Taxotere is a nightmare

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  • marjie
    marjie Member Posts: 1,134
    edited January 2011

    SAMayoFL - Well only just started treating the thrush but to be honest it's not too bothersome - it is down in my lower espohagus so although I fell like I have something in my throat all the time, it has been bearable.  Now, the shingles I had for my first half of chemo REALLY SUCKED!!

    I'm on a steroid high right now lol, so I'm a pretty happy camper - curious to see what my posts will be in 4-5 days time Undecided

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  • Paula1231
    Paula1231 Member Posts: 456
    edited January 2011

    Tracie,

    The darvon did not work.  I am much better today tho.  Guess I can bear it for two more taxols. Just need to be positive and hang in there.  Hope you are doing better.

    Bdavis, I am wishing no SE's for you.  Good luck with your first taxol and keep us posted.

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  • tracie23
    tracie23 Member Posts: 598
    edited January 2011

    paula1231: I am feeling better today to... Wow what a horrible ride this is.... I am still going to ask for more Darvocet it worked for me. I need sleeping pills as well ... I did not sleep well from Thursday until Tuesday night... I can't go like that. How is your mouth do you get the pasty yuck for about 5 to 7 days? I can even taste oodles of noodles and you know how salty that is. I have 2 more to go as well I will be so happy to say I am done with chemo.

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  • bdavis
    bdavis Member Posts: 6,201
    edited January 2011

    I went today to buy claritin but the pharmacist said that my allegra which I'm on already should do the same thing, bith are antihistamines... anyone used allegra for neulasta pain?

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  • marjie
    marjie Member Posts: 1,134
    edited January 2011

    bdavis - My neulasta/neupogen pain has not been great but not the worst either...extra strength tylenol has been fine for me.  To be honest, I had absolutely no reaction to the Neulasta but then again it didn't work for me at all.  The neupogen has a minimal effect for me, but I still get pretty achey...always starting around my neck and jaw.

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  • Paula1231
    Paula1231 Member Posts: 456
    edited January 2011

    Tracie, I do have the yucky mouth.  I suck on those jolly rancher candies and they help a bit.  I have to restrain myself with the salt..everything tastes a bit bland till day 6 or 7 post taxol.  You are right about this being horrible.  I do not sleep well either.  I have no pain right now and am looking forward to a good night.  Hope you have one too.

    bdavis, I have not used anything but claritin.  Be sure to take some aleve too on the day of neulasta.  It helps with the bone pain.  I do not get any SE's from the neulasta just from the taxol. 

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  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 17,186
    edited January 2011

    bdavis I'm on Zyrtec so I can't do Claritin. I do take Aleve and it does take the edge off the bone pain.

    Paula, the last 2 tx I sucked on ice. It helped a little with the taste issue. I still had some wierdness and it lasts about a week but not as bad.

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  • bdavis
    bdavis Member Posts: 6,201
    edited January 2011

    Thanks all... will stick with the allegra and add aleve... will let you know how that goes.

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  • tracie23
    tracie23 Member Posts: 598
    edited January 2011
    Today I still am feeling so tired I had the Taxotere treatment on the 6th.... I started developing mouth sores on Friday so it hurts to eat and I am SOOOOO READY TO EAT !!!!!. I don't feel toxic anymore and my bone pain is gone but I am so exhausted. My hormones are so out of whack  I am either crying or ready to kill someone just for saying hello.... I am so tired of feeling like dog shit all the time, I am so tired of feeling on edge all the time .... this is not who I am... I am always happy I am the one who makes everyone else feel good , I am the one with all the energy and could multi task until the cows came home. Know I get lost in my own house and can't remember why I am doing what I am doing I feel mean and I have no energy and multi task forget it..... I am having a terrible day and I just had to get it off my chest because at this point my husband looks at me like gee I can't believe you are still feeling like this Yell my daughter has her friend over and they are laughing and having fun and just the sound of them gets under my skin... I should love the sound of 9yr old laughter.... I have yelled at them so many times today for nothing... before all this I would be the one in the middle of the laughter having fun with them and today I want to shut myself in the closet..... oh well as they say this to shall pass.  Thanks for listening.
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  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 17,186
    edited January 2011

    tracie don't eat anything spicy, hot in temperature or acid till the sores go away. It can take up to a week. Also next time suck on ice. I did the last 2 times and what a difference. In my case my tongue would get sore. Last treatment my tongue wasn't sore at all!

