Taxotere is a nightmare

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  • Kindergarten
    Kindergarten Member Posts: 4,869
    edited February 2011

    Dear Wonderful Ladies, I feel so bad when I read your posts about Taxotere. The nurses told me the same thing 6 years ago, Oh, Taxotere is a cake walk compared to Adrimicin-Cytoxin. I know they did not mean to give me false hope, but taxotere is definitely more challenging with the side effects:tingling and numbness in the feet, horrible headaches, etc.  I wish they had better drugs now for you all to combat these horrible side effects. All I remember is my onc telling me, Hang in there,  this drug kicks the heck out of cancer. Thank the Lord , I only needed 4 of these treatments. I Look back now and it is like remembering your Labor pains with childbirth, it was bad, too, but the end result is great!!!!! You ladies should be so proud of yourselves and know that you are all going to come out of this on top!!!!! Prayers are coming your way!!!!!  I hope you all feel better every day as you get closer to the end of treatment. God bless you all, Kathy

  • LadyinBama
    LadyinBama Member Posts: 1,132
    edited February 2011
    All with new SEs: Please call your doc/nurse and report these. We gain nothing by being stoic and waiting for pain or swelling or purple feet or whatever to go away!! Most SEs have a fix or at least something that can make them less severe. And some SEs get worse the longer you let them go on, so please don't wait. Call your doc/nurse right away if anything new comes along. I also felt like I was bugging them with inconsequential stuff, but it dawned on me one day, "hey, I've got cancer, and this is their job, to make me better" so screw it! I called anytime something out of the ordinary came up. And sometimes they reassured me that I didn't need to do anything and it would resolve; and sometimes they called me in a prescription; and sometimes I had to go see the doctor. The main thing is - we are due good care. Don't shortchange yourself.
  • coni111852
    coni111852 Member Posts: 419
    edited February 2011

    Sooo agree with u tracie we should, we can all write our stories

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

    tracie23 My onc never said Taxotere was a cakewalk. Matter a fact I read about many of the side effects in the binder they gave me. I was told I wouldn't get all  of them. I didn't question how much this was going to suck because I knew being HER2+ I was getting chemo nodes or no nodes. Ironically I was told the hardest thing for me would be my hair loss. I told the NP now way. I'd be more upset about my eyebrows (which thinned a little but so far 4 weeks from last chemo I still have).

    The worst SE for me is both the nail issues and stiffness. Its constant and effects my ability to do things. Lack of hair isn't physically limiting or physically uncomfortable.

    LadyinBama is correct. You onc can't properly help/treat you if s/he doesn't know what's going on. Things that I thought were no big deal and I had to tough it out weren't. When I first had toenail issues I figured it's not hurting so no big deal. I did mention it to my onc after the 3rd tx… and she sent me to a podiatrist. Good thing. I'm still having issues but at least no infections!

    With all the emails/calls I made I found they wanted to know everything. They loved the fact I came in with a list… it was more efficient and I didn't forget anything.

  • tracie23
    tracie23 Member Posts: 598
    edited February 2011
    lago I bring lists with me to ... not because I am that efficient but because of CHEMO BRAIN  If I didn't have the list I would not be able to remember anything.... LOL  I also thank God for spell check Laughing.
  • marjie
    marjie Member Posts: 1,134
    edited February 2011

    My onc has always wanted to know about everything, there's a special triage number to the cancer centre that we call to report SE's or fever, concerns and questions. We speak to a nurse who then relays everything to the proper onc/nurse team and they follow up same day.  It actually works really well.

    I was told right from the beginning that taxotere would be the tough part of my chemo regime FEC-T, but after having such difficulty with FEC, my onc said she hoped I was one of those people that managed through taxotere easier and I think all things considered, I did. It for sure hasn't been pleasant but the SE's have not been dangerous as happened with FEC.  Ah well...it's done now and I guess what's important is that hopefully the treatment was more aggressive than my cancer.

