Taxotere is a nightmare

marjie

Iago - good news about your nails and that there is no infection.  You're absolutely right...all SE's just suck in their own special way don't they.  I will be so glad when my eyes clear up - it's so frustrating not being able to see.  I have had a real mish mash of SE's but I think the one that bothers me most is the loss of my brows and lashes - it makes you look sick.  My avatar pic was before they were completely gone and I thought it was bad then LOL!

Next week I have my first tx of Herceptin on its own - I anticipate smooth sailing moving forward.

Omaz

marjie - Sometimes I would put a cool washcloth over my eyes for several minutes and that at least made them feel better.  Hope they get better soon.

marjie

Omaz - I may try that right now, just thinking about it sounds soothing....

thegood5

has anyone out there had a problem with hot flashes?  I've been done TX for a month now, but still getting herceptin every 3 weeks.  I have at least 3or 4 flashes a day, nothing too terribly bad, but enough to make me sit or lay down.  Don't know if it's from coming off of taxotere?

Omaz

thegood5 - If you were having your period when you started chemo it can stop them because it affects the ovaries.  When the ovaries are affected your level of estrogen goes down and that in turn can cause hot flashes.  If you are near menopause when this happens your periods mayb not come back but if you are younger your periods may come back.  Hope that helps.

thegood5

thx Omaz...just turned 40 so I am guessing it will come back, although I did have it thru my first 3 treatments. (got my last one on  my 40th birthday while "chemotose" in bed...yea me!)

tracie23

thegood5: I get hot flashes so bad, I am 40 as well... My hot flashes can happen at anytime and I feel as if I could kill someone when they do happen.... But night time is bad I wake up with the night sweats and have to change. They put me on Effexor to see if that will help.... so far not yet . I only take taxotere.

thegood5

tracie23, tax sucks!  the night sweats are the worst, and then I end up freezing.  Hope you are able to get thru the rest of your treatments without too many SE's.  my flashes just seem to be worse in the last month.

tracie23

marj: I had chemo 3 weeks ago and my fatigue has been horrible I can barely do anything and my eyes are horrible. My last on is this Thursday it scares me to think of the unknown of the last tax.....  

thegood5: My flashes seem to get worse with each treatment.... but once I am done I get to have a hysterectomy  So I think I will have the flashes for a while.

micheleboots

I just found this thread so I thought i would give my two cents...T sucks..., but you can do it..before you know it you will be done.  have a great day and keep up all the cancer butt kicking ladies.

TifJ

Almost 7 weeks out and the hot flashes are increasing during the day and still bad at night. I am 45 so I may not get my period back, but geez-how long do these last??

marjie

tracie - my fatigue this time around is ridiculous, I think the SE's have been cumulative so I am just trying to get through but it's so frustrating. At least I was able to stop those stupid Neupegen shots so I don't have to deal with SE's from them too.  Yesterday I decided "mind over matter" and got myself all showered and dressed - makeup too (took me until 2 o'clock in the afternoon!!), stood looking in the mirror.  One hot sexy valentine for my DH...eyes all crusty and running, nose running watery blood - you gotta laugh I guess

I had horrible hot flashes during my FEC treatment - mostly at night.  My onc gave me pills to help me sleep if it got to be too much.  I would take one every 3rd or 4th night just so I would get a good night's sleep in.  With taxotere I still get them but not near as bad.  They are usually stronger when I am taking the steroids.  I had one last period after my first chemo and then nothing. My onc told me not to expect it to come back.

lago

thegood5 Chemo put most of us in chemopause. The closer you are to menopause age the more likely it is going to permanent. For those like yourself that are younger you have a better chance that your periods could come back.

I have also observed on this board that the younger the woman the more intense the hot flashes are. I think with women like me being perimenopausal is less of a shock to our system. (I'm 49+8 days).

This is weird. I don't think I  had any hot flashes last night. I even ate spicy chili which can set them off… but it is possible I just slept though them.

tracie23 my last chemo (#6) was just more of the same. The only thing that really intensified a bit was my nail bed problem and fluid retention. Everything else seemed pretty much the same. Hang in there. I'm now 1 month out and other than my nails and stiffness I see lots of improvement… even the slight albino chia pet growth has started a few weeks back.