    As far as the mood swings… you're on your own there. So far I don't have them. Actually husband gets a break because I used to get them the week before my period. Haven't had that since I started chemo.

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  • ktym
    ktym Member Posts: 2,637
    edited January 2011

    tracie, hugs.  I didn't realize how moody and depressed the steroid and taxotere swings were making me until I was done and the fog lifted.  It will get better.

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  • mrsnjband
    mrsnjband Member Posts: 1,409
    edited January 2011

    tracie23. I sooo understand how you feel. It does get better.  Are you taking anything to help?  They finaly put me on antidepressants, Lexapro works really well for me & I only take 1/2 pill.  Sending you a cyber {{{HUG}}}. NJ

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  • Paula1231
    Paula1231 Member Posts: 456
    edited January 2011

    Tracie,

    Hang in there!  I can tell you the L-Acetal-Carnitine is giving me lots of energy and my fog is lifting.  It is soo working for me.  I think I am going to go with the pain and forgo the steroids.

    Tracie, light some candles, lock the door and take a nice hot bath.  I am longing for the day when our chemo is over and speaking strictly for me..having a very large margarita with some really spicy salsa.

    Lago is soooo right...I went to the Sonic and got a large limeade stuffed with that awesome crushed ice and sucked and chewed on the ice.  My mouth was so much better.  Don't worry, this will pass. 

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  • tracie23
    tracie23 Member Posts: 598
    edited January 2011

    Hi Ladies thanks for the kind words I have been in a bad place these past few days... I think it is the amount of time I am in my home , laying in my bed or on my couch is really starting to get me down. I am very happy to have you all to vent to. I hope everyone had a good weekend?

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  • marjie
    marjie Member Posts: 1,134
    edited January 2011

    Hang in there Tracie! We all get stuck in our bad places sometimes and are lucky to have each other because I feel like others who haven't been there are sympathetic but they don't understand. How could you, really?

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  • TifJ
    TifJ Member Posts: 1,568
    edited January 2011

    Tracie- So sorry you are having a rough time. I thought I did very well on chemo and was so happy to be done on 12/31. 5 days later the catheter on my port got infected. I have had 11 days of IV antibiotic infusions so far. The port was removed and they left the incision open (it has to be packed every 2 days) so the infection wouldn't get in the incision- the infection is just above it. It hurts so bad, between the two, that all I do is lay in bed (it doesn't hurt as bad when lying down). I haven't been anywhere or done anything. I almost feel like I'm not a part of the family anymore! Of course, my husband keeps saying "it will get better" and I know this, but this is supposed to my happy fun time being done with chemo. It's really hard to have a positive attitude. I feel for you and hope we both get back to normal soon.

    Tiffany

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  • melania
    melania Member Posts: 117
    edited January 2011

    Hi Ladies your posts are aaaaaaaaaaaall so related to me ! thanks for sharing , I dont feel alone  anymore , i was thinking nobody can just understand how it feels . When I come to this board and i see your posts i know that i have sisters too.  Let's just think it's temporary an we will feell this way  for months and will come out in a better way from the other side of this dark tunnel . I am slo doing THC every 3 weeks and herceptin each week. I have a very bad cold on top of my side effects , i had antibiotics but i still ave runny nose and i wanna try a claritin . Id this maybe another side effect??

    Tracie your post was so related to me that i asked my husband to please sit down and read it and see how i feel today !!!!thanks for posting !

    With the forst THC i had that very bad taste in my mouth for 2 weeks or so , everything tasted bitter even chocolate, i havent experienced it with 2nd one although i am just one week out of 2nd one , but lets hope it wont be here soon.

    Let's hold each others hand tightly during chemo ! yes we can , WE WILL SURVIVE!!!

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  • Paula1231
    Paula1231 Member Posts: 456
    edited January 2011

    TifJ, So sorry to hear about your port!  We chemo girls heal a bit slower, but it will pass.  I am sending huggs your way.  Can you ask for pain meds so at least you will be a bit more comfortable?  When will they remove the packing?  Hang in there, it is always darkest before the light.  Soon this will be just a bad memory for you and you will be up and around.  The really up side is that you are DONE!!  Chemograduate!!  No more bug juice. 