  • Omaz
    Omaz Member Posts: 5,497
    edited February 2011
    marjie - I like that 'hopefully the treatment was more aggressive than my cancer'.  That goes up on our quote board at home for a while-  'by marjie'
  • marjie
    marjie Member Posts: 1,134
    edited February 2011

    Omaz - love it...I feel famousLaughing.  But it's true don't you think?

  • Omaz
    Omaz Member Posts: 5,497
    edited February 2011

    I think it's absolutely true!!

  • tracie23
    tracie23 Member Posts: 598
    edited February 2011

    Go Marjie, Go Marjie !!!! How are you feeling today Marj?

  • marjie
    marjie Member Posts: 1,134
    edited February 2011
    Laughing Hey Tracie!!  Today I am finally starting to feel better.....FINALLY!!!!
  • tracie23
    tracie23 Member Posts: 598
    edited February 2011
    I have my last chemo tomorrow... YEAH !!! Marj, I took the steroids today and it has been very anticlimactic Frown I am not hyper at all, I feel more tired today than yesterday, my house is a mess and I have no energy to clean it!!!! you know we look forward to the steroids in order to get our homes in order oh well !! Marj I am so happy you are feeling better what a horrible ride this has been but you are done to and so is Lago she has had a hell of a time to. It will all be over soon.
  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 17,186
    edited February 2011

    Tracie if it makes you feel better I bet your house is cleaner than mine. Yes I have been doing a lot but I still don't do what I normally do because of the fingers. My wood floors so need me to get down on my hands and knees and shine them up.

    Last Chemo YAY! I posted this video the other day but the thread was deleted. I'm posting it again for you because eventhough the words don't work it is  a good video for happy dance: Bang on the drums all day!

    Now if that doesn't get you moving I don't know what will Tongue out

  • marjie
    marjie Member Posts: 1,134
    edited February 2011
    Tracie...I didn't get the steroid rush I was looking forward to with my last chemo either sooooo yeah, my house is a mess!!  BUT WHO CARES...IT"S YOUR LAST ONE...YAAAAAAAAY!!Laughing
  • SAMayoFL
    SAMayoFL Member Posts: 958
    edited February 2011

    Hey ladies, I finished my 7th of 12 Taxotere treatments today.  I really feel like I have been pretty forturnate.  My SEs have manageable.  Lago, I can honestly say when I saw your fingers and toes I feel like a total heel complaining about any of my SEs.

    Tracie, you are entitled to dark days.  A bad UTI in addition to chemo stinks!  Take care of yourself and I hope you enjoy your night out with the girls.

    Really, I was reading about selfish husbands and I had to post this.  It sums up my DH beautifully.  On Monday he called me from work.  A co-worker's wife found a lump in her breast last week and went to the doctor.  Her mammogram was scheduled for Monday.  My DH called to tell me about the mammogram and he actually said, "Susan, I would hate to know another guy would have to go through BC with his wife."  I was like, are you seriously going to worry about her husband without at least first thinking and hoping the mammogram goes well or that his wife is fine.  OMG!!!!  I swear my DH is a DA!!!! 

    Susan

  • SAMayoFL
    SAMayoFL Member Posts: 958
    edited February 2011

    LOL!!!  Sorry, ladies.  When I submitted my post I realized I was reading on page 12 and am way behind the times.  I will just mark that up to chemo brain!

    Susan

  • LadyinBama
    LadyinBama Member Posts: 1,132
    edited February 2011

    Iago: I saw that other thread where you posted the Bang on the Drum link. I figured it would get deleted. Loved your link though.

  • zenith4289
    zenith4289 Member Posts: 170
    edited February 2011

    I had my last taxoterrible on dec 23 and I still have no hair in spots on my head.  Kind of like male pattern baldness.  Is anyone else experiencing this?  I am so upset and overwhelmed with thinking I'll never have a full head of hair again.  Also wondering what do I do now?

