taxotere side effects

ChemicalWorld

I'm pretty much like others here.  While my fingernails came off around the time of my last chemo, my toenails didn't follow until about a month and half later.  I remember, as I had a pedicure about a month after my last treatment, thinking I was in a safe timeframe, and then a few weeks after that, off they popped, starting with the big toe.  They hadn't hurt beforehand like the fingernails had though and it was my hands that had taken the brunt of the hand and foot syndrome with the burning and peeling.  What's odd is that my feet were in great shape around this time.  I have problems with my heels and they were as smooth as anything until a few months after chemo. 

I used to joke during that time that I felt like that guy in District 9 or The Fly, I was waiting to morph into something for a while there. 

MsW2012

Wow. This is a great forum! It's wonderful to be able to share experiences here so quickly.

   First, on Herceptin: the mfr web site (just google Herceptin) lists a ton of potential side effects. Some occur between 1% and 10% of the time ("common") and some 10% or higher ("very common"). Dozens more listed as "rare" or "unknown."  So here are some of the "very common:"

   Dizziness, headache, conjunctivitis (pinkeye), lacrimation increase (watery eyes), cardiac disorders incl. blood pressure and irreg heartbeat; hot flashes, cough, rhinorrhoea (runny nose), chest pain, chills and fatigue. Some "common:" anxiety, abnormal thinking (chemo brain, ha!), ataxia (muscles), constipation (man, doesn't everything cause that? geeze), alopecia (hair loss) and nail disorder.

   Chemicalworld, you never had Herceptin, and your fingernails came off around the end of chemo, and then toenails suddenly started coming off over a month later. In my case, I was so sure the sudden fingernail loosening must be from the time the nurse accidentally gave me my first 3-week dose of Herceptin, because that's when it happened, but now it seems that might have been a coincidence.

   Blondie: I started chemo Oct. 10 and my left big toe started looking funny some time after chemo #4. After #5 the upper parts of some toenails and fingernails turned stark white and detached from the skin. I quickly covered them all with polish so they were out of sight, out of mind. That worked great until I couldn't stand it any longer. I had to cut off the separated parts, about half of a few fingernails and a big toe. I guess I should be prepared for them to possibly get worse a month or so from now! OK, that's still better than all the other se's! Chemicalworld, I loved your note about The Fly, hilarious! We sure need to keep our sense of humor!

   Websister, thanks for the feedback. You also had a delayed reaction with the fingernails. It's encouraging that your muscle pain is getting better, and your first week of rads has gone so well. They scared me with worst-case scenarios, saying "most" women get extremely fatigued for the whole process, unable to do any housework or anything, and sunburn so bad you can't wear a bra and you have to medicate the skin. I realize that COULD happen as the weeks go on but it might not! The three women I know who have been through it only had minor sunburn sensation. I know some women don't mind going braless, but I hope I don't have to. It would take a lot of getting used to for me.

   Thanks again all and best wishes to everyone. -Elizabeth

Looking back at my notes, the large-muscle aches actually started in December, after chemo #4.

Traii

Blondie I started Tax 31st Oct...3 cycles finished 12th Dec and nails fell off about 4 weeks ago while toes only last couple of weeks. 1 toenail to go...lol

halfcan

I'm almost 6 weeks since last Tax and still having large muscle issues in my arms and legs. I keep pushing back and doing things my legs don't want to do and I think I have improved a bit. As far as nails go, one big toenail totally loosened after first Tax but never fell off...yet. The other big toe is discolored but not loose. On my hands, which I did ice, only my thumb nails look rather white and feel a little funny. Hoping they will be ok. Now I'm half way through rads and it has been a breeze so far. Only seems to be making my shoulder socket ache from the mold they put me in. No big redness at all so far. Hopefully all you gals will have an easy go with Tax and rads if required. Take care Xox

blondiex46

thanks everybody it seems like they fell off after you stopped......the information helps alot....