    Tracie, huggs to you too!  It will get better.  Soon you will be out of that chair and into your life.  This is my first weekend without pain.  We got up early Saturday and took the Roadrunner train to Santa Fe.  Had a marvelous lunch (mine sans chile) at La Fonda, and window shopped the day.  While waiting for the return train, I had a wonderful slice of rhubarb pie (that tasted like rhubarb and not like copper pennies) and a creamy latte.  It was almost like old times when I had no fear, no problems, and two boobies instead of boob and foob.  I did not think of cancer or chemo all day long!!

    Today I am mentally preparing for Wednesday the third of four taxols.  After Wednesday, I will have only one left.  While that makes me really happy, I am feeling like a four year old about going to this one.  I don't wanna, I don't wanna, I don't wanna..boo hoo hoo.Cry 

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  • tracie23
    tracie23 Member Posts: 598
    edited January 2011

    Paula: I can almost taste the rhubarb pie mmmmmm Smile I am doing a bit better today I am not feeling so off today which is great I bought some new pillows for my bed the old ones looked like pancakes LOL and I am going to have pizza for dinner I can't seem to think of anything else. I will be thinking of you on Wednesday, I have my 3rd of 4 next Thursday.... keep me posted as to how you are doing. I am sending you hugs.

    Melania: I am so sorry to hear your life is like mine.... I hope when we are all done with the chemo the boobs, the ovaries etc... we can compare and we will have really exciting lives :) happy not so much stress enjoy our families kind of lives !!!! and you are correct WE WILL SURVIVE... I know it is so hard for the husbands to understand they are very use to us being able to do it all and watching us not be able to do it all is very hard on everyone. I just hope I get some of my brain back .... good lord I feel so slow and not very smart anymore  thank God for spell check other wise you would have to buy a decoder to get through this LOL .... I hope you are having a better day .

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  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 17,186
    edited January 2011
    melania I get the bitter taste too. Last time it wasn't too bad but it did last for about a week. It started about 6-7 days after TX. I think it wasn't as bad last time because I sucked on ice the entire time I was infused with taxotere.
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  • marjie
    marjie Member Posts: 1,134
    edited January 2011

    I hate the bitter taste!!  Trying to eat my veggies like a good girl and they are just so bitter and nasty tasting.  Definitely notice that regardless of the taste, the healthier I eat, the easier it is on my digestion for heartburn and such.

    I was craving icecream SOOO badly for so long that I finally broke down and bought myself a sundae.  Guess what???  NO TASTE AT ALL :(

    No fair, lol.

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  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 17,186
    edited January 2011

    Mafjie my taste buds started going today… but it's the last time! I'm making beef stew tonight but who knows if I'll taste it. Need to go light on the pepper. Pepper just tastes terrible. I'm not sure how I will do with red meat. I eat is so infrequently.

    Weird you can't taste ice cream. Sweet stuff I'm OK unless it's chocolate. Granted chocolate is bitter that's why it has sugar.  My husband was bad last night and brought home some chocolate malted milk balls. Good thing is chocolate tastes bad so I won't eat them.

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  • Paula1231
    Paula1231 Member Posts: 456
    edited January 2011

    I don't have the bitter taste, but everything is really bland.  I am using way more salt than I should.  I had a cheeto that tasted like old oil.  Guess they are out of my life for good..ugh.  I find eating with plastic ware helps alot with the copper penny taste.  I can't wait for food to be really good again.  I am gaining tons of weight with the taxol.  Then two weeks later I pee like crazy and I am back to normal.  Weird.

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  • mscal02
    mscal02 Member Posts: 522
    edited January 2011

    Hi Ladies. It will get better.I used Crest Pro Health toothpaste and mouth wash and did not have any problems. I had purchased a large box of baking soda to rinse  my mouth with and did not have use it. So now I use it for heartburn . Drink plenty of water ,especially during treatment . Rinse it out of your system as soon as you can. Eat, eventhough you can't taste for a few days. I bought boost in case I lost my appetite . Eat whatever you have a taste for.

    Paula try seasoning with herbs instead of salt.