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

    Zenith My last chemo was Jan 18th. The back and sides are definitely coming in but as you get closer to the top and front it's much sparser. Granted I do see some growth just not near as much. The hair on my head always did grow super fast so maybe that's why some is back so quickly.

    I think it's just going to take time. I'm actually shocked I have this much hair on my head already. I think my leg hair has started a little. No pit hair and no hair down south either. Granted the hair on my legs/pits never grew that fast anyway in the last few years. Think that was a perimenopause gift.

  • EricaH
    EricaH Member Posts: 41
    edited February 2011

    My onc told me my hair may start to grow back during Taxotere.    From what I have up there now, if it does grow back I'm going to look like Linus from the Peanuts cartoons. 

  • LadyinBama
    LadyinBama Member Posts: 1,132
    edited February 2011

    Zenith: My last taxoterrible was Dec. 6 and I just now have some hair on top. Mine is/was exactly like you described, the "male pattern baldness" look. But in the last week, the top has sprung out. I now have little nubs pretty much all over, but no real growth (length) yet. Try not to freak out yet. I was getting anxious about regrowth and drove myself crazy checking my bald head in the mirror about a hundred times a day!! Some people's hair grows fast and some grows slow. I guess you and me are the slow growers.

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

    Erica I love it. I looked like Linus through most of chemo. Just had a few long strands to brush back.

  • zenith4289
    zenith4289 Member Posts: 170
    edited February 2011

    Thanks everyone.  I will try to have more patience and not freak out.  You have given me hope.

  • IllinoisNancy
    IllinoisNancy Member Posts: 722
    edited February 2011

    Hi Zenith,

    I asked my onc about Taxotere and baldness on my last visit.  He said in his 20 years of prescribing it, he has never seen permanent baldness.  He has read about it but never seen it.  He said that some women just take longer to get it back but it always comes back.  I sure hope he is right for all of us:)

    Take care,

    Nancy

  • marjie
    marjie Member Posts: 1,134
    edited February 2011
    Mine started to grow back during taxotere.  It looked pretty patchy but it seems to be filling in more evenly now.  It's definitely growing straight up on the top and the longer it gets, the greyer it looks ... sigh.  Ah well. Undecided
  • thegood5
    thegood5 Member Posts: 478
    edited February 2011

    right there with you marjie...sounds like you just described my head!  So long blonde...hello grey!  I guess that's better than no hair!  Mine started back during Tax too...maybe the herceptin helped

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

    Some people claim that herceptin may slow hair growth but I really think we all just react differently.  My eyes are really bothering me - I sure would like my lashes back!!  My sister lives down in the States and she is going to send me some Latisse - has anyone used this?  I'm not sure if it's available in Canada or it may be only by prescription....

  • motherofpatient
    motherofpatient Member Posts: 240
    edited February 2011

    Did any of you have low blood pressure with herceptin? My daughter is on TCH and her pressure is very low now on day 9 after TCH and her recent H only two days ago. It was 6 days after the TCH instead of the usual 7. Does that make a difference?

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

    My BP always runs a little low as the norm.  I will pay attention at my tx next week - it will be the first one where I get herceptin by itself.  My BP did drop to something crazy (I remember the top number was 75) while on FEC and I had to have a blood transfusion.  Could be that she is at that point in her cycle that her counts have all dropped.....that's when mine took a dive.

  • thePuppetLady
    thePuppetLady Member Posts: 127
    edited February 2011

    I had my last Tax-Cytoxin Jan 21...I didn't get hit too badly with the SE's--I had the extreme fatigue, joint pain, and man, some incredible hives!  But it certainly was no cakewalk.

    Just saw my BS a few days ago...the chemo shrunk my tumours to the point where she can't feel them!  and I had a pretty good sized one in my breast, and my node as well.  So in my book, the chemo was worth it.  It did its job.  Now my surgery will be less invasive (lumpectomy).  I did ask her why still surgery if she can't feel the tumours and she said she's going in to make sure the cancer is gone :)...works for me...ellen

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