Taxol pain unbearable!

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angellinda
angellinda Member Posts: 7
edited June 2014 in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

I have TN breast cancer. I 've had Chemo since April. With the last 7 weeks of weekly Taxol. The bone/muscle pain  is unbearable. I'm a little anemic. But the pain in my left arm to hand is constant throbbing as is in my knees. All I take is Aleve. Its all I have.  We're jobless here. How do I know when to quit Taxol? How Bad or unbearable does it have to get? I'm scheduled to have it until the end of August for 12 weeks. But I'm beyond miserable! Any good ideas, home remedies? Suggestions? How long can one Take this? Also my Surgeon is closing her practice this month. I'm heart sick to lose her! She did my Chemo port & my sentinel node surgery. I wanted her to finish my care and do my surgery/lumpectomy. I'm very alone, depressed and hurting. Thank you for understanding and suggesting. I wish you the best in your healing process/wellness.

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  • laurajane
    laurajane Member Posts: 321
    edited July 2010

    I am so sorry to hear of your pain. I start Taxol 2 weeks after my last dose of AC next Thursday. I am scared to death of all of the side effects of Taxol. Why can't you get pain meds? 

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  • laurajane
    laurajane Member Posts: 321
    edited July 2010

    I am so sorry to hear of your pain. I start Taxol 2 weeks after my last dose of AC next Thursday. I am scared to death of all of the side effects of Taxol. Why can't you get pain meds? 

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  • laurajane
    laurajane Member Posts: 321
    edited July 2010

    I am so sorry to hear of your pain. I start Taxol 2 weeks after my last dose of AC next Thursday. I am scared to death of all of the side effects of Taxol. Why can't you get pain meds? 

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  • laurajane
    laurajane Member Posts: 321
    edited July 2010

    I am so sorry to hear of your pain. I start Taxol 2 weeks after my last dose of AC next Thursday. I am scared to death of all of the side effects of Taxol. Why can't you get pain meds? 

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  • sunnytn1949
    sunnytn1949 Member Posts: 28
    edited July 2010

    I had the terrible pain too.  The pain meds do nothing for the pain!  I took a lot of it and ended up in the hospital thinking i was having a heart attach.  There is nothing you can do but get through it.

    At least that is what I had to do.  I am so sorry that you are going through this, but is is a necessary evil to kill the cancer.

    ((HUGS))

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  • grdnslve
    grdnslve Member Posts: 310
    edited July 2010

    laurajane--take heart--not everyone has pain from the taxol.  the ac was much harder for me.  the only pain i had on taxol was from the neulasta shots, as i started with the 3 week cycle.  when i went to weekly, i have had no problem.

    angellinda--have you talked to the chemo nurses?  maybe you could take something else. 

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  • fightinhrd123
    fightinhrd123 Member Posts: 633
    edited July 2010

    I had it too, and on the couple of really bad days after chemo i would take dilaudid and just lay in bed.  It did help, i could feel the pain, but it didnt  "hurt", if that makes sense?? 

    Laura

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  • Kate0574
    Kate0574 Member Posts: 120
    edited July 2010

    I too like Laura had the pain for a couple of days after threatment day but then subsited, I didnt take anything but the pain was horrible, i didnt find anything to work, so like Luara I just stayed down for those two days.... lots of rest and water.. oh and movies... atleast with the Taxol the flu like feeling goes away!! GL and HUGGS!!

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  • smithlme
    smithlme Member Posts: 1,322
    edited July 2010

    I took pain meds to ease the pain from Taxol. Sometimes a warm shower or a soak in the tub helped. Find a new doctor asap and ask them for pain relief. Hang in there... 

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  • jenn3
    jenn3 Member Posts: 3,316
    edited July 2010

    I took pain meds for the Taxol pain, it was tough.  Even with the meds every 4 hours I suffered on the bad days.  First, I would suggest asking your onc for something stronger than Aleve - you should not have to suffer like this.  Hot baths, heating pads and rest is about it. 

    Please call the doctor about the pain and I hope it gets better soon.

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  • squidwitch42
    squidwitch42 Member Posts: 2,228
    edited July 2010

    angelinda,

    You absolutely should not have to be in pain!  Not sure if you are on neulasta as well (shot you get the next day after your chemo that helps increase your white blood cell count to fight off infections.)

    I would get on the horn with your oncologist and nurses....there are narcotics, as well as meds to help with nerve pain/neuropathy such as neurontin. 

    please don't suffer or stop treatment because of the pain. Every patient has the right to have their pain treated! 

    I am going to assume you have some form of insurance, I do hear that you are jobless.  these medicines are available in generic form, and you may not need a lot. In their generic form it shouldn't be cost prohibitive. I would never have made it through chemo without pain meds...it was very rough for me as well.  I did find a heating pad to help quite a bit with the bone pain, but this was in the winter.  perhaps a warm bath, or heating pad on low. 

    please let us know how you do!

    traci

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  • Titan
    Titan Member Posts: 2,956
    edited July 2010

    I didn't like taxol either..maybe because I thought it would be easier than AC..actually I would have preferred more AC than taxol..but taxol is supposed to be really good for we TN's...I had bone pain too...I did take an antihistamine and aleve..the day after the chemo and 2 or 3 days after..it seemed to help somewhat..

    I'm sorry you are hurting like that...hopefully your doctors can find something to help with the pain..

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  • jenn3
    jenn3 Member Posts: 3,316
    edited July 2010

    angel - cking in to see how you're doing and hoping that you called the onc for stronger medication.  (((hugs))) hope you're feeling better today.

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  • slanderson
    slanderson Member Posts: 152
    edited July 2010

    So sorry about your pain.  Just wanted to suggest darvisette (sp).  I think it's pretty cheap even though it's a prescription and is stronger than Aleve.

    xoxoShannon

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  • Leah_S
    Leah_S Member Posts: 8,458
    edited July 2010

    I found percocet helped with the taxol pain.

    Hope you find relief soon.

    Leah

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  • JenC
    JenC Member Posts: 382
    edited August 2010

    Hey girls.  Well, I had my first Taxol treatment (weekly x 12) this past thursday and felt pretty good up until today when the muscle and bone pain started in pretty intense.  No nulasta shots with this so not sure what is going on.  Going to call the onc tomorrow to see what they can do for this daytime pain.  It is almost as bad as when I did have to take the neulasta shot:(  Aching muscles, joints, bones, etc.  Thought this would be easier than AC and not really looking forward to this every week for the next 11 weeks.  Even my jaw hurts.  Any suggestions.  I have perks and stuff left over from surgery but cant take those during the day and work...  Feeling a little down.  Thanks in advance for any advice.

    Jen

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