouth sores,now water pills to keep me out of CHF which I am skating close too. Chemo brain is bad so I may think of some more stuff, if you check the board you will find a lot of people going through the same Hell, but hold on there is an end...I am also BRCA1, so who knows what they have in store next, rest rest rest, I will keep you in my pray's lot of love here! BTW on my last treatment even though the dose was lowered, I went down hard in the chair, reminded me alot of a/c, Oh and on chemo day I get emend, Aloxy in my drip along with other fun stuff, taken more xanx and antidepressent than I would like these days but I have a 16mth old and a husband counting on me to get through.

    Heather

    Hey, Heather. I read your post and was instantly moved to write you some encouraging words, something to help. I just don't know what those words might be. So I will send you the feelings as best I can ((((((( !love! ))))). I am pulling for you in everyway possible. You are going to get through this and you are an angel.
    love, Joyce
  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159
    #7
    Well, MrsWiggs! I didn't think it was possible that I would be handing off the Worst Chemo side-efffects ever award...but you have it now, Sister! Although I am ever thankful that I did not get nauseated~ I felt every other bad thing to feel that there was!! Sore bones, tingling, numbing, Chemo brain ( tho I lived on an Indian Reservation, and my b/f said I had Kemo-Sabe brain)...Neulasta Pain in all 206 bones...you name it, I had it!!!

    Want the GOOD NEWS??? That was 5 YEARS ago...and I honestly had to think back and recall just how bad it was! I was dx at stage 2B with lymphnode involvement...and yet~ here I am! Hair to my shoulders, just finished a 5K on Mother's Day, still with the love of my life...and no sign of the cancer!!

    This will be a bump in your road of a long, healthy, happy life....bit by bit, the side effects will dissapate. I promise!


    Hugs,
    Claudia
  • babebussie
    babebussie Member Posts: 150
    #8
    MrsWiggs, hello. I too began my 1st chemo drip of taxotere on May 20th and i was blessed. The only side effect i have had thus far is lower back pain that began like day 4 after the drip. I'm not sure if the pain came from the drip or the 5 day shot i was doing for the blood cells. I felt okay the day after the pain first began. I have 3 more treatments to go and i have faith that everything will be as smooth as the 1st one.
    I was diag.in dec 07 of the rt breast. Went through my 1st 4 rounds of cytoxan/adriamician, had my breast removed in april 08 and now doing the 4 rounds of taxotere. I did get the other usual side effects though. Hair loss, purple nail beds and my already dark skin got darker. My appetite never changed, i never loss weight and all and all feel great.
    I hope your drips get easier for you. I hate to know that people suffer so badly during the treatments. We all will make it through this we just gotta go through some stuff to get there but the lite is at the end of the tunnel.
    I'm going on a cruise on the 16th and i was schedualed to have my next treatment on the 10th but i'm telling my dr.tomorrow because i have an appt to see her that i wanna wait until after my trip before my next round because just to be on the safe side, i dont want nothing to ruin my cruise. Keep in touch with me and let me know how you do. I'll do the same.

    It's gonna be okay. We are both gonna be okay. We are all gonna be okay.

    Love to all my sisters!
  • hward2007
    hward2007 Member Posts: 62
    #9
    unknown said:

    Hey, Heather. I read your post and was instantly moved to write you some encouraging words, something to help. I just don't know what those words might be. So I will send you the feelings as best I can ((((((( !love! ))))). I am pulling for you in everyway possible. You are going to get through this and you are an angel.
    love, Joyce

    If hugg's and love is all you got you know I'll take it like a big dog....(((((HUGGES))))
    Heather
  • mgm42
    mgm42 Member Posts: 491 Member
    #10
    Dear MrsWiggs, I have nicknamed Taxotere, "Taxoterrorism." I, too, had every side effect in the book. I won't go into detail except to tell you that its been six weeks since my last infusion and finally the salty taste in my mouth is starting to subside, my fingernails are starting to grow back, the neuropathy in my toes is not as bad as it was in the beginning, the occasional nausea has subsided, and my energy level is getting much better. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Just hang in there. I know they say that most women generally tolerate taxotere well. Well, I guess you and I have the distinct pleasure of not being "most" women. But, if you make up your mind that you will have these side effects, deal with them each time you have an infusion, you may be able to get through all four rounds a little easier. By the way, taxol and taxotere are related but NOT the same drug. I checked with my medical oncologist about this. It appears that there is some confusion because they both come from yew trees - but different kinds of yew trees. Just, please, hang in there. It will all be over sooner than you might imagine. AND, THE SIDE EFFECTS DO GO AWAY WITH TIME. Hugs, Marilynn
  • hward2007
    hward2007 Member Posts: 62
    #11
    mgm42 said:

    Dear MrsWiggs, I have nicknamed Taxotere, "Taxoterrorism." I, too, had every side effect in the book. I won't go into detail except to tell you that its been six weeks since my last infusion and finally the salty taste in my mouth is starting to subside, my fingernails are starting to grow back, the neuropathy in my toes is not as bad as it was in the beginning, the occasional nausea has subsided, and my energy level is getting much better. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Just hang in there. I know they say that most women generally tolerate taxotere well. Well, I guess you and I have the distinct pleasure of not being "most" women. But, if you make up your mind that you will have these side effects, deal with them each time you have an infusion, you may be able to get through all four rounds a little easier. By the way, taxol and taxotere are related but NOT the same drug. I checked with my medical oncologist about this. It appears that there is some confusion because they both come from yew trees - but different kinds of yew trees. Just, please, hang in there. It will all be over sooner than you might imagine. AND, THE SIDE EFFECTS DO GO AWAY WITH TIME. Hugs, Marilynn

    This will be short, just got my 5th round of taxol yesterday went out during chemo woke up this morning 4am pool of sweat, lots of pain today, thanks for finding out the difference, I have a friend that is getting ready to do Taxotere and she is scarded to death, she just came off or finished I should say her last round of A/C this monday, Im doing 12rounds 12wks Taxol, she is geting the 4 rounds not sure about weeks of Taxotere. She get comes to this site alot also so I am sure she will see this..(Hey Girl text me when you feel better!), Well anyway what's up with the purple nail beds anyone know?
    The Nut Heather

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