Finger is much better today. It started draining  yesterday after I took the nail polish off. Swelling has gone done considerably  and it's now more pink then red. Not as painful either. I did to the warm water teabag soak as my dermatologist directed last night too.

Hang in there gals. Taxoterrible isn't forever. It does get better.

LuvRVing

I am not doing Taxo-terrible, didn't do chemo.  But I have been in menopause for 15 years (since turning 45) and I can tell you that menopause and probably chemopause will cause hot flashes.  I still have hot flashes - not as bad as they were 5 years ago, but still..  That was one of the major reasons women went on HRT.  For some of you, the hot flashes will cease after a period of time.  For some of us unlucky folks, they will continue on.  Not wanting to be the bearer of bad news but letting you know that those hot flashes are pretty much unavoidable in a menopause and anti-estrogen environment.  Yup, it sucks!

Michelle

EricaH

RASH!! Ug!   Did anyone get a rash from all these wonderful chemicals?  Just after my fourth - and final - AC treatment I developed an itchy rash all over my back.  I've just had my first Taxotere treatment, and the rash now has started on my front, arms and hips.  

Has anyone else experienced this?  If so - any suggestions?  

marjie

Erica - I never developed a rash but that was one of the things that I was told to report to the cancer centre immediately if I had anything.  Actually that being said, I had shingles for 3 weeks before they took a serious look at it LOL!

What does your onc say?

EricaH

Hi Marjie - 

To be honest I haven't reported it - I'm so sick of all the trips to the oncologist's office I was hoping I could find a quick fix myself!  However, I've now put in a call to the office - maybe one of the chemo nurses knows a miracle cure and I won't have to take even more time off work for yet another appointment.  (yeah right!!!)

Yikes on the shingles...   I hope that's a thing of the past for you. 

I see you are from Ontario - I'm from BC (living in Florida).

lago

EricaH They will probably have you take some benadryl, Zyrtec, Allegra or some other drug like that. I was on Zyrtec the entire time onc chemo as a preventative.

I hear you about not wanting to go in. My onc was really good about that.  Lots of emails, pictures and call in prescriptions but she never made me go in too see her. But I have seen lots of other doctors for SE. I've been done with chemo for 4 weeks now and this week I had/have appointments with the LE doctor, LE PE, dermatologist, Ophthalmologist and podiatrist! Next week is a bit easier. 

EricaH

I can't WAIT to be able to say "I'm done with chemo!!!"  Just 3 more to go... 

marjie

Erica, yes, I'm in Ontario kind of wishing I was in Florida!  It has been a long cold winter!!!

coni111852

I hear you Erica I cant wait either i kept telling myself 3 more just 3more ...

I went yesterday to see onc, he said he would think and see if he can lower the tax dose but he dosent want to compromise the treatment, he was able to lower the neaulata shot so maybe ill have less pain im hoping...he dosent think that what i get in my mouth is thrush because he gives me flocunazole and apperantly is very stong and with in five day thrush would disappear, so he gave me this meds for virus he think it maybe something like canker sore virus but i dont think so because i never had them before...but im hoping the meds will work and i dont get those blisters down my throat...im praying cause i really getting nervous about the SE again right now i feel great expcept for eyes they are bugging me...sorry ladies but im having one of those days, where i just feel tired and sick of having to go through all this...getting fustrated with hair cause is not growing fast enough well i guess i should be happy that i have some stubble is better than nothing....i dont know if is because im nervous or because im getting my period soon...or maybe both. grrr..thanks for letting vent out...

PitPat

Hi Erica! I'm living in BC now with my family and going through this journey. i can't think of a better place to do it thant he Kootenays...makes recovery so much nicer. I've developed an itch too. I got it on my neck after my first Taxotere treatment. i thought it was just a fluke as it showed up on day 4 post treatment. Well it is back on day 3 so i called the chemo nurses to let them know whats up. I'm sending pic today for the doc to look at. I'm not concerned right now, but for my last treatment I want to be wary of increased risk of allergic reactions.

I too have been inducted into the chemopause club. The hot flashes are interesting to say the least. I was prepared for huge buckets od sweat to pour off me as that is what happened to my sister. I experience a "surge" of heat that has me tossing the covers off and taking off my skull cap, but within minutes...I'm chilled. I have a couple triggers but nothing I can really prevent as I'm not really aware yet of what I'm doing htat triggers it (well hot drink can do it). I'm not grieving losing my menses. I'm done having kids. I went without a period for up to 2 years between kids so I actually am familiar with amenoreha...and I like it!!