Maddie57

Hi MsW2012 - good luck with your rads. I am just having Herceptin now. The Herceptin makes me really tired for 2 days, my nose bleeds very slightly for a few days, and then it just drips the rest of the time, so it is MUCH easier than chemo. 

bcbarbie10

Maddie, im on herceptin only now, too. Just done with my 5th out of 12. And yes, i feel tired and have flu-like symptoms two to three days post. Kinda feverish, muscle aches, and scratchy throat. And i have observed they do get a bit worse each time, though really no issue as compared with tax. Also im feeling heel pain when i get up in the morning but gets better in just a while. Attributing this to Tamoxifen. Runny nose on herceptin too.

blondiex46

well apparently the 2 anti nausea medications they give me don't work been nauseous and had to take a zofran already and 1 of the ones they give me as part of the pre-meds is supposed to last for days.....up since 430....took the benedryl and that lasted until then and now I stil have the steroids in my body, feel like i am speeding...

have a nice day

MsW2012

Thanks Maddie. Are you (& blondie) getting Herceptin every week, or every three weeks? I am getting it once a week and have no symptoms that I notice. The one time I got a 3-wk dose because we went out of town for more than a week I did get extremely runny nose & eyes for several days. Very annoying!

Now 4-1/2 weeks after last HTC chemo my hair is coming back but not light brown. Salt & pepper gray instead. That will take some getting used to but I am thrilled to see it coming back! I also got my XL port replaced with a Slimport. Halleluja! I can sleep on my stomach again!

Hang in there everyone. There will be happy, healthy times ahead.

blondiex46

nope not getting H getting taxotere 3 weeks on 1 off..

SpecialK

The large muscle aching is most likely due to lowered hemoglobin, which is the component in your blood which provides oxygen to those muscles.  Because the side effects fromTaxotere are cumulative, it makes sense that your hemoglobin has not dropped enough (usually) to be unable to provide proper oxygenation until most of the way through chemo.  It takes about 6-8 weeks for most to improve to the point where that rapid muscle fatigue is not noticeable. 

It is important to keep in mind that all the side effects listed for Herceptin include every side effect that anyone in the clinical trial and studies experienced as the drug was brought to the market.  Most people do not experience the majority of them - fatigue, runny nose, peeling nails, aching seem to be the most common.  Congestive heart failure is certainly a chief concern, but this does not happen to most.  Those who are on Herceptin should have had an echocardiogram or MUGA scan prior to starting - most oncs do one every 3 months during the time one is receiving Herceptin.  Lately I have also been reading that continuing echos/MUGA annually for some period is advisable in case there is a delayed issue with CHF.

MsW - I did not have rads but there is a member on the TCH and Triple Positive threads who developed a skin care regimen that worked very well for her.  I passed it on to a friend locally who had a lumpectomy and rads and she did great with it also.  If you would like me to PM it to you send a PM to me and I will send it back to you.

bluemoon72

I was diagnosed with breast cancer last oct 2012 and followed by surgery and lumpectomy then chemo...Im on my last chemo and had the same side effects like all of u though my nails didnt drop....still weak and feeling tired and will be continuing with radiation maybe next week. Did anyone of u had underarm cyst after every chemo? I always had every after 4th day of chemo its either on the left or right. Doctor said it was due to my immune system very low. Till now I have 2 cyst on my left armpit. So nice to learn a lot in this discussion. Thank u to all of u. And lets all be strong and think happy and hope for a healthy long life ahead.....have a nice weekend!</p

Maddie57

Hi MsW2012 - I get my Herceptin every 3 weeks . I have just finished no 11, so have 6 more to go. Good luck with the hair.

bluemoon72 - I am sorry to hear about your cysts - that sounds really painful. I did not get underarm cysts, but my underarms always ached after Taxotere for a few days. Are you using talcum powder, as that is very bad for blocking up pores, and I was told never to use it. Try using tea tree oil soap to wash under your arms - it may help a bit, as it is anti bacterial.

carlads

Hi Everyone,

I had treatment #3 on Feb 21st.  My SE's don't set in until the 3 or 4th day but this treatment was different. I've been very lucky and I don't like to complain, but the swelling in my hands and legs are bad this time and a rash on my face and hand feels like they are on fire.  I have been drinking a lot of water trying to flush it out and also icing my hands..  any suggestions? 

MsW2012

If it were me I wd call the on-call dr immediately. Dont mess around with either of those: rash or swelling. Please call.

SherylB

carlads,

So sorry you are having a rough time. My SEs have been different this time too. Horrific fatigue this go round but the swelling just hit yesterday for me. Haven't got a clue about the rash. You know the drill, call the doctor because you are doing all you can. Feel better soon.

Hugs, Sheryl

Traii

Carlads

Come to think of it I broke out into a rash in my neck the first tx.

Onc said was part of SEs to tax.

It was itchy too!

Linda-n3

Carlads, call your doctor!!!!

