Taxotere is to hard!!!

jrgolomb

I have a cough and I am hoarse.  I start off okay, but since I talk a lot for my job and it is always to a group, I have to get loud and I gradually grow more hoarse as the day goes.  Taxotere se????  I have the dry cough as well.  the aching knees are still up there, especially when I go up and down the stairs.  The third tx really has done me in! 

chiquita

Thank you BrittaA, I will visit your blog as soon as possible...

To all Lady's on taxotere...please ask for the ice gloves...my nails are all bad and black from taxotere and I had the ice gloves for treatment 3 and 4...I should have the gloves on for 1st and 2nd treatment but no one told me about that SE.

About diarrhea I had some bad ones but emodian help and eating crackers only did the trick for me...

xoxox to all !!!!

chiquita

http://www.whittierdailynews.com/ci_12248253

Breast cancer on a 10 year old girl!!!!

shannon56

cil326  When I talked to my onc Wednesday she said a sleep aid before and right after tx was called for.  I will get the perscription at my blood draw before tx day.  I have figured out to take the dreaded dexa... between 4 and 5 PM that way it will be leaving my system by the time I go to bed.  Thank you so much for the suggestion.

jrgolomb

I am ten days out and I feel horrible.  When do the ses end? 

chiquita

Sorry jrgolomb but for every person is different...I am a month out and still with a lot of SEs, but I think Little by Little the SEs will go way...good mothers day...xoxoxox

Texas357

I'm about 30 days out and still having plenty of side effects. but as Chiquita said, they are getting slightly better. Just very very slowly.

vivo

Chiquita I just read the posts. I had 5 chemos with Taxotere and one left. I know that it has very nasty side effects but believe me human organism has memory and in my case the se became more handable after the 3rd or 4th chemo. In the first chemo I was as red as a tomatoe with stomach and sore mouth and throat just like you. Hopefully there are drugs that can help! After the 2nd I had fever for 3 days with no evidence of slowing down and took antibiotique too. Afterwards I had the white problem that also causes diarhea and had 2 infusions to make them rise. Very similar se than yours don't you think. So you see we can do it although the sock that our body experiences.

Taxotere is in my opinion a strong chemo that can make things better for us. So that's my advice: do not panic and phone your docs when you are in trouble. Believe me I was shy and uncomfortable in the beginnning doing that. I noticed while reading your posts you are much stronger than you think. Although the side effects you keep going. As we all try to do. And don;t forget women here are very helpfull and good advisors.

I am waiting to hear your news again...

ShellyJo

I had TAC as well, 6 cycles. The red face may be from the Steroids they give during every treatment. I know they cut my decadron dose down to about a 1/3  by the time I was done. I handled the chemo treatments well as can be expected. I also had a Nuelasta shot every cycle to keep white blood cell count up. My nails got white spots on them and one got a black stripe but that eventually grows up about 6 weeks after chemo is finished. I do know some womans nails fall out so i guess thats normal..

GratefulGal

Debbie53 - I have to say my first treatment with Taxo had the worst of the diarrhea. Same as you, had treatment on Tuesday and on Friday - yikes! But I was also on percoset for the body/bone/musle pain that caused constipation. Needless to say, neither was pleasant. However, the diarrhea was the worst. My doctor gave me something Lomodil (sp?) which is just a bit stronger than immodium. It worked wonders but I still struggled with both until about 6 weeks after treatment ended. The other thing my nurses suggested was the BRAT diet. Bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. Just remember, this is ALL temporary!

jrgolomb

Today is day 12 since treatment and I have to say I feel so much better.  I tried to exercise a bit, and now I am very tired, but I think I can sleep without the atavan. 

chiquita

Thank you Vivo...Today is 5 weeks since the last taxotere and I have a lot pain in my legs muscle and joint, I have a big problem with water retaining all in my legs and feet. The water pill is not working and at end of day my legs and feet are double of the size...I still have the bad taste in my mouth.

other than that I feel ok...

vivo

Dear chiquita a lot of women in the forum say that se keep bothering them after the end of chemo for some time. I wish time heal you quickly. I have posted in the forum that I use to chew or eat red pepper (not the hot ones) and it helps me with the drymouth. If you can taste it. It might help you too!

(Cuiquita God is my best friend too.)

carpediemocc

Iwas iven Taxotere-Herceptin-Carboplatin. Every time they gave me Benadryl FIRST to ward off the SEs of the Taxotere. as a precautionary measure. You didn't say if you were given Benadryl. I would certainly ask the chemo nurses before your next cycle. You shouldn't have to be miserable!

In my case it was the Carboplatin that kicked my butt. Also after my #5 cycle I was ready to die! I was pi**ed at the chemo. I told my Onc Doc I will NOT be doing #6! But as the two weeks passed I felt up to doing just one more.

It's hard road but you WILL get through it and it will be over before you know it.

Don't hesitate to tell your chemo nurses about your side effects. They are the ones who are knowledgeable about SEs and no matter what I experienced they had a solution.

chiquita

Dear friend Vivo...I will try the red pepper as soon as possible thank you for the advise, I try to be patient with the SE from Taxotere but I would like to get back to my old me and at least be able to taste food again.

