Odd Things Happening

Pat634

I am officially at day four after my first chemo treatment and am experiencing some weird things and I wonder if anyone else has gone through.

1. Overall I feel like someone recovering from the stomach flu......okay but not ready to return to work yet.

2. A weird smell....like something rotten in the fridge...in my nostrils and all over the house.  I'm sweating too so I dont know if the smell is coming from me or what.

3. Odd pains in the affected breast......each lasting for a few seconds and in no particular order.....like being stabbed, then like being stabbed with a hot poker and then finally almost numbness.

4. Feet feel like I've been walking barefoot through desert sand but dont look any different.  I put 4 coats of nail strengthener on toe and fingernails so hopefully the taxotere (or red devil) wont make them fall off.

5. Restlessness and frustration yet feel weak as a kitten.

6. Odd body pains especially in spine where I was diagnosed with arthritis.

Other than those listed above and wanting to rip this chemo port out I'm doing pretty good.

sftfemme65

Well I definitely had a few of those.  The foot thing was very annoying, mine felt like that then they started peeling and towards the end of treatment hurt so bad some days it was hard to walk on them.  I had developed hand/foot syndrome caused by the Adriamycin (red devil) not real common but definitely a side effect.  the body aches and weird feeling in the spine I got with taxol, which is like taxotere.

Hang in there, you'll be done before you know it.

Teresa

crazy4carrots

Hi Patrice:

I think you'll get lots of responses to your query!

Everything you've described (and more) isn't unusual for taxotere.  It's such a strong drug and its se's tend to last.  My last tx was July 22 and my feet, my toes and my fingers still feel funny -- sometimes numb, sometimes tingly and sometimes burning.  Many have complained of the strange chemo smell -- but it will leave soon after your last tx.

Restlessness and frustration are also quite normal, and especially extreme fatigue.  And another se you might experience with taxotere is short bouts of depression and sadness.  This happened to me about a week after each tx.

Can't comment on the breast pain as I had a mast., but if you've had a lumpectomy, it's likely that some nerves might have been cut and are trying to re-establish connection (but just guessing here). 

Try to keep a daily log and tell your onc about all your symptoms.  Even though I was given a huge binder full of info before I started chemo, I'd have to say that at least 50% of the se's weren't even mentioned!

Hang in there -- you'll get through it!  With warmest wishes,

Linda

crazy4carrots

Oops!  I mean Patrice!

HeatherBLocklear

Hi Patrice,

Oh yes, I had all the symptoms you describe minus the foot pain (I was lucky for once and didn't get hand and foot syndrome from the Taxotere). I also had sharp, shooting pains in my breast and underarm after each chemo session -- I took them to be a sign that the cancer was DYING, so actually welcomed those pains. The smell (and taste) phenomena are common. You'll smell weird things, and everything will taste nasty or unusual. Just be patient -- this too will pass.

Hugs,

Annie