I encourage all of you to contact your doctor for ANY SE that is unsual, worse than usual, or concerning. Do not "be a good patient" and not complain, because these drugs are VERY POWERFUL and can cause serious injury if you ignore the early warning signs.  It is very easy for the MOs to reassure you if it is truly not a serious problem, but they cannot help you if it is a serious problem if you do not let them know about it!

Wishing you all the best today.

blondiex46

Linda, that is what my friends tell me, I hesitate to call him.....also the neuropathy is starting in the fingers, he asked me on Wednesday if it has started....said nope....have a good day!

Linda-n3

Blondie, if you have started having neuropathy in your fingers, you really need to let your MO know.  Mine got so severe after 2nd cycle, but I minimized it, so after 3rd cycle it has become permanent.  I have pain with typing, can no longer play piano or other stringed instruments, have miserable sensation when touching paper, my cat, and other things that once gave me pleasure.  Also there is loss of sensation at the tips. Some people would consider this a reasonable trade-off for survival, but I don't, especially since it didn't work anyway for ME.  I had first recurrence within 6 months of last chemo, so there was no good resulting from the damage in my case.  But for many women, this is a very powerful and successful drug, but you can have dosage adjusted or delayed in order to give nerves a chance to recover before they become permanently damaged and still get good benefit.

Traii

Blondie, I get the neuropathy here and there, not all the time. Why did you say 'nope' ??? He can lower your dose for you until it is bearable ( we don't want you to get off it if this is what you need and you are managing ok:) )

tell him when you see him....see what he says hun.

blondiex46

because there was nothing then, it came the next day really, and is sort there and not..it is just starting and I just have round 4...

Linda-n3

Blondie, don't you just love it when things are OK when you see the doc, but then fall apart the next day or so?? That seems to happen to me, also I will be having a problem, but then when I actually have an appointment, I seem fine then....

blondiex46

thanks for that sweetie!!

Sickofpink

Wow, glad I found this board. I'm 12 days after 6th TCh and the taxotere is driving me nuts.. Shoud I try to save my nails with bandaids or just let them go? Does the Sally Hansen thing work on dead nails or on nail bedsonce they pop off?

I'm going to have my tear ducts dialated again to open them and try to decrease the tearing. Legs sore - can walk but not stand.

No eyelashes on left eye - anything I can do?

Thanks,

Leslie

Traii

Sickofpink

I tried with the bandaides but the nails lift off just dont pull them off!

Sally hansen i used all the way so no use really once they popped off sally hansen came back out and poured it over them...lol they grow quick i have one hand already back to normal and the other just one nail that was a half nail almost back:)

I can put coloured polish on now:)

blondiex46

welcome Leslie...eyes are watering, it is friggin annoying getting the way of seeing....nails aren't doing anything thought they were but think it is the neuopathy starting, but feet are good so far...

so tell me about the nails, are there others under the ones that fall off, if not what is there and does it hurt.

have to check the eye lashes, hair didn't fall out nor did the eyebrows....

Maddie57

Sickofpink - you poor thing - hang in there. I did not lose my nails, so can't help you there, but I have read the comments of other ladies on the site. Several ladies said they were surprised to see small nails growing underneath when the nail finally came off. They said it did not hurt when they came off, so I hope the same is true for you!!! I think the Sally Hansen nail polish just hides the revolting colour of the nails - it does not seem to save them. It is too late for you now, but in order to save your nails you have to ice them from the first chemo - a bit like the ice cap to save hair - only ladies have used iced peas for toes and fingers.

The sore legs will continue until you stop chemo, and then they slowly get better and better. Heat pads are quite good for joint and bone pain.

Traii

I iced toe nails and finger nails and they still popped off...one by one. They grow back quite quickly and am now able to wear nail polish again. Think my nails are thicker too! There are 'waves' on my nails but they will grow out!



Blondie there are nails under the old nail thats what makes the old nail pop off so to speak! It doesnt hurt only one i found a little sensation on couple of days before it lifted was my big toe nail.



Hope this helps.



The way i look at tax is if its doing this to us on the outside it better have done the deed on the inside!

blondiex46

thanks Tra it does....

the eyes are stll watering, the neuropathy has started in the fingers, not the feet, nose is watering all the time and blood still coming out of nose.....got the results of the the CT scan, waiting for the report to come in the mail and dr. called yesterday, has to do some checking cause there is a mass in my chest, they never comment on it, he wrote them a note saying to pay attention to the right upper chest and they STILL DIDN'T COMMENT, so pissed....want a PET scan have asked for one for a year...my next conversation with him will be reinterating that......this is my week off, thank goodness.

HAPPY FRIDAY, LOL

BBL