Help!! Taxol side effects.

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sandejosgirl
sandejosgirl Member Posts: 57
edited June 2014 in Young With Breast Cancer

So, this week has REALLY sucked. Had 7/8 Taxol last Tues. I was doing pretty good each round, but this time I crashed hard.  Extreme fatigue and I HURT.  So, my ?? is, at what point do you say, enough! and call for pain killers.  I feel like a total wimp and I don't want the Onc to say that we are going to skip the last Taxol cause I can't handle the side effects.

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  • youyourbestthing
    youyourbestthing Member Posts: 19
    edited September 2011

    Hi Stephanie, Taxol sucks. I think you should ask for painkillers and I'm hoping you can get the rest you need since fatigue is wearing you down. I don't know about you but I had trouble thinking by that time. Whether to skip or get the last dose should be a joint decision btw u and your doc, so don't hold back. They need to know what you're going through and they should be able to offer options that will allow you to finish if that's what you want to do. Hugs!!!!! I don't know if this will help or freak u out, but I actually felt worse when I finished. It took several weeks before the SEs started going away and I was emotionally wiped out. Be gentle with yourself. You have gone through A LOT and your body needs time to recover. Hang in there, we know how u feel

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  • jancie
    jancie Member Posts: 2,631
    edited September 2011

    Call your onc and get some pain meds.  Believe me so many women complain about Taxol pain and it doesn't go away real fast.  If you get some medication then you will breeze through your last session.  Just know that the pain can come and go even after your last infusion which is why I suggest that you don't skip the last one because it could be pointless.

    My taxol pain would come and go - but there were times I stayed in bed for 3 days straight after an infusion - my hips downward to my feet would hurt so bad that I didn't want to get out of bed.  Keep in mind I have an extremely low tolerance to pain and am a total wuss so what bothered me may not bother you at all.

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  • ma111
    ma111 Member Posts: 1,376
    edited September 2011

    I agree with the others, ask for pain meds.

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  • dogeyed
    dogeyed Member Posts: 884
    edited September 2011

    Ditto on the pain medication.  Those last two or three taxols were so awful, I had lots of pain in my bones from my waist down, and I also was absolutely exhausted, and when my next taxol would come up, I wasn't over the one before.  It was tough.  If you get pain meds, keep in mind to hang onto some for a few weeks after the last taxol, becuz you will continue to hurt.  You may need someting for sleep, too, because some pain drugs can wake you up early.

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  • LuvRVing
    LuvRVing Member Posts: 4,516
    edited September 2011

    Stephanie - are you taking any kind of anti-inflammatory (like Advil or Aleve)?  If not you may find some relief from either of those.  You should stay away from Tylenol as it is processed by the liver and I know, for me, my liver enzymes are slightly elevated due to the Taxol.  Call your onc's office and ask if it would be ok.  If not, ask for pain meds. 

    I just finished Taxol #2 of 4 and I've got the bone pain, too.  I am surprised because I already take an anti-inflammatory for arthritis, but my knees feel like I forgot to take my med.  So I can only imagine what the rest of you are feeling.  I'm also taking claritin, don't know if it's helping but I'm not going to find out by not taking it.

    Being in pain just adds to the fatigue that builds with each treatment.  So be kind to your body and let it recover from the assault required to kick cancer's butt!

    Hugs,

    Michelle

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