Taxotere-Adriamycin-Cytoxan

Taxotere-cytoxan
Hi, I had two rounds of Taxotere - cytoxan and I can tell you it does a number on your body. After each round I suffer with bad stomach cramps, body pain, extreme fatigue and dehydration. I also get a red sunburn like rash on my face neck and arms after each round along with eye twitching that doesn't go away. I am also very sick to m stomach to the point where I can't eat for 5 days and my throat is raw like a bad score throat.
I do believe all of it is cause from the Taxotere except for the rash which I am told is from the cytoxan.
Hope this helps, hang in there. Your onco can give you medicince for most of the side effect. Remember to drink a lot of water at least 2 litters a day
It does help.
Best of luck
Hugs Christine

salls41 said:

6 rounds of TAC
I did 6 rounds of TAC 3 weeks apart. It was hard, I had all the nasty side effects you read about. There were days I wanted to quit but today I am glad that I did not. The main thing I was told was to hydrate well before and after..even when I couldn't think about swallowing water. I had thrush as well, but that came later in the sessions. The doc gave me a prescription which took care of it. My eating was muinimal if at all, nothing tasted good most of the time and when it did taste good one day it was horrid the next. I tried to work full time but that became impossible toward the end. I had to rest, I was terribly fatigued. I could hardly walk from the couch to the bathroom without help.But with that all said, I can tell you it is doable. But only your onc. knows what is best for you! Follow his/her advice and keep on fighting!!

I also had 6 rounds of TAC
three weeks apart. The first 3 treatments went really well. Number 4 was a little rougher and 5 and 6 were tough--not going to lie. However, that being said, I never vomited or had any mouth issues. The main problems were fatigue, aversion to any type of food or taste and generally feeling like I had been run over by a semi. But, as Salls41 said--doable and tolerable. My onc. basically had a remedy for most issues--except the fatigue and really bad taste.

Good luck to you and stay strong. You can do this.

Hugs, Renee

I also suffered from these side effects.
I had 4 rounds of A/C and got through it ok, not good, just ok. But when they hit me with the Taxotere I went under. I was only able to tolerate 2 rounds of that awful drug. I am in agreement with the other ladies that we should encourage all of our sisters to keep going as much as possible, but also there comes a point where we cannot. I reached that point and the oncologist was able to decide either to stop the treatment and go ahead with the surgery, or reduce the amount. Great idea. The BS decided that it was ok to go forward with surgery without finishing the final 2 rounds of Taxotere.

That is one mean-**** drug. If your onc took you off then he/she realized your system couldn't do it. You are not alone! What are you on now? Just the A/C? You will probably still have some of those side effects because that Taxotere takes so long to get out of the body. I had my last treatment in August and still have a few side effects. Did I say what a mean-**** drug it is?!!!

Hang in there, we all know how hard it is.

Sending you a BIG HUG,
Kay

taxotere-adriamycin-cytoxan
I too had 6 rounds of this cocktail, every 3 weeks. Fortunately, I didnt experience any thrush but just about everything else the other posters have mentioned. I was shocked at how quickly I went from a relatively active 43 year old woman to somebody who wasnt able to walk to my mailbox and back without stopping to rest 1/2 way there. I could actually feel my muscles deteriorating! I was instantly thrown into menopause (and all of the joyous surprises that brings with it) For the first week after treatment I felt totally used up. Had fuzzy thinking, bone pain, that horrible metallic taste in my mouth that I couldnt get rid of, and barely enough energy to stand up long enough to take a shower. The second week, I would start feeling human again and by the third week I was well enough to start preparing to do it all over again. It is undeniably hard on the body but as several others have said, it was 'doable'. I was determined to face this battle with a positive attitude (your cells hear everything you're thinking) I know for me personally, it was an integral part of my treatment! I then went on to have 7 weeks of daily radiation and I am so happy to say that that was 3 years ago! Best of luck to you, keep on fighting