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  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 17,186
    edited January 2011

    Mscal I will never lose my appetite. I've taken great care of my teeth/gums during treatment including the biotene mouth wash recommended by my dentist. He explained that the reason you lose your taste buds is due to dry mouth. Chemo can do things to the cells in your mouth to cause this to happen. Some folks have the issue and some don't. I thought I'd be spared but after tx 4 I realised I did have changes. It's not that bad and only lasts a week for me. I dont' have the metallic taste that Paula has. I hear that's just awful. I also had sore tongue but it looks like I may be spared again this time. Last 3 tx I sucked on ice during treatment and my tongue was spared.


    Paula     I too have gained water weight but I know I have gained some other weight too. I'll be working it off starting next week end when the majority of these SE are done. It's starting to feel good being done. I can''t wait to be able to zip up my snow boots all the way again. Yes even "thin" me had  legs that blew up to balloons during chemo. They are still nice an shiny.

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  • tracie23
    tracie23 Member Posts: 598
    edited January 2011

    marje: Veggies ??? What Veggies???? when I have chemo for about 7 days I can only eat cereal and it happens to be lucky charms and that is only because I can taste them I have the bland no taste and anything salty I can't taste either... but those lucky charms are magically delicious Laughing Once the 7 days are up I can go back to halfway decent food but this chemo thing is like being pregnant I crave things and have to have them and let me tell you not one of them are healthy.....

    Paula1234: I have gained 20 lbs since starting chemo. I spent 2 yrs prior to this working out eating right and it all has come back. But starting in March (chemo is done in Feb) I will back to doing all the right things. I figure at this point I am to far gone in the bad food and not working out as much so I will start over than. The Cheetos thing those and chili Frito's are the 2 chips I can taste ...bad for me good for you :)

    Lago: I never had the water weight or anything swelling up ( thank goodness) but my legs are getting hair back, that started when I started Taxotere.... my hair on my head and else where is all coming back and I am loosing my eyebrows and eyelashes go figure Yell.

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  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 17,186
    edited January 2011

    Tracie that's so weird. I have my brows and some of my lashes but all other hair is MIA. (OK have a few strands on my head, 3 nose hairs and 5 pubic hairs Tongue out) I just started back on the biotin and Rogaine. Rogaine can take 3-6 months to show results. I had used it before because my hair started to receded a bit. Only once a day of the womens stuff for me because it was working a little too good if you know what I mean.

    Started regrowth in 3 months I think. Also help stop more from falling out. It will be intersting to see if I do get my hair back what kind of hair line I have. Even if my hair thins a bit I had a very thick head of hear so I might be OK on the estrogen sucking drug.

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  • marjie
    marjie Member Posts: 1,134
    edited January 2011

    tracie23 - You are so right!!  It is just like being pregnant.  The same as you, I am craving all the wrong things. Gotta say I'm trying to get my veggies in but not very successfully.  I can relate to the cereal - maybe I should try lucky charms Tongue out.  I just really want to try to get a handle on it before it gets out of hand...

    I am the same on taxotere - my hair is coming back in but now have completely lost my brows and lashes which seems to make an even bigger difference to my appearance than just having no hair.  Around my eyes is all dark and seems like no amount of makeup can cover it up - I look like Uncle Fester from the Adams Family.

    My last tx is on Feb 2 - I was looking at the calendar and realized that last year on Feb 2nd I was with the family on a beach down in the Dominican...I think I'll take a pic of me in my chemo chair & ice mitts and post it with the beach pic: "What a difference a year can make...!"

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  • TonLee
    TonLee Member Posts: 2,626
    edited January 2011

    I'm glad you guys are done, or so close!  That's great.

    I noticed with tx #3 my hunger changed....I crave more sweets, but try to fight it off and stick with protein (cottage cheese, Greek Yogurt) but it's hard....I'm still working out every single day I can...but some days, I swear my heart just HURTS...like someone is squeezing it hard but it's trying to pump for me.

    Lago...did your thighs swell up first, or the entire leg all at once?  I noticed with #3 my legs are swelling up...they did for about 4 days last time, but this time it's taking a little longer to go away...I'm hoping a stint of heavy lifting at the gym will help...

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  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 17,186
    edited January 2011

    My thighs have always been on the big side. Before my BMX I had been working out so they were even bigger to start with. I really think the edema is in my lower legs, upper arms and my lower bloated belly. It doesn't go away anymore like it did with the first 3 tx. I was told it could take up to 2 months to get rid of the bloat.

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