Carpediemocc I was given Benadryl every time I had chemo and the nurses know about my SEs...I holp this will go way soon...Thank you and xoxoxox to all....

Melissa1971

I finished my 2nd of 4 rounds of taxotere last week. The skin on my hands is peeling which isn't painful and I am dealing w/ it using aquaphor. Along w/ all the other fun SE, the bottems of my feet are so sore..red and warm to the touch. I tried taking a bath tonight and as soon as I put my feet in the warm tub I had to pull them out...they were burning from the water. Anyone else experience this? My nurse said to keep an eye on them and to call back if they get worse. I am just heavily moisturizing now and it doesn't seem to be helping. If you have any advice/suggestions to pass on I would appreciate it.

Thanks! 

chiquita

Hi Melissa, I had that on my 1 round and it went a way after 2 weeks. I just had my foot moisturized with polisporin and keep it off the floor as much as possible. My hands had some that too and I had to use the ice gloves during the chemo, I still have the nails black and weak, part unglued. You will loose a lot of skin on the bottom of your feet. Good luck.

shannon56

I have to say that I feel blessed right now reading all the SEs most of you have.  But I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop.  I've had 2 tx and so far I've mostly been tired 2 or 3 days a week but not consecutive days.  I got rid of the bone pain by taking Extra Strength Tylenol PM every night as directed by my onc.  Tx #3 is next Friday and I've been warned that things will probably get worse after that tx.

Every night I pray for each and everyone of you to be relieved of your SEs, I hope my prayers are helping.

Texas357

Well, one month and almost 2 weeks post taxotere and I lost another fingernail on Thursday. That makes 3, with several more still ready to go at any time. My fingertips are also still very numb. So without nails or feeling, I'm a real klutz at times.

The good news is that my brain fog appears to be clearing. And I know the finger thing is temporary.

chiquita

Shannon56 you are luck, God Bless you...next time you go for tx ask for the ice glove and protect your fingers...thank you for the prayers...yes positive thinking will help...xoxoxox

HelenNC

Gals, for my dry mouth, I just use Biotene mouthwash & it helped every time

ann-idiot

Has anyone had their taxo reduced? My 1st taxotere and cytoxan was awful, I became neutropenic even though I had the yucky Neulasta shot. My onc decided to reduce my tax dose by 20%. The lower dose gave me milder se. 

Texas357

Yes, mine taxotere was reduced after the first three treatments, but the side effects seemed to build. My oncologist then doubled the steroids, and then wanted me to triple them but I balked at the tripling because the steroids were also hard on me.

I also used Biotene mouthwash and toothpaste, which helped significantly with the burning. But it only gave me about 5 or 10 minutes relief from the dry mouth. It's now almost 7 weeks post-chemo, and I've still got a pretty stubborn case of it.

chiquita

Yes my taxotere was reduced after the first treatment, but I still have the SEs...My oncologist apologize because he had it wrong he gave me to much for my size. He gave me 15% less and gave me neuprogene for the white cell...

shannon56

I was neutropenic in the second week after round 1.  The nurses all thought this was a sign of worse to come because the majority of patients don't have that happen until after tx 3.  However, last Friday my bloods were just fine which made me extremely happy.

chiquita

Good for you Shannon!!!!!

Today I lost my second nail...and the others are just about to peel of too!!!!

Life is fool of surprises...

I learned that using clear nail polishes give the second nail a chance to grow without pain...

Texas357

Yes, I keep the clear polish handy. The nails on my right hand (I'm right handed) are all going first, but I think most of those on my left hand will follow. I just feel lucky that my toenails haven't been affected. At least I can walk without pain.

vivo

I have posted about losing nails today and just read your thread. Well I have 1 more round of Taxoter, Gemzar and Herceptin and my nails have started paining. Today went for Herceptin and my docs said I will lose my nails! Do you mean that I can use clear nail posh (I think they contain lanolin) to help them come out without pain or can I use it from now on to prevent losing them? The last wekk was so hard I have to keep on to end the chemo!!!!

KathyNSW

Hi everyone,

I finished taxotere early January and my nails have only discoloured and weekened.

Started to Happen about a month after I finished but not to bad.. Toes are still numb on and off.

I had to wear the frozen gloves to prevent problems with my nails, also told to wear black nail

polish as it was protecting for nails but could also wear the clear nail polish.

My hair is about 2 cm now. The taxotere was pretty hard with the muscle and bone pain and

general weekness whick lasted for about 4-5 weeks after last treatment)  but you will be glad

when you are finished, but when you are going throughit, it goes so slow.  I did have a little bit of

trouble with peeling on the bottom of my  feet. I used Biotene mouthwash for my mouth.

I had 3 doses of taxotere and the 3rd one knocked me alot.

I am thinking of you all

Take care

Kathy

Texas357

I had 9 taxotere doses but thankfully my toenails are okay. They just got a little sore. I'll probably lose 9 of the 10 fingernails. Three are gone already.

The Sally Hansen Hard as Nails is supposed to help prevent loss. I did notice that it made my nails strong. I loved how it improved them. But it didn't prevent the damage which was happening on the nail bed.