Taxotere and Respiratory Arrest

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Miss_Scarlet
Miss_Scarlet Member Posts: 6
edited June 2014 in Managing Side Effects of Breast Cancer and Its Treatment
Taxotere and Respiratory Arrest
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  • Miss_Scarlet
    Miss_Scarlet Member Posts: 6
    edited March 2010

    I had my first T/C chemo (four treatments three weeks apart) Jan. 25 2010.  Newlasta shot the next day.  Everything was fine until the evening after the Neulasta.  Some nausea and fatigue woke up during the night with a headache.  Nothing relieved it and the next morning I was at the doctor's office waiting for them to open.  My chemo nurse said it was migrain caused by pain pills or neulasta.  They gave me some med for that and it worked.  Stayed in bed for the next few days.  As the days passed I felt better.  The week before the second chemo i felt normal. 

    The second chemo I had a reaction of strange feeling in my chest that was rising, flushed and dizzy when I got up.  The next day I went for the neulasta shot.  I had a rash that covered my body and the chemo nurse called the nurse practitioner who checked me all over and wrote a rx for steroid one week treatment.  I did itch a little when I scratched an area, not bad.  It took a few more days to start feeling better than the first treatment.  The week before was a good week.  Just in time to start feeling bad again.

    The third chemo was canceled when the nurse practitioner consulted with the doctor.  They were afraid I would go into respiratory arrest.  Well, that scared me also.  She said they would wait a week and the doctor would be present at my next chem.  I don't want a respiratory arrest with ten doctors at my side.  She said the doctor may change the taxotere to something else.  Has anyone else experienced this.  I am so scared I am ready to quit all treatment.

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  • chrisct
    chrisct Member Posts: 2,662
    edited March 2010

    No one has answered yet so I will offer my limited knowledge. You are not alone. The symptoms you had during your second tx sound like an allergic reaction. Allergic reactions are very common with Taxotere. Are they giving you any premeds - IV Benadryl and Pepcid - before the taxotere? I had a reaction after tx #2 of 4 and then again after my fourth even with the premeds. She stopped the infusion and waited a little bit before restarting it at a slower rate. I'm not sure if when they say respiratory arrest they are talking about a severe allergic reaction - anaphylactic shock is possible, but they are very good at stopping it right away. Lottie had a nasty reaction her 6th tx - if you want to read about it - a post on Jan 6th: http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/69/topic/697783?page=221#post_1663350

    It's a tough call - deciding whether to stop treatment. Hopefully your doctor can put your mind at ease by explaining what happened and what he expects could happen next time and what he plans to do about it - to help prevent it and to stop it if it starts to happen again. There are things they can do to lessen the risk of a reaction - such as giving premeds and making sure the infusion rate isn't too fast. And then there are things they can do if a reaction starts - such as stop the infusion and give more meds. I hope that you will be able to continue with your treatment.

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  • Kandy
    Kandy Member Posts: 1,461
    edited March 2010

    I was allergic to Taxotere the first time it was given to me, even with the premeds. Within seconds of it going in I completely went out. We changed to Taxol and I heavily premedicated before going to chemo. I did the same thing on it. They changed chemo drugs completely for me. If you are allergic to it every time it is introduced in your body the reaction will be worse.

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  • youngmomof3
    youngmomof3 Member Posts: 156
    edited March 2010

    I had an allergic reaction the first time I was given Taxotere. felt like an elephant was standing on my neck and chest and that I couldn't breathe. The nurse immediatly stopped the meds and the onc told me tocome back the following week and just get my Taxotere and Herceptin. He thought that maybe the benedryl they gave me was not enough so the next time they increaed the benedryl and gave it to me at a very slow pace and the nurse sat with me for quite a while until we were sure i was doing okay. I am not sure if any of this is helpful esp since I didn't have the same reaction you did and there was no mention of respiratory arrest but that just may be a wording issue. I was very nervous to go and try it the following week but everything went fine and so far I am doing pretty good after 2 treatments. I did have some chest/arm pain that I was concerned about and went to the ER for but it was either port-related or an SE fromt he Taxotere but haven't had it since the 1st dose.

    Good luck with whatever you decide.

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  • chrisct
    chrisct Member Posts: 2,662
    edited March 2010

    I reread your post and remembered that you mentioned a rash.  I had random itching and redness a week after my 3rd treatment.  They gave me Medrol - 6-day taper - I'm not sure it helped.  I think my reaction just subsided on its own after a few days- thankfully- the itching is maddening.  I didn't have that reaction again after my last tx. 

    If they are going to switch you to another chemo drug - maybe they are thinking about Abraxane.  I think Abraxane is the same as Taxol, but without the chemical solvents that many people have allergic reactions to.  Otherwise, maybe they are thinking of switching you to a different regimen entirely.  

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  • Miss_Scarlet
    Miss_Scarlet Member Posts: 6
    edited March 2010

    Thank you for the responses.  It gives me hope.  I am taking premeds,  aloxi, tagamet, decadron,  benadryl, and ativan.  Under normal conditions, whatever that was, I have no reactions to meds.  I think the nurse mentioned Taxol as a replacement possibility for Taxotere.  I think part of my problem is lost confidence in doctors.  My gyno doctor failed me with the breast cancer diagnosis.  I had been telling him for two years about the lump and that it was getting larger.  He kept saying don't worry about it, it is nothing.  Then this past November, my regular checkup, he took one look and rushed me to the surgeon.  Down hill from there.  Let me add we are new residents in this area and had to find new doctors.  I still think he should have done biopsies and been more concerned.  I know that from now own I will take more action earlier.  I have already chosen a new doctor!

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  • Miss_Scarlet
    Miss_Scarlet Member Posts: 6
    edited March 2010

    I went to the onc yesterday and he changed my chemo.  No more neulastra, good.  I was to have two more treatments of TC.  Now two of Adriamycin and six each doses of one-third Taxol.  Now I have a complete set of new SE to be on the alert for.  Six weeks and I am finished.  Thank you Lord.

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