I'm happy that the study about ALND not being necessary.  http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/surgery/new_research/20010208.jsp I've been waiting for a panel of doc who had my results to determine the risks and benefits of a complete ALND or not. My sentinal nodes were positive. So though my sister who had huge damage to her axilla has not had one inkling of LE, I'm reading of your journey lago and thinking I'm glad we didn't go for the whole radical surgery.

traci: All that said...the taxotere has been having lingering effects. Whether it is just from the taxing of my body from all the chemos or just the Taxotere i don't know. I'm lethargic and physically cranky. thinking about picking up and feeling better to just go into the whole thing again is daunting. We are like boxers fighting a heavey weight battle and in the 12th round, you are tired, sore, bloddy, and some days a bit delerious, but you know that winning only comes with getting off your ass no matter how beat up you are and taking on your apponent ...one...more...time.

My counts were still down at the 3 week mark (Neuts were 1.3) so the nurses did them again on chemo day. The outcome was  injections.UGH. I'm sure that is adding to the crappy body feeling.

I applaude all of you that I have met here at BCO. I kow I would love to meet ya all after all is said and done. Anyone thought about a get together when it is all said and done?

chilimac

I hope no one minds me posting here.  I am here on this board for my wonderful sister who was diagnosed 12/10.  She has completed 2 DD cycles of Taxotere.  I have been taking her to her chemo sessions and sitting with her during the infusion.  She sent me an email today just venting because she says she is very constipated and the bottoms of her feet are purple and hurt.  I am trying to support her (she's not a member here).  Is there anything I can do or recommend for her?  I just feel so terrible.  BTW, she is doing the Taxotere first followed by A/C. 

Tonya  

Fighter_34

I did 6 rounds of TC and finished on 2/3, and I am still experiencing side effects. It will take some time for normal

marjie

Tonya - your sister definitely needs to stay on top of the constipation. It can get beyond severe - she can try Metamucil or prune juice..whatever works for her.  I always had Senekot and stool softners of hand as well.

I never had any problems with my feet and hands during taxotere but others will chime in soon with advice.  Tell her to ice her hands and feet during tx - it truly helps.

TonLee

Tonya,

I take Milk of Magnesia the night of chemo before bed, AND the next night just to keep things moving....worked like a charm this treatment.  (Took me this long to figure it out.)

If she's really constipated right now, Milk of Mag may work, or an enema.

lago

PitPat my LE MD just brought up this study when I saw him yesterday. I think he was surprised that I knew findings didn't apply to those women (like me) with large tumors. One thing he did say is although ANLD may not be standard treatment in the future right now this study isn't enough to change standard practice.

He did say that it will take a while but they need more evidence. I have also read there are some flaws with this study but it does look promising for some early stage, small tumor diagnosis. He said people sometimes jump too quickly on new findings. Remember the recent zometa study and how that changed from good results to no evidence for many women?

BTW I did have level 1 ANLD (10 nodes) on the left (4 sentinel on the right). My LE is mild though.
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chilimac She must let her onc know about both these problems. I had terrible constipation right after my 1st TX of taxotere. For me I had to  start taking Metamucil the night before I knew the constipation would start. I would take it till things were normal. I also took a probiotic (stool soften). Colace, also a stool softener will work. Stool soften is very important. She must drink losts of water too.

Purple feet should be reported. I never had that experience. The pain sounds like neuropathy and again her onc must know about this. I took 500mg of Acetyl-L- Glutamine for neuropathy. It seemed to keep it at bay. I only got it in my left heel… but have her check with her onc before she takes this. If they neuropathy gets bad they will reduce her dose… if it gets really bad they may take her off altogether but that is rare.

EricaH

Hey PitPat!  I'm just glad it's COOL here right now or I think I may be tempted to just walk around BALD. 

chilimac

Thank you ladies.  I'll be sure she mentions her side effects to her doctor.  I appreciate the replies.

tracie23

Do you ever wonder if any Oncologist look into these sights???? If they did maybe they would not tell there patients that taxotere is a cake walk.... we should collaborate and write a book.